Everything But the Kitchen House Elf

Just a quick note to my friends and family: there are only 141 shopping days until Christmas (unless my math is off. Which it probably is).

Photo Credit: Entertainment Weekly

EXPECTO MYHEADTOEXPLODUS!

This is the latest special edition Harry Potter DVD collection. The "Wizard's Collection" releases September 7, 2012, and is available for pre-order on Amazon for a whopping $349.96--and that's a huge discount off of the original $499.99 pricetag!!

According to Amazon, here's what you get:

The magical film franchise is now available in a spectacular limited-edition collectible box set. The most comprehensive Harry Potter movie collection yet features all eight films, exclusive never-before-seen content and must-have memorabilia.

This new limited and numbered 31-disc collection contains all eight Harry Potter movies on Blu-ray, DVD and UltraViolet Digital Copy and more than 37 hours of special features including all previously released materials and more than 10 hours of new to disc bonus content, and 5 hours of never-before-seen material.

In addition to the theatrical release of every film, the collection also includes the extended versions of  Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; and the 3D versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows –- Parts 1 and 2.

My take on it? If you are a die-hard fan, yet don't already own all of the movies on Blu-ray, haven't had a chance to see any of the television specials that have aired, documenting the music, monsters, and special effects, and haven't made it to either The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida or the WB store online to pick up some memorabilia, then I could maybe justify the price tag. Maybe. It's really, freaking cool, though.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

Just When You Thought You Had Enough T-Shirts...

I want to be Ashley Eckstein when I grow up. Yeah, I know, I'm 32, but that hardly makes me a grown-up. This woman is amazing. She's a talented actress and voice artist, gets to hang out with the Star Wars crowd for a living, and designs some of the most beautiful "geek tees" I've ever seen. Recently, Her Universe (Eckstein's design house) branched out to partner with SyFy for some adorable Warehouse 13, Battlestar Galactica, and SyFy Original Movie products. Starting July 11th, though, Her Universe will be broadening its own universe by taking on that captain of time and space, himself, The Doctor.

I am going to be so very broke.
 

The new Doctor Who line currently consists of three shirts, and I can't decide which is my favorite! Two of the shirts are v-necks with flattering, elongated torsos. The TARDIS blue shirt features a white sketch of the little blue box in one corner, with the curlieque inscription, "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue". A black tee shows off a pair of bright red killer pumps, bearing the words, "Hell in High Heels" on one sole, and a minature TARDIS on the other. The last shirt is a navy, wide-necked box-tee. The Van Gogh painting of an exploding TARDIS that was so prominent at the end of 11's first season is centered on the front, detailed with gold foil. Doctor Who shirts are $28 each, and will be available online beginning July 11th.



Photo Credit (All): Her Universe



Set Phasers to Broil!

This showed up in my inbox this morning and cracked me up! If you're gearing up for Summer cookouts, you might want to check out the new aprons from Woot. My personal favorite?

Photo Credit: Woot

ENGAGE!!!!!!!! (And pass the barbeque sauce, please.)

Aprons are $14, with five different designs available. While you're there, check out the shirt of the day. Today's might be of interest to my fellow Whovians.

Have a great Wednesday!  

Frugal Friday: Holiday Round-Up

Happy Last Friday of 2011!!! Let's get to this, shall we?

Victoria's Secret: The semi-annual sale is going on right now, with some fantastic deals and free shipping on online orders over $50 with the code SHIP50. Also, if you're a Facebook fan, you can print out an instore only coupon for a free NYE panty with any purchase today only!! Dec. 30th!! Get on that now, 'cause it's pretty darn cute.

E.L.F.: You have a few offers to choose from right now, actually. You can get a free mini-makeup collection with any order over $10 with code HOLIDAY thru Dec. 31st (tomorrow), and SHIP25 will get you free shipping on orders over $25 thru Jan. 1st. This one's a little complicated, but if you spend $20.12, you can add an 11-piece Studio Brush set plus case for $2.12 with code 2012. That one is good until Jan. 2nd. None of these can be combined, so choose wisely.

Busted Tees: It's Grab Bag time!! Thirty bucks gets you four random shirts. Granted, you don't get to pick 'em, but at $8 and change per shirt, it's still a really good deal. **P.S. If you find an Easter Egg and get a code, WRITE IT DOWN!! I accidentally clicked my mouse before I had a chance to, and it disappeared, never to return. I tried to remember it, but one letter/number escaped me. Busted, it would be nice if that code automatically made it to my cart next time. Just sayin'.

Sephora: Extra 20% off ALL sale items. Use code EXTRA thru Jan. 3rd. Good only online, and cannot be combined with other offers.

StyleMint: Extra 30% off any tee with code TLOW30. One tee per transaction, but an unlimited number of transactions is allowed. Also, buy any cashmere sweater and receive two free JewelMint pieces (Parisian Dream earrings and Smooth Sailing necklace). No promo code needed, and none allowed on cashmere pieces.

