Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Wow Them With Your Wedding Favors

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Wow Them With Your Wedding Favors

Planning your wedding gives you the perfect opportunity to create an exciting and personal event. When you’re choosing the venue, flowers, entertainment, and favors, for example, you’ll want each element to represent you and your new spouse.

With so many things to consider in the lead up to the big day, it’s easy to forget about some details. However, it can be the smaller things that really make an impression on your guests. Wedding favors are a great way to show your appreciation to your guests and to give them something that will remind them of the day in the future.

While some people stick to tried and tested favors, there are plenty of other options available. If you want to do something different on your special day, take a look at these top ideas for creative and original wedding favors:

Donuts:

Everyone loves a sweet treat, so donuts are always a crowd-pleaser. With frosting to match your decor or personalized icing, you can commemorate your day with a fun, edible snack. As many people travel a long distance to attend weddings, they’ll be thrilled with something they can tuck into the next morning, especially if they’ve got a sore head from partying a little too hard!

Seeds:

Giving guests a packet of seeds to take home is a stunningly simple idea yet one that’s memorable and personal. Choose something that’s easy to grow, so that even your guests who aren’t experienced gardeners can watch their plants thrive. Similarly, choosing something which can flourish in a pot will ensure guests who live in apartments or who don’t have gardens can take part in the fun too. You can even request that guests send you a quick snap of their shrubs or flowers on your anniversary and enjoy the fact that your guests have a forever reminder of your happy day.

Candy:

Choosing candy as your wedding favor can be a great way to impress your guests. With personalized candy wrappers, you can create a gift that will keep you in their minds. As candies stay fresh for far longer than most other sweet treats, you know that guests will be enjoying them for a long time to come. What’s more, candy is easy to transport and won’t take up too much space, which is great for those who traveled to your wedding.

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So cute!

Flowers:

If you’re using flowers to decorate your wedding venue, why not use them as wedding favors too? Giving guests a small vase or a miniature pail and inviting them to help themselves to the centerpieces is the perfect way to combine a gift they can cherish forever and a special memento from your big day.

With the right favors, you can commemorate your special day and show your guests just how much you appreciate their support. While the options are endless, you’ll find a variety of personalized and meaningful favors to suit any budget and any style of wedding.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

New Dove Grey & Tiffany Blue Nails

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New Dove Grey & Tiffany Blue Nails

Hellooo everyone! With the holidays approaching, mama needed to get her nails right so I took myself to Elysian Nails after work on Friday for some pampering. As always, being able to sit back and get my talons pretty while girl talking with my favorite team of nail techs was just what the doctor ordered after a long work week. I am so in love with my latest color combination and am back to feeling 100% sassy fabulous after some much needed TLC to the claws. Check it out:

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I have wanted to do my nails with this palette for a long time and finally found the perfect shades at Elysian to do it with. The soft, dove grey looks so charming against the more vibrant Tiffany blue and it definitely serves icicle fierceness during the cold month of December. I don’t think that I would ever go full on red and green during the holidays but this combo felt appropriate and still oh so cool during the festive season.

I would never say that I’m someone overly concerned about brand names but, what girl hasn’t fantasized over receiving that statement blue box from Tiffany’s with something sparkly inside? A girl can dream! For now, though, I’ll be okay with just glancing down at my claws and seeing a color that makes me smile!

What color of polish do you have on? How do you sport holiday nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

How To Get The Best Price For Your House (Without Breaking The Bank!)

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How To Get The Best Price For Your House (Without Breaking The Bank!)

If you are taking the plunge and selling your house, there is one thing that will drive the wholesale, and that is getting the very best price for your home. While there is a lot of information around on the internet telling you to spend here and spend there, there are, in fact, some remarkably cheap ways to add some value to your home. Of course, you might find someone who might like to buy your house as-is, and this can be a very lucrative option if you need a quick sale. However, it’s also perfectly possible to spruce things up to appeal to a range of other buyers too!

