The Christmas Decor Tag!

I started collecting Nutcrackers last year. I have two of these beauties which were my first and still are my favorite. 

Some of the ladies I follow on YouTube were doing this tag, so I thought I'd join in on the festivities. One of these days I will get around to going full-speed with my own YouTube channel but until then, I'll settle for right here on my blog.


1. When do you start decorating for Christmas?

After Thanksgiving. Black Friday weekend. But I keep an eye out for pieces all year long.

2. What style do you decorate your home for the holidays?

I'm very traditional when it comes to holiday decor. I will throw in a trend here or there but I prefer classic color schemes and themes. I enjoy vintage items mixed with newer finds that will still hold its charm for decades to come.

3. Favorite family Christmas tradition?

We always had a big party on Christmas Eve when I was growing up. Friends, family, and lots of laughter that always went very late.

4. Favorite place to buy Christmas decor?

Thrift shops/estate sales. I love the thrill of the hunt and finding high-quality pieces for pennies on the dollar. We have a lot of elderly people in Pittsburgh, so the secondary market is full of wonderful vintage and antique selections. As for traditional places, MacKenzie-Childs is my favorite brand to invest into collecting and I always have fun at Home Goods.

5. Favorite Christmas movie?

A Christmas Story and The Family Stone are my absolute favorites but every year I also have to watch Home Alone (love the soundtrack), Christmas Vacation and The Year Without a Santa Claus.

6. Egg Nog, Hot Coco or Apple Cider?

None of the above! I don't like warm beverages. If the cider was chilled, I might give it a try.

7. Do you leave chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies for Santa?

Whatever I have on hand.

8. Artificial tree or real tree?

Artificial for several reasons (mainly I like to leave it up for a couple months) but I'm starting to love the imperfection of a real tree.

9. Favorite holiday dessert to make?

Gingerbread!

10. Favorite type of Christmas cookie?

Gingerbread Men

11. Do you/family open any presents on Christmas Eve?

When we were growing up, we usually were given one from our parents and our extended family also exchanged gifts.

12. Do you decorate your tree yourself?

I have more than one. Yes.

13. Where do you spend Christmas Day?

For many years it was my Aunt Dolly's beautiful house but it varies.

14. Favorite Christmas smell?

A crackling fire.






Now Playing: "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday" by William Bell

If I Were a ______, I'd Be ________.

It's been a long time since I've done any of my usual Q&A style posts. But I was out with my friends and our conversation led me into the mood to answer a few fill in the blanks. There might be a few repeat questions from several years ago but it could be interesting to see if any of my answers have changed. Here we go...

If I was a ______, I'd be _______.


1. Board Game: Scrabble

2. Musical Instrument: Piano

3. Flower: Hydrangea

4. Time of Day: Midnight into the early hours of the morning

5. Alcoholic Drink: Champagne or a Dry, Red Wine

6. Country: Ireland

7. Weather: Thunderstorm

8. Era/Decade: Renaissance or the Roaring 20s...hard to believe it's nearly here again

9. Genre of Music: Alternative Rock or Ambient/Downtempo

10. Room in the House: Bedroom or Library

11. Book: Anne of Green Gables

12. Holiday: Halloween

13. Day of the Week: Saturday

14. Sport: Football

15. Song: Truth by Alex Ebert

16. Article of Clothing: Oversized Turtleneck

17. Movie: Hocus Pocus or Clueless

18. Car: '69 Chevelle SS. Black on ecru

19. Planet: I only want the Moon...at least in this solar system

20.  Accessory: Hat

21. Animal: Himalayan Cat

22. Food: Pepper Jack Cheese

23. Art: Midsummer Eve by Edward Robert Hughes or Fetal Trapping in Northern California by Mark Ryden

24. Corner of the Internet: Conspiracy Boards

25. Quote: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt












Now Playing: "Summer in November" by SiR

"My First Time" Tag! Q&A

First tweet?
Having a glass of Chardonnay and twittering <3>
3:37 pm February 16 2009

First YouTube video?
Sometime in 2006 but the earliest one I remember from the beauty community was... 
MAC Brushes vs Painting Brushes by EnkoreMakeup
(Uploaded/Viewed around Fall '07).

I had the idea to use painting brushes for my makeup and wanted to see if anyone else had used them and what they recommended. After a quick search, I came across this video. 7 years later and those original Loew-Cornell brushes I purchased have still held up!



First person you subscribed to on YouTube? 
EnkoreMakeup was one of the earliest that I recall.

