Leona Lane

Adventures and Mishaps in Australia

As always I have a million words in my head... but so few on paper. I decided to break out of my comfort zone and travel to Australia alone. Not really knowing what to expect but anticipating it being a bit uncomfortable. Being alone is hard for me. Although I've been alone a lot recently, and with my divorce date marching closer it seemed easier to be a world away than sitting in a home I once shared with someone else. So in what seems true to recent form I ran as far away as I possibly could (but to a land where everyone still speaks English).

Normally on trips there is someone to share moments with, but travelling solo this poses a bit of a problem. 'Big Red' and my sidekick 'Chloe' are decent company but I'll doubt they'll be able to share a glass of wine with me years from now and laugh or cry over the absurdities that are bound to happen. So I have decided to do what I generally quite hate and try and write about my travels. Probably it will end up way too introspective and less about actual happenings but really this is for me 20 years from now so if its not your cup of tea, bugger off - won't bother me a bit.

THE PNW AESTHETIC

PNW style seems to be changing... there's an unnamed trend emerging. Artists, designers, photographers, everyday folk like us - all taking inspiration from nature in new ways and translating into our work and life. Dusty plaids and an overabundance of woodgrain is out, and a simpler vibe that pulls from nature seems to be popping up everywhere I go and I love it!

My vision is to make coming home remind me of the woods and nature. Gray walls to remind me of moody skies, blues that remind me of clear mountain lakes, a fireplace or candles that remind me of camping, some pine cones or branches to bring in some natural elements. Paintings of a mountain or the ocean picked up at the thrift shop. All nods to the PNW but with a completely different vibe than the styles of the past.

I think a reimagined PNW aesthetic still needs a good dose of wood grain, mixed in with the colors of nature. It needs a touch of vintage with a bit of a modern or minimalist vibe to balance it out. Clean lines mixed with natural elements and textures, plus a healthy dose of greenery. 

For so many of us, the outdoors inspires our lives, so why not our style as well? It's hard to put exactly into words. But if stepping in my front door unconsciously reminds me of all the best parts of stepping into the forest I would call that a success. The idea is to take inspiration from the best of nature and translate it into your home, your wardrobe, your art, or however you express your creativity. Let it inspire your life. 

MAGIC LESSONS WITH ELIZABETH GILBERT

 

“To yell at your creativity, saying, “YOU MUST EARN MONEY FOR ME!” is sort of like yelling at a cat. It has no idea what you’re talking about, and all you’re doing is scaring it away, because you’re making really loud noises and your face looks weird when you do that.” - Elizabeth Gilbert

 

Ann-Marie Espinoza turned me on to Elizabeth Gilbert’s new podcast ‘Magic Lessons' recently, and guys… it’s seriously the best.

 

It's just so spot on. I imagine it’s what it might be like to have a wise older sister. Her advice is so gentle but also so inspiring, empowering and the right kind of a kick in the pants to go exercise the creative part of your brain. I think I’ve listened to every episode twice now, I just can’t get enough, so I’m pretty stoked that her book "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear" is coming out next month. How have I not preordered it already? Oh wait, I think I did.

 

And while I wait for that one, I’m excited to read “Eat, Pray, Love” which I just picked it up from the library today. That request feature on the Seattle Public Library app is also kind of the best. It’s been a little while since I’ve been this excited to read a book. Not since the Wildwood Series over the winter - those were a fun read! …but I digress. 

 

So between the advice of a mentor, my dad and the Magic Lessons podcast, I’ve decided to dust off the keyboard and try writing again. Just for me. Because I feel like there are things that I need to get out of my head and onto Notepad, or paper, either way. And this is a start, a step in the right direction.

 

This is where I feel most bloggers apologize and say they’re going to write more often, post once a week, or something of that nature. But I don’t want to apologize or make any promises. I’ve needed a season away, it was a needed break. But as I’m slowly learning how to take care of myself, I’m realizing that I need to find that creative outlet again. Let that part of myself come alive again. And so my wanting to write again is for entirely selfish reasons, I’m just writing for me. Some of it I may publish on here and some may just live quietly in my notebook, that remains to be seen. Some stories just need to be written, but that doesn’t mean they need to be published and shared with the world - another point from Magic Lessons.

 

Frankly, I’m tired of yelling at the cat, trying to force something that isn’t working. I think that’s why for the longest time blogging felt flat, uninspired. All the inspiration was gone, scared away from all the pressure and expectations. When we first started this blog, I was totally burnt out on my day job and looking for an out. But that was too much pressure to put on the creative process, and I killed it. I feel like I ended up loosing some of the authenticity, loosing the point of blogging and loosing my spark.

 

So I'm done writing for everyone else. For making things in the hope of getting a lot of likes, attracting enough attention. Because that’s not the point, it can be cool for sure, but it’s not the point. 

 

Which makes me ask myself, what's the point? Why write? Why blog? And perhaps the answer to that question is subject to change. But for now, the answer is to provide some needed structure and an outlet for my creativity, to share things that I’m excited about, to connect with like minded people, and hopefully to build a community. 

 

Well, see you soon?

THE LITTLE THINGS / / NO. 62

These little cactus babies are rocking my world right now! I've decided every girl needs a little bit of hot pink in her life - even me.

Years ago, (before Pinterest was a craze) I saw this photo of a kitchen windowsill lined with Harney & Sons tea tins growing different herbs. The perfect windowsill garden! So I was over-the-moon thrilled when my friend Hannah handed me a couple of empties recently. And that peppermint one - perfect color right?!

So I decided it was time to get some new plant babies and make myself a little cactus garden! I love how sculptural cacti are. They have always fascinated me a bit - ever since my dad had a little cactus garden when I was a kid. All the different shapes, the spines, the brilliant colors...

All you need to make your own is some containers with drainage holes, cactus/succulent potting mix and some cacti! I punched holes in the bottom of the tins with a hammer and nail. Then carefully potted them and placed them in a little galvanized tray. I've heard they like sun and infrequent watering - fingers crossed!

What little things are brightening your days?

BEDSIDE NEWBORN BASKET

I'm in the last month of my pregnancy and I've gotten the crazy nesting bug! I don't remember feeling quite this way when I was pregnant with Lucy. Maybe it was the all day nausea for nine months, I'm not sure. But this time around I have had the constant urge to clean, purge and organize!

We live in a small two bedroom condo in Seattle. I never intended to live here once I had a child, let alone two children! But it seems we wont be moving any time soon. Right now there is a real struggle to make space for another person who will be joining our home in the next few weeks. 

One of the first projects I worked on was getting a newborn basket ready for my son. Eventually he will share a room with his sister Lucy, but we will wait a few months until he is sleeping (at least mostly) through the night. One of the will be having enough newborn essentials outside the nursery so I don't have to interrupt a sleeping toddler. That's where the idea for the newborn basket came about.

I used a white storage basket (re-purposed from this project) and filled it with some of my favorite newborn supplies: 

• Several size newborn onesies
• a few newborn diapers
• Avent soothie pacifiers
• Earth Mama and Angel Baby bottom balm and lotion
• Nose suction and tiny clippers
• Aden & Anais swaddling blankets
• Several burp cloths
• Motherlove nursing cream
• Lamb Wubbanub
• Pocket Nanny

 We have a nice little set up for baby boy in our bedroom right now. I feel much more prepared now that I have this cradle set up and the newborn basket ready to use. I'm almost 37 weeks, so he could technically be here any time! 

If you have a baby on the way (especially a second baby!) I would definitely recommend putting together some of these essentials in a central location. Hopefully it will make our lives a bit easier once we have a tiny newborn to take care of.