baby, it's cold outside || new design + playlist

    it's been a while since i've made an inspiration board.  i quite miss it. 

    and these are just a few of my favorite tunes for the season. 

    do tell me, what are your favorite tunes for Chirstmas? 

     xx. marcia

     p.s. i promise i shall write a proper blog post as soon as i finish my school deadlines. 

     p.p.s. what do ya'll think of the new design?

     (all photos via my pintrest board: merry & bright)

this is life | inspiration board

(all photos via my this is life board and rather whismical board on pintrest)

One of my favorite pintrest boards is my board called this is life. it's just a collection of photos that represent all the little moments of life. I've always loved lifestyle photography. there is something raw and beautiful about life. it makes the ordinary even more beautiful. 

this mood board captures all of that. it's life, just ordinary extraordinary life. 

a couple of days ago, I stumbled across this video. I don't know how many times I've watched it since.

"This is how you spend your one life well.
 receiving each moment for what it really is: holy. ordinary. amazing grace. a gift."

each day has 86,400 seconds, those all add up to make a day. 

each day goes by so fast, remember to celebrate life.  

xx. marcia

summer bucket list + inspiration

001. have a picnic at the park

002. paint some chalkboards
003. read 15 books
004. start an art / inspiration journal
005. sew a maxi skirt
006. attempt more web designing
007. plan a styled photoshoot
008. drink these
009. make these for brunch sometime
010. sleep under the stars
011. go through all my stashes and get organized
012. write more often
013. have a sunrise breakfast
014. handwrite my bucket list and cross out what I have accomplished
015. paint my nails like this
016.  grow herbs
017. run through sprinklers
018. eat grilled peaches
019.  give this blog a fresh look
020. listen to Christmas music in july

i made a list for summer the other day. I am actually excited for summer this year.
ALSO, GUYS. YESTERDAY I ORDERED MY CANON REBEL T3I. *INSERT SCREAMING HERE* I AM SO EXCITED!!!  I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN!!

p.s. gracie read my mind and posted her summer list the same day I wrote mine. >>go check her's out because it's pretty much the bee's knees. ;)

p.p.s. all photos are via pintrest and tumblr

summer happiness || inspiration

*all photos via tumblr or pintrest*


// bright colours //
// fresh fruit //
// green //
// sunshine //
// ice cream //
// county fairs //
// flip-flops and barefeet //

a couple of days ago, I went on a random summer inspiration rampage. and well, this was the result. 

also, I made a summer playlist. these are some of my favorites: happy and dance-worthy. :) I think this entire playlist could be the anthem of summer.
if summer was a song to you, what song would it be?
xxx. marcia

inspiration: a collaboration

*all photos are via weheartit, pintrest, or tumblr.*

I've been pretty uninspired lately. so.. I stuck this together with some of my favorite photos ever. :)

I hope this gave you a little burst of inspiration.

have a happy thanksgiving, each lots of pumpkin pie and turkey, and be thankful for all the little blessings! 

xxx

marcia

sometimes words are the best.

inspiriation || autumn

I am starting a new series on here: inspiration 

it is going to be taking the place of "I heart Fridays" but these won't be every week, just here and there. basically, I will just combine a smattering of all the lovely photos from pintrest, weheartit, and tumblr.

ahh.. autumn is my very favourite. 

*photos via weheartit and pintrest*

p.s. a giveaway for a lovely clip is going on over here

inspiration, lists, and such happy things

I've always wanted to make an inspiration/branding board, but I don't have Photoshop, so I gave up the idea. Well, when I saw Hannah's post the other day, I got inspired and made this in pixlr. It was a little difficult but it was easier than I had expected. :)

{linking up >>here<< }

then, I made a little summer to-do list....

and a happy spring playlist....seriously these songs are the bomb!

and just because I think these pictures are so enchanting....

can't you tell I had lots of inspiration? ;)

*check check*

I'm delighted to say that I have been checking quite a bit of stuff off my 102 in 2012 and my bucket list! And I know this is a long overdue post.

::disclaimer: Sorry for the poor quality pictures,

 they were taken with my little ole' point and shoot. end of disclaimer::

101. buy a charm bracelet

I got this on sale over Valentine's Day for $2. :)

25. have a guest poster(s) on here
Thanks so much Jeminiah, and Grace!

30. get the last and only book I'm missing to finish my Anne of Green Gables collection 

Okay, so this is kinda funny, my aunt reads my blog (hi, aunt joni!) , and she read my 102 in 2012 list; well for my birthday, she told my grandma and my grandma sent me this book.
 :)

36. have a sunrise photo shoot

I already posted all my photos in >>this<< post.

