Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Can You Plan Home Improvements In Quarantine?

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Can You Plan Home Improvements In Quarantine?

Observing quarantine conditions means that we’ve all been spending a lot more time at home than usual lately. So it’s only natural that we begin to think about how we’d like to improve our homes, making them more suited to our lifestyles or individual tastes. In fact, planning a home improvement project is a brilliant way to pass the time in lock down. The work you plan can be quite simple, but sometimes small things make a big difference:

Declutter Your Space:

One of the simplest but most impactful things to do is to use the time in quarantine to have a major declutter. Being inside for a long time can make us feel cooped up, so creating more space by streamlining our possessions is a great remedy. Tackle those black holes of clutter like the basement, the loft, the cupboard under the stairs, and your closet. You can even look into techniques like the KonMari method if you want to find a new way to organize your belongings. Similarly, the current situation has made a lot of us think more about nature and how we can live more sustainable lifestyles – so if you want to look into becoming more minimalist, now might be a great time for it.

Tackle Essential Maintenance:

We all want our homes looking and performing at their best for when we are allowed to welcome friends and family round again. So the current downtime is a great chance to make sure all of those home maintenance jobs are in order. Simple things such as servicing your air conditioning system, repainting decking and patio furniture, power washing the exterior of your home and your drive, and adding some colorful planters are all simple things which can both improve the appearance of your home and stop small issues from turning into larger, costlier ones further down the line. It can be hard to find the time for these jobs when you’re going to work and have social commitments, so tick them off your to-do list now.

Repair or replace your roof:

Many homeowners often contemplate whether to repair or completely replace their roofs when remodeling their homes. If you are more budget-conscious it’s best to make small repairs to any damage you spot on your roof. This way, a minor repair can potentially be achieved during quarantine without the aid of experts. However, if you live in a much older home with larger damage to the roof, consider having your roofing replaced entirely. Bear in mind that sometimes, even minor issues may be an indication of a much bigger problem. If you’re not sure of the best way to proceed, there are many companies like Roof Doctors ready to identify and diagnose any concerning roofing issues that could cause damage to your home.

Switch Up The Layout:

If the layout of your home no longer suits your lifestyle, then it’s an ideal time to think about switching it up. Sometimes you can make a big difference just by repurposing items of furniture that you already have or moving them around your home. Or you could even repaint and replace handles to give an item a whole new look. In this way, you can often find better uses of your existing space, especially if combined with a declutter.

You may find that you need a more drastic change, one which involves handing over to construction staff to remove internal walls or add an extension. The project may have to wait until lock down conditions ease, but it’s definitely a good time to start sourcing quotes for the cost of the work and mapping out what you could do – home improvement boards on Pinterest are always great to get inspired and see what might be possible.

Add Textures:

Sometimes, it’s the small things that you do to a space that can make a big difference in how you see it. If you’re a little limited in the budget, then it’s worth looking at changing some of your soft furnishings, like a good rug, for example, that can sit in your living room or a throw styled nicely on your bed. These little touches can help give your space more character and can give it that refresh it needs whilst spending time in quarantine. You could also switch out your curtains or drapes for something different, whether it’s a new color or style. Drapery Rods Direct is a good place to start and can help add a burst of color to the room in general.

Use your extra time at home to remodel, declutter, and repair as you see fit!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

Hello! While Ohio’s stay at home order is still in place, I’ve been trying to do a lot of pampering at home until I can get to the salons. This means bubble baths, face masks, and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) but painting my nails with regular old nail polish. Lol, it’s a far cry from acrylics but what can ya do?!

I love a good at home pampering sesh as much as the next but, damn, am I looking forward to leaving it to the professionals! In the meantime, it’s not so bad, especially when bath time involves using wonderful treats from my friend, Annie’s, business of Bombs & Balms. Annie makes amazing bath and body care treats including the Harry Potter themed bath bomb we’re going to discuss today:

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Okay, everyone knows I am a Lush snob when it comes to bath bombs. I friggen love them and, I hate to be the one to say it, but some homemade bath bombs just aren’t good. The ones I have used in the past that weren’t from a name brand always ended up being a disappointment, which is why I was so blown away by Annie’s Death Eater inspired bath bomb.

