"The Importance of Being Earnest" -Classic Teens Project

    "The Importance of Being Earnest" is a hilarious play by Oscar Wilde that we'll all probably read at some point in our lives. If you happen to be in my literature class, you'll know that we all read it (hopefully)  as an assignment. At first when I read this book, I honestly did not know if I liked it. After a day of it simmering in my mind, it grew on me. I think the ridiculous situation that the characters are in can make anyone laugh! :D

     "The Importance of Being Earnest" is about two couples hopelessly entangled in a scam involving "Bunburying", or the act of creating a fake counterpart to solve personal problems through distractions and duplicity. The two main bachelors, Algernon and Jack,both have created "Bunburies"to escape from family situations: Jack escapes from the rural and lower class country, and Algernon escapes from the wealthy and uptight city. Jack, pretending to be his "brother" Ernest, attempts to marry his true love Gwendolen, wealthy cousin of Algernon, who ironically only wants to marry a man by the name of Ernest. Her mother and Algernon's Aunt, Lady Bracknell, refuses to allow them to marry due to Jack's lack of noble family. 

     In mentioning his family in the country, Jack unknowingly entices Algernon to visit them to woo Jack's beautiful ward Cecily. When he arrives, Algernon pretends to be Jack's Bunbury Ernest, and Cecily falls in love with him, also proclaiming that she would only marry a man by the name of Ernest. Eventually, Gwendolen and Cecily meet (and angry words are passed), and the identity of the two suitors are revealed. Both women are instantly upset with their bachelors and team together. At the end of the play, it is revealed that Jack does in fact come from a wealthy family and was (ironically again) born with the name Ernest. The two couples' problems are resolved and they live happily ever after in love.

     Like I said before, I really wasn't sure if I liked the play at all at first. I thought it was weird. The more I thought about it though, the more I liked it. The humor in this play is dry, and is mostly derived from the play of words between the name Ernest and the word earnest. I found it very funny, and most would too. The characters are all a bit weird, but its to illustrate the stereotypes of aristocrats, women, and young adults. This work epitomizes Oscar Wilde's funky and very modern writing style. This work is great because you can easily relate it to modern society; there are very few issues discussed in "The Importance of Being Earnest" that can't be applied to today.

Rating for an adult audience: 3.5/5

An adult who likes literature and is familiar with Oscar Wilde would know this is his best work and would love it. An adult who isn't familiar with Oscar Wilde, however, might find the plot absolutely ridiculous, as hilarious as it is.

Rating for a teenage audience: 4.5/5

I am pretty sure that any teenager or young adult would love the humor in this book. The drama between the four main characters also resembles teenage relationship drama, which would be very appealing to many young readers. The only thing that might be off for younger people is the aspect of marriage: most of us don't even consider marriage until their mid-twenties.

Story: 4/5

The story in "The Importance of Being Earnest" is very, very clever. The play on words isn't exactly obvious, but it is easy to see (the effect is not easy to describe, just believe me when I say that the plot is delicately and masterfully constructed). Anyone can have fun with the political undertones and the rebellious purpose of the story.

Characters: 3.5/5

All of the characters in the story personify a sociological stereotype, whether it be a wealthy mother, a privileged daughter, a naive middle-class girl, or a young, vagabond businessman. Because of this, though, not all of the characters are very deep, and they are all pretty predictable.

Difficulty: 3/5

This is a very easy read, considering that it is a Victorian play. The prose is clear and the sentences are of normal length. Its not really that different from modern works. Rest assured that this play is nowhere near as hard to read as a play of the Shakespearean variety.

First-ever Reader Reaction!

     I've never really had to write a review for a book before so here goes nothing. So the book was pretty           funny in my opinion; I especially loved the subtle humor in the book. Even though it was  required for      me to read, I very much enjoyed the 2 hour read. Read it!1!! :D

               -Sophia Boucher

"The Importance of Being Earnest" is an enjoyable play that is a great  to start getting into literature. A lot of us can learn from its message *wink wink*.

Happy Reading!

"The Secret Garden" - Classic Teens Project

     I read "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett for the first time when I was ten years old. I re-read it over the summer, and was reminded why I loved that story so much. Even if it is meant for children its still beautiful and meaningful. It is certainly my favorite children's tale. :D I have this copy (below) in hardcover.

