Leona Lane

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?

IF 2015 WAS PERFECT

If 2015 was perfect... 

we'd go hiking a lot 
and spend time in the woods
find a new homemeeting
cook simple and delicious meals at home
drink lots of hot cocoa with or without hazelnut schnapps
have a million cuddle sessions with mr. malcolm
i'd do lots of yoga
listen to lots of records
and burn lots of candles
we'd make things simpler
and get rid of clutter
i'd always take my vitamins and drink lots of water
we'd go on a bunch of camping trips
and go somewhere new
i'd take more pictures of people
and we'd spend lots of time with old friends, new friends and family
i'd make things from scratch like marshmallows and popsicles
we'd drink lots of coffee
and eat good food
we'd chase the light and watch more sunsets and maybe some sunrises
i'd become a morning person
we'd keep dreaming about our cabin in the woods
and print our adventures
and keep painting
we'd carve out a reading nook
we'd go hammocking and paddleboarding
snowboarding too, on lots of powder
i'd make some cool stuff
and write lots more lists of good things
and be happy.

This is the stuff I want to make time for in 2015. This is absolutely not a pie-in-the-sky list, this is absolutely the opposite of that. When I started writing this list, I only wrote down things that are one hundred percent possible right now. Not things to dream about, but things that can absolutely happen in this stage of life, right where we are, right now. Here's to 2015! Hope you're a fun one!

PS. The wood calendar is from Artifact Uprising. I'd been looking for a calendar for the new year and I absolutely love it! All the pictures are Instagrams from our Europe trip last September. The quality is fantastic (as expected, they make great stuff). All opinions are my own and I was not paid or perked to write this post. The link is a referral link however and it should get you 10% of your order!

HIKING MAPLE PASS LOOP

This isn't a really wordy post, because in this case (as in many others) a photo is worth a million words. I was super stoked when my friend Hannah texted asking if I wanted to go on a fall hike. Yes, yes and yes!! I was so excited. 

Whats not to get excited about? Fresh air, mountains, fall colors and thermos of hot chocolate! Those are like, all of my favorite things. And now I can add road trip on Highway 20 to that list. 

Just wow, what a beautiful, perfect day! And with that here are some of my favorites...

Beautiful aye? So I have a question for any fellow Pacific Northwesters out there. Do you have any favorite hikes that I should check out? Any favorite spots to check out in fall and/or winter?

HOME IS WHERE YOUR CAT LIVES

When I found out that October 29th was National Cat Day, I knew I had to do something for it here on Leona Lane. Why? because I'm trying to cement my status as the crazy cat lady, duh. After much internal debate, I decided to make a print to share with you all! (because who doesn't love a free printable?) It's my own favorite sentiment about what makes a home - Home Is Where Your Cat Lives. 

I just love the black and white quotes that are all over Pinterest these days. And since we have a Mac now and access to Helvetica, well, I decided that had to be the way this whole print making thing was going to go down. And I love the way it turned out! I printed one out as a 5x7 and popped it into a vintage frame to add to my collection of quirky art in the living room.

Everything that lives on my living room wall is pretty informal so the cat print fits right into that vibe. An antique frame that is empty, housing frames from a totally seperate era? not serious. A framed photobooth picture, mounted on notebook paper with 'Doge Quotes' written with whiteboard markers? not serious. Vinyl stickers on a vintage print? also not serious. A super cool block print brought back from an island in Micronesia hung with a hanger found curbside? not serious... but definitely super rad! 

I'm not the wildest decorator out there (for sure!) but I think that doing what feels like you helps makes a house your home, not just a home. So I hang what I like on my walls, hang plants from the beam on the ceiling, retrofit my lamp with a thriftstore lampshade and try to bring as many nature and outdoor vibes in that I can because that's what speaks to me. There is zero point in taking home decor to seriously in my opinion.

Follow the trends, or don't! Put cheap art on the walls. Mishmash your confused sense of style all together. Find what you love, don't worry about everyone else, and odds are you will probably feel like your house becomes your home. That's what worked for me.

I worried when we sold our house, not knowing exactly where we were going, that we'd end up in a horrid dingy box of an apartment somewhere, that didn't feel like our place the way our house did. But then I realized a. it was stupid to worry about that, and b. you can make any place feel like home if you want to and try to. Some places you're gonna have to try harder than others.

But if you are there, a few of your favorite things are there and your cat? Well then, you are pretty much set. Cause in my book, at the end of the day - home is where your cat lives. 

If you want your own print, I made three sizes available - 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10. Click on the size you want, click again to expand to the full size. Right click and save to your computer. Then print out as you normally would.

Happy printing! ...and Happy National Cat Day to all you fellow cat lovers out there!! 

PS. More cat inspired posts here and here!

RECIPE | PIE CRUST

 

Pie crust is the best part of the pie. I could go on and on, but really you should just try making it. It's worth the effort! A homemade flaky crust just can't be beat. And on that note, today, I wanted to share with you the recipe I've been using over the years - originally from my grandmother (who is a pie making legend) but adapted by me to make it a little more fool proof.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PIE CRUST RECIPE
  *Makes 2 Pie Crusts

Ingredients

2 cups of flour
1 cup of crisco
1 tsp of salt
4 tablespoons of cold water

Supplies Needed

Pastry Cutter
Large Bowl
Rolling Pin
Wax Paper

Directions

In a large bowl combine the flour and salt together. Add the shortening and cut in using a pastry cutter. When its done, there should be no large pieces of shortening left and no loose flour. All the flour should be incorporated into shortening, it should be in small lumps for lack of a better word. Sprinkle cold water over the top of the dough. Divide the dough in half and press the dough together firmly with your hands forming it into two balls. Do not overwork the dough after you add the water, do not knead the dough. 

Lay out a piece of wax paper on your work surface. Sprinkle flour in the middle of the wax paper. Place the ball of dough in the middle and flatten into a disc shape with your hands. Dust with flour on each side. Start rolling the dough out with the rolling pin from the center. Keep going dusting both sides with flour and flipping over as needed until the dough is approximately as wide as the wax paper.

Pointers: If the dough is sticking to the wax paper, you aren't putting enough flour on in between turns.

To flip the dough, dust with flour, cover with a second piece of wax paper (dough is sandwitched between 2 pieces now), slide your hand underneath and flip over. 

Place the pie crust in the pie pan. Press gently down in the middle and up the sides. If you are making a pie that requires a top, leave as is until filled, once filled add the top crust, press edges together and then trim/crimp the edge. Otherwise trim or crimp the edges now. Bake according to directions of the pie you are making.

Hope it turns out well! Let me know how it goes... leave any questions in the comments! Not sure what kind of pie to make? Pumpkin is always good, or check out my Pecan Pie recipe or this Kahlua Cream Pie that we made last year for Thanksgiving!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And just for fun, it thought I'd share some fun-pie-loving-free-printables with you lovelies! Right click on the images below, save to your computer and print. They are sized as 4x6s. 

I hope you like them! They were fun to make (and eat)! Hope you have a lovely weekend!