Of course, anything Harry Potter is alright by me so we were already off to a good start. And, as soon as I dropped the bath bomb in the water it was putting in work! Before I knew it, my tub was filled with inky black water but it wasn’t over yet. I kid you not, this bath bomb fizzed for at least seven minutes, and it was still going by the time I just couldn’t wait anymore and had to get in the tub!

Annie’s bath bomb put on a great show and I fancied thinking that I could almost see the Dark Mark from Harry Potter in the water. So cool! I also loved seeing all of the green, gold, and silver glitter twinkling about for a magical touch that felt oh so Slytherin.

Annie’s bath bomb was easily of Lush quality and I would use any of her products again in a heartbeat. In fact, it was one of my favorite bath bombs that I have used in a while! Annie is currently in the process of rebranding her business to now include homemade jewelry and you can shop with her on all of the following platforms:

  • Facebook
  • Etsy: BombsAndBalms
  • Instagram: bombsandbalms

Looking for some high quality bath and body care with the perfect touch of fun? Be sure to check all of Annie’s work out today! 🙂

How have you been pampering yourself at home? Which Harry Potter house do you belong to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Reducing Anxiety During Lock Down

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Reducing Anxiety During Lock Down

For many people, the experience of being in lock down is something that might be negatively affecting their mental health in a number of ways. One of the most common experiences that people are reporting here is anxiety, which is an understandable reaction to being made to stay at home during a pandemic for an undefined amount of time. But no matter how bad your anxiety might get, the truth about this feeling is that it is manageable – even if it doesn’t always feel like it. In this post, we’ll look at some great practical management tips for your lock down anxiety:

Practice Good Breathing:

If you don’t generally think much about what your breath is doing, you will find that simply stopping to pay attention to it every now and then is really going to help. But you need to be doing it quite a lot as a standard thing, so that you are not just relying on your breathing skills once you are in the midst of anxiety and really need it. Conscious breathing throughout the day is linked to a much lower incidence of anxiety, and it also gives you a useful tool to use when it strikes, so make sure that you are using this in your life as soon as possible.

Try Alternative Medicines:

Although you generally need to be careful about which medicines you try and what alternatives you go for, there are some which are likely to be particularly useful at pretty much any time, and which you might want to think about utilizing in your own life if you are struggling with anxiety. For instance, the use of CBD oil has been known to help many people with anxiety, and that’s why it’s so popular at the moment. But be careful: make sure you know the difference between hemp oil vs CBD oil and that you are using it sensibly when you do so.

Focus On The Present:

Anxiety lives in the future, or sometimes even in the past – but never in the present. If you are finding your mind going haywire with potential circumstances that might occur, you might find it useful to return your grounding to the present moment. Simply doing this and making a point of focusing on what is happening right here and now will help you to keep your anxiety at bay. You will find this to be an amazing tool when you are in the midst of anxiety, but also as a general practice to help manage it.

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Relieve Stress Regularly:

Finally, remember to try and relieve the body and mind of stress as regularly as you can. If you allow stress to build up, then you are going to find that it makes for a much more anxious life in general. Not to mention that you will probably suffer all sorts of physical problems too as a result of the cortisol flowing through you.

Use the tips above to help manage your anxiety more effectively today!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Help Me Help You!

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Help Me Help You!

Hi friends! Now is the time to support the creative endeavors of our friends in the community more than ever. We’re talking our musicians, artists, cosmetologists, chefs, and everything in between. I love to feature guest posts on my page and, as always, you can email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com if you would like to be on lifewithlilred.

