Sunshine Blogger Award!!

Hello Friends! I'm back from my unintentional break! I was tagged for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Olivia from Meanwhile in Rivendell, and Grace and Katherine from The Maidens of Green Gables. Thank you so much Ladies!!

Rules

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog. (done :D)

2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.

3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.

4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Olivia's Questions

1.  Is there a particular song that you would show to people if you were trying to explain yourself -- your personality, your heart, your aesthetic, your inner landscape -- in musical form?

Ooooh, first of all, I love this question!!! 

Second of all, thanks a lot Olivia, it only took me like 30 years to pick just ONE song XD.

2.  Do you like tattoos or no?

I am not a fan. There are some pretty ones out there, like the tiny, cute ones, but I'm not planning on getting one any time soon. 

3.  What is your favorite thing about your favorite holiday?

Well Christmas is definitely my favorite, and I absolutely LOVE the whole overall feeling and aesthetic of it all. The snow, the coziness, candlelight, the spicy smell of the tree, twinkle lights, prettily wrapped presents :)

4.  What non-story-related hobbies do you enjoy?

I really enjoy photography! Also dancing, singing, and taking long walks in the rain.

5.  Top three favorite TV shows?

Oooooooffffffff

I'm terrible at choosing favorites....

I guess, in no particular order, Downton Abbey, Road to Avonlea, aaaand Gilmore Girls? Yes, we'll just go with that just to spare my poor brain.  

6.  What is one thing that the world needs more of, in your eyes?  (Serious or trivial.)

Hats. We need more absolutely fabulous hats. 

(also more Mr. Knightley's. We could definitely use a few more of those)

7.  What is one thing that the world needs less of, in your eyes?  (Serious or trivial.)

Mr. Collins's?

8.  Do you need more cool air or more heat when you sleep?

I'm a cool air person. I hate waking up in the middle of the night because I'm too hot. 

9.  What scents do you tend to love in candles, perfumes, etc.?

I love anything natural, woodsy, rain, type scent.

10.  Top three favorite animals?

Dolphins, cuz cute. Dogs, cuz real cute.  And Hedgehogs, cuz STINKIN CUTEST THINGS ON THE PLANET

11.  Socks or no socks?

Socks, although I usually forget to put them on XD. But if I remember, I much prefer them. Cute socks especially, make me very happy :)

Katherine and Grace's Questions 

1. If you had to spend a year in any place in the world, where would it be?

Hmmm, do fictional worlds count? If they do, I'm going to go with Narnia :)

2. Who is someone you look up to in life?

My mom for sure. 

3. What is your favorite history fact/story?

I've always been super fascinated by Abigail Adams. There is no particular story about her, but I've always loved learning about her as a person.

4. What's a new interest that you've discovered? 

Pinterest-ing, maybe? I really love creating aesthetic boards for characters I love, as well as storyboarding, and just in general making my boards look pretty. It's very satisfying :)

If you'd like to take a peek...

5.What would you sing at Karoke Night?

Love is an Open Door. I think that would be a fun one to belt.

6. What historical event would you have liked to witness firsthand if you could have?

The end of World War 2.

7. Would you rather learn how to keep bees and harvest honey or learn the uses for all the different wild herbs, plants and trees? 

I'd rather deal with herbs, plants and trees. Dealing with bees would make me to nervous.

8. What are two of your pet peeves?

    1.) People who slurp their tea

    2.) When you're about to go do something, and then someone comes in and tells you to go do that thing. Suddenly there is no way I'm doing that thing.

9. Do you collect anything?

I collect small things that remind me of events, or days that I enjoyed. Things like ticket stubs, seashells, and flowers.

10. What motivates you to work hard?

I work the hardest for something if I'm really really excited and passionate about the end result. 

11. What movie quotes do you use on a regular basis?

Oh, sooooo many...

"What are you talking of? I MUST have my share in the conversation!!"

"What do you think I am, dumb or something?"

"Throw it in the wash, it'll be grand."

