Vintage Hairstyles: Retro Styles with Step-by-step Techniques review

   What an amazing book! I could not imagine anything clearer and simpler than that.

    Lauren Rennells, the author, covers from the most basic points (such as which products are used) to finishing touches such as hair acessories, basic instructions on applying red lipstick and defining eyebrows and even the style of nail painting in each era. Simply brilliant!

    The beginning of the book explains the products used, the effects produced by different methods of curling hair and some bases such as the victory roll and the fingerwaves. The section on curling clarifies many doubts I had when curling my hair for a vintage look (for my hair is naturally curly, but kind of in a renaissance way), because the way you set the curls in the hair, de direction and angle you pull them and even the way you expand it make difference in the result.

   After that comes a section in which she teaches to do full updos, step-by-step, all with careful instructions and pictures to leave no doubt about its ways. The styles portrayed are deadly gorgeous (from more than 30 I didn't like much only two) and the haisrtyles evolve so you can try the first ones to get practice to do the last ones.

   In the end there's nice explanation of which accessories match each kind of hairstyle, an easy way to do you own hairflower and some tips on makeup and nails. It's just perfect. When I finished reading I went through all the styles putting little post-it notes with which accessory would look good and which variations I could see for the updos, for quick ideas. Now I just have to purchase some products and start working!

   I've already tried a simple set of curls in the bang. I have a not very long bang that I like to wear curly. My hair does curl naturally, but not always the way I wanted at the bangs. So I did this set she teaches at the beginning and the effect is so flattering! Kind of like this:

   And who doesn't want to look a tiny bit like fabulous Rita Hayworth?

I did it!

   I'm going to college!

   Friday was a very happy day for me. I was so anxious, I woke up at 6 a.m. to see if the results were out (they publish a list on internet) and continued checking every half hour. And yes, I made it!

    And made it very well. My course, which has not an exact equivalent in the english speaking countries - it studies the language (here, Portuguese), basically, its roots and grammar and literature, and a second language (you choose between english, spanish, french, german, italian, greek, latin and some colleges offer also chinese, japanese and arabic) and its literature.

    So, I was in ninth place in my course! Ninth! I am so proud!

    My course is not very valued here, despite its interesting proposal, because mainly what you can do with its diploma is teaching. And no one wants to be a teacher anymore, except crazy people like me. I want to teach at the university, because the salary is very good, but I would also like to teach younger people and make them like reading (reading is seen here as an EXTREMELY boring activity and people simply don't do that. Ever. They just spend their lives without reading a single book. That's sad). Maybe even do some research on reasons why children feel so discouraged to read here and how to reverse this picture.

   Well, let's start by the beginning now. I already found a place to live, a nice little place, on a very safe building close enough to downtown so I can walk there when needed and far enough so noise doesn't disturb me. There are little food shops close and a bus that goes straight to the campus. I can't wait to slowly and cheaply go decorating it, filling it with my personality. It will be a nice challenge.

   Oh, and when I arrived home I had a little surprise waiting. My Vintage Hairstyles book was waiting for me! I'll do a review as soon as I finish it, but I can tell it is simply marvelous! I am astonished with the simplicity Lauren puts into the steps. She's a genius.

    I am very pleased with my life now, indeed I am.

Anxious to start vintage beauty experience... and maybe college too

   I'm done with my exams! No more! And hopefully, never again! Results for the college I want come out next friday, and I'm really looking forward to it. In the meantime I've been looking for places to live if I get accepted and waiting for my fabulous vintage beauty books to arrive from the US.


   It was really REALLY expensive because the dollar has been going up lately and the shipping was US$50. But I longly reflected on it and got to the conclusion it's worth my money. I'm sure I will use these bokks all the time and if I were to buy something like those here it would be even more expensive.

   I ordered Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step-by-step Techniques by Lauren Rennells which has amazing reviews everywhere and seems to be very simple and instructive. People say the chapter on curling techniques is awesome and I really do need some help with my pincurling (it always gets kind of irregular). They also say it is very complete on the haisrtyles and little details like hair acessories and even nail beauty (even though I don't like painting my nails, I can see how this information is very useful for most women).

