!!!* Harry Birthday *!!!

Oooh, I almost forgot! Yesterday [31st July], our most favourite boy wizard turned 29, if I'm not very mistaken!

Have a very Harry - erm, I mean Happy - Birthday, Harry!

- A *magical* link:

Ever wanted to host a Harry Potter party but run out of ideas? This is the best site. Lots of cool ideas, like how to make your own mini broomsticks, Cockroach Clusters, edible magic wands, Chocolate Frogs, Butterbeer, etc. You might have to scroll down a bit, but it's worth it.

- A *magical* dialogue. Copyright Warner Bros., of course, I'm just writing whatever I heard in the movie Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince:

Ron: It's beautiful, isn't it? The moon.

Harry: Divine. Had ourselves a little late night snack, have we?

Ron: It was on your bed, the box. I just thought I'd try one.

Harry: Or twenty.

Ron: I can't stop thinking about her, Harry!

Harry: Honestly, you know, I reckoned she was starting to annoy you.

Ron: She could never annoy me ... I think I love her!

Harry: Well, brilliant.

Ron: Do you think she knows I exist?

Harry: I very well hope so, she's been snogging you for three months.

Ron: Snogging? Who're you talking about?

Harry: Who're you talking about?

Ron: Romilda, of course. Romilda Vane.

Harry: Okay, very funny.

As Harry bends down to pick the empty chocolate wrappers, Ron chucks his heart pillow thing at him.

Harry: What was that for?

Ron: It's no joke! I'm in love with her!

Harry: Alright, fine, you're in love with her! Have you ever actually met her?

Ron: No ... can you introduce me?

Image copyright the Welcome Library in London, I think ...

Petite Watermelons!!

Ohh you're going to love this, it's so cute.

These are Petite Watermelons! Made from lime rind and jelly, it's perfect for a summer's day ... I know you want the recipe! Here it is!

Photo copyright Chocolate on my Cranium.

Today's Word of the Day:

Fabulate (verb): Relate [an event or events] as a fable or story.

R. I. P.

Isn't it just sad when something bad happens to something you really like? I never meant to accidentally stomp on my iPod earphones, I swear I didn't! But, it happened. I was so engrossed in the crafts section of this store I went to [I was thinking make-your-own-headbands at the time], that I didn't see what I was stepping on, and they happened to be my trailing-to-the-floor beloved iPod earbuddies ... Sigh.

I'm lucky enough though, to have taken a photo of them before ... before the ... happening that happened to happen. Generally, people around me go, "Um. Did you just take a picture of your earphones?". I am known to take pictures of randomest things. Like the day I went mini-golfing with Libby. Instead of taking a picture of her shooting the awesomest goals [or whatever you call them], I took a picture of some pebbles. Well, I did take a picture of her eventually ... She won our golfing round that day. Anyways, I digress ...

Here is a picture of them the day it happened:

Life went on, and after I'd mourned enough for them, I went to Bond and Bond and got new ones. Ink'd by SkullCandy. They're light metallic blue, same as my iPod.

Kiwi = fruit? person? bird?

Gidday! I'm sorry I haven't been posting on the blog too often these days ... blame the uni - we got given four assignments last week. Haha, no, I'm only kidding, I love uni ...

And I told a blog-buddy [yes, Abby, that's you!] that I'd post on kiwifruits, but I've either forgotten, or had no time ... well, here goes ...

- The kiwifruit is also called a Chinese Gooseberry. Why? Because it originally had a Chinese name, and the people from New Zealand thought it tasted like gooseberry [although it doesn't]! [Thanks, Wikipedia!]

- It's about the size of a large chicken's egg. [Thanks, Wikipedia!]

- People from New Zealand are affectionately called Kiwis. The Kiwi is also a nocturnal bird, native to New Zealand.

- There's two types of Kiwifruits: green and gold [I'd say go for the gold, it's much sweeter].

Well, that's about it from me. If you want to know more, please click here, or here. I can say, quite proudly, that none of them take you to Wikipedia [!!].

I'd taken a photo of a gold kiwifruit ages ago, and thought it'd go with the post:

Today's Word of the Day:

Incongruent (adjective): Incompatible.

One more link ...

Kia ora!

My marae trip was amazing, more amazing than I ever expected it to be ... we learnt the Powhiri process, some Maori words [Kia ora = hello, Ka kite ano = see you again,  Kei te pehea kohe? = how are you?], got to sing and perform a Maori song [!!], and got to weave a rose and a lily using flax ...

Click here for a cute McGonagall animation. [And please don't ask me who McGonagall is! You ought to know! Jokes ... she's the strict Transfiguration teacher in Harry Potter]

p.s.: Did I tell you bloggers [I know I told you facebookers]?! I've started reading Twilight.

Today's Word of the Day:

Gussy (verb): make more attractive, in a showy/gimmicky way.