Old Navy: Take an extra 15% off your entire order, including sale items (!) with code ONEXTRA15. Offer good online only, and only thru Jan. 2nd. Considering clearance items are going for 50% off, this is a fantastic deal.

Of course, there are tons of other sales going on this weekend, but this should help out with promo codes and special deals. Have a wonderful New Year, and remember to eat your peas, cabbage, and pork! We need all the luck, money, and health we can get in 2012!!

Why Must You Taunt Me So?

This came to me yesterday, and I have scoured the Internet like mad ever since. These items are, sadly, not available in the US...yet. I will continue to hold out hope. I give you...

Photo Credit (This and Below): Tokyo Fashion

...Batman lingerie!!!

How cute is that?! This set is from Aimerfeel's "We (Heart) Hero" collection, which also features this little number:

Look at the itty-bitty ears!!!! Oh, me wants it, my precious!!! Superman styles are also available, but I'm really digging the Batman sweetness. See you tomorrow! Same adorable time, same adorable channel!

When iPads Break, Puppies Cry

I'm what you might call "behind the times". Yes, I have an iPod. The last time I updated it was...um...I want to say Ought-Six. I'm currently carting around the tome that is the seventh Harry Potter novel instead of a cute little Nook or Kindle, and I'm fairly certain my smartphone would trump me on an IQ test. All this is to say (please don't hurt me), I don't have an iPad.

I promise, I'm not going all hipster on you. I don't ever intend to go back to the manual typewriter I learned on, even for some ironic reason, like "I'm above technology, so I'll bang on these old keys while listening to vinyl, next to my television set that I've turned into a planter". No, thank you. I like my laptop, my Droid, and my interwebs. I'm just not good with technology (it hates me), so I've been slow to jump on the whole iPad bandwagon. Maybe if I traveled more...or were better at touch screens...and didn't drop everything I touch...

In any case, a lot of you out there have iPads, and frankly, I'm a little jealous of your technical prowess, and wish to live vicariously through you for a bit, so I compiled a few of my favorite iPad cases for your viewing pleasure and shopping convenience. You're welcome.

I adore this little Super Mario Bros.-inspired case. It's a 1-Up shroom, and completely precious. The HoobyGroovy Etsy shop has other gamer designs, as well, including a red shroom, a goomba, and a ridiculously cute Yoshi. $49.95, Etsy.

Photo Credit: HoobyGroovy

This next one gets props for cleverness. Made in the same factory as the toy, this Etch-A-Sketch case not only protects your device from breakage, but also acts as a very low-tech theft deterrent* by asking, "who would steal an Etch-A-Sketch?" It's spot-on, and when paired with the Etch-A-Sketch app, a fun little trip down memory lane. $39.99, ThinkGeek.

Photo Credit: ThinkGeek

I don't care how old I get, I'm always going to be a sucker for two things: sparkle and Sanrio. I love me some Hello Kitty. This is temporarily out of stock on Amazon, but normally it retails for around $25.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Now, here's one I can afford! It's a DIY case made from a kitchen drawer liner, colorful duct tape, and velcro. It's super-cute, and shouldn't take more than a few minutes to make. Plus, it's completely custom, so it's completely your personality! I seriously may make one for my laptop.

Photo Credit: The FashionStake Blog

Okay, now back to trying to figure out how to get the pictures off my phone and onto my computer. This could take a while...

*Seriously, people. Don't leave your iPad unattended. That's just begging for trouble, cute case or no.

Those Are Phoenix Tears, Okay! *Sniff*



Photo Credit: The Guardian

This afternoon, London's Trafalgar Square was packed to the gills with fans, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the stars of the latest--and last--Harry Potter film. The red carpet premiere was a bittersweet cap to the series, leaving not just the fans, but the cast and crew, with lovely memories and not-so-lovely questions about what to do next.

Obviously, I wasn't there. I live in Alabama, for crying out loud. The premiere streamed on Facebook, but it started at the same time as my voice lesson, and I do have my priorities. Still, I'm a little sad over the end of an era--even one that I only just started to understand and enjoy.

There's a fantastic little chit chat with the producers and stars of the series over at The Guardian, and a neat interview with the Malfoy actors at ABC News. I'm going to go drown my sorrows in a nice Butterbeer, if you don't mind.

Photo Credit: The Associated Press
The Gang, Sans Harry, All Grown Up

Zegen--wait for it--dary!

Photo Credit: Zegend of Lelda

If any of you guys are going to be in the New York area June 8-12 and have an extra $18 lying around, you might want to check out The Zegend of Lelda: A New Musical Presented in 8 Bits. It's from the creators of Oedipus for Kids, which I know nothing about, but I feel the title probably says it all. To me, it sounds like a can't miss.