Now, I am asking for all of you to shoot me an email or drop your ventures in the comments so I can post it on my page! Etsy shop? Send it my way! SoundCloud link? I want it! Stay at home orders are still in tact but let’s get your online businesses on here so everyone can shop with you from the comfort of your home.

For example, my friend, Stephanie, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and would like a shout out on lifewithlilred can have all of her info found here and here. Stephanie is an absolute joy and if you are struggling with all of the extreme changes happening right now, I can’t recommend her enough! ❤

What are some of your business ventures? Would you like them featured on lifewithlilred? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Smart Tips To Help Manage Your Cat’s Weight

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Smart Tips To Help Manage Your Cat’s Weight

Part of keeping your cat healthy is ensuring that they stay at a healthy weight. We might all like to laugh at and coo over a fat cat, but the reality is that cats shouldn’t be carrying lots of excess weight. They need to be at a healthy weight so that they can remain active and so that there is no extra strain put on their bodies. Managing your cat’s weight can be difficult, though, especially if you have an indoor cat that might be less active. If you’re looking for some tips to help manage your cat’s weight, take a look at the advice below:

Speak to Your Vet:

Your vet can give you plenty of helpful advice about your cat’s diet and weight. They can let you know if your cat is overweight or even underweight, and make recommendations to help keep them healthy. They might recommend a specific food, especially if your cat might benefit from a special diet to improve their health. Your vet can recommend portion sizes and feeding times and generally offer more personalized advice compared to what you would get from a packet of cat food.

Make Measuring Food Easy:

It can be tricky to get your cat’s food right, especially concerning how much to feed them and when to feed them. Measuring out the right amount and sticking to a schedule is an important part of giving your cat the right diet. Many cat owners let their cats snack on dry food throughout the day, but this can lead to them eating too much. An automatic cat feeder can help you to measure out the right amount of dry food. Some even have cameras so that you can watch your cat when you’re out of the house. If you feed both wet and dry food, you need to make sure that the combined calories don’t exceed your cat’s recommended amount.

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ANGEL!

Keep Your Cat Active:

Exercise is another important part of managing your cat’s weight, particularly if you have an indoor cat. Indoor cats can be less active than outdoor cats, who will often go roaming for large parts of the day. Playing with your cat can encourage them to be more active, which helps to manage their weight. Make sure to adjust their diet to match their levels of activity too. More active cats may need to eat more.

Be Restrained with Treats:

Giving your cat treats can be a great way to pamper them and even teach them a few tricks. However, too many treats could mean that your cat is eating too much. While a few treats aren’t a bad thing, it’s important not to go overboard. It’s also important to give your cat special cat treats, which you include in your cat’s daily calorie allowance, and not human food.

Keep your cat healthy by managing their weight. Food and exercise play important roles in cat weight management.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Friendly Reminder!

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Friendly Reminder!

Hello! In Ohio, our stay at home order is still pretty well in place. Other than grocery stores and gas stations, the only things that have since opened up are doctors offices. But, in the meantime, that doesn’t mean that you still can’t support all of your favorite local businesses and artists. That’s right, we’re talking gift cards.

When the nonessential businesses closed, I reached out to all of my favorite hang outs of the tattoo shop and the hair and nail salon. It was important to me to try and help out all of the people who keep me beautiful as much as I can and if that meant paying early for the services I planned on getting anyway, I was happy to do it.

Unfortunately, in my area of Ohio, there are far more chain stores than anything locally owned. But, if that weren’t the case, trust and believe I would be getting gift cards to all of the cute boutiques too! Anything helps and if you are in a position to give a little more, then now is the time to do it. Believe me, the heartfelt thank yous make it two hundred fifty percent worth it! ❤

How have you been supporting the local businesses in your area? What have you been doing to help serve your community? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Book Club: Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep Edition

Hello! Before Ohio’s stay at home order was put in place, I took my brother to the library to get some books. I ended up picking out Doctor Sleep by Stephen King for myself and, since all of the libraries are closed, it has been sitting in my apartment this whole time. So I read it. And, let me tell you, I am so glad I did because it was EXCELLENT! Let’s get started:

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Doctor Sleep is the sequel to The Shining, which follows the infamous Jack Torrence’s son, Dan. Despite constantly being drunk, Dan still shines and every once in a while, he gets contacted by a little girl named Abra who writes on the chalkboard of his rented room. Fast forward, and Abra grows up into a preteen, Dan gets sober, and becomes a hospice orderly with the nickname of “Doctor Sleep” because he helps people who are close to death pass over.

