Craftalicious.. Is That a Word?

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! Escape into the moment of merriness, hot Ghiradelli cocoa, a warm fireplace, and crafty enjoyments...
Around the cozy corner of your beautifully decorated house, chaos is surrounded all around you; it is a special chaos though because it is Christmas, a merry one. Your house is the brightest one on the street, and all the neighbors envy your holiday lights. Tick, tock, tick, tock.. It is Christmas Eve, an eve of warm memories and chocolates... yes, you are a lazy bum.. all you do is eat and eat and eat. However, lost away in the crowd of family and relatives, you silently play with crafty items and paper, sitting in an embroidered chair.. Man, you think, did the Christmas angel fill my taste buds with creative, interesting juice?
Yep, guys, this was me and is me... *SUSPENSE* Okay, in the past few days, I got really crafty and even though I was not (clears throat) encouraged to play with art supplies for a loooong time, like uhh all together 3-4 hours, I continued the projects. I was let's say *modestly* staring at truly amazing geniuses who made extremely cool D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself) projects, and I got inspired. And when Ashna gets inspired, well, she gets all crazy and her eyes poof out like a lot and she gets super excited and let me ramble more.. SHE DOES HER SNOOPY HAPPY DANCE!!!! (oooh yeeaaah.. life is HAPPY, HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!! AND TOMORROW IS CHRISTMAS!!!!! YAY-A!!) uh sorry, got carried away there (she mumbles)....
AND MY CUE!...................
Okay, back to business, folks... where was I... oh yeah.
Note: A really good friend of mine and I are making crafts and other items to donate to poor or impoverished children. The two pillows were made by both of us, mainly her, and the jewelry items were made by me for the same cause to donate.
Uhh... The other stuff were by me and for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only me! (too greedy there, or uhh, um, was i, uh like i don't know) (she mumbles, and it slowly fades away because she is slightly embarrassed and does not know what she should say).........
And here starts my list.. DA DA DAA!:
Disclaimer: I do not want to ruin the happy moment here, but it is essential for me to say this. The descriptions of the crafts and the pictures are put not for me to have for a chance to brag freely (LOL), but for happiness.. Let me tell you, I am not that "good" or "excellent" at crafts or art. Okayy... well to be true, I have a love for painting and watercolors, but I never brag. I am fortunate for the supplies that I have, and these projects were done over periods of weeks; they took my time and money. However, at the end, they did one clear thing. That was giving myself "me" time.
"If there is passion and will, anything can be done. Do what your heart tells you to do; flow like the waves of the ocean, or like the musical notes of a song."
Ashna Sharma~
NOW, NO MORE SERIOUS TIME!!! BACK TO HAPPY TIME!!!
oooh.. happy haapppy!!!

1) Decorative Pillows
My good friend and I made these felt pillows with hard work, but it turned out amazing because the sewing method was created by the friend.... we actually do not know if it is "actual" sewing.. Anyhoo, we sewed the seams with yarn, stuffed the pillows with random cloth, stitched the open end, and decorated the surface with glitter fonts and a boa at the ends to cover the knitting holes. I have a question here folks: Is "sewing" taking two whole minutes and hard strength of grunting to put the needle through one stitch??
Here are some pics of the pillows:

This pillow was very simple, as it was a perfect square..YAY! As you can see, we covered the edges with the black boa and wrote "Merry X-mas!" for a handmade design. I was afraid at first if whether the boa would stick with the liquid glue, but as my friend made pillows like these before and nothing odd happened with them, I trusted her wholeheartedly.    

This pillow was done using the exact same method as described above, but it was made in a rectangular shape. Moreover, we, the two besties, cut cloth from a scarf and decorated it, while using the faded-red-to-pink yarn to tie bows and tighten the middle of the pillow. It turned out to be a cylindrical pillow from an original rectangular pillow. If you want any further instructions for this design, please ask me a question in the comments section below.

2) Charm Central

With my hands and a silver chain, I attached cute charms to the holes of the chain as shown on the left. To tell the truth, I attached the charms by twisting the wire in the packaging of the various packed doodads. The result was awesome, especially since I did not spend too much time making one bracelet; perhaps it took 15-20 minutes for an inexperienced crafts person like me.  

The necklace shown on the left was done with the exact same method of applying charms. Again, if you guys have any detailed questions or have desire to make these simple, vintage-inspired jewelry items yourselves, you are all absolutely welcome to question me in the comments section below. :D In my opinion, I personally think that the charms I bought from Michaels, mainly the large ones, were very cool, stylish, and vintage-looking.















3) My Room

Currently, I am starting to develop an extreme interest in decorating my room and making it reflect more and more of my personality. I started this craze by changing my bed cover into a black and white bedspread printed black and white like a newspaper. It includes parts and names of places all around the globe; you guys may have had a glimpse of it in the background of the pictures of the two pillows. Other than buying items for my room, I decided to get crafty by creating a handmade collage featuring puppies from my old calender. It barely required any money, only a poster board, which was only 32 cents at Target. (I KNOW, ONLY 32 CENTS!) Throughout the collage making process, I just kept on cutting and gluing pictures and at the end, embellishing it with sharpies, words, and one bow tied with ribbon to personalize it with a unique touch. Moreover, I added decorative tape not for necessity, but for design.
Here is a picture of the collage:

As you all can see, I also layered pictures, like the two dogs at the left. The whole purpose of a collage is to express yourself with pictures, so let the collage represent your creativity, not others.

