Nectar & Light

be safe tonight friends - and have a sugar-filled happy weekend!

xoox~jla

p.s.  this is hector, you can read about him here. 

a little announcement today:  i would like to introduce you to rosyeve & fey.  named for my daughter's i am excited to start photographing children in the omaha area once again.  besides offering light-filled digital shots of children, i am offering special film and polaroid packages as well - i mean, how could i not? ;)  i also hope to expand into small, intimate weddings in the near future.  thank you for peeking and if you are interested - be sure to book a session before the weather changes too much more!

until tomorrow...

xoox~jla

at Fall 'Roid Week 2008 - pull out that film and get snap happy!  and pardon the dust here - i am cleaning up things at bit and hope to have the site updated in the next few weeks.  and a special announcement for my local readers this week... stay tuned!

have a beautiful, crisp day...

xoox~jla

thank you so much to everyone who left a comment in the fieryeyed birthday announcement - not only for wanting to own a large print of my work, but for the warmth and love in your words - thank you - you are my inspiration.

due to the unexpected number of comments, i decided to randomly select three winners - a grand prize winner who will be able to select any print from the shop for a custom 10x10 print, and two runner's-up {is that a word?} who will receive any 8x8 print from the shop that they choose - so... here we go!

the grand prize goes to:  lauren beacham

and the runner's-up:  stacey {downey-sterretts on flickr} & emma of emma's design blog

please send me an email if your name is listed above and we will sort the details.

thank you again - and as a special treat - for the next 24 hours only {sale ends at noon CST} - there are 10 8x8 prints in the shop listed at $10.  if you order three or more, you will recieve an additional 8x8 of your choice in which you may select from anything in the shop - not just the sale prints - just note your selection at checkout. {please note that the usual 15% discount on more than 3 prints ordered at a time does not apply to these specially priced prints.}

thank you for your support over the last year friends - i can not begin to put into words what it means to me - hopefully having a little "thank you" on your wall is a good way to start. ;)

xoox~jla

hi y'all!  just got back from atlanta and oh my goodness - what an insanely wonderful time.  congratulations to my gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous cousin christina {who is really like my baby sister} - a vision in pink, and her newly betrothed julia.  it was a wonderful weekend full of beautiful women, wine and occasional weeping.  love to you all and may your life always be so blessed...

i will return to regular posting next week - but will be stopping by tomorrow to announce the winner of the birthday contest!

xoox~jla

just a quick note - there has been a shop update this week and some of my customer's favorites are now available in a frame-ready size of 5x5 for only $15.  chat with you soon...

p.p.s. breathtaking photography and beautiful wares here {via CC}

okay, i am done now - really, i am going to finish packing - seriously.

xoox~jla

 

is it so strange that i take such delight in gray skies?  i love the sweet smell of the earth while it slumbers under a darkly hued blanket - and i love how it translates onto film.  it makes my heart ache a bit.  in a good way.  but i also find during the darkest days, i tend to reflect inwardly.  i begin to ask questions of myself that the sunshine would never dare conjure.  i think for those of us who are self-proclaimed artists, it is a struggle to stay fresh, inspired and most acutely - focused.  i commend my sweet friend amanda who has been so open and honest with her creative struggle and i anticipate wonder and fulfillment in her new quest - one that truly speaks to her heart.  isn't that what we all need as "creative types" - a vision that captures us so strongly and with such a force that we become somewhat myopic in it's quest?  and a greater challenge than finding that vision is sharing the journey.  there are so many people who feel at their best when they are knocking others down - this creates a fear about what and how much to share - and quite rightly so.  but it is the love and support of those who believe in you and your journey in which you should focus - i am writing this as a daily affirmation to myself as well as to those of you who are struggling to find the light.  i hope we can all take this season - with it's bursts of fiery washes and equally stunning gray mornings and find our way - whatever direction that may be.

have a wonderful week... hold your partner a little longer - let your kisses linger on your child's brow - take the time to sit down and watch the sky transform the landscape in the evening - breathe - be happy...

i will be back next week as i am off to atlanta to shoot my beautiful cousin's commitment ceremony... see you soon.

xoox~jla

i hope you had a beautiful weekend.  i am in the midst of a major portfolio overhaul and prepping to shoot a wedding next weekend - so i spent the weekend shooting my little heart out - i do hope you too found inspiration and wonder at ever turn.

some things i am loving right now:

~ this line of jewelry and this line as well - new to me and so lust-worthy;

~ crazy excited about this upcoming release - and listening to this in the meantime;

~ a reason to watch tv again - i think i cry over someones personal story every episode - and back to an old favorite and a new one that haunts me - but i can't stop watching;

~ leti transports me to italy - in the dreamy, sunshine warming my face kind of way that lingers in my deepest and most touching memories - thank you new friend;

~ this new flickr find;

~ i am loving short films and beautiful music - like this one from early fall and all of these from a favorite site.

have a lovely day...