Zegend is actually a fifteen-minute excerpt from the full musical, and is running as part of the 2011 West Village Musical Theatre Festival. From Broadway World:

Who can forget the first time they grabbed their pixelated sword, clutching a wooden shield while fighting off nightmarish monsters in order to collect some weird triangles and save the princess? Or the blinding glow of that golden video game cartridge as you screamed over the eight-bit soundtrack that you'd be down for dinner in just a minute, which easily turned into four hours? Now, one of the most epic and enduring video game series of all time is presented as it was meant to be: as a musical, on stage, and in a fully non-copyright-infringing manner. Join us for this Zegendary adventure, and all attendees who come in costume will receive a free feeling of satisfaction from dressing up in costume in a public place.


With music and book by Robert J. Saferstein and lyrics and book by Gil Varod, THE ZEGEND OF LELDA is a hysterical journey through the video game world in search of bored fairies, questionable power ups, and a chorus of singing deformed villains. Watch as the hero Zink (Ronen Bay) and his trusted friends Boomy (Zack Moody), Sierra Myst (Zoe Farmingdale), and Old Man (Sean Ward) fight to save Princess Lelda (Susanne Nancy Kobb) and the kingdom of Tall-rule from the evil Dannon (Steve Copps) and his Shmoblins (Steve Walker and Amy Van Deusen). Direction is by Ron Grimshaw. Piano and Musical Direction are by Brenna Sage. Featuring vocal arrangements by Scott Stein and guitar by Natalia Garrido Rosa.

Honestly, if I were going to be back in NY, I'd find the eighteen bucks. This is a great chance to see some up-and-coming talent performing new musicals with a variety of styles and subject matter, from some amazing new playwrites and composers. I checked out the line-up, and there is definitely something for everyone, and worst case scenario, the whole thing will be over in an hour and a half. I'm just going to hold my breath and hope there's a cast recording someday.

Gift Guide: The Geek Chic Couple

Yay! It's my favorite season of the year!! What season is that, you ask? Summer? Baseball? Rabbit (or, perhaps, Duck)? Why, no, silly! It's WEDDING SEASON!!!

And I'm not invited to a single one. Thank God.

I do, however, have a ton and a half that I'm scheduled to sing, starting with one this weekend. That's why Wedding Season is the true "most wonderful time" of the entire year. That's the time of year when Erin has a lot of opportunities to pick up a little extra cash.

That also means that it's time for some of you to start figuring out gifts. Me, I'm a pillow-giver. Pillows are on everyone's registries, yet, no one seems to remember to pick them up. In the event that pillows aren't on the registry, I go in for what will surely be the next most overlooked item, like glasses, casual dining, or kitchenware. I remember the day after Thomas and I got married. We went over to my grandparents to open up the gifts that were left at the wedding, and were absolutely touched by all of the beautiful, sentimental, heirloom quality items we received. I was, literally, in tears over how obviously loved we were. Then we hopped in the car and ran to Target to buy sheets, pillows (see!), and forks so we could sleep and eat that night. Luckily, gift cards were in the pile, too.

So, now that I've convinced all of you to purchase lovely, practical gifts for your friends and family, here are some completely impractical, totally geeky, frivolous wedding gift ideas. Because I'm fickle. Deal with it.

Photo Credit: WB Shop

Okay, so this isn't totally useless. It's a Lord of the Rings inspired jewelry chest. The chest stands thirteen inches tall, and is constructed of hardwood with metal detailing. I love the teeny ring box in the center. Thomas gave me a very sweet gold ring before we got engaged. I don't wear it very often now (clashes with the white gold wedding jewelry), but that little box would the perfect place to properly keep and display it. I'm sure I'm not the only old married lady out there with a similar problem. I also like how the decoration, while ornate, isn't feminine. This is a great unisex piece that both bride and groom could use. The space under the lid would be a wonderful place for cufflinks and loose change. Now, I warn you, this chest doesn't come cheap, but for a close relative, this could be a very appropriate and cherished gift. $174.95, WB Shop.



Photo Credit: WB Shop



Now, this one's just silly, but at the same time, a little romantic. If you know some Harry Potter-heads (like myself), a pretty display case for their favorite wands (mine's Hermione's, thank you) could be a very romantic gift. Even better, the case holds four, so as their family grows, the collection can grow along with it. The little hanging plaques are a nice touch, don't you think? $44.95, WB Shop.

 

Photo Credit: Amazon

If you look to the left, you'll see something that's actually quite useful. When two people really love each other and commit to being together for the rest of their lives, something very magical happens: somehow, they manage to fit all of their stuff into one shared living space. And by 'all', I mean 'some'. And by 'magical', I mean 'with a great deal of anguish, screaming, name-calling, and possibly blood-shed'. By giving the gift of the USB hub, you're not only giving a gift that says, "Congrats!",  you're giving a gift that says, "Hey, I love you guys and want you to not end up divorced or in prison because one of you needs to charge their iPod, and the other needs the printer. Mazel Tov!" $53.14, Amazon.