4) Oil Painting

I am a watercolor artist, not an oil painter. However, as my mom started bringing her oil paintings home from art class, I was not jealous, but I wanted to try using her colors; they were thick and solid, unlike river-like watercolors. I ended up creating a mini abstract piece, at the same time abusing her palette. The palette was full of blended colors all over the place; it was a "beautiful" mess... My mom saw a duck in my painting, while my dad saw a dog. Please reply in the comments section on what you guys see in my painting with your eyes. :D It would certainly be interesting, not interesting but FASCINATING to hear about your sights in the painting. XD

My mom does not really think that these small, craftalicious projects that I do are productive, and from a distance, copious amounts of people may think so too. However, all of this fun rounds up to "me" time; it takes me into a mystical world where I could do anything, anytime and anywhere. One second I am in Mt. Everest, overlooking the flowing hills, and in another second, I am in my cozy bed lying on my tummy, while devouring triple chocolate chip cookies while reading a book printed with old pages... yet there are printed with fresh, black ink.
~I FEEL SO CRAFTALICIOUS! ... (is that a word?)

Merry Christmas From Nerdy Bookworm

From the title, you guys most probably found out that I was hoping to add a small twinge of professionalism to this post.. da da da daa.. Nerdy Bookworm wishes you all a very happy holiday season. May the good angel, in whatever faith you believe in, bless you with love and the magic of friends and family in your life. And here comes Ashna Sharma's favorite Christmas song.. from Taylor Swift! (Look Below)   

An Awesome Song Sung by Taylor Swift With Love.. Please listen to this while reading An Angel In A Stranger, if you want to... You will have an incredible Christmas spirit resting in you heart :D

I really wanted this post to be finished at 12:00 AM, Christmas Day. It is 12:04 right now, but it is alright; I was almost on time! XD

Top Ten Sunday?: Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For

The people, desires, and nature that the Earth offers us all round up into gratitude and thankfulness that I give back. Simply, near Thanksgiving Day, December 1st is a day that I uniquely feel most thankful. The top ten list continues on.. well, Top Ten Tuesday sounds more professional.. grr.. WHY IS TODAY NOT TUESDAY?.. grr... Anyhoo.. back to the beauty.. Update: yeah, well uh, I started this post and Sunday and since I was so busy with school, it will get finished today, Dec. 6th on Friday. Hehe.. The Top Ten Things I am Thankful For: 

1. My family, obviously.

Mom, Dad, and Sister.. The Mom: A wonderful person who loves you even when you scream and yell at her or act odd. The Sis: HMMM... A somewhat annoying, attention-wanting girl, yet at most times a third grader who tackles you and physically abuses you (I am not exaggerating! ;D) for only wanting some unstructured play involving me going down. However, her intentions are always sweet, and I thoughtfully think that she loves me so much that her hyperness uncontrollably gets out of her constantly beating heart. The Dad: Uhh, a mindful and hard-working man who has love deep, deep inside of him; he just has trouble demonstrating it. In essence, each soul has love for me in various ways, including my mom mystically creating the most yummy food to make my taste buds yell and scream with bliss. And in spite of my humbleness, she gives the best presents.

2. Books 

If books did not exist in this beautiful universe, how will people have a filling life? The incredible books stay in your heart years, even decades, after you read them because they teach lessons and morals that can only be understood through words.

3. Friends, only the genuine ones.   

Okay, so there is this term called "friends," and some people have millions of them, in real life, facebook, instagram, twitter, etc. I hate, personally I loathe, calling a person a friend even when they have absolutely no positive or joyous feelings for me, whatsoever. It is the genuine friends I am thankful for, the ones that make you laugh when you are about to cry and cry when you are about to laugh.. :D

4. Web Design

I love html coding and adding things to my blog that have a beautiful result; even when I do not have time, web designing always comes to me as a pure passion. I must admit it, web design is extremely difficult! However, designing with limited options using technology is amazing, like getting transformed into a world hidden out there. 

5. Watercolor Painting/Art 

Painting watercolors is not ordinary art, it is a way of expression, with hard and solid separations, flow, and blend of colors. Without art, I could have been an anti-social girl, with no genuine feeling or expression. Art captures my emotions; art brings me to life.

6. Comments 

I adore comments on my blog, no matter if it is harsh feedback or just a casual compliment. Whenever I receive the email notification, I do my snoopy happy dance. (HAPPY.. HAPPY.. OOH YEAH, LIFE IS HAPPY, HAPPY) hehe.. (had to escape into the moment, sorry) I appreciate the fact that someone out there read my post and took the time to read my work and give a comment, so that the whole word can see and appreciate it.

7. Christmas Season

The Christmas season is a time of hot cocoa, a warm fireplace, and of coarse, let me hear a holler, presents! It is just beautiful giving/receiving and enjoying Christmas sensations, the warmth, and the intricate snowflakes floating around the faded light blue sky. Yeah, and the season is perfect for lazy bums like me. 

8. Blogs!  

Omg! Blogs are so cool, no matter how much they epicly fail. Okay, the coolness of a blog is the fact that someone shared their feelings out loud and added uniqueness to it with design. A brave soul he/she is,  the one who shares their true, beautiful emotions.

9. My Snoopy Happy Dance

I am happy... Really happy.... Oooh yeeaah... Life is so good.. Snoopy happy happy... (Drumroll) happy!! My snoopy happy dance reveals my joy; I love it because it shows that I am a person who would not be embarrassed to do the dance in front of many people. However, I must admit, if I danced in front of all those people, I won't be able to do the dance that well.