First Facebook profile pic?
September 2004. My freshman year of college. WVU was one of the earliest schools/networks to be added. I sent Facebook a typed letter requesting that we join the "social network" after seeing a link in a friend who went to Duke's AOL Instant Messneger profile (ha!). The next day, WVU was connected. I remember the buzz around campus and everyone saying to each other to add them on "The Facebook."

As for the actual picture?! I have no idea. I hardly use Facebook anymore and am too lazy to see if it's still on there. Maybe I'll find it this week and do a #TBT post on Instagram.

Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
The closest thing to my first love (still waiting for the real deal)... Unfortunately, no. Would love to still be friends (although I imagine that might be difficult) but people fall out of touch and such is life.

What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? 
Just some of my Dad's beer that he let me taste or a bit of champagne at a cousin's wedding. I also vividly remember putting beer inside a baby bottle (I refused to give it up as a toddler). We were rather European in mindset at the Roman residence.

What was your FIRST job?
Associate Producer (Writer) at WPXI-TV (NBC).

What was your FIRST car?
A hot little black '95 Toyota Celica GT that I called Virginia. Found her on Autotrader.com. Loved that car. Still technically own it but it's not driveable.

Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
A friend from work whose birthday is tomorrow. Made plans.

Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
A guy I really like and majorly want to see.

Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
Miss. Milesky. I really liked her. She would even come to my house to visit with my Mom and me.

Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?
South Florida. Other than my ears popping for the first time, no issues. I actually enjoy flying.

Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?
Other than my sister, my best friend from Kindergarten- on, Carley. And yes. We will always be the best of friends.

Where was your FIRST sleep over?
A girlfriend's house when I was probably in 1st grade. My older sister was best friends with one of the girls and I hung out with them and her younger sister who was closer to my age. 

What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
Talk to my sister. She just got back from Hawaii and stopped over to visit.

What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
Matchbox Twenty in Morgantown, West Virginia. Around the Fall of 2002. I was a junior in high school. Instantly hooked on live music.

FIRST broken bone?
Knock on wood, none.

FIRST piercing?
My ears when I was very young. Maybe 3? Thankfully, my Mom had a friend who came to the house and did it. She made sure they were done properly. Never had an issue with earrings. Perfectly placed.

FIRST foreign country you've gone to?
Heading to Europe for the first time in a couple weeks. England will be our first stop. I made the joke that I will have gone to London and Paris before New York, DC or LA. That's so backwards but so is everything in my world.

FIRST movie you remember seeing?
In general, some of the earliest ones that I remember include The Neverending Story, E.T., The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Honey I Shrunk The Kids... but in a theater?

FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992). Ironically, one of the characters' names was Krista (albeit with a different spelling). If memory recalls, I have yet to see another movie with someone in it named Krista.

When was your FIRST detention?
Junior year of high school because I had showed up late to school too many times. I'm not a morning person. I lived no more than 5 minutes from school (basically one neighborhood/a few streets away) but always used the excuse that I got stuck in traffic.

Who was your FIRST roommate?
Other than my older sister, I had two roomies during my freshman year of college. I won't get into that.

If you had one wish, what would it be?
Happiness.

What was the first sport you were involved in?
Other than dance, soccer. Loathed it. One of the few things in life that I quit.

What is the first thing you do when you get home?
Give my shih-tzu a hug and then put on comfortable clothes.

When was your first kiss?
Pre-School for a regular kiss. 7th grade for a true one.














Now Playing: "First Song for B" by Devendra Banhart
*Sounds like today

Sweater Weather Tag

1. Favorite candle scent? I'm not at all particular. I like candles more for its ambiance and look over the scent. Anything woodsy is fine. Leaves by Slatkin & Co. is nice.

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? None. I don't like warm beverages. I like seasonal beers if that counts for anything. 

3. What's the best fall memory you have? I have too many to choose just one. My freshman year/fall semester of college at WVU was spectacular.

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner? Dark lips. I like the shape of my eyes and prefer not to alter them too much with liner.

5. Best fragrance for fall? Anything with vanilla. I've been loving YSL Manifesto.

6. Favorite Thanksgiving food? Wine.

7. What is autumn weather like where you live? Gorgeous in the earlier part of the season. Foliage, Mild to chilly temps. But it's the end of Novemeber right now. Snow is on the ground and it's frigid. When winter truly kicks in, varies from year to year, but fall is always my favorite.

8. Most worn sweater? A black high-low, boat neck sweater by a brand called Shu Shu. I found it last year on HauteLook for less than $30. I wish I could have 3 or 4 more but I can't find the brand or style online! It's so comfortable, flattering and can be dressed up or down. I've gotten so many compliments but it's unfortunately starting to get slightly worn out. I've also always loved a good turtleneck. When done the right way, they're perfect.

