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Sunday, April 26, 2015

Why I'm Stressed and Cornflower Blue | April Favourites!

Hey there!

It's the end (ish) of the month, which means it's time for my favourites! It felt really good to film again, and hopefully I'll be able to continue filming. If you've got anything specific you would like to see, don't hesitate to leave a comment on the video or down below!

I'm sorry this was a little late, YouTube wasn't working with me last night!





That's all for today, see you soon! x

Monday, April 20, 2015

Marvel's Daredevil

Hello all!

I've sort of disappeared off the face of the earth; I haven't been active on my channel, Instagram, or this blog. I apologise for this but I think I have a pretty good reason for this: Daredevil.

*spoilers ahead*

Marvel's Daredevil premiered not so long ago on Netflix, and they launched the whole season 1 at once.
Binge-watching is right!

I am very glad that they did so, because I have spent the whole week immersed in the troubles of Hell's Kitchen and Matt Murdock. The whole show has very dark themes, and it surprised me that I loved it. I'm usually one for sitcoms or fantasy-action shows, but I have a soft spot for literally anything Marvel. Slap the Marvel brand on it and I will definitely watch it. Am I biased? Maybe. But Marvel anything tends to rock. I'm a huge fan of the movies, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and the heroes overall. I mean, how kick-butt is Lady Sif and Wolverine?

Season 1 goes through the origins of Daredevil. I'm not a big reader of comics - mainly because they're hard to get hold of here in HK - so I'm not too sure if the show follows the actual story. I never really looked into the character; the only thing I knew about him was that he is a killer fighter on the Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance (my friends have laughed at me for playing but it's a pretty good game!). Matt Murdock reminds me of a darker Barry Allen, who is passionate about keeping the city and its civilians safe. Darker because Daredevil beats up people for information, while I have yet to see The Flash do so. Stay pure, Barry Allen!

First thing to mention: the opening title sequence. LOVE the dripping red paint/blood concept! It's got to be one of my favourite sequences ever, along with iZombie's.


Charlie Cox portrays Daredevil really well. It's a little strange for me to see him as such a grim, quiet character. But then again, the only performance I've ever seen of his before is in The Theory of Everything as Jonathan Jones, the church choir director. There's a huge difference. I admire him for realistically depicting the blindness, as diseases and disabilities are hard to accurately pinpoint when acting. And of course, there is now a space in my heart for Matt Murdock, the Sass King. *Heart eyes*

I loved that they didn't rush anything, and each episode was sort of a day-by-day play on the whole situation. I'll admit, there were times when I was impatient and wanted the story to move forward. Nonetheless I picked up so much detail and that allowed me to really understand everything, like the origins of his Billy club.  

Daredevil's suit is a whole other thing to talk about. The way he only obtains it in the last episode shows true character development. And the suit it so cool! The costume designers went for the traditional red but added in splashes of black, which suits his mysterious personality and the all-hell-breaks-loose vibe of Hell's Kitchen. Again with the details, the majority of things are explained. The rest is just up to us as viewers to figure out, or to find out in the future. 

The supporting characters have really interesting dynamics. Foggy is an absolute cutie with a tough side, Karen is surprisingly strong, and William Fisk is kind of a psycho (Nobu's death is still stuck in my head). I liked the way they played out Fisk's story; it was definitely one of the highlights from season 1, in my opinion. There's always a backstory to why a villain is a villain, and it isn't always shown. His childhood gave me a better understanding of his character but I'm glad he's locked up, though something tells me The Kingpin isn't going to be suppressed for long!

I cannot wait for season 2 to come out, assuming there will be one. It hasn't been confirmed but it truly is a show worthy of a season 2 and many more seasons. There's still so much to explore; what's next for Vanessa, will Claire ever show up again, will Matt tell Karen everything. Bullseye is even in the talks of making an appearance. From what I know from M: AA, he's cocky and annoying; the perfect opponent! I'm just praying that the show doesn't pull an In The Flesh and leave us hanging. 

Needless to say, I am now a big fan of the show. Though the whole hero thing may not be for you, give Daredevil a try. You just might surprise yourself!



Sorry again for my late post, but boy has this been a long one! I'll see you in my next x

Sunday, April 12, 2015

So I've Been Watching Movies Lately...

While this Easter allowed me to rest, it also gave me time to catch up on the few movies I missed in the cinema. During my time in school I had my weekends reserved for studying and didn't have the time to go out. When the holidays came round I downloaded these movies onto my laptop one by one, and watched them within several nights. Overall I watched The Theory of Everything, Cinderella, Insurgent, and Whiplash.

*warning* spoilers ahead!

The Theory of Everything
This was the first movie that kickstarted my watching this break. I had been wanting to watch this movie for a longggg time, with my friend egging me to watch it because it was that good. Even though I lack interest in Science, the trailer immediately got me hooked. The Theory of Everything tells the story of Stephen Hawking and his ex-wife Jane Wilde, how they met, and how they managed Hawking's disease. I'm no professional film critic, but I thought the acting was incredible. Eddie Redmayne conveyed the various stages of the disease very well through his acting, and it really brought the scenario to life. The movie also made me want to live during that time period, as I have quite the fascination with the 60s.

one of my favourite scenes from the movie - that May Ball was so dreamy!

Cinderella
I had no plan to watch Cinderella, but ended up doing so and loving it! Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for a fairytale and a happy ending, but it included a good moral message that was really emphasised. I thought it was a good thing, considering 98% of the house I was in consisted of younger girls; it also served as a reminder to the rest of us aged 12+ viewers. Lily James played a gorgeous Cinderella and Richard Madden was the perfect prince!


Insurgent
To be honest, I thought Insurgent could've been better. Wait, wait, before you Divergent fans come after me, hear me out. I have never read the books, mainly because I've heard too many spoilers about the series, especially the ginormous one from Allegiant. I watched Divergent and thought it was pretty good. The dystopia theme has been used throughout so many YA books, but the concept of factions intrigued me. Tris was a decent protagonist, too. The storyline was interesting and I was excited to continue it in Insurgent. But, Insurgent wasn't the best. I know movies have that linger-too-long stare for dramatic effect, and I can usually bear them, but they were a little annoying in this movie. And there were quite a few stares. 

From the movie, Caleb stood out to me. I felt so sorry for him and what he was going through throughout; he didn't have the ability to fight anyone or survive in more hectic environments. When Tris, Four and Caleb jumped onto the train and got attacked by the factionless, Caleb had to defend himself by attacking the factionless who was attacking him (whew, take a second to process that!). His moment of disbelief and regret really spoke to me because it was clear that harming another person made him feel uncomfortable and guilty. I don't blame him for not helping Tris on the train, or siding with Jeanine; he just wasn't capable of combat or killing, nor did he want to fight or kill.


Whiplash
This has got to be the most artsy, indie movie I have ever watched. It's a movie where they didn't delve in too deep on backgrounds and history, and everything was very in-the-moment. It didn't leave me too attached which I thought was a good spin, but I do wish they gave more detail on Terence Fletcher's background.

It has also got to be the most distressing, harrowing movie that I have ever watched. Seeing Andrew get bullied by Fletcher was absolutely horrifying, but I couldn't pull my eyes away from the screen. It saddened me that even though he was just in a car crash, Andrew's mind was on getting to the competition venue on time and performing on stage. There was a scene where it cut to the hi-hat covered in sweat and blood; it really got to me. Andrew's determination and resilience is definitely something to be admired. Call me crazy, but I kind of understand why Andrew continued his drumming even though Fletcher went all throw-a-chair-I'll-beat-you-the-eff-up crazy.

Overall, I quite liked Whiplash.



Those have been the movies I watched over Easter break! School starts tomorrow and I am genuinely petrified for what's about to come: mocks, assessments, tests, bluagh. Wish me luck!



I'll see you soon! x

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

DIY: Marker Mug

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Hello all!

How are you all doing? We're into the second week of Easter break and I have not done ANY work. Most of my time has been spent lazing around at home, while my Science textbook and English essay sits, untouched, on my desk. ARGH! 

I'm back this week with another DIY. I wanted to pick up a new mug, since I've been consuming more tea lately, but the designs out there just weren't cutting it. They just seemed so generic! Today's DIY will teach you how to make a super-cute, customisable mug.

You will need:

  • a mug
  • an oil-based permanent marker
  • alcohol
  • an oven
  • cotton pads and cotton buds
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Let's get started!

1. Clean your mug to get rid of any dirt or residue. Where you're going to draw, clean that area with some rubbing alcohol.

2. Now it's time for your imagination to flow! I went for a Kingsman quote to express my undying love for the movie, but it's really up to you. The design can be as intricate as you want. Not a very good artist? Try typography, like I did.
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*As a bonus, I also wrote inside the mug.
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3. After drawing your design once, let the ink dry. When it has dried, go over your design. The ink will fade slightly when baked in the oven, so keep that in mind when designing.

4. Place your mug into a cold oven. Set the temperature at 220 ºc for 45 minutes. You want your mug in there before it gets hot so the mug can heat up with the oven to prevent cracking.

5. When the mug has finished baking, let it cool and repeat the baking process. This ensures the design will stay on the mug.

6. After the mug has cooled for the second time, you are done!

A lot of people have attempted this DIY and didn't get the results desired. Here are some tips to ensure that you do:
  • Buy a cheap mug, where the glaze is thin. If you pick up an expensive mug, chances are the glaze is very well done and thick. If the glaze is too thick, the marker won't be able to penetrate it when the mug is being baked.
  • Go with an oil-based permanent marker. I'm not too sure on why it's better than a regular permanent marker, but it stays on better on the mug.
  • Contrary to other tutorials, 175 ºc isn't hot enough for the ink to penetrate the mug. 220 ºc should do the trick.
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And there you have it! I've super pleased with my mug and now I can drink my tea with style. A personalised mug makes an awesome gift, and it just so happens that Mother's Day is approaching soon!



Bye for now! x

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Spring Haul

Hello all!

How's your Easter going? I'm doing pretty well myself; I'm making sure I get enough time to relax and work. Holidays are meant for us to catch up after all!

I've got a haul for you today! It's my first ever haul video so excuse me if it's a little rusty. Enjoy!





Bye for now! x

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