I am a Real Person

 

In writing this blog, I often think we talk about the things we know and love, which of course makes sense. But I’m a real person, and real people aren’t good at everything and don’t get along with everyone. And that is what I am- a real person.

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Luinae McAnish is a hard working individual with an awesome family that always has her back. She runs human rights campaigns, is an Irish Dancer, and plays in the school Orchestra. She gets good grades, runs a style blog that she loves, and can write 50 000 word novels in one month. But she also has bipolar disorder, which makes her moody and sad, especially in winter. She doesn’t have friends she can talk too and she hates where she lives.

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My point? My point is that yes, I am a pretty awesome person. But no one in a perfect movie has bipolar disorder, and I do. My life isn’t perfect, and it isn’t always totally awesome. But I’ve come to realize that I’m o.k. with that. My life is awesome because it’s my life. And someday, things will change. I don’t always have to live here, and I’m sure that eventually I’ll start to make friends.

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What I’m trying to say is that you, my friend, are real. You have faults and flaws, hopes and dreams, and great characteristics. So am I. So let’s celebrate in the fact that we have lives that we can shape and control and change, even if only a little.

-Luinae

Ode to Winter

Of course, Autumn will always be my favourite. But Winter is lovely too, though in a different way. The cold weather has always made me more productive, and while my heart may belong to Autumn, there is a little spot in there for Winter too.

 

I love the sound my boots make when they crunch on the snow, the feeling of cold hands inside furry mitts. I love wrapping soft scarves around my neck, and clutching hot cups of tea with pale and cold hands. Winter is pressing fingers sticky with chocolate to the window, waiting for snow to come. It’s feeling the first cold snowflake on your tongue.

 

 

Winter is for red lipstick. Stirring hot cocoa with a peppermint stick, sweet and delicious. Seeing your breath in the air, waiting for snow to come. Snowflakes on black eyelashes, and spending the whole day reading piles of books. Writing and dreaming and scheming while the weather is white and snowy outside. It’s holding hands to keep warm, and holding each other up through snow drifts, sharing a magical feeling 

 

I adore snuggling under knit blankets, watching the fire. Roasting marshmellows, and having sticky fingers. Winter is for soft and warm turtlenecks, big bowls of soup, and chocolate cake. Licking peppermint sticks. Snow covering anything, and frost on the flowers and trees. Beautifully white and clean and fresh, with a cold crispness to the air. Laughing as you spin around, holding up your hands to catch the snow.

 

 

Making snow angels, and whisking down hills on a sled, yelling your head off. Wearing fluffy pajamas and fluffy bathrobes. Planning exciting things to do while still snug in bed, and wearing funny animal slippers. Taking deep breathes of clean, cold air. Sketching and dancing, being creative. Winter is waiting for Christmas, writing wishlists and making paper chains, cutting paper snowflakes and baking cookies, hanging stockings by the fireplace.

 

Sharing secrets. I love long bubble baths and knit scarves. Winter is for writing by candlelight, the flame lighting up an otherwise dark room. It’s for writing letters and sealing them with a kiss, running through snow and wind to mail them. Getting ridiculous sounding drinks at Starbucks, and sipping them while you walk home in the setting sun. Sleeping with hot water bottles at your feet, and burrowing deep under the covers.

 

I love Winter.

-Luinae

How to Make an Inspiration Board

 

I love inspiration boards. Personally, I have a cork board by my desk that I love to pin things too. Inspiration boards are a wonderful way to make you feel inspired and happier- looking at mine uplifts my mood. An inspiration board is a place to put the things you love to see, dreams you want to achieve, or anything that is beautiful. I also like to put my to-do lists on my inspiration board, to make them less daunting. I write each task with an empty heart beside it, and fill in the heart when I am finished.

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Paper or Computer?