     "The Secret Garden" is about a little girl who moves to the moors in Yorkshire, England after her family and caretakers die from a cholera outburst in India. Being neglected most of her life by her parents, Mary didn't know how to love or how to be friendly or how to be a regular child. She is frail, thin, sour and ugly. After meeting Martha, her new maid and first friend, Mary begins to play outside and absorb the life that the moors have to offer. She grows strong enough to venture out, and soon a robin leads her to a hidden door and a buried key. She then discovers a neglected and wild, but beautiful, garden. Mary's life blooms from there. She meets Martha's younger brother Dickon, who has a marvelous affinity to animals and nature, and her sickly cousin Colin, and introduces them both to the garden. Together, the trio heals the garden and renews its beauty with their growing friendship, and Mary and Colin learn to be children and grow strong and lovely. The secret garden is revealed to the adults at the end, but revealing how would ruin the plot for you. :D

     As I said before, this is my favorite children's story! I love how the garden represents Mary's and Colin's growth; it blooms and grows as they do. I also love how Dickon is the wise-man of the story (He's only twelve!). The flower imagery used throughout the story really brings the theme of growth to life, and highlights the connection between the garden and the children. All of the characters are lovable and generally good people; I can't name a real villain in the story. This is certainly a book to read if you want your heart to be nice and toasty. :D

Rating for an adult audience: 4/5

Any adult would love reminiscing about this book while re-reading it. Most adults either read "The Secret Garden" as a child or heard the story from their parents. However, they won't appreciate it as much as a younger individual because they have finished growing already and they can't connect to the children as well as a younger person might.

Rating for a teenage audience: 4.5/5

This book will probably create feelings of nostaligia for teens as well as for adults, but for different reasons. We can remember our childhood better than an adult, and therefore the message of this story will hit closer to home. You never know, perhaps this story can still teach us a few things about life (it did for me!). Some young adults or older teens might have a hard time understanding the characters and connecting with them, though.

Story: 4.5/5

"The Secret Garden" has a story like any other children's story: when remembered, it makes you sigh and smile. It is heart-warming and impactful. It's message is clear and so elegantly simple, yet it is one of the most important messges one can learn.

Characters: 3.5/5

The characters in this story are whimsical and pure; they are easy to understand and relate to, and are a joy to read. However, because these characters are meant for children to understand, they are a bit simple. The main characters are round and dynamic, but they aren't very deep, especially for an older reader.

Difficulty: 3/5

This book is a pretty easy read. The vocabulary is easy and there isn't much difference from today's language. This was published quite a while ago, though, so the writing is flowery and there are some longer sentences than we are used to. The Yorkshire dialect used isn't too confusing, but might pose a challenge for some.

"The Secret Garden" is a beautiful story that everyone should be able to recognize and enjoy. It can bring joy to even the most sour heart.

Happy reading!

"A Tale of Two Cities" - Classic Teens Project

     Okay, so I've finished reading "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens, and I thought it was fantastic! I got my copy in Barnes and Noble (from their "Barnes and Noble Classics" collection) for around five bucks for a paperback. The collectible leather-bound copies would look fantastic on a bookshelf too, though. Its pretty short at a little under 400 pages, but it could take a while to read if you're not used to the language.

     "A Tale of Two Cities" is the story of Paris and London and its citizens during the French Revolution. The main conflict in the book is caused by the distrust between the people of these tow cities; no one is ever sure if their own neighbor is a spy or a patriot. The main focus is the Manette family and their common friend Sydney Carton, who incorporate the best qualities of both the English and the French. Their family grows ever stronger with union, marriage, kidnap, arrest and death.
     The brutality of the French Revolution and its supporters is highlighted in the book with its two villains: "La Guillotine" and Madame Defarge. Both are truly sinister. A lot of lives are taken at the hands of both together.
     Dickens is criticizing mob behavior in this work, and beautifully so. I've never visualized such an angry, rabid, crazed group of people. Like always, Dickens makes a strong political statement with his work.

