Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Review

I am finally sitting down and doing these reviews!! First I will review the movie and then the book.

The movie version of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall I watched was this one. It was the made for tv (three one hour sections) from 1996.
Helen was played by Tara Fitzgerald, Gilbert by Toby Stephens, and Mr. Lawrence by James Purefoy. (Who I recognized-he was in Mansfield Park, A Knights Tale and Vanity Fair, all three movies I would recommend, in fact one of them is on my all time favorite list!) The actors were pleasant to look at, and the customes were pretty nice, but the hairstyle of Helen when she was older (the "present" part of the movie) was simply dreadful! I mean it looked horrid! I felt bad for her!

I was not impressed with the movie. I have decided that next time I want to watch a movie and read the book...I should watch the movie first. That way I won't be so disappointed with the movie. The book is always better...sometimes the movies come close and does a good job at interpreting the book, and other times they get off track. I just felt like, although they did get the basic story across, and you like the characters, they brought in things that were not really important-or part the book-and left out some characters I loved and other important parts of the story. I know that you can't fit everything into a movie, but it was hard to watch this one, so soon after finishing the book (the next day) and see so much of it missing! Plus one of the biggest parts of the book is Helen's faith, and this was not brought up at all, and things were done that she would never have let happen, but I guess they are just trying to make it appeal to a modern audience.

O.K. So I got the movie review done yesterday evening when I got home from work, but then I got distracted with dinner and watching some t.v. with Kev and I didn't get around to the book review...so here we go:

A review on The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte(Before I start this review I must make a note that I absolutely love the Bronte sisters, so my reviews may be a bit partial. I don't know why I love them so much, I actually have never read any of Emily's work, but I still have an unexplained love for their work. I think it might have to do with how close they seemed to have been, I have three sisters and we are VERY close and I like to imagine them being the same way. I also felt for them deeply, as I still do, because of the sufferings the went through. Life was hard on the Bronte family, and for some reason we are drawn to stories of tragedy, so I fell in love with the Bronte family from a young age and now that I am part of this Bronte reading challenge I would like to read more about them. I guess I may need to actually join a library so I can get access to some more books and biographies without spending a fortune!)

In the Tenant of Wildfell Hall, I feel you are truly transported to the time through the author's emotions/thoughts/feelings that are presented through what the character's are going through. You get a sense of what it was like trying to live a "proper" life of that time and what restrictions were brought upon both men and women based on where you were in society. Helen, the heroine of the book, is strongly guided by her faith. Although, she tries to do what is right, she falls in love with a man that I am sure deep down she knows she shouldn't have. He is seen by society as a good enough match for her, he has a good name and he has money, but his character is not inline with what Helen holds so dear to her heart, her faith. But, at the time, he is the only match that she has feelings for...her aunt is trying hard to pawn her off on some old guy, and she knows she doesn't want that! She wants love, not just a match. As much as Helen knows he is the wrong choice, she is in love and believes he will change, he just needs to grow up a bit, and spend time with better influences, and time away from the bad influences. Turns out, that assumption isn't accurate. Her husband is a Gentleman by birth, but none of his actions show that any of the characteristics of a gentleman are in him. He is a truly selfish being, and although I think he did love her, or as best as he knew how to love, it wasn't a true love. True love would sacrifice yourself, for the good of the one that you love, which you see Helen doing for him, but he doesn't give her anything in return.

This book addresses some tough issues. One of them being alcoholism. (I am guessing this came from Anne's relationship with her brother Branwell who suffered from both alcohol and drug addictions in the later part of his short life.) I liked how Anne was able to get a message across about subjects that, I am sure, were not something discussed in proper society. Subjects like; gossiping, addictions, adultery, restrictions (on women in particular) due to the rules of the times, restrictions due to class, and faith.