9. Must-have nail polish this fall? Greens- Chanel Alchimie & Deborah Lippmann Laughin' to the Bank are two of my favs.

10. Football games or jumping in leaf piles? I love to look at the leaves but football is the best.

11. Skinny jeans or leggings? Leggings in the day/casual. Skinny jeans at night/dressier.

12. Combat boots or Uggs? UGGS! I'll own a few pairs forever because they are so comfy and keep me warm. But I do love boots when I'm actually going out. I don't own any combat boots but I have plenty of styles that evoke the look and feel.

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype? Not for me. 

14. Favorite fall TV show? Ja'mie: Private School Girl pemieres on HBO tomorrow night!

15. What song really gets you into the fall spirit? "Harvest Moon" by Neil Young. Someday, I'd like to get married on a full moon in October and dance to this.














Now Playing: "The Fall" by Rhye
*An obvious selection.

Music Monday: The Perfect Mix Tape

1. "Wish You Were Here", Pink Floyd.

2. "We Own the Sky", M83.

3. "Royals", Lorde.

4. "First Song for B", Devendra Banhart.

5. "Jane", Jefferson Starship (Wet Hot American Summer). 

6. "Balance", Future Islands.

7. "Wicked Game", James Vincent McMorrow (Chris Isaak cover).

8. "The Loco-Motion", Little Eva ('60s).

9. "Holocene", Bon Iver.

10. "Intro", The xx.

11. "Mind Sex", Dead Prez. (Hidden track- wooo!)

This was a fun little Music Monday activity. I remember when I was in school, I'd always make mix tapes (and later CDs) for my friends and such. The last time a guy gave me one (a few years back) it was quite prolific- more like a box set. Mixes truly are one of the most thoughtful gifts that come straight from the heart. I'm a major lyric lover because I think that words are powerful. Music takes it to another level.

Q&A

50 Questions "You’ve Never Been Asked"

1. What’s your favorite candle scent? Anything Autumnal. Fall leaves.

2. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister? Chelsea Handler.

3. What male celebrity do you wish was your brother? hmm... I can't think of one that I wouldn't be attracted to, lol. I've never really wanted a brother.

4. How old do you think you’ll be when you get married? Late 30s... hopefully by then. I do want to be able to have my own kids.

5. Do you know a hoarder? Me, myself and I. I need to get rid of so much stuff! But seriously, not that I know of. Although there is a house in my neighborhood that is suspicious.

6. Can you do a split? Not since I was a cheerleader.

7. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? 5-ish?

8. How many oceans have you swam in? Just the Atlantic and the Gulf if that counts for anything.

9. How many countries have you been to? None outside of the U.S. yet. So sad.

10. Is anyone in your family in the army? My Dad served in Vietnam.

11. What would you name your daughter if you had one? Vivian, provided that it hadn't become too popular.

12. What would you name your son if you had one? Roman because my family name ends with me.

13. What’s the worst grade you got on a test? Probably in the 10-20th percentile back in high school. We had an impossible chemistry teacher who purposefully made the exams unpassable. He had to grade on a curve just so that the entire class didn't fail the course. This system made no sense because I didn't learn anything. 

14. What was your favorite TV show when you were a child? I had a lot but Under the Umbrella Tree was one of them. 

15. What did you dress up as on Halloween when you were eight? 3rd grade (going on 9-years-old). I'm gonna say that I was a Pirate but I could be off by a year. 

16. Have you read any of the Harry Potter, Hunger Games or Twilight series? None of them.

17. Would you rather have an American accent or a British accent? British! Although I feel like my Pittsburgh accent is smooth and easy to understand

18. Did your mother go to college? No.

19. Are your grandparents still married? Both sets were still married when they passed away.

20. Have you ever taken karate lessons? No.

21. Do you know who Kermit the frog is? Yes.

22. What’s the first amusement park you’ve been to? Kennywood, of course!

23. What language, besides your native language, would you like to be fluent in? French, Spanish (I know some), Italian... everything!

24. Do you spell the color as grey or gray? I go both ways, ha.

25. Is your father bald? Nope. 63-years-old and if you told him his hair was thinning he'd pull an Uncle Jesse and head straight to the bathroom mirror.

26. Do you know triplets? Not closely but I met some in college.

27. Do you prefer Titanic or The Notebook? Both are my favorites. I love them equally.

28. Have you ever had Indian food? No.

29. What’s the name of your favorite restaurant? I don't really have a favorite. I like to go to different places.

30. Have you ever been to Olive Garden? Not that I remember. Crazy, right?

31. Do you belong to any warehouse stores (Costco, BJ’s, etc.)? No. I'm a city girl.

32. What would your parents have named you if you were the opposite gender? Christian. My last name is Roman. Sounds like a priest, huh?

