The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition is Rated R

Ok, so imagine you hear of this one night event, and you look forward to it for a month.  You've prepared yourself, bought special things to wear, filled your sister's life with way too much of your obsessive talk, and it's finally a week away.

And then you find out it's rated R.

My reaction exactly.

I can't imagine why it would get such a high rating!!!  I mean, they only added 20 minutes of extra footage.  What's in it that upped the rating??!?!?  Beorn can't come in and crush Bolg, since Legolas already kills the filth for him, maybe Bolg goes crushes the rest of his army?  I highly doubt there is any real inappropriate content, since the rating only says "For Some Battle Content."  And so, after purchasing Tauriel's necklace and elven ears, starting to modify my costume from last year, and becoming crazy excited, I receive the news I can't go.

I guess I'll have to do my crying hear at home while extended footage is playing on the big screen.

Ice cream, anyone?

What to Wear... That is the Question?

Greetings!!!

My homeschool group has announced we are having a Living History Masquerade!!!  I am extremely excited, but there is a slight problem.  I am not quite sure what to wear.

The dress category is anywhere from the 1900s all the way to the beginning of time.  My sister is pretty much decided on either something from Anne of Green Gables's time, like a dress I just made her for her sweet 16, or something like this dress from Anne of A Thousand Days.








































I have a few ideas of what I would like to wear, and what time period the dress would be from, but I really cannot decide!  That, my viewers, is where you come in!

:)

I would like to ask you, from what era should I pick a dress?

1. French or Italian Renaissance

2. Civil War

3.  The1700's

4. Medieval Times

I have more images/options on my Pinterest board.   

Follow Jacqueline D.'s board Costumes and Dress on Pinterest.


Please comment below and tell me from which era you think my dress should be!  Or just tell me if you have a favorite dress!  Now, my board does have some costumes that are not quite historically accurate.  Even though I would love to one day make those, the masquerade requires that the dress be from some period in history: so please keep that in mind!!!  Also, just because the styles are numbered in that order does not necessarily mean that is the order in which I like them.  That's actually the way my computer would cooperate.

Thanks a bunch for your help in advance!!!!  I only have about a month to get this done, so the pressure is on!

A Tolkien Blog Party

Greetings all!

My wonderful sister gave me a heads-up about a party to which we are all invited, and if you do not receive any invitation, just show up anyway! ;)

Hamlette at The Edge of the Precipice is hosting a blog party!

The rules are quite simple.  Answer the questions on your blog or website, and one of the wonderful buttons she has supplied, put the link in the link thingy, and enjoy the fun!  As well as enter The Hobbit GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So without further ado, here are my answers.

1.  What draws you to Tolkien's stories?  (The characters, the quests, the themes, the worlds, etc.)

I love the fact that they were written by a Catholic and have Catholic themes and undertones.  It also gives me a feeling that not all hope is lost against a very great evil, because in the end good will triumph!  I also like the different characters and their qualities.

2.  What was the first Middle Earth book you read and/or movie you saw?  What did you think of it?

The first Middle Earth book I read was the Hobbit.  My friends had to read it for school and thought that I might like it.  Though I figured it was more of that worldly rubbish, I gave it a try and saw it was quite the opposite.  I very much enjoyed the Hobbit, and decided to read The Lord of The Rings, liking it even more.

3.  Name three of your favorite characters and tell us why you like them.

My three favorite characters are Legolas, Thranduil, and Galadriel.  (These are from the books, mind you!)  I like Legolas just for who he is, and him being and elve.  Of course I think it's awesome he can just walk in his memory and be completely rested!  I like Thranduil because of his concern and awe of Bilbo.  He recognizes the unselfish and simpleness of the Hobbit, who just wants peace and a good breakfast in his armchair without the bother of gold, thank you very much!  I like Galadriel because of who she represents, and though power is thrown at her feet, she resists temptation.  She brings light into the world, a world that is slowly falling, where not many of her kind are left.

4.  Are there any secondary characters you think deserve more attention?

I think Tom Bombadil deserves a bit of attention.  I'm still puzzled as to what his meaning is, and who he really is that the ring has no power over him.  Hopefully I will be able to find that out soon!

5.  What Middle Earth character do you relate to the most?

Well, in the movies (keep in mind I've only seen The Hobbit and the FotR) I think I relate most to Tauriel. In a world full of darkness, sadness, and fading light, I look for that which is good, true, and beautiful. (*Philippians 4:18*)  I will not hide while the world falls into corruption, but instead defend the truth and the light, no matter what!

6.  If you could ask Professor Tolkien one Middle Earth-related question, what would you like to ask him?

I would love to ask him what the symbol in Tengwar is for the letter Q!  I have tried to learn the language and it's symbols, but with the few resources that I have, it's slightly difficult.  I hope to soon find some books that will help me! 

7.  Are there any pieces of Middle Earth merchandise you would particularly like to own, but don't?

I would love to own Tauriel's bow and arrows, or a Middle Earth throw blanket, but I would really love to have a Legolas phone case!!  Though, I'm not sure what I would do with it since I don't have an iPhone yet.

8.  What battle would you absolutely not want to be part of?

What battle would I not want to be part of?  Hmm...  I would have to say the battle on the fields of Gondor.  Why?  Well, I wouldn't exactly like to be there when heads were being flung over the walls, much less be one of those heads. XP

9.  Would you rather eat a meal at Rivendell or Bag End?

I would rather eat a meal in Rivendell, with the sweet music playing, and the water and mountains in the background.  Breathing the fresh air, conversing with the elves.

10.  List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotes from the books or movies.

"It is our fight.  With every victory this evil will grow.  If your father has his way we will do nothing. We will hide within our halls away from the light and let the darkness descend.  Are we not part of this world?  Tell me, Melon, when did we let evil become stronger than us?"

~Tauriel

"Everythin' tastes like chicken."

"Except the chicken, which tastes like fish."

~The trolls

"If more of us valued food and song and cheer above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

~Thorin

"Misery me!"

~Bilbo

"We Hobbits ought to stick together, and we will.  I shall go, unless they chain me up.  There must be someone with intelligence in the party."

~Pippin

"The finest rockets ever seen

they burst in stars of blue and green

or after thunder golden shower

came falling like a rain of flowers."

~Sam

"I'm coming too, or neither of us isn't going.  I'll knock holes in all the boats first."

~Sam

"The night grew ever colder.  Aragorn and Gimli slept fitfully, and whenever they awoke they saw Legolas standing beside them, or walking to and fro, singing softly to himself in his own tongue, and as he sang the white stars opened in the hard black vault above."

~narrative, The Two Towers

"If you have walked all these days with closed ears and mind asleep, wake up now!"

~Gandalf

"And Frodo when he saw her (Arwen) coming glimmering in the evening, with stars on her brow and a sweet fragrance about her, was moved with great wonder, and he said to Gandalf, 'At last I understand why we have waited!  This is the ending.  Now not day only shall be beloved, but night too shall be beautiful and blessed and all its fear pass away!'"

~narrative, The Return of the King; Frodo

And I know I'm only supposed to do ten, but logically this isn't a quote from the story, so I just have to add it!

"The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places.  But still there is much that is fair.  And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater."

~J. R. R. Tolkien

Now, if you have not already seen the awesomeness, go check out the party and the giveaway!!!

The Party: Under the white pavilion under the party tree

The Giveaway: The white gate, with presents for all and sundry. =D

Get Ready, Get Set,...

GO CRAZY BECAUSE IT'S COMING!!!!!!!!!!!

An Unexpected Journey,

The Desolation of Smaug,

AND for the first time ever,

The Battle of Five Armies,

will be in theaters this October playing all three EXTENDED EDITIONS!!!!

IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!

^uh, YES!!!^

Anyway, *regains composure*

As you can see I am slightly excited.  Ok, super excited.

