Christmas season

With the heavy blizzard we had this morning, I finally feel like Christmas is near...even if in fact, it us very near. For me, holidays have been so closely connected with icy weather and  heavy snow,  it seem totally unrealistic for me to live a real Christmas without the white snow covering the landscape. Christmas in California or Australia seem just so strange to me, even if I'm pretty sure their Holidays are filled with great moments too, but in my head, it just doesn't work.

I still remember, a few years ago. It was the first Holidays after my last grandmother passed away. It was also the only Christmas I remember without any snow, in fact, I remember it was even over 0 Celsius degrees. It was just feeling like a very sad spring and although seeing the family and all that was still nice, I think everyone was feeling a bit sour and the weather was somewhat fitting. Just like it was not really Christmas.

A lot of people are whining about how Christmas and the Holidays just became commercials and do not have a real meaning.

 I think that regardless of if you give it a religious meaning or not, for me, it is just a great occasion to share moments with my family and friends (since everyone have  days off from work or school) , to give  and receive presents ( regardless of what people think, I LOVE giving presents...and receiving some is great too of course XD).And I honestly like to be spammed with decorations and Christmas music on stores and everywhere, it make me feel happy and peaceful... Although I would understand how it could irritates someone who actually work in said store, with the repetitive music and incessant flow of customers. Still, it's the perfect time ti practice positive thinking. For me, Christmas decorations have a way of lighting up any room. The place at my current job is usually quite morose, with gray carpet and infinite rows of computers ( and the lights are always closed....) But with the little Christmas lights everywhere,  shiny  tinsels... It just feels so more nice and... Hearty.

Yeah, children at this time of the year may think a lot about presents. Presents, presents, presents. But, seriously. What is wrong with that? I was like that, then grew up and now learned the joy to give and realize how a way bigger part of the fun is to be with friends and family.
Children can just gradually learn how just giving time or homemade cookies, or handcrafted gift can be as great if not even better than bought ones.
I will leave you with a picture of one of the decoration installation in a mall near where I work. So much effort went in this....

I think it's pretty..... or maybe I just like gaudy things....

The passion of vintage; being a newb and getting to know it.

 I decided to explain a bit my different passions and what they mean for various people. Since I have many different interests, not everyone who read this blog know how people lives their different passions and sometimes even what they are.

The first I will do is the passion about everything vintage. This will be the hardest one for me, as this is the one I am the less knowledgeable in, since it's my most recent one. And my Mimi (mom for me) always told me to start with the hardest part so only the easy part is left for the end.

So let's start that!

Definition

Vintage enthusiasms, by definition, like things from a  a time period who have now come to a past. At least for clothing, anything made before 1990 is considered vintage. Until before 1900, were it is considered antique.

They are often interested in more than one aspect of the life like it was in the XXe century. This can include fashion, history, cars, house furniture, dances and music. Although many of them push it to the extent of having everything in their life (except maybe their lover) being at least  30 years old, hating computers, Mp3 players,Facebook or anything modern, a lot of them just enjoy a part of this culture (which is in fact, our culture, just half forgotten) while still living fully to our times, and using the practical side of our modern world ( I always find it funny to write" modern" it always remind be of when I read old magazines or interviews and people from the nineties... or from 1934, or 1882.... and I think of someone of  2050 who would read this and laugh at me).

Clothing, hair-dos and make-up

A lot of ladies who like vintage clothing say to prefer the vintage look because the style is more classic, elegant, feminine and “of good taste". At a time were stretch in fabric was not really present, all those clothes had to be well tailored. Which in fact bring us to a second advantage often brought up: the clothes confections. At a time were something you buy at the mall will last you one year or two, it's impressive to find pieces that hold together better... and are more than 60 years old. On my own classic pieces, only one of those items have a tendency to break, and it's an organza dress from the fifites/sixties. It is not because it's not well done, the piece is so fitted that with some intense movement, it broke the thread use to sew pieces of fabric together. It's not that it's not well made, but the thread is just too old

 Pretty dress.... (not sure I like the necklace O.o)

Pieces from that time are usually more modest than modern pieces too. What is considered pin-up material for that time cover more skin than most of any outfit we could see on the street this summer. But all those style still remains very feminine.