In this post, we are going to be taking a look at some inexpensive and free ways to add value to your home, and we will even take a look at what buyers really want to see when they view a house:

Why Make Changes If You’re Selling:

The most important thing to realize when it comes to selling your home is that the market is extremely competitive. So, in order to ensure you can sell your home as quickly as possible, you will need to make some moves that aren’t being made by other sellers. This first and foremost includes making necessary repairs and modifications because the last thing a person wants are endless projects once they move in. Major issues like mold will need to be solved immediately. To start this process, simply enter a search for “Mold remediation denver” (or your local area) to get help from the experts and make your home way more marketable.

When buyers visit homes, they are looking at every little detail, and in order for you to not only make a sale but also get the best possible price, there are some things that need to be addressed. The number one thing buyers want for their money is value, and when it comes to value, they really want space. You should be looking to make your house stand out above any others in your neighborhood that may also be up for sale, and doing all of these things is far easier than you may believe.

Of course, making changes is all up to your situation. If you need to move ASAP, then chances are you don’t want to deal with the extra hassle. To expedite things, you might want to consider different companies who will purchase your home for you. Do your research to find out how we buy houses fast to find the buyer that’s right for you.

Improve Your Curb Appeal:

The very first thing you should be doing for your house is to make it look welcoming. Let’s be honest; if your house looks like 112 Ocean Avenue, you may have a little trouble selling up.

If, however, you put in a little effort by taking care of the garden and aesthetics of the home from the outside, you will find you are onto an instant winner. People will often judge a house by what it looks like on the outside, so you may even consider updating the exterior paintwork a little, as well.

Another thing that will often go down well is if if your driveway is clean and paved. The best way to get your driveway looking its best will obviously be Pressure Washing. While most people would consider doing this themselves, they would very rarely have access to industrial-strength units, and this is what would be required for a job like this. Your best bet is to do a search for “pressure washing service in Owasso, OK” or your area and leave this job to a professional.

Give The Illusion Of More Space:

If there is one thing that is going to either reduce or increase the price that will be offered on your home, it will all come down to space. It’s important to remember that when a buyer comes to view your home if they are interested, they will also be looking for anything that can be used as a negotiation point. It is your job to preempt what they may deem as a problem and fix it before they ever see it.

The best tip that can be given when it comes to ensuring you get the right price for your home is to start filling some moving boxes before you even have your first house viewer. By simply boxing up items that you know you will not use, you will end up dramatically reducing the number of items in the house.

When you reduce the number of items in the house, you give natural light the ability to hit areas that it usually wouldn’t. When the light penetrates every corner of the room, you will find that every room in the house has the illusion of looking bigger.

Give Buyers The Canvas They Want:

The most sought after thing when people head out and start to view homes is something they can visualize living in. More often than not, if the house they are viewing is decorated with dense colors and items personal to the current owner, while this may be homely to you, it won’t be to the potential buyer, in fact, it will be quite off-putting.

The best possible thing you can do is to give them a completely neutral canvas. By painting the house in neutral colors, this will allow the buyer to visualize how they see the house in their own mind and is one of the best selling points that you can offer.

In Conclusion:

As you can see, these are some simple solutions for giving you the best possible price when you are selling your home. While they may all seem very basic at their core, they are all vital when it comes to what is wanted from buyers in the real estate market nowadays. When it comes to selling houses, it’s not as easy as it once was, and buyers are more easy to scrutinize than ever before.

If you are selling up and want the best possible price, you will need to put in a little effort and a little cash in order to see a very handsome return.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Thrifting With Zip

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Thrifting With Zip

Howdy! As you all know, I have grown very fond of secondhand shopping this past year and am all about the Goodwill. This love for thrifting developed while shopping for my apartment and now I cannot resist the urge to check out the local thrifts to see what treasures I can find.

So, when another beautiful blogger, pen named Zip, contacted me about her amazing thrift store finds, I couldn’t say no to featuring them on my page. Let’s take a look and, as always, if you’re interested in guest posting on lifewithlilred, shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com!

