tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838339534607485902024-03-06T00:35:35.597-05:00my mental enigmakrenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-31048420188045501702011-01-25T11:32:00.003-05:002011-01-25T11:35:46.512-05:00new blogsI recently created two other blogs. The first is a blog about my travels abroad which began this month.<br /><br />http://vacanzeromaneaudreystyle.blogspot.com/<br /><br />The second is for my photo a day project. Basically, I post a different picture every day.<br /><br />http://gangstersteve-ajourney.blogspot.com/<br /><br />enjoy :]krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-21424720200826362292010-10-16T15:09:00.001-04:002010-10-16T15:11:09.557-04:00My hat!! :)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-P985LU9ZusXzpwK9BFd33RLRv3sLNvmZZ8va6kSp-ubCnEVp0_tUrqWIHPgiCbhtYwSsPQvXXyPZCciUP421d7JY-tpRAlXVfkHLQQ_7mJk-yBdD3BvicidVNMMDaoyxj1Svd-Y0Low/s1600/2010-09-08+16.35.03.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-P985LU9ZusXzpwK9BFd33RLRv3sLNvmZZ8va6kSp-ubCnEVp0_tUrqWIHPgiCbhtYwSsPQvXXyPZCciUP421d7JY-tpRAlXVfkHLQQ_7mJk-yBdD3BvicidVNMMDaoyxj1Svd-Y0Low/s320/2010-09-08+16.35.03.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528723220732414914" /></a><br /><br />This is a picture of my very first crocheted hat. :) It's a bit too small around the opening, but I consider that to be irrelevant. hahakrenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-9283807066873777202010-10-16T14:39:00.004-04:002010-10-16T14:52:05.823-04:00How it's Hanging. :)So, it has been a long time since I've posted and you might have been wondering what has been going on and why that may be. Well, to be frank, I've been very busy. Right now, I'm taking seven classes and working 26 hours a week, so time to read and write about it has been short. However, I have been rereading the <span style="font-style:italic;">Wheel of Time</span> series in preparation for the release of the 13th book, <span style="font-style:italic;">Towers of Midnight</span> on November 2nd. Also up and coming is Lauren Willig's new addition to the <span style="font-style:italic;">Pink Carnation</span> series <span style="font-style:italic;">The Mischief of the Mistletoe</span>, which will be released on October 28th. Thus, all of my recent reading has been centered around these two series. I have also begun crocheting again and have made my first hat. I am currently working on another hat; pictures will be forthcoming. So now, I will return to my chai tea and Robert Jordan's <span style="font-style:italic;">Crossroads of Twilight</span> in what appears to be a limited window of free time.<br />Cheers!krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-16288540934188190862010-05-26T13:27:00.003-04:002010-05-26T13:30:26.849-04:00The Pink Carnation of Hands and Feet ContestAbby Stevens's contest is for a signed copy of either <span style="font-style:italic;">The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</span> by Lauren Willig or <span style="font-style:italic;">The Forests of Hands and Teeth</span> by Carrie Ryan. Check it out:<br /><a href="http://www.abbystevens.com/2010/05/pink-carnation-of-hands-and-teeth.html">http://www.abbystevens.com/2010/05/pink-carnation-of-hands-and-teeth.html</a>krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-56369588799196526412010-01-26T15:56:00.004-05:002010-01-26T16:08:48.258-05:00City of MasksI recently finished reading <span style="font-style:italic;">City of Masks</span> by Mary Hoffman. It is the first in her Stravaganza series and it definitely drew me in. It was really easy to relate to the main characters, Arianna, a young girl who lives in the lagoons of Bellezza, which is the 16th century Venice of an alternate world, and Luciano, a young boy from present day London, England who has cancer. I can't say too much without giving it away, but the plot really draws you in and the character development throughout the book is absorbing, especially because the series is meant for children and young teens. You really feel like you're walking the streets of Bellezza and steering the mandola (as they call gondolas in this alternate world) right along with the characters. The book draws on the natural beauty of Venice and you can see it in every aspect of Bellezza. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love for Italy or just a good story.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-49406793490772909622010-01-14T21:59:00.003-05:002010-01-14T22:12:12.392-05:00The Betrayal of the Blood LilyOkay, so I finished <span style="font-style:italic;">The Betrayal of the Blood Lily</span> by Lauren Willig today. I must say that it surpassed my expectations. I was really looking forward to reading it, but at the same time I was kind of hesitant because of how different from the previous books it was - completely different setting, the main character already being married. But it was really good. The character development was more pronounced in this novel than the previous, for both Penelope and Captain Reid. Once I started, I could barely put the book down, which is slightly detrimental to the whole going to class and doing homework and working thing that I'm apparently expected to do as a college student. No one seems to take into account that I would rather be reading. More's the pity. Ha. Thus I have read this novel over the dragging pace of three days. It was brutal to have to pause to do practical things like class. But anyway, I would definitely recommend this book as well as the rest of the Pink Carnation series. Unlike some series where the quality of the books steadily declines the more that are written, I have found that each installment in the Pink Carnation series meets, indeed surpasses, expectations, not a small feat when there are already six books out. :)krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-53328732439146764532010-01-09T21:56:00.004-05:002010-01-09T22:00:38.279-05:00Reading ChallengesOkay, so I've recently picked up a few reading challenges. I'm not sure if I'll have time to finish them all, but I figure that it's worth a shot. I'll try to write at least something about each book I read and if it relates to a challenge, then I will put a label on it for whichever challenge(s) it applies to. I'm really hoping I can finish them because I would generally rather read then do schoolwork. (Not that that helps my gpa much.) So, anyway, I have a list of books I am currently reading on the right side of this page. When I finish them, they will be labeled accordingly.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-21353018330285022222009-12-11T23:59:00.001-05:002009-12-12T00:01:21.674-05:0015 Days!I have a couple Christmas sayings for today.<br /><br /><br />He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith<br /><br /><br />Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. ~Mary Ellen Chasekrenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-57992849660154179822009-12-11T01:00:00.001-05:002009-12-11T01:02:50.665-05:0016 Days!Today I have a fun fact.<br /><br />The Swedish, Norwegian and Danish word for Christmas is Jul, which happens to be the abbreviation for July in English. When you translate "Christmas in July" to Swedish you get "Jul i Juli".krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-5323571734366872972009-12-09T14:51:00.002-05:002009-12-09T14:54:44.240-05:0017 Days!Today, I have a Christmas craft!<br /><br />Reindeer Ornament<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kaboose.com/imageLibrary/117x150_rudolphornie3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 117px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.kaboose.com/imageLibrary/117x150_rudolphornie3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />What you'll need:<br /><br /> * ¼ sheet of light brown craft foam<br /> * 2 glitter gold chenille sticks<br /> * 2 medium wiggle eyes<br /> * 1 red glitter pom pom<br /> * 6-8 inches of ribbon<br /> * White craft glue or hot glue gun<br /> * Scissors <br /><br />How to make it:<br /><br /> 1. To make the head, cut 2 tear drop shapes from the craft foam.<br /> 2. To make the ears, cut a small oval, then cut it in half lengthwise.<br /> 3. Bend each chenille stick in half, then bend and twist them to form two antlers.<br /> 4. Glue the ears toward the top of the round end of one of the tear drop shapes. Tip: Hot glue works much faster.<br /> 5. Glue antlers to the top of the same oval shape.<br /> 6. For the hanger, fold ribbon in half and glue the open ends together in between the two antlers.<br /> 7. Glue the second oval shape to the back of the first oval to create the back of the reindeer’s head. This sandwiches the ears, antlers and hanger inside the two tear drop shapes and gives the ornament a more finished look.<br /> 8. Glue on wiggle eyes.<br /> 9. Glue on red pom pom for nose at the pointed end of the tear drop.<br /> 10. Allow to dry completely. <br /><br />Tips:<br /><br /> * Check the holiday section of the craft store for glitter chenille sticks and pom poms.<br /> * To make it easier for younger children, either draw the shapes onto the craft foam for them, or cut out the shapes yourself ahead of time.<br /> * Foam can be found in abundance at your local craft or discount department store in a variety of colors. You can even buy mini buckets full of various different shapes, colors and sizes.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-70123804304027375552009-12-08T21:32:00.001-05:002009-12-08T21:37:27.690-05:0018 Days!Today I have a recipe for you! :)<br /><br />Gingerbread Biscotti<br /><br />1 cup almonds, blanched<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />1/4 lb butter<br />1/2 cup dark molasses<br />1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced<br />3 eggs<br />3 cups flours<br />1/2 tablespoons baking powder<br />1 tablespoon cinnamon, ground<br />1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground<br />1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground<br />1/2 teaspoon allspice, ground<br /><br />Place almonds in a 8 to 9 inch square pan. Bake in a 350 F. oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool, coarsely chop, and set aside. In large bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, molasses, and ginger until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. In a bowl, stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and almonds. Add to egg mixture; stir to blend. On two greased 12x15 inch baking sheets, use well-floured hands to pat dough into 4 flat loaves, spacing them evenly on sheets; each loaf should be about 1/2 inch thick, 2 inches wide and the length of the baking sheet. Bake in a 350 F. oven until browned at edges and springy to touch, about 25 minutes; switch positions of pans halfway through<br />baking. Let loaves stand on baking sheets until cool to touch, then cut into long, 1/2-inch thick diagonal slices. On baking sheets, arrange<br />slices close together with a cut side down. Return to oven and bake at 350 F. until cookies are brown, 15 to 18 minutes longer; switch positions of pans halfway through baking. Transfer biscotti to racks and let cool completely. Serve, or store airtight up to 1 month; freeze for longer storage.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-59878435765825621392009-12-07T14:22:00.003-05:002009-12-08T21:36:15.928-05:0019 Days!here is a coloring book page for you to celebrate the holiday spirit! :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kf0sq0U_o59sGtzoEdXNu3VFC1fixPo2bezZLONLwpji9ld3GSwZPufZw1eDflPyPQzlfxvUX3XO9m1su5hNTs91RID_1IhsuKQSfc44BNdEYGL-d6jvDrFc2i0BppiFMutEk6nk-IiV/s400/disney+coloring+pages+%284%29.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 342px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kf0sq0U_o59sGtzoEdXNu3VFC1fixPo2bezZLONLwpji9ld3GSwZPufZw1eDflPyPQzlfxvUX3XO9m1su5hNTs91RID_1IhsuKQSfc44BNdEYGL-d6jvDrFc2i0BppiFMutEk6nk-IiV/s400/disney+coloring+pages+%284%29.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a>krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-55419384965603752392009-12-06T13:11:00.001-05:002009-12-06T13:14:30.019-05:0020 Days!I have a song for you today. :)<br /><br />Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer<br /><br />Grandma got run over by a reindeer.<br />Walking home from our house Christmas eve.<br />You can say there's no such thing as Santa,<br />But as for me and grandpa we believe.<br />She'd been drinking too much eggnog,<br />And we begged her not to go.<br />But she forgot her medication, and she<br />Staggered out the door into the snow.<br />When we found her Christmas morning,<br />At the scene of the attack,<br />She had hoof-prints on her forehead,<br />And incriminating Claus marks on her back.<br /><br />Now we're all so proud of grandpa,<br />He's been taking this so well.<br />See him in there watching football,<br />Drinking root beer and<br />Playing cards with Cousin Mel.<br />It's not Christmas without Grandma,<br />All the family's dressed in black<br />And we just can't help but wonder:<br />Should we open up her gifts,<br />Or send them back?<br />Send them back!!<br /><br />Now the goose is on the table<br />And the pudding made of fig<br />And the blue and silver candles<br />That would just have matched<br />The hair on grandma's wig.<br />I've warned all my<br />Friends and neighbors<br />Better watch out for yourselves,<br />They should never give a license<br />To a man who drives a sleigh<br />And plays with elves.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-49915159018817130682009-12-05T22:16:00.002-05:002009-12-08T21:36:32.110-05:0021 Days!Another random fun fact:<br />According to historical accounts, the first Christmas in the Philippines was celebrated two hundred years before Ferdinand Magellan discovered the country for the western world, likely between the years 1280 and 1320 AD.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-32353750188019587382009-12-04T12:06:00.003-05:002009-12-08T21:36:45.063-05:0022 Days!Today, I have a random fun fact about Christmas!<br /><br />In the Ukraine, it is considered to be good luck to find a spider on Christmas morning. This is based on a folk tale about a woman who was so poor that she couldn't afford Christmas decorations. According to this tale, she awoke on Christmas morning to find that spiders had covered her children's tree with webs. When the sun shone on the tree, the webs turned to silver and gold. Ukrainian Christmas trees often feature an artificial spider and web decoration.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-46008205486655812102009-12-03T22:10:00.001-05:002009-12-03T22:13:34.412-05:0023 Days!The Fairy Christmas<br />by Etheldred B. Barry<br />It was Christmas Day, and Toddy and Tita were alone. Papa and mamma had gone out West to see their big boy who was ill. They had promised to be home for Christmas, but a big snow had blocked the railroad track, and nurse was afraid the train would be delayed until the day after Christmas. What a dull Christmas for two little girls, all alone in the great city house, with only the servants! They felt so lonely that nurse let them play in the big drawing-room instead of in the nursery, so they arranged all the chairs in a row, and pretended it was a snowed-up train. Tita was the conductor, and Toddy was the passengers. Just as they were in the midst of it, they heard music in the street, and, running to the window, they saw a little boy outside, singing and beating a tambourine.<br /><br />"Why," said Tita, "his feet are all bare!"<br /><br />"Dess he hanged up bofe stockin's an' his shoes, too," said Toddy.<br /><br />"Let's open the window and ask him."<br /><br />But the great window was too high to reach, so they took papa's cane and pushed it tip. The little boy smiled, but they could not hear what he said, so they told him to come in, and ran to open the big front door. He was a little frightened at first, but the carpet felt warm to his poor bare feet.<br /><br />He told them that his name was Guido, and that he had come from Italy, which is a much warmer country than ours, and that he was very poor, so poor that he had no shoes, and had to go singing from house to house for a few pennies to get some dinner. And he was so hungry.<br /><br />"Poor little boy!" said Tita. "Our mamma is away, and we're having a pretty sad Christmas, but we'll try to make it nice for you."<br /><br />So they played games, and Guido sang to them. Then the folding doors rolled back, and there was the dining-room and the table all set, and Thomas, the black waiter, smiling, just as if it had been a big dinner party instead of two very little girls. Nurse said: "Well, I never!" when she saw Guido, but she felt so sorry for the lonely little girls that she let him come to the table. And such a dinner as he ate! He had never had one like it before. "It is a fairy tale," he said.<br /><br />Just as dessert came on, the door opened and in rushed mamma and papa; the train had gotten in, after all. They were so glad to see their darlings happy instead of moping that they gave them each some extra kisses. You may be sure little Guido never went hungry and barefoot after that. Long afterward he would say: "That was a fairy Christmas!"<br /><br />That night, after Tita had said her prayers, she said:<br /><br />"Mamma, I know something. Whenever you feel sad and lonely, if you will just find somebody sadder and lonelier than yourself and cheer them up, it will make you all right."<br /><br /><br />http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/christmas/stories/the-fairy-christmas.htmlkrenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-80901554944549861722009-12-02T14:15:00.004-05:002009-12-02T14:21:50.242-05:0024 Days til Christmas!Today, I have a Christmas joke.<br /><br />What goes "OH, OH, OH"?<br /><br />And before the answer, I have an Irish Christmas song!<br /><br />Christmas in Killarney<br /><br />The holly green, the ivy green<br />The prettiest picture you've ever seen<br />Is Christmas in Killarney<br />With all of the folks at home<br /><br />It's nice, you know, to kiss your beau<br />While cuddling under the mistletoe<br />And Santa Claus you know, of course<br />Is one of the boys from home<br /> <br />The door is always open<br />The neighbors pay a call<br />And Father John before he's gone<br />Will bless the house and all<br /><br />How grand it feels to click your heels<br />And join in the fun of the jigs and reels<br />I'm handing you no blarney<br />The likes you've never known<br />Is Christmas in Killarney<br />With all of the folks at home<br /><br /><br />To hear the carol, you can go to the following link:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.of-ireland.info/holidays/carols.html"></a><br /><br />Answer: Santa walking backwards!krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-8014316193792435412009-12-01T20:29:00.004-05:002009-12-01T20:36:17.620-05:0025 Days of Christmas!Okay, so every day in December until Christmas I will be posting something related to Christmas. It could be a riddle or a song or a video or anything else I can find. :)<br />So here's the first installment!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DKk9rv2hUfA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DKk9rv2hUfA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-32805859169535801162009-12-01T14:30:00.004-05:002009-12-01T20:00:14.753-05:00The Road Not Taken by Robert FrostOkay, so this is my all-time favorite poem. So I decided to post it. I have known it by heart for years, but I still enjoy reading it. :) Robert Frost was amazing!<br /><br /><blockquote>Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, <br />And sorry I could not travel both <br />And be one traveler, long I stood <br />And looked down one as far as I could <br />To where it bent in the undergrowth;<br /> <br />Then took the other, as just as fair, <br />And having perhaps the better claim, <br />Because it was grassy and wanted wear; <br />Though as for that the passing there <br />Had worn them really about the same,<br /> <br />And both that morning equally lay <br />In leaves no step had trodden black. <br />Oh, I kept the first for another day! <br />Yet knowing how way leads on to way, <br />I doubted if I should ever come back.<br /> <br />I shall be telling this with a sigh <br />Somewhere ages and ages hence: <br />Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— <br />I took the one less traveled by, <br />And that has made all the difference.</blockquote>krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-27678803559237076992009-11-30T23:52:00.004-05:002009-12-01T14:00:21.127-05:00The Masque of the Black TulipSo, I finished <span style="font-style:italic;">The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</span> today. It was as good as always. :) I got sick in my first class this morning so I decided to utilize my time by reading. So, needless to say, I have already begun rereading <span style="font-style:italic;">The Masque of the Black Tulip</span>. This was done in place of the math test I should have been preparing for. I think it was a more than fair trade and am quite happy with my decision.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283833953460748590.post-62365189656391939692009-11-29T21:56:00.004-05:002009-11-29T22:08:28.082-05:00The Secret History of the Pink CarnationSo, I am currently rereading Lauren Willig's fantastic Pink Carnation series in preparation for the newest release in January, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Betrayal of the Blood Lily</span>. Every time I open one of Lauren Willig's books, I am drawn in. I've read this series countless times but I continually turn back to read it again. I can't wait until the next book is released. I preordered it online and it seems like January 10th can't come fast enough. So, I'm passing the time by going back to the beginning, back to Amy and Richard. I'm excited at that prospect, too. I'm even having Nick, my boyfriend, read the series. He's not too thrilled (he doesn't like "girly books" and apparently if it has a flower in the title, it's girly.), but I agreed to read a Star Wars book in return, which will doubtlessly be an interesting endeavor.krenae27http://www.blogger.com/profile/11132470166220326543noreply@blogger.com0