leap day thoughts & curls.

It's Leap Day today, in case you were oblivious. The 29th of February. It'll be four years before I post on this exact date...four years. That's a long time. Where will I be, on the 29th of February, four whole years from now?

I will be twenty years old. Will I still have this blog? Maybe there won't be such a thing as "blogs" in four years. Maybe something will happen and I'll be forced to shut it down. Maybe I'll still be here, posting, on the 29th of February...four years from now.

Will I still know the same people? Maybe some friendships will slowly diminish. Maybe I'll lose contact with people I consider my closest buddies. Maybe everything will be the same.

 Will I be single? Most likely. Let's not dwell on that one for too long. ;]

 Will I still be alive?

..There are so many "maybe's," "if's," "what's," and "I wonder's" in my future. I simply have no idea what the days and years ahead hold. Probably a good thing to leave it all up to God, yes? This verse, especially, reminds me of the importance of trust.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

[Jeremiah 29:11] 

On a different, slightly spontaneous and random subject--I've always loved curls. Especially the big, bouncy ones that you can twirl around your finger.

How many of you have naturally curly hair?

I'm not raising my hand with you. I have utterly, unmistakably, ironed-out straight hair. Lately, though, I've taken to curling it. We have one of those simple, medium-barreled curling irons, and it does the job, but I have to use a lot of spray to keep in the waves. Because--yep, you guessed it: my straight-as-sticks hair is extremely wimpy when it comes to curls. At best, my hair stays curly for four hours, providing I'm not outside or running around.

Pathetic, yes. I love curly hair. Oh well. Maybe by the next 29th of February I'll be the girl with the curls? That's even less likely than me being married by next Leap Day. o.O

...But then again, you just never know. Anything can happen in four years, right?

 ♥♥♥,
lucia

to inspire.

Inspiration is bliss. In-spuh-ray-shun. The very word, in its English form, makes me think of swirls and colors and sparkles and rainbow splatters of paint on the blank canvas of my mind. Or sun flares and glittering eyes dancing before a camera lens. Inspiration. It is to be embraced whole-heartedly, and not without courage.

I revel in the times when good ideas flow like water, and live in detestation of moments--or hours--or days--when my "blank canvas" remains insufferably blank. I want to inspire; to give to others what some have given me--the gift of a new thought.

It takes persistence to seek out hidden beauty, to perceive the world in color instead of black-and-white, to go beyond boundaries--to inspire and to be inspired.

I want to be the writer that can describe a grandmother's home like a magical realm; the photographer who can capture love in its original form; the artist who looks beyond the palette and into the soul of her subject; the speaker who knows both passion and artistry.

Inspiration is bliss. It can find us naturally, but most often we must seek it out--through books, through pictures, through an hour of deep thought--and determine what we will do with it.

What inspires you to inspire?

photo copyright 2012 lucia m. // please do not use without permission. 

pie pops. just because.

Who can resist a little pie on a stick? Mmmhmm. These little guys are some of the easiest, prettiest gifts/treats you can make. I had a blast creating heart-shaped Pie Pops this year in lieu of fancy Valentine gifts, and will most definitely be making them again in the near future. 

Granted, they take a little extra time (think cutting out shapes + carefully laying and pressing), but everyone loves them as gifts, and they would be amazing wedding or party favors. You can fill them with everything from strawberry jam [pictured here] to applesauce and chocolate pudding--or any other pie filling you can think of. 

Recipe, anyone? :] 

BLUEBERRY PIE POPS

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts [everyone should have a good recipe--if not, look one up!]

• 1/2 cup white sugar, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups blueberries
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, for sprinkling
• 16 sturdy cookie pop or lollipop sticks

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Roll out one of the pie crusts to 1/8-inch thick; cut 16 3-inch circles from the crust. Line 16 mini muffin cups in a 24-cup mini muffin pan with the crust circles. Refrigerate to chill, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, roll out the other crust to 1/8 inch thick, and cut out 16 2 1/2-inch circles; lay the 16 circles onto the prepared baking sheet, and refrigerate.
3. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, and cornstarch in a bowl. Stir in the blueberries, and toss lightly to coat with the sugar mixture. Whisk the egg in a small separate bowl. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of blueberry mixture into each crust-lined muffin cup (don't overfill). Place a cookie pop stick horizontally into the filled pop so the end sticks out by several inches. With a pastry brush, dab a little beaten egg evenly around the edge of the filled crust; place a 2 1/2-inch top crust circle onto the filled crust, and pinch edges together to seal in the filling and close the crust around the stick. With a toothpick, poke 3 or 4 steam holes into the top crust. Brush top of each pie pop with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before gently removing from muffin tin cups. To help pops release, run a small knife around the edges and under stick.

Enjoy, friends. Yes, I made mine with wooden shish-kabob sticks (only because I didn't have plastic ones on hand) but I would not reccomend doing this. For one, you CANNOT put wood in the oven, so I had to make holes in my pies and stick them in later. This provided for somewhat loose pie pops with their sticks almost slipping out, which wasn't too fun, but I made the best of it. 