I also love this idea because it's the very embodiment of the old saying: "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue." If you don't believe me, read this...

From Doctor Who, courtesy TV.com: "When you wake up, you'll have a mom and dad. And you won't even remember me. Well, you'll remember me a little. I'll be a story in your head. That's okay. We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? Because it was, you know. It was the best. A daft old man who stole a magic box. Anyway, did I ever tell you that i stole it. Well, I borrowed it, I was always going to take it back. Oh, that box. Amy... you'll dream about that box. It'll never leave you. Big and little at the same time. Brand new and ancient and the bluest blue ever."

...then watch this:

Okay, enough geeking out for one day. A big, brown box from Sephora landed on my doorstep today. Here's hoping it's bigger on the inside, and I have some lovely product reviews in the near future. Toodles!

Do I Send Flowers or Mushrooms?

I am officially going to Hell. I actually considered snapping a picture with my phone, but that would have been crass. Instead, I'm blogging about it, for all the Internet to see. 'Cause that's so much classier.

I had to run by the mall this morning, and there in the parking lot, in all its shoe-polished glory, was a sedan proclaiming, "RIP MARIO". Now, I know that this is a memorial for someone's lost loved one, but I couldn't help it. I laughed. A lot. All I could think of was an itty bitty Super Mario brother falling off the television screen. Then I texted Thomas, who also laughed. A lot. We are horrible, horrible people.

So, as an atonement, I have cute Mario things to show you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go pick out the trimmings for my handbasket.

Photo Credit: Destructoid

This July, Converse and Nintendo are teaming up to bring you some celebratory Chucks. In honor of Super Mario Bros. 25th anniversary, Converse Chuck Taylor shoes are getting a makeover, complete with itty bitty Marios, the game logo on the tongue, and an invincibility star in place of the Converse All-Star marking. Also available in black. No word on price at time of publication.

Okay, if that's not cute enough for you, how's this: A Super Mario proposal?! Watch for the fireworks. Squee!

How About a Burrito Shaped Like a Light Saber?

May the Fifth be with you? Does that work? Depends on how you look at it, I guess. Anyway, I hope everyone drinks tons of margaritas (responsibly, and with a designated driver) and eats too much Mexican food today.

Turns out, yesterday (or today, since I write this stuff a day in advance, and sometimes things get all timey-wimey on me) was Star Wars Day. Each year, on May 4th, geeks like me are supposed to exclaim, "May the Fourth be with you!" to each other. Yeah, it's a little goofy. Frankly, I totally forgot about it until I sat down to write this blog. Oops.

So, in honor of Star Wars Day, I bring you a sneak peek at the new Disney Hollywood Studios Star Tours refurb. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

For an indepth look at...well, a closed ride, check out this blog. There are a ton of pics, including one of a rather intimidating chair. Say what you will; I wouldn't mess with it.

Lastly, if there's anyone out there still unfamiliar with the plot of the original Star Wars movie, here's a fantastic YouTube recap--as told by a precious (and astoundingly eloquent) three year-old fangirl. Trust me, you don't want to miss this. Ole!

This Might Get Me Divorced

This time last year, my house was filled with duct tape. No, nothing was broken. Thomas and I were in production on The Night Shift, and the duct tape was for, well, everything. It held up the green screen. It was used as marks for the actors. It kept Herbie's head attached to his body. Basically, it kept the production from falling apart. God bless duct tape.

One of my favorite uses, though, had to be dummy-making. We needed two full body dummies for the film, but obviously didn't have the budget to buy them. Heck, we didn't have the budget to even order a catalog to look at them. Instead, Thomas and I hit the thrift store and bought two sweatsuits. Then, he'd pull one on over his clothes (it got a might warm), and I'd completely cover ever inch in duct tape. It was less entertaining than it sounds. Well, for us, anyway. The bickering between the two of us was probably pretty popcorn-worthy.

Anyhoo, once he was taped up, I cut the suit off of him. We were then able to tape the suit pieces together and stuff them for a pretty convincing body. If nothing else, I can say that I was very nervous driving around with it in the back seat. Some cops have good senses of humor...some don't...

Point is, for about five or ten minutes, my darling husband was stuck on the floor, unable to move (but sure as heck trying to, bless him), and completely covered from neck to ankle in shiny silver. That, in and of itself, is a funny mental image. Now, imagine how much more hysterical it would be if the duct tape had looked like this:

Photo Credit: Kitty Hell

That is all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go place an order with Target...

Don't tell Thomas.

Mavel-ously Silly

Hahahahahahaha!!!! These are silly and made me giggle, therefore, I had to share. You know how the kiddie clothing departments carry pajamas that look just like superheroes' costumes, complete with capes? How about the "young men's" t-shirts that mimic comic and movie characters' iconic outfits? Well, this one's for the ladies...

