DIY Harry Potter Chocolate Frogs! (19 Years Later Anniversary Edition)

That Weird Girl Life

It's September 1st, 2017. The Hogwarts Express is setting off from Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the start of the school year. And do you want to know why the beginning of this particular school year is so special? Because it's exactly 19 years later, when the epilogue of the last Harry Potter book (aka the Deathly Hallows) took place. That means that Harry and Ginny are dropping off their two eldest boys, James Sirius and Albus Severus (c'mon, Harry, you could have at least let Ginny name at least one of the kids!), for a new year (and the first year for Albus Severus) at Hogwarts. (This is also the start of Harry Potter and the   Cursed Child but we are NOT getting into that now, I already did last year) Ron and Hermione are there with their two kids (Rose Weasley is going back this year to Hogwarts), along with Scorpius, Draco's son, and many old and new faces, all coming together once again for the ceremonial sendoff of shipping their kids off to a magical boarding school. And I'm still waiting for my damn letter! (I'm not bitter about a fictional children's book series not being real. Not at all)

What better way to celebrate this historic day than by making our own versions of a certain Wizarding World treat, fresh off of the trolley while we're waiting for the train to arrive at Hogsmeade Station! What candy, may you ask? Drooble's Best Blowing Gum? Nah. Fizzing Whizzbees? Please. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? As if.

No, we're talking about the magical bonding power of the candy that basically made Harry and Ron friends AND first introduced Albus Dumbledore to Harry via a magical, moving trading card.

Yes, I'm talking about the famous and deliciously yummy Chocolate Frogs!

Warner Bros.

The Chocolate Frogs from the books hop realistically around like real frogs (even in your stomach after you've eaten them) and each frog comes with a trading card featuring a famous witch or wizard (Ron apparently had a very extensive collection of the cards). And since we can't get the actual magical Chocolate Frogs in the Muggle world (we have to settle for the stationary kind sold at either locations of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other locations, though the frogs are huge and do come in super cute boxes and include the trading cards) I wanted to make my own, with my own fillings and flavors. Plain Chocolate Frogs are delicious, but can you imagine a peanut butter cup Chocolate Frog? I could and I wanted to make that happen!

First, I need a chocolate mold shaped like frogs. Thankfully, Amazon exists and you can pretty much find anything on there, including multiple chocolate molds shaped like frogs. I ended up going with this one because I personally thought they most resembled the official ones that they sell at the Wizarding World parks. Once it arrived in the mail, my sister and I started planning and then shopping for the chocolate and the fillings!

That Weird Girl Life

We went with the Wilton melting chocolate, along with marshmallows, caramel bits, Heath candy bits, Reese's spread (which is life changing. Try it!!), and Oreo's (not pictured, but I'm assuming you know what they look like). We also bought some Ghiradelli white melting chocolate, but decided to stick with plain old chocolate frogs to start with. Those albino frogs will have to wait!

It was pretty easy to make the chocolate frogs, though I have to say, follow the instructions on the melting chocolate bag! My sister and I made the mistake of NOT lowering the power when microwaving the first bag of chocolate and ended up completely drying up the melting chocolate (apparently there was a way to rectify our mistake by adding canola oil, but we ended up tossing that batch of chocolate). Oops. We know better now. Then we filled in the bottom (well, the top of the frog, once you pop it over when the frogs are all set) of the molds with chocolate and used a paintbrushbutnotapaintbrush specifically made for chocolate work (I know. They literally have everything in the baking section at craft stores!) to paint the sides of the molds with chocolate. We then tapped the mold a couple of times on the counter to get out any bubbles and let the chocolate set into the mold and put it in the fridge to set for 10 minutes, took it out and starting filling the molds with candy/fillings! After that, we put more chocolate on top, did another round of tapping on the counter, put it in the fridge to set, and 10 minutes later they were ready! Easy-peasy!*

*To be fair it wasn't all easy. This was our first time working with melting chocolate and it was MESSY, despite us buying chocolate decorating bags. And it was hard to make sure that the chocolate on the bottom of the molds and on the sides were completely covering the molds and that there weren't any holes in the chocolate. We ended up holding the chocolate mold up to the light and trying to find the holes and then filling them all in, with the help of the chocolate brush. So our frogs weren't exactly the smoothest looking- not that real frogs are totally smooth, so I guess the added lumps of the uneven chocolate makes them a bit more life-life. I unknowingly solved my own problem!

And I thought they turned out super cute! All is missing is the cute Chocolate Frog box, but I had a trading card from when my sister bought a Chocolate Frog at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando (which was amazing and you should check out my blog post about it), my Honeydukes jar with lemon candy and cauldron mug that I got from Harry Potter Studio Tour in London (not to brag but I went there last year), and my vintage pre-movies Harry Potter plate to display the frogs on, so that kind of makes up for the lack of box, right? (Just tell me yes to make me feel better. I know there's a DIY, printable version out there, I'm just lazy)

That Weird Girl Life

That Weird Girl Life

That Weird Girl Life

That Weird Girl Life

Not perfect, but still adorable. The only thing I wished I had done differently were a) used different chocolate. The Wilton melting chocolate melted great and set well, but the taste of the chocolate was meh. It kind of put a damper on eating the Chocolate Frogs. In the future, I think I'd go with Ghiradelli's melting chocolate or a better brand of chocolate to make the frogs with next time. Oh well. You live and learn!

But I still got to celebrate the beginning of the Hogwarts school year (19 years later) in a very Harry Potter themed way! If I can't go to Hogwarts, then eating homemade Chocolate Frogs is the next best thing! (Is what I keep telling myself as I cry myself to sleep in my bed that is not in the girls' Ravenclaw dorm room in a tower at Hogwarts. *sigh*)

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What did you think of my Harry Potter candy themed DIY? Should I do more of these? (Meaning Harry Potter themed and edible, the most wonderful of combinations) But I could also try to do Harry Potter themed crafts too! Also, would you try to make chocolate frogs? What candy/cookies/fillings/flavors would you put in them? Let me know in the comments!

Stay Weird,
Emily

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Book Review: The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner by Francis J. Flynn

Janus Publishing Company Ltd

[Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Booktasters (check them out their website and Twitter) and the author for a fair and honest review. All of my thoughts, opinions, and ramblings are my own]

Book: The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner
Author: Francis J. Flynn
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Satire, horror

My Review and Thoughts: In Francis J. Flynn's humorous and witty satirical novel, The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner, the Devil is alive and well- and this modern world of sin and texting is diverting our attention away from the presence of the Prince of Darkness. At least it is, according to the Archbishop presiding over Gateway City, MO where Saint Anthony's parish is located. After an incident of the Archbishop witnessing a teenage boy texting during the homily he was saying (an incident that would be hereby be known by the Archbishop's colleagues and followers as "L'Affaire Texting"), his resolve to face that evil head on as a way for people to understand the evils the modern world has brought upon it while we're all too distracted with our electronic devices.

His opportunity comes in the form of (not so) little Billy Wagner, a rather large twelve year old boy, whose parents, Mary and Bill Wagner, are desperate for help from the Catholic Church. Little Billy has caused disturbance after disturbance at his school (the book begins with "the knife incident), and now he won't leave his room, just growing gaunt and playing video games all day. Not to mention his rage, speaking in tongues, drawing pentagrams on his walls, and superhuman strength. The Archbishop sees this as a golden opportunity to warn the world that Satan is upon us. What better way to show the world that the evil must be fought by exorcising a supposed demonically possessed tween boy?

From there the Archbishop assigns various priests to investigate and assess little Billy Wagner, but it all eventually falls on Father Leo, a young, level-headed, and likable priest, who is determined to see if Little Billy is indeed demonically possessed or just a spoiled, entitled modern twelve year old on too many ADHD pills. But the bureaucracy and zeal of the Catholic Church gets in the way and with a growing list of colorful Church clergyman, a religious medical "expert," Saint Anthony's parish's overworked Hispanic landscaper/line cook/artist/jack of all trades, and a Wiccan stripper thrown into the mix, the exorcism (and book, in general) comes to a climactic boiling point that no one could anticipate or expect (least of all the reader!).

Flynn write a sharp, hilarious satire that not only makes us laugh at the bureaucracy, chain of command, and fanaticism of the Catholic Church (which is only too familiar with people who have grown up in the Church), but also humanizes what could have been cartoon-ish caricatures of the characters of the book. While we still scoff and chuckle at the ridiculousness of some of the thoughts and actions of the characters, we do feel for them, like Mary Wagner (worried about her son and if she made him this way, by ignoring him and watching too many of her Lifetime-esque based on a true story TV movies) and especially the unsung hero and scapegoat, Father Leo. Struggling with his growing feelings for the beguiling Veronica, a woman he met in the religious conversion class he was teaching, and missing the small parish in Bolivia, where he truly felt he was doing God's work by helping the people there, his confusion and sadness feels real and true, despite all of the amusing absurdity surrounding the multiple characters and story-lines.

Flynn's writing style is quick and witty with gems of wry, humorous one-liners, quips, and back stories that fill page after page. While some of said back stories may go on for longer than necessary and tend to get dull at times, it's quite remarkable that Flynn is able to fit so many different character's thoughts, perspectives, and information into one 200 plus page book. But the overall humor and surprising amount of emotion involved in this novel makes this a surprising and impressive read.

Should You Read It: A horror novel this is not, so if that's what you want to read, you'll most likely be disappointed at the lack of gore, demonic entities, and seriously creepy moments. But if you like satirical novels, or like horror novels and just want to give satire about the genre a try, I would definitely recommend The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner. I had never read a satirical novel before and I'm a big horror fan, so reading this one was the perfect introduction to the genre. Plus, as a big fan of The Exorcist and the whole exorcism/possession subject in general, this was a fantastic and funny take on a subject I love.

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What did you think of my book review? Does the subject and style of book sound interesting to you? Have you read any satirical novels? Let me know in the comments!

Stay Weird,
Emily

Are you ready to ready to read about the exorcism of "little" Billy in this fun, satirical take on the horror genre? Pick up a copy and get reading!

Throwback: 10 Movies I Loved as a Kid!

Do you ever feel when life is getting you down, you just want to revisit your childhood? You know, a more simple time, when Lunchables and gummy snacks were acceptable forms of food, you ran outside barefoot (no wonder I had so many ant bites as a kid), rode your bike around the neighborhood (but not too far away), climbed trees for no reason at all (and spied on the neighbors. What? We all did that! Right...?), getting the exact toy you wanted in your Happy Meal (or another fast food restaurant chain that offered a toy in the kids meals), and could play with toys without judgement (because now only collectibles are acceptable for an adult to own. WRONG! I still want all five Spice Girls dolls. And I'm not ashamed!)- because you were a kid and that's what kids do! They have fun!

Life as an adult doesn't seem fun at all at certain times. Fun has been replaced by stress, and then stress takes over your life. But I've found there's a way to go back to a happier time, when life wasn't (that) stressful and it was the little things that delighted you (like stickers! Remember when you got a cool set of stickers and were just so stoked??). Just thinking about some of my favorite childhood movies brings a smile to my face and relaxes me. There must be some magic combination of animation, music, happy memories, and Disney that soothes the stressful soul of an adult- even for just 90 minutes (or less). Sometimes that's all you need to take a break from your current stress (rent, job, house payments, student loans, bills, existence). Then after that you go right back to stressing, but hey, at least you took a mini vacation for an hour or so, singing songs you've known since childhood, and laughed at the jokes you never noticed were actually dirty as a kid, all thanks to some of these classic (or not so classic) movies. Let the childhood favorite movie marathon begin! (While I hide from my problems under a blanket, eating fruit roll ups, and singing "A Whole New World.")

Spoiler Alert: I may have gone on a rant about how great The Chipmunk Adventure is (it. Holds. UP). I would apologize, but I feel very strongly that it didn't get enough attention and that everyone should watch it. So, sorry not sorry.

1. Bambi

Disney

I know, I know. This is a weird one to start with. But believe it or not, this was my FAVORITE movie as a little kid. Like, I mean little. Like two, three, or four. I literally would watch it over and over. I have no idea why I wasn't scarred by this movie as a child, like everyone else was. Bambi's mom got SHOT by a hunter! Literally died, leaving poor Bambi on his own. But I loved Bambi, his skunk companion Flower, and the ever precocious Thumper the bunny ("Eating greens is a special treat, it makes long ears and great big feet! But it sure is awful to eat- I made that part up myself." I still quote Thumper the rabbit to this day). One thing though- knowing now what "twitterpated" really means now is slightly disturbing. Especially about adorable cartoon animals! (They don't DO that! They DON'T!!)

2. The Sound of Music

20th Century Fox 

Apart from Bambi, this may have been the first movie I ever saw. This movie was played routinely in our house. My parents love musicals, my grandmother loved musicals, so musicals were always playing in my house (the movies AND the soundtracks), but The Sound of Music was the reigning musical monarch in our eyes. Nothing could beat a movie about a novice nun turned governess, a single dad with seven kids (and now that I'm older, I can now appreciate Christopher Plummer's hotness. Like, damn Captain Von Trapp!), and Nazis. It's literally the perfect movie. Julie Andrews' voice is angelic and lovely, the songs and music are iconic, and if there was ever a movie that made you want to visit Austria, it's The Sound of Music (fun fact: my sisters and I want to take The Sound of Music bicycle tour in Austria. Yes, that's a thing. And yes, we literally love the movie that much). And guess what: there's an official The Sound of Music singalong every year in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl. And shocker, I've been. And it was AMAZING.

3. The Care Bears Movie

The Samuel Goldwyn Company

My two sisters are both older than me, so this classic was from the 80's (a little before my time. I'm the last year of the 80's baby), was one of their favorites, and so was obviously one of my favorites too (I was quite the little copycat). The movie is adorable, except for all the scary parts (there are many); the villain of the movie was literally an evil talking spellbook that had a creepy bald woman's head in the middle and literally terrified me. But the Care Bears and their bright dispositions and determination to cheer up the world, made up for that. Plus the songs are catchy (my sisters and I will still sing them randomly. We're adults, people), making this movie a very underrated animated kids movie. Also, they lived in the CLOUDS and it was called Care-A-Lot!! It's seriously stupid cute.

But seriously, look how terrifying this evil spellbook witch thing was:

The Samuel Goldwyn Company

TERRIFYING.

4. The Lion King

Disney

I remember when this movie CAME OUT. I was in grade school, and this was THE movie to see. Everyone saw it and my friends and I were obsessed with it. We knew the songs, the classic funny lines, we tried to laugh like the hyenas, and we literally rolled on the floor laughing when Timon and Pumbaa performed their Hula Song as a distraction. I don't think my family had it on VHS, but if one of my friends had a copy, I would always insist on watching it when I was over at their place. It is literally a classic Disney movie and I love that no matter how old you are when you watch it, pretty much everyone agrees it's a good movie. Not bad for a kids movie!

(I also remember that my mom got a Nala stuffed animal for me as a treat for finishing my school year, and it wasn't until a while later that I learned that that Nala toy came in a pair, which included Simba (they had magnets in their noses to make it look like they were kissing), but I didn't have the Simba one because my mom got Nala at a YARD SALE and didn't tell me they were supposed to come in pairs. I mean, I'm happy she saved a ton of money, but I always felt bad for my little Nala, magnet nosed and all alone. I would put her nose against the fridge and watch her sadly slide slowly down or randomly stick fridge magnets on her nose.)

5. Aladdin

Disney

I distinctly remember seeing Aladdin in theaters, even though I was pretty young at the time. My dad took me and my oldest sister, while my Mom took my other sister to see Dennis the Menace (which was a TERRIFYING movie, by the way). It enchanted me and I'm pretty sure I may have worn out our copy of the movie (or else the tape got eaten by the VCR. That happened a lot). I still love it to this day and watched it recently. If anyone disagrees that Aladdin isn't a diamond in the rough (see what I did there? Sorry, I'll stop), with incredible songs, timeless characters (Jasmine was my everything. She was a princess AND she had a pet tiger!), and the late, great Robin Williams, then I can't be friends with you. (Okay, we can still be friends even though you are wrong about your opinions on Disney movies)

6. Annie

Columbia Pictures

I think this movie may be the reason why I dyed my hair red later in my life (thankfully no perm though!). Annie was the coolest orphan ever, and she got to be adopted by the rich Daddy Warbucks, who was gruff at first, but obviously Annie won him over and then had him wrapped around her little finger. And Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan was inspiringly wicked and funny. But of course I didn't realize that until I was way older. Plus, there was nothing better than annoying my parents by singing all the songs from Annie over and over again (my father now has an unnatural hatred for Annie and the soundtrack. Go figure).

7. Little Women

Columbia Pictures

This one is a little out of the box when it comes to kids movies, but this was one of my favorite live action movies to watch as a youngin'. I don't think I could ever watch another adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel because to me, Winona Ryder (probably my first ever girl crush) IS smart and feisty Jo March, Claire Danes is the sweet, kind Beth, and Kirsten Dunst is bratty youngest sister Amy (my apologies to the girl who played Meg, but I have no idea who she is. Besides, she was almost as uppity as Amy). It's such a wonderful tale of sisters and always makes me feel warm and cozy whenever I watch it (apart from the part where Beth dies. Spoiler alert: she dies and it's heartbreaking). But seriously, did anyone else want Jo to marry Laurie?? That part always upset me as a child, seeing poor Laurie so upset. Then he has to go and marry Amy (when she's played by a different, older actress, of course) which Jo was fine with because now he was part of the family and wouldn't Amy mind that she was second choice (I mean, I WOULD!!!) and Laurie grew that very unfortunate facial hair on his very pretty face and geez, I still can't wrap my head around that whole thing.

