best things of 2009 part 2

This post is dedicated to books and movies, my favorite that I read and saw for the first time this year.

Well, if you look at the cover art and read the title you'll see why I read this book. I must say it had a good story going for it too. It was full of stunning gowns, well rounded characters, and unexpected twists that I was enraptured the whole time. But I must say that the main thing I appreciated about it was how clean it was, the girls had standards and the men were honorable, (at least the ones that were supposed to be) I just hate it when main characters, the ones who are supposed to be the good guys, have no morals or anything! Major pet peeve. Anyway, this book was wonderful. :)


"I think that all things exist together and their destinies are tied up together, like a great book of stories that weave and pass and thread through one another, making the most astonishing tale anyone could dream up"
~Cybele's Secret

This is the sequel to Wildwood Dancing, and it's wonderful too.



As soon as I finished this book I got out my sketch book and began to draw costume ideas. Honestly, I'm surprised it took me this long to actually read it me being such a big fan of fairy tales, and I'd already read three of Shannon Hale's other books. The Goose Girl is basically an expansion of the Bothers Grimm version, she didn't change anything at all but just expanded the story and brought it to life, which if you ask me is the best way to do it.

"If we don't tell strange stories, we something strange happens we won't believe it"
~The Goose Girl

"If voices had colour, hers would have been a rainbow. It made words live. Whatever she said became a breathing entity, not a mere verbal statement or utterance. Felix and I were too young to understand or analyze the impression it made upon us; but we instantly felt at her greeting that it was a good morning- a surpassingly good morning- the very best morning that had ever happened in this most excellent of worlds." ~The Story Girl

I know I've already posted this quote before, I can't think of a better way to describe this book. L. M. Montgomery and The Story Girl both sweep you off into their flawless stories and descriptions bringing you to believe it is a "most excellent of worlds."

Perfect, perfect, perfect. This book is a realistic fairytale, it's about growing up, about realizing that every person is complex and confusing, about being alone and strange to the rest of humanity. Cassandra's life reminded me so much of my own sometimes, not her predicaments, but her underlying story, about longing for love, but never quite finding it. I need to read this again.

This was one best classics I read this year, (the worst was Moby Dick, which I thought was just stupid) I think my favorite thing about this book, aside from it's descriptions, is the way it's written. It doesn't follow any chronological order, which gives the idea that it's a collection of stories that your mother is telling you, about how she grew up and how her parents met, and while it takes place in the poverty of Brooklyn at the turn of the century it make that life seem beautiful. Perhaps it's the stark truth that it shows, or maybe it's the fact that life is beautiful anywhere, as long as it is growing. Either way, this book is a diamond in a coal mine.


The Mysterious Benedict Society is such a fun book, I'm reading it's sequel right now. In someways it reminds me of the Series of Unfortunate Events, but also of Andrew Clemens (an amazing children's author) and something else that I can't remember right now. It's about these four children who are chosen but undergoing a bunch of strange tests, they then are sent on a mission to in essence, save the world. Typical? Sounds like it, but it's actually quite original, I laughed out loud several time. Please read it, I promise you'll fall in love with these kids.

I've decided not to say anything about this book because Katherine and I are going to read it and do reviews on our blog! I read it this time last year and have been itching to open it back up again. Please read along with us if you wish, it should be a lot of fun.

The Crucible is actually a play, but so amazing. I was crying so hard at certain parts, I can only imagine what it would be like to see it performed. It tells the story of the Salem Witch Trials, or part that involved the seven or so girls who claimed to be torchered by demons in order to condemn the women who got in their way. I would encourage everyone to read it, it will open your eyes and another bonus is since it's a play you can read it in two hours without a problem.

Wow. That is the best reaction I can give to both of Jonathan Safran Foer's books, I think Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is my favorite of the two, but looking back I can never be sure. It's about a nine year old boy who lost his father in 9/11, and he's trying to deal with lots of different things. I'm not sure what else to say, it's amazing how the author gets into the head of this little boy and stays there the entire time.

Everything is Illuminated is full of amazing thoughts, I'm all of you have read this quote from it, but I think it's one
that needs to be read again and again.

