Life and Death By Stephanie Meyer

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By Susan Elliott

Perhaps I will lose the fantasy world's respect by admitting this, but I love Twilight. In fact, I picked up my first copy of Twilight after I saw the movie poster. The image was so striking that I had to get my hands on the book.

I read the first three books within two weeks, and had to wait an unbearably long time for the last book to come out. (A month!)

I loved the characters and the writing. I was drawn into the story and I really had to know more. Stephanie Meyer took me through a gambit of emotions, and I truly love the world she created. As a writer, I know creating a believable fantasy world is not easy. (Writers and gamers check out: Fantasy World Building 101)

Aside from the story, one reason that this series will always be special to me is because it helped my daughter learn to read. She had refused to read much of anything, and by the time she was in fourth grade, she was still barely reading. That is until I handed her Twilight. It took her a full month to read the Twilight book, but after finishing it her reading speed nearly doubled, and within a couple of months she had read every one of the books. I can't tell you how happy that made me!

About a year after she had read the books, we had the opportunity to go hear Robert Pattinson speak at a business meeting. I remember getting her up at 3:00 a.m. so she could get ready.  She made such a cute fan girl! I thought she would die when he walked right by us.

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So, what's my point -- other than sharing wonderful memories, and trying to get you hooked on the Twilight Saga?

The other day I was at the store and saw that Life and Death had finally hit the market. Of course, I didn't think twice before I bought it. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of reading a book club book -- Sandi Rog's Out of the Ashes -- for my other blog Church of Christ Women Authors (which was phenomenal by the way), so I couldn't start reading it right away. However, I have finally started it, and I really am enjoying it. I think I'll be through with it by the end of the weekend -- I would be done with it already if I didn't have a thousand other things to do besides reading. I know there are some great surprises in store in Life and Death and I can't wait.

If you get a chance to read it, I would really recommend it. And, if you haven't read the The Twilight Saga you are missing out on a great series of books. You really should check them out. Forget the hype of the Hollywood actors. Forget the fan girls. Check out the story. It is fantastic!

Marvel's Avengers Age of Ultron: Can You Say YES!

I am so excited that the Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron is finally out on blu-ray! I don't know how they keep doing it, but it seems each Avengers movie is better than the one before it. As soon as I left the movie theater, I wanted to go back in and watch it again.

I won't give any spoilers away incase you haven't seen it, but wow!

Age of Ultron was directed by Joss Whedon, of course I am a huge fan of Whedon's work so I'm not surprise the movie is phenomenal.  Oh, don't forget to watch the Easter egg at the end of the credits. IT'S AWESOME!

Movie synopsis from the case: "Good intentions wreak havoc when Tony Stark unwittingly creates Ultron, a terrifying A.I. monster (There's the first mistake A.I. ALWAYS a problem!) who vows to achieve "world peace" via mass extinction." It's really no surprise Ultron goes all crazy, how many characters have decided that the only way to achieve peace is through murder? But, even though this plot concept is familiar, the movie is fantastic.

All of your favorite Avengers are in here too, and I really loved getting to know more about Black Widow and Hawkeye. If you haven't seen Avengers: Age of Ultron, get a copy today. I found mine at Wal-Mart. I bought the package that included the Blu-ray, DVD, Blu-ray 3D, and Digital HD versions, and it was less than $20 bucks! (I always get the one with the Digital HD, because I love VUDU.)

What are your thoughts on the Avengers: Age of Ultron?

The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

About The Scorch Trials Book:

"Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive."


The first time I heard of the Maze Runner series I was working for Scholastic Books in the book clubs department. I remember at the time that The Maze Runner  was a highly sought after book by junior high and high school kids alike.

A few years later the book came to my attention again when it debuted as a movie. As much as I like to read, I love to watch movies even more. In fact, I have hundreds of movies in my collection. The Maze Runner is one of them. I really enjoyed the first movie, and have recommended it to several people. Like all good movies that are broken into parts, I felt great anticipation after it ended because I needed to see the  next movie.

The Scorch Trials  has also been made into a action packed movie. Since I haven't read either books I cannot tell you how true to the story the movies are, but for the average movie goer The Scorch Trials were awesome! In fact, if my pocket book would allow, I would go see it again.  I am really looking forward to the day it's out on blu-ray!


Please enjoy the movie trailer below:

Subtle Differences Between Costume Designers and Fashion Designers

People who are not in the movie or fashion industry may have never considered what the real difference is between a costume designer and a fashion designer, but why not learn about the role a costume designer plays in your favorite movie? We all love them; we just may not know it. Costume designers help to make stories come to life, and in very important ways they give life to our favorite characters.

While there are big differences between costume designers and fashion designers, the general public doesn't usually know what actually differentiates them from each other. Usually the general public only knows what costume a character wears during a production or how a model looks on a runway.

Costume designers are tasked with the difficult job of making a production authentic. They must choose what clothes are best for each individual character's personality. They also have to select clothing that fits the overall genre of a production and time period; however, their job is much more than just selecting clothes.