Photo Credit: Spencer's

SUPERHERO JAMMIES!!!!!!!!! The above is Captain America, but they also have girly versions of :

SPIDERMAN!



BLACK WIDOW!

EMMA FROST!

AND THE HULK!

I have to say, Captain America is my favorite, but that Hulk one is a close second. Are they tacky as all get-out? Absolutely! Do I totally and completely want one? You bet your sweet bippy, I do! $24.99, Spencer's.

Speaking of T-Shirts...

...I've got a couple of awesome sites for you check out. If you like geek tees (and who doesn't?), you can't beat the prices and artistry.

Ript and Teefury (yes, I'm lumping them together. You'll see why) interest me greatly. For one thing, the shirts are designed by fans. These are not mass-produced generic graphic tees. You will not find them at Target or K-mart. These are lovingly created by talented--and I mean talented--artists who truly understand their subjects. You'll find everything from Scooby Doo to Doctor Who...and sometimes a combination thereof.

Secondly, the shirts go for only ten bucks, plus around two dollars for shipping. That's cheaper than dinner for two at McDonald's, and will last a whole lot longer.

So, thus far we have creative tees and amazing prices. What's the catch? There's not one, actually, unless you consider the fact that each tee is only available for one day a "catch". That's right. You have twenty-four hours to decide if you want to add to cart or wait for the next one. I kind of like the idea. It's exciting. Plus, if you don't like the offering o' the day, you only have to wait a little while for a new option. You also know that any tee you buy is going to be fairly obscure, given the limited availability.

I think I'm going to need a bigger closet.

Please Surrender (Dorothy) a Moment of Your Time

Photo Credit: Urban Collector

Please take a moment to gaze upon the adorable-ness of this shirt, entitled "Run, Dorothy, Run!". The rich raspberry material and the way the aqua pops on it; how the action is so animated it practically moves; the fact that, not only is it a Wizard of Oz-themed shirt, but one that uses the book series' original artwork. One day (when I get paid again), this shall come live in my closet. $14.99, Urban Collector

You may now resume your regularly scheduled Monday.

A Happy Padawan and Good Teen Fun

Okay, I promised you a review of Easy A, and I'm not one to make false promises, so it's here.  However, I also wanted to let you guys know about a really cool and unique book that just came out.

A few months ago, a little girl named Katie asked her mom if she could take a pink water bottle to school instead of her usual Star Wars bottle.  It's a seemingly innocuous request, but so out of character for the first-grader that it prompted a few questions from her mother.  Then came the tears.  Poor little Katie was being teased for liking Star Wars.  Only boys could like Star Wars, apparently.  Katie was different, and kids are mean.

Katie's mother wrote a blog post asking for advice on how to help Katie through this patch--which was then picked up by Epbot writer and blogging juggernaut, Jen Yates--and the response was overwhelming.  Geek Girls (and Boys) everywhere fell in love with the spunky, bespectacled Padawan, and sent comments, well-wishes, advice, toys, screening passes, caricatures...the list goes on, to help Katie realize that it's okay to like Star Wars.  It's okay to like whatever interests you.  It doesn't matter if you're a girl, boy, or Ewok.  It's always cool to be yourself. 

Yates and company compiled the thousands of comments into a book for Katie--a 557 page book, at that--and sent it to her for Christmas.  That way, anytime she felt down she could look at it and remember that she has the love and support of an entire community behind her (we should all be so lucky).  Enough people requested it, that the book has been made public at manufacturer's cost.  No one involved is making any money off of this venture.  It's just a nice gesture. 

The hardcover book is $28.80, and contains over 3,300 comments.  Somehow, I think more kids than just Katie could benefit from reading this.  May the Force be with all of you!

Okay, now the review.  I doubt any of you have been waiting with baited breath, but a promise is a promise.  Plus, I've been too sick to really test out any new products.  I could either review a movie or give you the play-by-play action of Farkle on Facebook.  That's about as exciting as it sounds, so here's the review.

I expected this to be "cute".  I figured I'd curl up on the couch and watch at it (maybe check my email or play on my phone during slow parts), and Thomas would get fed up at the teeny-bopper silliness and go edit something on the movie.  I did not expect to become fully invested in this movie.

For those who missed the trailers, Olive Pendergast (Emma Stone) is a good girl.  She's doing well in her high school classes, gets along with teachers and students, and never makes her parents (Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson) lose sleep at night.  Aside from being completely invisible to the opposite sex, Olive is happy and well-adjusted. 

Olive's friend, Rhi, is not as well-adjusted.  Nor is she invisible to boys.  In fact, she's a bit of a skank, and sort of coerces Olive to admit to losing her virginity (which she had not).  A holier-than-thou student (Amanda Bynes) overhears and tells the entire school.  Next thing you know, not only is Olive studying the novel The Scarlet Letter in class, but is living the role of Hester Prynne!  Things progress from bad to worse when Olive takes on an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude.  Cue the virtuous harlot!