10. Book Blogging Community

I love being in a place where people appreciate and are thankful to books and knowledge in their everyday lives. They, the people who unleash their creative imaginations, encourage me to blog with originality and be thankful to the beauties that life offers. 

Hope you enjoyed my list! What are you thankful for?

An Angel In A Stranger

The snow is drizzling around you; you hope to get a a speck of its coolness on your tongue, warm from caramel hot chocolate topped with snow white marshmallows. Nearby, you see a waffle house, bustling with teenagers goofing around and enjoying the Christmas spirit with hot coffee and scrumptious treats. Although your parents warn you, a 15-year-old girl, to stay near the neighborhood, the multicolored lights hanging out houses and thoughts of presents wrapped in lacy ribbon urge you to enter the waffle house doors. You see a girl, probably around the same age as you, sitting alone on one of the tables near the back. She has a glum look on her face; her jaw is set tight, but she is beautiful, with piercing bold eyes and dark hair covered with fuzzy earmuffs and a hood. Without any hesitation, you approach her, ignoring all the chatter around you. You are blown away and surprised with her own personal Christmas story... 

       "Are you sure you do not want any of our holiday coffee? It comes in flavors of salted caramel, cinnamon mocha, and dark chocolate," the Starbucks waitress, slightly annoyingly, retorted. 

       "Uh..no ma'am, as we told you before, like about a million times, we are fine," Charlie replied arrogantly. The waitress stomped away with an unusually loud sound coming from her high heels. Charlie was my best pal; he had all the qualities I wanted, and he reflected the horrible, flawless parts of me. In other words, Charlie helped me become the perfect girl I always wanted to be since the age of 13. However, now even at 15, I am still known as um.."Reyna Johnson." Yay, so special! Anyhoo, I was always weak, insecure, and full of low self-esteem, and I never knew that it was Charlie leading me to these awful opinions about myself. It was the 22nd of December; Charlie and I were in the cozy atmosphere of Starbucks. There were sparkling snowdrifts doing their winter magic outside, and well, inside, people, both old and young, were sipping their coffee and occasionally on their phones. I can't believe that it was me who was so stupid by judging people on their coolness, or maybe now, extreme quietness. If I hadn't met Charlie, I could have received the magic and spirit from a disguised Christmas angel years ago. 

       After an unusually silent gathering at Starbucks, we both went home. Charlie and I met in kindergarten, the age where you most probably judged a kid by what toys they had. Charlie waddled over me; he had light blue eyes and blond, choppy hair. Apparently, because he had this really cool Lego set, we became instant friends. In the third grade, he transformed into a real friend, the one always fun and jolly, yet always curious to know your emotions. Nevertheless, ever since the sixth grade, he became oddly quiet and to tell the genuine truth, there were some times in which he freaked me out, changing his personalities and way of life. Thankfully, he did not influence me that much to become a different person; I was always the dark-haired, pale girl who had a never ending love for reading. 

       "Dear, we are leaving!" yelled my parents joyfully. They were extremely excited to go holiday shopping; the couple had a certain obsession with collecting "designer" gingerbread houses, which was simply dumb, and hilarious in a way. Even so, I was glad that they were out, so that I could observe the Christmas holidays in my busy town, New York City, without anyone asking me what I was doing. The air outside looked misty, with snowballs overwhelming the winds. Holiday lights decorated houses and apartments in the neighborhood; I just wanted to go grab hot cocoa and cuddle up cozily in a leather couch, but a curious sight stopped me and forced me to exit the house and go outside. And around the corner, I saw Charlie, who no matter how weird and cruel, weeping near the corner; the tears on his face were burning alive. No matter how odd our relationship had grown over the past few weeks, I bent over and grabbed his hand. 

       "Oh, Charlie, oh Charlie." What happened to you?" I kindly questioned. Hoping for a warm pat on the back, he pushed me away and went down the street on his bike; the tears were still wet on his face and they stung his beautiful blue eyes. Unexpectedly, someone approached me from behind. I was fully conscious that I was in a lonely New York alley and that I certainly needed to run, now, that very second. However, a boy, I think from my high school, came and he had a friendly smile on his face, exaggerating his left dimple. He had dark eyes and black, wavy hair; his features were exactly like me. I was wondering why I never paid attention to him in school before. Wisps of hair covered his temple, and he brushed them off in a simple gesture. Even though he barely knew Charlie, he surprisingly told me all about his struggles and complicated emotions since the fourth grade. By passion and interest towards this boy, not force, I followed his lead, on an icy path of crystal white snow in a natural area, probably near the woods. 

       "You know, Charlie never had any bad feeling towards you, not even a little bit. His parents divorce and his brother's unknown death changed him into what he is today," the boy casually said.

       How do you know all of this information about Charlie, I wanted to yell. He would never tell someone who is so rude yet mysterious his personal feelings. However, quite taken aback, I paused and listened to him out of pure perplexity and curiosity.
      "Charlie was a boy who never found anyone, even you Reyna, to confide his feelings. He never found the right friends, parents, or even siblings too. He was still a unique boy, though; he had so much love inside of him, but he never got the encouragement to let it out."
       "Man, you are deep. Who are you?" Yeah, I felt so stupid after saying that.
       "Just the Christmas angel, the soul that brightens everyone up with a smile. I disguise myself each and every visit. Go to the waffle house and narrate your story to the next person that walks toward you," he said, with a brightness in his eyes and smile.
       And with a swish, the angel walked away into the icy, crisp night; his footsteps echoed in my mind, and his last words to me were like angel charm speak. The next second, I ran to the cozy waffle house, wearing leather boots, black tights, and a coat, one that my grandmother bought me years before. There, I saw a random dude and let all the words flow out of my mouth about Charlie. My heart was thumping out of my chest and I was so joyous, just talking about him. The very next day, I met my best friend, pal, and companion; he had a certain gleam in his eyes, a gleam so cheerful that it can only be done and transformed by a Christmas angel.

