christmas memories.

did i ever tell you about the christmas of 2012?

it was...an eventful day, to say the least.

it started out as many christmases do.

with the opening of presents.

(i got a record player!!!)

and general hubbub.

but to me...the most exciting thing of all was the chance to see LES MISERABLES on opening day!

i mean...i was only waiting for it ALL YEAR!!

so, even though it had started snowing (my second white christmas!) my mom, sister, and i all headed off to the city to see les mis.

it was a beautiful movie.

i laughed, cried, and loved it.

i can't even begin to explain how truly wonderful that movie is.

oh my.

well.

after a terrifyingly scary attempt to get home on the icy roads...it was decided we had to stay the night in town.

christmas night.

in a hotel.

also?

we hadn't eaten any dinner.

and, being christmas, everything was closed.

so christmas dinner was a candy bar, bag of chips, and sprite.

it was a sad...SAD day.

so...the day started off well.

the movie was GLORIOUS.

but the evening...not so much.

:/

just making memories.

xo.

rebecca jane.

little letters.

dear new yellow galoshes...i love you.

dear sky...please rain.

dear friends...my giant reece's, mustache cup, and pretty wall decoration were perfect gifts. you know me well.

dear 2012...you're going to be the best year ever, i can feel it!

dear anthropolgie tea cup...i'm somehow okay with my sudden obsession with tea now that i get to drink it from you.

dear mom...watching lord of the rings with you is funny (his name is "saruman" not "sour man").

dear list journal...so much i love you.

dear hair...you've gotten way too long. after getting caught in someone else's teeth the other day, i think it's safe to say you need a little trim.

dear january 27th...you scare me. college audition AND interview on the same day? *can't breathe*

dear column awards...thanks for nominating the scrooge costumes for an award, this makes me happy.

dear applesauce...when all other foods fail, i know you're there for me.

dear passport...i'm ready for an adventure.

go team raoul!

we are an obsessed group of people when it comes to phantom of the opera.

we have t-shirts (designed by ME).

we sing the songs...mimicking the voices...in public places.

and have debates on the true nature of the characters.

and i've no shame in saying...

GO TEAM RAOUL!!!

*ducks*

:)

who's team are YOU on??

boogie to the 70's.

saturday night i got to boogie with some of my cousins as we celebrated their 50th birthdays 1970's style. everyone was asked to dress disco...and you know me and dressing up...i couldn't resist. bright colors are a speciality of mine. i will admit...i'm not a big 70's, disco, boogie fan. i'm much more of a 40's, big band, swing type person. but a party is a party. and there were yummy delicious foodies and fun times with family.

i was so blessed to be able to see my aunt janet who lives up in massachusetts. it has been over 10 years since i saw her last...and i'm definitely hoping for a trip to visit her soon! perhaps this summer or next semester!

this week is a chick-flick day/week...so far we've watched persuasion and finding neverland...aren't those such sweet movies?

have a great evening!

xo, rebecca jane

skirt: goodwill, belt: thrift store, blouse: target, shoes: my little sister's closet (insane! she's only 9 and wears the same size shoe as me!!)

the oh-so-lovely anthropologie. etc.

 my dearest friend atlanta was able to come over this last week and we had SUCH a wonderful time. everything from a trip to anthropologie, getting to see "the king's speech," exploring barnes and nobles, antiquing, CHICKFILA, old movies, world war two reenactment, baking, crafting, more movies, late nights, secrets, the DPS, and A BIG HUGE GINORMOUS SURPRISE (which some of you read about HERE)!! i don't really know how it's possible to share each bit with you...but i sure will try!

DAY ONE:

chickfila.

anthropologie.

outside the movie theatre.

we had some nommy chicken and ice cream at...none other than chickfila! then headed over to the amazing, lovely, and beautifully wonderful anthropologie store. oh my word. i could just spend hours in there. we tried on quite a few things, i must say. 

after that we got some starbucks at a barnes and noble store and went to see "the king's speech." we were a bit hesitant to see it...because of it's rating: R. however, holding our ears in one scene, and it was one of the best movies ever! i loved absolutely everything (save that one scene) about it. i could write a whole post with my review...but i'll end it here saying we thoroughly enjoyed it.

that night we started...dum dum DUM...downton abbey.