Okay, there's some definite suspension of disbelief going on.  First, to imagine the adorable Emma Stone as invisible, and secondly, to go along with an entire high school being scandalized over a student's sex life.  However, they make it work.  I guess if the charges are outlandish enough, even the most jaded of Seniors can be shocked. 

Other than that, the entire movie was very believable.  Kudos to the writers taking what could have potentially been cliche or filled with toilet humor, and turning it into an intelligent, funny movie with relatable characters and plausible situations, very much in the tradition of Clueless, Ten Things I Hate About You, and the greatest of the genre: the John Hughes collection. 

And, in keeping with that tradition, the cast must include glittering new talent.  Clueless brought attention to Paul Rudd.  Ten Things had Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Heath Ledger (boy, were we spoiled, or what?).  Easy A brings us Miss Stone.  True, it's not her first movie, but it is her first time carrying a movie, and she does it beautifully, earning that Golden Globe nod.

In supporting roles, Stanley Tucci (most likely ad-libbing his way through the part) and Patricia Clarkson are wonderful as the parents we'd all like to have, or at least get to hang out with occasionally.  Thomas Hayden Church is endearing as "the cool teacher", and Lisa Kudrow shows off some rarely seen dramatic chops.  Amanda Bynes was also quite funny as the holy roller who starts the whole mess.

It's not groundbreaking, but it was never meant to be.  This is a teen comedy, intended to be funny and sweet, and it succeeds.  All in all, an exceptionally well-made addition to the genre, and definitely a rental suggestion.  3 stars (out of 4).    

Search Halloween and Get...Star Wars?

Today's post can be seen as either an exercise in stream of conscious, or possibly as an ad for Bing! You know, the annoying ads where people suddenly become search engines and start spouting off everything that pops into their heads. Yeah, this is a little like that.

See, with it being eleven days till Halloween, I wanted to do a post on ghosts. Well, I googled "ghosts" and ended up with some haunted house stories. Well, that seemed like a promising avenue, so I decided to run with it. I googled a little deeper, and ended up with fewer hauntings and more info on Bill Murray's Scream Awards appearance, where he showed up dressed as Venkman from Ghostbusters. Okay, let's do a post on Ghostbusters 3. Well...googled Ghostbusters, and ended up looking at Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventurers...and this. Well, this...this was neat.

So, yeah, this has nothing to do with Halloween, but I always love a chance to spotlight enterprising women, and this girl seems pretty darn awesome.

Ashley Eckstein is an actress and voice artist (kindred spirit!) currently working on the animated series, The Clone Wars. Ashley noticed that female sci-fi fans (like herself) were becoming more and more prevalent, but were still somewhat overlooked on the merchandising front. She and her partner, the Araca Group, founded Her Universe, a place where ladies can get their geek chic on. Ashley received a license from Lucasfilms, and has a precious line of Star Wars gear, specially designed for fashion saavy fangirls. She's also working on jewelry, accessories, and beauty products.

This is not your average slap-a-logo-on-a-baby-tee merch shop, folks. Yes, there is a Star Wars logo tee--that's burned out, supersoft, purple, and goes great with skinny jeans. My favorite (if anyone--ahem, Thomas--is looking for Christmas, I wear a medium) is a heather gray v-neck with what looks like a pencil drawing of Han kissing Leia, surrounded by flourishes. It was designed by Star Wars artist Cat Staggs, and was inspired by, oddly enough, cookies the actress who voices Padme brought to The Clone Wars on Valentine's Day. They were decorated to say, "I love you," and, "I know". Heh. The shirt is titled "I Know", and runs $35. All shirt designs (including hoodies!) run between $30-$50 and are available at heruniverseshop.com. She also attends cons, so next time you go to one, keep an eye out for her.

Now, here's the coolest part--and the reason she showed up when I googled "ghost": Syfy has teamed up with Her Universe to create a line of fashion conscious women's apparel based on Syfy's original programming. That's right! We're talking Ghost Hunters, Warehouse 13, Destination Truth, Caprica...the works. All items will be sold under the Syfy Gear banner, and will be available at Her Universe and Syfy.com. You'll be able to find them at conventions through 2011, and in retail shops in 2012. I know where my Comic-Con spending money will be going.

What ho! The magic bag o' samples has reappeared! Well, sort of. Still can't find the bag, but I got in a shipment from Sephora, and with it, some new treats to try. I know, I have a problem. I'm okay with that.

Today, I have for you Buxom's Big & Healthy Lip Stick in Amsterdam. $18, Sephora. According to Sephora:

Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick works three full-time jobs—it defines the shape of lips like a liner, fills them in with creamy velvet color, and then plumps them to their full buxom potential. It's a three-in-one lipstick that's quick and convenient for defined, colorful, buxom lips anytime, anywhere.

