Polyvore {Once Upon a Time}

Ruby

Once Upon a Time #7 by sean-mackenzie featuring a black shirt

Black shirt, $24 / Lipsy cape coat, $67 / Marc by Marc Jacobs super skinny jeans, $235 / Carolee crystal brooch / Silver jewelry

Polyvore {Once Upon a Time}

The Evil Queen

Once Upon a Time #4 by sean-mackenzie featuring wax jewelry

Elie Saab long gown / Fendi high heel pumps / Wax jewelry / Crystal ring

Belle

I started watching the ABC show "Once Upon a Time" last year and became quite addicted to it. Well, I watched all, but one episode, the one with my all time favorite Disney princess featured no less...Belle. I like Snow White and Red and all of them, but I'm more drawn to the bad characters {The Evil Queen and Rumplestiltskin and I love Grumpy, no he's not bad, but he has a bad attitude...LOL!}.

Anyway, I missed the episode and when I was able to see the season finale I was kind of shocked to find out Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin was the beast. So I finally searched for the episode on Youtube and although I didn't see the full episode, I saw the parts with Belle and loved it! What a fun twist Once's creators threw at us. The episode "Skin Deep" which featured Belle for the first time, instantly became my favorite. And I'm not the only one, its a favorite for the show's writer Jane Espenson and actor Robert Carlyle's as well! Its been rated one of the best episodes of the first season

Actress Emilie de Ravin as Belle

Lana Parilla as The Evil Queen and Emilie de Ravin as Belle

Emilie de Ravin as Belle and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin

Mr. Gold and Belle's counterpart which her name is still a mystery to us all. I know, completely unfair!

So who else is as big of fan as I am of Belle and the whole Beauty and the Beast story?? Yes, I am one of the few adults who would still watch the old Disney cartoon musical, I love it that much! And this twist in the tv show was brilliant. Belle is going to be a regular character in season 2 of Once Upon a Time and I can't wait!!

And yes, along with tons of other ladies who are enamored with Once, I too am totally crushing on Rumpel/Mr. Gold {Well, the actor actually}. No, it wasn't Skin Deep that did it, I already had a crush on him from early on in the season. Between Rumpel's weird sense of humor {I love a man who can make me laugh, LOL} and Mr. Gold's snappy wardrobe, how could I help myself??

Someday, and hopefully sooner than later, I want to base a novel on the beauty and the beast fairy tale. Who knows, I might even make it a fantasy/fairy tale retelling....

I've taken most of my photos from FB page Once Upon a Fan and Once Upon a Time Wiki. There are loads more on there if you are interested in wasting time like I do losing yourself in the fair tale world. 

Rosie the Reviewer {Upcoming Review}

Okay, like that title??? My friend Ashley, was so sweet as to come up with it for me. Between my love for books and 1940s/WWII, it's perfect for me!!

Recently I've come across some interesting fantasy/fairy tale retellings on goodreads by Cameron Jace. The series is his "Grimm Diaries Prequels". Which features, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Ridding Hood, and Cinderella. However I couldn't read them, they're on kindle. I have a nook. Yes, I was disappointed because I seriously need a fairy tale fix with an edgy twist because it's a little more than a month till Once Upon A Time airs.

To make this long story short, I contact the author and he's wanting me to review the first book in the series, "Snow White, Blood Red". I really like the cover. Okay, I like all the book covers.

I hope all goes well and I'm very curious as to what all happens and after reading a snippet on amazon, I'm already wanting more. I consider that a good sign.

Polyvore {Once Upon A Time}

Snow White

Once Upon A Time #1 by sean-mackenzie featuring knit tops

Dora Mojzes lace cocktail dress, $210 / Knit top / Flat shoes / The Cambridge Satchel Company red leather satchel / Red ring / Carolee jewelry / Grevi beret hat

Downton Abbey Season 3 Trailer!!!

Okay, who else is just giddy to hear the title???? Well, if  you're not, you should be, it's Downton Abbey Season 3 for crying out loud. :-)

Just being silly. Anyway, here's a trailer to give you your Downton fix. Enjoy!!

Insert Post Title Here

Because so much is kinda going on, it's time for another this and that post. Yes, I still can't come up with a stinkin' title for these things.

Yesterday we decided it was time for an upgrade and said good-bye to our outdated PC. The PC served its purpose while we had it, and a friend had given it to us since she barely used it. Now upon our desktop sits a Toshiba laptop. YAY!! I love Toshiba and I love laptops and ever Toshiba we have ever had has lasted us a LONG time.

Anyway, it is Windows 7, so it's super fast compared to XP, which we used to browse on. It even has a webcam....so...I'm hoping to do a video shortly. I played around with it today and it's pretty cool. I love technology.

Next topic up...we're getting our garage torn down. Thanks to the help of our terrific neighbor, K. He was a close friend of Dad's and he is really more like family than a neighbor. He also helped us move Dad's '47 Plymouth, or as we call her The Baby, to be stored while our garage is being rebuilt. I honestly don't know what we'd do without all of our friends. We really are so blessed.

