Random pictures from my life

 Please excuse my poor photography; hopefully this practice will help.





This is the view from the window above my bed this morning.



This is the Narniafied door to the attic.

The best movies EVER!!!

This is the perfect vine to play Tarzan on :D

This is my first collage, finished today.  It was a lot of fun.

Double Book Review

These two are from my summer readings last year.  My birthday is in the summer and I got two Barnes and Noble gift cards, so I read lots of new books. I kinda cheat, and take books back if I don't absolutely love them. I've done that at least four times, but I always treat my books with the utmost care. *innocent angel face* Anywho, here they are a couple of them:

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel is 15, has been home schooled her whole life, has just moved away from her beloved home, and is for the first time going to school.  She has light blond hair, perfect skin, and is very dainty.  And then a flower blossoms from her back.  With the help of her new friend David, Laurel discovers that she is not human. She's a plant. To be more specific, a faerie.   On top of that added stress, the realtor who is trying to buy her old home from her parents just gives her a bad feeling.  Can Laurel hide her true identity as one of the fay and save her home in time?

And I just found out that Disney plans to make a movie of it. I hope they go through with it, but cast someone besides Miley Cyrus as Laurel.

Ah, Enna Burning: one of my most favorite books ever besides the Bible, Narnia, and LotR (the "big three").  The second of Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern, this story follows Princess Ani's 16-year-old friend Enna as she struggles to control her fire-speaking ability.  Bayern and the southern country of Tiran are at war, and Enna knows she could be a major help to her country.  So she starts sneaking off during the night to burn enemy camps.  She eventually enlists the help of her friend Razo and her maybe-somewhat-more-than-a-friend, Finn. Okay, I have to stop here and say that Finn is wonderful.  He's protective. He's mostly quiet. He has dark hair and brown eyes. He's brave. He's an excellent swordsman. He's honorable. Basically, he's about right up there with Edmund in my book.  Okay, back to the story.  Enna gets captured by the Tirans, who hope to use her against Bayern.  She's determined to escape and just knows that Razo and Finn will try to rescue her; that is, until she begins to fall for the charms of the smooth talking Tiran general Sileph....

In conclusion, I took Wings back because I didn't absolutely love it.  But I'd still recommend it to anyone who likes modern fairy tales.  I liked it better than Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, but that's another story.  And I think every teenage girl should read the Books of Bayern, or at least Enna Burning. 
And that's my two cents' worth. ;)

LORD Becket, Ack-chellay

I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest this evening with my littlest sister, and she pointed out this one part. In the clip, it's at about 2:47.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn9-DOo5rng

I immediately thought, "It's KING Edmund, ack-chellay," lol.

Also, I really like this song, Eet, by Regina Spektor, but I can't figure out what it's about.  Any ideas?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOpVJUEG_fc

And that's about it for now.  *waves goodbye*

Georgia Days

Last Thursday, my family and I drove to north Georgia to visit my grandparents.  We'll be leaving a little bit later today, so I thought in my spare time I'd write about our time here.  My grandma is an amazing cook, so I've been feasting on taco soup, spaghetti and meatballs, and other good stuff.  Friday we raked the VERY leafy yard (I got to use the leaf blower; happy Caroline!), and my sisters stayed in part of the time and watched Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp >:(  The next day went downtown.  It's a small town, and the weather was gorgeous, and everything was really nice.  We went into this wonderful art gallery and I wish I would have gotten pictures because there was some awesome collages and some oil paintings that looked like watercolors (very enchanting).  Around town there were really cool ice sculptures (pun intended), and I told my mum that if I saw a lion one, I'd have her get a picture of me licking it to put on my blog. But all I saw was a dolphin, an apple, a moose, and a few other things.  For a late lunch, we got some awesome Hawaiian pizza, ham and cheese calzone, and eggplant Parmesan.  Finally, we went to a quaint local coffee shop called L and L Beanery and got some frappes and chocolate cake.  The building used to be a bank, and in one corner was an old piano with a sign that read, "Please feel free to play if you are musically inclined."  YES! 
Well, my impatient youngest sister is practically pushing me out of the computer swivel chair, so I must be going now.  Have a splendiferous day! ;)

One of my favorite Nickel Creek songs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARIr6S_0lAQ

I really like this band.  They're really different; basic bluegrass instruments, but a not very bluegrass sound.  This song, The Lighthouse's Tale, is a really sad love story. I thought the video could have been a lot better, but the song is pretty.

