January = Dragonkeeper, curry, + Big Hero 6

Hi guys,

I've decided to do these posts at the end of the month so that I can give you a recap on what has happened this month, as well as reviews and personal opinion.

I'll start with book of the month, this month I have re-read a Children's book called Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson. I couldn't remember what happened in this book so I read it again because I knew I liked it before and I really enjoyed it :) I believe the suggested age group is grade 5-6 (10-13 years olds) which I totally I agree with but it's also a fun read for the young at heart. For example I'm 16 and I enjoyed it, but then, I don't mind reading Children's book so long as their interesting or they bring back a sense of nostalgia :) Anyway this is a great read and I would rate it 100%, 5 out of 5. Not because this is the most fantastic novel I've ever read, but because it is a wonderful children's book and although it is not my favourite book, it is an all-round, perfectly written story and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series: Garden of the Purple Dragon.

I made only one (proper) meal this month and that was an easy-peasy recipe I got off the jar of Patak's Korma Paste. It's super mild (not hot at all in fact) and so it's perfect for kids (or adults) who don't like things too spicy. Or, you can add your own spices. I used the recipe on the jar and also added in a capsicum and a carrot (they were basically the only veggies we had but you can add whatever else you want) which I blitzed up in the food processor (If you're cooking dishes for kids with ingredients they don't like, either blend it up so small so that they can't see it, cannot tell what it is, or can't taste it distinctly. Or, chop it big enough to be picked out easily).

And now for the highlight of January. This month my brother, mother, and I went to see Big Hero 6 in cinemas and it was amazing! I highly recommend getting it on DVD because it was sooo good! It was the best movie I've seen in a while. There's nothing else I can say about it you just have to see it!
 Hopefully I'm not raising your expectations too high so that you are let down (I find the movies I enjoyed most are the movies I knew very little about, or wasn't expecting to love so much). So Big Hero 6 was a huge thumbs up from me and but I won't tell you what I rate it because I don't want to get your hopes up too high only to be let down when you see it. Lets just say it was it was refreshing to see an original (I hope) Disney film that was made so perfectly after what seems like a run of movies where Disney has run out of ideas.


I also went to see Into The Woods with my cousins and my cousin and I both agreed that the movie was (in my words) strange and (in her words) odd. That's about all I can say about Into The Woods. It was strange and I don't know if I really enjoyed it. I would not recommend it (to anyone).

Also this month I went to Madame Tussauds in Sydney with my cousins for the first time and got a picture taken with a beautiful (and slightly intimidating) wax model of Johnny Depp. It's a shame they don't have a certain Loki in the museum in Sydney but I guess I'll just have to go to the U.K for that (and possibly see him in person there too).
Can I just go off topic here for a moment and say I am really excited and nervous at the same time.
Reasons to be exited: Year 11, which is exciting because I'm finally doing subjects that I (hopefully) want to do, which means less than 2 years of high school left, which means choices, which means one of those choices could mean travel (which I so want to do).
Reasons to be nervous: Year 11, which means hard work, which means HSC coming up, which means high school is almost finished, which means choices, which means one of those choices could mean university (which I really want to do) - but uni will be expensive :( so that's why I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. Anyway back on track, Madam Tassauds was very cool and the previous day I also went to the Circus Factory at the Powerhouse Museum and that was really fun. Lots of fun to be had for kids and I was particularly obsessed with a trick where you spun a plate-like-thing on top of a stick-rod-thing. Unfortunately they didn't sell any in the gift shop and you'd have to buy it from a circus shop if you wanted it which was disappointing because I did want it.

Back to books, I've started reading Firesong (which I will talk about later) but it's so boring at the moment and I can't get into but hopefully I will get through it in February. It's a small book so it shouldn't take long it's just that I can't get into it D: Our English class has also been given a book which I will talk about next month as well.

Well that's all for now, hope you all had a wonderful first month of 2015 (I hope the rest of this year is as good) and I'll see you in February :)

Jody

Formula X, Insta-Dri, and Grow Stronger Review

Hi guys,

Saturday night I did my nails using Essie's Grow Stronger base coat, Formula X nail colour and Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Top Coat.

I don't know as of yet whether the Grow Stronger base coat actually works but you can read a review on 'So Nailicious'. I can say however that the base coat STINKS. And I mean, REALLY BAD. I honestly don't know if I've ever smelled a nail polish as bad as the Essie Grow Stronger base coat, so there's a warning for you. I do plan on collecting some of the Essie Base Coats (and some Top Coats too) so when I eventually do get new ones I'll let you know if they smell any more bearable than the Grow Stronger!

The Formula X comes in an awesome bottle but unfortunately the brush is really small (i.e. thin) which makes it really hard to apply nail polish to the whole nail in one fell swoop (or even a few swoops) which is a bummer. I do like the colour though so I would recommend looking at other Formula X products because they so have a great colour range so you are sure to find something you love.

