Lovely Movies: Nebraska

This movie was a little less "lovely" than I was expecting. It was also better, just not as friendly as I would have guessed from the trailer. It is still a road movie and it leaves you feeling good, but it was also very realistic.

In fact there are few movies in which families feel so real as in this one. I love how unglamorous and kinda boring it was. And especially how it dealt with those relatives you hardly ever see and don't really know.

It was also very casual about love and marriage. It doesn't add to that idea that finding someone and tying the knot is the end of all your problems, in fact it acknowledges that it actually creates some new ones too.

All in all it's a slow yet intriguing film that turns the story of a not so special family into a pretty special journey.

Mixed Shelf #5

Even though I'm still very much enjoying stories with at least a hint of magic, I did pick up a novel for grown-ups again. It's promising so far, so I'll dive back in right after I finish this post about it and two other interesting books.

Wanting: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

This is a retelling of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. Now I love fairytale retellings, or at least if they're done right. However, I have to admit I'm not that familiar with the original that inspired Breadcrumbs. Nevertheless I'd love to dive into the world both through this retelling as well as the classic that inspired it.

goodreads // available here

Reading: the Girl who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

I just got myself a library card and immediately searched the shelfs for a nice new read. The title caught my eye, the cover made me fall in love and the synopsis proved interesting enough for me to take it home. Just read a few chapters, but I'm loving it so far. It has wallpaper that changes to fit your mood, now isn't that interesting?

goodreads // available here

Waiting: the Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

This is a book I've been wanting for ages! Eventually I ordered it, but now that it's here I have to admit I haven't touched it yet. I'm still excited though! It probably fits best in the genre of Magical Realism. It's about a mysterious girl that appears in the woods right after a child built of snow by a childless woman has disappeared. Very intriguing!

goodreads // available here

What book is keeping you up reading at night? Or did you find anything recently that you're really excited about?

Circle Songs #47

"Could I make it more clear? Could I give you more time?

Did I say enough or did I say to much?"

Too Much - Pale

{picture sources: 1 - 2 - 3}

This song was a very lucky random find. Gotta love that YouTube sidebar! Anyway, it really fit my mood and it's exacty the kind of electronic music I somehow do love. In fact, I love this song so much I ordered it on vinyl.

Lovely Movies: Only Lovers Left Alive

This movie is something special. Something really, really special. I had actually nearly missed it at the cinema, but managed to catch it on the very last day. But I might just get the dvd on the release-date to make up for that.

Holy guacamole, I don't even know where to begin… The first shot was freaking gorgeous and it had Wanda Jackson's song "the Funnel of Love" to give it this eerie vibe. I was sold within the first couple of seconds. And I really knew I had found a new favorite when the blood popsicle-scene came. Tilda, way to go!

Anyway, this film is full of pretty guitars, amazing apartments and fantastic actors. I love that it was calm, yet exciting and just unlike any film I'd ever seen before. I even loved the romance in it, which I often don't in contemporary vampire stories. Also, it was really funny at times, had a nice dose of mischief and I love how they dealt with death too. Oh, and it wasn't even that gory.

You should really just skip the trailer and trust my judgement, but here we go:

Just go see it, ok? GO! You won't regret it. And you might just want to change your hairdo after... why was Tilda's hair so intriguing?!

Mixed Shelf #4

This week the Mixed Shelf is less about fantasy, but it still has a surreal thread running through all of its novels. However, it's less about fairies and hocus pocus and a lot more focussed on imagination and day dreaming.