"But more than that, no unloving words were ever spoken, and everything was held up as another small piece of proof that it can be this way, it doesn't have to be that way; if there is not love in the world, we will make a new world, and we will give it heavy walls, and we will furnish it with soft red interiors, from the inside out, and give it a knocker that resonates like a diamond falling to a jeweler's felt so that we should never hear it. Love me because love doesn't exist, and I have tried everything that does."

I don't think I need to say anything more.


And The Chosen. This is probably the best book I read all year, which means a lot seeing all of the good things that I read. It's beautifully written story about the friendship between two Jewish boys in America during WW2, and basically how it saved them. It is so powerful, I read one other book by Chaim Potok last year, I Am Asher Lev, and just found and read the sequel to The Chosen, Which is The Promise, that one I think will speak to me more in a few years. I hope that wasn't too hard to follow, as you might be able to tell I've gotten very interested into books that deal with the human mind this year. And I must say I'm looking forward to any physiology classes I might take in college. Please look at this post I did for The Chosen last April Here, It's my favorite post from the first half of the year.

Books I forgot when I was first putting this together: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and The Cup of the World (can't remember the author off the top of my head right now)

The Best movies

The Edge of Love

I think I liked this movie mostly for the beautiful setting it had, and I was so relieved it ended okay.

It Happened One Night
Really sweet and funny. The best 30's movie I've seen.

Ballet Shoes

Sweet, Pretty, and lovely setting once again.

The Dead Poet's Society

Well, this movie was just incredible and impacting, after I watched it I immediately went back and watched certain parts over again. It is amazing.

Movies with Honorable Mention: Fairy tale: a true story, and Secret of Rhone Inish

I hope you enjoy this, I need to now do something else with my day, but I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

LOVE, Clara

PS: If you have any questions about these books or movies just ask me! I'd love to be able to answer them if I can.

best things of 2009 part 1

Happy New Year everyone! Well, It's taken me a while but I should be back for good now. This new year is very exciting for me because so many good things are going to happen, but I still want to look back and be thankful for all of the positive highlights of the last year. So here they are!

Good Thing #1 finding Vintage and Antique things at low prices, the little clock and this embroidered picture, thing, are my most recent purchases.

Good Thing #2: decorating my room! Here's my tree, (there will be more on it soon) and I love it so much. I feel so blessed to have gotten to do so much to my room this year, it feels amazing to finally get to make it look how I want it too. (this picture is from this summer when there was actually LIGHT, all my photos look so grainy this time of year)Good Thing #3: My art class. I learned so much, had a fun teacher, and got an A! These are all little drawings from my sketchbook, twice we went to the museum and spent two and a half hours drawing animals, I think that was one of my favorite things we did. Above is a seal.

Left: Emperor Goose, Right: Muskox

Left: Grizzly Bear, Right: Auklet

another little drawing.

Good Thing #4: Altering and fixing up clothes. The dress is what I changed this time, all I did was shorten it, but that's all it needed to become my new favorite dress!

Good Thing #5: One of my goals I made at the beginning of last year was to get better at Photography. Anyway, I think I did. I'm sure the main reason for this was my wonderful camera, but I can still see a difference.

Good Thing #6: Getting to discover some wonderful small lives right in town was amazing this summer, and I realize now that I never shared these with you! These baby birds grew up in our own yard.

This little guy I found while reading outside of the library, I was just doing my own little thing when I heard a noise in a bush near by and saw a bit of movement. So I went over to investigate and it was several mice! I just am still in a state of wonderment over the fact that I actually took this picture.

Good Thing #7: Dance has been full of ups and downs this year, but it's still been one of the best things that's happened to me. This is also a full view of the mazurka costume if you're wondering. Oh, the hours we put into all of those. :)
Good Thing #8: Finding beauty in my surroundings has become so important to be this year, and it's made me fall in love with Alaska over and over again. The light and the sky, the snow, the rain, the clouds, the woods, even the people here are beautiful in the way that people should be.

Good Thing #9: YOU!!! you all have been so amazing to me this year, it started out without having any followers at all and now I have forty! Thank you all so so so so much, you have no idea how much it has helped to know that there are wonderful people like all of you somewhere in the world, your sweet comments have truly brought the sun out on many dark days. I love you all very much.

So, I had planned to go through my favorite books and movies I read or saw for the first time this year as well, but I've decided to save that for another post because this ended up pretty long, also this way I'll be able to do little reviews of them. I'll be back soon!