i really, really wish you didn't have to always say "it was awesome except for that one scene"...but that comment applies to this movie as well. BUMMER! but still...i love it.

estates. servants. movies concerning these. and my thoughts.

downton abbey. perhaps a fictional estate, but true enough. a family of five. but to take care of the five people, and the large estate, up to 70 servants are required. imagine. 70 people, just to take care of one family. we watch movies like downton abbey, and sneer at lady mary and the rest. we call them selfish prigs. we make comments such as, "how can they live with themselves? how can they let 70 people pamper and take care of them." we try to search out reasons to their selfish style of living. "well...they do perform charitable acts sometimes. and besides, that's the way they've been raised. they don't know any better." and that's true. that's how life has always been.

but what are our ancestors going to say 100 years from now? watching the movies (or whatever form of entertainment is available then) about us. they'll look at our lavish lifestyles, and perhaps ask the same questions. how can WE live with ourselves? we have so much. we buy so much. we waste so much. and yet we are never satisfied. there are people around us, much closer than we think or know, who haven't a fraction of what we do. sure, we perform charitable acts, sometimes. but does that make us any less selfish? how can we turn up our noses at our ancestors when we live the way we do? that's how we've been raised. that's all we know. can you not see some resemblance?

and we see, in the movies and books, someone who has more than others. he/she begins as a selfish and horrible person. but then he/she is temporarily exposed to the poor, the needy, the hungry. he/she discovers something that they never really worried about. sure, they knew it existed. sure, they thought of it occasionally and spent a few weeks rallying the cause. but to actually see it face-to-face. it was a life changing experience.

we see these scenes in the movies. we "hurrah!" the hero as they finally discover the true meaning of life. as their change brings about good. but we don't see the fault in our own life. we don't see the parallels when looking from 100 years in the past to now. for we live in our own gilded cage, ignorant to the others around us. to the poverty. we look the other way. shift uncomfortably in our seats. and only think of the inconvenience it would cause us to help them. 

so the next time we watch a movie. before pointing out and insulting the characters for being selfish prigs, let's examine our own heart and our own life. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:3-5

what do you think?

let's play pretend.

yesterday i pretended...

...i didn't squeal when i found "timeline" for five dollars.

...to ignore the creepy college people in the coffee store.

...the automatic paper towel dispenser didn't really startle me.

...i didn't blush during the romeo and juliet balcony scene at a shakespeare workshop.

...to have no inhibitions when playing a strange version of red light, green light.

...i wasn't embarrassed to be looking through someone's house at an estate sale.

...it wasn't the third time in one week i've eaten at chickfila.

today i pretended...

...the girl in the yellow coat jumping up and down and squealing because the snow started falling...wasn't me...ahem...

lovely, lovely saturday.

eventful day. 

i got yellow tights, leg warmers, and moccasins (all of which i have been absolutely LONGING for). 

plus DROVE to fort worth. 

plus found an amazing piece of furniture for the upstairs sewing room. 

plus had a giant hamburger. 

plus took a little trip to africa (aka cabella's) just to see the elephants.

AND finishing up the day with some hot mint tea curled up watching amazing grace. 

it's been a good one.

unfortunate souls.

I feel sorry for characters that I choose as my favorites.

whether it is a reality tv show...or a book.

they. always. die. (or get kicked off)

movie:

me- "oh I just love frank...he's my favorite!"

*frank gets shot and dies*

me- GASP!

american idol:

me- "susie just has the most beautiful voice!"

*goes to itunes and buys song*

next week - "...and susie is going home."

me - NO!

project runway:

me- "that dress is so cute! bob is so gonna win"

heidi- "...bob...your dress, was atrocious. I'm sorry. you're out."

me- *sigh*

now:

mom- "who's gonna win, rebecca?"

me- *silence*

no way I'm going to tell you.

he won't stand a chance.

sigh. does this ever happen to you?

love it.

