Two Bits

We want to break down these internet barriers and invite you into our lives and we’re hoping you’ll do the same.  You are welcome to share a bit of your week or day in the comments, or if they’re better represented by a photo, tag us on instagram @liveseasoned.

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Katie here :

What a beautiful week we’ve had! And I know it’s just a snippet of what’s to come. This week we spent every morning out on the deck before Calder would leave for work. We would drink our coffee and the conversation would always turn towards future projects and ideas. We talked about everything from the mundane, like cleaning the pond, to the more exciting, like what fruits and vegetables we want to try growing at home this summer. And then there are the more long-range plans, like what sorts of hidden nooks we want to develop in our wild mountainside (secret hammocks and benches for relaxing, rope and tire swings for playing, etc.). There’s nothing like a few warm days to make you think you can conquer the world.

Today our plans turned towards the weekend. I’ve been looking forward to this one for about a month now. Tomorrow I’m taking a class on how to make my own makeup using natural ingredients. I’m so excited! I don’t even wear makeup regularly, but it’s going to be fun, and I’m sure I’ll share some of what I learn on the blog!

Happy weekend*

Sarah’s Jambalaya

Guys! I almost dropped the ball on posting today, it’s so nice outside and I have a couple of gigs to run off to, but then these jambalaya pics appeared out of nowhere.  This recipe was begging to be shared and for good reason. This jambalaya is a fan favorite and it’s a one pot meal.  How can a home cooked dinner be any easier? Chop a few things, add a bunch of spices, set it and kinda forget it, cause it will be done before you finish one episode of House of Cards.live seasoned spring 16 jumbalaya-2

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How to : Cultivate a Creative Life

If you like this post, you may want to read Sarah’s post on how to Cultivate a Life of Travel, but be warned that you’ll have the sudden urge to buy a plane ticket or two!

We’re coming up on a year of living in our house, and I’m still organizing things. Unfortunately (for me) one of the last places to get some special treatment has been my office, but I just recently spent a couple of days unpacking the final boxes and during the process I thought about the things I do around the house to encourage creativity (mine, the boys’, and visitors).

Sarah and I grew up in a house that encouraged creativity in all aspects of life, and I’m working to do the same now, whether it’s trying a new recipe, playing musical instruments, working in the garden, knitting or sewing. So even if you aren’t “crafty”, I hope you’ll find some useful advice in this post.

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International Women’s Day!

Hey there, we’re women. Hear us roar. See us move mountains. Read about the women who’ve inspired us.

What are we talking about? Today is International Women’s Day! We thought it would be a fitting day to talk about some of the women that have inspired us.

Of course, we’re so thankful for the examples of the strong, creative, industrious women in our family and community growing up (thanks mom! and flossie-mom!), but today we wanted to talk about some of the women that struck a cord within us and perhaps changed the trajectory of what we thought was possible, encouraging us to pursue our passions with even more vigor.

Katie here :

If you knew me as a kid, you might remember my love of The Parent Trap. I still have a deep admiration for Hayley Mills. How could she seamlessly play the twins in the parent trap so perfectly?! I watched that movie every weekend. Until I discovered Gorillas in the Mist.

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How To: Find Flattering Natural Light for Portraits

Sarah is a professional photographer, from time to time she shares general photography tips and specialized tutorials to teach you to take better images.

Did you ever see the Seinfeld episode where Jerry’s girlfriend looks extremely different depending on the lighting? If you haven’t, click the link and get caught up! If you’re a photographer, amateur or professional, you know that lighting is everything in photography, especially when it comes to photographing people and objects.

For the purpose of this post, let’s define flattering natural light as soft, even lighting without hard shadows. Let’s also aim for photos that reflect the true color of the subjects being photographed. We’ll also pretend that these photos are going to be self portraits because everyone is taking selfies these days and really the best way to master a technique is to practice, practice, practice.  You can be sure that you’ll always have yourself and your cell in most situations, so practice looking for flattering light every day that way when you need to find it, you’ll know where to look.

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Two Bits

_DSC4753It’s Friiiiday! We’re all looking forward to the weekend so just remember that on your commute home today – try not to angry honk at anyone even if they have bird brains 😉

Sarah Here :

I’ve been feeling way under the weather this week so I’m treating this weekend like the past few days, lots of baths (and bath bombs!), my favorite chicken soup, some good books and a healthy dose of relaxing. I can’t help but wonder if all the traveling and working (4 shoots in 5 days) over the past week is what knocked me off my feet, what a softie, right? Thankfully next week will be an editing marathon so I’ll be staying at home instead of out meeting clients. The flexibility of my job has me feeling seriously blue for those of you who are not able to take adequate time off for illness and other mental and physical problems that come your way. Remember to take it easy if you’re not feeling a hundred percent. Life can wait, it really can. Take care of yourself! XO

 

Ingredient of the Season : Vanilla

Every season we like to pick one ingredient and focus on a variety of ways to use it both inside the kitchen and out. You may see the ingredient pop up in drinks, savory and sweet dishes, and cosmetic potions.