And as for the men. My god ,they were so elegant. I really really want to reverse back all the process who leaded men to dress like they do today. Let me burn those t-shirts and jeans, bring back the suits, hats and elegant shirts. I must say that’s one of those thing that make me my boyfriend is going to be an accountant: he need to wear suit <3

Anyway, I'm getting away from the main subject. The fact is I can't say exactly why people like vintage look. Although I could say it's because they like the classic, elegant look of that time as long as they remain fan of the fifties and before.... what about fan of the seventies and eighties. Although interesting, we can't really classify those styles as classic and elegant, no?

I think , like for the rest of the vintage, it may be linked to some kind of nostalgia or some kind of wish to connect better with our past.  Still, there is  a great distance  between looking with delight at old pictures of your grandma in her twenties.... and wanting to have the clothes she is wearing so, so much... and then recreating her hair style. Maybe some kind of desire to be different? A passion of costumes ? I know this is what hooked me.

I guess I will have to interview my friend Pierre who dress in a seventies style every day.

Movies

 I think it can be very easy to develop interest in old movies and for many many reasons. As soon as you get over the sound quality or the fear to watch something in black and white, you realize fast enough how a LOT of movies were done before you were even born and own much potentials and great classics can be found if you search just a little. For about any genre, there is a ton of great movies who were done before 3D movies, HD and all that made. And although it is in black in white, and more than 80 years old, I can swear to everyone that Captain Blood is as good as Pirates of the Caribbean... Ok maybe almost as good.... I must say Disney have a way of doing movies I enjoy very much.

 A great pirate movie. With Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone. Awesome!

Danse, shows, burlesque and rockabilly

 A lot of people who are into vintage also really like the musical scene that come with it. I know a lot of person who enjoy jazz, swing dancing and burlesque boutiques seems to be even more common that classic vintage boutiques.

Although it not always coincide for the music and dance part, it is hard to be a burlesque artist without liking the vintage fashion or music. I think it is if in fact precisely this part of the “show “ that can make the burlesque shows called “art”, although this is still a lot discussed.

As for rockabilly, this stand for a more wild, modern take on the vintage fashion. I often think it look a bit between a mix of gothic and vintage fashion. Hairstyle and make-ups tend to be much more dramatic and sexy, but it also give a more freedom to the style. I personally enjoy it a little less that classic vintage style. I’m not a huge fan of dark things and rockabilly clothes tend to be form fitting because of the stretch of its fabric instead of tailoring... For me, it just have less elegance. But still, it is very interesting.

Cars, home decoration

 Why exactly some people love older style for the home is hard to explain for me again... I personally just find it prettier. Often... I am not a huge fan of the 3- colors floor of the fifties, probably because I grew up in a house who had such a floor (pretty white parts with parrot green and red parts x.x) and was never a fan of it. Although I enjoyed trying to jump from colored spots to colored spots when I was a child.....

Anyway, all that to say I guess this is the kind of style that please for some people, “old souls” like my parents often says...

I won’t say that older style of home decoration where less cluttered, etc.... this is frankly just depending of who live in there and how they managed it. Books and vinyl disks could take as much place as video games and DVDs now take.

There is still the fact however, that old furniture is often more sturdy that newer one. How much young adults herited old furnitures from their parents or relatives for their first apartment?

I currently have a 1954 kitchen set, and although the vinyl on the chairs will need to be replaced (small holes that I could live with... but also HUGE RED STAINS... so yeah... I will need to change that), oh my 3 kitchen sets I have ,this is the most solid and awesome. The table is a Transformer, with the part to make it longer hidden under it. Also...arborite  table? HEY that’s like a second counter!

 Transformer table! With stained chairs.... but still awesome!

I will finish by stating a lot of vintage enthusiasms also seem to like car shows. Now, although I must agree older cars look way better than the current ones.... I’m still really not a car fan :/ . 

Some of them also take part in huge re-enactments. The ones I heard the most about where taking places in the US and were situated in the fourties. Now I don’t exactly know how this work: do they create characters or just act as themselves, but in that time period. This would be something I would really like to  try, since I already like roleplaying.

   

    See this website, I think this is a good example : http://www.northernforties.org.uk/

So hope this was a good introduction to some of you. I am definitely still a novice in that world and hope I will manage to enhance my knowledge of it a lot in the future. You can be sure there will be so post related to it soon.