Many things affect a costume designer's choice for a character's wardrobe, but their first decisions are made after they have read a script. The script provides a costume designer with insights to character personality as well as to the environment in which a character lives, or works. The costume designer takes this information and builds a character's wardrobe, from his feet to his hair. The costume designer is completely concerned with every detail of his character presentation, just like a fashion designer is concerned with the overall presentation of a model displaying his fashion designs.

The specific details regarding costume design are always submitted before a director and a design team for approval; however, a fashion designer is mainly concerned about whether or not his designs convey his own expressive ideas. For a production, the costume designer must ensure that every detail is perfect, works well with the lighting as well as the overall theme of the production.

It truly is amazing what care goes into costume design, everything from the texture, lighting, to the silhouette of a garment is considered before it is used. Of course, a fashion designer also wants great lighting, good silhouettes and nice textures for his designs, but his choices do not necessarily have to look great on a production set. Many times, fashions are only photographed, or seen from a distance during a runway show. They are not displayed in front of millions of people in hi-def digital film.

While costume designers consider every detail of a character's wardrobe and are responsible for a character's look, they do not actually design clothing. Clothing design falls into the world of fashion designers.

 One of the best shows that has really given the general public great insight into the world of fashion design is Project Runway. This show has allowed the public to watch a design come to life from sketchbook to fabric to runway, and has emphasized the minute details that go into a piece of clothing. Contestants concentrate on every detail of a garment, but only after a garment is completed, do they choose the overall look of a model. The complete package, so to speak, is not necessarily considered before the model steps into her clothes and heads to the makeup and hair team.

One show that gives a little more insight into costume and character design is Face Off on the Syfy network. I've been an avid fan of this show since it began. The show takes an audience from a character concept to a living breathing character. While the show is often more centered on the actual special effects makeup, costume design is integral into making those characters believable. I have seen a fantastic makeup job ruined because of poor costume choice.

Next time you watch your favorite show remember all the hard work the costume designer did to make your favorite character a reality!

How to Build a Flower Pot Smoker

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You will be the grill master and smoke king when you build your own flower pot smoker. Flower pot smokers are easy to build and can be made in a variety of sizes. While many people make smokers from metal chimney pipes; there are drawbacks. Some metals are toxic and should not be used for cooking, and determining the metal type can be tricky. Using a terracotta pot smoker, on the other hand, is safe and environmentally friendly.

Materials:

3 bricks
3 Terracotta pot feet
14-inch terra cotta pot
Round hotplate
14-inch terracotta flower pot bowl
Metal pie plate
Terracotta tray (optional)
Charcoal grill grate
Grill thermometer
Outdoor Extension Cord

Place three bricks onto a flat surface. Arrange the bricks into a circular pattern. Allow space between the inside area of the bricks, as well as a slight opening at the end of two of the bricks. The space between the bricks allows air to flow into the flower pot chimney smoker, and the small opening at the end of the two bricks will leave room for the hotplate's electrical cord.

Place the hot plate into the bottom of the 14-inch flower pot. Make sure that you thread the power cord through the hole in the bottom of the flower pot. Be careful to not damage the electrical prongs.

Set the flower pot feet onto the bricks, and carefully place the 14-inch flower pot onto the pot feet. This size of flower pot is rather heavy, so you may need to enlist help to get the pot situated perfectly onto the feet. Make sure that the hot plate power cord is able to fit between the bricks, and is not pinched between the bricks.

Add a metal pie plate onto the hot plate. This pie plate will hold your wood chips during the smoking process. If you have trouble locating a metal pie plate, you may also use a terracotta tray as an insert.

Insert the charcoal grate into the terracotta pot. It should fist securely onto the inside pot rim ledge. A snug fit will give the grate added stability.

Place the 14-inch round terracotta bowl onto the top of the 14-inch flower pot. Set a grill thermometer into the bowl's drainage hole.

Only plug the smoker into the outdoor extension cord when the smoker is in use.

Gift Giving Rescue: What Every Painter Needs

Any gift giving time may be a cause for panic when there is an artist in the family. What do you give an artist? While there are many people who support their friends or families love of art, they might not have an understanding of what it is that an artist exactly needs. For several years I have been stocking my own studio, and you might be surprised what an artist really wants (and needs).

PAINT BASICS

If you want to give the gift of paint, always ask what medium the artist prefers to paint with. If your artist prefers to paint with acrylic, he probably doesn't want a gift of oil or water paints.

Once you know what types of paint the artist prefers you can think about color choices. The two most used paint colors in my studio are black and white. It seems I can use an entire tube of white paint in one sitting, and the black paint almost always disappears just as fast.

Other colors you might consider are red, yellow, green and brown. These basic colors can be mixed to achieve almost any color an artist might want to use.


Neon colors, metallic silver and metallic gold are also great choices. These colors cannot be mixed from basic colors, and while they are often used sparingly, they may be important elements in an artist's palette.

BRUSHES

Artist brushes can be quite costly. A cheap package of brushes from a discount store can run between $5.00 and $10.00; however, cheap brushes often lose hairs into the paint. This is a major annoyance for any artist, and can only be removed with great care and tweezers.

Choose brushes that are sold individually and ones that are designed for whatever medium your artist prefers. Most stores that sale brushes have the brushes sorted by types. Look for the words, oil, acrylic and water on the package and determine that you are purchasing the right brush for the right medium before committing to buy a brush.

Fan brushes, fine tipped brushes, and other specific purpose brushes also make great gifts. Recently, I found a brush that is bent so that it can get closer to the canvas. These types of brushes are also extremely useful.




CANVASES & SKETCH PAPER

Canvases come in all shapes and sizes. There are stretched canvases and canvas boards, both of these types of foundation materials are great for artists. A small canvas can be an inexpensive gift, but a really useful one.

Artists also use sketch paper. Some papers can even be used as a painting surface. Always select paper that is acid free, and if you want your artist to be able to use the sketch paper as a painting surface make sure that the paper indicates that it can be used that way.

PAINT ODDS & ENDS

If your artist prefers to use oil paints, you might consider buying linseed oil or paint thinner. Linseed oil is used to thin down oil paint for a lighter coverage, and the paint thinner can be used to clean dirty brushes.

A gift that might be overlooked is a color wheel. One might wonder why an artist needs a color wheel, but it is a great tool. I often use mine to help me mix colors during the painting process or to visualize the different color options that are available.


Mini clamps are an absolute must for a couple of reasons. They can be used to hold images onto an easel or to hold transfer paper onto a canvas or board. Mini clamps can often be found at hardware stores. My favorite clamps were actually found in the dollar bin at a popular hardware store.


RECYCLED GOODS

Recycled items can be beneficial for artists and help save serious pocket change. Save wide mouth jars of various shapes and sizes. Make sure you also save the lids. Artists can use these jars to store oil, paint thinner or to hold water for brush cleaning. I have several glass jars in my studio that I use for holding paint thinner, holding brushes and keeping brushes sorted by brush type and size.

Old calendars can also be a good gift. Artists often need pictures of animals, flowers or people. Old calendars are ripe with beautiful images that are made specifically to brighten a room. These images are usually greatly detailed and prime examples of whatever image they are portraying.

Another great recycled good that can be a useful gift is old fabric. Artists need towels or fabric on which to clean brushes or for wiping excess paint. Old t-shirts cut into 10x10-inch squares work just as well as store bought painters rags and they can save you some money so you can spend more money on gifts like brushes, paints and canvases.

The Best Wedding Advice I Ever Received

My husband and I celebrated twenty wonderful years of marriage this year. There have been times that our journey has been littered with thorns and rocks, but we have never once considered giving up. What makes people stick together through thick and thin? There maybe no one answer, but there are things that make living with someone easier, and some of the advice that I was given long before marriage has really been a blessing.

It may seem strange to many people, but we didn't share a love at first sight moment. In fact, I ran as far from my husband as possible. I was getting over a really bad break up and he "scared" me. I knew he liked me, and I could tell he was serious, but I just wanted to mope. After his many attempts trying to get to know me we finally became friends, but I had grown exasperated that he wanted more from me.

One day I was complaining to an elderly lady at church. It was the same day he accompanied me to worship and to a church social. I told the lady that I knew he liked me, but I wasn't really interested in him like that. That's when she looked me in the eye and said, "Dear, beauty fades, and the fire fades, and someday you only have your friendship. It looks to me that you already have that." I sat there for a moment and watched him from the distance. It was that afternoon, that I realized through our friendship, I had healed, and grown to love the man, that I now call husband.


A couple of weeks before I married my husband, I was riding in the car with my mother. She knew I was getting nervous about the upcoming wedding, just the whole social ordeal, and we had been talking about it for awhile. That's when the conversation turned in a different direction.

She informed me that she had noticed that many times when my future husband and I were talking I always gave in to his ideas. I am a very outspoken person with strong ideas, and opinions. She didn't like that I, in the few weeks prior to our wedding, had changed.

It was then that she told me that he didn't have to win every argument, and neither did I. It was important that we talk to each other, share our ideas, but always be willing to stand up for what we believe in. She told me not to lose myself, or change for love, and to always be myself, it's the girl he fell in love with. She was right. Being myself and being honest with him at all times is one thing that keeps us strong. We always have each other's back.

When my daughters and son begin to get serious about their love lives and are looking for a mate, I will pass these things on to them. But, I will add one piece of advice of my own. I will tell them that being honest with your spouse is the most important thing you can do.

Sometimes honesty is painful, embarrassing, and intimidating, but my husband and I never keep secrets from each other. There is nothing anyone could ever tell me about him I don't already know, from his past, or present life, and the same can be said about me.


Marriage is a lifelong commitment. Many people look at it as a trial experience, and that is not the correct attitude. Remembering these things throughout life will help your marriage to remain strong, and secure, even if the world around you is falling apart!