Everything is looking good, until Abra becomes aware of a wandering group called the True Knot. The True Knot are a vampire like people who feed off of “steam” to help promote their longevity. What is steam? It’s the vapor that comes out of the children who they like to torture that are able to shine. And Abra? She shines a lot. So much so that the True Knot, lead by a beautiful viper women named Rose The Hat, picked up on her and they want her bad.

Will the True Knot continue to prosper from their evilly acquired steam? Or will Abra, Dan, and some unexpected friends along the way be able to finish them off once and for all? Read the book to find out!

Before reading Doctor Sleep, I saw the movie with my sister and boyfriend in theaters and was less than impressed. I loved the story line but, oh my god, did it drag on for what felt like forever. I believe it was just under three hours. So, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the book because I didn’t want it to be so drawn out that it read like a dryer manual.

Thankfully, it was the movie that was flawed and not the book because it was a wild ride. There was excitement with every turn of the page of Doctor Sleep and I found myself reading it for hours on end without feeling any desire to stop. The “good guy” characters were all just so likeable and I was mentally cheering them on the whole time. As for the bad guys? They were awful. But, I’d be a liar if I didn’t say that I was eager to find out what they were going to do next.

Doctor Sleep was an amazing read and my only regret was that I didn’t start it sooner. I loved it so much that I’m even willing to give the movie another shot! I reward Doctor Sleep with the prestigious ten out of ten stars and I can’t recommend it enough if you are a Stephen King fan!

What book are you currently reading? What did you think of the movie or book of Doctor Sleep? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Stay Sane In Quarantine With These Hobby Ideas

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Stay Sane In Quarantine With These Hobby Ideas

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that we are living in scary times. This global pandemic has pushed most of the world into lock down and quarantine, and even when working from home, it’s pretty boring! You’re unable to see friends and family, and you can’t even bounce off of the fun of the office to feel better about things. Instead, you get the chance to sit, twiddle your thumbs, and wait for life to resume in some kind of normality.

The thing is, this is not how it works. It doesn’t work like that because you have to consider your mental health. You need to keep busy, and for that, you need a hobby. This is especially true if you are in quarantine alone. So, let’s take a look at some of the best hobbies you could take up to stay sane through these unprecedented and unnerving times:

Visit National Parks – Virtually:

You may be desperate for a change of scenery, but you cannot leave the house. So, you need to get out virtually, instead. Make the use of your WiFi and get online to national parks and glaciers. You’ll be able to travel the world and view national parks without having to leave the house. Sure, it’s not quite the same, but it’s going to take the mystery out of the world you can’t explore properly!

Enjoy Puzzles:

You need to exercise the mind to keep the brain busy, and that starts with a PennyDell Puzzles crossword puzzle subscription. Puzzles are going to help you to keep your mind sharp and teach you new things. It’s also going to give you the chance to enjoy something in this quarantine that will continue long after.

YouTube Art Classes:

Did you know that there are drawing tutorials on YouTube? Most people aren’t aware of them and yet there they are, ready and waiting for you to learn from them. You may not be much of a drawer, or you may be an artist that requires a brush up on skills. Either way, drawing tutorials on YouTube are going to help you to hone your skills. If you are interested in learning a new hobby on YouTube, you will certainly want access to all of the content across the platform. A youtube vpn service can assist with that so you can always find the best creator that speaks to you.