      Review time! I absolutely adored this book. The prose is rich and poetic and fantastic, just like all of Dickens's other works. Although I'm not a particularly political person, I still loved the observations of basic human nature when cornered, our inhumane bloodlust, and our determination to fight tooth and nail for what we believe. The characters were real and vivid; I don't think there is anyone I could love more than Sydney Carton. Ever. And Madame Defarge is just so palpably evil. Oh, the knitting! Scary stuff. I loved the dynamic of the Manette family, they are almost the perfect family (almost). This book is so quotable. I have an entire page in my book journal dedicated to quotes, and in tiny writing!


Rating for an adult audience: 5/5

Any adult reader would love this book, especially if they've read other Dickens works. Its a relatively short read, and the insight into society is really interesting. The historical aspect of the book would be great for those who love history.

Rating for a teenage audience: 3.5/5

As much as it hurts me to say it, an average teenager would find this book boring at parts. It can be a bit slow in the middle, and the language might be an obstacle for some. If anyone read it to the end, though, I'm sure they would be pleased with all the action and excitement that closes the book.

Story: 4.5/5

The story for this book is awesome, as it incorporates a little bit of everything: there's action, mystery, politics, history, and even romance. The story is dynamic and complex, but moves a bit slowly at parts like I mentioned above.

Characters: 5/5

Only Dickens can create a cast of characters so satisfying and profound and familiar. There isn't a character I don't like in this book, and I'm a tough critic when it comes to characters. Sydney Carton steals the show. Although he doesn't really have that much screen time, you're always waiting for him to pop up when your reading and when he finally does he comes and goes with a bang.

Difficulty: 4/5

If you've never read a novel from the Victorian era before, this book is not the one to start with. This was my first Victorian novel, and it honestly took me quite a while to get used to the language and those pesky long sentences. After the first fifty pages, though, reading went a bit quicker. Even still, I had to make sure I was paying attention, or else I would have one of those " re-read the entire page again because you absorbed nothing of what you just read" moments.


"A Tale of Two Cities" is a fantastic classic novel, and definitely a good read for older teens. It will surely prepare you for those harder-to-read books, if anything!

Happy reading!

The Classic Teens Project

     Hi guys! Okay, so after a lot of thinking and planning, I've decided to create a new project to (hopefully) influence teens and young adults to jump into classical literature and poetry. It's called the "Classic Teens Project".
     This project will involve us embarking on a journey to read the classics together; in other words, I am as much of a newbie as the rest of you. Every time I read a new book, I'll post a brief summary and then review it based on my preferences. I'll then rate it for adults, for teens, for story, characters and difficulty (probably on a scale of five). Maybe different books can have unique rating categories. :D

     The first book I'll probably post for the project is "A Tale of Two Cities". After that might come "The Importance of Being Ernest" or "The Inferno".
     Happy reading!

Goodreads

Hey everyone! Be my friend on my Goodreads account! My username is KiwiChee (of course). If you don't have a Goodreads account you should probably get one, especially if you like reading. You can get a lot of cool book recommendations and sometimes even free stuff from contests! Join :D

Good Night!
                                       
OMG I love that book. :D

Okay, good night (seriously this time)!

"The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn..." Tessa Watercolor

Okay hi everyone! So this is an entry for Cassandra Clare's ARC contest for "Clockwork Prince", which I oh-so-desperately want. This is a watercolor of the character Tessa from the Infernal Devices series with her intense and apparently hilarious inquisitive face. The title is from Nat King Cole's song "Nature Boy", and I think we all know how that particular verse relates to the theme.....

I slaved over this for weeks. Seriously. This is it. This is the best I can do in watercolor. :D

This painting is 9x12 inches on 140lb Strathmore Watercolor Paper. I used Reeve's Watercolor Tubes with various multimedia brushes. The background was done wet-on-wet, while the gears were done with a combination of wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry. Her skin and clothing was painted with a combination of wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry as well. Her hair, eyes, lace glovelets and clockwork angel necklace are done dry-on-dry. Overall,  a very tricky, fickle and time-consuming business. But I love watercolor. :D

I wish I could send this in in person, since the picture will never look as nice as the actual thing. I really enjoyed painting this. I learned a lot about foreshortening (the bane of all artists) and how frustratingly fun watercolor is as a medium.

Well, I tried really, really hard and I hope I win the contest! :D

 Good night world!!