Wanting: the Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

A friend of mine told me about this book and said I would probably really enjoy it. Enjoy might be too happy a word, it's actually a pretty eerie tale. But I love a bit of a gothic vibe in my books now and then, so I still hope to read it. When I came home and sat on my computer to add it to my to-read list, I noticed it was already on my Goodreads! 

goodreads // pictured edition available here, or the cheapest copy

Reading: the Daydreamer by Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan has written many famous novels, the Daydreamer is one most people don't seem to know. It's still the first one I've picked up. Was it the cover again? Hell yeah! But also the story, of course. Through a couple of short stories we get to follow the daydreams of a little boy named Peter. It's actually written for both children and adults.

goodreads // pictured edition available here, or the cheapest copy

Waiting: the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

This is a novel I actually got stuck in. I can't remember exactly why… Was it because it was too dark? Possibly. Was it because it just didn't interest me? Maybe so. Anyway, I used to love Murakami and I don't want to let this experience spoil that for me, so I want to get back into the story to give it a second chance. And otherwise grab another novel.

goodreads // pictured edition available here, or the cheapest copy

What's currently on your nightstand? Or to-read list of course, as that's always interesting as well!

Wishlist

I should probably make this really exciting birthday wishlist post, but this year it seems I'm slow with everything. Anyway, I saw this little guy and he's pretty adorable. Do I need another stapler? No. Would I take him in? Yes!

Anyway, if you love this little bunny too, you can get one at Paperchase. 

Plans & Goals: April

April is always an exciting month for me! It means nicer weather, Queen's Day(which technically now is King's Day) and… my birthday! All three of these lead to plan-making of course! So here we go! I would love to:

• Soak up the sun and this lovely weather as much as possible.
• Read a graphic novel again.
• Play another gig and bring some friends to watch.
• Sell old stuff on Queen's Day...
• And maybe buy a nice tv-show on dvd.
• Go see a couple of movies at the cinema.
• Add some new items to my Etsy shop.
• Make a new collage or finish the one I was working on.
• And throw an awesome birthday party in my new apartment!

Do you have any nice plans? Any special occasions this month as well?

Looking Back on March

March was both fun/hopeful as well as disappointing. I had a nasty cold/flu that lasted quite a while(it still isn't over, completely) and kept me from doing a lot. But I also enjoyed the sunnier spring weather. Anyway, this month:

• I finally got into contact juggling! It's been a dream for ages.
• Started my Mixed Shelf posts.
• Performed my own songs on stage for the first time.
• Watched a lot of booktuber videos.
• Had my first ice cream of the year. Yes, it's a tradition with my mom.
• Made a cute necklace with sea shells.
• Added some old movies to my dvd collection. Either for free or really cheap!
• Treated myself on Etsy after almost a year of buying nothing.
• And caught the blossoms on time this year!

What did you do? Did you get to do anything special now that it's Spring again too?

Mixed Shelf #3

I am thoroughly enjoying these book posts! Hope you don't mind I'm still on a magical kick. I just love a bit of magic! What can I say…  it's easier to get in books. Also, the covers tend to be so much prettier than those of regular novels.

Wanting: the Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley

Apart from the fact that -yes, here we go again- this has a most stunning illustration on the cover, I am dying to read this story! I think I'll just go ahead and order it. It's a coming of age story of a girl with magical abilities that has to dress up as a boy in order to work as a folk keeper. There should be magical creatures involved too!

goodreads // available here

Reading: the Tree Shepherd's Saughter by Gillian Summers

This started out a bit annoying as the main character can whine quite a bit, however, I persevered and within a few pages found myself carried off to the fantasy fair where Keelie is now forced to live with her father because her down-to-earth Californian mother has passed away. It's magical and intriguing, and great so far!

goodreads // available here

Waiting: Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R.L. LaFevers

One of the reasons I haven't started this book yet, is because it's the second in a series of four. Do I think that this really matters when following the story? No. It's a brand new Theodosia mystery and probably doesn't need any explaining of the past. Anyway, stunning hardcover! I got it super cheap and it's still low price today...

goodreads // available here

What are you reading? Anything good you'd like to share? Or have you read any of the above, perhaps?

Owl Things Considered

I love this owl romper so much! Something about the combination of the cut and the print... It seems like the perfect summer outfit. Granted you'll have to strip down every time you pee, but if it's warm enough to wear it, that'll be ok.