The author has also a vintage make-up guide which I will totally buy if the hairstyling one is good. She writes the lovelly Bobby Pin Blog that has more tips on hair and other stuff too. She looks like a very nice person.

   I also ordered two truly vintage books: Beauty, Glamour & Personality - A Complete 1940s Guide to Vintage Makeup, Hairstyling and Elegance; and Westmore Beauty Book - A Complete 1950s Guide to Vintage Makeup, Hairstyling and Beauty Techniques, both by the Westmore brothers (they did the makeup in many movies of the time and were very innovative). It's going to take so much time for them to arrive! At least February 15. The books are very complete and include even lifestyle and etiquette instructions, everything widely illustrated. They look like treasures to me.

   I'm really looking forward to their arrival. Can't wait to try all the beautiful styles!

Celtic Mythology

   I've just finished reading a book about Celtic mythology. I find mythology fascinating, and know a good deal about the Greek one, and a bit less of the Norse. But Celtic has always fascinated me - you can't avoid being tempted to know more about them after reading The Mists of Avalon, which I did when I was eleven.

   Well, a few weekends ago I went to a bigger city nearby to find the perfect prom shoes for my dress and I couldn't resist to take a look at the bookshops. Jonas (my boyfriend) and I happily completed our Tolkien collection, thanks to the low prices on the books in English (the translated ones are scandalously expensive), and I found these rarities: books about mythology written by brazilians! Brazilians, if you don't know, generally don't pay any attention to it. Yet these two authors, a man and a woman who write together, have books on all kinds of myths: norse, celtic, hindi, greek and even our native's folklore.

   Due to short money, I bought only the Celtic and the Norse ones. The tone is not as documental as I would like (as it is in famous Tomas Bulfinch's The Golden Book of Mythology), but there's a fairly good range of myths.

   The celtic one presents myths from Ireland and Wales. The myths from Wales were better organised, I think because they were taken from a scottish woman's recollection of tales. It works fine as beginning material, but I'm thirsty for more detailed and numerous stories.

   Let's see about the norse one. Sometimes, I will share a piece of story with you - they are so entertaining and fun! The ancient really had a prodigious imagination!

Used Book Stores

   Gods, I know! It's been more than a year. So much has changed. That diary I posted about making is long finished and I've made a new one now. I've watched so many more movies. I even got myself a boyfriend! We've been togheter over a year! Something to talk about later.

   Well, I'm not here to talk about all the changes in my life at once. Today I'm here to talk about my new  acquisitions! All those darling books from a used book shop.

   Here in Brazil books are expensive. Very expensive. New books, from the bookshop, usually cost between R$35 and 45 - and that is just ridiculous. Fortunately my boyfriend and I got the habit of frequently checking these stores (they also sell comics and LPs) and if you like to read classics, that's the place for you.

   Friday was my 17 year old birthday and my dear mom gave me some money and told us to go there and buy some books. She was the one who made me like reading from very young.

   So we went there and I ended up with no less then 7 books! And it cost like 7,40 each!

   The best thing is you can find those beautiful old, hard cover editions. So lovely!

   My Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque by Poe. I find the name in English very peculiar.

   Those are new, but the covers are gorgeous! The Sorrows of Young Werther and the Inferno part in the Divine Comedy.

   Comedies and Sonnets by Shakespeare. Sorry about the awful light.

   Ivanhoe and Death in Venice. Just like they are in my school's library.

   I have also Jane Eyre, some of Agatha Chritie's, The Picture of Dorian Gray... my dream is to find The Three Musketeers. Really.

   Because of these stores me and my boyfriend we're being able to collect vinyls of our beloved band Iron Maiden. We have four already. And there are many others. It is very worthwhile to take time and look - because it requires a lot of patience. But it's fun, it's like treasure hunting!

   Kisses,

Romance, Fantasy and Adventures...