 Next post will be about Christmas decoration and a Drink and Draw meeting I had this monday. Possibly an outfit post too!

Gasp! A post... Again a bad blogger? Let's correct that , shall we :3

Well well well... Hello everyone. It`s been quite some time since I wrote here, right? What a baaaad, bad blogger I have been

Let me tell you about the causes of that...

No no! That suave little man is not the only cause, I swear!

Well Ok. Skyward Sword is partially in  cause. BUT , in it's defense (because we know you're all going to blame the game and not me... right?), I had a pretty busy life with ... you know, job, school ( with final assignments, social life).

Althought I must precise that Skyward Sword is really a great game and it`s probably my favorite Zelda game since the N64 games. But I will talk about that in more details, in another article, when I will have  FINISHED THE GAME (which I didn't.... because.... no...time...;_;)

So I decided to post here a few pictures of the past few weeks. Not necessarily in the chronological order, but just a few for fun :p Please note that this post will be a big melting pot of all my differents interests. I usually try to keep each post with only one subject, but this will be an exception.

So yeeeeah. First. A very random picture. I took it in a drugstore the other day just because well... Am I the only girl that this hit? I had the EXACT SAME BARRETS when I was 4 years old. I especially remember covering my father's head with it (oooooh now I wish I could put a picture of that here... unfortunatly, it`s my mom who have those treasures)

They were never actually STAYING in my hair....

So when I saw those little plastic barrets.... nostalgia hit me really hard... I had to share... sorry... Maybe one day , I will be able to buy those for my own little girl... and get all angry because they actually don`t clip well....

Anyway, NEXT
Ah, restaurants! That exact week was hectic , I went to the restaurant 3 times. First, because one of my friend from Quebec city was in town, so we went in group to karaoke and then we discover a very tasty restaurant called Hakata Ramen. I was actually surprised and liked it way better that my usual ramen restaurant. I suggest it to everyone who comes or live in Montreal . Let it be know however that I never take ramen in ramen restaurants.... I just take... the others foods. In the case of Hakata ramen, I tried their curry omuraisu and their crispy chicken. Both were delicious.

In the middle of the week, we had a small meet-up with the staff of Con Turnabout, a wonderful activity for who I act as the human resources responsible, part of the costume team and sometime as actress. We were only 10 that day and went to eat at the most delicious chinese restaurant in Montreal, the V.I.P.

Here is a picture of all our delicious food and my ninja friends :D

There was even General Ta tofu! 

Saturday was a  evening out for my sister's birthday.... and we went to Hakata Ramen (yes, I suggested it) Now, I went there two times, but didn`t even tough of taking pictures. I still need to learn to take a lot more pictures.....  After that we went to  Chapters.... oh the torture. Of course, I ended up buying something... and honestly, I would have bought maybe two or three more books. But here is the one I chose:

I already had one book about vintage fashion from that author. Those are amazing!

I might write a review on that one day. But I can say  this is a must have for anyone who have passion for fashion, vintage or costume design. This precise book gave me the idea of compiling my own encyclopedia of diverse kinds of clothing, how they are constructed. I realized that when I design something ,I come back too often to the same kind of sleeve, tops , etc
I must also say I took it with the intention to use it to help to design... eventually, my own wedding dress.

Talking about sewing. I also went fabric-shopping with Sam, by no.1 cosplay partner. We are planning to do a small cosplay group of Avatar The last Airbender  for a convention in january. I will do the ooooooh so happy and full of joy Mai:

In fact... she look even more bored than that usually...

Sam will be doing dear prince Zuko and our friend Alexia, Ty Lee. Just learned that another of my friend may do Azula! So yeah. I will need to start working on that as soon as my school term finish. Can I also say the wig will be a nightmare? Those hair just do not make sence...

Edit: And those shoes....

Anyway, I went to buy fabric with Sam... and just a small mention for Stiches.... Yeah, that store for teenagers....
Why do you have such cute hoodies?

My boyfriend managed to make me NOT buy one by making me remember this was not elegant...

But still.... so cute ;_;

I also did a lot of drawing in those weeks. Here is an example. I will actually try to color this one on the computer, which is not my usual medium. It will be interesting.

It is cuuuuuuuute....