I'm a gloss girl. Sure, if I'm going to be on camera or on stage, I know to use lipstick (at least under the gloss) because it shows up better, but honestly, I'm too lazy for lipstick. With gloss, you can just put it on--no mirror, no brush, no liner needed. You can be in the process of walking from your car to...wherever...and put gloss on at the same time and it still look good. If it goes out of the lines, you can fix it with a finger. If it doesn't make it all over your lips, you can press them together and fix it. Plus, it's shiny, and I like shiny. I'm a gloss girl.

That said, this doesn't suck. Yes, you do need a mirror, so it's not as easy to apply as gloss, but it's still fairly simple. The stick is really a large pencil, so the tip is pointed to allow you to use the product as a liner. Then you fill in the rest of your mouth. Voila! Done.

Amsterdam is a rosy nude shade that really just accentuates your natural lip color. I paired it with neutral and rose-gold eyeshadows and naturally-flushed blush for a really pretty I-didn't-even-think-about-putting-on-makeup-today look. It's matte, which translates to "a little drying", but applying over a balm really helped. The color is also longwearing, so touch-ups are minimal. Matte's the big look for Fall, by the way.

Does it plump? Eh, maybe a little, but it does have the trademark Buxom tingle we all know and love. All in all, I'd call it a winner. You get the matte look, the Buxom tingle, longwearing (flattering) color and easy application. And hey, who says you can't dab a little gloss on top, you know, just for fun?

Dear Santa, I'd Like a Little Blue Box...

I want a TARDIS.  After spending this weekend moving, with no hope of finishing in sight, I would love to have a home with seemingly infinite space, that I could move wherever, whenever I wished.  U-hauls suck, especially when they try to take your husband's arm as a souvenier.  Pick-up trucks are great...until it rains.  With a TARDIS, everything goes with you.  There's no chance that your neighbors will see you packing up the car and take it upon themselves to "help" by stealing your patio set and lawn decorations.  You never have to have the cable and Internet transferred, so there's no possibility of the cable company losing your service request, then informing you that the only date available to make up the visit is while you're supposed to be at work and have no way to take off.  The TARDIS runs off its own power, so you never have to deal with the gas company, or spend days without hot water.  The Doctor never has to take cold showers (well, not unless he just wants to). 

Now, I'll admit, the TARDIS is a little on the eccentric side.  I mean, it is a blue police box.  We've seen what that looks like in Pompeii, Victorian England, and on countless planets.  I'm not sure how well it would fit in around 21st Century Alabama.  Even now, I'm flashing back to my wedding, where we had a TARDIS groom's cake.  The baker was perplexed, the guests kept commenting that they had no idea Thomas was a police officer, and my mother was horrified that this bright blue thing was clashing with the purple, green, and gold reception (yeah, I'm from the land of Mardi Gras).  But then, once the kids starting running around with blue tongues, it was kind of worth all the confusion.  Aw, heck, nevermind propiety!  I'll have a TARDIS, and anyone who has a problem with it can take it up with the Doctor! 

Um...any ideas where to find one?

I guess, for the time being, I'll have to settle for something more along these lines.  So what if I'm doing my kitchen in a bright red, retro 50s theme?  It's a time-traveling device.  It'll fit right in. 

Photo by ThinkGeek.  $26.99, ThinkGeek.com

Leaving Me Reeling

I've been working on a CD for the past couple of months (you know, in between producing and starring in a movie, trying to find a new apartment, and working two jobs.  'Cause I have nothing better to do, apparently).  I finally finished it, sent it off to CreateSpace for pretty packaging, and now I have about two weeks to wait before it's available on Amazon and I can "officially" launch it, with a press release and everything.  The individual tracks are already download-able, but I don't count that as released.  In any case, before I can issue the press release stating that the album is also available on my website (note:  I am not linking to it, right now), I need to update the site.  Currently, it thinks we're still in February.  Oops. 

It's getting an almost complete overhaul.  Basically, the template's staying the same, but that's about it.  I have new headshots, new press photos, new audio clips, new links--the works.  I also thought that it would be a good idea to consolidate all my video clips into an actual demo reel.  That way, you don't have to sit through all of Camp Hill's $75-budget goodness to see me (caution:  spoilers--like y'all are ever going to watch this, anyway) pull a Scream Queen turn at the end.

This has actually been a fun little project, too.  I had totally forgotten how cute SuperFriends turned out(really, y'all should watch this one.  I actually chuckled through it), and I feel better about my acting in general since re-watching a lot of stuff.  I've been going through a bit of a self-esteem slump (we've all been there), and this helped some.

Of course, the entire point of the reel is to show range, so it's going to be an interesting challenge to find the most disparate clips and somehow join them all together cohesively.  I'll give it my best shot.  I also noticed that I play characters with ponytails.  A lot.  Greaaat...

