Leibster Blog Award

No quotation today, just right down to business! Carrieanne from I'mjustalittlepixie nominated me for the Leibster Blog Award which recognizes blogs with 200 followers or less. So here we go.

Requirements:
1. Share eleven things about myself.
2. Answer eleven questions provided by the nominator.
3. Nominate eleven blogs (under 200 followers) that deserve the title and let them know.
4. Think of eleven questions to ask these nominees.
5. Thank the person that nominated you and link back to their blog.

11 Things About Myself:
1. I'm an only child.
2. I'm studying Italian because I fell in love with the language after visiting Italy on a high school trip.
3. I will not eat hot dogs or sausages. For the sake of those of you who enjoy them, I'm not going to talk too much about this.
4. I think pearls are the classiest accessory.
5. I love lemon yogurt.
6. "10 Things I Hate About You" is my favourite movie of all time, not because of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Heath Ledger, or Julia Stiles, but because of Larry Miller.
7. The longest essay I've ever written was about 4400 words for a class on the Brontes (Anne, Charlotte, Patrick, Branwell, Emily, Maria, and Elizabeth).
8. My favourite flowers are poppies. Also, it's a great name in the singular.
9. The item of clothing I would most like to own is a Jurassic Park raincoat because that movie is awesome and I have no shame.
10. When I was a little girl, I really wanted red hair.
11. My favourite Shakespearean play is Richard III.

11 Questions from the Nominator:
1. What made you choose your blog's name?
Pretty simple answer for this one: coral has been my favourite colour for years and C is my first initial.
2. What's your favourite colour?
See answer #1 haha
3. Who inspires you the most?
Hopefully this doesn't come across as really self-absorbed, but I think I inspire myself the most. I'm a pretty stubborn person, so when people try to push me in a certain direction, I'm often pretty resistant. I've learnt to trust my own judgement above anything else.
4. What's your favourite biscuit?
My favourite cookie (sorry, Canadian here) is one my mom makes with chocolate chips and espresso powder. Delicious AND addictive.
5. Jumper or Cardigan?
Jumper for sure. Why fuss with buttons?
6. Favourite sandwich filling?
First of all, this is probably the greatest question I've seen on one of these, so great work Carrieanne! Why is this so hard to answer? Umm I guess either raspberry jam or Havarti cheese.
7. Tell me your favourite joke.
WARNING: this joke is extremely childish because it was told to me in second grade by my best friend. There are three brothers named Shutup, Manners, and Poo who are also avid motorcyclists. One day while travelling down the road, Poo loses control of his bike and rolls into the ditch. Manners goes to help him, but Shutup continues on, speeding. Soon enough, Shutup is pulled over by a cop and the following conversation ensues. Cop: "Sir, you were speeding. I'm going to need to collect some information, starting with your name." Shutup: "Shutup." Cop: "Excuse me?" Shutup: "Shutup." Cop: "Sir, that is no way to speak to a police officer. If you don't tell me your name right now, I'm going to have to arrest you." Shutup: "Shutup!" Cop: "I can't believe this! Where are your manners?!" Shutup: "In the ditch, picking up Poo."
8. Other than the blog what is your favourite pastime?
Reading! Yay!
9. What came first the chicken or the egg?
Going for scientific accuracy on this one: the egg.
10. Favourite beauty item?
Probably blush because it doesn't take a lot of time, but really brings life into your face. I also really like my freckles, so if I'm planning to apply something to my skin, I'd pick blush over powder or liquid foundation any day because it's flattering without covering up the freckles.
11. Your fashion icon.
Easy. Julia Roberts' character Vivian Ward in "Pretty Woman." To be clear, post-prostitute wardrobe. I did a post on it here which explains the full reasoning behind this decision. In a way more fun way than how I just said it!

My 11 Nominations in no particular order:
1. A NEW Fashion View
2. Betsy Boat
3. Charlotte Jane 
4. Floral Chaos 
5. L. loves to share 
6. Simple Charm Beauty 
7. Stephanie's Look 
8. The Nautical Owl
9. The New Pink 
10. The Perks of Being a Hipster 
11. Young Love

My 11 Questions:
1. When you were a child, what was your dream job?
2. If you could swap yourself into a role in the movie of your choice, which would it be?
3. Which do you prefer getting done: a manicure or a pedicure?
4. If you could only wear only one pair of your shoes for a year, which would they be? (weather permitting, of course)
5. Describe something you did that made you proud of yourself.
6. If you had a theme song, what would it be?
7. Tell me one random fact (about you or not) that never really comes in handy, yet you can't seem to forget it. (E.g. I know all of the main events of the French Revolution. . . not particularly useful in most social situations)
8. Who is your favourite of the seven dwarfs?
9. According to you, what is the best smell in the world? Convince me of why in one sentence. (E.g. Vinegar because it reminds you of french fries and who doesn't like those?)
10. In your favourite multiple-main-character-series (TV or book), which character is most like yourself? (E.g. are you a Tibby, Lena, Carmen, or Bridget? A Blair or a Serena?)
11. What is YOUR colour? (The one you think suits you best)

-C

Tone with truth and emotion with beauty

This post's title is adapt from a quotation which comes from Henry James' work The Lesson of the Master. I've been going in full gear these past couple of days as far as overstimulating my mind with novels and films. I don't have any fashion-related pictures for you this time because I like to do things in my own time. I never want to force myself too much with this blog because, as I've mentioned before, I am a perfectionist, and I'd rather write something quite good once a week than something rather mediocre every single day. All of the material I've been watching and reading will hopefully get me motivated to keep my creative juices flowing (I actually really dislike that saying), as it were.