Bee Balm and Chickadee

I now venture into the more natural side with my art, painting some of my favorites from my habitat.  It's the little things, you know...

Acrylic Bee Balm on canvas board.  This flower grows on the mountain where I live, but it's winter, so I had to use a picture for reference.

Watercolor Chickadee.  These adorable little birds come to our feeder, but they don't stay still, so again, I had to use a picture.

Oil Pastel Pointers

So now I finally come around to posting them.  I hope they'll help.

One thing that I've noticed is how much pressure and paper affect a picture.  Firm pressure on the stick while drawing as well as smooth paper gives a smooth, clean-cut look.  On the other hand, light pressure and "toothy" paper give a more rustic, textured feel.  Additionally, temperature determines how easily the color will go on to the paper; pastels warmed in your hand a minute will glide on whereas cold pastels tend to be more crayon-like.

White and indigo are absolute musts.  Okay, so in art, there aren't exactly any absolute musts, but in oil pastels, I have found indigo and white most helpful.  For shading, I usually use indigo with firm pressure in the darkest area, then lighten the force as I get to less shadowy areas.  Then I'll use the actual color of the object I'm drawing to go over the indigo, from light to dark.  One of the best things about oil pastels is how easily they blend.  For light areas, or to blend several colors together, I swirl on white after laying down the individual colors. 



Pressure, white-blending, and shading.

A razor blade comes in handy for cleaning your oil pastel sticks, as well as shaping and sharpening them for detail work.  It kinda hurts at first to cut away at such a nice little stick, but it really helps.  The blade can also be used to scrape away unwanted pastel from the picture.

When beginning a picture, I generally do a light pencil or white pastel outline, then lightly fill in each area with its base color.  Then I add white for light and indigo for shadows, sometimes going over these with the base color again.  I read in a book about a technique called scumbling, which involves lightly rubbing a light gray oil pastel over a landscape picture to make it all blend together.  I tried this for the picture below, and it looked pitiful, so I scraped it off as best I could.   But then, this particular picture isn't really a landscape.  I did try it on my first landscape, but it didn't work too well. I could just be doing it wrong, or on the wrong subjects.  I may give it another go in a future landscape.

Sorry about poor quality; I'm not the best photographer.

In the end, I think the best piece of advice I can give is: experiment!  Test colors together on various papers and try crazy techniques.  The results can be most fabulous.  This is art; go wild. :D

Skandar+Guitar

Too bad it's not a video!

And, hopefully tomorrow I can post some oil pastel tips.  I'm a newbie myself, so it won't be much. Just a couple shading techs and things I've learned from mistakes.  TTFN! (ta-ta for now - Tigger)

Percy's Laugh xD

So, my sisters and I watched the movie today, and at the Lotus Casino part, we played this part over and over 20 times, about to die of extreme laughter. WE LOVE PERCY!  This is one of the best laughs/giggles ever.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33uRJT88mOQ

A couple funny Skandar things I came across

I was doin' some you tubin' when these showed up in a list of Skandar results.  I don't know why this one's cut short, but the best part is when he's like "So go to the cinema, yeah." Lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3H28n9W1uQ&feature=related

An old one, but omg, Skandar is so cute and funny!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVTwNkuLCbE&feature=related

The Best of Orlando: The Final Chapter

I did not mean to do this many posts, but as soon as I started the first, I remebered just how awesome these places are and realized I'd need more space. Soooo...

Epcot (my personal favorite in Disney):

Soarin'- You do not go to Epcot and not do Soarin'.  If it's closed when you're there, come back and do it. If it's still not open, sue Disney.  This simulated hang-glider ride through California is one of the most exhilerating things I've ever experienced. I felt the wind in my face and below my dangling feet and smelled the pines and orange groves. Absolutely amazing. Located in The Land Pavillion.