One guy, however, who will not have a difficult time pulling together at least some different looks, is this guy:


Photo by SlashFilm 



Trying to figure out who this is?  No, it's not Criss Angel.  Nope, not a Jack Sparrow look-alike.  It's this man:

Photo by David-Tennant.com

That's right.  David Tennant.  The Tenth Doctor from Britain's long-running (40 some-odd years long-running) television monolith, Doctor Who.  Yeah, that's the same guy.  Seriously.

The top picture is the first look at Tennant's character, Peter Vincent, in the new Fright Night remake.  Fright Night is one of my favorite 80s horror comedies, and once I heard he'd signed on for the remake, well, I've been practically stalking Fandango to get the first ticket.  The original starred Roddy McDowell as a washed-up actor and tv horror host.  Obviously, they're going a different route with Tennant, and while I have complete faith in him (his Hamlet was amazing), I'm just hoping the mustache, wig, and goatee all come off at some point. 

Speaking of hair...it's time for today's trip to the magic bag o' samples!!!  This morning, I grabbed Frederic Fekkai's Brilliant Glossing Shampoo.  $23, sephora.com.

Normally, I use the Fekkai Technician Color Care collection, since I have color-treated hair ("Whaaa?  Really?"  Shocker, I know) and red is known to fade quickly, but I figured one wash would probably be okay, and I really wanted to see if it would make a difference when used with the Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Cream.  I've used it a couple of times on its own, and had mixed feelings. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, it does make a difference.  A slight difference, but enough to notice.  My hair isn't silicone shiny, but it does, indeed, reflect light.  Also, the shampoo is color-safe, turns out, so my red is still red.  My hair was very soft as I blow-dried it, but I've since had to put in hairspray, so the softness is now kaput.  The shine is still there, though.  My only gripes are that the products smell a little like perm solution and did not do anything to fight frizzies, hence the need to curl my hair and use the hairspray.  All in all, I think I'm going to stick with my Color Care collection, but might pick up the trial sizes of the Glossing to keep for special events, performances, or anytime I'm going to be in the spotlight.  All products (shampoo, conditioner, and cream) are available for $9 each at sephora.com.  Just look under "Beauty Minis".

There's a Little Black Raincloud Over Me

I needed a smile today.  After three years with his company, Thomas was let go.  It's just one of those things that happens, and we'll deal with it, but it's a huge blow to our budget.  Those of you who have been keeping up with this blog know that we're in the process of moving and are also working on an independant film.  Obviously, this is not a good time for one spouse to be out of work.  It's also not the best time to be job-hunting, since unemployment is at a high right now.  We could both definitely use some smiles right about now.

Luckily, there is a man out there who seems to specialize in smiles.  His name is James Hance, and he deals in what he calls "relentlessly cheery art".  Hance's work is unapologetically pop--celebrity portraits, TV subjects, and Star Wars as far as the eye can see.  Oh, and Muppets galore.  We must never leave out the Muppets.  He's described as "a big kid at heart, with an infectious sense of humor," and really, shouldn't we all be so lucky to have someone like that in our lives.

They're not the equivalent of a new job, but these pieces did, momentarily, put smiles on our faces, so I thought I'd share them with you.  All are available as prints for $10.

I love this.  First off, Super Grover!  Secondly, the look on (an incredibly realistic) Christopher Reeve's face just beams out affection.  You feel happy looking at it, and I'm not entirely sure that feeling has anything to do with the subject.  I think a lot of love went into this painting, and it just comes pouring back out. 

My favorite Fraggle Rock guys, the Doozers.  Little fellas who worked dilligently, paid only with an occasional, "Thank You," as a Fraggle bit into one of their radish-flavored buildings.  They were unsung heroes, making the world a better place for Fraggles, and this, somehow, seems very appropriate.

Okay, this one's just silly.  Kermit of the Dead?  It does seem fitting, though, that the frog is carrying a cricket bat. 

Now, we're getting into my favorites.  Hance has done a series of cartoons that are based on A.A. Milne's "Winnie the Pooh" children's books.  If I ever have a kid, this will be his/her nursery (consider this warning, Thomas).

Wookie the Chew!!!!!!!

I'm not posting the entire series here, but I think you get the idea.  I adore the little Han!!!! 

Heehee!!!!!  The little AT-AT as Eeyore has completely made my day.  I've seen some cute Star Wars stuff in my life, but this wins, hands down.  I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.

Okay, today's dip into the magic bag o' samples yielded Olay Quench Advanced Healing Body Lotion.  $8.99, Walgreen's.  I guess it's appropriate that the day my husband loses his job is the day I stop pulling out Sephora samples and start pulling out ones from the drugstore.  The universe has a sense of humor, no?

I liked it.  It's unscented, so it doesn't compete with perfume, which is always a plus.  The results were also immediately noticeable.  My skin looked more moisturized and felt smoother.  Another plus, the lotion didn't irritate my freshly shaved legs.  No little red bumps or stinging with this stuff.  Several hours later, my legs still feel silky soft.  For nine bucks, it's definitely worth a try.

*Photos by James Hance