... unfortunately, not in my life. Only in the books and movies I read and watch. Maybe that's why I do it so much. To put a bit of those in it.
 Not that I'm unhappy. But sometimes I just wish unimaginable things started happening out of the blue so I can amaze from life again, in a good way.
 Maybe everybody worth talking to feels like that at times.
 To the books and movies, then!

Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine

 This one surprised me. My sister bought it so it's for younger people.
 It's the story of Ella. When she was born a fairy gave her the "gift" of obedience. Until she turned 15, it wasn't a big problem. Her mother and har cook, Mandy, were the only people who knew of her gift and avoided giving her orders. But as her mother died she was left alone with her father, a selfish man who was away most of the time. As consolation she had at least her new friendship with Char (the prince of Frell). Until the day her father decides to send her to finishing school with the dreadfull daughters of the woman he's about to marry. One of them realizes Ella can't help but obey a direct order and uses that to poison her life. One day, she forbids Ella of seeing the only friend she had made there, and so she runs away. She decides to seek the fairy to ask her to take away her gift. In the way, Char saves her from an ogre attack. He helps her find the fairy, but she doesn't help her. She goes back to her father and the relationship she has with Char makes Hattie, the awful step-sister, very jealous.  She forbids Ella to see him and uses her as a maid since her father is never there. Char goes away to learn the ways of another court, and they start to exchange letters. Those letters are going to change her destiny.

 The book is almost a version of Cinderella. A very believable one. The author is very good, she writes in a simple manner, which makes all the things in her magical land easy to follow. The characters are captivating, which is very important in a book like this. Think it became a favorite!

 Me and my friends lately have been watching a movie togheter every weekend. So far we've seen The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean and Pride & Prejudice. I'll post reviews in my next post - we are having so much fun!

 See you later,

Feeling like things are going too fast

I just feel so young - I'm only 15 - but in a year and a half I'll be going to college (I hope)! These thoughts always make me kind of scared.But I'm trying to take it easy and be happy that I found sometime to post here at least, so let's talk about more fun and immediate stuff.

First - historical fact! - I'm going to cut my hair! It is long, dark and curly, and it has been so since I was four. Never did anything much different on it when it comes to haircuts. But these past weeks, I realized I got tired of looking at my face always the same. So I was watching The Mummy, and I love Rachel Weisz's look in it, and I though: Well, she's got curly hair in it, this might work!
I know this is kind of unusual, but The Mummy is one of my very favorite movies ever! Everyone thinks is just not a big deal of a movie. After all, it'snot complex, reflexive, or epic. It is just a nice fun movie. But that's why I think I like it so much - it is not pretentious. The characters are charming, spontaneous, funny and quite believable in the context. The story is well done, very well explained, intriguing and imaginative. It hasn't got marvelous effects nor wants to be Indiana Jones. They just want you to enjoy yourself while watching.
I'm quite a silly for movies - I can watch and enjoy those deep cult classics, but the ones that touch my heart are those which the end is happy and the characters are so nice you wish they were your friends. I can't help myself laughing at the jokes everytime I watch them or sighing at the beutiful love stories. Yes, I confess.
For those who don't know the movie (which is quite rare), here's a summary:
At first we are introduced to the forbidden romance between priest Imhotep and pharao's favorite Anck'sunamun, in Ancient Egypt. When they are discovered, Anck'sunamun sacrifices herself so Imhotep could escape, because she knew he could resurrect her. He does not go far, though, as the guards manage to find him. As punishment, he must suffer the hom-dai, that is, be mumified alive with flesh-eater scarabs as company. He is buried in Hamunaptra, the city of the dead, and is guarded for millennia by the Magi.
In 1923, Rick O'Connell is an american serving the French Legion fighting the arabs in (guess where!) Hamunaptra. While trying to live, he is trapped at the feet of the statue of Anubis. The arab horses seem frightened for no reason and run away. Strange wind, sinister song in the background, and the face of Imhotep appears on the sand. Rick runs away.
1926. Evelyn Carnahan it's a clumsy librarian who dreams to be an egyptologist. After putting down the library of the Cairo Museum, she finds her brother, Jonathan, who gives her a box hoping it's a real artifact.
Inside ther's a map to Hamunaptra. They present it to the curator, but he "accidentaly" sets fire to the city part. Jonathan confesses he stole the box from a drunk man in the local bar.
The man is (guess who!) Rick, and Evey manages to take him out of prison and take him as a guide.
There are more people heading to Hamunaptra and soon the city is filled with people digging it's treasures. Soon Evey discovers the mummy of Imhotep and, reading from the book of the dead, awakes him. And he decides she makes a fine body for the soul of Anck'sunamun. Yes, he still plans to resurrect her.
You can imagine what happens later. Some people die, they try to send Imhotep back to his grave, there's romance, there's adventure, there's punishment for those that deserve... there's everything I like in a movie!