Test Track - The idea here is that you're riding in a car as it is being tested in various areas of performance, from rough terrain to heat and cold, and, of course, SPEED! Located in Future World.

Mission: Space - Simulated flight to Mars. I read somewhere that the pressure you feel on this ride at take off is about like what astronauts feel in real life launches. When you finally leave earth's atmosphere, you literally float in you seat, as in if you didn't have your restraint bar down, you'd be loose in your space capsule. Cool. Future World.

Spaceship Earth - This ride is actually inside the Epcot sphere. It's a slow ride through the history of communication, featuring some pretty cool robotics (there's even Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel!)

 World Showcase - You can walk from England to Japan in a matter of minutes, experiencing a rich diversity of of architecture, food, art, and... ACCENTS! Queen Elizabeth, I know you can't stand French accents, but their pastry shop is pretty darn good; you may want to endure a little. ;)

Hollywood Studios:

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - Remember I talked about Dr. Doom's Fear Fall?  This makes Dr. Doom seem like Evil Dr. Pork Chop from Toy Story.  It is an old Hollywood hotel, now haunted by five ghosts who died on the elevator when it reached the 13th floor (of course) and was struck by lightning. You are riding an old service elevator through the eerie coridoors, and as you get higher, things get creepier. Shattering windows, floating furniture, the ghosts, and then you drop. And you come up, and you drop. And it's random drops, so you get a different ride each time. If you can remember, smile for the camera when you get dropped, or don't: the pictures are funnier if your mouth is wide open and your eyes look like they're about to pop out of your head.  My sister and I rode this 4 times last time we were there, and would have rode it more if we could have. So in case you couldn't tell, it's a must-do, and if you have a fear of hights, get over it, lol.

The Rock and Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith - Indoor crazy coaster with neon city lights and cranked up rock and roll.  You get shot like a pebble from a slingshot into corkscrews, barrel rolls, and other wonderful stuff.  It totally rocks (pun intended).

Fantasmic - Ok, I've never seen this one, but I should have because it is said to be Disney's best fireworks show. I also hear the seating fills up early and fast.

The Great Movie Ride - A slow ride through memorable scenes from oldie goldies, like The Wizard of Oz, Indaina Jones, and Mary Poppins.
Random Things - Hey, it is Hollywood Studios. There's plenty of live and 3-D shows. I think there's even a backlot tour, though I've never done it, where you can see some of the magic behind the movies.

So there you have it : the basics.  And of course, part of the fun of these places is just randomly finding things you didn't know about, trying them, and loving them. Mickey Mouse out!

The Best of Orlando continued...

This one may take a while, because Disney has four parks as opposed to just two at Universal. So, we'll start with the most magical park: Magic Kingdom

Pirates of the Carribean: This indoor boat ride through pirate scenes makes you feel like you're in one of the movies (the audio-animatronic Captain Jack Sparrow is incredible!)  From a plunge in the dark, to Tortuga ramblings, to booming cannons, this is one piratey adventure you won't want to miss. Located in Adventureland.

Splash Mountain: Based on the old Disney movie Song of the South, Splash Mountain features Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and whole host of other cutesy talking and singing animals. But that's not the best part. Splash Mt. boasts three log flume drops, the final one a whopping 5 stories! My advice for this ride is that you may want to cover your hair if it's prone to frizziness like mine, especially if you sit in the front of the log, because you may get splashed. Probably not soaked, but sprinkled or splashed. Also, smile at the big drop; that's when they take your picture. Frontier Land.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: Gee, that's a mouthfull! This mild but fun roller coaster takes you through the gold mines of California, zooming over hills and cutting quick turns. Frontier Land.

Mickey's Philhar-Magic: One of the best 3-D shows ever. The first time we saw it, my sisters and I were reaching out for the objects that seemed to be floating towards us. Other senses get involved as well, such as water mists and dessert smells. Fantasy Land.