Well, I don't really want to tell the whole story, because I want you to read it yourself. It is worth the read for sure!! There are parts that seem a bit long, but I like them, because I think it helps set the place of the book and the feelings of the characters. You truly fall in love with Helen and Gilbert, who is the narrator of the book. (Speaking of Gilbert, I so want to read Anne of Green Gables now, whenever I hear Gilbert-I think of Gilbert Blythe. I have loved the movies since I was a girl, but I have never actually read the books, I guess I need to borrow those from mom or Betsy and get them read!)

I guess the basic overview of the book would be that this is a complicated love story between a woman and her husband, her child, her God, and her chance at true happiness. Helen's desire for doing what is right, both by the standards of the time and her beliefs, shape the story. Although she finds a chance at happiness, she isn't willing to dive into it at any cost, no matter how much she wants it. Could finding love truly bring happiness if she had to compromise her beliefs? I am amazed at Helen's strength, and although I got frustrated at times with what went unsaid due to being proper, I was then able to sympathize with the characters with what life truly was like for them.

**Spoiler alert-stop reading if you don't want to know anything about the ending**


The end does eventually bring about a happy ending, it was just a long wait for it! But I don't think it could have been a happy ending for Helen if she hadn't stayed true to herself and her beliefs.

**Add on**

Here is a review I just read. Thought I would add a link on here for y'all to see it if you want.

I've been feeling lazy

I have been feeling a bit lazy these past few days. I just can't seem to get into the mood to get anything done when I get home after work.
So...
I have been enjoying some movie nights!

Tuesday night, after running by Whole Foods (well Harry's) and Kroger since I was basically out of food at home, I watched "Martian Child."It is a really sweet movie about a widower who decides to adopt a child. So sweet! I had bought it ages ago (one of my Blockbuster Video previously viewed dvd sales purchases) but I had never gotten around to watching it. Mom told me that she had just watched it and it was sweet so I decided to pull it out when I got home and enjoyed it thoroughly! (I did get a little bit of progress on my knitted scarf as well!)

Last night I still just wanted to chill after a long day at work, so I put in "Fame"I had wanted to go see it in the theaters, but didn't get a chance, so I bought it when it came out and just got the chance to watch it. I was able to finish my scarf and so now I just need to take care of the loose strings from tying on the different colors for the stripes and I have a finished product!
Yay! At least I got something done, even if I can't get around to typing up that review, or get to any of my sewing that I really want to do, but just can't without the motivation!

I signed up for another night at Sips N Strokes! I am so excited!! I had so much fun last May when I went with my sister and a few of her friends. The painting this time is amazing!! I am going to the East Cobb location (same one I went to before) and we are doing the Saturday Feb 6th 7-10 pm painting. I hope to get a group together, so far I have one of my neighbors in for sure and maybe a second one! If you want to come along as well go online here and you can register! I hope I can do the painting justice, but if not I am sure it will still be a fun night!!

I am wearing my new scarf today! (the one from Monday night) I think it is very appropriate for this time of year since it is red and I sewed it with pink thread! It is a Valentine's scarf!!I am also wearing my comfy Old Navy sweater boots that I love!!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Girls Night!

Well, I completely forgot to take any pictures while the girls were over last night, but I did grab a quick shot (while I was running out the door to work this morning-late as usual!!) of my scarf I made while we were visiting.

Rachel and Mandy (two of my neighbors) came over last night for a little girl time and we crafted together while visiting into the wee hours of the morning. Yes, I did say morning. I guess it had been too long since we had visited...we chatted away until almost 1AM!

Rachel cut out and sewed up an adorable Valentine garland for her fireplace-so cute!!

Mandy worked on cutting out squares to a beautiful quilt she is working on. The colors are simply perfect...I am in love with it!!

I worked on a project which I had found online here.I just used one of Kevin's t-shirts he had gotten from some event at work. (Chick-fil-A) This was such an easy project I think I will want to make more-anyone have a yellow t-shirt they don't want anymore? I have a coat (my grandma got me a couple years ago) that has a tiny bit of yellow in it and I think I yellow t-shirt scarf would be perfect with it!
I played around with the extra t-shirt fabric, but I am not really sure if it will turn into anything that I will actually use...we will see how it turns out!