Two of my OCs, manly pirate woman and her fabulous husband. Yeah, my characters are weird. Thoseare in fact characters from a roleplaying game I play. I may talk about it one day. More about the game, not the characters I mean. Because this is not a "Let me tell you about my character" blog

And finally here is the only picture I took in 2 meet-up make with a group I created on Facebook called

"Pratique de dessins entre artistes" (french for...  Drawing training for artists?) The meet-up are organised by my friend any and are special "Drink and Draw" activities. There will another one this next Monday, I will try to be a good blogger and take a lot of pictures this time.


Now, news regarding this blog.
-A change in my situation starting next year make so that I will probably do a lot more outfit posts! So yeah!
-I have started to write a series of articles explaining each f my passions, starting with the hardest. I will soon post that too!

Also, please tell me! What do you want to see on this blog. Reviews? or articles on something in specifics? Tutorials? Polka? (Anyone who answer polka will die)

Outfit post!

So here is a few outfits from the past few weeks.  All taken on my boyfriend iPhone, accessorizing by him (so don't ask why I'm holding a marker in my kitchen :p)

I should technically post those daily, but my biggest problem is actually to take pictures each day. I am shy to ask to other people (except my boyfriend) to take pictures of me.... and I only see my boyfriend each evening, late late... when my outfit is less than at it's best.(well for the week, no other reason except being distracted for the week-end) .


So, with that, the outfits:

So here is a sixties-ish look

I also call that a lazy sixties look, since the hat prevent me from doing an elaborate hairstyle. The dress is an actual sixties one, a gift from my boyfriend. I really like the embrodery details. I will post a zoom on it sometimes

Hat- Ardene, something like 3$

Earings- Shawinigan's flea market, 1$

Scarf- Took it from a hat I got as a gift... I still have the hat too :p

Dress- Sixties dress from Friperie Saint-Laurent

Tights- Either a gift or I bought them at 10$ for a cosplay

Shoes- Ballerinas from Yellow, 20$

As for the second outfit, it was another of those lazy days... my hair where not great... I am still learning... Oh well It's a more casual look , but still classy. I work in a video games and people keep telling me I'm overdressed :p

Don't ask about the marker... Or my face... please....

Pretty earing full of memories

I had sooo much problems to pose that time XD

Earings are a gift from my mom. I remember loving to put them on when I played dress up as a kid. I'm really happy she gave them to me. I bought the necklace is from the Shawinigan's Flea market 

Vest was bought years ago at Prism... I really like it in fact, it have green and pink lines in the pattern.

Shirt was given my my aunt, as was the skirt and I seriously forgot from were is the belt.

Socking are just from... any store. I keep buying some because I'm extremely clumsy and make holes in them all the time. I am still wearing those cream shoes from Yellow 

I had an adorable  golden rose brooch that felled while I was wearing it. I was pretty sad since it was a gift from my late grandmother/godmother.

So this is all for now. As you can see, I still have problems with my hair, trying to tame them... They are very dry naturally and curly....  and I'm growing them out... So yeah....

Until next time :)

Preparing for the perfect guilty pleasure day.

 There come times in someone’s life where we are very eager to spent a little time, by our self, doing our favourite pastime. With how much life can become easily busy, it’s very easy to get lost and either just never takes a moment to fulfill that desire, or finally doing it for finally noticing everything else is getting late. Regardless for it it’s watching a  TV series you adore,  starting a big knitting project or learning a new, complicated dance, all people who want to really consecrate time to a project or a guilty pleasure they have  encounter the same difficulties.

In exactly 5 days, this will be my case. One of the thing I've been waiting for veeery long will finally be in my hands. I waited for it eagerly since months, and it has been almost impossible to have a conversation IRL without me mentioning it at some point.

This is exactly that kind of time I was just talking about. And in my case, it will be for a video game.

I will sit down and play  Zelda Skyward Sword for the entire Sunday. And the week after, all the day after work, after my classes.  Until I finish it (which can actually take some time since I'm a pretty bad video game player.)

 Isn't that all pretty?

  Do not think I'm that kind of gamer who disappears as soon as a good game appears? I’m not. I didn't really play a salon console game since... ages.... Last game I played a lot was Zelda Ocarina of Time on my 3ds. Zelda , Zelda, Zelda.