Citation for Clip Art Used In Image (Girl Singing Carols, Santa Claus, Gift With A Bow, and Cute Penguin: 

Strickland, Laura. MyCuteGraphics. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.mycutegraphics.com/>. 

Laughing in My Head

Teenage girls today are so obsessed by copious amounts of technology and because of this, they are lacking in their important studies.. (okay, don't worry, that is NOT going to be the topic of this post) (wink, wink)

WARNING: To be read ONLY by 7th grade girls... (this post is a humor thing)

Every day, I come across hundreds of girly fan girls, mostly 8th grade girls, obsessed with three things: wearing eyeliner and fussing about it in the girl's restroom, wearing dresses to school on Fridays (IS FRIDAY A SPECIAL OCCASION?), and combing their silky, "beautiful" hair. Seriously, I am not going to insult anyone in this post; I am just going to explain the significant power of inner beauty through humor. Obviously, everyone has pride in their appearance; I don't show up to school wearing rags. However, there is a point where it gets out of control, and this issue starts with teenage girls showing people their fake self, the one that is covered with clown makeup and.. laughing in a weird, "attractive" way.

Sure, every single individual has a unique personality, not like stereotypical labels like nerd, girly girl, tomboy, nature lover, and video gamer. Their genuine feelings are hidden deep in complicated layers; they are many elements that make someone a whole. Even though I should not care about random people around me, it always annoys me when girls are not being their true self. For instance, I know so many people that are so kind and have a beautiful heart, but for some apparent reason they show attitude and scowl in a cruel, evil, and "popular" way. In reality, I am ignoring their actions, because "The Intelligent Ignore," but I am laughing in my head.

       "Why did you cut you hair so short?" Three girls were asking me this terribly unnecessary question. "Hey, Indian girl." Okay, so I ignore them, gently taking a paper towel to dry my wet hands in the restroom.

That was a normal day, uh, how do I say it, going to the restroom. Let's add another aspect to the process of me washing my hands..

       "Move, I need to do my eyeliner, Madison!" Apparently, some teenagers were fussing about their overall appearance, and wasting time using the mirror. I, on the other hand, was waiting in a LINE, so that I could wash my hands. I mean, girls, who cares if you want to simply exaggerate the point that you have eyeliner on your clown face? Do you want everyone to know that you have a cornea, a pupil, an iris, and a retina? Well.. uhh.. 'cause you had an eye the very day you were born, when you were a baby and did not care whatsoever about your appearance. Inner beauty is not just a term; it is an important part of life that you should treasure when it magically appears into your beautiful heart. Yes, it is extremely hard to have inner beauty in your daily lives, as people's outer personalities are always judged harshly in today's world.

Moreover, what's up with wearing fancy dresses to school on Friday, or even wearing dresses at all? The last time I checked, dresses and other fancy garments are most commonly worn in special occasions, not in school, which is like a second home. And while a teacher is giving an academic lesson, why do children comb their hair and twirl it around with their fingers?

Copious amounts of the 7th and 8th graders that I saw judging themselves by their appearance or having a stereotypical attitude were great, awesome people. In fact, some of them were so kind and had a genuine, beautiful personality. However, they lacked self-confidence. You guys may be wondering why, since there are so full of attitude and pride. These random people most probably wanted to be accepted in the crowd, and because of this, they changed their own heart and soul to reflect others. Certainly, being a girly-girl and wearing dresses and eyeliner is cool, only if those traits match your true self deep deep within. I am laughing in my head right now, but seriously, these students need a boost in self-esteem, the most important quality of all. They must have belief and faith, in order to replenish their soul, the soul that is pure and filled with generosity. Love yourself, the one that is hidden between thick layers of emotions and of coarse, eyeliner.

A Story Hidden Between Shades of Gray: An Interview With Ruta Sepetys

A hidden story was brought back to life with Ruta Sepety's writing, a story not black and white, but hidden between shades of gray. It started the very day the author went to visit her father's place in Lithuania. The room was warm; a fireplace was by the corner, giving warmth to each and every person's words. Ms. Sepety's wanted to see pictures of her grandfather, and she was utterly surprised by the response. The room was silent, and there was small murmurs here and there in Lithuanian. Half Lithuanian from her dad's side, Ruta knew something was up. She was shocked when everyone softly responded, "Ruta, we burned them all. We couldn't let anyone know that we were related to your grandfather." The atmosphere in the room was not the same after those words were secretly revealed.

The story is too painful to bear, but at the same time beautiful, as it was shared in Ruta's novel Between Shades of Gray. It was the time when the three countries Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia were under the control of the Soviets, and children to seniors were put in labor camps, receiving the cruelest of cruelest actions, from words to abuse. This is a story that very few people know; World War II occurred right after that. However, as the author wanted the world to know what happened, history is known through her emotional yet brilliant book. Although the characters are not real, they are so realistic because Ms. Sepety's connected them to the world and her grandfather is beautiful ways.
Below is a video with the author describing her true story, a remarkable one hidden between shades of gray. 