"Tell Carson to bring the tea."

"I am in....Vancouver."

"Oh how the turntables."

"Ohhh, NOW I understand."

And that is just a few of them... ;)

My Questions for You!

1.) If you could be a fictional book character, who would you be and why?

2.) If money were not a problem, what would your dream job be?

3.) Describe your aesthetic in five words.

4.) Long hair or short hair?

5.) If you could only watch one tv show for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

6.) Favorite way to spend a quiet day?

7.) Who is your OTP couple that always give you the fuzzies, and why do they procure said fuzzies?

8.) Dress it up or dress it down?

9.) Do you have specific books or movies you like to read or watch during a specific season? (i.e. books/movies that make you think AUTUMN, SPRING, etc...)

10.) Tell us one of your inside jokes, but don't explain it :)

11.) ARE YOU EXCITED FOR FALL!?!

And I tag...

MovieCritic @ Movies Meet Their Match

Thunderbird Queen @ The Winchester North Star

Cordy @ Any Merry Little Thought

Natalie @ Ramblings of a Redhead Girl

Bella @ Wanderlust and Story Dust

Beth @ Beth in Boots

Anna @ Bookends and Bwopper Eels

Ceci @ Ceci Creates

Mem @ Music, Mystery, Middle Earth and Mitochondria

Mary @ Sunshine and Scribblings 

Hannah @ Joy and Wildflowers

I can't wait to see all your answers (no pressure of course ;)) Also YOU GUUUUUYYYYYSSS IT'S OFFICIALLY FALL AND I'M SO HAPPY!!!! Anybody else over-the-top excited!? 

Yours Truly, Miss Woodhouse

Some Thoughts on the new Emma

Well Friends. I went back and forth quite a bit on whether I wanted to actually see this movie or not. The preview did not look very promising, and it appeared as though they were trying to turn my dear Emma into, well... a spoof. So I was very apprehensive going into this.

Yesterday I caved and watched it. 

And... I didn't hate it. I actually quite enjoyed much of it.

Does it replace my beloved 2009, Ramola Garai, Absolute Perfection, Johnny Lee Miller aka THE KNIGHTLEY, Emma? 

No it does not. 

But. I liked it more than I was expecting too. 

I will try to keep this post organized, but it will probably end up being a thought dump, so please bare with me.

To start, the overall aesthetic of the movie was veeeeery lovely. The colors, the houses, the clothes, the scenery, I loved it a lot. In fact, that was probably my favorite part of the whole movie. Nice aesthetics always make me happy, and as far as I am concerned, this movie nailed it in that department. 

Let's move onto Emma. This particular Emma was definitely a little too... sharp for my liking. And I don't mean that in a mean way, Anya Taylor-Joy is just not what I picture Emma to look like. Also, what was with the tight, miniscule curls? Those were a little weird. 

However, I certainly didn't dislike her portrayal of Emma. But I did find that her Emma was much more dislikable as a character. I don't know if this was a good thing or not. Even Jane Austen believed that not many people would like Emma. And half of the point of this story is to see Emma go through a character transformation from self centered, slightly spoiled young lady to someone who genuinely cares about others and their feelings. And while we do see this, I don't feel like the change was as noticeable as it could have been. Emma only got a little bit nicer, and a little bit more conscientious of others. But I didn't feel like the ultimate transformation was there.

However, I did really like other aspects of Emma's character, including the relationship between her and Miss Taylor, as well as her and Harriet. We got to see a much softer and emotional side of Emma. Her love for Miss Taylor was really very sweet, and her friendship with Harriet was much more genuine, and I really appreciated that!

There were several little vignette's that gave us a peep into Emma and Harriet's friendship and I really liked those scenes. It showed us that there was more to their relationship than Emma just wanting someone as a plaything. She genuinely cared about Harriet and their relationship, which I think was a very nice touch. 