You can make an inspiration board by clipping images from the internet onto powerpoint, word, etc. and then print it out. I don’t like this approach because I don’t think it looks as beautiful and unique as a collection of images and words, some torn out of magazines, others printed from the internet. It is certainly a more old school approach, but it looks beautiful.

 

♥ Find Awesome Images

WeHeartIt is a great place to find tons of beautiful images, like the one shown above. I have lots of pictures on my inspiration board, from things I think are especially beautiful to dreams I want to achieve. A good deal of the images on the board on related to things I want (dance, london, Fall) and things I love, because they make me happy.

♥ Include 3-D Objects

Not everything on your inspiration board needs to be a photo, drawing, or picture. I like to string beautiful beads and pin it to my board- it is a reminder of my hobby and it looks nice. Really, you can put anything you like on an inspiration board, as long as you like it.

♥ Put your To-Do List on It

This may sound counter intuitive, but it is one of my favourite things to put up on my inspiration board! As long as it isn’t ALL totally dull things like “clean bathroom,” it will work wonders to motivate you. In my opinion, it works really well to draw empty hearts besides each task and fill them in when you are done. Use coloured ink for bonus points.

♥ It’s a Process

As a person, you will grow and change. Things that you loved before, you won’t love now. The image that inspired you may make you fell blah inside. This is o.k, and totally awesome! As people, we grow and change over time and your dreams and loves should reflect that. In fact, it is a good idea to go through the inspiration board and take off images you don’t like and replace them with ones that make your heart sing!

♥ Don’t Just Use the Internet

Magazines are awesome too (National Geographic is my favourite) and even store catalogues can have pictures you love. The internet is great, but nothing beats the crinkled and shiny paper from a magazine, or the ripped edge of a page. Even when I print things out, I prefer ripping to cutting the images/words because it is more visually interesting.

♥ Use Images AND Words

Strong, powerful, and uplifting quotes work soooo well on an inspiration board. Great quotes coupled with great images make your inspiration board better than ever, and majorly inspiring! These quotes should make you feel good inside, and make you want to do exciting and awesome things.

“It’s about love

It’s about compassion

It’s about kindness and faith

It has nothing to do with luck

You get what you give

so give good”

 

Now, your inspiration board should be a beautiful and inspiring place that makes you happy. Not your mum. Not your spouse. It should make you want to go out there and be an awesome person, because you are one. It should be beautiful- have fun making your inspiration boards!

 

Now go shoot for the stars!

-Luinae

25 Things to Do This Winter

Just this Friday, we had a large snowfall up in Canada! I’ve always loved snow, and it is beautiful. The snow clings to all of the evergreen trees, falls on my eyelashes, and I’ve always thought it was terribly romantic to be able to see your breath in the air.

But some people aren’t nearly as fond of the white snowflakes as I am. So instead of moping and trying to go into hibernation like a grizzly bear, try these instead!

♥ Buy a comfy knit blanket to throw over the end of your bed and snuggle up in with all your brothers and sisters (or loved one)

♥ Get a whole bunch of books from the library and work through them

♥ Take lots of bubble baths

♥ Layer your clothes to stay warm- and look stylish!

♥ Find the perfect red lipstick and wear it. A lot.

♥ Buy a fluffy bathrobe and pad around the house in it

♥ Wrap knit scarves around your neck when you go out

♥ Make soup

♥ Put mini marshmallows in your hot chocolate and stir with a peppermint stick

♥ Write by candlelight

♥ Sleep with a hot water bottle at your feet

♥ Catch snowflakes on your tongue

♥ Find a creative hobby and perfect it (dance, paint, etc.)