53. buy more scarves (!!!)

I found the most adorable scarf ever at a thrift store for $2, I just love to wear it with my green shirts. And my aunt also sent me a awesome colorful pinkish scarf for my birthday! it is so pretty. 

 54. own another hat 

And again, thanks to my aunts and grandma... I now am the owner of a gorgeous knit pink beret.  And I got the second hat for my birthday from my other aunt.

55. organize my email account

I have finally cleaned out my email, it t'was a mess. I unsubscribed from emails I never read, and deleted most of my old emails I was keeping for nothing. 

56. organize my blogger account

yes, I had a spring cleaning on my blogger account as well. :)

74. post a tutorial on here

>>link<< 

36.win a photography contest

this photo won in Lily's photo contest!

8. read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy 

I read these for my literature class, and I must say... The Chronicles of Narnia are way better. 

And I am not going to read the LOTR books for a long long long time. I was very tired of them by the time I was finished. (yes, kill me now, I know.)

9. buy a necklace

I also got this for $2 after Valentine's day

16. learn to sew

thanks to my aunt and mom, I now have officially sewn 2 aprons! yay!

70. make a friend via blogger

This should have been checked off a while ago, I have made many amazing friends through blogger! 

76. curl my hair (and have it turn out)

It worked. It was heatless. It was simple. >>here is the tutorial<<

80. eat a weird food 

I ate octopus! It was fried baby octopus, you could see the tentacles. And it was good! I'm serious, it was really good.

67. see a play

A couple of my friends are in a group called Lost Marbles Theatrics and they put on the play Persuasion //by Jane Austen// and Trish and I got to go. It was an amazing 3 hours, it totally made me love Persuasion even more, and now that I have seen the play, and the movie, I must go hunt down the book.

59. leave a comment on each blog I follow


3. see a movie in the theater
Two weeks ago, I went to see October Baby in theaters with 7 of my girlfriends. It was one of the best movies I have ever seen, just a good as Courageous except in a different way. I had tears in my eyes almost the entire time. Literally! And the only other movie I have cried in is Courageous. Go see it!!! ::NOW:: ;)

I'm so excited that I've checked these off, and I'm planning to check some more off really soon. :)







p.s don't forget to enter my giveaway

14...

today is my 14th birthday... :D that makes me happy. :)

this is something I've never done before but I have seen it on other blogs, anyways here is 14 things to do before I turn 15.

(I have no clue why I put this in here... random! )

14 before 14:

1. drink a cup of tea and watch the sun rise
2. have a photo shoot with some body
3. learn to do a fish tail braid
4. buy an Eiffel Tower necklace
5. read all of Jane Austen's books
6. sew a skirt 
7. get an mp3 player or an ipod
8. make >>this<<
9. write a short story
10. take a picture everyday for a month 
11. paint something that turns out 
12. learn to knit
13. read all the Chronicles of Narnia books
14. stay off of sugar for two weeks

Yes, some of these are silly, but I've got all my serious stuff on my 102 in 2012 :)

Also, we are going on a trip to Oregon, for about 2 weeks so, I won't be posting a lot... I will still probably post some, just not as frequently.  And there will be a-lot of pictures coming on here! :) While I'm gone I am going to try to do this challenge, but I'm going to do two a day.

Also, I guest posted over >>here<<

And don't forget to enter the giveaway!

#32 *check* ☺

*SCREAMS*
Oh, wOw!!!
I get to cross something off my bucket list!!
    32. win a giveaway
I WON!! I won!!!
Oh, I guess you would like to know what I won. *grins sheepishly*
Well, hop on over here to see what I won on Grace's lovely blog!!

Oh, and while I'm talking about getting bucket lists crossed out....

I also was able to get these done.
    45. get a hope chest

I can't find the picture I was looking for, but..here is a little peek at it

    72. get a cardigan
I'd been loving cardigans and wanted to get them...Well, we were at Kolh's one day (I had a $10 gift card + 15% off :D) and I found one that was like 80% off. So...*check*

30 Day Challenge {Day 25}

Sorry, we went to Options yesterday {{awesomeness}}and so..I didn't have the time to post yesterdays post. So, here it is now.

their was this awesome old car at dad's neighbors shop. :)

Day 25: a recipe:
I got it off line...cause I  couldn't think of anything else to put on. :)

Cake

• 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms,* finely ground in spice mill
• 4 large eggs

Buttercream frosting

• 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 7 tablespoons (or more) water

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

• Chocolate curls

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Devils-Food-Cake-with-Chocolate-Orange-Buttercream-109274#ixzz1Y8KwXYUw