Especially now I'm already looking forward to traveling, this is getting me really excited! I think it also reminds me of something I used to have as a kid, but I can't really remember exactly what. Anyway, pretty adorable, right?

Circle Songs #46

"I swear I will make myself tiny. I just have a guitar and a suitcase with me…"

No More Home, No More Love - Soko

{picture sources: 1 - 2 - 3}

I'm suffering from terrible wanderlust all of a sudden. I haven't decided whether or not to act on it yet. Somehow I have the feeling that traveling elsewhere will make me feel more grounded. Also, a trip is always nice of course!

Lovely Movies: A Monster in Paris

While browsing online and getting myself a few new dvds on a special sale, I came across an animation film I hadn't heard of before. It arrived just as I was coming down with that flu, so the timing could not have been better!

Nor the movie. It might be mostly for kids, but it is a beautiful and very entertaining film for adults as well. Vanessa Paradis is the leading lady and does a lot of singing as well. The music was written for this film and is very magical.

If possible watch the original version, but here's the English trailer.

The biggest advantage of owning the dvd is yet again being able to watch the extras. I loved seeing how different parts of the film were made. Seeing the voice actors, for instance. Or the dance performance as done by the choreographer, next to the same routine by the animation characters. It was all very interesting!

So if you can get your hands on this gem, definitely do watch it. It is visually stunning, the music is amazing, the atmosphere is very magical and the whole thing is set in Paris. Need I say more?

Mixed Shelf #2

I'm still sick. It might be more than just a plain cold, it seems to get worse instead of better each day. But… it is the perfect time to catch up on my reading. I finally finished my first of this year, second one will follow soon. Anyway...

Wanting: The Somnambulist by Essie Fox

Yes, I feel very drawn to the amazing cover, but I've also heard some great things about Essie Fox. This particular story should be one that ties the lives of three women together and changes every one of them. It's supposed to be quite gothic and mysterious. Sounds promising! And did I mention the cover?!

goodreads // available here

Reading: The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

I suppose you could compare it to the Lemony Snicket books, though in this little book the children are pretty horrible themselves too. However it is still a quirky, funny and somehow uplifting little book. Enjoying it so far!

goodreads // available here

Waiting: Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell

This book sounds so good! I've been wanting to read it for ages and picked up a secondhand copy some time ago. Even though I'm usually not put off by big books… with it's 2+ pounds and 1000+ pages, I just haven't found the right moment yet. Like I said, I haven't read as much lately, and now that I'm changing that again, I'd rather start easier.

goodreads // available here or here

Are you enjoying anything in particular right now? I got a really amazing recommendation in the comments on my first Mixed Shelf post! Would not mind getting more! They might show up in my next post.

Sick Day

Now that it's sunny and warmer outside I'm stuck with a massive cold, it's not fun but on the upside I've been reading, watching movies and making all sorts of new hot drinks. Like this orange-lemon-cinnamon-honey-ginger tea!

There's also an onion in the fridge with honey on it so that it makes a nice syrup, but if you have any other home remedies I'd love to hear about them! I hear nothing speeds colds up, but if it makes it any easier it's really welcome.

Lovely Movies: Labyrinth

I only heard about Labyrinth last year. It seems like such a waste of childhood that I didn't know earlier.  Otherwise I would have probably watched it a thousand times. It was so lovely! And… it even has -fake, real and animated- barn owls!

The story can be explained in one sentence: girl needs to babysit younger brother, wishes him away and then has to rescue him from the goblins by going through this labyrinth... So now we can watch a song instead of the trailer!

This is a collaboration between Brian Froud, Jim Henson and a huge crew. Fun fact: the baby is actually Brian Froud's son! The dvd also has an amazing documentary about how the movie was made. I loved seeing that!

Anyway, their earlier joint effort  -the Dark Chrystal- was good as well, but this was faster paced and more exciting story-wise. I might have to re-watch the Dark Chrystal to be absolutely sure, but I think Labyrinth is my favorite.

