Thursday, October 27, 2016

Fall Feels: 10 Easy DIYs to Try This Halloween


1. Fright Cubes


It doesn't get much easier than this chilling concoction. Add a few creepy crawlers into your ice cube trays to give your drinks a spooky touch. You could opt to add food coloring but I think the black & white contrast packs a solid punch to your punch.

2. The Pampered Skeleton



I love the idea of putting a skeleton in an unexpected place like a bathtub or vanity chair. A few glamorous accessories like costume jewelry and a leopard sleeping mask, and this skeletal lady is looking to die for.

3. Decoupaged Pumpkins



This year I was most eager to decoupage some pumpkins. I had never done it before and I'm officially hooked. I used napkins in a print from one of my favorite brands (MacKenzie-Childs) to create my own affordable version of their iconic pumpkins. Next up, I plan to use some old thrift store copies of horror books to recreate the look pictured above.

4. & Fabric Pumpkins, too!


Pumpkin everything! I love how cozy & cute these pumpkin are! Velvet, cable knit and flannels are some of my favorite fabrics to work with. You could use old shirts, thrift some or buy the material at the craft store. These beautiful decorations are suitable for use from September through Thanksgiving, so they're definitely worth the DIY.

5. Rustic Wreaths


Understated elegance abounds in this easy DIY. A few bats or crows attached to a simple wicker wreath and you've got yourself a spooktacular looking decoration. Tip: Add a few extra black feathers to the wings to give an enhanced look to your project.

6. Skull & Booze



Inspired by the pricey Pottery Barn glasses pictured above, this DIY might take a bit of hunting for its contents but it's well worth the effort. You will need:

  • Wine Glasses with a Stem
  • Miniature Skeleton Figurines
  • Metallic Paint
  • Hot Glue Gun

You could also attempt to build the glassware without a stem like the original but I think it would be more challenging to create a base that has stability. 


7. Rocky Horror




This is a fun one for the kids! When I was little, I loved to go on nature walks and hunt for rocks. This adorable "pet rock" ghost family is too cute for words. If you have paint, sharpies or even nail polish on hand, this charming little project is practically free. Very cute to display on your desk or bookshelf.

8. Pillow Talk


If you weren't cursed with terrible cursive, show off your penchant for penmanship with this precious pillow! On a linen pillow, take fabric marker and use your favorite Halloween movie quote, lyric or saying. If freehand isn't your idea of a good time, you could also use a stencil or take your project to a screen printer.

9. 'Wick'-edly Wonderful Candles


A few cheapy dollar store candles, paint and/or sharpie is all you need for these festive votives. I particularly love the Oct. 31st dated variation. If you want to take things up a notch, add washi tape or other decorative touches. The options are endless.

10. Bewitching Baked Goods




I'll be putting together these very easy-to-create goodies for a costume party this weekend. Witchy hats & brooms?! Perfect for Halloween! A few simple ingredients combined and your basic cookies and chocolates are easily transformed into a magical treat!














Now Playing: "My Body's a Zombie For You" by Dead Man's Bones

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Go Deep: King Khan & the Shrines, Live in Seattle

I feel the desire to share one of my favorite live music recordings. I stumbled across this video very accidentally several years ago, never having heard of the band prior to its discovery. Since then, the performance has stuck with me. Around this time every year, with the autumnal energy thick and the veils between the worlds thinning, I often find myself watching it again and again...

"Shivers Down My Spine" Live in Seattle circa 2010








Monday, October 10, 2016

Queen of the Pumpkin Patch Fall Tag



What did you dress as for Halloween last year? I actually think that last year I didn't dress up. I just went to a haunted house and the bar on Halloween. It was a cold, rainy, nasty night. The year before that I was a deer because I love the makeup and wearing faux fur. 

What is your favorite Fall food? Candy. Any candy.


Do you have any Fall traditions? Every year I go away in the Fall for a Steelers away game. We're going to Miami this time. 


Do you have any Halloween traditions? Not really. Every year is a bit different. I just know that I always like to buy new decorations to add to my collection.


What music do you like to listen to during Fall? Here is my Fall Feels playlist to keep it literal. I tend to go for softer, slower, deeper music in the fall. Acoustic, alternative rock, Americana... with elements of dark, gothic undertones. Timber Timbre, Nick Cave, The Cure, Jeff Buckley, Mazzy Star, The National, Radiohead, Ray LaMontagne to name just a few...