On that note, I was much more inclined to like this Harriet. She was very sweet and naive, but she seemed a little less stupid then the other Harriet's I have seen, which was refreshing. (But also, her obsession with Mr. Elton, was slightly creepy...?)

And I feel it should be noted, even though he's a minor character, that Mr. Weston was much more likable in this adaptation! He came off as bit silly and stupid in the 2009 Emma, but I really liked him in this one! and no it is not just because he is played by Lestrade whom I also happen to love. that has nothing whatsoever to do with it. what a notion. 

Ahem.

Mr. Woodhouse was also rather funny. I quite enjoyed his character. I found his first little entrance hop quite amusing. Also his barricade of fire shields was funny. And that is all I have to say on his account.

As for Mr. Elton, you couldn't even see his face behind that collar that was something like two feet tall. But he was a good Mr. Elton. I just found it irritating that he had no neck to speak of.  

And of course, we mustn't forget Mr. Knightley.

hhhrrrrrmmmmmm...

I honestly can't make up my mind. There were many times when I did like him (the badly done scene was well done, if you will. haha.) But there were other times when he just wasn't working for me. Maybe it was because I couldn't even really tell what his face looked like behind all that shaggy hair and two foot collar...? I don't know. But for now, Johnny Lee Miller will continue to remain intact as THE Mr. Knightley. 

And it should be noted that I Am Concerned. What, if I may ask, the heck was with the bare rear ends??? 

That is not cool. No one needs that. So please, movie producers, chill.  

Also, can we talk about the proposal scene? They almost had it!! They were so close! I almost loved it! And then... and then...

HeR NoSe sTarTs tO blEEd??? 

Whaaaaat was that??

Weird, that's what it was. 

I also have very mixed opinions of the soundtrack. There were several times when it was just a rather loud choir singing old hymns and folk songs and while in a different movie I think I would have liked it, it just really didn't fit here. Whenever it was instrumental music I thought the soundtrack was lovely, but the loud singing was not for me. 

And that draws us to a close. It seems that I have a few more negatives than positives on my list, but I promise that I do not despise it. All in all, there was actually quite a bit here that was Good Stuff. I would certainly watch it again simply for the pleasing aesthetic, but I also wouldn't mind seeing it again just because I did find myself enjoying it quite a bit.

So! Have you seen the new Emma and what are your thoughts? Do you have a favorite adaptation? Let's chat!

Yours Truly, 

Miss Woodhouse

Some Sherlock Fan Videos + Blog Party Wrap Up

Hello again! I apologize for dropping off the edge of the earth at the end of the blog party, but life got a little crazy for me. However, I'm back now, and even though it is a little late, I'm going to write one last Sherlock centered post, and then give you a lovely little wrap up of what took place!

So, because this post is a little late, I'm going to keep it simple, and just share a few of my favorite Sherlock fanvideos!

I am suuuuch a sucker for well done videos, and these videos that I'm going to share have quite a bit of what I consider to be the best of Sherlock, so without further ado...

Sherlock

Believer

This one doesn't really need an explanation. The show in general is amazing. As is this video. But I couldn't get the video box to load, so here's a handy dandy link for ya'll. 

"The game is on!"

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13kpcU1BGWc

Sherlock + Molly / John + Mary

All of Me

This video. All the cuteness. My two most favorite couples. Yes yes. 

Sherlock + Molly

I Was Wrong

Another one for these two because I will go down with the ship!!

"The one person who he thought didn't matter at all, was the person who mattered the most."

Sherlock & John

 Brother Let me be Your Shelter

And last, but definitely not least. I didn't get a chance to talk about just how much I love this duo. CUZ I LOVE THEM MUCHLY. Sherlock and John are two completely different people, but it is because of this that they work so well together. Sherlock is the brain and John is the heart. Sherlock brings John out of the dark, and John teaches Sherlock how to feel. Together, the two support and are there for each other in a way that makes my fangirl heart so happy!!

"Sherlock Holmes will solve your murder, but John Watson will save your life."