The Haunted Mansion: A slow ride through spook tour, with "happy haunts" at every corner. At one part, your "doom buggy" turns you to mirror to see both your reflection and that of a "hitch-hiking ghost" riding with you. (I once had one in my lap!) Liberty Square.

Space Mountain: This was closed for renovations last time I was there, but the first time I rode it, and it was a fun, zippy indoor roller coaster through the stars. By now, it's probably even better. Tomorrow Land.

Now, for Animal Kingdom:

Expedition Everest: This is the very best thing in the park.  A roller coaster ride through the Himalayas, and the Yeti is trying to get you. At one point, you almost go over Yeti-ripped track, then zoom backwards, and that is when you need to smile for the picture, I think.  A simply must-do. Located in Asia.

Kali River Rapids: A round raft ride through an Asian jungle. If you get hot during the day, ride this. You will, more than likely, get soaked. The drop at the end practically dips you in the river. Wear a rain poncho if you'd rather not walk around in wet undies. Asia.

Kilimanjaro Safari: Your safari guide drives your over-sized jeep around and you see real life African mammals.  Most of them are kept enclosed by cleverly hidden barriers, but I've heard of giraffes actually crossing the road.  Try to do this one earlier in the day, because that's when you'll most likely see more animals. Africa.

The Best of Orlando (Florida, not Bloom)

I've been to Walt Disney World twice (my last trip was in 2009), and to Universal Studios once, in 2008.  Theme parks are constantly changing, but these are some of the best things in Universal as of 2008:

Islands of Adventure:

The Incredible Hulk Coaster - The ultimate roller coaster. It shoots you out a tunnel and barrel rolls you. And that's just the beginning. It's located on the Marvel Superhero Island.

The Adventures of Spiderman - Indoor moving simulator 3-D ride. At one part you free fall from the top of a sky scraper.  Also on MSI.

Dr. Doom's Fear Fall - You know those free fall rides at state fairs? Imagine that times 5.  You get shot up to the top for a 2 second bird's eye view of Orlando, then you plummet back down. MSI

Dueling Dragons - This was an awesome roller coaster, but I think it was changed for the Harry Potter world.  If it's still the same coaster, you are suspended from the track so your feet are dangling for loops and other crazy stuff.

Posiedon's Fury - Percy's dad is mad. Someone stole his powerful weapon. Luke...!
Ok, so this came BEFORE Percy Jackson, but it's an awesome indoor walk-through show adventure thingy with lasers, lights, explosions, and water. I forgot which island this was.

Jurassic Park River Adventure - River ride through dinosaur exhibits, then something goes wrong. The carnivores are loose!  This means you almost get eaten by T-rex and plunge over a huge waterfall. Juarassic Park Island.

The Cat in the Hat Ride - If you like Dr. Seuss and spinning on couches while Thing 1 and Thing 2 wreak havoc around you, yes, do this. Seuss Landing.

Mythos Restaurant - Even if you don't eat here, just a look inside is really neat.  Feels like Atlantis or some mer folk hang out.  And the food is amazing. I can't remember much except for the bread, but it was good. Same area as Posiedon's Fury.

Universal Studios:

The Revenge of the Mummy - An slightly milder indoor roller coaster with a not so mild theme.  The mummy is trying to kill you with his fire ceiling and beetle collection.

Disaster! - An amazing interactive show that demonstrates the terrors of nature effects in movies.  You actually get to be a part of it! Cool!

The Simpsons Ride - An idoor simulator that will have you laughing from start to finish.

And that's my highlights from Universal.  There's more that I loved, but this is just the main things.  Hopefully tomorrow I can post about Disney. :)

And I copy Queen Elizabeth and post my art

So, none of these are exactly fantasy, but you can use your imagination. (hey, is that Glimfeather?)


My first chalk pastel. I have a thing for owls.

This is acrylic on cardboard. (I had no canvas on hand.) It is of the Fawnlay Meadow, a place in my short story Quest for the Silver Horn.



I have no idea why this uploaded sideways, but if you just cock your head to the right, you'll see my first official watercolor wash painting.





And again, no idea why it's sideways, but it's my chalk pastel poinsettia that I did at Christmastime.