My love story with the Zelda series

 Zelda is my favorite series since the days I bought Ocarina of time (now let's do liek in the game and put in evidence important words)  to play on my sister's N64. Having playing only the Mario series and others platformers up to that point, Ocarina of Time really amazed me by the sense of adventure I could feel while traveling its field. For once, I felt the game really had a story, a deeper one that what I could see from the Mario ending my cousin allowed me to see (because in no way would I have been able to finish by myself one of those games... I still can't in fact).

 Nothing seemed more epic .... and it still is!

 It was the first game ever I bought. I was already a teenager, fourteen I think, and this totally enchanted me. It may even be what sparkled back in me the desire to draw, as I remember  my first drawings I tried to copy (which in the end, leaded me to learn to draw) was two official arts of Link from this game.

 Since then, I finished that game... over  25times. I'm not exaggerating here. That how much this  game can be addictive. When I learned about a remake on the 3Ds, I immediately jumped on the new, shiny (and pricy) console. I have yet to finish it, being a bit to obstinate about a side quest of finding 100 golden spiders whose emplacements are really hidden deep in a mysterious corner in my head.

An now... The Beast!

 Although I really like the following games of the series, I must say I never was as hipped as for the next game in the series, Skyward sword. Developed story connected to the others title, inventive dungeons, the perfect graphic style as far as I'm concerned (cell shading with a more realistic drawing style, impressionist-inspired colors), ingenious gameplay (using the Wiimote as an actual sword, bug net and other items) and a lot of great characters.

So pretty pretty

The closer the release date is coming and the more reviews goes out. And almost all claim how this is the best game of the series. How can I wait there, calmly, for this to come out? Well in fact, that’s easy! By preparing myself!

I will actually do a review after playing the game enough to my own taste. But I realized I needed to prepare so I could play it as much as I wanted , which conducted me to write this post. With 2 evening classes and a bit more than forty hours of job per week, I really needed awesome time management to be able to play a bit. So I prepared a plan, a preparation to do before that fateful day (November 20th) so I will be able to play as much a possible. I think this can generally apply to anyone preparing to invest himself or herself totally in one activity

 Be responsible

If you want to have free time to give as much attention as possible to your special activity, you need to make sure all the responsibilities you have been fulfilled before, or else it's not really possible to really take full advantage and all possible fun and pleasure from that activity. As for me: 

- First, a couple of weeks ago, I asked my teacher to give me my homework in advance. I will try to do as much of them as I can before that fateful day so I won't have any to do for a few days at least after. It meant I still need to draw a lot this week, but it's worth it.

 - I want to make a big clean up in my apartment. Not only because  maintaining a clean environment is the task of any responsible adult, but also so I can sit in my clean, cozy living room, and be very happy and comfortable while playing my favourite games, without feeling bad when thinking of the state of the apartment. Regarding the need for a big clean-up, my living room is the one the most suffering from it. 

 - Cut others unnecessary (but still fun) activities. I adore my Exalted games, but I made a deal with my boyfriend: no Exalted game around that time. Maybe the day just before and still, it will finish very early so I can go to the restaurant for my sister's birthday. It take a lot of time and always make me  very tired since the games finish between 1 and 4am. I also arrange to put aside a drawing class I have each week with a friend, since we have no time limit to do it. I love both of those activities, but I have to choice to cut somewhere and unfortunately, I can’t spend all my time having fun.

Now, please be better than me and manage to cut more that what I did... as I still have a Ace Attorney staff diner probably tomorrow and a Drink and Draw meeting Friday.... Since I have classes on Tuesday and Thursday evening, I only had yesterday that was  free....

Be thematic

Now, this does not always apply, but putting a little effort to become more and more part of the world in which you want to immerge at that moment can always help. Extending the  ambiance to a few days before may also help to get the steam higher, so this can also be a good idea

- In clothing: I planned since a lot of time to customize one of my hoodie to be Zelda themed. I think it would be great to be able to finish it before the game come out. I could proudly wear it when going to get my game :), although I honestly doubt it would be possible. I will probably just wear my Zelda t-shirt

  Not the one I want to make, but another very fun design by Kristaia  on deviantart(although I will use fabric paint in my case)

- In food: Hem... in my case, it may be a bit hard.  Easy answer is cupcakes with icing, which make it easy to include the Zelda theme by decoration. I guess using food who are present in the Zelda serie could be an idea? So... pumpkins? Milk? Meet loin? Pumpkins and cheese soup? Fish? (for Lord Jabu-Jabu?) I won't go far with that.  I will stick to cupcakes...