33. If you have a nickname, what is it? I usually just go by Krista but occasionally I'll get Kris, Binki, Red, Roman, Kristalena or Krista Star

34. Who’s your favorite person in the world? My dog.

35. Would you rather live in a rural area or in the suburbs? Neither. I'd rather have a house in the country and live in the city.

36. Can you whistle? Nope.

37. Do you sleep with a nightlight? Not usually.

38. Do you eat breakfast every morning? No.

39. Do you take any pills or medication daily? No.

40. What medical conditions do you have? N/A.

41. How many times have you been to the hospital? Fortunately, not many times at all. Never stayed. Fingers crossed.

42. Have you ever seen Finding Nemo? No.

43. Where do you buy your jeans? Macy's, Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, Online.

44. What’s the last compliment you got? A few people said  they liked the dress I wore tonight.

45. Do you usually remember your dreams in the morning? Not usually but lately, yes. This reminds me, I have to do a book review on a dream book I was sent!

46. What flavor tea do you enjoy? I've recently started to get the berry refresher from Starbucks. I like Iced Tea.

47. How many pairs of shoes do you currently own? I have no idea! I need to figure this out and clean out my closet. At least 100? I've amassed a lot over the years but I'm not really a shoe person. I much prefer handbags, makeup and clothes.

48. What religion will you raise your children to practice? Catholic but I won't pressure them into any belief system.

49. How old were you when you found out that Santa wasn’t real? Too young. Not even in kindergarten yet. Thanks to my older sister. But I was probably 6 before I was fully convinced of it.

50. Why do you have a tumblr? kristaselene.tumblr.com I love photography and discovering new things, connecting with people all around the world, expressing myself creatively...

Now Playing: "Oh Boy" by Portugal. The Man

*I like this song better than most of the ones on Evil Friends.

The 90s Kid Tag!

1.Favorite Disney channel original movie? 
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century. I also really liked Smart House and Brink!



2. Favorite music artist? 
In the 90s, I was all about bubblegum pop, R&B and gangster rap. I also started to get into rock. Such an eclectic mix. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Britney Spears, Inner Circle, Boyz II Men, The Cardigans, Puff Daddy, Ma$e, The Pretenders, Oasis, Dave Matthews Band, Master P, Ace of Base, The Cranberries, boy bands... the list is endless. I'll have to get around to making a 90s playlist with some of my favorite songs.



3. Favorite Nick Jr. show?
Not sure if most of these count as "Jr." shows but Nickelodeon was definitely one of my favorite channels. I loved Salute Your Shorts, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Wild and Crazy Kids, Double Dare, Hey Dude, Pete and Pete, Clarissa Explains It All, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Little Bear, Rugrats, Doug, Guts (Global Guts), David the Gnome, Nick Arcade...



4. Favorite candy?
Dunkaroos, Chiclets Gum, Fruit by the Foot, Ring Pops...

5. Favorite game? (board game, school game, etc.)
Mall Madness, Nightmare, Girl Talk, Dream Phone, Hi Ho! Cherry-O, Guess Who?, Monopoly, Pretty Pretty Princess, Candy Land, Shoots and Ladders, Life, Thin Ice, Checkers, Paper Football, Mash, Paper Fortune Cookies, Back Off! Buzzard... Kickball at recess. Loved hockey. Cheered for football and basketball. 



6. Favorite McDonald's Happy Meal toy?
I liked them because it came in a cute little box but I can't really remember any specific ones. I liked Wendy's better.

7. Favorite book?
Goosebumps, Clifford, Kenny and the Little Kickers, Shel Silverstein, The Wizard of Oz, Sarah, Plain and Tall, Where's Waldo?, Magic Eye, American Girl... Every month we'd get a catalog in school and I'd always order a ton of books. I remember when the packages would come, I'd carry a huge box home on the school bus. I loved reading and getting the items delivered :) There was also the Book-It program that combined reading with one of my other greatest loves- Pizza Hut!

8. Favorite clothing store?
Claire's and Afterthoughts were my favorite stores but not for clothes. I knew the sales girls by name because I was at the mall all the time. I loved Contempo Casuals for pleather pants, platforms and crop tops. I also frequented the very random (and now defunct) store called Weathervane for more casual pieces. I mostly shopped at Kaufmann's department store (now Macy's) or Lazarus (now Macy's, no longer there) for nicer clothes. It was all about baggy jeans, bell-bottoms, Starter jackets, Tommy Hilfiger and Esprit.