♥ Write letters and run to the mailbox to mail them

♥ Buy a pair of sweater tights

♥ Search out a fantastic cafe and go there, armed with a laptop

♥ Snuggle on the couch

♥ Go see a play

♥ Dig out your sentimental old stuffed animal and put it back on your bed

♥ Pick up a new type of exercise (I ♥ dance)

♥ Plan like crazy for the new year

♥ Use the weather as an excuse to spend time with your family

♥ Drink tea and clutch the mug with cold hands

♥ Enjoy It

 

-Luinae

December Blog Carnival

Guess what everyone? I’m going to be participating in a blog carnival over at *eLLa*! In her own words, this blog carnival will be:

So, how it works is that anyone and everyone can submit articles that fit with the theme. The theme, Best of the Blogisphere, means that the article are going to be the favourite and most populr articles from your blog that readers go back and read over and over or are the type of post people print out and use as a resource. New, never been posted before articles are most welcome. I’m looking for a mix of fun and frivolous, informational and even a little serious. Any format is accepted, lists, point form, poems, quotes, pictures, long article, short articles. Each posts with have your blogs name and URL prominently displayed at the top of the post giving the writer full credit. 

 

I am so honoured that she chose to feature a few of my posts, and I am also excited to read wonderful posts from so many of my favourite blogs! So I reccomend subscribing to *eLLa* so you don’t miss a single one!

 

-Luinae

Monthly Magic: December

The month of November was incredible! I give myself an A+ for my November resolutions, which is pretty exciting. I finished NaNoWriMo with 50 071 words, and DIY’ed a circle scarf. It was a wonderful month, and I am totally pumped up for December!

1. Embrace the Christmas Season- I love Christmas, I really do. But this year I want to fully embrace and enjoy everything, from paper snowflakes to toy drives, wrapping presents to sledding, and everything in between! My family has so many great traditions, like little activities we do each day that are something for Christmas (make cookies, go ice skating, etc.) and it should be lots and lots of fun!

2. Blog at least 6 times a week- Last month, with NaNoWriMo and all, I didn’t get a lot of substantial posts in. Therefore, I want to make it up to your by doing lots and lots of awesome posts. Hope you enjoy the up in good content!

3. Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More- I am so convinced 2010 will be better than 2009, for a variety of reasons. But I will be doing some serious planning and scheming in order to make this happen. I’m thinking a Yes and Yes calender is a good way to start, no? Join me and make 2010 a rocking and awesome year! I will make sure to plan and make awesome goals so I fully enjoy the year to come.

-Luinae

November Favourites

It’s now the end of November, and I am super excited for December. Here are all of the things that made my life have a little bit more magic this November!

♥ NaNoWriMo- You knew this would be here didn’t you? Just take a look at yesterday’s post!! I finished NaNoWriMo, and a 50, 071 word novel is sitting on my computer. And it makes me incredibly, incredibly happy. I’m both sad and happy it’s over, but can’t wait to revise- and of couse do it next year!

♥ Annabelle Blush in Rosewood- It is a beautiful, dark and rich rose colour. The lightest touch gives me beautiful flush, perfect for Fall. Just add a little bit of lipstick, and I’ll be good to go!

♥ Irish Dance- I got invited to do St. Patrick’s Day, which for Irish Dance are super big shows! I am looking forward to performing in them, because I love Irish Dance!!

♥ The Beautiful Weather- The weather up here has been lovely, all cool and crisp. And we got our second snow of the year, which I think will be here to stay. The ground and the trees are all covered in a layer of snow. I see Ice Skating in my future………

♥ Teen Mentoring- I got all my paperwork in, signed about a billion pieces of paper, and have done two training sessions and a 45 minute interview. But I am so excited because in January I will get matched up with a kid and get to be his/her mentor. It is defenitely something to look forward to.

-Luinae

I WON Nanowrimo

If you follow me on twitter, you will know that I won NaNoWriMo and was very excited. I am majorly, majorly excited because I was happy that I could prove to MYSELF that I could to it. And I did, and I am happy.

 

This is also a quick post to say that I will be back soon with some very exciting news, I’ve been so busy finishing up Nanowrimo and with some other stuff like school and work, etc. that I haven’t had a lot of time too blog. But I am totally back now, and can’t wait to do some Christmas related posts!

 

-Luinae