Look yummy... not...

And

Wow.... Someone actually made that soup! Look here, on show and tell Flickr account!

- In music: Make sure to have a lot of Zelda songs loaded on my MP3 player. And why not changing my ringtone for that special occasion? I could use that awesome Skyward sword theme (aka reverse Zelda Lullaby). I'm also listening to my Zelda music cds.

- In decoration: I only have one Link figurine (and no one else have the same!) and two posters. I don't plan to change that. My eyes will be on the TV screen. As long as I feel comfortable, I don't need any decorations. In others cases, it could be very fun however.

- I will also make sure to play Zelda games while I can, on the subway ,etc , on my 3ds. What better way to put me right back in that familiar gameplay, those puzzles, etc... so I can get even more surprise with the new game!

Be comfy

- First, having a clean home. It's in our responsibilities anyway.

- Making sure it's comfortable. This mean to have you best couch, chair available, a room just at the right temperature with a blanket if you have a tendency to be cold, or a fan if you get hot easily.

My not so comfortable couch... I moved since them, but still have the same furniture... and same cats. If only they could stay we me the entire day while I play Skyward sword.....

-On THE day, wear comfortable clothes. And slippers.

- And make sure you look good. Now this may be only me, but when I don't make sure I look good at least a little bit, I just don't feel so well. I don’t think I need absolutely make-up (although a little bit can help), but I won’t spend all of my day with crazy hair and  unwashed face.

 (no you will not have any picture of me looking like a zombie)

Be organised

- We need to have surfaces: regardless of if you are planning to knit in front or a good movie or to play a video games for hour, large, stables surfaces are a must. Tables ,or chairs if no tables are available. We need a place for that cold drink, that wool ... or that Wiimote.... In my case, it also means I need to make enough floor room for if I decide to go all epic and get up to fight evil monsters.

-Making sure to have all supplies necessary. If you knit, making sure to have enough wool for example. In my case, I guess it mean to have a lot of batteries. I would probably even have paper, pencils (just in case I want to take note, or doodle.... ) cream for my hands (just in case they get dry-ish) and as much good food I can :) , something to clean my hands (  after eating, so the Wiimote won't get sticky).

-Having a small trash can be very handy if you plan to eat (even snacks) while being there. And to keep the room clean if you are making something messy (sewing would be a good example).

-I would like to have a good and fast lunch and dinner to eat that day, as well as collations. Which mean I will probably make sure to have leftover from the day before for the meals. As for the snacks, I want to make sure to have my favourite ones, but not only candies and chocolate. I will for sure have a lot of clementines Easy to eat and so tasty.

Be opulent

Now, this is not an obligation, but just so fun. Make sure all the day ca n be as good as possible. Be nice to everyone so everyone will be nice at you, do what you prefer, stay in a good mood... and if possible, extend the fun . In my case, I need to take a doctor appointment soon. If I can, I'll take it Monday, 21th of November. So when coming back from the doctor's, I can plaaaaaaay the whole day: D. This is just a bonus, but my arranging your schedule in some way, you can make sure to make the fun last a little more!

And you , what are your guilty pleasures? :D

Observation class: the conclusion

i So it did not end up too badly in the end. My conclusion is that I was too slow at first, givong too much attention to having the right tone, so I ended up missing time to finish the drawing (more easy to see on the sides). I drew the kettle really fast and could not draw the patterns on the glass pot. But I said too myself: better to have at least a beautiful image, even when it make the drawing to not look exactly like the subject.

As a bonus, here is a drawing I made in the same class, drawing fabric this time. It take some time understand it , but once you see it, I think it`s quite beautiful and you can actually almost feel the fabric.

Observation class

I'm currently in my Drawing from observation class  break. We are doing a conte drawing, using white and black conte chalks on  colored paper. You can see the subject and my  drawing here. My drawing look pretty. ..sad for now, let's see if I can change that before the end of the class :D

Gone with the wind impressions

I heard about this movie  when I was still very little, but got to see it only last week. My interest for it became bigger as I started watching old movies. Then I choose Vivian Leigh as the reference face for a character I draw often, which made me want to see it even more.