I have seen posts of bloggers interviewing well-known authors, so I thought that I would give it a shot emailing Ms. Sepety's, and I was surprised by the positive response. Man, I was so excited; I sent my questions immediately. Then, a month later I received answers, and after watching the video, you guys must feel the same about wanting more of her personal thoughts. Here is the interview:

  1. What emotions did you feel when writing Between Shades of Gray?

RS - Sadness and surprise. I felt extreme sadness about the suffering and I was also continually surprised that this history is not yet widely known throughout the world.  

2. I have heard that you have a personal story behind Between Shades of Gray. Can you please elaborate on that?

RS - My father is represented in the book by the character of Joana. My father and grandparents fled from Lithuania. Following their departure, some of my grandfather's family was deported to Siberia.  

3. Did you have any passion for writing and reading when you were young? If so, who or what inspired you to read and write?

RS - Yes, I loved reading when I was young. Once I discovered the book "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl, I was hooked on books and stories! 

4. As I was reading Between Shades of Gray, I grew attached to the characters Lina, Andrius, and surprisingly the grumpy Jewish man, Mr. Stalas. Mr. Stalas also had a personal story to narrate, just with his dialogue. Did you get attached to any characters? If so, how?

RS - I became attached to all of the characters. They felt very real to me because they were created using interviews with survivors who had been deported to Siberia.  

5. Why kind of research did you do in Lithuania for Between Shades of Gray?

RS - My main research was done through interviews with survivors in Lithuania. Dozens of people agreed to share their story with me and I'm so grateful to them!   

6. I am a very emotional and somewhat philosophical person. Did you remember your grandfather when writing this book? By writing Between Shades of Gray, you didn't only honor him, but you were a voice for thousands of Lithuanian survivors and people around the globe. 

RS - Thank you! That is so kind. Yes, I absolutely thought of my grandfather while writing the book. I dedicated the book to him. 

7. Did you connect any characters or aspects from Between Shades of Gray with your family or any Lithuanian survivors that you met?

RS - The main family connection in the book is the character of Joana, who represents my father.  

8. What did you learn after talking to Lithuanian survivors, and what did they tell you?

RS - I learned so much, but the thing that echoes in my head and heart is that we must never 

underestimate the force of life and power of love.  

9. What books do you recommend for young readers?

RS - It's hard to recommend specific books because I know that all readers have different tastes. But I would ask that young readers try not to judge books by their cover. :)

10. How did you get the title "Between Shades of Gray?" What does the title mean to you?

RS - When I began writing the book, I thought the story and facts would be very clear, black and white. But as I began researching, I learned that many things weren't clearly defined and that the truth really existed between layers of gray. 

That's my list of questions. Please feel free to leave most blank. However, if you want to answer most of them, take your time. There's no rush for the answers; it is just the need to ask the questions. 

Thank you so very much for your great questions!!! :) 

It is so kind for Ms. Sepety's to answer my questions, even though she is very busy. Between Shades of Gray means a lot to me, not only in bookish ways like the suspense, but how it affected me as a person. Other than learning about history that very few people know, I understand how life is not black or white. It exists between layers of gray. Life is never extremely jolly or sorrowful; it is complicated with different relations. Moreover, even when something turns out depressing, a good event always comes out from it from a gift from God. For instance, I do not have my best grade in science, even when I work my hardest. There is no point in worrying about it because a good event will be the effect, from learning life's lessons to receiving fulfilled desires. The true existence of life is to have complex yet harmony; there will certainly be a time where you will struggle and face hardships and even times where your days will roll off happily, with no tensions.  

Me As a Room Designer? Hey, It's Possible...

The place where you feel extremely relaxed, with no worries, tension.. you are at a state of uttermost relaxation. You feel like you are at the center of  the universe, and everything around you revolves and revolves into mist. Got the picture? Well, my room makes me feel relaxed, but it is boring, with no sparks of creativity and examples of my personality. Other than some posters, I need to add some decor which will make me feel blissful and and enjoy looking at my room after a long car ride. My plans and thoughts for my room are so exciting and appealing, yet I never have the time or energy to put these plans into action. However, today in the morning I grew encouraged to see and envision a big change in my room. Therefore, I searched the internet for crafts and beautiful answers, that trust me, will change my life forever. After realizing that I do not have these certain materials like metal hoops and other random stuff, I grew lazy, typing keywords on Google like "room designers in bay area." I mean, it would be genuinely kind for one person in this world that can transform my room for FREE. Actually, no, it is impossible. Anyhoo, today I got some beautiful craft ideas from the internet; I am motivated to actually buy small tidbits that I need to accomplish my goal and start my ideas next weekend.

1) Fabric Chandelier



I am dying to start on this project because the different shades of creme are so lovely and beautiful. It looks extremely easy, but I know that it is much harder because I can't imagine the outcome to be so pretty. However, I need a metal hoop and maybe some ribbon and off-white lace.

2) A Black and White Bedspread (Awesome!)



Okay, opposites attract; black and white are opposite colors that rule together as one! Seriously, they are awesome. The image above has unique transitions and shades of white, gray, and black. It describes the elegance of the bedspread through the fancy city Paris. However, in Bed Bath & Beyond my eyes immediately caught a similar bedspread with not only Paris, but with famous cities like Tokyo and New York City on the sheet. The overall style was so unique and modern, and even though I saw that design a whole year ago, I still remember it. This whole bed set is going to be a must for my birthday. Nevertheless, I am going to get it from my own money, by creating a garage sale, because it will be enjoyable and I have been planning to do one ever since.

