Eggs-iting weekend with Star Wars: The Last Jedi + a giveaway
8:17:00 PM
Disclaimer: We are part of the campaigning bloggers promoting the release of the film described in this blog post, alongside Allied Contigo. We received some of the promotional items in this post as part of the campaign and for the purposes of sharing it via our blog. However, all opinions are 100% our own. Any and all promotional photos and information were provided to us for press purposes with the exception of the information we wrote, and photos taken by us.
We were delighted to be part of the 'STAR WARS: The Last Jedi' campaign ever since the news broke of the film hitting theaters last year. Being the big fans of the franchise we are, we wanted to continue sharing our excitement over the upcoming Blu-ray release, coming this week, and with Easter just around the corner, we thought of doing something fun with the help of our friends from Allied Contigo. If you want to find out what we were up to, please continue reading.
By the way, did you see the awesome goodie-basket that they sent us? It was filled with very cool STAR WARS: The Last Jedi merch. Of course I called dibs on the Porg mug, haha; it's so adorable!
This awesome themed basket included:
- a stuffed R2-D2 toy,
- a stuffed BB-8 android toy,
- a stuffed Yoda toy for pets,
- a collectible wind-up chewbacca, which is super cool, because I always say I am chewbacca, haha,
- a copy of the Lego Star Wars movie 'The Freemaker Adventures,'
- a copy of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Blu-Ray, which included a Digital Code,
- my Porg mug, yes, I called dibs,
- and a toy replica of Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber. How cool is that? Now I can practice to be a Jedi, just like Luke and his father before him.
And lastly, our Star Wars themed basket, also contained a very fun Easter Egg Decorating Kit, because we love making arts and crafts at home. So let's get to it!
EGG-SITING MOVIE INSPIRED CRAFT
One of my all-time favorite things about Easter, is decorating eggs. We did it every year in school, and I believe it was my mom's favorite Holiday too from when we were kids, because she enjoyed hiding Easter eggs with prizes both at my house and my grandmother's; it really brings good memories. I have always felt that decorating Easter eggs really helps stimulate the imagination and creativity, because you start from a blank canvas, and end up creating something fun that someone else will find. It's like a very cool treasure hunt.
So for the Star Wars Easter egg decorating kit, I started by taking all the pieces out, and making sure I read the instructions first. This was going to be my first time using a kit like this, so I wanted to make sure I did it right. Then I proceeded to boil the eggs, so I gave them enough time to cool down. I read the instructions in the mean time and thought spend some time admiring the stickers; yup, I'm a sticker person, haha.
Once the eggs were cool and dry, I continued with the next step, which was adding the coloring tablets into the cups that contained warm water and vinegar. Three table spoons of vinegar according to the instructions per cup, except for the pink and purple ones.
Being extra careful not to stain anything, including my clothes and hands, I carefully started dipping the boiled eggs in the different cups with the help of the tool that is included in the kit.
For some of the eggs, I chose to dip half of them in one color, and then once it was dry, I would turn it around and dip the other side in a contrasting color like shown in the picture below.
Then, I just dipped the rest of the eggs in one cup for a few minutes to really get bright colors, and gave them a quick bath in a different color, causing an ombre effect.
Once I finished painting all the eggs this way, I left them to dry for a bit. I also tried using a napkin to remove the excess liquid from the eggs, creating a cool texture-like effect. I think they turned out pretty cool to be honest. In a way, they sort of reminded me of planets, and since I always wanted to be an astronaut, and this is an intergalactic movie we are celebrating, I couldn't be happier with the results.
It didn't take the eggs long to dry, so thereafter, I was ready to continue with the next step--the glaze.
I don't know if you really get to appreciate it, but the glaze is like a silvery coating that will give these eggs a shimmery effect. And who doesn't love a shiny art craft? I know I do. Interestingly, the glaze mixed a little with some of the colors of the different eggs, creating an even more exciting effect in the following egg. The glaze took longer to dry than the dye, but once that was ready--it was sticker time! (dancing and all, because that's how excited I get with stickers).
I don't know if you really get to appreciate it, but the glaze is like a silvery coating that will give these eggs a shimmery effect. And who doesn't love a shiny art craft? I know I do. Interestingly, the glaze mixed a little with some of the colors of the different eggs, creating an even more exciting effect in the following egg. The glaze took longer to dry than the dye, but once that was ready--it was sticker time! (dancing and all, because that's how excited I get with stickers).
Tada!