8. The Chipmunk Adventure

Bagdasarian Productions/The Samuel Goldwyn Company

I'm sure at least 0% of those reading have probably heard of The Chipmunk Adventure, but about 100% of you have heard of the new-fangled CGI/live action Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. Those modern day atrocities of children's movies can't even hold a cheap, tiny birthday candle to this 80's classic (in my family's eyes).

Filled with a massive treasure hunt competition via hot air balloons, the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, Theodore) and their female counterparts the Chipettes (Brittany, Jeanette, Eleanor), set off around the world, seeing if the Chipmunks or Chipettes can deliver all of their mini me dolls around the world first. But what they think is just a fun adventure is actually a ruse by criminal siblings, Klaus and Claudia, who want to smuggle diamonds to different countries, which are hidden inside the dolls. It literally is an adventure of a movie, plus there are some super catchy and fun songs (you'll want own the soundtrack once you're done watching). It's ridiculously 80's (the fashions! So many animated leg warmers!), but it's actually really entertaining and super adorable. Plus, it'll make you want to travel to these cartoony versions of real life places (and have a dance/singing battle on some temple ruins in Athens). I still watch it to this day occasionally as a full blown adult and I AM NOT ASHAMED.

And if my powerful soliloquy about a forgotten children's movie (as you can tell, I feel very passionate that more people know about The Chipmunk Adventure) doesn't convince you, maybe this adorable baby penguin that was gift to Brittany the Chipette by an Arabian prince who wanted to marry her (she doesn't by the way. She is literally a child and a chipmunk-girl-person) and then the Chipettes decide to return this adorable flightless bird to her family in Antarctica. It's seriously the cutest animated animal to ever be put in film and her reunion with her family always makes me teary eyed. WATCH IT.

Bagdasarian Productions/The Samuel Goldwyn Company

That little wave. *sobs*

9. Pocahontas

Disney

Can you paint with all the colors of the wind? This Disney movie asked the most philosophical questions and introduced us kids to the historical figure (but wildly inaccurate. Look it up) Pocahontas and her animal sidekicks Meeko the raccoon and Flit the hummingbird. And let's not forget the kind, talking willow tree, Grandmother Willow and there's a forbidden love story, with the handsome, blonde Englishman John Smith (voiced by Mel Gibson, back when he was relevant and we didn't know he was racist). While this may not be the happiest of Disney movies (John Smith gets injured and goes back to England, leaving Pocahontas behind), but it does contain some very classic Disney songs, has a beautiful and emotional story-line, and finally portrays Native Americans in a positive light (I'm looking at you, Peter Pan!).

10. Anastasia

20th Century Fox

Ugggh, you guys, this movie! Who would have thought that the murder of the Romanov royal family by their own people and the conspiracy theory that the youngest daughter escaped the mass slaughter and lost her memory and was living out in the world could inspire such a wonderful children's movie?? Not me! But I loved it anyway. The song "Once Upon a December" still gives me chills, along with the scene in which it's played where Anastasia (voiced by 90's rom-com queen Meg Ryan) vaguely remembers the royal ball her family threw as a child (who didn't want that music box and "Together in Paris" necklace/key that opens it?? So beautiful and mysterious!). You also have one of the greatest evil/funny villains of all time, Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd, in possibly his best roll to date since the Back to the Future movies, in my unwanted opinion) and his talking bat sidekick, Bartok (adorable). Plus, the cartoon world's most dashingly handsome love interest, the con artist Dimitri (voice by John Cusack. *swoon*). With that 90's floppy hair with the center part and those thick, but defined eyebrows, he got my pre-tween (yeah, I was younger than a tween then) heart going pitter-patter. And Angela freakin' Lansbury is in it! I love this movie so much... Okay, time to listen to the soundtrack again because I can't go to NYC to see the Broadway musical version of it. *sigh*

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Thanks for reading my nostalgic throwback blog post! What were your favorite movies as a kid? Do you ever go back and watch your favorite childhood movies as a way to escape the lonely and stressful world that is adulthood? Also, should I do more of these throwback posts? This one was super fun to write! Let me know in the comments!

Stay Weird,
Emily

Let's Get to Know Each Other Blogger Tag!

This may sound a tad silly, but I have always wanted to be tagged in a blogger tag. Weird, yes. But I love the idea of bloggers asking each other thoughtful questions, answering honestly, and sharing new questions with another set of bloggers and keeping the chain going! It's a great way to get to know each other, find new blogs to read and bloggers to know, AND support small bloggers! Win-win-win!

And guess what: just as I was wishing I could tag myself to do a blogger tag (is that lame? Guys, I really, really wanted to do one), I was tagged by the lovely Amber over at My Life in Limbo after she was tagged by another blogger. So thank you Amber for tagging me and making my blogging dreams come true! Okay, I'm excited, so let's get started! Here's how it works:

The Rules:

1. Answer the 11 questions that your nominator has asked you.

2. Nominate 11 other bloggers (with under 200 followers)

3. Ask your nominees 11 questions.

4. Let them know that you have nominated them!

Alright, so I may be tagging people who have OVER 200 followers, but that's only because I like these bloggers and want to hear their answers to my fantastically original (NOT) questions. And also, it's totally okay if the bloggers that I tag don't do this tag. I'd love it if you did, but if it's not your thing, I get it and just know that I tagged you because I like and respect you and your blog and want to get to know you better. That's all. No pressure! 😊 (But seriously, if you do the tag let me know and then tag other bloggers and keep the it going!)

The bloggers I'm tagging are...

singlevegasgirl
Ashley: @bolognabudget
Kimberly: @KayyThevv
Kala: @Kala_Mari3
Siobhan: @fuller_siobhan
Marylou: @itsrylou
Leah Rachel: @reading_while
Aleksandra: @OlaGrab
Nicky: @knickknack99
Emma: @Emma111996
Alex: @inafieldofbooks

Now, it's time for the 11 questions that Amber came up with!

1. Where is your favorite place to go to when you’re feeling down or disconnected?
If I'm feeling depressed or disconnected, I find that actually getting out and being around people helps. It's almost reassuring to remind yourself that you're not alone in the world and life is still going on. It's weird how you can ground yourself just by being around people you're not going to even talk to!

2. Besides blogging, what is your favorite hobby?
Reading, hands down. If I could read all day, everyday, I would. If my job could be Official Reader of Books, I would have the credentials, the degree(s), and be the best in the business!

3. What have you learned about yourself while blogging?
Blogging has really encouraged me to let out my creative side. I've always has an active imagination, thinking of scary horror stories (I love all things paranormal- ghosts, demons, hauntings- FYI), but never actually writing them down. Seeing everyone on Twitter, their blogs, or even Wattpad chase their writing dreams or even just writing for fun has inspired me to actually put pen to paper (well, fingers to keyboard) and write my own stories. Am I any good? Who knows! I just love doing it and it makes me happy and that's really all that matters to me.

4. What is a favorite quote of yours?
"I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am"- Sylvia Plath

5. What is your favorite television show?
I can't pick just one!! Don't make me choose! I absolutely love 30 Rock, Parks & Recreation, I Love Lucy, Gilmore Girls, The Simpsons, Black Mirror, and Shameless. I couldn't possibly pick an all-time favorite!

6. What is the blog post that you are most proud of? Why?
The blog post I'm most proud of is probably my post about being more open about having mental illness. I've always kept my mental health very private, one, because I felt like no one I knew really understood or could understand, and two, because I've always been embarrassed about the fact that I actually have issues with my mental health. But thanks to so many awesome mental health bloggers that I follow, I've learned to be more honest about my experiences, and that it's okay and even appreciated when other people share their stories (It even helps spread awareness to break the mental health stigma). Just admitting that I suffer from OCD, depression, and anxiety (and more), was like a weight was taken off of my shoulders and I loved how understanding and encouraging people were online once I shared my post. It just warmed my heart and reminded me that I'm not alone and that other people DO know what I go through or at least can sympathize. And it's slowly giving me the courage to talk about my issues more with my family and friends. (Who knew a blog post could do so much??)

7. What are you grateful for?
My family, no question. They've always supported me, no matter what. Sometimes they drive me crazy, and I'm sure I drive them crazy, too, but I'm honestly so lucky to have them and know that they're there for me, always.

8. Why did you start blogging?
I actually started this blog as a way to keep track and share my experiences checking things off of my bucket list. But it slowly morphed into so many different directions, like talking about books and sharing my stories about travel and my life experiences. I decided to reinvent my blog and talk about whatever weird things I wanted to and not to limit myself to just one topic. And so That Weird Girl Life was born! 

9. What is your guilty pleasure?
I love watching YouTube. I love it! I could spend hours watching the channels I've subscribed to, and I could watch hours of random videos I look up on weird subjects, like old girl and boy band interviews from the late 90's/early 2000's, video footage of (supposed) real ghosts, and documentaries/interviews about/with serial killers. My interests are obviously quite varied and sophisticated (and slightly creepy, to be honest).

10. What is one new thing you’ve started doing lately?
I've started getting into doing crafty things. And by getting into, I mean buying cross-stitch kits but I haven't started any of them yet. All of the patterns are super easy but now I'm terrified of starting a cross-stitch kit and messing it up! It's the perfectionist in me!


11. What do you love about your life?
I already said my family, so is it okay to say my cat? Or is that super sad? I don't care, I love that furry fluff ball who sheds like it's her one job in life (it is) and cuddles with me at the most inopportune times and never when I'd like her to. She's now 13 years old and crotchety old lady cat (she even has an old lady name: Harriet!) but I still love her to bits. I'm her person and she's my cat 🐱💖


And here are my 11 questions for my tagged fellow bloggers:

1. When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
2. What time of day do you do your blogging? Do you usually work in the daytime or are you a night owl?
3. If you could only eat one candy or chocolate for the rest of your life, what would it be?
4. What is your go to movie to watch when you're feeling sad or upset?
5. Has there been a book that has changed your life?
6. Which Disney movie scared you the most as a kid?
7. What is the hardest thing for you about blogging?
8. If you had to recommend one musician/band that everyone should listen to, who would it be?
9. If you could sit down and chat with any fictional character (from a book, movie. or TV) who would it be? And what would you talk about?
10. What is something that no matter what, always makes you laugh?
11. And if you had to pick: cake or pie?

Let me know if you do the tag, I'd love to read it! Let me know in the comments if you've ever been tagged to do a blogger tag!

Stay Weird,
Emily

Book Review: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

That Weird Girl Life

[Disclaimer: I received this book for free after winning a giveaway from Goodreads through the book's publishers, and in exchange am writing an honest and fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own]

William Morrow Paperbacks

Book: The Cottingley Secret

Author: Hazel Gaynor

Genre: Fiction

Subgenres: Historical, romance

My Review and Thoughts: I had heard of the Cottingley fairy photographs when I was younger, and I remember being so intrigued by the photograph of Frances, posing with her chin in her hand, staring slightly off camera while small fairies danced in the foreground. The idea to a young little girl that fairies could possibly be real was the most magical thought I could ever imagine and I wished with all my heart that it was true. Then I learned it wasn't true and I remember being so disappointed when I found out it was all just a hoax by two girls (but I wasn't the only one who was fooled!). But when I learned that author Hazel Gaynor wrote a historical fiction account of the girls behind the (in)famous photographs, I knew I had to read it and review it. Would it be a fictional account of two girls and their rationale behind one of the biggest hoaxes ever? Or would the book have us believe that the girls were telling the truth and fairies were/are -gasp- real? 

For those who don't know, the tale of Frances Griffith and her cousin Elsie's photographs of supposed real fairies back in 1917 (and also took a few more pictures of the fairies and gnomes over the years) in the English countryside actually happened. Those series of photographs taken by the two young girls took the world by storm, and made believers of even famed author and spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle during the dire days after World War I. After years of Frances and Elsie sticking to their story of the fairy photographs being real, they finally revealed in the 1970's that the photos were faked (they used cut out pictures of fairies and gnomes and used hat pins to pin them to the ground). All except for the last photo which they've claimed was the only real photograph out of all of the pictures they took over the years.

The story is told through two seemingly unconnected stories, told one hundred years apart. In 2017 Olivia, a lost in life 30-something year old who works as a bookbinder in London and is unhappily engaged to a man she knows she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life with. After her mother died when Olivia was young, she was raised by her grandparents in Ireland where her grandfather owned a secondhand bookstore, Something Old. Now her beloved grandfather has died, and she heads back home to check on her grandmother, who's suffering from Alzheimer's and living in an assisted care living house, and to see to Something Old, which her grandfather left her. Going back to Ireland seems like the perfect excuse to get away from her approaching marriage and the left she knows deep down she doesn't want, but when she reads a typed, hand-bound manuscript of Frances Griffith's "Notes On a Fairy Tale," a family heirloom that has been handed down from the women in her family over the years and something her grandfather sent her before he passed, Olivia soon discovers a magical piece of history that connects the Cottingley fairy photographs and Frances to her family and to the mother she lost when she was so young- possibly with a hint of fairy magic.

The book then switches to Frances' unpublished written account starting in 1917, of Frances' move with her mother from South Africa to Cottingley, England, to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin, after her father leaves to fight in World War I. There, while she misses her father and South Africa, she bonds with her older cousin Elsie, and discovers a small hidden garden in the woods, with a flowing stream. Drawn to that lush, green garden and beck, one warm afternoon she discovers some tiny, creatures flying in the garden from the corner of her eye. Frances is determined to keep it all a secret, her little secret, even from her beloved cousin Elsie. But as Frances is reminded by her favorite teacher Mrs. Hogan, secrets have a way of coming out, and with the gloom and depression that hangs over the families worried about their loved ones during the first World War, the idea of fairies seems like such a light in the unbelievable darkness and soon enchants the world- whether Frances wants it to or not.

Both stories were interconnected, emotional, and incredibly moving and relatable, and completely swept me away in the most unexpected, wonderful way. Hazel Gaynor's writing is simple and easy to read, which keeps the story moving between Frances and Olivia at a steady pace but lush and emotional when it needs to be. The descriptions of the English countryside were lovely, and I could perfectly envision the green garden and woods where the fairies supposedly flew. The historical events and figures combined with Gaynor's own interpretation of what Frances and Elsie felt when members of the Theosophical Society in London and photography experts come to investigate these intriguing Yorkshire fairy photographs, were combined with realistic ease, as two frustrated young girls just wanted to live their lives and keep a secret, while the whole world searched  and prodded for an answer only Frances ultimately knew. And Olivia's very real struggles, of being lost in love and in life, is incredibly relatable, and unlike a lot of other main characters in other modern fiction novels, you aren't annoyed or frustrated with her decisions or lack there of. You want her to succeed, to find out what she wants in life, and to be happy, and are grateful for the discovery of Frances' hand-written memoir that sets a series of events into motion for Olivia and ultimately changes her life.

Though there were only two main characters in the book, Olivia and Frances, who were both compelling and very relatable, it was the secondary characters for me that really made the book. Frances' cousin Elsie, aunt, uncle, and her teacher Mrs. Hogan, to Olivia's grandparents, her grandparent's old friend and now Olivia's mentor, Henry Blake, and handsome local writer and frequent bookstore customer Ross and his young daughter Iris all made the book come alive and bloom, adding even more depth and heart to it's already two charming protagonists. Even the bookstore, Something Old, brings along it's own rustic charm, filled with books that hold so many stories, through their old typed word and past lives of their old owners, to the large storefront window where some seemingly magical flowers start to bloom around a fairy door Iris places there and draws customers to the store. All of  these elements- human characters, secret family history, romance, the lush English and Irish countryside, and the idea of fairies- all blend together to make one of the most charming and captivating stories I've read in a long, long time. 

It's not very often a book literally encapsulates the word "enchanting," without actually being a sweeping fantasy novel, but The Cottingley Secret pulls it off and then some.

Should You Read It: In my honest opinion, if you love historical fiction with a hint of fantasy (aka the idea of fairies, not some grandiose novel set in another land with human/dragon shapeshifters), I think you'll love The Cottingley Secret. I seriously could not put it down and was swept away with the story and imagery and characters. This will probably be the book that I recommend the most to people this year, so do yourself a favor and read it so I won't bother you about reading it! (You're welcome in advance!) Because we all need the idea of fairies and magic in our lives, don't we? (I'll answer for you: we do!)

Stay Weird,

Emily

Grab a copy of The Cottingley Secret now so you can be swept away by magic and fairies! ✨

Also, how gorgeous is this cover?? I seriously could not stop taking pictures of it! So beautiful! Could this book be any more perfect?? 😍

That Weird Girl Life

Why I Don't Dye My Hair (Anymore)

Photo by Tore F on Unsplash

Disclaimer: I'm not looking down at anyone who dyes their hair (to each their own!). This post is just about my personal journey to realizing what dyeing my hair really told me about myself and learning to accept me as a person. So if you dye your hair and don't really understand what I'm talking about, at least just amuse yourself with some of these awkward pictures of myself back in the day with some awful dye jobs! It's hilarious. trust me. Well, hilarious to you but mortifying to me. Enjoy! 

It has just crossed my mind that it's been about two whole years since I've last dyed my hair (the color, you may wonder? Mahogany red-brown. More red than brown and not the exact color I was going for, but oh well). I always thought I knew why I decided not to dye my hair again: to save money and because I'm lazy and find the upkeep annoying (obviously). But after some careful reflection, I think I may have discovered another reason why I've chosen not to dye my hair anymore.

But let's start at the beginning and take a trip down memory lane...

I became obsessed with dyeing my hair back when I was an emo teen (yes, I was an emo girl. My Myspace profile name for the longest time was Emo-lee. I thought that was so clever. *cringes*). And of course the color I wanted to dye my hair was BLACK. I've always had brown hair. Not dark brown, not light brown: just BROWN. I absolutely hated it and thought it was the most boring color in the world. I decided it made me look dull and faded and since I was so edgy and emo (My Chemical Romance and From First to Last were my go to all time favorite bands forever and ever, that'll never change- well, guess what. IT DID. Sorry, guys) I, of course, needed a hair color to match my dead, broken emo heart that only beats for music that has screaming in it (what were we thinking then??).

But before I wanted to make that big decision and dye my hair for the first time, I picked up some wash out purple hair dye just to try it out. I had my friend dye my hair for me and though you could barely see the purple in my hair (because my hair is brown and remember, this was temporary hair dye), I was hooked. This was the emo girl I was meant to be! Dyed hair, every t-shirt I wore had to be black, and my studded belt from Hot Topic must be worn with every outfit! (And I was determined to master heavy eyeliner despite the fact that I didn't wear makeup before this and having anything like a finger or a eyeliner pencil near my eye seriously grossed me out. And still does). It was destiny! And so my hair journey began!

The next color I dyed my hair was black. For my birthday I was given a gift certificate for a haircut and color at a salon. And you bet I used that up ASAP! Sadly I don't have any pictures from that day, but you better believe that I had a full on photo-shoot afterwards and posted those pictures on Myspace! (Thank god I can't remember the e-mail I used for Myspace or my account number. Going back on to my old Myspace account would be a journey I would NOT want to take!)

From then on, my hair was black. And I either had my mom, sister, or a friend dye it for me because I could not be trusted with dyeing my own hair (read about that at the end of the post! There's photographic proof of why I'm not allowed to dye my own hair!).

Sadly, my emo phase came to an end and out went the black hair dye. For a short while, I decided red was my color. Bright red. As you can see, though I was no longer emo, I still preferred black and grey clothing. And dark, dark eyeliner and eye makeup. (Does it make me look dead inside and out? Then I guess I was making my face look like that!) But after that red hair faded (let's be honest. I literally wash my hair everyday so my hair color never lasts), my hair returned to its boring brown color. And there it stayed. For a time.

Then I was dating a guy and we broke up (story of my life). I was devastated but didn't want to admit it. So instead I decided I needed a change. How about a new hair color??? Yes! That'll show him I'm doing fine without him! How about a nice, natural red color? (You know, unlike the unnaturally colored one I had previously dyed my poor hair) And guess what: that guy I dated loved redheads! That'll show him what he's missing! (Yeah, great idea, Emily. If only I had a time machine to warn you...)

And then, I got back together with that same guy (I'm such a fool!). And later on in the relationship (with my hair in its natural brown state again), when I was starting to feel insecure in the relationship and was trying to figure out if being together was right or not, I decided to dye my hair. For me, I thought, not for him. It's not like he's said that he's into redheads (remember from above?) and I wanted to make him- I mean, myself happy (oops. See what I did there? But please note, despite the face that it didn't work out with this guy, he was actually a pretty good boyfriend and he didn't insist on me dyeing my hair. That was all me and my own insecurities. We just weren't right together. Just letting you know!). But did it? Not really.

Why did I keep dyeing my hair? And what finally convinced me to stop and just accept my own naturally brown hair?

I came to realize that I saw dyeing my hair (or even getting a new haircut) was a way to symbolize a a big change in my life. That when something happened (sometimes good, usually bad), I either wanted to change myself to fit this idea I had of me (or someone else's idea of me), or I wanted to change myself to make a fresh start, or try out a new and improved me.

Basically, I wasn't happy with myself. My boring brown hair represented the real me, the someone I can't change but so desperately wanted to. I had to learn the hard way (as in, dyeing my hair so much that I'm sure once I stopped my hair was finally able to breathe and say "thank you for not torturing us anymore! We're freee!" And then about a dozen of my hairs fell out. I shed a LOT) that I needed to accept my own natural hair, meaning my own self, just the way I was. I was dyeing my hair and trying to change who I was, or convince myself that I was a newer, better version of myself. But you can't change your appearance and think that will solve all your problems. You have to do those things yourself, by working on you, from the inside, not the outside.

And when I had that epiphany, that's when I knew that I needed to learn to accept myself, and come to terms with being me. I'm not going to lie, it's been tough. What with all the new hair trends, like pastel, rainbow, unicorn, and mermaid hair, it's hard not to have hair envy. But I know I can't hide behind a new hair color or cut anymore. I need to be okay with me and who I am.

It's weird to think that a revelation about not dyeing my hair anymore would put me on a path to self-acceptance. But I'm so glad it did. And I'm actually starting to like my brown hair. It's not so plain, and it even has some red and gold highlights in the sun. And you know what? Brown suits me. It fits my skin tone, my eyes, and my personality. I'm 100% me and working on feeling fine about it!

Dyeing your hair can make you unique, but not dyeing it and just being yourself also makes you just as unique and special. Do whatever makes you feel good and makes you the best and truest you that you can be! Hair dye or no hair dye 💖

Now, I wonder what I'll be saying once my hair starts turning grey...

Do any of you dye your hair? What color is it currently dyed? Or are you au natural like me? What are your thoughts on dyeing vs. keeping your natural color? Let me know in the comments below!

Stay Weird!

Making the Grey Stuff From Beauty and the Beast!

That Weird Girl Life

I cannot tell you how excited I am for today. Because today, the live action Beauty and the Beast comes out on DVD/Blu-ray! Which means that I can now own it, and watch it as many times as is socially acceptable for a late 20-something year old to watch it (so, no more than twice in a row, obviously). But in honor of this day when an AMAZING new version of an old classic is being released to the general public, I thought I would celebrate by making the famous dish that was name checked in one of the best songs and scenes in movie history: the Grey Stuff from "Be Our Guest"!

Disney/That Weird Girl Life

You know, as in: "try the grey stuff, it's delicious! Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!"

I can't be the only one who's wondered what this swirled pile of grey goo on a cracker(?) was and, more importantly, what it tasted like. Was it savory? Sweet? Or something gross (and incredibly unethical) like foie gras? I recently learned that you can actually order and EAT the Grey Stuff at Disneyland and Disneyworld! And it is neither savory or foe gras! It's sweet, like cookies and cream whipped topping, apparently. It's maybe not how they originally animated it in the original Beauty and the Beast movie, but in true Disney parks fashion, it's been recreated with a sweet and stylish makeover. Sometimes served by itself on a plate, or on a cookie, or at Disneyland, red velvet cake covered in the Grey Stuff on a scalloped shortbread cookie and at Disneyworld, a chocolate cake covered with the Grey Stuff and also on a shortbread cookie- whatever way, it sounds delicious! And this newly vamped Grey Stuff certainly looks way more stylish than it did in the OG movie.

*Check out this delicious sounding article from Buzzfeed where someone documented their journey of eating the Grey Stuff for the first time!

So obviously I'm going to have to make some of this stuff myself to see what it tastes like, right? Since I can't get to either Disneyland or Disneyworld right now (but hopefully I'll visit both parks sometime in the near future!). I found some copycat recipes online (including one from the official Disney Family website) and have decided to follow these instructions (which involve different pudding mixes, Oreos, and whipped topping. I've seen other recipes that just involve Oreos and frosting, but I thought the pudding one sounded more interesting to try. Plus, it's the most popular Grey Stuff copy cat recipe). Let's get started!

*Much thanks to the sites/blogs, Lil' Luna, The Disney Diner, and Disney Family for their Grey Stuff recipes!*

Here's what you'll need for the Grey Stuff:

• 1 small package (3.4 oz) Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk or 2% milk
• 15 regular sized Oreos
• 1 small tub Cool Whip or whipped topping (8 oz)
• 1-3 tablespoons Instant Chocolate Pudding mix (some recipes said only 1 tablespoon of chocolate pudding mix, others said more. I think how many tablespoons you put in will all depend on how grey you want your Grey Stuff to be, so it's up to you!)
• Pearl candies or pearl sprinkles (I found a Wilton multi pack of different types of black, white, and grey sprinkles, including some teeny tiny round ones which I'll just use at itty bitty pearls to decorate my Grey Stuff)

For the cookie base, I just used a sugar cookie mix (gasp! I know! Not from scratch?? How dare I!) and used a flower shape cookie cutter to make the scalloped edges. I made the cookies the day before I made the Grey Stuff, just to cut down on the cooking time. Because sometimes it feels like baking can take forever, with waiting for things to chill, then bake, then the dreaded clean up, ugh.

Instructions to Make the Grey Stuff:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the Vanilla Pudding Mix and milk. Mix well with a whisk and then refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.
2. Blend Oreos in a food processor until they're blended into a crumbs (no big crumbs!)
3. Take the pudding mix out of the fridge and mix in the Oreo crumbs.
4. Fold in the tub of whipped topping into the pudding/Oreo mixture.
5. Add 1-3 tablespoons of the Chocolate Pudding Mix and mix until you're satisfied with the grey color. Put it back in the fridge for at least an hour to chill before serving.
6. When you're ready to serve, put the Grey Stuff mixture in a piping bag and pipe a swirl onto a cookie (you can either use a plastic baggie, or an actual piping page with a tip to make it look fancy). Decorate with with pearl candies or sprinkles.
7. And you're ready to serve! Bon appetit!

I bought a cheap set of four disposable piping bags plus adjustable star shaped piping tips. I'm not the best when it comes to decorating cookies and cupcakes, but I enjoy doing it. I just forgot that since the Grey Stuff is a mix of pudding and whipped cream, and it's incredibly hot today, it melts super fast! So I tried to pipe as fast as I could, but with some of the bigger Oreo chunks (I tried to make them small!) getting stuck in the tip, I ended up squeezing too hard and the Grey Stuff came flooding out of the piping bag, landing in a poo-like pile on the cookies. I did my best to rectify the situation by adding some swirls to give it that pointed top (and obviously to make it look less poo-like. Sooo unappetizing!) But look how pretty (some) of them turned out!

That Weird Girl Life

That Weird Girl Life

That Weird Girl Life

But now the most important questions is: HOW DO THEY TASTE??

I'm not going to lie: I used to be a big pudding fan, but I've kind of grown out of it. And if you hadn't noticed, this recipe is ALL PUDDING. Especially since I added 3 tablespoons of the chocolate pudding mix to make it extra "grey," which then made it taste even MORE like chocolate pudding. You can taste the Oreos too, but the chocolate pudding taste is overwhelming (in a good way, if you like pudding). Adding the whipped cream gave it a much lighter consistency, which I enjoyed. Overall, it was really delicious, but pretty rich (again, probably because of the 3 tablespoons of chocolate pudding mix I added!). It was easy enough to make, but maybe next time I'd use regular vanilla frosting with added Oreo crumbs to make my own Grey Stuff (I mean, to make that swirl of Grey Stuff that would be a LOT of frosting and Oreos, but I'm one of those people that likes more frosting than cake and I love Oreos so it sounds perfect to me!). I even saw at the store that they make an Oreo cookies and creme pudding mix, so I'm sure if you wanted to skip some steps and ingredients, you could probably just use that as a main ingredient instead!

That Weird Girl Life

Overall though, I'm so happy I made my own Grey Stuff to celebrate the release of Beauty and the Beast! It made a perfectly festive dessert to eat while watching the movie, and added to the experience of the fabulous "Be Our Guest" song/scene. They turned out better than expected (well, not really, but I was able to make them prettier. So I'll call that a win!) and frankly, I'm glad they weren't a savory, foie gras type of food. Hopefully one day I'll get to try the official Grey Stuff at Disneyland or Disneyworld (or both!), but for now, my own will do as I keep rewatching the original Beauty and the Beast and now the newly released remake! (Again, I'm a late 20-something year old. This is how you adult, right? By eating themed Disney desserts and rewatching Disney movies. If so, I'm adulting RIGHT!)

🌹

Is anyone else super excited for the remake of Beauty and the Beast being out today to own and rewatch again and again like me? Have you tried the Grey Stuff at Disneyland or Disneyworld? How as it? Was it delicious? Have you tried making your own? Let me know in the comments!

Stay Weird,
Emily