All three polishes however, dried really quickly. Seriously, they were touch dry within a minute (or two). Which was excellent, because it meant less smudging and I was able to do one of the best nail jobs I've ever done (I'm not that good at applying nail polish and my nails aren't that good either so don't judge me).

I'm not sure whether it was me or the polishes or a combination of both that caused my nails to chip within the first day of wearing them, but I believe it was a combination of factors that caused the early chipping of my nail polish. First of all, I let my nails grow out a little longer this time. Usually I trim them right down before painting but this time I let them grow out about 2mm out which meant more exposure and therefore more opportunity for damage. Also, I went swimming on Sunday and Monday which may not have helped the longevity of my nail polish either. So due to the environmental factors it is hard to consider whether the top coat and base coat were successful or not but I will continue to use them as well as test out the longevity of the nail polish without them so I can make a comparison for you.

Hope you are all having an enjoyable holiday! Until next time then.

Jody

2015 Goals

Hi guys,

Sorry I haven't written a post in ages. Next year I will try and be less slack.
First of all, how was your Christmas? Good I hope, or at least bearable ;) And hopefully you're enjoying your holidays as well.
Instead of New Years resolutions, which I don't do anyway, I'm going to try and set some goals for myself in the new year. First of all, I plan to blog more. Hopefully I will remember and hopefully I will have the time (year 11 next year). I plan to do more reviews and hopefully...
But two very important things that I will attempting next year is to cook a meal at least once a month and read a book at least once a month. I will allow myself to to do it more than once but the bare minimum is once per month. So get ready for at least 12 recipes and 12 books to follow along with in the new year.

Books to read in 2015:

1. Uglies
2. The Host
3. Firesong
4. Dragonkeeper
5. Storm boy
6. Danny the Champion of the World 
7. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
8. Deception
9. Deliverance
10. The Scorch Trials
11. Death Cure
12. Where She Went
13. The Rosie Project
14. Malala

There will be more to add to the list hopefully but this will do me for at least one book a month.
Well it's about 6 hours until 2015 so Happy New Year! Hope 2015 is truly great for you and I'll write soon!
Goodbye for now!

Jody

Party!

Hi guys,

So Saturday was my birthday, hip hip, hooray! I turned 16 :) So naturally I had to have an awesome cake that just blew all the other ones away. So my cousin and I attempted the impossible mission of creating a Finding Nemo cake using these 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 tutorials and this picture as inspiration. We made the cake on Saturday and the party was on Sunday.

Can I just say that my cousin and I did awesome! Granted I did end up spending quite a bit of money on the supplies necessary for the cake but it was so worth it! I think the saddest part is that we spent all day Saturday making it and on Sunday it was revealed a minute before we cut the cake so it would be a surprise. Next time, if I spend that much time on a cake, it's not going to be left a surprise, I want there to be time to admire the cake before we cut it. Because it was just sooooooo saadd that we spent all that work on it, only to be seen untouched for less than a minute before covering it with candles and swiftly chopping it up! But everyone loved it, despite how briefly they were allowed to see it. And it tasted delicious! I used this recipe along with the frosting recipe, which I think pretty much lived up to it's name, although I won't say it's the best. I will save that for when I really do try the best ever chocolate cake.

 I don't mean to brag but, my presents were awesome too! The whole party was so perfect. My dad cooked a banquet of delicious food. As well as delicious snacks. And my party decorations were pretty great too if I do say so myself! I used pre-cut paper garland strips from Typo (I got it on sale at DFO) and blew up and tied balloons everywhere! Sorry I'm using a lot of exclamation marks, but it really was a happy day - at least up until the point on Sunday night when I realised it was school tomorrow :(
So for presents I got 3 bottles of Kester Black nail polish in the colours Acid, Bondi Rays, and Supernova. I got The Hand Book (a collaboration between Kester Black and Trophy Wife). an adorable OMM Fox plate from Made590. Also from Made 590 was two rolls of washi tape (dark blue with transparent stars, and glittery dark blue!) I also got LUSH stuff. Phoenix Rising bath bomb, Miranda soap, The Godmother soap, and Bubblegum Lip Scrub! Which I've been wanting for ages! It's basically sugar with colours and flavours in it but it tastes and smells so good! I also got a beautiful Melinda Young necklace, an awesome lava lamp, more washi tape and a washi tape book, a WWF species adoption, a fr***in' weekend in Melbourne with my cousin to see The Lion King Musical!!! and so much more. I'm so lucky and I was so happy to receive all these gifts. I hope it doesn't sound like I'm bragging. Well, it probably does. Sorry about that then. Oh well maybe it will give you ideas of what to ask for for your next birthday or Christmas present!

And later on, inspired by my washi tape book that I was given, I washi taped my bookshelf! Looks so cool!!

I don't know if I can ever exceed the levels of that awesome cake, so I think I'll just do sweet and simple cakes for myself from now on. But I must say, it was fun to make with my cousin! Just a lot of effort and very time consuming.

Anyway that's all for now. Hope you liked this post!

Jody