This is the link where you can find theaters in your area.  That, or see if you have to fly out and join me and dress up, for-

As you all may have guessed by now, I am planning to wear my Tauriel apparel to the theater again.  That, and perhaps my Legolas t-shirt. (an addition to my closet I had been meaning to post about, but never got around to)

(It is completely awesome in real life, but if you consider ever getting a juniors Hobbit shirt from the online shop, I would suggest ordering a size or two larger.  I'm probably normally a small or medium in juniors, and the medium of this is a close fit and almost too small.)

I had also once considered putting a tutorial on how to sew a Tauriel costume, but never got around to that either.  Perhaps I shall before the showing.

And, in light of the movies coming out, for Modest Monday I have decided to do...

I know it isn't exactly Monday anymore, but I wasn't able to post it then so I figured I might as well do it now, so without further ado,...

#1.  A Hobbit

I wore my long jean skirt, a sleeveless brown blouse(?), and a green sweater.  The last two I got at second hand stores.  Who knew, right?  I also wore a round gold locket that I have.

 Obviously I hadn't done my hair entirely, and bare feet would have been best, but I was in a bit of a hurry that day.

#2. Legolas

#3. Galadriel

#4. Frodo

#5. Sam

AND,

Until next time,

Namárië and God bless!

The Final Answer

My apologies for waiting to do this so long.  Without further ado, here is the final favorite character from my tag from Chloe.

Drumroll please...

10.  Frank Hopkins, Hidalgo,

He is extremely brave, kind, and thoughtful.  He's also very clever.  I'm very glad my mom had me watch this movie.  At first I refused because I could not get over the fact that Viggo Mortensen played a blond cowboy!  It is definitely my favorite now and I can't tell others about it enough!

Tookish Tag

Greetings!!

(*in Pippin accent*) I have apparently been tagged by my dear fellow LotR's fan, Chloe, to answer a few questions.  The rules are quite simple. Number one is to reference back to the Hobbit who mentioned you, two is to state your answers to the inquisitions, and the third is to name some of your fellow blogging Tolkienknights!

Before we start, you wouldn't mind if we stopped for elevensies, would you?

Ok, ok, here we go =)

1. How were you first introduced to LotR/TH and was it love at first sight/read?

I had heard about it from a couple of friends who watched it with their family every Thanksgiving.  I was very skeptical about it at first, thinking it was only more junk literature and no-good movies.  A few of my other friends were reading The Hobbit and encouraged me to read it as well.  I decided to ask my mom, and she said yes.  That was around the time when The Unexpected Journey was coming out.  While I was in the middle of the book, my parents went and saw it in the theater, coming home with the report that, though it was a great movie, I would never see it until I was at least 20.  That following spring I borrowed the trilogy from my uncle and was immediately hooked onto the fascinating world of Middle Earth.  I finished the books in less than a week.

  

2. If you could meet the actors who portray the characters in the movies, would you?

Most definitely!

3. What is your favorite credit song from LotR/TH?

Oh dear, must I chose?!?!?  It would be either I See Fire or The Last Goodbye.

4. The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit – which is your favorite? *evil laugh* (And no, you don’t actually have to decide. I’m merciful like that. *magnanimous smile*)

Although the Hobbit is wonderful, I do believe I favor LotR, mostly for the Catholic parallels.

5. Who is your favorite all-around character?

Oh this is troublesome indeed!  Then again, maybe not.  Come to think of it, most definitely not!

Legolas, or I'm not a Took!

6. What is your opinion on Boromir?

He broke my heart.  Though there were moments I could say I either disliked him or favored him, his confession to Aragorn healed all wrongs.

7. How many times have you watched the movies/read the books?

I've read The Hobbit twice, The Fellowship thrice, and the last two probably four times.  That doesn't count the times I've jumped from place to place, reading small bits and pieces of choice.  I've watched TUJ twice, TDoS once, the extended edition of TDoS twice, TLB twice, and the extended edition of TFotR once.

8. What book is your favorite?

The Two Towers is the best of them all.  Mostly because of the roles Aragorn and Legolas play in the story.