In the end this only influenced my view of the movie a little bit. Overall, I was greatly impressed.

First, a bit about the story. As much as I had heard about this movie before, I never  new what it was able and I thought the two main characters, Scarlett and Rhett were eperdually in love with each other. Haard to be more wrong on that. The story is mainly about Scarlett in fact (played by Vivian Leigh), Very pretty, daugther of a rich plantation owner in the South of the United states around 1860 , she learn that the man she loves, Ashley (played by Leslie Howard) is going to marry her cousin Melanie (Olivia de Havilland). Very jealous, she try to makes him changes his mind, but fail blantlantly. She also meat Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), a newcomer in the region with a very bad reputation.  Rhett fall immediatly for Scarlett... energy to day that nicely, but she cannot forget Ashley. And the , the Civil War start.

One odf the first thing who suprised me is the length. Never did I knew, when I put that DVD in the PS3 that this movie was so lengthy, it make Titanic cry in a corner in shame for being way to short. Honestly, I had to cut my screening in two; I had to go to bed. Never did the "Entracte" in the middle of the movie seemed more fitting to me. But, in no moment did I found the movie too slow, or not interesting. Although there is some calmer moments, they are always welcome, after dramatic moments or intense war scenes.

 

She does seem really nice, no? But seriously, main characters with big problems? I love it!

I had often heard how Scarlett O'Hara was one crazy lady... well let's just say it was indeed true. Never did I saw a character so unconnected to her own feelings, trying too much to be strong but in fact so capricious and immature. And here is the only link I will make with the character who have Vivian Leigh's features.... god they are so much alike. Scarlett just seem way worse.... but as extreme as she can be, she remain a very realistic and interesting character. Even in today's movie, we don't often see main characters as extreme and who show as frankly the bad sides of a person who still fundamental remains a normal person who have the same kind of desires as everyone around her. She treats everyone around her terribly, especially Rhett, (probably because she see herself in him) but it still what make her so true.

Ok , he does force-kiss her a bit too much...

Rhett in contrast, was maybe a little to dashing for realistic measure, but that made him a more interesting character as well. I only wish it would not have been Clark Gable who played him. I sincerely don't really see any charm in him. Well, in Rhett Butler, there is some, but it is mostly because of the writing and a bit from the acting, but the actor himself , for me... naaaah.. Still, I never thought I would love the character so much , he ended up being my favorite. 

 

Happy Rhett? You're my favorite. Here is a cookie!

I think Melanie and Ashley are interesting characters as well. It was strange to see Olivia De Havilland playing such a pure character, as I usually saw her in more playful roles. I think she pulled it  very well and Melanie is the perfect personification of that "too nice" character. This is usually the kind of character I hate, but in a movie where the main character is Scarlett O'Hara, it was actually refreshing. I think that kind of character is in fact a problem when they are the main character. How could anyone relate to someone who is perfect. But as a supporting character/ rival, this become really interesting.

Ashley was not a very interesting character  for me although I appreciate him portraying the weak emotional side so much humans have. The way he cannot really resist Scarlett and how he chooses the more easy way of live and only wish for peace is interesting. How pathetic of him to really realise he loves Melanie when it's too late

  M. and Mrs. Perfect. Not exactly in fact, but oh well

Aside for the character, I must say the costumes were just breathtaking. I have a very soft spot for Victorian clothes, men and women alike. I thought interesting to see the movie was  shot at a time were snood were coming back in fashion... for the first time since the time were the story of Gone with the wind took place. Scarlett's dress made from the curtains was especially pretty. What's with movie characters making such beautiful dress with curtains.

Curtain dress! 

   Curtain dress!  (and she have two more)

 I also found out interesting that this story was tell from the point of you or people from the South of the United States. In my limited knowledge of the Civil War (since I live in Canada, it was not a huge part of our history classes), from what I grasped, they were always portrayed as "the bad guys" since they wanted to keep the slavery.

A bit like Grave of the fireflies (taking place in Japan in the second WW),'' Gone with the wind'' show this war from the point of view from a side I was used to see on the "enemy" side in movies and stories. Even if I already knew it, it it refreshing to see how war could have been for those people, remembering us that  on each side of a war, there is always normal humans beings who suffer from it.