When you saw this post title, did you have a gut reaction? Are you excited for all things vanilla? Or are you thinking “ugg, how plain”? In the past I’ve definitely thought of vanilla as a plane-jane flavor and would skip it over something more exciting, but lately I’ve come to appreciate vanilla’s warm and calming scent and flavor.

We’re looking forward to a season of vanilla projects, from the simple vanilla sugar sweetening our morning coffee to experimenting with vanilla-scented homemade perfumes and air fresheners. What do you say? Are you game to play along? Any favorite uses for vanilla beans?

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Welcome March

On the first Wednesday of each month we like to pause and take a look at what’s going on in the world around us.  We’ll highlight some nature and environmental news, give you a bit of inspiration, and ask you to partake in a monthly sustainability initiative with us.

I think Sarah and I are both suffering from a case of seasonal identity crisis, for lack of a better term. We excitedly anticipate spring on every warm day, and yet, aren’t quite ready for winter to end. I think it’s mainly because the year just seems to be passing so quickly and we have so much we want to accomplish, all while snuggling with these little boys that are growing right before our eyes. Are you in the same boat? Do you feel like the year has pulled the rug out from under you? Or are you just ready for spring to arrive in all of its blossoming glory?

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Jamaica – Seasoned View: Vol. 23

Each month we share our Seasoned View.  Snapshots of nature and daily life taken by the Seasoned sisters. Find our archive of past months’ views here.

IT’S MARCH! WTF. If you remember, that’s exactly how I started the February Seasoned View.  I can’t help but feel like this year is slipping through my fingers. I think I’m bopping around so much that I haven’t had a chance to sit still and organize my thoughts, but hey, who needs a moment of calm?  This week I’m hosting Blacka, who I refer to as my Jamaican dad, but he’s more like a best friend.

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Blacka lives next door to the villa where I studied abroad in Jamaica in 2009.  I loved talking with him and his family so much that I decided to go back to Jamaica alone in 2010 and stay with them for two months.  Those were some of the most relaxing months of my life.  I would wake up early because of the heat at which point I’d go lay near the beach, catch a breeze, and take another nap. After nap time, I’d hit the street (as they say in Jamaica) take tons of photos, eat jerk fish, drink Red Stripe and stroll on back home. I learned how to make rice and peas, I made an “office” on the porch of an unused villa, and I learned how to wash my clothes by hand.  I met up with farmers and locals that I had met the year before and generally treated every day as a mini photo adventure. I shot soccer tournaments, elementary school fashion shows, and dozens of different professions.  I waded out into five feet of water in the ocean (with my camera held over my head) in order to hop aboard a tiny fishing boat, slipped on my ass all the way down a muddy mountain to teacher ginger farmers about pesticides, and slept in half finished houses with acquaintances just to get a better feel for the life of a Jamaican.  I even worked on a book concept, but like most of my projects, it was never actually completed. Over the course of two summers, I fell in love with Caribbean culture and island life. I made countless friends, a handful of which I still keep in touch with. I cannot believe that I’m hosting Blacka in my home.  I always hoped the day would come, but I never knew it could be a reality. It just goes to show you the potential of talking to strangers. I thought it could be fun to share some Jam Rock photos here today in honor of the one trip that made me realize I could feel completely at home anywhere on earth.  What a magical moment that was.

You know the deal, you can download one or all of these photos to use as your desktop background or even as phone and tablet wallpapers.  Simply click on the download link below each photo and save the image.  Enjoy!

live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica2Negril Sunsetlive seasoned seasoned view march jamaica4 Reich Fallslive seasoned seasoned view march jamaica5 Pondside Roadlive seasoned seasoned view march jamaica6Yallahs Backyardlive seasoned seasoned view march jamaica8Mountaintop Restoration live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica7Bruce’s Butterfly Garden

 

Excuse the quality of these shots – they were taken over five years ago, they’re unedited and honestly, they make me cringe, but they’re telling of my time so I’ll share them 🙂live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica3Paper makers in eastern Jamaica.live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica9 Ginger farmers learning about pesticides – most thought that bad spirits were the reason for the decline of their crops. It was actually due to an invasive worm.live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica10 Veggie patty and bun – my favorite fast food in Jamaica.live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica11 A primary school fashion show and talent contest was one of the highlights of my trip.live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica12 I had the opportunity to visit a Blue Mountain coffee factory. The drive up was terrifying, but totally worth the private tour.live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica13 This is little Lily, she is the daughter of the cook for the study abroad program.  I was able to stay at their home that they’re building brick by brick, which is how homes are built in most third world countries.live seasoned seasoned view march jamaica14Jamaica’s beer of choice.  My best friend actually worked in the offices of the Red Stripe factory so I was able to go on a tour, watch their company soccer team play and even try Red Stripe Bold, an awesome spin off brew that isn’t exported.