Favorite spooky movie? Hocus Pocus is my favorite Halloween movie. But spooky? Maybe Let the Right One In


S’mores or pumpkin pie? S'mores


Hot chocolate or warm apple cider? Neither. I don't like warm beverages. I'll take a cold Oktoberfest beer, though. 


Do you like Pumpkin Spice Lattes? No way! I don't even drink regular coffee. Yuck.


What is your favorite day of the year? Christmas


What would your familiar be, if you had one? I do and she's a shih tzu and her name is Ireland Pearl. I also love cats. Someday I'm going to have a black kitty and name him Thackery Binx.


What is the story behind your URL? I came up with something that incorporated my name (Roman) and the most common font that was in use when I first started to use the internet in the 90s. I figured that blogs were the modern day newspapers so I visually laid out my site to mimic that look. The content is basically what's 'new' with 'Roman' (myself) in these current  
'times'.  

As a side note, before I bought this domain several years ago, I believe that it was owned by a Baltimore band. I still occasionally get visitors who are looking for their music. If you're one of them, check out some of my Spotify playlists. They're not on any of them but there's about a million other songs to listen to. 

What is the best thing about your town during Fall? The stunning foliage is incredible in this part of the country. I read that Pennsylvania has the longest season of anywhere in the world. Of course football in western PA is unrivaled. 

Do you step on crunchy leaves just to hear their crunchy awesomeness? Yes.


Do you like going to the pumpkin patch? Yep. It's fun to ride the tractor and choose a pumpkin shape that speaks to you.


Do you go hiking through the woods during Fall season? No but that sounds like it would be a good time. I love the Laurel Highlands.


Where do you buy your Fall candles? I'm not choosy. I think most candles are severely overpriced considering they don't last long. I try to repurpose the jars to get more value for my money spent. I have candles from the dollar and craft stores, some from independent labels, randoms from the discount stores, others from the typical mall spots and even a few fancy ones that I hate to burn. My collection ranges from The Family Dollar to Diptyque. 


Do you enjoy carving jack-o-lanterns? No. It's too messy. But I love the look of them.


What is your favorite Fall color? Burnt orange.


Favorite tree? I'm not an expert but I did some research and it's looking like the Sugar Maple is predominant in western PA.

Corn maze or haunted maze? A haunted corn maze, of course. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd go with the haunted variety. 


Are you good at carving pumpkins? I don't have much experience so I'm going to say no.


Why did you start your Fall blog? My blog isn't focused primarily on Fall but I started it as an outlet for self-expression. I think it's extremely cool that I can share things with people all over the world. Even if no one ever reads my posts, it's therapeutic to write, create and inform.


Do you have a ‘main blog’? Link it! This is it. I also have a tumblr but I don't use it very often.


Spooky or sweet? I enjoy a mixture of both for different reasons. When it comes to Fall decor, I'm more traditional than I am spooky or sweet. I like the rustic glam look for Autumn.

Do you enjoy visiting graveyards? Yes. I love to read the headstones. If I ever get a good camera, I'd love to do a project on epitaphs.


What is your favorite Fall memory? There's so many. Dressing up for Halloween parties in grade school, cheering for football games in high school, homecoming dances, college parties, traveling to Salem and New Orleans for Halloween in my 20s. 


What was your best Fall ever? Fall 2004. My freshman year of college at WVU.


Gloves or mittens? Gloves.


Do you enjoy rain? Yes. I love it! As long as I don't have to drive in it.


If you could spend Fall anywhere, where would you choose? Pittsburgh has spectacular Falls. Other than home, I'd like to visit New England again. I've never been to Vermont or Maine.


What’s your dream Halloween outfit? I want to be Peg Bundy but I have to find an Al first, lol. I'd get the hair done to look exactly like her. My hair is tremendously thick so I know they could tease it properly to high heaven. 


Be honest…are you already stocking up for Fall? It's currently October and I have purchased quite a few new decorations for the season. 


Do you enjoy the other seasons? Yes. I like Winter for many reasons. I'm a night owl so I actually don't mind darker days. I enjoy the sports, holiday season, my birthday, Valentine's Day... Curling up by the fire and watching the snow fall is always nice. Spring is pretty because by then, I'm ready for sunlight, greenery, and fresh air. I also love thunderstorms and the temperate weather. Summer nights have a magical energy to them and people are always much more social. There's more things to do like concerts and festivals. One of the things I love about where I live is that we are fortunate enough to experience all four seasons. I think nature is perfectly balanced when it's cyclical. I could never live in a climate that is always the same.


How do you plan to spend this Halloween? Despite living on a main road in the city, we get 0 trick-or-treaters. On Halloween itself, I'll probably go out to watch Monday Night Football. For the weekend leading up to Halloween, I'm not sure yet. Maybe a party, maybe the bar.


What is your favorite Fall candle scent? Diptiyque Feu de Bois (wood fire), Bath & Body Works Leaves and Marshmallow Fireside. Anything pumpkin. 


Do you enjoy Christmas? Yes, I love just about everything surrounding the Christmas season. 


What is your favorite store during Fall? Michael's. I'm all about that DIY. 


Do you enjoy cold weather? Yes. I prefer the cold over the heat. I hate to be hot.


What is your favorite Halloween candy? It's not exactly a Halloween candy but my fave is flavored Tootsie Rolls- the cherry ones, especially. 


What is one thing you would love to try during Fall, but haven’t yet? I'd love to go on a hot air balloon ride. I've also been wanting to visit Gettysburg and do a ghost tour. 


What do your friends and family think of your Fall obsession? I think most of the people in my life also love this time of the year. How could you not?


Be honest…are you already planning your Fall-themed wedding? Yes. And I'm single. My parents were married in October so I always wanted to follow in their footsteps.


Do you have Fall/Halloween boards on Pinterest. Link them! Of course! I have them grouped into one section. It can be found here.


The original tag from the Queen of the Pumpkin Patch can be found here.












Now Playing: "Depreston" by Courtney Barnett

Thursday, October 6, 2016

The INFJ TV Show Questionnaire




1. Your favorite TV show: Daria



2. A TV show that you started but never finished: The Tudors (I love JRM. Saving the series for a rainy day)



3. A TV show that you still haven't seen but want to: The Affair (well, I'm behind on Season 2)



4. A TV show that you hated: Ren and Stimpy (it never felt appropriate for kids)



5. A TV show that made you happy: Saved by the Bell



6. A TV show that made you sad/cry: Unsolved Mysteries (unsettled would be a better descriptor. Loved this program.)



7. A TV show that reminds you of someone: Beverly Hills, 90210 (my sister)



8. A TV show that reminds you of somewhere: Ghost Adventures



9. A TV show that you've seen every episode of multiple times: Full House



10. A TV show that made you think: Making a Murderer



11. A TV show that should be made into a movie: Sex and the City (again! I want another movie)



12. A TV show featuring your favorite actor/ensemble cast: The Golden Girls



13. A TV show featuring your favorite character: The Office (Michael Scott)



14. A TV show that is a guilty pleasure: Scream Queens



15. A TV show that no one would expect you to like: Counting On (The Duggar family fascinates me and they make for the most unintentionally funny viewing. If you watch as if it's a mockumentary, it makes it all the more hilarious).



16. A TV show that you can relate to: Pittsburgh Dad (it's not exactly a TV show but close enough)



17. A TV show from your favorite genre: Modern Family (comedy/mockumentary/family sitcom)



18. A TV show that you tell others to watch: Odd Mom Out



19. A TV show that you never miss an episode of: The Real Housewives of New York



20. A TV show that made you scared: Are You Afraid of the Dark?



21. A TV show from before you were born: The Brady Bunch



22. A TV show from your childhood: Under the Umbrella Tree



23. A TV show that you wish you were on: Who Do You Think You Are? or Legends of the Hidden Temple





24. A classic TV show: I Love Lucy



25. A TV show that makes you laugh: Mama's Family



26. Your favorite TV Mom & Dad (not necessarily a pair): Roseanne Conner, Roseanne; Tim Taylor, Home Improvement.





27. Your favorite TV show couple: Peg & Al Bundy, Married with Children



28. A children's TV show: Mister Rogers' Neighborhood



29. A sports TV show: 24/7



30. A cooking TV show: Barefoot Contessa



31. A TV show that taught you something: Ancient Aliens



32. An animated/cartoon TV show: South Park



33. A TV show that you binge watched: House of Cards



34. The last TV show you started (and continued) to watch from the pilot episode: Grace and Frankie



35. A unique TV show: Stranger Things



36. A TV show that isn't really your type but you actually love: The Walking Dead



37. A reality TV show: The Bachelor/The Bachelorette



38. A TV game show: Jeopardy!



39. A TV news show: Real Time with Bill Maher 



40. An international TV show: The Inbetweeners



41. A TV show that always has a good soundtrack: Girls



42. A TV show that should get a reboot: The Little Rascals (it was originally a TV show long before the 1994 movie)



43. A TV show that you were disappointed to see get canceled: Wicked City



44. A TV show that you liked in the beginning but wore out its welcome: True Blood



45. A TV show that is overrated: Breaking Bad (I haven't given it a real chance, though)



46. A TV show that is underrated: Dawson's Creek



47. A TV show that you own on DVD: Summer Heights High (one of my all-time favorites)



48. A TV show that you wish was still regularly on TV: The Munsters



49. A TV show that you spent a significant era of your life watching: Mad Men



50. A TV show that made you want to travel to where it was set/filmed: Anne of Green Gables and Avonlea (Prince Edward Island)

