The price of wanting what we don't have

Yesterday, I went to the store. After bleaching my brains with days of videos telling how to apply make-up or how to style hairs to achieve a style like I wanted.... I wanted to buy some cosmetics and products. Nothing much: one or two lipstick, an eyeliner, skin moistener, pomade for hair, etc

Not much... but it cost me over one hundred dollars. God. Trying to take care of my skin and hair cost a lot.

I keep thinking a lot of that stuff is overpriced (as is a lot of things) .Especially that tiny bottle of tainted skin moistener...

All those products are at their first try, except for one, so I’ll probably have to see if they work like I want.

I remember, a few months ago, talking with my mother about a small cream she had. It was suppose to prevent wrinkles. The container was tiny, and to my eyes very pricy. I was telling her how she should not buy that kind of stuff, since there is an high chance it would not even work. She answered me that she thought it was worth the chance. I was not agreeing on that, but oh well.

And then I heard some kind of supplements can help your hair to grow.... and now I want to spend money on that. Yep, it seem I may fall in trap too J.

And now, this may become a bit too deep

Everyone got something they would change on themselves. I’m not only talking about complex. I personally think we should usually work with what we have: I don’t adore how I look like, but I guess its ok. And I’m doing my best to make it better, so that I think I look great and how I want to look.

But... I want long hair. Since I was little. I think it’s so pretty. But my hair are very obstinate. Since two years, they only grew for about 6 inches. At least I’m not the kind of woman who always wants to change my haircut... so they can have the time to grow... but still, it takes so much time....  

        This could grow faster than my hair... and I know rocks don't grow

I know a lot of people who would like to be just a little taller, slimmer, etc. Sometimes it’s possible, sometimes it’s not, and if it is, it usually takes either a lot of work or a lot of patience.

Isn’t it weird we spend so much time working to a goal that would, in the end, not change that much things. In the end, we spent a lot of time just wishing for things we don’t have hmm?

I saw once an article about how, while we fiercely think of sometimes and desire it (having a new house, having a child, a new object) , we should concentrate of the advantages our current situation have. Want a kid? Well while waiting the good moment, you can always use all those free evenings and remember that at least for now, there is no incessant crying. You still have a full private life. Same goes with people who search for a boyfriend or a girlfriend.  The best is always not to overdo it and take the time you have to do the best with it.

I currently realize more and more how each moment in life is important , how each of them will never comes back. So let's like all the ones we can.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Outfit post: October 19th , 2011

Please note there will not be an outfit post for yesterday... as I could not take a picture before coming back to home at 10pm (7 hours of work, 3 hours of waiting and 3hours of class, yay!), I got surprised by the rain... my hairs became so crazy

Anyway, this is what I wore Wednesday

Now fortunately, this is an outfit post and not a face post, because I'm doing a pretty horrible one on all those pics. Another thing to remember to check when taking pictures for these posts... 

 

Pretty pretty suit. Terrible terrible face XD

My boyfriend actually thought by himself to talk different pictures, how nice of him <3.

I adore this suit, it's so sweet. However, it's probably made for something who is in two dimensions, as I had to made the waistline of the skirt modified so I could wear it (and it’s something to put on) As for the vest, when I wear it closed, I need to wear the bra I bought to compress my chest when I crossplay (more explanation on crossplay/cosplay in another post. You can ask if you have questions anyway).

My only regret here was to forget to tease a bit the hair at the top of my head for a more sixties look. That and my hair who became all frizzy, because it was very windy outside. Anyway, here come the description

 

To quote my dear Dilandau: MY FACE! MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!

(hey , it's important to be to do so auto-derision)

• Roses in my hairs: Ardene (2$)
• Earings, necklace, bracelet: Gift from Mat's mother (Mat being my boyfriend, if someone I don't know personally ever read that :p)
• Pink suit: Friperie Saint-Remi ( I think it's a sixties one... construction and fabric make me think so anyway, 4$)
• Socks: Fanamanga (from a unknow lolita brand, around 10$)
• Shoes: Yellow (40$.... they’re kinda old now)

I used Violet Lebeaux’s tutorial to do a bow with my hair, but I made it sideways, since my hair are not as long as hers (sadly, very sadly) I think it’s still cute :3