So, watching it I thought since I have curly hair, that might work. Might. Might. Oh gods, I'm quite scared. Really really hope that, if it doesn't work perfectly, at least it turns allright and not awful. But well, hair grows, I need a change, better fix it than not know, so... let's do it!

By the way, it does break my heart to remind myself I do not look like Rachel Weisz. But then again, who does? I'm a mere mortal after all.

So, another thing, I finished Persuasion! I adored it. The protagonist, Jane Elliot, is more reserved than Elizabeth Bennet, but as sensible as she. The story is very delicate, very true on the nature of true love, on patience, on trusting yourself. It feels more mature on the writing too. I really loved it.

More later,

Buenos Aires, Percy Jackson Day Kit and The Warrior Heir - Cinda Williams Chima

I have so many to say and there's been such little time! Sorry about the length of this post, really.

Wednesdat I returned from a trip to Buenos Aires, in Argentina. Me and my family stayed for only four days, but it was enough to get to know the city. Which is, by the way, really beautiful - the old buildings tried to copy Paris' style, so they are really majestic. The trip was good also for me to remember my spanish that hasn't been used for a while.

I even have a trip adventure to tell. When you go to Buenos Aires, you have to see a tango presentation. The best tango house would be open just the day we arrived, so we went even though we were tired. The place was really beautiful, with a certain The Godfather atmosphere, all made of wood and velvet. We ordered our dinner and waited. And waited. The lights began to fail, they went on and off. We were starving, but the food didn't come. After two hours of food-waiting, light-blinking boredom, our meals did come. And they looked soooo yummy. And as we grabbed our forks, the lights went out and everybody there stood up. We looked around to see if the show was about to begin or something, as I tried to cut my meat in the dark. Then someone screamed, FIRE! It was a pandemonium. Everyone ran. I grabbed my sister by the arm and went down the staircase, trying to be calm. My sister was very scared because we couldn't see our parents, who were helping my grandparents. When we reached the streets, we could see the fire. It was very high, taking over the whole side of the building. My parents found us soon, and fortunately everyone got out safely. Well, since no one got hurt, I must say it was the best of my day.

Otherwise, the trip went really well. I bought a really nice leather jacket, something I always wanted, and a red trench coat I really loved! In Argentina stuff like that is not very expensive. I also could buy some MAC makeup because of the Duty Free shop. (Here in Brazil, you just can't have MAC. It costs, considering 1 real - our currency = 1,7 dollars, the equivalent to 100 dollars a lipstick. Yeah, it's revolting).
In the airport, while waiting, I had plenty of time to read The Warrior Heir. I did like the book, though I have a few buts. Follows the plot:
Jack Swift (by the way, really like the sound of this name, so very well put togheter) is a teenager who lives in Trinity. When a newborn, he had to do a complex heart surgery, and that's why he has to take a medicine everyday. One day, late for school, he forgets it - and everything changes. He throws this guy he doesn't like to the other side of the football field during training - without laying a finger on him.
So his aunt Linda comes to town and takes Jack and his friens Will and Fitch in a search for an object burried in their great-great-great-grandmother's grave. It is a sword. They are followed, and Jack shows again uncommon powers, specially when using the sword, but their followers are very powerful too. From this point on, Linda finds herself with no option but being honest to him about his family's strange history.