Concert Films:

The musicians out there are going to love the chance to enjoy available concert films like these online. You can choose to go through the entire Netflix collection, of course, but consider branching out a little. Concert films and other musical elements are going to be the most fun option for you in quarantine!

Learn To Bake:

While the shops are selling out of basic baking ingredients, you can still learn to bake with any number of online video tutorials. You can also learn how to cook elaborate recipes that you can batch and freeze for later. It’s so important that you choose a course that inspires you, whether that’s lunch or cakes you want to bake.

Hobbies are important to help keep you sane right now so try some of the tips above while you’re stuck at home!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Fine Dining At Home

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Fine Dining At Home

Hi! With Ohio’s stay at home order still in place, Johnny and I have been eating at home nine times out of ten. Don’t get me wrong, we still enjoy the occasional Taco Bell but, for now, it just feels easier and safer to do our cooking at home. For the most part, we’re fine with the basics of grilled cheese, pasta, and oven pizza. Lol, but sometimes people need a little bit more. So, may I present the mac n cheese pizza?

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When Johnny and I first started dating, he created a mac n cheese pizza that was ready for when I arrived home from work. It was basically the sweetest and most delicious thing ever and it has since become one of our favorite “treat yoself” meals. Ready for all the carbs? Just follow this simple recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Oven pizza of your choosing
  • 1 box or packet of mac n cheese of your choosing
  • Shredded mozzarella to sprinkle on top

Directions:

  1. Make the box of mac n cheese. About halfway through, start preheating the oven for your pizza.
  2. Once the mac n cheese is done and the oven is preheated, cover the top of the pizza with a layer of the cheesy goodness. Then, sprinkle the extra mozzarella on top.
  3. Cook your masterpiece and enjoy!

Is the mac n cheese pizza the finest of quarantine delicacies? Probably. And, it always goes down smooth at chez moi. Give it a try and watch your life change for the better.

What is your favorite crazy food creation that you’ve made? What is your favorite pizza topping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Real Neat Blog Award

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Real Neat Blog Award

Hello! This past week, lifewithlilred was nominated for its first Real Neat Blog Award by my friend, Becki, over at Bekkibee22. Becki has a wonderful blog filled with cool and relatable content and I have so enjoyed getting to know her better as we both continue our blogging journeys. Do be sure to check her page out and give it some love! Now, let’s get on to the rules for this award:

The Rules:

  • Put the award logo on your blog.
  • Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
  • Thank the people who nominated you, linking to their blogs.
  • Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs; and asking them seven questions.
  • Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog etc.)

Q & A

1. What is your go-to make-up look? When I wear makeup for a normal day, it is all about huge lashes, rosy cheeks, and a gold eyeshadow. Then, I’ll typically apply my signature red lip for a night on the town because my look goes from day to night really easily.

2. What is your favorite lip color? Red, red, red. Oh, did I mention RED?!

3. What is your favorite hobby? I love to write and figure skate. And, of course, I love shopping!

4. What is your favorite TV Series, which you can re-watch all over again? Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Parks & Rec.

5. What is one thing you wish you learned? That it’s okay to do things differently from other people. The most exciting thing in life is making your own path.

6. What is your favorite bath or shower product? I love the body butter by The Body Shop and I also adore the bath bombs from Lush.

7. What is your fondest memory? Why? I loved going to Universal Studios in Florida with my family for the first time. Seeing The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter all together is hard to forget. We were all so happy and it was so much fun.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Have you picked up any new hobbies during the coronavirus panic?
  2. How have you been keeping yourself occupied if your area has a stay at home order?
  3. Favorite meal to prepare?
  4. One food that you refuse to try?
  5. The last movie or show you watched?
  6. Who is your celebrity crush?
  7. What is your favorite part about blogging?

Thanks again to the darling Becki of Bekkibee22 for the Real Neat Blog Award nomination!

How would you answer Becki’s questions for her nominees? How about my questions for mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah