Luxe Living: Christmas Decor

Now Playing: "Soul Food" by Martina Topley-Bird

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.

Wonderwall

Now Playing: "Harvest Moon" by Neil Young
*One of my favorite songs to play during the Fall :)

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.

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.

100 Questions That No One Asks

1:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Closed.
2:Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? Yes.
3:Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Out.
4:Have you ever stolen a street sign before? No but I want to.
5:Do you like to use post-it notes? Love notes but post-its aren't my favorite.
6:Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? No.
7:Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? Bear.
8:Do you have freckles? Yes.
9:Do you always smile for pictures? No.
10:What is your biggest pet peeve? Double negatives, no turning signals or people who smoke in confined spaces/large crowds.
11:Do you ever count your steps when you walk? Nah.
12:Have you ever peed in the woods? Yes.
13:What about pooped in the woods? No.
14:Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing? Yes.
15:Do you chew your pens and pencils? Pens- sometimes.
16:How many people have you slept with this week? 0.
17:What size is your bed? Full.
18:What is your Song of the week? Anything from Daughn Gibson. "Lookin' Back on '99" works.
19:Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Yeah.
20:Do you still watch cartoons? Never really a big fan.
21:Whats your least favorite movie? Hmm... nothing specific but I just can't get into blockbuster super hero/comic book character type movies.
22:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? A cemetery.
23:What do you drink with dinner? Diet Coke, Water, Wine, Beer...
24:What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Ranch or Cheese?
25:What is your favorite food? French Fries or Pizza.
26:What movies could you watch over and over and still love? Clueless, The Wizard of Oz, Before Sunrise/Sunset...
27:Last person you kissed/kissed you? No comment.
28:Were you ever a boy/girl scout? For a hot second I think I was a Brownie.
29:Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? That ship has sailed. Maybe when I was 20.
30:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? The other day. I love to write notes.
31:Can you change the oil on a car? No.
32:Ever gotten a speeding ticket? No.
33:Ever ran out of gas? No.
34:Favorite kind of sandwich? Grilled Cheese.
35:Best thing to eat for breakfast? Cereal. Pancakes.
36:What is your usual bedtime? Dawn.
37:Are you lazy? Yes.
38:When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? Dinosaur, Pirate, Pumpkin, Mermaid...
39:What is your Chinese astrological sign? Ox.
40:How many languages can you speak? English and a bit of Spanish.
41:Do you have any magazine subscriptions? Yes. Too many. Elle, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Architectural Digest to name just a few.
42:Which are better legos or lincoln logs? Legos?
43:Are you stubborn? Little bit.
44:Who is better...Leno or Letterman? Letterman.
45:Ever watch soap operas? No.
46:Are you afraid of heights? Not particularly.
47:Do you sing in the car? Yes.
48:Do you sing in the shower? Sometimes.
49:Do you dance in the car? Yes.
50:Ever used a gun? No.
51:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? A couple years ago.
52:Do you think musicals are cheesy? Yes.
53:Is Christmas stressful? Nah.
54:Ever eat a pierogi? No. I'm from Pittsburgh. I realize this is sacrilege.
55:Favorite type of fruit pie? Cherry? Apple?
56:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? Teacher, Magazine Editor, Model, Boutique Owner...
57:Do you believe in ghosts? Yes.
58:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Yes.
59:Take a vitamin daily? No.
60:Wear slippers? In the fall and winter.
61:Wear a bath robe? Yes.
62:What do you wear to bed? Not much.
63:First concert? Matchbox Twenty in Morgantown, WV. 2003-ish.
64:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Target.
65:Nike or Adidas? Nike.
66:Cheetos Or Fritos? Um... too close to call. Cheetos are good but get messy.
67:Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Neither.
68:Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? No.
69:Ever take dance lessons? Yes.
70:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? Something requiring talent.
71:Can you curl your tongue? No.
72:Ever won a spelling bee? Yes.
73:Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes.
74:Own any record albums? Yes.
75:Own a record player? Yes.
76:Regularly burn incense? No but candles, yes.
77:Ever been in love? No.
78:Who would you like to see in concert? MGMT is still on the list.
79:What was the last concert you saw? The National at Stage AE.
80:Hot tea or cold tea? Cold.
81:Tea or coffee? Tea.
82:Sugar or snickerdoodles? Not sure what this means.
83:Can you swim well? No.
84:Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? Yes.
85:Are you patient? Very.
86:DJ or band, at a wedding? Both but a good band trumps a DJ.
87:Ever won a contest? Yes.
88:Ever have plastic surgery? No.
89:Which are better black or green olives? Neither.
90:Can you knit or crochet? No.
91:Best room for a fireplace? Living room.
92:Do you want to get married? Not yet.
93:If married, how long have you been married? N/A.
94:Who was your HS crush? Celebrity Crush- Jonathan Rhys Meyers
95:Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? No. I just do what I want.
96:Do you have kids? No.
97:Do you want kids? Yes but not for awhile.
98:Whats your favorite color? Light Metallic Gold.
99:Do you miss anyone right now? Yes.
100: Something that happened to you in middle school? I got the internet!












Now Playing: "Left Too Late" by Florrie

May Queen

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It's just a spring clean for the May Queen...

Now Playing: Led Zep