Friday, August 27, 2010

You Asked, I Answered: Pt. 3

Circa 2006 in Vegas drinking beer out of a cowboy boot at a bowling alley.

Have you ever travelled outside of the US?
Yes, I love traveling and I'm lucky enough to have had parents who encouraged it. I've been to Germany (where we stayed with my mom's aunt), Ireland, and Japan. I was actually in Japan for about a month during college, I got to travel all over the country which was incredible. I've also been all over Canada, but where I'm from (Maine) that's a pretty common thing because we're so close- my mom, brother and I used to do a road trip to PEI every summer to go camping. I've also been all over the US. I would love to go overseas again, but right now my dream trip is to go cross-country.

Who is your favorite artist?
Ah, that's such a hard question! I would say it's a bit of a tie between William Eggleston and Cindy Sherman as all time favorites. Eggleston had such a knack for documenting people and places, and Sherman's concepts are really interesting to me. I also love Kiki Smith, Frieda Kahlo, Nikki S. Lee, Jeff Coons, Louise Nevelson and Andrew Wyeth. Those are pretty random, but a good example of artists whose works that have inspired me over the years.

What is your daily skin-care routine?
My routine is pretty basic: In the morning I splash my face with cold water, towel dry and apply Oil of Olay spf 15 lotion. I then wait about 15 minutes to apply make-up. For make-up in the summer I usually only wear liquid eyeliner and mascara (in the winter, I wear concealer too). At night, I use a baby-wipe to remove my eye make-up (pampers sensitive skin- it cheaper than make-up remover), wash my face with cold water and Alba Pineapple Enzyme facial cleanser, towel dry and apply the same lotion as before. In the winter, I apply Jojoba oil at night instead of lotion. About twice a week I use St. Ives Apricot scrub to smooth away any dead skin.

What is the most expensive item of clothing you have ever bought?
I once had to buy a bridesmaid's dress that cost $200, and keeping with tradition I never wore it again. Other than that, everything in my closet I paid under $100 for. If you want to count my snowboard boots, I paid $150 for them on sale at Chris' work! (Erica, if you read this the wedding was beautiful and I was so happy to be a part of it!)

What eyeliner do you wear?
I use L'Oreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black

How many tattoos do you have and do they each have a special meaning?
I have three tattoos: Two traditional swallows on my back and a set of script numbers on my wrist. The swallows I got about 6 years ago, they don't have a specific meaning other than my appreciation of traditional tattooing and my love for that specific bird (I grew up on a farm where there were a lot of them). In traditional folklore they also symbolize the coming of spring, which I like. The numbers on my wrist are a little more personal, they are the last four digits of the phone number of my family home, which burned down in 2004 while I was at college.

Where in Germany is your mom from and do you speak German?
My mother's side of the family is from Weilburg, Germany (my dad's side is Irish). She spent most of her formative years in the US but my Grandmother had dual citizenship, so they also spent a considerable amount of time with family in and around that region. My mom speaks German, unfortunately I do not.

You have probably some of the most gorgeous hair I've ever seen, and I read awhile back that you only wash it two days a week! I was wondering if you wash it after you exercise and if not, how you keep it from looking sweaty and gross?
Thank you! I DO only wash my hair about twice a week, and I don't typically wash it after going to the gym. When I'm working out I usually wear it up in a bun with an elastic headband wrapped around my head to keep fly-aways out of my eyes. I wait until after I shower to take it down. I don't know if that helps with keeping it less sweaty, or if I just have a really high gunk tolerance, but it seems to make a difference. You could always try using a dry shampoo to soak up any excess oils post-workout. I occasionally use Tresseme "Fresh Start". I like the texture that a little grime adds to my hair, and not washing it constantly keeps it healthy.

I always wondered, are you married?
Nope! Chris and I have been happily un-married for a little over 6 years. The topic of marriage has certainly come up in discussion, and isn't out of the question, but it's not a priority for us right now. (the answer to this question has clearly changed since then!)

I love your blog! Any tips for newer bloggers?
Thank you so much and welcome to the blogging community! Blogging can be tough at first, but I think staying true to your own voice is the most important thing. Write about what you love! If you're a fashion blogger, quality pictures help volumes with your readership, make sure they're in focus and well lit. Don't focus on getting sponsored, or getting X amount of followers, those things will come if you stick to it and enjoy yourself!

Have a question?
Ask me on Formspring!

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Chris and I are headed to Maine this afternoon to celebrate Punky's birthday. I'm so excited, the weather is perfect, and I can't wait to be sea-side finally! It's been kind of a crazy week, which ended with me losing my phone. I've had the same terrible Verizon phone for the past five years, and today I'm finally taking the plunge and buying an IPhone! Have a great weekend!

Remember, you still have time to enter the giveaway!