Re: Cinderella

Wednesday, March 25, 2015


A while back, I blogged about the upcoming remake of the Disney animated classic Cinderella. In that post, I talked about my thoughts on the trailer, and gushed about how gorgeous the movie looked. I also wondered if it was a musical.

Yesterday, I finally got to see it.

 Let me answer the questions I had before we move forward: Yes, it's gorgeous; No, it's not a musical. But I'm actually really happy that they didn't go the musical route with this one, just because they traded music for character development, which made me so happy, just because of the fact that I actually got to get to know the characters and root for Cinderella - er, Ella -  to have her happy ending. The plot was also wound together nicely, and though (spoiler) it does not deviate from the source material, some things were added that only made the story better, in my opinion.

Now, let's talk about how gorgeous this movie was. Oh my goodness. I could have watched that ballroom scene on repeat. The costumes were also lovely (see: Ella's ball gown and wedding dress), and so was the setting. This movie is basically a feast for the eyes, with a substantial plot to match.

Would I recommend that you see Cinderella? YES. It's well-acted and well put-together all around, and hey, it's a Disney Princess movie. You can't go wrong with a Disney Princess movie.

Have y'all seen Cinderella yet? What do you think of it?

Mondays are for Music #3

Monday, March 16, 2015

Hey, y'all! :) It's time to talk about some music I've discovered (and have been loving) lately! Normally, these segments tend to lean towards one genre or an other (either Indie or Dance, specifically), but I think this one is all across the board. So, just sit back, relax, and listen to some of these tracks with me.

"Run Boy Run" by Woodkid



Have you ever heard a song you really liked the sound of - whether it was on the radio or in a movie -  but couldn't find it? Here recently, I've been trying to hunt down a song from the first Divergent movie during the part where Tris runs with the Dauntless kids. I finally found it in a random YouTube video I came across, and this was the song that was playing in the background (as instrumental). You'll probably recognize it once you hear it if you've seen "Divergent" or have watched the TV series "Reign" on the CW. The lyrics even sound dystopian, too. Just get ready to have this song stuck in your head for awhile.

"My Oh My" by Punch Brothers


I was recently introduced to this band, and I can't believe I hadn't ever heard any of their music before. They're a bluegrass band, and I would compare them to Mumford & Sons, but with a lot more technical craftsmanship and more instruments used. These guys can really play music. I had THE hardest time picking a track to feature, but I'm going with "My Oh My."

"Adventure Time" by Panda Eyes and Teminite



This delightful dance-y dubstep track has really nothing to do with the TV show, but it's still a really fun track to dance to. (And it doesn't hurt that the bass sounds great!)


"Style / Lean On" cover/remix by Mike Tompkins



Y'all know that I like acapella music. I also like mashups. This acapella mashup is kind of unexpected (Taylor Swift & Major Lazer), but it's so much fun, it's catchy, and it works.

Have y'all been listening to any good music lately? Let me know! :)

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish!

Friday, March 13, 2015

It's no secret that I love a good bottle of nail polish. (Okay, I admit, I collect nail polishes.) But I've never really delved into the world of gel nails...at least not legit "gel" nail polish (I've tried gel finishes before). I've never had a gel manicure done, but while I've heard they last a long time, they can weaken your nails a lot (similar to acrylics or press-ons with harsh glue). So, I finally caved and tried the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish when my mom had bought some a few weeks ago.

Oh my long-lasting finish, Batman, this stuff is AWESOME.

It's a two-step deal; you're able to buy these as a kit (color and topcoat), or separately by color and/or top coat if needed. The color selection is HUGE. Here are four of my favorites:

Clockwise from top left: Red Eye, Pink Cadillaquer, Sugar Fix, Tidal Wave
Images from sallyhansen.com; click for pricing and retailers

Here's how I apply this joy in a bottle:
  1. The directions say not to use a base coat, but I do use one to stay on the safe side. The best one I've used has been Formula X by Sephora's base coat polish.
  2. Apply two coats of color. I do this while watching something on Netflix or YouTube.
  3. Apply the top coat from the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel line. Let dry. Enjoy your nails.
  4. A couple days later, I'll reapply one coat of color, then one coat of top coat to reinforce the color. The color should last you at least a week without visible chipping (although the top and edges seem to start wearing down some around the day 5-6 mark).
If you're wanting to see swatches before you check these out, I HIGHLY recommend checking out this post from beautygeeks. There are so many shades, and in my opinion, they all look amazing.

This polish would be great for you if you don't always have time to redo your nails, or if you need your nails to last a really long time for events, work, or travel.

Have y'all tried this polish out yet? What'd you think?

(P.S.: I am not sponsored by Sally Hansen. I just wanted to share one of my beauty discoveries with you!)

Mistake Sailboats & Anchors

Saturday, March 7, 2015



Whether you know me in real life or you've been following my blog for awhile, y'all know that I like nautical things, especially anchors. Part of it is because of my love of the beach, but part of it is also because of two distinct things in my life: one is a story, the other is a set of verses.

Let me tell you a story first.

I was in sixth grade, sitting in a classroom in my homeschooling tutorial. We were studying English (or Humanities...I can't remember), and I learned that as a basic note-taking rule that should you make a mistake, it's far more efficient to strike through your work with just one line. Then I distinctly remember hearing the words "don't draw a sailboat." 

Later in on in life, I looked back on that moment, and was like, "Hey, why not draw sailboats over my mistakes?" And so the Mistake Sailboat was born.

If you look at my agenda, you'll find little doodles of sailboats by every scratched out or canceled date. It may be just a fun thing from my childhood, but I like to think I'm making the best out of my "mistakes" by drawing silly little doodles and generally finding the positive in scratched-out words or cancellations.

Now, let's talk about anchors.

I'm pretty sure I discovered Hebrews 6:19-20 during one of my nightly Bible readings while I was in college. Here's what it says:



I absolutely adore this verse for a couple of reasons: One, we have the hope Jesus brings - from salvation to heaven to His being with us - anchored securely, if we in turn anchor ourselves in Him; Two, Jesus is one step ahead of us every step of the way throughout our lives. It's so encouraging and comforting to me, and I thought I'd share it with y'all.


Do you have a favorite verse that comforts you? Let me know in the comments. :)

Big Hero 6

Wednesday, March 4, 2015


[Alternate title to this post: "Why You Should Drop Everything and See 'Big Hero 6' Immediately".]

I finally saw "Big Hero 6" with a group of some close girlfriends of mine. I'm a huge Disney fan to begin with, but a movie really hasn't pulled on my heartstrings quite like this one has. Nor have I pulled for the main character so much. Let's just say that in short, I think it deserved its Oscar win.

"Big Hero 6" takes place in the absolutely adorable San Fransokyo (San Fran with a significant Tokyo influence), and it revolves around the quest of Hiro Hamada, a brilliant teenager who wants to get to the bottom of a mystery that caused a huge tragedy in his life. Along the way, he has help from his brother Tadashi's healthcare robot Baymax and several college friends from the technological university he just enrolled into. This is literally all I can say about the plot without spoiling anything.

"Big Hero 6" deals with pretty heavy subject matter - death of a loved one - but it deals with it in a way that I think can help others. There's a strong push towards the importance of reaching out to others when you need help, and that it's okay to work through your emotions in times of need. Also, there's the lesson that the toughest of problems can be solved by looking at them from a different angle.

Let's talk about this for a second: wouldn't it make sense to relate that "different angle" to looking at things and dealing with problems with God's help?

Everyone is going to have their struggles. This world is not perfect, and because of a fallen world, we're going to deal with not-so-pleasant things. However, God is there to help, even when we think "we've got this," or we think that we know exactly how to solve the problem before us.

It's nice to see a message like that in candy colors and with a Marvel and Disney touch.

Have y'all seen "Big Hero 6" yet? What did you think of it?