:D

Um, yes, the smiley is there because I am running out of witty titles.

Hello you all lovely followers [especially you (read: Aparna) who look at my blog as the first Internet activity of the day. It really warms by blog's little heart. Really and truly.], and hello to all you who stumble across it, but don't stay long enough to be followers/are too shy to comment.

Second semester at uni has finally started, and you know what? I'm actually enjoying it. This semester, we get to do things, as opposed to the first semester, where there was oodles of theory. We're learning how to bind books. We're learning how to draw gestures [with charcoal, too! Swish!]. We're learning how to draw portraits. It's all awfully exciting. [Don't let my lack of exclamation marks fool you]

I do have to rush now, and I might not have time to post tomorrow [going to the Marae - pics later], so I'll take leave with two links:

- This ingenious one where they show you some of the real uses of a shopping trolley.

- This one, if you're a Gen Y. Go here [Wikipedia] if you want to know if you're a Gen Y.

Today's Word of the Day:

Sisyphean (adjective): (of a task) such that it can never be completed.

p.s.: If anyone was wondering, I take the word meanings from the awesome dictionary on my iMac's dock.

!!!

The three exclamation marks because: I got my camera back, and it's working! [Remember how it was broken during a massive snowball fight?]. 

So now I can take photographs! So now you can expect some of randomish things this week! [They'll be random, but nice :) ]

Today's Word of the Day:

Callow (adjective): Inexperienced and immature.

40 years ...

... since the day man first set foot on the Moon [July 20]. Google has a lovely new logo. Isn't the word "Google" smartly incorporated?:

Today's Word of the Day:

Exegesis (noun): Critical explanation or interpretation of text, esp. of a scripture.

p.s.: This is a special word for me, since we are to write an exegesis for uni.

Few Fascinating Facets

How's the vocab coming along? I know for a fact that I've addicted at least two of my followers to Free Rice [Aparna and Kunal]. 

Anyways, today's Sunday, and I'm feeling very good, so here's a list of links and feel-good things:

- Picture Shark. Useful if you want to "stamp" logos/your name on to your artwork before uploading it on to the Internet. To make sure no one copies your work. Unsure about how good it really is.

- Scrap Blog. Make your own scrapbook, online!

- For Keeps Creative Paper. Australian scrapbooking magazine, with cuteness and tutorials.

- Paper Crafts. American version of For Keeps.

- My class and I are going on a trip to a Marae. Yaay!

- Second semester of university starts tomorrow. Always riveting.

- Rashmi. School buddy, and officially my ninth follower!

Today's Word of the Day:

Armada (noun): A fleet of warships.

Ruapehu Trip ...

These are some of the pics I took during our skiing trip ...

Yep, this is Mt. Ruapehu [yep, some scenes from Lord of the Rings were shot here]:

"The road goes ever on and on. Down from the Door where it began.":

Another shot of Mt. Ruapehu [ain't it pretty fascinating?]:

My snakey nosh on the way there:

Why anyone wants to hurl themselves from such a height, I do not know. ;D This is the bungee station at Taupo:

Lemme know if you like 'em!!

Today's Word of the Day:

Miscreant (noun): A person who behaves badly or in a way that breaks the law.

p.s.: Word of the Day is a completely randomised thing.

"The road goes ..." quote copyright J. R. R. Tolkien.

New feature!

It's not that big ... actually, as you might've noticed, I'm a stickler for proper spelling ... so I thought, why not have a new feature on the blog? So now I do ... aaaaaaaand it's called:

*drumroll please*

Word of the Day!

*applause*

Thank you, thank you. Let me explain: So I start a post each day with a big, yellowish title, right? And end it with, well, labels. You know, bleh. 

From now on, I'll be posting a Word of the Day at the end of each post. So you and I learn a bit of vocabulary.

On that happishly wordly note, let me introduce you to [if you haven't already been introduced] Free Rice! What it does, is it asks you a multiple-choice question. Sort of like a quiz at school. You answer it. Each right answer you click donates 10 grains of rice to people in need. You learn your words, and feed people at the same time! I think that it's the awesomest. Don't you?

Please let me know what you think of my new feature.

Today's Word of the Day:

Orography (noun): The branch of physical geography dealing with mountains.

p.s.: Er, no, "happishly" is not a real word. Neither is "wordly".

Vintage Printable

Hi there! This is especially for the peoples who like vintage stuff. 

Vintage Printable is [obviously] a website with free vintage images. There's lots of categories to choose from ... all images are provided by an anonymous biopharma worker. And all the images there are pre-1922! Awesome!

I have half a mind to print some vintage patterns, frame them, and put them on my bedroom wall. And add lovely vintage-y ribbons around them!

What do you think?