Overall it was a super fun night and I am excited to do it again sometime soon!

Monday, January 25, 2010

I think I may have a problem...

They say the first step to dealing with an addiction is admitting you have a problem...

Hello.

My name is Emilee.

I am addicted to yarn/fabric sales.


I had already spent a good amount of money at Joann's and Michaels earlier in the week, then I ran by Michaels (to return something) and all their Christmas ribbon was on sale...which means I came out of the store with these. (At least it was 90% off so basically about $1 each)
After the baby shower on Saturday (I did finish the quilt in time for the shower! Here it is all washed and dried and ready to be loved!)

Anyway....after the shower mom and I ran to the Walmart in Cartersville because they are closing their fabric department..therefore all cut by the yard fabric and trim was 50% off!

I went a little crazy


O.K.


Maybe a LOT crazy!


Mom and I were there for hours!! (Although, that seems to happen any time I go into Walmart, it is like a Twilight Zone or something!)

Here is my giant purchase
(I put the fabric into piles, basically which ones will go together for a quilt, so you will see several pictures of the same piece of fabric in it because I will just be using part of it for each quilt.)

I bought some panels, which I have not done before, but hey, if you are blowing the budget, go ahead and go all out right!?! There were three fabric books that I can make and 2 ready made blankets that I just have to put a binding on!)




We also got a some fun fabric for a bag or something. (We will have to have a mom/daughter sewing night and get them made!)
Here is where the piles for quilts begins (mainly baby quilts of course) and some spare fabrics that I just wanted to get and we will see what I do with it!
You can never have too much white, so I just bought all that was left on the two bolts of white fabric they had.And here is the pile of trims I got.

As if that wasn't enough, I had to run to Michaels again on Sunday (needed some Mod Podge-will show that project once I actually get around to doing it!) and I found a cute knitting book and some fun yarn on sale. I had a coupon for 25% off your total purchase so the new book and some yarn came home with me along with the Mod Podge stuff I needed and a canvas that I want to take to my MIL. (I have a request in for a painting from our trip to Europe last Fall-I am collecting paintings from everywhere we go, but since we were traveling light, I couldn't actually bring any home with me. Thankfully I have a super talented MIL who can just paint something for us from one of our photographs!!) I am really a beginner level knitter so we will see if I can even do these, but they were so cute (and on sale-you know me and my addiction) so I bought them!


I am having a girls sewing/crafting night with two of my neighbors tonight.
I am so excited!
I will try to remember to get some pictures and post them later!
(Although, this means I most likely still won't get that review written for The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. I don't know what my issue is. I can't seem to get it written, but I also don't want to get into another book until I get it written so I really need to just buckle down and write the review!!)

Friday, January 22, 2010

My recent loot from Joann's and Michaels (I just can't say no to a good sale!)

I still haven't found the time to write out my review for The Tenant of Wildfell Hall book and movie I finished this week. (I have a lot to say, so I don't want to do it sometime when I can really concentrate on what I am typing!)

So that you don't think I have disappeared here are a few pictures of my recent purchases. Kev had gotten me a gift card to Joann's for Christmas (along with some other great sewing stuff-such a great hubby!!) and they were having some great sales so I spent my gift card and quite a bit more there yesterday!!Plus Michaels had some great sale prices on yarn, so I picked up some more for my stash this week! (The dark color is a suede like yarn, I have never worked with that before, so it will be interesting to see how that goes!)Plus my lovely neighbor, who I did some sewing for last year for her cute children's clothing company Sweet Treats Kids, had some extra fabric she has passed over to me.
Love it!!And here is what I kept myself busy with on Wednesday night while I watched The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. I started a fun new knitting project.