Now Playing: "Howling - Ame Remix" by Howling

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

The INFJ Book Questionnaire





1. Your favorite book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald




















2. A book you started but never finished: Pretty Little Killers: The Truth Behind the Savage Murder of Skylar Neese by Daleen Berry (not a bad book just need to jump back into it)




















3. A book you still haven't read but want to: A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard




















4. A book you hated: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (hate is a strong word but I never really liked the artwork or cared for its negative, repetitive nature when I was a child).




















5. A book that made you happy: Hello From Heaven! (...After-Death Communication) by Bill & Judy Guggenheim




















6. A book that made you sad/cry: Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, A Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings by Michelle Knight




















7. A book that reminds you of someone: Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham




















8. A book that reminds you of somewhere: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (traveling in Europe)




















9. A book that you've read more than once: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks




















10. A book that made you think: Bohemian Manifesto: A Field Guide to Living on the Edge by Laren Stover




















11. A book that was better than the movie: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (although I also liked the movie)




















12. A book by your favorite author: Barrell Fever: Stories and Essays by David Sedaris




















13. A book featuring your favorite character: Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery




















14. A book that was a guilty pleasure: I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela Des Barres



















15. A book that no one would expect you to like: Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt




















16. A book that describes you/you can relate to: Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham




















17. A book from your favorite genre: Lily Dale: The Town That Talks to the Dead by Christine Wicker (Nonfiction/Metaphysical/New Age -- although Memoirs/Humor/Essays and Art/Coffee Table books are also some of my favorite genres)




















18. A book that you tell others to read: What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love by Carole Radziwill (one of my favorite books)




















19. A book that you love at Christmas: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott




















20. A book that you love at Halloween: Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice and Ghost Stories of Pittsburgh by Beth E. Trapani





































21. A book that made you scared: The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers by Michael Newton




















22. A book from before you were born: None Dare Call It Conspiracy by Gary Allen




















23. A book from your childhood: Kenny and the Little Kickers by Claudio Marzollo & Jacqueline Rogers




















24. A book that you wish you were in: Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred: 500 of the More Famous People Who Have Called Pittsburgh Home by C. Prentiss Orr




















25. A classic book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee




















26. A book that makes you laugh: My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands by Chelsea Handler




















27. A romantic book: Come to the Edge: A Love Story by Christina Haag




















28. A children's book: A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein




















29. A sports book: The Color of Sundays: The Secret Strategy That Built the Steelers Dynasty by Andrew Conte




















30. A cook book:  LadurĂ©e Macarons The Recipes by Vincent Lemains (I prefer to bake)




















31. A book that taught you something: Mysteries of the Unexplained by Carroll C. Calkins




















32. A coffee table book: Fornasetti: The Complete Universe by Mariuccia Casadio




















33. A unique book: The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron




















34. The last book you read: Stone Houses: Traditional Homes of Pennsylvania's Bucks County and Brandywine Valley by Margaret Bye Richie




















35. The next book you're going to read: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn




















36. A book you wish that you wrote: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum





















It should be noted that after I completed this post, I took a look at my selections. I never realized that I read a lot of books that have death as a major plot point. I'm not sure how that ties into my psyche but there you have it. To see my virtual bookshelf, click here.












Now Playing: "The Walker" by Gayngs

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
I'm living life in beautiful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I hold a journalism degree from West Virginia University. I have worked in television news, fashion marketing, PR, and cosmetic sales. My love for writing and sharing with the world my various passions is strong. One of my many ambitions is to be published and continue creating in the fields of digital and print media, literature and film. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, going to concerts, reading, following Pittsburgh sports and traveling as often as possible. Some of my favorite things include beauty, style, architecture, books, tarot and astrology, thrifting and my shih-tzu, Ireland. I’m engaged to the love of my lifetimes and we look forward to starting our next chapter together. If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you!