It happens the world is divided between Weirs and Anaweirs - that is, magicians and non-magicians. The Weirs are divided in five classes: Enchanters, Sorcerers, Warriors, Soothsayers and Wizards (who control all the rest). When Jack was born, he should be a wizard, but he didn't have a heartstone. The surgery was made to give him one, but he was given a warrior's heartstone, to serve the interest of the surgeon, the wizard Dr. Longbranch. The warriors are very rare, because they die at early age, and very valuable, because of the Game. The Game is a tournament between the two wizard's houses: White Rose and Red Rose, to determinate which has greater power. As wizards don't want to be involved in the fight, they use the warriors, in this sanguinary, medieval system. Leander Hastings becomes Jack's master and gets him to the Game, all to fulfill an ancient vendetta.
The characters that pleased me the most were the secondary ones - Will and Fitch, aunt Linda, Hastings, Becka (Jack's mom) and Leesha. I found the very human and complete. On the other hand, I didn't like much the main ones. Jack is the best, but sometimes he shows no personality at all. The worse is his beloved one (that later in the book has a surprising role), Ellen Stephenson. I found her dull and boring. In the end she gets just a little tiny bit better. Doens't make up for before that, though.
So, I would read the sequence, but I'm not dying for it. All in all, it is a good adventure-fantasy book, but is not extraordinary.
Now I'm reading Jane Austen's Persuasion... already on chapter 4. Post about it when I'm done.

Finally I got my Percy Jackson Day kit. The Percy Jackson series of books are a very nice modern adaptation to the greek mythology stories that is being transformed into a movie (let's see how that goes). Basically focuses on the demi-god Percy (the od part coming from Poseidon) who goes to Half-Blood Camp to train to be a hero. He's set out on a quest with friends Grover (a satyr) and Annabeth (daughter of Athena) to get back Zeus' master lightening - and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. Rick Riordan, the author, has a great writing style, agile and quite sarcastic.

The brazilian publisher made an event that was a whole day when fan-clubs competed through tasks for prizes and people could also win those kits answering correctly questions about the book on twitter. Me and my sister competed both ways and won a kit for each! It comes with a T-shirt, a page marker, five bottons, a pen (or maybe a sword?), a raincoat and two tickets! Whee!

Very happy for my things. Soon the movi comes out, and I hope not to be too disappointed.
Well, classes start tomorrow. So happy for it! - no.

The Sword in The Stone (The Once and Future King) - T. H. White

Just finished this book and I loved it! It's the first of a collection of five. It was published in 1938 and inspired the Disney movie.
What I really liked about it was the author's style. He writes in a sensitive, loose way that makes you sympathize with the characters very easily.
The books tell the story of King Arthur from the moment his education with Merlin starts to his death. This one goes as far as he becomes the king. Sometimes, the story gets kind of slow in those parts where he describes Wart's (that was Arthur's nickname) experiences as animals (Merlin transforms him to teach him lessons), but that's my only "complaint".
This is not the vision, however, we are used to have on Arthurian stories. Morgana has a minor role, being just a witch Wart and his foster brother Kay combat by Robin Hood's side. But the book has interesting lessons, since Merlin wants Arthur to learn the best values possible for a sovereign.
Besides, there are dazzling descriptions of the wild landscapes of England on these remote times. You form this image in your head, of the woods surrounding the castle, the tower were Merlin lives, the big tree in which Robin Hood and his mates camp.
I recommend it for anyone who want some simple magic.

“But there was a time when each of us stood naked before the world, confronting life as a serious problem with which we were intimately and passionately concerned... There was a time when Free Love versus Catholic Morality was a question of as much importance to our hot bodies as if a pistol had been clapped to our heads. 

Further back, there were times when we wondered with all our souls, what the world was, what love was, what we were ourselves.” 

Now that I finished this one, I'll start The Warrior Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima. I read good reviews on this book and hope it doens't disappoint me. I have many books to read yet... so many books, so little time. Well, at least I won't get bored. I'll publish reviews as I finish them!