3) Let's make it compliment: Fabric on your cabinet



Cabinets and cupboards are both boring necessities that are unfortunately needed in rooms. However, with fabric and ribbon they are magically transformed into beautiful decorations. Simply cut pieces of decorative fabric and glue it on a cork board or canvas, so that it can stick out. Then, pin or paste the board on your cabinet and whenever you open it to get possessions, you will simply enjoy the process with color and fun patterns. Moreover, it will certainly compliment the black and white bedspread. I am truly so happy that I thought of this idea because it is so easy and convenient, perfect for lazybums like me.

4) Meaningful Words

 

With unique fonts and lettering, you can design words, both meaningful and special to your heart. Live, laugh, love, and dream are the most common sayings found in tween/teenage rooms. However, you can create a design saying anything that you as a person are attached to. Simply paste it on to your wall, and every morning, admire those small yet beautiful words that are special to you alone.

5) Hearts of Love



Most doors are white, never expressing love, or even words. DOORS ARE RUDE. Anyways, decorate your door with hearts, or any other shape imaginable, filled your favorite quotes from books or about live in general. When your friends are about to enter your own place of relaxation, they will see the words and writings that tie you together as a well-rounded person. They will see your possessions in a different way, a way that reflects your genuine personality as a whole. Additionally, these hearts will express your personal love for others, including your family and friends.


All these decorations will fill you with a sense of homeliness and coziness, as well as a chance to reflect who you are, deep inside. When the sunlight catches your window, you will absolutely enjoy seeing these beauties.


Citation for Images:

Http://www.alittlecraftinyourday.co. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://www.alittlecraftinyourday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/25_Teenage_Girl_Room_Decor_Ideas11.jpg>.

Http://www.kidsroomtreasures.com/. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://www.kidsroomtreasures.com/mm5/graphics/levele/242Q-ellysee550.jpg>.

Http://www.craftpassion.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://www.craftpassion.com/wp-content/gallery/giveaway-jan-2012/fabric-ribbon-bundle-giveaway-2.jpg>.

Http://imagecache5d.allposters.com/. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://imagecache5d.allposters.com/watermarker/62-6226-MN73100Z.jpg?ch=775&cw=775>.

Http://neoformix.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://neoformix.com/2008/WordHearts1.png>.

Books to Devour and Devour: Basically How I Eat

     Overwhelmed yet filled with great excitement. Those two feelings describe how I am feeling completely. I have no idea what to devour, but I am so excited. Recently, I gobbled up two amazing books, Let It Snow and City of Glass. And over the past two weeks, I am selfishly smuggling books from the library, asking my mom, maybe bugging her to pick up my holds, and asking her to buy me The House of Hades. I never buy books, but I created a tradition to buy any of Rick Riordan's books on The Heroes of Olympus series because they are amazing. Now I have a great dilemma, deciding what to read next. All of these great books are lazily lying on my desk: Delirium, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, Just Listen, Abandon, The House of Hades (for crying out loud), The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Anew, and Ruby Red. I am picky when it comes to pick books and pick clothes, when my mom and sister choose girly outfits, which is certainly NOT me. Therefore, all of the books on my desk are ones I am dying to read and devour. The snowman in the middle describes my emotions of happiness, and since he is cold and filled with Christmas feelings, the snowman shows how I feel cozy when I read a book during the winter time. The synopsis in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is not helping me since it is so intriguing and mysterious. It goes like this:

Mara Dyer doesn't think that life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can. 

She believes that there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed. There is.  

She believes that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong. 

     

     So, can you see that this fascinating synopsis is certainly not helping me? I have a Harry Potter to pick up from the library on Tuesday, and after that HUGE cliffhanger in The Mark of Athena, I have to read the House of Hades, or I am going to burst. All of the other books are patiently waiting for me to discover the mystical story that is hidden deep deep inside. 

     Friends, can you please give me any suggestions on what I should read next? Leave your answers in the comment section. Tell me the book title from the books that I have waiting for me and if it is possible, a short explanation why. Thank you so much, and again, please help me solve my stupid yet important and vital dilemma. I devour and gobble books; this is how I live. Help me before it is too late! :D

My Hair Gave A Girl Self-esteem

Imagine taking one single haircut and then realizing that a girl just like you gains self-esteem as a patient suffering with medical hair loss. Just visualize the fact that you a simple, ordinary person did such an important thing, which enabled someone to have confidence and face the world ahead of themselves. It was my choice, my desire to cut my hair, now the length of just near my ear. I will never regret this decision ever in my entire lifetime because I have pride for my thoughts, and faith for the person that received my hair as a token for kindness, self-esteem, and bliss.

As the parlor ladies were cutting my hair, they were constantly asking my mom and I whether I genuinely wanted to cut my hair. There was never a time in my life so far where I seriously committed to something and gave up, so I obviously accepted them to continue. I always had a deep desire to give my hair to cancer patients suffering with this disease, and I love to know and realize that someone there around the globe is smiling, enjoying, and living life with my hair. I was never obsessed with my hair like some teenage fan girls (no offense.) Therefore, it may have been easy to give up my hair for the time-being, but a sense of generosity was always inside my heart and soul throughout the entire process.

When I went to the post office to mail my hair to an organization called Locks of Love, the woman that was taking the envelope with my hair asked us about what I was doing. I told her and she smiled graciously. She then gave us the envelope back to us, with her left hand over her right. Kindness goes and kindness comes; my mom's saying repeated in my mind. 