Yesterday, I read The Turn of the Screw in its entirety. I can unhesitatingly remark that it is certainly the finest thing I've read by James and one of the more interesting things I've consumed lately in general. It wasn't nearly as frightening as I had expected it might be, but it definitely is a psychological thriller. I love that it has so so many possible interpretations.

I've now switched into a different track completely and have picked up the fifth Anne novel: L.M. Montgomery's Anne's House of Dreams. It was my intention last summer to read the entire series (I own all eight novels), but I ended up only getting through four of them. Rather than begin again from the top, I've started where I last left off. I know that these stories are typically considered the property of children, but I really think Mark Twain said it best when he called the series "the sweetest creation of child life yet written."

The two movies I've watched are "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Mona Lisa Smile." The first I viewed mostly because I almost couldn't believe myself that I hadn't seen it before. I mean, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks? Come on. It was decent, but I appreciate it mostly for the nostalgia of watching an old and beloved film (though it was technically new to me). "Mona Lisa Smile" is not as old of a movie, but it's one that I actually have seen before. It had been a long time though, and I've found myself recently on a bit of a Julia Roberts kick ever since I wrote about how much I adore her character's style in "Pretty Woman" (see here and here). This film is really wonderful for the very important story it tells, but, truth be told, I'd have watched almost anything just to see this cast together. Besides Julia Roberts, we also see another talented Julia: Julia Stiles. I absolutely adore this actress who stars in my favourite film of all time: "10 Things I Hate About You." After these two lovely Julias, there are also Kirsten Dunst (who I'll always love as the littlest March girl in "Little Women"), Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ginnifer Goodwin, and many more talented women. Cast is a big deal for me; it's probably what's going to get me to watch the finale of the Batman series this year even though I didn't like the last two. I realize this is near blasphemous to say anymore, since so many people adore them, but they just weren't my thing.

What have you been loving in literature and mooning over in movies? Please let me know so I can check it out too!

-C

Be still like vegetables

Today's quotation is from one of my favourite films and also a pretty good representation of what I'll be doing this afternoon: absolutely nothing. This line is spoken by Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward in "Pretty Woman" when she suggests to her host (Richard Gere's Edward Lewis) that he should spend some time relaxing in front of the TV. I didn't just appropriate this quotation to complain about the paralysing heat here (yet again), but to facilitate a post that will hopefully help you learn a little bit more about me. 

In the world of international and timeless style icons, many people select Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, or Sophia Loren as their biggest role models (obviously there are many, many more to chose from, I'm just reaching for the most common). Well, I am not fortunate enough to possess perfectly curled blonde locks, a face for oversized cat eye sunglasses (I have small features, so any large shades absolutely dwarf me), or for exotic cat eye makeup for that matter. The look that I find myself turning to time and time again is instead the aforementioned character of Vivian Ward. Just to be clear, we're talking after the blonde wig and safety-pinned boots. For me, Vivian is just so incredibly classy in a way that very few woman (characters included) have been, and that even fewer women are now. Her style is timeless and simple, and she always, always, always has the right accessories. I realize, of course, how much easier putting together such a wardrobe becomes when you have a wealthy professional on hand to bankroll the entire shopping excursion. Don't you just love it when Mr. Hollister inquires as to the amount Edward will be dropping in his store and he replies "Really offensive"? I would love for someone to spend that specific quality of cash on me!

So many clothes!!

Another big attraction for me about Vivian is actually one about Julia as well: her hair. I've been lucky enough in my life to always feel pretty comfortable with the way I look. The only thing I've ever wished for that I didn't have, in terms of physical attributes, was red hair. I longed for red hair as a child, and when I watch "Pretty Woman" I can't help but be reminded. Even with all that class (what an ironically noneloquent phrasing), Vivian's hair helped her original feisty personality shine through. She may look like a lady, but she's also vivacious and savvy enough to keep looking out for #1; I like to think this is a trait Vivian and I share. My favourite look in terms of her hair in this film was during the bar scene ("You're late" "You're stunning" "You're forgiven". . . you know the one). I remember wanting my hair done just like it for one of my high school semi-formals but didn't end up having this up-do because I couldn't find a good enough picture, or my hair wasn't long enough, or some other triviality.

"You're late."

I can't say I have quite enough style, patience, or money to dress like Vivian Ward every day (sometimes I do end up with similar looks coincidentally though), but if I did, I'm sure I would like it "better than Pirates of Penzance"!

"If they love it, they will always love it."

-C