Wishlist

Sure, I love playing games with others... It's just that more often than not there's no one around when I feel like playing a game. Thankfully there's ThinkFun to solve that problem. They make 1-player games, and cute ones too!

Anyway, I have Rush Hour and a few others. But because it's hard to get around here, their prettiest game is still on my wish list. It's called Chocolate Fix and it looks like a box of chocolates! It seems to be a really fun game too!

It's also nice and affordable. Yes, there is a similar one on Amazon that's cheaper still, but it has less challenges, so for less than a dollar more, this one -which will have you play for twice as long- seems to be the better option.

Amazing Art: José Luis López Galván

Most of this artwork is really dark and eerie, but some pieces have a serene and non-threatening atmosphere to them. I bet this would be great as a book that also included fictional stories about the creatures in the paintings!

Mixed Shelf #1

Not a day goes by that books are not on my mind. I'm either looking for new reads online, reading something or thinking about wonderful books that are still untouched on my shelves. I also feel a strong urge to blog about books more, so I've decided to start a new type of post that will encompass all those things, and hopefully inspire you too.

Wanting: The Seven Tales of Trinket by Shelley Moore Thomas

I instantly fell in love with the cover, but the story sounds really promising as well. It is about a girl wanting to be a storyteller, but having to live through some adventures herself first. I hear it is cleverly woven, a bit magical and might even lead you to shed a few tears.

goodreads // currently available as really cheap new hardcover on Amazon

Reading: I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosin

A wonderful read so far! I wish my review copy had all the illustrations though. The cover is beautiful also, but I feel like the great story would probably be taken to a whole new level with all of Lee White's amazing visual aids.

goodreads // available here

Waiting: Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams

When I found this book online, I knew I had to have it. I had put it on my birthday wishlist, but eventually ended up ordering one myself. Despite my excitement, I still haven't gotten round to starting in this fantasy/adventure book that is exclusively about feline characters.

goodreads // really cheap on bookdepository

It was fun for me to make this post and I hope to keep doing them. I'm keeping them short and sweet and will make sure to link to more info and also a place (usually the cheapest I could find) to buy the book in case you want to read it.

Feel free to let me know what books you are currently excited about! Or if you have any recommendations, leave them in the comments as well.

Average is Beautiful

You're probably aware that it is International Women's Day. I thought that was the perfect day to talk about this new Barbie that is coming out soon! Well, not technically a Barbie because it's launched by a guy named Nickolay Lamm.

Anyway, there have been discussions about whether or not Barbie dolls distort girls' body images. I personally don't have anything against Barbie per se, but I am definitely all for this new doll called Lammily. Hear all about it here:

The Kickstarter goal was made within the first day, but you still have a few weeks to pre-order the first edition. If you have a daughter I think it would make a great gift and if not you might want one for yourself even. They're quite cool!

Lovely Movies: Snow Cake

This evening I watched Snow Cake. I had seen it before and remembered I liked it very much but had somehow forgotten about a lot of things that happened in it. So I was still a bit surprised at how amazing it really was.

Every character's situation in this film is pretty sad, but somehow the movie is quite uplifting. The trailer focuses a bit too much on the sex, I think. There wasn't a lot in it at all, and non that you could actually see even.

It's more a movie about growing close to unexpected people and finding healing because of it. It's not all life lessons though, because it'll give you some good laughs as well. The acting is amazing and I highly recommend it!

Sale Tip! / Wishlist

Threadless is having a big warehouse sale, so I thought I'd post a couple of highlights. They have some lovely things!

I know I've posted this pet bowl before, but I just wanted to let you know that it is now on sale for $2.95 instead of $15.

Another adorable cat item is this pair of cat socks. From $10 for $5.95.

Threadless also has some of the Select collection on sale. Like this tee.

There's a lot more in the Threadless warehouse sale though, so check it out if you're looking for some nice new t-shirts with fun prints. Or laptop/ipad cases, because a lot of those are on sale too!