I had this top and also rocked it with overalls:

9. What would you watch when you'd get home from school?
Total Request Live when I was in middle school. Mister Roger's Neighborhood was a favorite when I was little. I remember reruns from The Brady Bunch were usually on around 4 when I was younger and Saved by the Bell aired around dinner time. Rosie O'Donnell, Ricki Lake and the like also had daytime talk shows. All of the Nickelodeon shows I mentioned above. I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch.



10. Favorite T.V Show? 
Full House, Saved by the Bell, Salute Your Shorts, Avonlea, Anne of Green Gables, Daria, The Wonder Years, Home Improvement, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Under the Umbrella Tree, Mama's Family (reruns), Super Market Sweep... there's way too many!



11. Favorite Toys?
Barbie Dolls, Little People, Skip It, Polly Pocket, Water Babies, Baby Shivers, Magic Nursery Dolls, Magic 8 Ball, My Buddy Doll, "Pet Surprise" (Puppy Surpirse, Kitty Surpirse, etc. I had so many), board games, Sega Genesis, Nintendo... I could go on and on...!

12. Favorite Commercials? 
This was a local commercial but I loved the jingle! They still use it!
"Century III Chevrolet, Lebanon Church Road, Pittsburgh. Minutes from the mall!"



& because of my love for Devon Sawa... "It's Nerf or Nothin'!"



13. Nsync or Backstreet Boys? 
I liked both of them and had all of their CDs but I was more of an 'N Sync fan.

14. Weirdest Fashion Trend? 
The plastic clip you would pull your t-shirts through to knot them on the side back in the early 90s. That, paired with neon bicycle shorts. Then in the late 90s, wearing baggy jeans and FUBU.

15. Favorite Collectible? 
These aren't a collectible but I recently found a girl on eBay who makes them, FLUFFY PENS! as inspired by the movie Clueless. I used these and milky pens exclusively from about 4th-7th grade. I'll do a blog post soon. I mostly collected stickers and rocks.

16. Favorite Beanie Baby? 
I've always loved teddy bears but I never really got into beanie babies. They were pretty expensive. I was more focused on buying purses and jewelry (not much has changed). I loved to get gifts for my friends. I told them that my parents were expected to win millions from Publishers Clearing House and in no time, money would be no object. Still waiting on that check, Ed McMahon!

The infamous Prize Patrol:

17. How many Tomagotchis did you go through?
I think I had one but couldn't figure out how to use it. I remember having a Koala Giga Pet that did nothing but munch on leaves and go the bathroom. I had a living, breathing shih-tzu that I loved so I quickly got bored with the virtual insanity.

18. Favorite Game System? and game?
It's a toss-up between Nintendo Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog from Sega Genesis. I spent hours playing on those!














Now Playing: "Rush Rush" by Paula Abdul
*Early 90s magic! One of my first favorite songs.

Fill In the Blank Friday: 10 Songs... A Music Questionnaire

1. A song you like with a color in the title:

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum. Such a beauty.

2. A song you like with a number in the title:

"21 Questions" by 50 Cent. Bam! That's a title and an artist. Bonus points?

3. A song that reminds you of summertime:

"Baby, I Love Your Way" by Big Mountain. Takes me back to the summers of my childhood.

4. A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about:

"You Won't Be Mine" by Matchbox Twenty. This one was difficult. I don't really have too many people I want to erase from my memory.

5. A song that needs to be played LOUD:

"Hang You From the Heavens" by The Dead Weather. I'm not really a loud music type of girl but I love this band. One of the best live shows I've seen (Bonnaroo '10). I have a major crush on Jack White and Alison Mosshart is phenomenal. 

6. A song that makes you want to dance:

"I Won't Kneel" by Groove Armada (definitely a dance by yourself type of tune). The buildup at the end is fantastic. 

7. A song to drive to:

"I Love It" by Icona Pop. Easy to find on the radio. There's more bridges here in Pittsburgh than anywhere else in the world so let's hope this doesn't turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

8. A song about drugs or alcohol:

"Champagne Supernova" by Oasis. One of my drinks of choice. A site that I'd like to see.

9. A song that makes you happy.

"Country Roads" by John Denver. My college's anthem that played after every home game and at many bars around midnight. So many wonderful memories.

10. A song that makes you sad:

"Who You'd Be Today" by Kenny Chesney. 

It ain't fair you died too young like a story that had just begun but death tore the pages all away.

Those lyrics never fail to bring a tear to my eye.