A sense of kindness, faith, generosity, and love always remains in a person's heart, but it is there own choice to reveal it and spread it to their loved ones. When there is passion, there is joy and pride. I have a great passion and attachment to help others and be nice. Although I am not "nice" all the time, I show it not by giving compliments or letting people borrow my possessions, but by doing genuine things. For instance, I believe that a true friend and soul is one that listens to you when you are talking and not anxiously waits to say their thoughts, shows kindness, and demonstrates bravery. I have attachment, not pity, to cancer patients because they go through a lot of tough times and stay strong. Probably it is the fact that I read books with relating to cancer characters, not the corny ones but the few beautiful ones, which have happiness and even death at the end. 

I am extremely proud of my own decision to cut my hair, even though it is a small milestone to an act of kindness and even courage. I would love to see the person wearing my hair, that smile that is certainly not fake, but yes, genuinely real. It brings me joy to find another soul wearing my hair, not for looks but for their own necessary amount of pride. May that person, no matter how "bad" have confidence to face the world in the near future. 

"The light bestows upon ones with love for their passions. There is generosity inside of you, so reveal it, and let it shine through your existing soul." ~Ashna Sharma

Just Stand Up- A beautiful song dedicated to cancer patients.

Artists- Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Leona Lewis, Rihanna, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood

Forest Park, A Remarkable Connection

I have started my first year of seventh grade at Thornton Jr. High School, and to tell the truth, the school has everything, except for those elementary childhood connections. Meh, my elementary school was the dream. Anywho, whenever I see something which relates me back to Forest Park, my heart beats rapidly, and I feel a rare childish emotion. For instance, when I saw a beautiful sunset in our community park, Frank Fisher Park, I took pictures of it with my mom's phone like a tourist visiting a neighborhood for some apparent reason. Moreover, I even miss the students holding stop signs on crosswalks, irritatingly yelling, "Stop the Cars!" (No offense safety patrollers.) I know perfectly well that you won't find all your elementary teachers "caring" for you or giving hugs, but most of them at least pretend to show their students the slight affection that they care for them. On the other hand, I have seen that most middle school teachers don't seem to have a friendly attitude, probably due to the fact that they teach copious amounts of students each period. Forest Park has changed so much in every way and every year since kindergarten. Suddenly, due to budget cuts, new teachers and principals come and go, leaving a remembrance in my heart. Although the school is so different, there is a special glow which radiates from the heart of the separate kindergarten playground. Trust me, it remains how it was seven years ago, and I believe that the young children still have the same bicycles that we playfully rode on long before. The main specialty in Forest Park was not the friends and teachers, but the impact that it had played in my heart for so many years. I must admit, at some time periods I did not have kind companions and teachers, but the wonderful ones never nor never will leave my soul. My friends are still with me today, and even though I didn't talk to them much in elementary school, we eat lunch together and goof around in middle school...(most people, not even my parents, have seen my goofy side). For example, on top of learning, my teachers gave me baby steps towards understanding, kindness, and perhaps even confidence and success. Today, Forest Park Elementary school proudly stands as being the largest school in the Fremont School District, with students of every shape, character, and religion. Furthermore, as there are over 1,000 students in this elementary school, the new principal is enforcing new safety rules, like not allowing adults in campus during school hours. I have stayed in this school for seven whole years of my entire lifetime, and although it changed so drastically, I will look at Forest Park through the small eyes I had back in kindergarten. Personally, I don't think that I will write something about middle school or even high school in this particular manner. To me, high school is considered a social area in life, while, on the other hand, Forest Park dug me into my soul, my genuine personality deep deep within. Usually, I put a picture at the end of each post for viewers to visualize my thoughts. However, there are no images to describe what I am feeling inside. Only words, just plain words. 

A Choice Of Living

Short and sweet. These two single words describe  the book If I Stay perfectly. If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, is a heart-wrenching, short 200 page novel that caused my mind to be filed with beautiful questions about life after death. Mia, the book's protagonist, is a musical 17-year-old teenager who hopes to go to Julliard with her cello, otherwise known as her best friend. She never knew that in one single car crash, her dreams will be shattered, but brought back alive. Even though this book was not very long, it was filling and heavy, filled with Mia's flashbacks that changed her as a person. However, it was never sad or depressing, as Mia was brought back alive by her loved ones including Adam, Kim, and her grandpa, known as Gramps. Throughout the story, Mia is never helpless or weak; she listens to the sounds around her with her ears, both perplexed and full of wonderment on whether she has the right to live even when her family is crumbled. If I Stay was a such a powerful and thought-provoking book. Trust me, you will be engaged in Mia's story, full of both captivation and emotion. 

In one chilly morning day, everything changed. Mia and her family went on a family drive, and then, the world revolved into darkness, or was it meant to be dark? Mia has an amazing life; she is a hardworking cellist, has a caring friend, a supportive family, and a great boyfriend named Adam. However, when her whole family dies in a car crash, she is faced with the toughest decision in life, whether or not to live. Mia's brain is shattered, and numerous amounts of doctors help her piece together both physically and mentally. She is aware of everything that goes around her, and when people talk to her when she is in this state, it's beautiful. Her grandfather talks to her while she is in a coma: “It’s okay, If you want to go. Everyone wants you to stay. I want you to stay more than I've ever wanted anything in my life. But that’s what I want and I could see why it might not be what you want. So I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It’s okay if you have to leave us. It’s okay if you want to stop fighting.” These quotes had so much feeling, and my heart broke into shreds of sorrow and joy. It also broke and warmed up when Adam told Mia to stay: “If you stay, I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll quit the band, go with you to New York. But if you need me to go away, I’ll do that, too…maybe going to your old life will be too painful, that maybe it would be easier for you to erase us. And that would suck, but I would do it. I can lose you like that if I don't lose you today. I'll let you go. If you stay." I loathe sappy love stories, but the attachment in this book was not attachment at all. It was poetry, beautiful poetry with feeling, with thought.

