My daily paranormal dreams, and a little book review!

Hello all! 

Today's blog post is going to be a little... odd. Ever since I saw The Lord of The Rings for the first time (I might have been four or so) I've always wanted to be not me. Not that I hate myself or anything, but I dreamt of living an extraordinary life that involved fighting dragons and falling in love with vampires e.t.c.

Now I do realise how freaking ridiculous that sounds, but I don't just want the glamorous-paranormal-romance thing. I want the lets-live-an-amazing-life thing. I've always wanted to be someone, well, more than what I am. Maybe a vampire hunter, or an actual vampire, maybe a necromancer or a debunker, as long as I could live an action-packed life with all the ups and downs that come with a regular one (just cranked up to an eleven on a scale of 1-10). Because, lets face it, most of us don't really enjoy our lives, not because they suck, but because something's missing. Yes you can write a famous novel, yes you can become a movie star, yes you can move to the other side of the world to start over.
But I've always (sort of... maybe absolutely...) believed in the paranormal side of life. I know there's probably no such thing as vampires, ghosts, or people that can control the elements; but it's a freaking cool concept. Pop culture and the media has turned the whole world upside down by making vampires seem glamorous and smoking hot, by turning ghosts into beautifully scary creatures, by turning us (the consumers) into idiots. Because if those things were to exist, it certainly wouldn't be a fan-tabulous lifestyle.
It would be scary.
Really, really, scary.

But at the same time, I can't help but cling to the idea that it'd be a little better than being a plain old human - plain old Jesse. It sounds a little pathetic, but I've always wanted to live an excited life fighting vampires and all that jazz, or even being turned into one. I can't be alone with this though, right? Come on! There's got to be millions of people out there who feel the same way, millions of people that from time to time like to zone out from the real world... and just create their own. That's where writing books comes in handy, for example: A book called The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. (I KNOW IT'S JUST A BOOK, BUT I CAN DREAM!) One short novel in the book centres around a girl that writes paranormal fiction, and then her books turn into reality. However, this might be a crappy example seeing as it's all due to some mental link she has with a vampire which she's totally unaware of. Nonetheless, I don't think anything could change the thoughts in my naive mind.
Right now, being engulfed in a dangerous and amazing world full of dragons, vampires, and psychopathic ghosts is much more... enticing... invigorating... hell, it just sounds like something more than what I have. It's human nature to want what we can't have, I'm just a little too over the top about it.

*NOTE: SPOILERS FOR FALL OF NIGHT BY RACHEL CAINE*

What really inspired me to write this blogpost was just finishing (as in just finishing ten minutes ago) the fourteenth book in the Morganville Vampires series: Fall of Night.
OH.
MY.
GOSH.
I'm usually not a fan or paranormal books that focus so much on romance (however I do have a few exceptions), however Rachel Caine has done just a brilliant job. The main protagonist Claire has just left Morganville, a town run by vampires, for Cambridge so she could study at her dream school M.I.T. If you've read this series, you'll know that everything will almost always fall apart.

It started with Claire's boyfriend Shane following her to Cambridge (Trust issues. Understatement)...
Was intensified by Michael, Oliver, Jesse (a new character), and Myrnin almost dying.
Then, everything completely blew apart due to Claire's device (VLAD), and Morganville being run by the humans.
When I read a spoiler online a few weeks ago I was excited at the prospect of seeing Morganville being truly turned upside down, and finally seeing what it'd be like to have the small town run by the "weaker" species. But, oh boy, was I wrong - because let me tell you (even though the final book isn't out yet), I can already tell how much I'll hate it. Yet, of course, I'll love it at the same time due to Caine's amazing writing. While reading the last quarter of the book I was so close to crying or screaming and just completely losing it - which is extremely rare when I read a book or watch a movie. After I'd finished it four hours after I'd got it (not my personal best, but still commendable) I literally sat on my bed rocking back and fourth whimpering because of how brilliant it was.

However, I do have a few minor complaints.

1. I would've loved to see more of what went on in Morganville during Claire's time in Cambridge
2. WHY does Michael have to come so close to death in almost every book? It breaks my heart.
3. I kind of wish that Caine added a little bit more detail here and there. I felt like some bits of the book were slow and relaxed, but suddenly everything would go completely insane. I admit, I do love that when reading, but I still wanted more detail during the action-packed scenes.
4. This isn't really a complaint, but I desperately wanted the book to be longer, to go on forever and ever. I don't want to think about the series being over when Daylighters comes out. I won't be able to deal.

So, that's it I suppose. I probably won't be updating too frequently because school starts up again on Monday, but my next blog will most likely be on school *yawn*, or  little fanfiction I wrote.

~ Au Revoir! ~

P.S Vampires don't sparkle.
P.P.S I'm sorry this post ended up as a book review, but I can't promise that won't happen again.