Oh but I'm not done yet! You know how I mentioned that we used to paint Easter eggs at school and so on. My husband told me that ever since he was a kid, Easter eggs were usually boiled, then you paint them, hide them, start the egg hunt, and finally eat the eggs you find. I was like "What? You eat them?" I guess the first time I heard of this I freaked out a little, because I had never heard of this version of Easter egg hunting. I guess we all do Easter eggs a little different. So if this is the way your family does Easter eggs, today is your lucky day as you will learn an alternative to this. In Mexico, at least as far as the area where I grew up, we cracked the egg shells gently and with the smallest of holes we could, but big enough to stick a finger in. After that, we gently removed the egg-whites and yolk from inside (you can cook it and eat it later). Then we paint the egg shells, and once they dry, we stuff the inside with confetti. After that, we patch the hole with china paper using a glue-stick, and then they are ready to be hidden. The fun thing about this version of the egg hunt is that the more eggs you find, the more you have to crack them on your friend's heads. It's almost like a food fight, but it's an egg fight. So it's always fun to see confetti flying everywhere on kid's heads.
Now, if you want to be more eco-friendly, you can use dried flowers instead of confetti. I hear that it is trending now for weddings, so why not use it to celebrate Spring too. I've also heard of people using glitter. At the end, I guess is a personal preference. My mom would buy plastic eggs and stuff them with prizes, so that was always fun as well.
With that being said, here are a few more Easter eggs that I painted inspired by STAR WARS: The Last Jedi, check it out
For this version of Easter eggs, I used brown eggs, because they already resemble flesh color. Who knew that you could actually use pencils to sketch on an egg shell?
Once I was happy with my sketch, I proceeded to the painting part. However, let me tell you that I wished I had left it in the pencil state. There is something about just graphite and sketches that I really like and I think it really looked good at that point. I'm not that great at painting, so this is why I was reluctant to paint it. However, it is an Easter project, and eggs shall be painted!
Can you guess what this other egg is going to be? I'll give you a hint--they are adorable!
I'll give you another clue...If you've seen STAR WARS: The Last Jedi, these creatures are like everywhere!
You've guessed it--it's a porg! Oh I had so much fun doing the traditional boiled Easter eggs with the Star Wars Easter egg decorating kit, and also painting my version of Easter eggs. This way, some will be eating boiled eggs, and others, will get them cracked in the head, unless they run really fast; may the force be with them, haha.
So, what did you think? Does my egg-pression of Luke Skywalker looks a bit like him, or shall I just stick to filling my front yard with porgs everywhere? Also, which version of Easter eggs does your family enjoy hunting for? The stuffed egg-shells, or the yummy boiled-eggs? Let me know in a comment below, I am truly interested in reading the different ways all of you celebrate this Holiday.
WATCHING STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
I am a little embarrassed to confess that we missed this film in theaters last December. We've been very good at watching all the epic movies in the big screen, because that's the only way to see memorable movies for the first time. However, there were so many things going on at home during that month, that we just couldn't. So, by the time I was opening the Blu-ray box to watch this film with my family, I was already jumping up and down and all around in excitement.
While I am not as big of a fan of the franchise, as many other people that dress up and go to conventions (although I did sort of did something to my hair in the photo above), I am truly an admirer of what the franchise represents in the cinematographic universe and to many of the followers. I've always been a huge fan of the conceptual art of this series of movies, and yes I do have my favorite characters, list of which grows bigger with every new movie. That is why, from the moment this movie began, and all the way until the end, I was in love.
I have to say that my number one thing I loved the most about this film was the music. I felt that the music in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, created the ambiance to give the story a stronger feeling in certain scenes. Some more exciting than others, and some, remarkably memorable. In fact, I can still hear the music in my head, so I think that after writing this blog post, I am going to go back and watch the film for the third time this weekend.
The artist that created every set, and costume design did such an incredible job. Always making us feel like if those planets and creatures were real. The special effects are getting so good, that it is getting harder to want to remember this is a sci-fi movie rather than a real possibility.
I really do not want to spoil this movie for anyone reading this, that hasn't seen the film yet, so I will try to explain without really going into details. I am usually very good at predicting what is going to happen in many scenes of different movies, however, I must say that this is one of the movies that so far, had the most unexpected situations that I've ever seen in a film. Which for me, made it even more exciting, because I truly did not know what was going to happen next. I just couldn't keep my eyes off the screen, because almost every scene was important towards understanding the flow of the story, and once again, the special effects were outstanding.
I usually don't talk much about the actors, because in big films such as this one, it is a given that the acting is going to be phenomenally brilliant. In my opinion, when you incorporate wonderful new talent, to an already loved group of actors, it just magically flows. So here is where it will get tricky for me, because I'm going to get judgy. While I loved the transcending way Princess Leia was perceived throughout the movie, which in my opinion, should had started way long ago, considering that she is Luke's twin, I did not like the way the story was written for the character of Luke Skywalker. However, I do understand the why, I just didn't like it. What I did like, was that in general, this movie was like a Ying-Yang of sorts. Balancing the force between the light and the dark side, while reiterating how a character that is a villain can have some good in them, as well as could a hero be tempted by the darkness within. So going back to this balance I am talking about, I believe that Star Wars: The Last Jedi is both the beginning and the end of what is to come for this franchise, and it was told in a very comforting manner, which I did embrace as a spectator.
Another thing that I really enjoyed throughout the film, was the flow of the thematic colors used to create different scenes. The last place of battle in the film, made it very visually appealing for me, with all the contrast between white and red, and tones of black and gray. It just stimulated me visually, and I might even say that this part of the movie was my favorite, just because of that.
Creatures? Loved them all. In every film, I have my favorite fantastic creature. From the Ewoks to Jar Jar, to my beloved Chewy. Nonetheless, all the creatures in this film were fabulous. Some a little more odd than others, but still, I loved them all.
Overall this film went beyond my expectations. We had a great time watching it, and even laughed hysterically in some parts of the film. I truly appreciated how rich it is to see such a diverse cast, because after all, it is a mixture of creatures of different planets, and this aspect makes it more appealing. In a way, it is the starting point for so many possibilities and stories that could be told for the Star Wars universe. So I highly recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. And to those who have, totally worth watching a few more times, because I am sure there might be something cool we missed in the first ten times, haha. For the moment, I am truly excited for the next phase of Star Wars. And I think that very soon, we might just plan a whole weekend of Star Wars marathon starting with Episode I and ending with Star Wars: The Last Jedi--wow, I even got goosebumps by just thinking about it.
So, have you seen it yet? If so, what was your favorite character in this film and why? Leave us a comment below, we'd love to read you. If you haven't seen the movie, Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released in digital format via Movies Anywhere on March 13th, and will be available on Blu-ray/DVD and HD on March 27th, 2018. Want a chance to win a digital copy of Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Stay tuned this week, and we will tell you how you can win via our blog.
ABOUT THE MOVIE
“A
spectacular, full-throttle joyride of thrills, exhilarating,
screen-filling visuals” – Parade – Neil Pond
STAR
WARS: THE LAST JEDI
Writer/Director
Rian Johnson takes fans behind the scenes, revealing production
secrets
and
never-before-seen footage and deleted scenes
BURBANK, Calif. (February 20, 2018) — Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi—the next action-packed chapter of the Star Wars saga— Earned critical acclaim and the No. 1 spot atop 2017’s list of highest-grossing films. The visually stunning film welcomes the return of original characters, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Yoda, R2-D2 and C-3PO and further explores the deepening journey of the saga’s new members, Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren. Now families can bring home the movie digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD™ and via Movies Anywhere on March 13, two weeks before the 4K Ultra HD™ Blu-ray, and Blu-ray™ disc on March 27. This release also marks Disney’s first title available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in both Dolby Vision™ HDR and Dolby Atmos® immersive audio, delivering consumers a transformative viewing experience.
Director Rian Johnson takes fans on an intimate journey into the creation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in a feature-length documentary, explaining his unique interpretation of the Force, detailing the painstaking process of creating Snoke, and deconstructing action-packed scenes from the film such as the epic space battle and the final confrontation. Johnson also reveals two exclusive scenes, featuring Andy Serkis as Snoke prior to his digital makeover, as well as 14 never-before-seen deleted scenes, in addition to his audio commentary.
Bonus features include*:
The Director and the Jedi – Go deep behind the scenes with writer-director Rian Johnson on an intimate and personal journey through the production of the movie—and experience what it’s like to helm a global franchise and cultural phenomenon.
Balance of the Force - Explore the mythology of the Force and why Rian Johnson chose to interpret its role in such a unique way.
Scene Breakdowns
Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle – Get a close-up look at the epic space battle, from the sounds that help propel the action, through the practical and visual effects, to the characters who bring it all to life.
Snoke and Mirrors – Motion capture and Star Wars collide as the filmmakers take us through the detailed process of creating the movie’s malevolent master villain.
Showdown on Crait – Break down everything that went into creating the stunning world seen in the movie’s final confrontation, including the interplay between real-word locations and visual effects, reimagining the walkers, designing the crystal foxes, and much more.
Andy Serkis Live! (One Night Only) – Writer-director Rian Johnson presents two exclusive sequences from the movie featuring Andy Serkis’ riveting, raw on-set performance before his digital makeover into Snoke.