Reading "Crossing Oceans" by a new author Gina Holmes. It's not too bad. I like the protagonist and it's not super preachy like spiritual fiction usually is. This comes across realistic and even endearing. If I like it by the end, I'll try and do a review on it. It's been a while since I've done a book review. I normally steer clear of spiritual fiction, because they just seem to be so unrealistic....anyone else feel the same way? Which is why when I write I try to do the opposite. I do my best to bring the reality back into fiction.

On another note, as in my last post I was pretty dejected about my whole weight loss situation. I was able to lose some, but sort of fell off the exercise wagon, yes again, because I was doing a lot of work Fri and Sat to help with the garage and The Baby. So I need to get my butt in gear and get back to Tae-Bo tomorrow. :::crosses fingers:::

Finally, also in my last post, I was getting advice on usernames for Twitter. I really appreciate all of your input. However, silly me forgot to see if the usernames I came up with were even available. Which they weren't, naturally. So check the Twitter tab at the top of the page and it'll bring you to my page which shows you my choice on a username.

I hope your Monday has gone well, I'm not much of a Monday person. I always look forward to TGIF!

This and That {Update}

It's been a while since I've done a personal post, so I thought I'd bore you with one now. I don't really know what to title this post, most of my witty skills are tapped out.

This past Saturday we went out to eat with my Mom's brother and his family. Because our cousin is going back to college this fall and it'd be a while before we would be able to all get together again. Had so much fun. Family time is my absolute favorite thing. That same day, my Aunt B. called and she informed us an adoptive Aunt had passed that morning. Veronica and I were so close to her when we were kids that though we were white and she was black, she became out Aunt. We haven't been able to see her in a while, but none the less there is another visitation to attend. I hate visitations and we've sure been to our share this year.

I've been attempting to grow out my hair once more, hopefully to my waist this time. All in hopes of donating it. I have about shoulder length hair now, so I got a ways to go before it's at my waist. And all of this hot weather is tempting me to hack it all off into this adorable pixie cut I've been admiring lately. I must be strong!!

Really doing my best, which isn't my best really, to shed some weight/inches off of me. Stepping on the scale this morning didn't help. I'm also about ready to deck Billy Banks {of Tae-Bo} because half way through one of his tapes I felt like I could collapse I was so tired. But I've done Tae-Bo before and the results were quite beneficial. I lost weight, felt great, and even looked great. My thing is just sticking with it every day or every other day. {I had some great work out pants do the exercise in, thanks to Joanna at Dividing Moments. Thanks, Joanna!}

Another thing, we changed our ISP. Thank goodness we're through with Joink {local ISP}!! Now we have Road Runner and I don't really have any complaints. Except for the fact I forgot to change the email for my twitter account and then forgot my password. Humph!! So, I do have another account, but I don't want to use the name "The Vintage Dame" for it. I want to use it for this blog, too. Anyway, this is where you come in. I need your help choosing a new username. I could use some suggestions and thoughts on the list I've compiled for usernames.

OnceUponANovel

TheFictionista

WorkInProgress

Let me know what you think, sometimes my titles/usernames can be so cheesy. 

Marilyn

50 years ago the world lost Marilyn. 50 years later, she's still an icon. People still adore her. And her death is still a mystery yet to be solved.

The Norma Jeane Years

The Marilyn Years

We miss you.

We love, you Norma Jeane!

My Work

Sacrifices of the Heart
Status: Work in Progress
Word Count: 92,179
Pages: 171 {single spaced}
Chapters: Prologue, 28 Chapters, and Epilogue
Series: Not apart of a series
Genre: Historical Fiction
Characters: Yasmine Khalid-Mallard, Dr. Eli Mallard
Setting: 1846, Indiana
Themes: Redemption with romantic elements
Synopsis: Yasmine Khalid is young Muslim woman naive and brokenhearted when her family discards her to the west and into an arranged marriage.

The Other Sister
Status: Needs revised
Word Count: 81,962
Pages: 168 {single spaced}
Chapters: Prologue, 25 Chapters, and Epilogue
Series: Untitled WWII series
Genre: Historical Romance Fiction
Characters: Lizzie Dalgarn, Lt. Gilbert Hamilton
Setting: 1943, Indiana; Italy
Themes: Romance and never go by first impressions
Synopsis: Lizzie Dalgarn finds out that she and her sister are in love with the same man. Can Lizzie forget her feelings for him to secure her sister’s happiness while sacrificing her own?

NaNoWriMo 2012
Title: There is a Season {working title}
Status: Beginning phase
Word Count: ------
Pages: ------
Chapters: ----------
Series: No, this will be a stand alone novel
Genre: Modern fiction
Characters: Colin, Audrey, Katherine, etc...
Setting: present day
Themes: Modern drama with romantic elements. A story about redemption
Synopsis: More to come...

Our Beautiful History {Working Title}
Status: Beginning stages
Word Count: ???
Pages: ???
Chapters: 4
Series: No, not apart of a series. Stand alone novel
Genre: Historical fiction
Characters: Laura, Jasper, Gabe, Ana
Setting: 1830s Indiana, Vigo County
Themes: Redemption, family, romantic elements...
Synopsis: More to come...














All book covers are created by yours truly and are for inspiration only. I have no intention of using these in publication, but for only inspiration during the publication.