xoox~jla

a recipe is long overdue, and with the copious amount of apples we picked at the orchard a few weeks ago, the timing was ideal for making apple butter.  this is an autumn tradition in my home and this recipe results in a decedent, rich apple butter that you can use both traditionally as a spread on toast {with blue cheese as pictured below} and scones - but it also lends itself beautifully to salad dressings, a base for sweet barbecue sauces, basting fish, add it to french toast batter or scoop it over vanilla ice cream.

this is a canning recipe - and i have to say that i am not a canning expert - my annual batch of apple butter is my only experience with canning.  but this is a trick my mother taught me and it has worked well:  as you are preparing the apple butter, prepare your jars by placing them in the dishwasher, running them on the hottest, sanitizing cycle you can - try to time so that the jars are coming out of the dishwasher, steaming hot, and are ready to immediately be filled with apple butter.  fill them to nearly the top ensuring there are no air bubbles within the jar and quickly secure the jar lids tightly.  the lid should create a seal so you are able to store the butter for 6-12 months.  if it does not create a seal, the apple butter can still be eaten but should be done so within a few weeks and immediately stored in the refrigerator.  this recipe fills 5 16oz. jars.

happy canning...

maple-brandy apple butter:

~ 5 lbs. jonathan apples

~ 3 c. organic apple juice

~ 3 c. water

~ 1 1/2 c. organic raw sugar

~ 4 T. brandy

~ 2 T. maple syrup

~ 2 t. cinnamon

~ 1 t. cloves

~ 1/2 t. allspice

~ pinch of salt

combine the apple juice and water in a large stock pot and turn the stove top to high.  chop the apples into chunks and add them to the pot as you work.  while the size does not matter, keep in mind the larger the pieces, the longer it will take for them to soften.  stir often and cook for about 30-40 minutes until the apples begin to separate from their skins.  carefully pour the apples and liquid into a blender or food processor and puree - depending on the size of your equipment you may have to do this in 2-4 batches.  when all of the apples have been pureed, return the apples to the stock pot and the stove - over a medium flame.  add the remaining ingredients whisking them in until they are well incorporated.  cover and let the mixture cook for 15 minutes.  remove the cover and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to thicken.  ideally, this should be the time you are pulling your jars from the wash.  quickly fill the jars and seal... enjoy!

have a wonderful weekend, see you in this space next week - then i am off to atlanta for a long weekend!

xoox~jla

i hope you are well.  thank you to those of you who signed up for the trade this month and believing we can do better.  if you missed the window, please read here and here about why things have changed and that we hope to open it back up next month based on the wonderful results i am sure it will receive in october.

off to do some location scouting today for an upcoming shoot - have a beautiful day and be sure to stop by the shop where the new birthday special is up for the week!  i hope you like secrets ;)

xoox~jla

 

good day friends!

as previously mentioned, we are going to be establishing some new rules for The Photo Trade over the course of the next few months.  we will be trying some different approaches to find what will ultimately work best - this will be an organic process as we look at the issues at hand - quality control and follow-through - as well as continuing to build a group of dedicated, creative and inspired photographers.

full details are here and must be read and adhered to if you would like to participate in future trades.  the most significant changes include limiting the number of participants, not permitting sign-ups from those who still have not fulfilled previous trades, trading with the same individual you are receiving from and most importantly, new quality standards.

i do want to thank those of you who have already been going above and beyond as well as those who have brought these issues to my attention over the last couple of months.  these guidelines may seem a bit harsh, but i was never concerned with the size of the group - i am much more concerned with those participating putting everything they have into sending a piece of themselves - a reflection of their creative genius - into the post each month.  if we are asking too much of you, you are welcome to excuse yourself from the group and we do wish you well.  for those of you up to the challenge, let's play...

this month, the theme is a rather obvious one, Falling for Fall.  the winds chant, the lights wanes, it is a magical season.  what do you love about Fall?  what warms you on cool october eves - what sets your heart aflame on crisp autumn mornings?  do you have a favorite Fall tradition?  tell us your story through a photograph or series of photographs - sign up here by 10 october.  you will receive your partner's information by 13 october and all photographs should be postmarked by 27 october...

*edited to say:  we are full for the month - i will be sending out confirmation emails this afternoon {tuesday} if you were one of the first 30 to sign up - thank you!

enjoy friends... jla

p.s. today is the last day for the buy one get one free offer here...

it seems i am always a day late - but a very happy new year to my friends and family.  may you be blessed with love and light, sweetness and good health, may the sun forever shine upon your face... happy rosh hashanah.

i had hoped to share a favorite recipe with you today, but sadly something went amiss with my apple crisp this morning.  it's flavor is lovely and full of autumn, but it just did not look quite right.  i hope to have more luck with my apple butter over the weekend and will share that with you next week. 

also, the new photo trade theme will be announced on monday - i do apologize for the delay - this week has gotten the better of me.  i hope you all have a lovely weekend - the weather here is crisp and fresh, the leaves are aflame and the air smells of cinnamon - happy days.   i think i might need this to help keep me warm.

xoox~jla

p.s.  the first special offer for the birthday celebration is up in the shop - buy one 8x8 and get one free - check it out here.