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!

My Middle Earth Adventure: Arwen Swimsuit, Part 3

WHENEVER you make ANY sort of sewing project, ALWAYS THINK THINGS COMPLETELY THROUGH FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have learned this lesson the hard way.

I decided that, when ordering the new navy blue fabric, I would also buy a yard of grey fabric.  All in all it was not the wisest decision for my wallet, but if I am going to take the time to make this, I am going to make it perfect and right.  My mom always says before buying something, "Don't buy it if you're not going to like it."  We all know, if you don't like something, you won't end up wearing it!

Thus I have started returning the old grey fabric, which, after consideration, was just too blue-grey for me.  I am glad to finally have the fabric part of the plan all worked out, and I have started working on the next step; the pattern.

Ah, the pattern!

What I used to make my pattern:

• Wrapping paper
• A sharpie
• My sister's swimsuit (to base the pattern off of)
• My giant pillow pet dog (trust me, he helped!!! :))

I based it (for the most part) off of my sis's swim dress, with a few slight adjustments.

(Click on the pictures for a larger image)

For the skirt I traced a dotted line around the edge, making it slightly wider at the hips, then I traced it with a solid line, which is what I cut on.  I left a little under an inch for seam allowance, seeing that the fabric probably won't need to much detail when sewing together.

I had forgotten that I was lengthening the skirt a bit (I'm a good deal taller than my sis) and therefore, working with paper I had previously cut from for a different pattern, I didn't leave enough room when marking the bottom of the pattern to complete the cut out.  Fortunately, I also forgot that when making a symmetrical cut, you only need 1 full half of the pattern, which is what I now have.

For the bodice I did the same thing I did with the skirt, creating a dotted line, and then a solid line for seam allowance.  When I first traced the pattern (upper left) I made the bottom up against the edge of the paper, then realized I needed to leave room for the v-shaped waistline.  I retraced a new pattern, leaving plenty of room on the bottom for the v-shape since I'm not entirely sure how low I want the dip to be.  For the sleeves I'll use the pattern I already had from my Tauriel costume, but I won't cut the material to the full length since I'm adding the silver bracers.

I made a new tailored pattern that is more rounded and slightly longer.

The patterns I still have yet to make are for the neckline (or I might just guess at that when the dress is made) and the shorts.  Plus my deadline is the 20th, less than 2 weeks away!  Pray that I get it all done in time!

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, Part 2

I have some good news, and some bad news.

The bad news is that when I opened my package containing the fabric I did NOT like the blue.  It was way too purple.  Plus what's more, when I unfolded the yellow liner, I found it to be quite stained, a corner was cut off, there was tape in it, and it had been cut down the middle and sown back together.  That was quite a disappointment.

The good news is that I found a different fabric on amazon that is a way better color.  I also really liked the grey.

So, I will be returning the blue and yellow, keeping the grey, and purchasing a navy blue.

What I am kicking myself for is not thinking of looking up the same type of fabric anywhere else before I ordered the wrong color of blue instead of just praying it wasn't as bright as the picture showed.

Anyway, while I wait for the fabric, I'll probably start making a pattern.  I found a really great tutorial for that here.  I did the same thing when I made my Tauriel costume.

Namárië!

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!

Tolkien Trivia Answers

Greetings!

Two weeks ago I posted a Tolkien Trivia, and promised that I would post the answers today.  Therefore, here they are. :)

1. What is the name and title of Lord Elrond's ring?

Vilya, the ring of air

2. Who really banished Sauron from Dol Guldor?

Saruman.

3. Why is September 22nd National Hobbit Day?

Sept. 22nd is Bilbo and Frodo's birthday.

4. If Middle Earth had existed, where did Tolkien say Hobbiton would have been in England?

I'm afraid I must apologize and confess I misunderstood the statement I read.  It was not where in England but that Hobbiton is the span of Oxford in England.

5. How old is Pippin in The Return of the King?

When talking to Bergil, son of Beregond, he proudly states he is 29.

6. What is Saruman called by the Elves?

He is known to the elves as Curunír.

7.What firework does Gandalf save for the last of the show at Bilbo's birthday party?

c. The Lonely Mountain and the dragon, Smaug

8. What is J. R. R. Tolkien's full name?

John Ronald Ruel Tolkien.

What are the names of the 13 dwarves?

Thorin, Fili, Kili, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Nori, Dori, Ori, Gloin, Oin, Dwalin, and Balin.