Just for future reference. I like it when people can learn from my mistakes. :]

♥♥♥,

lucia 

ps~ want something extra to read? i guest posted yesterday here. 

life, consequently.

Life. It's a love/hate relationship between you and I. Because you have your white chocolate mocha's, your wildflowers, your love songs, your shimmers of sunlight, your miscellaneous, and your grandiosity.

But,

sometimes you feel make me feel like I'm in the middle of  New York City rush hour. All hustle and bustle and impatient honks. And then there are your "how-am-i-ever-going-to-finish-all-of-this-today" moments, your grey skies, your spilled milk, the way you sometimes make small tears in my paper heart.


But,

you know what? It's all good. Because as Emily Dickenson once said,

"That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet."

♥♥♥,

lucia

enchanted heart. // a photoshoot

^ Linking this photo, "Enchanted Heart," up to:

..and just for fun:

"Darling Herbert finally wrote!"

He. He. He. I think this ^ charming young man--we aren't quite sure who he is--is long passed from this world. Sad. It could have been such a match...;]

>>> 

This photoshoot was pretty much all whim + last minute creativity-ness (um, yes, not a word, but the book of blogging says you are allowed to make up your own words in times of need for expression. trust me on this.). Not to mention a little bit of work. I had this idea, and then a few more ideas, and then I decided I would go ahead and see if it all would turn out how my brain was picturing it. 

I cut out hearts. I hung them in a tree. I found a white wicker chair. I grabbed our antique mirror. I grabbed a frame.Olivia, my ever-faithful model, donned her best dress with our white bridal skirt beneath it (Goodwill = win). 

And off we went.  

Let's just say that the result was not what I expected, but at the same time the result was better than I expected. For those of you who were expecting an engagement shoot when I said "Valentine's Photoshoot," I certainly hope you weren't disappointed...and I hope to bring you an engagement shoot someday. :) 

But...sigh. I think I've found my photography niche somewhere between enchanted-ness and softness  and filtered pinks. What say you? 

Happy Love Day, friends. Now go spread some. 

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go 

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you too. 

  owl city + taylor swift // enchanted




all photos copyright 2012 lucia marie // please do not use without permission. 

english country dance dvd // GIVEAWAY. {closed}

*this giveaway is now CLOSED.*

Remember when I reviewed a charmingly entertaining + dance-enhancing English Country Dancing tutorial DVD?


(okay, hellooo run-on sentences. forgive me for that one; it had to be said all at once). 


WELL. If you didn't read it, go over right now and check out my review, because today, my friends, is your chance to win your very own copy of that DVD and be introduced, if you aren't already, to the extremely fabulous world of dance (even for the amateurs, clumsy, and learning-deficient among us)! 

Garrett of Repairing the Breach Media  created this tutorial film to, in a sense "restore" the art of dance to our generation. I mean, do you remember reading about the barn dances in the Little House Series? Or maybe you've perused Jane Austen works more often, and have found yourself wishing you could have been a part of the dancing era. Well, you can--because we can re-create it through learning this "forgotten art." Trust me: it's a blast--and this DVD is all you need to become a dancer.  


Here's what Garrett says about the film: 

"As fans of Jane Austen and that period of history that gave rise to so many great minds, many of us also enjoy the beautiful dances from that era.  With so much anti-family recreation out there, the old dances are a wonderful way to have good old fashioned fun!  Recently, I completed an instructional documentary that combines the beauty of the Civil War/Victorian era dances with my love for history.  This 30 minute film covers 6 period dances complete with step-by-step instructions, dance excerpts, and historical information on etiquette and customs of the day." 

Sound good? It is.  I had so much fun watching this, and can't wait until I can use the dances I've learned elsewhere! 

---

Here's how to win your very own copy of the "English Country Dancing" step-by-step DVD. Read the directions carefully, and be sure to leave your e-mail address or valid blog link it every comment so I can easily reach you as a winner! 

// MANDATORY //

follow this blog publicly via google friend connect, and tell me so in a comment

(if you are already a follower, yippee! you still count, o'course)

// EXTRA //

>>follow garrett's blog,  REPAIRING THE BREACH MEDIA, by e-mail. 

(3 entries/comments)

>>add my blog button [ located under the "share me" tab ] /link to your blog. 

(2 entries/comments)

>>subscribe to my blog via e-mail.

(1 entry/comment..if you don't have a google account, you can do this instead of following publicly)

>>tell me what your favorite type of music is. 

(1 entry/comment)

>>tell me what your favorite kind of blog posts are.

(2 entries/comments)

>>post/tweet/facebook about this giveaway.

(4 entries/comments EACH)

>>follow me on pinterest.

(2 entries/comments)

...ready. set. begin!  And stay tuned for another giveaway. 'Cause we all love giveaways, right??