9. Who is your favorite female character (other than your answer to question #5)?

My favorite female character...  here's where you put me to the test, though I do believe Galadriel and Arwen are equal in my eyes, so I'll just say both.  A day has both a morning and an evening, right?

10. Who is your favorite male character (other than your answer to question #5)?

In the books, Aragorn is.  In the movies, Thorin. (keep in mind the second two LotR movies are still unseen by me.)

11. Which of the movies, in your opinion, has the best ending?

Of the ones I've seen, The Battle of Five Armies has the best ending.  I don't think many words can describe why.  I think the word that fits best here is triumph.  Triumph over darkness, over temptation, over evil.  Is that not our goal?

That is all for my answers!  I look forward to seeing...

Samantha's,

Emma's,

and your answers!!!

Feel free to jump in on this fun tag!  If you'd like, post the like to your answers in the comments and I'll head over to your part of the hill to see them.

Excuse me, I believe I hear my kettle on the stove is whistling.  Tea is at three, so stop been if you can!

Tag, You're It!

I have been tagged by Chloe to do a 10 Favorite Screen Character Tag.

All you have to do is list your ten favorite movie/tv characters, expound on them, and then tag ten bloggers.

This will definitely be hard, but I will try my best to pick 10, and only 10. Let the fun begin!

*these are all listed in no particular order.  Just because one character is higher up in the list does not mean I like him/her better than any other character.

       1. Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit.

He always loved the simple things in life, yet was willing to give up everything familiar to the call of adventure.  He kept his word, no matter what, and even put himself in grave danger for the sake of his friends.  Although he was a Hobbit, scared at times, and none the bravest, "I can only say that Hobbits are made of a stuff so tuff that I have never met the like of it." (~Aragorn)

Also, let's not forget to mention that his facial expressions are completely hysterical!

2. Thorin Oakenshield, The Hobbit.

He's loyal and true, and was willing to give his life for the Hobbit who had put them all in grave danger.  He never forgot his homeland, or his people that he cared very much about.  Dragon sickness is an ill which is quite dangerous, but in the end he overcame his greed, repented, and gave his life to end the defiler.  He's also one of the best singers I've ever heard, and is quite handsome, especially when he smiles.

3. Legolas Greenleaf, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Just the fact that he is an Elve would be enough for me to put him down here, but there is more to him than that.  In The Hobbit, he stayed true to Tauriel to the end, even though he could see she did not love him back.  When Thorin was on the edge of death, Legolas, though he did not care for the dwarves very much, saved his life and even gave Ocrist back to Thorin.  In The Lord of the Rings, words cannot describe my admiration of him.  When he sang the song of Nimrodel, the time he dwelt in Lothlorien, his journey to find the Hobbits, all are just so amazing to me that I long to be an Elve.  He is loyal to Aragorn and is not afraid when he is beckoned to journey through even the paths of the dead.  Besides, he is very cute and dashing.

4. Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, The Hobbit.

He is noble and courages, though slightly stubborn and unwilling to risk destroying his people.  He knows how great evil can be, having seen it in his earlier years, yet in a moment that could decide the fate of hundreds of people, he does the right things, sending his army to join the dwarves against the forces of darkness.  His people come first and foremost to him, though, and he does not want to watch them all die in war, even for a  good cause.  He loves Legolas, very much, but he loved  Legolas's mother more then anything, who was slain many years ago.  His heart was broken, and nothing could restore what evil had taken away.  He's also quite handsome and very cute, if you ask me.  I can't get over his voice, either, and how regal it sounds.

5. Tauriel, The Hobbit.

She fights for what is right, even if it means she is banished by her king.  It is for the love of light and truth that she knows will be surrounded by darkness if they do nothing, and then destroyed.  Although I disagree with her on her choice of her man, she is willing to sacrifice her life for him, though in the end he dies, and she does not.  She's braver than a lion, all through the journey, and is not afraid to fight for what's right. "Tell me Mellon, when did we let evil become stronger than us?" (~Tauriel)

I promise, not all of them are from Middle Earth!