And with that, The Sherlock BBC Blog Party draws to a close! Thank you so much to everyone who participated! I loved reading all your posts and getting to fangirl with all you fellow Sherlockians :) As promised here is a list of everyone who joined in...

The Winchester North Star: Thunderbird Queen

Movies Meet Their Match: Movie Critic

Pages to Remember: Anna

Revealed in Time: Ivy Miranda 

Thank you again all you lovely people!

Yours Truly, Miss Woodhouse

You Have Always Counted...

So. Since we are having a Sherlock BBC blog party, I think we all knew that this post was coming eventually. We can hardly have a Sherlock blog party without this particular post! Of course you already know the gist since you saw the title. That's right my friends. I am a hardcore shipper of Sherlolly. 

QUICK DISCLAIMER: Everybody has different opinions about who Sherlock should or should not end up with and that is great! Everybody is more than welcome to their views of different ships and such. I just want to make doubly sure that no ship wars are started, cuz this is is all just for fun. Alright, you may continue reading :)

Molly and Sherlock... where to even begin with these two!? I guess we'll start with Molly.

Molly is a stinkin' sweetheart. She's quiet, a bit shy, sweet, but she is NOT a doormat! If somebody (namely Sherlock) needs to be put in their place, she is not shy about it! More than once Molly has called Sherlock out on all his crud that she and everybody else has to deal with. Molly knows how to put him back in his place, keep him in line, set him back on the right path. She does not for one second stand silently while Sherlock bulldozes her. She tells him exactly what she thinks about his attitude towards her and others. And to be honest, he totally deserves it! Let's hear a round of applause for Molly Hooper.

Also, she's pretty hard core. She works with dead people for goodness sake! You go girl!

I should also mention that while Molly does love Sherlock, and she always has, she is more than just a lovesick mess waiting for Sherlock to notice that she exists. She was a positive influence in his life, someone who was there to set him straight when he really needed setting straight (and believe me, he needed it  m a n y  times). But we also see her put real effort into moving on when she begins to see that there may be no hope. The girl not only dates multiple different people throughout the show (including our own criminal mastermind Jim Moriarty, whom SHE DUMPS) but she eventually goes and gets herself a fiance! Eventually she does break off the engagement, but only because she has come to realization that there is no point in trying to love someone the way that she loves Sherlock. Because if you love someone the way Molly loves Sherlock, you don't let them go that easily. You hold on. 

Now let's address Sherlock. Throughout the series, we slowly see him go through a character arc. In the beginning of the show, Sherlock can be a downright jerk. He hurts Molly more than once with his mean words. And then, in season two, we see him for the first time realizing what an effect his words can have on people. At the Christmas party, he insults Molly again, and when she lashes back at him, he realizes, just how much he actually hurt her. And for the first time, we hear Sherlock say I'm Sorry to which John does a double take. Sherlock doesn't apologize to people, and when he finally does, it's to Molly, someone he has hurt over and over again.

Sherlock has always liked Molly. He cares about her, and we can see the way he treats her change throughout the series. He slowly stops picking on her, and begins to value and respect her. He wants her to be happy. 

      
Of course we have the ever amazing "You do Count" scene. *fangirl squeals*

AND WE MUST NOT FORGET!! THE MOMENT THAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF ALL SHERLOLLY SHIPPERS.

THE STINKIN' AMAZING SHERLOLLY KISS

*scrunches up face and squeals alot*

GAAAAHHHHH!!! GUUUUUUUYS!!!! THIS MOMENT!!!! <3 <3 <3

ALSO LET US NEVER DISMISS THIS SCENE GUYS!! 

The scene in which Sherlock actually tells Molly he loves her. 

Sherlock was not acting!! His face! His voice! The realization hits him in that moment! That quiet, "I love you..." was 100% sincere!! THE SHIP WILL SAIL.

(I've never been crazy about fan art, but this is adorable. I loves it <3)

And now some fan videos, just for for the heck of it. Because who doesn't love a good mushy fan video??

