5 Music Artists You Should Listen To

We all have those moments where we want to discover new musicians to listen to because we are tired of listening to the same old stuff. If you have ever been in this situation, then keep reading. I've been listening to alot of new and upcoming artists that are amazing musicians, so I want to share them with you.


1) The first musician is Ingrid Michaelson. She is not exactly a new artist, but not alot of people have heard of her. Her music is Indie-Pop, with upbeat songs that you will fall in love with. Some of her best songs are December Baby, Far Away, Overboard, Starting Now, and The Way I Am.

Music video for "The Way I Am"

2) The next group is Alice In Videoland. They describe their music as a combination of minimal 80's synth pop music with an upbeat electronic body. Their most popular songs are Cut The Crap, Better Off, Lady Killer, She's A Machine, and Got To Go.

Music Video For "Cut the Crap"

3) Emeli Sande is a Scottish soul-pop singer and songwriter. She was discovered in 2010 when she was featured in the song "Diamond Rings". Her music is very powerful and honest. Some of her best songs are Daddy, My Kind of Love, and Heaven.

Music Video For "My Kind Of Love"

4) Alot of people have already heard of the band Walk Off The Earth. They are best known for their cover of Gotye's song Somebody That I Used To Know. They got their start from covering songs on youtube, and being very creative with their instruments. Since then, they have signed with SlapDash records and have gained millions of fans all around the world. 

Music Video For "Little Boxes"

5) My personal favorite group on this list is the band Cimorelli. They are a group of 6 sisters that got their start doing covers on youtube. Growing up in a very musical family, their style is mostly acapella with beautiful harmonies and melodies. Lately, they have released an album, called CimFam E.P.

Video For "I Won't Give Up/When I Look At You"

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and discovering new artists. If you have any more music suggestions that you would like to see in future posts, name them in the comments section and I will be sure to check them out!

10 Items of Clothing Every Girl Should Have (Plus My Favorite Accesories!)

Have you ever looked in your closet and thought, "I have nothing to wear today!"? Have you ever been late to school or work because you can't decide what to wear? If you have, then this article is for you. There are 10 items of clothing every girl should have if she wants to stop worrying about what to wear every day. These items will help you put together cute outfits that are also very affordable.

Item #1: Black Blouse

Almost every girl has at least one black blouse. They are versatile, match with anything, and can take inches off your figure! My favorite way to wear this shirt is with white skinny jeans and black ankle boots. If you don't own a black blouse, you can get them almost anywhere (literally) for an affordable price.

Item #2: Tennis Shoes

Another item everyone should have is tennis shoes. They are comfortable, and once again, go with almost anything. To get an awesome comfy look, match your tennis shoes with blue jeans and a form-fitting t-shirt. Tennis shoes can get pretty pricey. You can get them cheap at WalMart for around $20, but they don't last as long. If you are willing to pay a little more for tennis shoes, good brands are Nike's, Adidas, and Reebok. They cost about $60-$100, but they are well worth the cost.

Item #3: White Dress Shirt

A white dress shirt is an essential everyone should have. It's great for job interviews, picture day, or even date night. Pair this with black dress pants, colorful flats/pumps, and multicolor bracelets and necklaces. 

Item #4: Black Flats

One item that goes with literally everything. You can pair these shoes with jeans and a simple shirt, a cute dress, and even sometimes sweatpants! This is one of the items of clothing you can get almost anywhere. The average price is anywhere from $10-$30.

Item #5: Blue Jeans

Personally my favorite piece of clothing of all time! You can get them in all shapes and sizes: flare, skinny, bootcut, bellbottom, darkwash, lightwash, ripped, and cutoffs. Everyone must have at least one pair of great fitting jeans to go with that cute blouse or comfy t-shirt. The best brands of jeans (to me, at least) are Bullhead, L.E.I., True Religion, and Angels.

Item #6: Summer Dress

Let's face it: everyone has at least one moment where they need to dress up. Whether it be for a wedding, church, or a school event, you need to have something you can wear for when you need to dress up in a hurry. If you have those moments alot, or just like to wear dresses, this kind of dress is perfect for you. Pair it with a simple pair of black flats, and if you are feeling cold, add black tights or leggings.

Item #7: Cotton T-Shirt

We all have those days where we wake up in the morning and just feel like dressing comfortably instead of too out-there. The perfect clothing item for those days is a simple cotton t-shirt. You can either go simple by pairing it with a pair of blue jeans and tennis shoes, or you can layer it under or over other shirts or dresses. The good thing about t-shirts is that they come in every style and color you can think of. My favorite brands of t-shirts are Aeropostale, Hanes, Deb's, and Hollister.

Item #8: Tote Bag

This item isn't something you can actually wear, but I feel like it is an essential for every girl. You can use it as an overnight bag, or if you don't have very many books to carry, you can use it as a school bag. Depending on the brand you get, tote bags are usually really durable and last almost forever. A good brand is Aeropostale (I got one from here almost 6 years ago for only $15 and it is still in excellent shape!).

Item #9: Hoodie

If you have ever had those days where you are freezing or just wanna dress comfortably, a hoodie is a good item of clothing. Simple but stylish, you can match a hoodie with jeans and a t-shirt, and if you have the right kind, you can even match it with a dress! The best hoodies (to me) come from places like souvenir shops (at places like beaches or even just a well-known city near you). They have that comfy, homey feeling that makes you feel amazing.

Item #10: Khakis

A weekend pair of pants, or most commonly used for part-time jobs, khakis add a bit of diversity to your closet. You can get them loose-fitting, or if you are the kind of person that likes to show off your figure, form-fitting.

These are my favorite pieces of jewelry. I like stuff that is colorful, easy to wear, and feather-inspired. I got most of the bracelets and earrings from WalMart, but they are excellent quality.

#1, 2, 4-6, & 8: Walmart, $1-10

#3: A souvenir shop in Key West, Florida. $15

#7: Virginia Beach, $8

#9: Unknown :O (but they were $10)

New Banner, Or What?

Using Polyvore, I made this picture for 10 Million Questions. I thought it turned out pretty good, but the more I think about it, I feel like maybe I should have left more room on the left and right sides, and maybe but a bottom piece to the picture frame at the bottom. Other than those two things, what do you think of this picture? I'm debating on whether or not I should use it as a banner for my blog, or if I should just write an article about how to use Polyvore and how I came up with the inspiration for this creation. After you are done reading, comment on this article about what this picture should be used for. Thank you for your input!

So I've Been Wondering...

What could I do to make this blog more interesting/attracting to readers? Ive been doing a bunch of research lately on what to do to make an awesome blog and I found alot of good inspiration and tips. One guy said to keep the readers interested in coming back to your blog over and over again, you have to keep your blog varied. People don't want to know what to expect from you every day;you have to keep them guessing. I feel like with my blog so far, I haven't done that. That's why in addition to doing how-to's, I will also post stuff like music I'm interested in, funny pictures I find online, my current fashion inspiration, other blogs I like, and pictures of me and my friends (dumb I know, but I love all my friends and we have so much fun together). I will still be doing the every day how-to, but I will be updating with other stuff more often so you will always hav stuff to look forward to. Like before, if you have suggestions for an article you want me to write, or just need advice on anything, go to formspring.me/10MillQuestions and I will answer them to the best of my abilities! Goodnight and happy blogging!


*Note: This post was made on my mom's tablet and I'm not quite used to how her keyboard's set up, so if you see any typos or anything, just comment and let me know and I will fix it!

How To Make Pasta Al Pomodoro

Alot of you may not know what this is, but Pasta Al Pomodoro is a favorite Italian dish of mine. It's very cheap and easy to make, but is also packed with delicious flavor. In this article, I will teach you how to make Pasta Al Pomodoro. But first, you will need the following ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1-3 pinches crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want it)

1 28 ounce can tomato sauce

salt

3 large fresh basil sprigs (found in the produce section at many grocery stores)

12 ounces bucatini or spaghetti

2 tables cubed unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

Step 1: Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 2-4 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute more. Increase heat to medium, add tomato sauce and season lightly with salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in basil sprigs, and set aside/

Step 2: Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-quart pot. Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Step 3: Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowls. For maximum flavor, add additional cheese to each bowl. 

This is what the finished product should look like. 

How To Temporarily Color Your Hair Using Chalk

Lately, people everywhere have been rocking the bright-colored hair look. Some people like using hair dye, and some people use it way too much. If you are one of the people that likes to change your hair color every other day, there is a new way for you to do it without frying your hair: hair chalk. This may not work on every hair type, and you may not like how it looks on you, but it is a fun way to make your hair any color you want temporarily without the consequences of regular hair dye. Many salons are now offering to put chalk in your hair for you, but that can get pricey, so if you're one of the people that likes to do your own hair, then this article is for you. Today I'm going to teach you how to temporarily color your hair with chalk. You will need Soft Pastel Chalk (they sell it at craft stores for $5-$10), a spray bottle filled with water, either a straightener, crimper, or curling iron (i would reccomend straighteners), rubber gloves, a dixie cup or any small paper cup filled with water, and an old towel or t-shirt that you don't mind getting color on.