Bohemian Decorating

Hello again.
I love blogging. I do. And I've been doing it for, what, three days?
OH WELL! I've decided to do another post, as it's the school holidays here in Canberra, about bohemian design. Tips and tricks for designing an eclectic gypsy room. You know... All that jazz. All the pictures I've collected are from my Pinterest which I shall link at the end.. :)

 

This first picture is absolutely gorgeous, but extremely busy. So if you don't like having a lot going on in one room, just simplify the look. It's very eclectic, but you don't need the tablecloth or such insane wallpaper. Although I'd personally kill to have that wallpaper in my bedroom. If you want the curtains - buy cheap sheer curtains from dollar shops etc. Then you could go to second hand stores, craft stores or garage sales to find little tassels, beads, and string you like. Simply string them together and use thumb tacks to tack them to the window sill... I have something like this in my room (hooray for being thrifty and making things myself!), except the curtain is lace and I cut off the little tassel-y pieces and tied them together like a long string... confusing.... It's not confusing if you're in my head, so would you like to join me? No? Okay...

This room (in my opinion) is a lot more easier to replicate. There's no time consuming application of wallpaper, and it looks more light and... happy. Can a room be happy? *My books look sad... Can books look sad?* A little Gilmore Girls humour never killed anyone okay? The couch could be hard to find in stores, but in second hand furniture stores you'll have more luck. The sheer curtains add a romantic touch, although the hats on the wall are a bit much. 

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS! Although I'm not big on the colour mint, I really think it looks gorgeous in this room. I'm not so sure how you can replicate the walls unless you're decorating an old cottage-y house, or an attic. Support beams (or whatever the hell they're called) add an eclectic almost old world touch to rooms. The clever thing about this room is the couch, because you simply cover it with a blanket or sheet. Plus finding pillows should be easy, as should finding a nice carpet. The distressed table is just... yeah... I like this room a lot....

Here, it isn't so cluttered and just reminds me of Escape to the Country (beautiful houses, beautiful country, amazing show). The silky little seat is very refined, and feminine, and the table cloth adds a bright pop of colour. The mirror, door, and candle sticks add a vintage look that can easily be copied. It just looks... romantic, feminine, but not so over-the-top that your husband would shoot you if he saw a room like this in your house. 

I found this on Etsy (but I can't find it again... I'm hopeless, and sorry) a couple of weeks ago. And these bottles just look so vintage and beautiful that they'd look perfect in any bohemian/eclectic room. I'm not sure about duplicating them, but I bet you'd be able to do something similar (if you had talent for that sort of stuff, which I sort of don't).

And this last little pic I just think is adorable. As for actually finding a chair like that.. Well... Good luck. If you find one, I shall marry you in the summer. However, draping fabric over a plain chair and adding patterned pillows might compensate for that. 

Tips and Tricks!

1. This one is important. Super mega jumbo important. Don't get attached to one specific design, one specific type of room. Because you will not find what you're looking for, and end up being extremely disappointed, and maybe give up. You need to branch out, especially with bohemian and eclectic rooms, because you never know what you'll find. If you can't find a specific type of bed frame or desk, accept it and look for something else - something that you might even love a lot more. I've been looking for a desk for months now, but part of that time was wasted because I was so fixed on having a very specific desk and of course couldn't find it. But now I've let it go and am taking more time to check out cheap furniture stores or places like the salvation army. 

2. There are actually a lot of different types of bohemian rooms. You could go for a really feminine look, old world, or a darker more gothic room. When you're starting a new decorating project, you need to have an idea of what type of room you want, so you've got a rough idea of what pieces you're looking for. That said, you don't have to follow that structure if you want a more eclectic look - it's just a good idea to understand what works and what doesn't. For example, it's a big risk (and usually, but not always, a mistake) to put up bright colourful pictures or curtains if you want to go for a more darker older look. Try pale colours, or at the opposite end of the scale, dark burgundies and purple. 

3. And the final tip for bohemian decorating... The sky really is the limit. As long as you like the room, that is all that matters (and there's also the whole don't blow all your money on one room thing). The beauty of eclectic and bohemian rooms is that there isn't any rules as to what colour scheme you want, or what little nicknacks should go where. The whole idea behind bohemianism (I know it isn't a word, okay?) is that it's fun and free, like gypsies :) But also unique to every single person, because we all have different ideas. Don't let the idea of having a patterned rug and bedspread stop you, don't let having too many hanging ornaments stop you - it doesn't matter if there are two mismatched things in the room because that's the whole point of having a bohemian room. Two things that don't go together, can go together anyway.... 

Does that make sense? 

Eh.

Okay, that's it I suppose. I'm going to be blogging like crazy this week because there's no school, even though I have a "To Do" list two pages long. Does anyone else do this? Alright, I'll stop rambling and talk to you later

~ ~ ~ ~

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/littlepixie88/ 

Confidence

Well hello there....

Confidence - the belief in one's self.
Anyone anywhere could come up with their own unique definition for confidence, but there it is. Simple and to the point. It's kind of ironic considering how vast, scary, and (at times) totally incomprehensible the topic really is. But no matter, I'll do my damnedest to explain it - not just to you, reader, but to me too. I'm definitely still learning about how to feel confidence with myself. Sigh.

I remember people telling me how great it is to finish school, because you don't need to learn anymore. Now, people say that you'll learn a lot more than you ever did. I'm not even finished with school, and I'm already sick of these supposedly life-changing learning curves.

When I googled "confidence", or "how to be confident", most of the links I opened had steps.
Step 1. Believe in yourself (how cheesy is that?)
Step 2. Don't look down.
Well, you get my point. But nonetheless, I realised that that's not how confidence works. You can't just follow a step-by-step guide and suddenly be so full of confidence it'll be bursting out of your butt. Now that I think about it, there aren't many people that have that much confidence anyway (not the butt thing, the bursting with confidence thing). There is not one person (out of the 7 billion on Earth) that will wake up every day and say, "Hey, I'm totally fabulous and love everything about me". So one way to climb the ladder of self confidence is to understand that you aren't alone. Every single person out there will find something wrong with them, everyone has that one thing about themselves that they just with they could change. For me, it's my eyebrows and thighs - my little brother has come up with the best (in his opinion) jokes about my dark eyebrows and thunder thighs. For you, it might be that muffin top, or having small boobs. It doesn't matter how many things you hate about yourself, the fact is, you don't have to go it alone. You can't just sit in bed watching The Notebook complaining about life and eating ice cream.
Stop saying things like, "I'm all alone", "No one understands me". Because, sister-friend, we all get it. We've all had that day or week when we just feel like crap, and even start fishing for compliments. And frankly, it's getting old. So get up off the bed, look in the mirror, and find things you DO like about yourself - even tiny things. Think of things you're good at too, because having a talent or something you love boosts your confidence because you're doing something you enjoy.
Am I babbling? I might be. Anyway...
TAKE A STAND! If you don't like having red hair, dye it. If you feel like your boyfriend/girlfriend is making you feel awful, fix it. Don't just sit there and wish for things to change. You have to make those changes, sometimes on your own. However, only put these words into action if the changes are for you and you alone. If you want to dump your current partner because everyone else thinks they're lame or not good for you - please don't. Break up with them only if you think it's the right thing for YOU. Don't  lose ten kilos because you think it will make you accepted in society.
Do things that will make you happy, even the little things. Because when you feel happy, you don't have to worry about how you look, there's no need to be so concerned with the fact that you're bad at driving. Silly things like watching a funny YouTube video, or buying a new dress, can give you a little boost.
Look, my point is, there are a billion ways to feel confident. But just remember these key things:
~ You'll never feel more confident with yourself if you sit your ass down and moan about life
~ You need to learn that it's okay to be a little overweight, or not so great at maths. Because, odds are, there's billions of people in the same boat.
~ If you want to make changes - make them. But only for you. Have a clear head when making these decisions, because they'll have a big affect on you in the long run.

I'll tell you a story (am I the only one that hates it when a teacher wants to spend an hour telling you their life story?) about me when I was about thirteen.
My year seven class was really close, we were all best friends and new everything about each other. But no matter how nice everyone is, there's always gonna be cliques. I was quite a bookworm, and I didn't give a damn about popular girls wearing skinny jeans and bras outside their tops until a girl I'd known since I was three decided to join that group. Should I give her a cool nickname so I don't have to say "her" every two seconds? Why yes, of course. Lemon, being my best friend at the time, decided I should get closer to her more popular friends - and I did. We hung out all the time, but I eventually felt pretty damn self conscious and anything but confident. Those girls teased me about having red streaks in my hair, so I got rid of them. I kept telling myself that I did it for me, but it was for them. Those girls would b*tch about everyone in our school for attention, so I joined in. I did it all because I had so little confidence in who I was, that I felt like I had to change. I'd been so jealous of Lemon's confidence, I'd wondered how she could just.. be herself around everyone... A second look proved that she wasn't like those b*tchy girls. I mean, yeah, she'd made changes (but every thirteen year old girl does, ha) to herself, but they'd been FOR HER.
I've since learned my lesson, and want those streaks back.

Lots of love, a little pixie:)

~ ~ ~ ~

P.S - I hope I'm not too much of a bore. I'm still figuring out what I should blog about, and getting the hang of it. So yeah.. I'm going to be all over the place. WOOHOO. Although my next blogs might include some reviews of books I've read, and also a few short stories I've written, as well as some design tips

P.P.S - It's 12:30am, so I can't be bothered editing anything. My next blog posts will be better, I promise. MWAH! XX

A little intro to Gypsies and Pixies

Hi there!

If you haven't been living under a rock, or in a tree trunk (which, when you think about it, would be kind of cool) then you'll know there a million blogs and bloggers out there. 

Now, there's a million and one. WOOHOO! 

There are also just as many different topics to blog about, and I'm completely clueless as to what I should write about. I've always loved clothes, I've always loved music, I've always loved reading and writing. But they seem like such generic answers to the question: What should I blog about? So, I'll be even more unoriginal and just blog for the sake of blogging. This is going to sound corny and a little cliché, but I have genuinely always thought it'd be a cool idea to start a blog. This way, I can... Um... 

I have no idea. 

I just love the idea of blogs. 

My next blog (insert cheer here) will be around the topic of confidence and how you can feel better about yourself, even when you're feeling your worst. I'm just going to write it straight after this one. 

Lots of love, a little pixie :)

~~~~

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