6. Cosmo, Singing in the Rain.

He's on here because he is simply hysterical.  I love how he is always keeping comedy in the picture, even in some serious moments.  He's faithful to his friend, Don, even if when Don asks him to call him a cab, he does just that! "Ok, you're a cab." (~Cosmo)

7. Produce, Where Hope Grows.

Produce reminds us all that there is no secret to being happy.  It's faith, joy in the little things, and our choice to be happy that truly lead us to happiness, but faith always comes foremost.  He's so sweet and kind, and is not afraid to protect his friends.

8. Prince Philip, Sleeping Beauty.

Being my favorite disney prince, he is loyal and true.  What I love most, I think, is that he uses the sword of truth to defeat the dragon, a symbol that in the end truth will destroy evil.  He never gives up when trying to reach King Stephen's castle, to awaken his bride and love.  If I could say that my future husband should strive to be like any of the princes, I would chose Philip.  He's also handsome and has a wonderful voice.  

9. Aslan, The Chronicles of Narnia.

After all, he's not a tame lion.  Given all the words in my vocabulary, all that I've ever known, and all that I will know, I don't think I could say just what I feel about him.  He is, in fact, the very symbol of Jesus.  I think this quote sums up anything I could say about Aslan, being God and Christ.  "To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances, to seek him the greatest adventure, to find him the greatest human achievement." (~St. Augustine)

10. 

For now I do not have a #10, but I will get back to you after June 30th!

(I'll give you a hint as to why.  Click on the Beyond the Mask banner above the posts.)

Thank you again sweet Chloe for tagging me!

Namárië!

:Edit:

I'm so sorry!!!!!!!! I just now realized I forgot to tag people!!!!!!! D-:

Emma at A Bookworm's Majestic Adventures

Joy at Fullness of Joy

and anyone else who would like!!!!

My Middle Earth Adventure: Arwen Swimsuit

Hello all!

I have decided to be slightly adventurous and make my own swimsuit this year.  As I always try to keep modesty in mind by the pool, and I have this "little" thing with Middle Earth, it can be quite hard to find the PERFECT swimsuit.  Therefore, one does not simply compromise when a Tolkien fandom is involved. :)

I will be making a swim dress that is knee length with long shorts underneath.  My sister ordered one from a company online, Meant to be Modest, and I liked hers very much.  I would have ordered one from the same place, but as I wanted it to be more detailed with many adjustments, I knew it would be cheaper to make my own.  Plus it gives me a chance to expand my sewing skill. :) I have decided to make the swim dress based on Arwen's character.  I haven't seen the last two LotR movies, (oh, shock and disbelief!!!) but I am basing the swim dress more on her book character anyway.  Since she represents the evening, as Galadriel does the morning, (page 953 of The Return of the King) I will be using a dark blue and a grey fabric.

The blue I got Here, the grey I got Here, and the liner I got Here.

I am a little nervous about the blue, though, because, although I had wanted to get navy blue, they were out of it and the regular blue, so, I decided to go with what they call "Blueberry."
The package arrived yesterday, but I didn't realize I actually had to go open the door when the mailman rang the bell or else he would take the package with him and I would have to wait until the next morning to pick it up at the post office.  I now safely have the contents of my shipment but have not had the time to open the box yet.

For a liner, I had wanted to use white, but they were out of that too!!  I decided to go with a yellow instead, and pray for the best.  The one my sister has has a beige lining, and as it never really shows, I believe the yellow will be fine.  Once again, I am quite nervous!  Ok, VERY nervous!!

The grey will be used for the neckline and bracers, and the blue for everything else.  No, I'm not really making bracers for a swimsuit, (I do believe that would be slightly difficult when swimming) but I will only make the blue part of the sleeve half-length and finish the rest with grey.  I might add a little blue to the end of the sleeve to give it more of the bracer illusion.

I'll probably post pictures of the fabric once I get them out of the box, and hopefully they'll look as good as I'm praying they are. : /

Namárië!