// this giveaway ends on February 18th, 2012., 12:00 a.m. NWPT. winner will be notified and will have two days to respond before being replaced by sub winner. // 

lucia, etc. photo challenge // black and white love.

Welcome to lucia, etc.'s second photo challenge! I was thrilled at what I saw last month, and can't wait to see what y'all come up with this time.

So, it's February. Already?! Obviously, February is "the month of love," and Valentine's Day happens to be a mere five days away. I was going to go with hearts, but then I decided not to be cliche, and try to think up my very own idea.

This month's challenge is black-and-white love. 

...In other words, you can capture anything you like that shows love--your sister cuddling her kitty, a bride and groom sharing a kiss, an older couple holding hands, a mama horse nestling her baby, a girl holding up her hands in a heart-shape, two good friends...or (this is an update, since so many people are doing it), it can be something you love. It just has to be in black-and-white.

Because if you haven't noticed, I'm a black-and-white kinda girl. :]

Bonus points (er, more gasps from me) if you use your black-and-white creatively. Like, instead of just editing your photo plain, original black-and-white, use different tones--sepia, daguerreotype, if you have them, different color filters on your camera (I just got a very awesome purple hues filter).

So. Grab your camera (or your computer's picture folders, whatever is most handy), take an amazing shot, and then come back here and link up your blog post, flickr photo, or whatever you want to use to link it up. Just fyi:

-"Linking up" means to copy & paste the link to your blog post containing your photo, or the link to your photo on flickr, into the linky box below. Just submit your name, and voila! You're all "linked up." 


-Please include the button in your post, or beneath your flickr (etc.) photo, give the link to this challenge. That way, others can join in, too!


-If you can, visit other entries and give them some support. :) Everyone likes a comment or two! 



Have fun--I can't wait to get started. :) This challenge ends on February 27th, 2012. Finalists will be announced by the 29th, and we will all vote on a winner the following week. But the 'contest' is just a side thing: the main goal of a challenge is to get your creativity flowing!

  

<center><a href="http://one-beloved.blogspot.com/2012/02/lucia-etc-photo-challenge-black-and.html" target="_blank"><img alt="lucia, etc." src="http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/9465/photochallenge.png"/></a></center>

-lucia

ich liebe.

I've been a little MIA around here for a few days--can you guess why? Hints: paper, sums, Civil War library books, Moby Dick..

Uh-huh. School + everything else that fills up my life has been doing just that--filling it up. But here I am again, and in the spirit of upcoming Valentine's Day (which is a favorite holiday of mine), and just to be spontaneously random, I thought I would share with you some of the things I love. 

So. Things I'm loving this week? 

>>lowercase letters. i know it's being spoiled, but it's just so easy to forget CAPS and start lovin' lowercase.  iadoreyoulowerletters! 

>>pinterest. umm...can someone say DOUBLE LOVE?! i have been having so much fun on my pinterest--that place is literally a treasure trove of eye candy and inspiration. i think my fingers are getting tired of typing, "LOVE!" "::FAINT::," "GASP," and "WANT." all the time...

>>paris. okay, so i'm far from a globe trotter, but i think i've been bitten by the travel bug (thanks, pinterest). and i am certain as ever that i want the eiffel and cobbled streets to be in my future. 

>>newborn photography. i know from recent experiance that babies = extremely hard to capture. but i am adoring all of the newborn photog ideas i am suddenly discovering all over. how cute is that ^ boots idea? 

>>amazing dresses. okay, with me, this is always a love, but i have discovered tons of utterly incredible fashion masterpieces this week, and I just had to share this ^ one. okay, ladies, gasp, please. THAT. SKIRT. EQUALS. LOVE. 

>>solitude. sometimes it's nice just be quiet. peaceful. stop the chattering--and even the thinking. favorite verse for this week? 

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

(Psalm 46:10)

>>wedding cakes. okay, i'm a little far from matrimony at this point, but one is never to young to admire wedding cakes, right? this ^ one is gorgeous. 

>>swings. i have always loved them. and always will. speaking of amazing dresses...pardon me while i gasp at the pinkness and fairytale-ish-ness and enchantment. 

>>sunlight. here in the northwest, you lean to treasure the sun. this past week has been a gorgeous indian summer, with skies of azure and weather mild. it's reminded me of how much i love the sunlight, and how much i miss warmth. 

>>plans. i've had some fun plans this week, ranging from dates with friends to movie nights and blog post inspirations. i love lists, so here's a sort of program for what is (hopefully) coming up this week at lucia, etc. 

-two giveaways (yes!)

-february photo challenge (calling all photogs!)

-creative Scarf Tying tutorial (better late than never, right?)

-a valentine photo shoot (mm-hmm..)

-DIY Apple Pie Pops (double yes.) 

So, there you have it. Some of my "Ich Liebe" 's for this week. What are your's?

-lucia

-all images via pinterest-