I am absolutely in love with this video. not only is zooey deschanel precious. but the outfit she's wearing. and the dance sequence. is just TOO cute... :)

there must be more than this provincial life....

well.
there is this quite lovely blog holding an even lovelier event.
it is my humble opinion that you should go check it out.
and even join.

beauty and the beast is one of my fave disney movies.
truly.
except for the ugly prince.
he looks better as a beast.

anyways.
beauty and the beast is the subject of the event.
it shall be a "belle fashion event."

there will be giveaways.
prizes, etc.
fashion posts.
and many more fun things.

so write on your calendar.
september 1-15.
beauty and the beast event.
and go pop in the movie.
or watch a spoof of the song "Belle" I made a while back.

More Motivational Posters! :)

Wow, these are addictive! After making those for the Little Women event, I went crazy with ones from other period films...namely Wives and Daughters! The tagline for all of these was thought up by the very witty Atlanta Shannon...and I merely made them. Hope they bring at least one smile! ENJOY! :)

Period Drama Motivational Posters

I went to Enchanted Serenity of Period Films and saw some hilarious "motivational" posters with key words and screencaps from period movies! I love them! You can go HERE to see them all, but here are a few of my favorites:

A ukulele, and other news...

I am SO excited about my newest purchase! I got a ukulele on Tuesday and I already have calluses and can play "Over the Rainbow!" :) The uke is such a fun and easy instrument! I've had such fun picking out chords to songs!

I love this version from American Idol two years ago that Jason Castro did of "Over the Rainbow":



Another fun song is "Tonight you belong to me". If you've never heard it you can look it up on iTunes...it's so cute!

In other news...I went to go see "Sleeping Beauty" last night in Watauga and I thought it was great! :)

Okay, so last night I heard strange noises outside my window...I thought it was a dying animal! But this morning we found a cute little puppy outside! She was adorable and me and Michelle had already named her Angel Claire, but unfortunately we were unable to keep her... :*(

I have started writing a book! I finished a Civil War play several months ago that I had been working on for a couple of years, and I felt like I needed to be writing something else (no, school essays don't count). So I started putting onto paper an idea that has been in my head for a while! I'm really excited about it!

Fiddler on the Roof rehearsals are going well! :) We've been running through the music and we read through the script! We're going to start choreographing "Tradition" Thursday and I'm really excited about that!

One of my friends at my homeschool co-op put together a movie that I thought was really good. She went around the school one day asking everybody, "What does this generation need?" and then put together a short video. I'm in it too (excuse my crazy windblown hair!)... You can also head over to their website "Words in need of a voice" (isn't that the best name ever?!): http://winoav.blogspot.com/




I've also been over at my friend's blog: http://storyofaseamstress.blogspot.com/ and she's been posting different quizzes to take telling you which character you're like in different movies and such. I got "Prince Turveydrop" (don't ask, I don't know why!) when I took the Bleak House character quiz...and "Maid Marian" (this is a bit more fitting, I'd say) for the classic heroine quiz. So head over there and see who you are most like!

I also did a very mini photoshoot with my feet the other day that I had been meaning to do forever!


I'll probably be posting tomorrow about the Little Women of 2010 event tomorrow! So make sure you come back and meet another judge and read about any changes in the event! :)

And my most important news! Baby Piper, my new little niece, was born on Wednesday!!!


Have a great weekend!
~Rebecca

A Silent Movie

A few of my friends and I decided to film a short silent movie. So here it is! :) Let me know what you think!

Today was a good day...

Today (and some of last night), I got to spend some time with two pretty amazing people. Morgan and I watched Wuthering Heights and the final episode of Robin Hood (which, may I add, made me cry very hard!) last night and today her sister came over for a few hours while our moms went on the "Tour of Homes" after church. We watched a little of God's and Generals and then decided to go take some photos outside (in the bitter cold weather!). So we did, and had a jolly good time doing so!

P.S. I've been working on some craft/sewing projects lately and cannot wait to share some of them. Maybe today, but definitely soon!

P.P.S. Little Women is this next weekend! Aaaahhh!!! I'm SO excited! Please be praying for us to get everything prepared and ready!

Emma 2010!!!

I am SO excited about the upcoming Emma movie! Based on the Jane Austen novel, "Emma" tells the story of a young woman in England who plays her town's matchmaker. When attempting to match up her friend with the Reverend Elton, Emma starts to run into complications, which multiply amongst themselves with cases of mistaken intentions of love, a cast of supporting characters who each love someone else, but Emma doesn't know who loves who, and Emma finally realizing the one person she truly loves.