Whenever Mia thought to herself if whether her younger brother and parents are dead or angels, my heart throbs out of sadness. The characters in If I Stay were incredible, and they demonstrated love in its many forms. Her grandfather was only mentioned a couple of times, but I heard the way he talked in my mind, and his words made my heart melt. Moreover, when Mia described her friendly friend Kim, she had a longing in her voice that never transformed into cruel desire. Additionally, when Adam talked to her, I was never uncomfortable, disgusted, or grossed out. He did not have attachment, but genuine faith that Mia will grow up to be a talented, kind, and successful woman. All these characters gave Mia hope that she would live, and they knew that she was smart enough to listen. At that time period, when she was ill, she did not have a healthy body. Instead, Mia had a STRONG soul. 

Gayle Forman did an excellent job with If I Stay. The book will reside in your heart forever, and you would never have to worry about being unjust because love in its good amounts will fly like a bird to the best souls. May all the dead live up in heaven, with no one, but only peace with angels.  

Citation for Image:

Rev. of If I Stay. Weblog post. Http://2.bp.blogspot.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVl5ythyphenhyphenO0gSltrEhOe3ztHZBh9XSA_M70HQeYhnlWP-k4fS3A5tAXFvBOF0jvnPscbAY9KWmGhm8oOr-erUwipQ3YOYVnDm2qGbpH2sSe0Ss9AzfWmyv-WYokBblHADldD9tV_zVLeEk/s200/stay.jpg>.

The BIG Problem With Movies: The Books Are Just So Good!

Whenever I check out the movies reviews of movies that were based of books, I sit and wonder, "Why are they all  hated, so loathed by millions of movie-goers around the globe?" The answer is simple; no matter how awesome, filling, and entertaining the movie is, it can never beat the book. While books capture all juicy aspects, including plot twists, emotions, and knowledge, movies give us the same things too, only with a different feeling. There are copious amounts of confusing, completely different than the book, movies-based-on-books out there like Beautiful Creatures, The Host, Sea of Monsters, and City of Bones. Overall, as movies are not bad, but just perplexing and all over the place. The movies are not to blame; it is the books. They are so awesome and everything fits together like a puzzle, that it is impossible to redoe it in any way.

Therefore, even though I have no experience with script writing, I am going to create short scenes from one of my favorite books, Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys. Though it greatly deserves to be a movie, it has not been one yet.

Scene 1
Beginning: Lina talking to news reporter, when she is 90 years old. Time: December, 2005

Lina: (with emotion) The world was so happy. In Lithuania, I felt like nothing could ever go wrong. I drew every evening; it was my time of peace. My family, my younger brother Jonas, Mom, and Dad were so strong. I never thought that something so devastating would strike us. (she sniffles some tears and wipes them away.)

News Reporter: I understand how difficult it must be for you. Do you want to give us a flashback of your story?

Lina : Yes, the world deserves to know this devastating story, hidden between shades of gray.

Scene 2
Lina's story starts here. She is fifteen years old. Her mom is sewing; her dad is not yet home from work.

Time: Evening

(Urgent pounding on the door)

Jonas: Mother, aren't you going to open it? It might break down.

Mother: (quietly sitting on a chair, praying) Of coarse, darling. I will open it.

Jonas: (face is deeply pale, he looks scared) (whispers) NVKD! I heard that they are arresting people.

Lina: No, not us.

(A tall officer stands there near the doorway, holding the family's passports).
Mother: (calmly) Give us more time. We will be ready by the morning

Officer: (gruffs) Only twenty minutes, or you won't live to see morning.

Mother: Please lower your voice. I have children.

Officer: (barks) Fine! 20 more minutes. (He throws his cigarette wad into their house, and stomps on it)

(Note: Parts of the dialouge from Scence 2 were taken from the Ruta Sepetys's writing.)

The scenes that I wrote were difficult to act, as the book was very emotional. If I continued the script to have more scenes, it would have been impossible for to write, as it would be too cheesy and awkward. So, do not blame the movie's horribleness on the movie. It is the book's fault, they are so good, giving me a love to imagine.

                     


Both the Dutch cover and U.S. cover of Between Shades of Gray have beautiful meanings. 

Which cover do you personally like better, and why?

Citation for Images:

Review. Weblog post. Http://2.bp.blogspot.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_zmpklYrkLRXleK2FVfFATKElUCUPMIjW0r99Jcu7GIZtVVgMLy5EWL9gcw9lt_FSrjMwzt1BIoqT246R2-Be28pxOUDm8Qc4M6pAZbQnJB0KSy8JofdR8B6bt0hIMGFIw1zY5Mk_5Q/s320/Between+Shades+of+Gray.jpg>.

Review. Weblog post. Http://rutafans.files.wordpress.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2013. <http://rutafans.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/dutch-bsg.jpg/2013/06/dutch-bsg.jpg>.