Deleted Scenes – With an introduction and optional commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
Audio Commentary – View the movie with in-depth feature audio commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is packaged several ways to ensure fans get the most out of their in-home viewing experience. The Multiscreen Edition (formerly the Blu-ray Combo Pack) includes Blu-ray, and a Digital copy, giving viewers the flexibility to watch the film on different devices. Those with 4K Ultra HD capability may opt for a 4K UHD Collector’s Edition, including 4K Ultra HD disc with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, Blu-ray disc, and a digital copy (where available). Dolby Vision delivers greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. Dolby Atmos places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. Together on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, viewers will practically feel the Force in their own home.
DISC SPECIFICATIONS:
FEATURE RUN TIME: Approximately 152 min.
RATING: PG-13 in U.S.; PG in CE; PG in CF
ASPECT RATIO: 2.39:1
AUDIO: 4K UHD (US): English 7.14 Dolby Atmos; English 7.1 Dolby Audio™; English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Audio
4K UHD (Canada): English 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos; English 7.1 Dolby Audio; English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French 7.1 Dolby Audio
Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio Language Tracks
DVD: English 5.1 Dolby Audio, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio Language Tracks
Digital 4K UHD: English Dolby Atmos (where available), English 7.1 Dolby Audio (where available), English, French & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio (where available)
Digital HD: English, French & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio (where available)
SUBTITLES: UHD / BD: English SDH, French & Spanish
DVD: English SDH, French & Spanish
Digital: English SDH, English Closed Caption, French & Spanish (where available)
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Website: http://www.starwars.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/starwars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/starwars
Instagram: http://instagram.com/starwars
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/starwars
ABOUT STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI:
In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.
The film stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern with Frank Oz, and Benicio Del Toro. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman. J.J. Abrams, Tom Karnowski and Jason McGatlin are the executive producers.
ABOUT LUCASFILM LTD
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.
MOVIES ANYWHERE (MA):
Movies Anywhere simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Movies Anywhere brings together the movies from Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film, The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Participating digital retailers at launch are Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu. Movies Anywhere offers a library of over 7,300 digital movies at launch, including new releases, and will continue to expand the consumer experience as more content providers, digital retailers and platforms are added. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can connect their Movies Anywhere account with participating digital retailers and enjoy their favorite digital movies from the comfort of their living room and across multiple devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire devices; Android devices and Android TV; Apple TV; Chromecast; iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; Roku® devices and popular browsers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-ray and DVD disc packages from participating studios and enjoy them through Movies Anywhere.
ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:
For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.
ABOUT DOLBY VISION
Dolby Vision transforms your TV experience with spectacular imaging—incredible brightness, contrast, and color that bring entertainment to life before your eyes via OTT online streaming, Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, broadcast, and gaming applications.
ABOUT DOLBY ATMOS
Dolby Atmos delivers moving audio—sound that can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in three-dimensional space, including overhead. It brings entertainment alive all around the audience in a powerfully immersive and emotive experience.
GIVEAWAY TIME
I was sent an extra digital copy of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and decided to host a giveaway to celebrate the release of the film and our fabulous followers. So if you are a fan of the film, this is your chance to own a digital copy of your own. So pay attention on how you can enter for a chance to win:
This giveaway is open to US residents only, who are 18 years or older at the time of entry. Only one participant per household is allowed to participate. This giveaway starts on Monday March 26th, 2018 and will end on Friday April 6th, 2018 at 11:59pm PST. A random winner will be chosen from those who participated in the entry period, and will be notified via the email provided on April 7th, 2018. The winner will have only 24 hours to claim the prize or a new winner will be chosen. The prize consists of a digital code that will be sent via email, in order to redeem a digital copy of Star Wars: The Last Jedi via MoviesAnywhere.com. The winner will have to open or have an account via MoviesAnywhere.com to redeem this prize. The prize was sponsored by Allied Contigo, however, it will be sent via email (electronically) by Just Happiling. By entering you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to the above, and to release any and all social media venues from any liability, included but not limited to; Facebook, Instagram Inc., Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, Google Plus, etc. You also agree not to cheat, as all entries are double checked. Multiple accounts to claim extra entries via one same social media venue, is not allowed. Only one participant per household will be allowed to enter. Cheating will ban you from any and all future giveaways hosted at Just Happiling's blog. Only entries that have been processed by our GiveawayTools' widget will be counted as a valid entry. Good Luck!
LETS START THE CONVERSATION
So what do you think? Are you excited for the upcoming release of the film in Blu-ray/DVD and Digital format? Have you seen the film yet? Please let us know in a comment below, and don't forget to come back this week for a chance to win a digital copy of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Until next time--smile, because it's contagious.
XOXO
2 comments
My all time favorite Star Wars character is Chewbacca. He is the cutest and the coolest hands down.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite character is Yoda. Yoda’s backwards way of speaking and the life lessons he delivers are so inspiring. He is one of the best characters ever.
ReplyDelete