Love,

Clara

This is a late announcement that I'm going to take a small blogging break. I thank you so much for all of your lovely comments and support they mean a lot to me. And don't worry nothing wrong I'm just tired and don't want to feel guilty for leaving you all with out a word. So I'm not. :) I'll try to be back soon with lots to share. I love you all!

Love, Clara

christmas time

This post is going to be a bit random I think, it's almost Christmas and I'm finally finding the time to remind myself what that all entails. Mostly knitting like MAD, which I'll show you more of later. It's snowed a lot lately, keeping the bare trees delightfully frosted.

Here's the cygnet picture, I'm the one in the glasses and Odette is the one in the center back. All of the shows went well, except for the Saturday matinee, the music didn't turn on so we did our whole variation with just one of our teachers snapping the time for us backstage. But now we can at least say we did it! Dance is done for the year, and I must say I'm welcoming the break, I hadn't realized how tired I was until I stopped.

The sun rises late and sets early, Monday (when I took this) was winter solstice, it was a little after ten. We had four hours of light, I think. Some people here hate how it's always dark, but I don't this is one of my favorite times of year just because it is dark, and when it's light... well you can see from the photo.

I'm reading Emma for the first time, I've never seen the movie either so it's completely new, which is wonderful.

Here's my most recent purchase, Value Village for $7, more than I usually pay, but I figured for this it was definitely worth it.

don't you agree?

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, I might be back before it comes, but probably not for there is so much to do! We've been baking all sorts of delights, Russian tea cakes, rugalach, sugar cookies, ginger bread, fudge. And today we're building a ginger bread light house. It's so exciting and I've been away from it all far too long. I wish you all magical Christmases filled with sugar plum visions and popcorn chains.

Eskimo kisses,

Clara

I made it! and after Thursday(art final) I should be able to resume a semi-regular online life. This past week has been so unbelievably wonderful, I got my first pair of pointe shoes! I had to send them back because they were too big, but I should be getting the perfect ones today or tomorrow. Also, I got moved up to ballet four! I think things are finally taking a turn for the better, my hopes for this coming year are soaring high.

I got to help work on this tutu for the sugar plum fairy the picture is blurry, but this tutu is absolutely exquisite. Some more good news is that I'm going to be doing a self designed costuming class next semester with a focus in dance. Kristen and I are going to do it together and each of us will make our own tutus.

The Swanhilda tutu is one of my favorites, it's for the wedding variation.

Here's some photos I took during the dry tec, they changed the backdrop before the show, that's why it's rather strange. Enjoy!

Odette from Swan Lake

Swanhilda from Coppelia

The Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty

The Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker

Giselle from Giselle

I wish you could have watched the show because the photos don't do these girls justice. I'll be back soon!

bouquets,

Clara

a little note, please read

This is just to say that I don't have time to answer all your wonderful comments and I'm so sorry, I will try my hardest once everything thing calms down. But please don't stop leaving them, :) I read them all and they make my day to no end, I just want my replies to be well thought out and heart felt, which I just don't have time to do now. Tonight was our first show and it went beautifully. I'll try to post some pictures soon, just not sure when. I love you all!

Love, Clara

Dance is taking over my life! For the next ten days I will be dancing a minimum of an hour a day, usually more. So, this is just to say that I probably won't be able to post much. But I promise to take lots of pictures and do a very big post about my lengthy week once it's all over okay?

This is my bosom friend Kristen, I thought I would introduce you and also show you what the top of the mazurka costumes look like. There will be better pictures eventually, would you mind if some time this week I just post some dance pictures and a tiny bit of words? I might be able to manage that.
I've been working on fixing up some clothes, here's one of my most recent completed projects, I just added the little collar/trim. Right now I'm hoping to finish up a nice backpack style bag, I carry so much stuff around that my typical hobo style purses are really messing my back and neck up, so hopefully my the backpack will fix that problem.

Christmas is coming too! This Saturday I'm going to watch the Nutcracker and I can hardly wait, I haven't seen it for seven years and I now that I know so much more about ballet I feel like I'll appreciate it better too. Eight years ago I was in it as a little elf at the beginning, I had so much fun. Well I really want to post this tonight because I won't have another chance for quite a while. So I hope you all have a marvelous weekend I love you all and will hopefully be back next week.

Eskimo kisses,

Clara