This is the kind of chalk you want to look for.

First Step

First Step: Spray about an inch section of the hair you want colored with water. You only have to soak the piece of hair you want colored, not the entire strand.

Second Step

Second Step: Dip the first color chalk that you want in your hair into the paper cup. Color the chalk onto your hair. Be generous with how much you put on, the more you put on, the brighter it will be. And if you're doing multiple colors or shades, I would recommend that you start by coloring your hair with the lightest shade first so you don't end up with a muddied mess.


Third Step: This is the most important and time-consuming step. Wait for your hair to completely air dry. Don't move around too much and don't mess with or blow dry your hair, because the colored strand has to dry completely on its own for it to work properly.

Fourth Step: When your colored hair is completely dry, go over it with the straightener (or curler/crimper). This will seal in the color so it stays in  for longer. After this, you can style your hair however you normally would, but be a little careful because the color comes out easily.

How long the color stays in depends on how much you dye your hair, and what shade your hair is naturally. Someone that has dirty blonde hair might have their chalk in for a week without it fading, while someone that bleaches their hair quite often might only have theirs in for a day before it starts fading. My hair is naturally a dark brown/almost black, and when I chalked my bangs, the chalk stayed in for maybe a couple hours. Even though it might not last that long, hair chalk is a fun and super easy way to experiment with your hair without having to spend tons of money on regular hair dye and risk it not turning out right.

This is a picture of how my hair turned out when my mom was practicing hair chalk on me.  I have naturally dark hair, so she ended up using more chalk just to make sure it would work, and it did. So my tip to people with dark hair: don't be afraid to put alot of chalk in your hair. You might think it's a waste, but it actually will show up in your hair better.

*Note: I had to do some looking-up on how to use hair chalk just to make sure I was explaining the steps right. I don't want to get in trouble for plagarizing or whatever, so I'm gonna go ahead and cite my souce. I got the first three pictures from http://www.seventeen.com/fashion/blog/hair-chalking and the last picture I took on my webcam.

How To Dress Affordably

Okay, so for my first post I wanted to do something simple. I am going to give you my tips on how to dress like a superstar.

Alot of people always come up to me and tell me how nice I look. Some people have even said that they wish that they had alot of money to spend on clothes and shoes like I do. But that's not the case necessarily. I just know how to shop affordably, and since I have had alot of questions about where I get my clothes, I will share it with you.

A very good place to start looking for clothes is thrift stores. Now I know some of you may be thinking, I would never shop there!, but some thrift stores actually have stuff worth looking for. You just have to know where to look for these nice things. I went thrift shopping the other day for summer clothes thinking I wouldn't find anything nice, and yeah, at some places that is the case, but when I went to GoodWill, I found a bunch of shirts. I ended up getting like 15 shirts and a pair of capris and only had to pay $24.99. The clothes that I got are in the picture.



A good way to get nice, affordable clothes is online shopping. This is what I do most of the time.
One awesome place to shop online is HauteLook.com. All their clothes and cosmetics are very affordable. They often have huge blowout sales where things are up to 75% off and most of the stuff is designer. I only have a couple things from here, but it would definitely be one of my favorite websites.
A few more websites where I get my shoes are shoedazzle and justfab. All their shoes are $39.95, and when you sign up you get 20% off your first pair. Yeah, their stuff is a little more on the expensive side, but it's a really good deal considering all of their shoes are designer. I also look at craigslist ads and when I see that someone is selling clothes, I offer to trade. You end up getting cute stuff that way too, but if they don't want to trade, don't push it.



If all else fails and you don't really find anything you like, there are also regular stores. My favorite ones are Rue 21, Debs, Aeropostale, American Eagle, and Wet Seal.


*This was my first ever blog post, so it might not be that good. Sorry for that, I hope that as I write more and more posts, my writing will get better and more interesting. If you want to send me suggestions on posts I should do or give me constructive crisicism (that doesn't mean bashing my work), than you can at formspring.me/10MillQuestions