10. What nursery rhyme does Tolkien elaborate on that Frodo sings at The Prancing Pony?

Hey Diddle Diddle.

11. Which of the dwarves plays the harp at Bilbo's house?

Thorin.

12. Who are the S.B.s?

Bilbo's snubby, thieving cousins, the Sackville-Bagginses, whom he would rather not encounter.

13. How many is one gross?

A term representing 144, but it is usually not used when describing people.

14. What are the names of the three elves who greet the Fellowship at the edge of Lothlorien?

Haldir and his brothers, Rúmil and Orophin.

15. What did Tolkien originally want to name The Return of the King?

He feared The Return of the King would give away too much of the plot, so he wanted to title it The War of the Ring.

And the Bonus Question!

16. What is Fangorn's full name?

Here we go:

Ok, I lied.  I KNOW I found it somewhere, but as I didn't not take the time to memorize the un-hasty Entish name, I can not find it now that it comes time to post it to all who have been waiting!

Well, of course that is how things turn out for those who are too hasty, hoom hom, hoom hom. ;)

Until next time!

(Sorry, I just had to, if you take my meaning, Mr. Frodo. ;))

Modest Monday

Today was a beautiful, overcast, make-a-book-worm-happy kind of day.

For some reason he is a very sensitive dog when it comes to thunderstorms.  My mom, sis and I spent a good part of our morning in the laundry room with the fan on.

After all was said and done he was pretty tuckered out!

Anyway, after the Monday report, here comes Modest Monday!

Inspired by this quote (my favorite of all time!) and one of my favorite characters,...

...here is an outfit that totally shouts. "I AM A TOLKIEN FAN!!!!!!" (Surprising, right?! =D)

God bless, Namárië, and have a wonderful rest of the week!

Tolkien Trivia

Greetings!

I thought it would be a fun idea to test you all on your knowledge of Middle Earth and all things Tolkien!

The rules are simple:

• No using Google!!! (I understand it's tempting, but YOU SHALL NOT PASS If you use it!! ;))
• Answer as many or as few as you would like.
• Have fun!

Our Journey begins!

:SPOILER WARNING:

If you have not read the books, you may discover some surprises!  These questions are based on facts from the books.

1. What is the name and title of Lord Elrond's ring?

2. Who really banished Sauron from Dul Guldor?

3. Why is September 22nd National Hobbit Day?

4. If Middle Earth had existed, where did Tolkien say Hobbiton would have been in England?

5. How old is Pippin in The Return of the King?

6. What is Saruman called by the Elves?

7. What firework does Gandalf save for the last of the show at Bilbo's birthday party?

                    a. A large, green tree that burst into bloom

                    b. A river in the image of running horses

                    c. The Lonely Mountain and the dragon, Smaug

8. What is J. R. R. Tolkien's full name?

9. What are the names of the 13 dwarves?

10. What nursery rhyme does Tolkien elaborate on that Frodo sings at The Prancing Pony?

11. Which of the dwarves plays the harp at Bilbo's house?

12. Who are the S.B.s?

13. How many is one gross?

14. What are the names of the three elves who greet the Fellowship at the edge of Lothlorien?

15. What did Tolkien originally want to name The Return of the King?

(Bonus Question!)

16. What is Fangorn's full name?

I hope you have fun answering these questions!

I'll post the answers to the questions in two weeks.

Namárië!

Modesty and Feminism

To start at the beginning, for Lent I wore skirts every day.  I decided to do it in order to get more in the habit of being modest.

Recently my family and I were out in the yard pulling weeds. (homeschool perk!)   As I was shifting positions, I realized I couldn't just move any-which way.  I normally do yard work in shorts or pants, moving freely and sitting in any old stance.  With a skirt, it's much harder to do that, almost forcing you to have to sit or kneel in lady-like positions.  But, considering I am a lady, it just seems fitting that I should sit like one.  Girls wearing shorts or pants have blurred the the lines between girls and boys.  Modesty is a way to keep those lines clearer.  Boys shouldn't wear skirts anymore than, I'm beginning to realize, girls should wear pants.  We can still do the same things boys can, but in a more feminine way.  God created male and female, and we should keep it that way.

Also, for Modest Monday...

Totally Modest Tuesday

So yesterday was another crazy fun and busy day, so I wasn't able to post Modest Monday.  I just HAD to post this skirt, though, because I love it so much!!!

The tutorial on how to make it is here.  I will definitely be making this in the near future!