EDIT: Sites that I like, and have mentioned here, have now started going into the "Picked from the Flowers" list >>

No, I don't think that poster's from Vintage Printable ... I got it from Google Images.

Half Blood Prince

::SPOILERS AHEAD::

And so it did. Release, I mean. And let me tell you: this was the best Harry Potter movie. Ever. According to me, of course. It was hilarious. It was dark. It was scary at times. It was fast. It had some bits added, but these bits were still good [e.g. the scene where Hermione asks Harry, "Is this what it feels like? When you look at Ginny?" and the waitress scene at the beginning]. 

Bad points? There were some ... It lacked action. No Hogwarts fight. Added in the Burrow burning [why?!]. Did not show Tom Riddle looking for places/things to hide the Horcruxes in. Ron and Hermione were simply there to be comic relief.

This is a good place to go if you've read the book, and want to know what you'll love + hate in the movie.

That which did not release last year ...

... is releasing tomorrow. And I'm very excited for it! I'll report on Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince tomorrow. Woot!

p.s.: This post is red to honour Gryffindor, of course.

Image copyright Warner Brothers.

I want an Apple and a Pear.

Mmm ... want an Apple? Want a Pear? Aren't these beautifully sliced?

You can buy them individually ...

Or you can buy them in crates of six ...

I is wanting one ...

Bet you didn't notice that they're actually post-it's, eh?



Design by D-Bros. More delicious pics here.

London Vibe

Mmm ... London Vibe is a delish fragrance from Impulse. 

Here's the blurb from the bottle: Have you ever been seduced by a romantic walk along the London Bridge? Use Impulse London, with a blend of sandalwood, vanilla, and grapefruit scents, and live the magic of the trendiest city. Spray it all over your body and enjoy its captivating scent!

They've changed their packaging. I like the old one as well as the new one [old pictured here, because as I didn't have access to my camera - which broke during a snowball fight - I had to rely on Google images]. I just bought it today!

I've also tried New York Sass [an exhilarating blend of fruits and florals that will make you go "BLING BLING"], but it was too strong for me ... London's more delicate, and more "me".

Edit: Whoops, looks like I forgot to add the photo after all!

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Hey. I want to add a background colour/image to my blog, 'cause I think it's looking a bit sad and dull at the moment. Anyone know how to?

Illusion Bags

Following the trend from yesterday, these are some more examples of great packaging.

Thanks, Stephanie!

Awesomeness Part Three.

Yay for the fact that I am posting today [I wasn't planning to]. And yay for the fact that this is another Awesomeness.

From now on, I'm always going to check the bottom of my Starbucks cup! And what if someone drinks it from the other side? The whole point/cleverness of the joke is lost!

But I still think this packaging is ingenious. Don't you?

p.s.: Fish is gone because it took an awful lot of time to load on my blog. And it slowed down all the other pictures as well. :(

I'm sorry, I received them in a mail, I don't know who owns them. :(

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard

This is slightly off-topic, as you might've figured from the title, but if you are a LotR book/movie fan, you must watch this video I discovered. It's completely hilarious, and utterly genius. Link here. Link takes you to youtube. I already have it on my iPod.

Edit: Harry Potter fans aren't left out of this either. Click here for one of these videos done Harry Potter style. Personally, I like the Isengard one better. Which one do you like?

Legolas pic from: alessinwonderland.wordpress.com

Snow, Snow, Snow!

Ooh, could this be? Yes, it is! The 100th post! Yay me!

Uhm, anyways, my skiing trip was ridiculously awesome [and no, I didn't ski; I sledded. I didn't bungee either], the weather was absolutely beautiful, I got to see my first snow as well as snowfall, everyone was in such a happy mood throughout the whole trip, and all the laughter and giggling was so contagious [as it always is]. I wish I could go live on Mt. Ruapehu forever. And ever. It was just so serene up there. Felt as if I was inside a painting, or a movie set. I slipped into this strange mood, I can't quite explain it!

Goodness, I can't stop going on about it now, can I? The only sad thing was that my camera broke in the middle of a massive snowball fight :( so I could just take some pictures.

Like this one:

Isn't it just beautiful, picnic benches disappearing into nothingness? A sort-of a neverland, where nothing exists?

And to some who have asked, yes, I did take that photo myself.

See ya later, peoples! Would be glad to hear from ya again!!

One more to go ...

... for what, you may ask. Well, one more day to go skiing! Which is extremely exciting, because I've never been in/seen snow before ... and no, ice in the freezer doesn't count! Hopefully there will be a computer where we're staying, and hopefully, I'll be able to blog still. If not, I'll have to post all about it when I get back, which will be Monday.

... and, of course, one more [this one!] post till my 100th! Yes, this is the 99th.

Gotta go pack my bags now. Very excited.

Uhm, and I don't know where I got that awesome cartoon from, sorry :(