(the song for this one is perfection!)

Sherlock needs his Molly. He needs her to keep him steady. When he's in trouble, he looks to Molly, because he knows that she will steer him straight. She will tell him which way to fall.

Molly needs her Sherlock. She's always loved him. Many, many times, we see her try to move on, but she always comes back to him. There is no one for Molly except a certain Highly Functioning Sociopath. And there is no one for Sherlock except his Pathologist. 

The Sherlock Blog Party: A Tag of Ten

And I have returned with The Sherlock Would You Rather Tag! For your convenience, at the end of this post I have included a list of the questions. If you want to participate, you can copy and paste the questions to your own blog. I'd love to see your answers! 

So without further ado, my answers!

Would You Rather....

1. Spend a day with Sherlock or John?

John for sure. Although Sherlock would probably be really interesting to hang out with, I feel like I would get along really well with and have a lot of really good conversations with John.

2. Watch the first episode or last episode?

The first episode hands down. I know a lot of people really like the last episode, but it's just so intense, I can't seem to watch it and enjoy it XD. The first episode however just makes me smile. John and Sherlock's relationship getting started, the fantastic introduction to the story and all the characters, and that awesome closing scene in which Sherlock and John walk away from their first case together, the epic music blareing, and Mycroft delivering the "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson," line. *cue fangirling*

3. Have Sherlock's mind or John's compassion?

I'm gonna go with John's compassion. As cool as it would be to be as amazingly clever as Sherlock, John's heart is the reason I love his character so much!! I would love to have as much compassion as John does.

4. Work with Molly or Lestrade?

Mmmm... well neither job particularly appeals to me, but I think I'm gonna go with Molly, just because she's sweet and I'd like to hang out with her.

5. Face off against Moriarty or Magnussen?

Oof. I think I'll take Moriarty. Somehow he doesn't seem quite as bad as Magnussen, even though they're both psychopaths. 

6. Be best friends with Molly or Mary?

Well I love them both, but I think I'll go with Mary, because she is amazing. She is caring, fun, and also incredibly hardcore. Being friends with her would be like having your own personal bodyguard! So yes, I'll take Mary (still love Molly though!)

7. Prevent the events of The Recheinbach Fall or The Six Thatchers?

(you're welcome)

Six Thatchers for sure. I am still so heartbroken over that episode. In The Recheinbach Fall, at least Sherlock's death was faked (also I really really love that episode for some reason). But Mary's death wasn't even super central to the plot, and yeah, that whole episode really hurt.  

8. Deal with a grumpy Sherlock or a grumpy Mycroft?

I'll take Mycroft... I think. I don't know, Sherlock gets super pouty and shoots at walls when he's mad, but who's to say that Mycroft wouldn't decide to just kidnap whoever was causing him discomfort? Hmmm...

9. Ride in Mrs. Hudson's car or Mycroft's helicopter?

Well as much as I would love to get to know Mrs. Hudson (because talk about AWESOME), I think I might feel a little less concerned for my life in Mycroft's helicopter. Also I love flying, so the helicopter would be really cool. 

10. Babysit Rosie or help plan the Watson wedding?

Well Rosie is adorable, but I think I'm gonna go with wedding planning. Not only do I love the idea of wedding planning, but also somebody should be there to make sure that the bridesmaids are wearing lilac (not purple). 

Bonus: Which version of "Sherlock Lives" scenarios would you choose to make canon?

THE SHERLOLLY KISS. For sure. Hands down. That is THE scenario. *steps off soapbox* 

(can anyone tell who my ship is? XD)

And that is all for today! Thanks for tuning in! Here is that handy dandy list of questions I promised!

 Would You Rather....

1. Spend a day with Sherlock or John?

2. Watch the first episode or last episode?

3. Have Sherlock's mind or John's compassion?

4. Work with Molly or Lestrade?

5. Face off against Moriarty or Magnussen?

6. Be best friends with Molly or Mary?

7. Prevent the events of The Recheinbach Fall or The Six Thatchers?

8. Deal with a grumpy Sherlock or a grumpy Mycroft?

9. Ride in Mrs. Hudson's car or Mycroft's helicopter?

10. Babysit Rosie or help plan the Watson wedding?

Bonus: Which version of "Sherlock Lives" scenarios would you choose to make canon?

Yours Truly, Miss Woodhouse

What Say You to a Blog Party?

Hello lovelies! Well, May is here, school is out, and we are all still stuck at home! So, what better time for a blog party!

My Dear Friend and I, being the fangirls that we are, thought it was high time to have a blog party dedicated to that particularly brilliant show about a certain high functioning sociopath and his doctor sidekick. So without further ado, we present you with...

Over the next three weeks of May, we will be writing posts solely dedicated to Sherlock, and we would absolutely love for you all to join in!! We will be creating a tag for you to fill out, and all sorts of fangirling, fanfics, and posts overloaded with pictures are welcomed and encouraged! 

So hop on over to Thunderbird Queen's blog and check out her newest Sherlock post! And if you would like to, feel free to steal the Party Sticker I made for your own blog. 

At the end of the party, I will post a recap with all of the posts that everyone contributed. So, if you would like to participate, drop me a comment below! 

The game is on, my friends!!

Yours Truly, Miss Woodhouse

11 Things to do During Quarantine!

Hello peeps! *gives you an air hug from six feet away*

Well it's been a bit of a crazy few weeks hasn't it! And I imagine that you all, like meself, are currently stuck at home. And I know that everyone and their cat have posted this same type of thing, but this is a once in a lifetime chance peoples, so here we go! (also yes, I did 11 things instead of 10. Gettin a little crazy up in here)

11 Things To Do When You are Stuck at Home

1.) You know that one show you've been meaning to watch for awhile but just haven't had time? Well my dear friends, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!!! Binge the heck outta that thing!! Make yourself a massive bowl of popcorn and then don't leave your couch for the next week and a half!! Talk about productivity! This will be the most productive tv watching session you've ever had!!

2.) Stare at the ceiling! Count those floor tiles!! Every wondered how many steps there are on the stairs? Now is your chance to find out! Count them once, and then go back down to double check, and then heck, come back up and count again just to be extra doubly sure! 

3.) Sleep! A lot! Exhausted from weeks of dragging yourself out of bed early to get to work or school on time? Well guess who doesn't have school or work anymore!! Sleep all day! Sleep all night! While you're at it, why not just sleep for the entire quarantine! Move onto the couch, live there! Become a sleepy couch monster!

4.) Reread that book that makes you sob. Huddle up in a corner with a blanket and chocolate and tissues, and bawl your eyes out. There is no one around to judge you right now!

5.) Count those steps again!

6.) Missing that special guy in your life? Go for a walk on the hill in the rain! (extra points if your hair is very bedraggled and you just mutter said guys name on repeat like a broken record)

7.) pANiC!!! cuz there isn't enough of that going on already. ahem. 

8.) Maybe try to figure out how to spell quarantine! (seriously, I should know how by this time, but it's still wrong every time. Spellcheck is the only thing saving my neck right now XD)

9.) Get creative! Create a line of designer pajama pants! See how tall of a book tower you can create before the whole thing topples and takes someone out in the process 

10.) Complain about your poor nerves! Grumble about how extremely vexed you are, and about how your head is very ill tonight. Your family will have to listen to you and provide some sympathy now!

11.) Join the club! Write a blog post for this things-to-do craze, in which you give really amazing advice and are being 100% serious! not really

P.S. I promise I'll fix all this damage I've just caused in my next post, in which I will actually make a serious list ;) 

P.P.S. Lil' Disclaimer, this post is just meant to be humorous, and I know that the situation the world is going through right now is a very serious one, but in light of that, what better time to share a few laughs and some happiness ;)

Now!!! Go forth and binge those shows and count them steps!

Yours Truly, Miss Woodhouse