Crochet Drawstring Bag (Lined!)

Okay, so I found this pattern online for this darling vintage drawstring bag (http://cobblerscabin.wordpress.com/happy-hookin/vintage-style-drawstring-bag-free-crochet-pattern/) and I decided to make myself one. Before I knew it, everybody wanted one and I made a ton! My drawstring bag is made from worsted weight yarn (any brand, really) and the yarn isn't doubled. Otherwise, the pattern is the same. :D

You'll use about 150 grams of your yarn, or about half of a medium-sized package. The final drawstring bag has a height of about eight inches and opens up to about nine inches.

Materials:
  -Worsted weight yarn (150 grams)
  -Crochet needle size G6 (or whatever suits your fancy :D)
  -Thread similar in color to your yarn, and a needle
  -A fat quarter of cotton fabric that matches your yarn
 

Lining Tutorial:

Okay so if you try to use your newly created drawstring bag as-is, you'll notice that stuff falls out: make-up, pens, potentially embarrassing things....So! There is an easy solution here. Pick out any fat quarter of fabric from your favorite retailer that matches your bag. It should be cotton, unless you sew like a pro (and I don't...).

    1. Measure your bag from the little opening at the bottom all the way to the row before you make the spaces for the actual drawstrings, not all the way to the top. You only want to line the part of the bag that will hold your things. Measure twice, cut once! :D

Tip: Stretch out the yarn a bit as you measure so that you don't end up short. 

    2. Find the fold on your fabric that is the center. Mark this with  a pencil on the wrong side of the fabric. If your fabric is mostly dark (where you can't see the pencil marks) you can use a dark blue sharpie.
    3. Measure out from the center point the length that you got in step 1 as if you're making a square. This length is the radius of the circle. At the end of the measurement, draw a two inch horizontal line. It doesn't have to be perfect; it's just a guideline. You should have four lines equidistant from your center point.
    4. Use the guidelines you made to make a circle on your fabric (the wrong side!). You can use a compass, but I freehand it. To do this I extend the guidelines a bit further, and then curve them outward gradually. Always try to make your circle fat; if not, it might end up looking like a weird oval-thing.
    5. Cutting time! Grab a sharp pair of scissors and cut around your circle leaving about a quarter of an inch to hem the fabric. You can save the scraps for something else. :D
    6. Fold your little margin in on the wrong side (so that the other side is completely right side) and sew all around. When you're done, you should have a nice neat circle for your bag! :)
    7. Take your thread and make a big knot at the end. Push your needle through the center point (so the knot can be seen on the right side) and then through the opening at the bottom of your bag from the inside. Being careful not to sew the rest of your circle lining, secure the lining to the bag and tie it off. You can sew into the first row of the bag if you like.
   8. Here comes the hard part: sew the edge of your circle to the row right below the openings for the drawstring of your bag. Pleat the edge of the circle a bit as you sew but be VERY careful not to pleat so much that you can no longer sew the lining onto the bag without compromising the width of the bag. Also, make sure you don't accidentally sew the drawstrings to the lining. I've had to cut the string and start over more than I'd like to remember.

Voila! You now have an adorable drawstring bag that can hold all of your stuff without dropping any of it. If you'd like, you can add cell phone pockets and zippers by sewing squares or rectangles to the right side of the circle before you attach it.

Happy crafting!

Mother's Day Cake

For the love of mothers, literally. We slaved over this cake for what seemed like forever and a half. This cake is a lot bigger than it looks - it was about eight inches tall and nine inches in diameter. The filling was pineapple custard (at the request of the client; NOT my favorite...) with a yellow cake.

All of the flowers of the cake were made with gum paste. The daisies have yellow sugar in the middle and the cute little flowers have edible pearls. The lettering was hand piped with royal icing. :D

Detail shots:

Calla Lily Wedding Cake

This is a wedding cake my mom and I made a while ago for a friend. She was having a small reunion, so this one is petite. :D The calla lilies on the cake were made with gum paste and dusted with colored sugar. The piping was (painstakingly!) done by hand. This was our first professional cake! :)

Calla lily tutorial, perhaps?

The Secret Garden

Reading "The Secret Garden" right now. The minute I finish, I'll probably post an analysis of it.

I love childhood stories. :D