Thrifting With Zip

1.) Snake Skin Short Jacket: The thing I love most about this jacket would be the snakelike design and the dark edgy look it gives off. I would probably pair this with a simple all black casual look with some high fall boots.
*Lil Red approves and recommends sporting a deep red or purple lipstick for the ultimate vampy cool look!
2.) Black & White Marble Blazer: Hence the name I picked out on this fashion find, lol. It was eye-catching the moment I saw it, and the best part is that I got this gem for free from a local thrift shop. I guess it’s true when they say that the best finds in life are free! Anyways, I really love this blazer and the old-school 90’s vibe it gives me. Plus, its a diverse fashion piece which I can wear in many ways. And, did I mention it has pockets?!
3.) Multicolor Sweater Dress: This was probably my favorite thrift find this year! The colors really make your eyes pop and it’s such a bold statement. It’s also reversible, so I can wear it both sides, which is pretty cool. Personally, I LOVE the colored side and the “look at me” vibes it gives off. I would wear this dress with some bad-ass, suede thigh high boots.

About The Author: I am Oprah “Zip” Bradford, but I’m known to most by my pen name Zip. I am just a normal ole gal from the small town of Covington, Louisiana. I am the author of ten books, a full time blogger, the creator of the empowerment platforms OprahZipBradford.com, The Come-Up, and the upcoming book “The Single Woman’s Plug”. I also created the hashtag #ZipPost on Facebook which spreads my empowerment messages around the world.

Contact Zip At:

Thanks again to Zip for guest posting on lifewithlilred! What is your favorite secondhand store? What is your favorite treasure you’ve found thrifting? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Small Dollar Tree Haul

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Small Dollar Tree Haul

Howdy! I end up at the Dollar Tree at least once a week when I’m with my clients and it is definitely hard to not pick up a few treats for myself while I’m there! It’s so nice to snag some little pick me ups for a whole one dollar because it’s not like you broke your bank for it if it ends up being a disappointment of a product. This past trip to the good ol’ DT provided me with a new movie to pop in during a free night as well as some adorable hair products that I hope will work well! Check it out:

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My boyfriend and I are notorious for quoting all of our favorite movies and shows like a broken record much to some people’s annoyance but mostly their delight! And, Borat just so happens to be one of those flicks so I was so happy to pick it up for only a dollar. Are some parts of that movie in poor taste? Absolutely. But, it’s overall pretty funny so it will be a good choice to pop in during my lazy Sundays with my beau.

I also purchased two containers each of both purple and pink hair glitter. I was sporting my tinsel fairy hair for a while but, unfortunately, almost all of the strands fell out while I was dying my locks a few weeks ago. I was disappointed because I won’t be going to the salon for a while so I’m hoping that the glitter gel will help tide me over until I can get my tinsel back. Be on the lookout for a product review post once I get around to using it!

What is one of your most quoted shows or movies? What did you get during your last discount shopping haul? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

TJMaxx Haul

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TJMaxx Haul

Hello! My last holiday shopping to accomplish was for my boyfriend’s parents so I hit up TJMaxx during my free time to find something for them. I ended up with a lovely Starbucks gift set for them as well as a little something something for my cousin and some skin care for myself. Check it out:

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There is nothing better than a nice, warm cup of hot chocolate during the winter and when I saw the gift set above I thought it was the perfect present to surprise the rents with. Along with a delicious combo of peppermint and double chocolate hot chocolate, the gift set included two Starbucks logo mugs which will be ideal for their morning coffee as well as the hot cocoa. I don’t know my boyfriend’s parents too well yet but you can’t go wrong with a holiday themed box set so hopefully they like it!

I also gifted my Boston Terrier crazy cousin with a dog shaped cookie jar filled with holiday cookies. He looks oh so dapper in his shades and tie! My cousin, Laura, in Pittsburgh is my go to for microblading and she always does so much for me when I come to visit so it was the least I can do for the next time I pop up. I know her and her boyfriend and their two precious Boston Terriers will love it and TJMaxx always has the cutest themed decor for that specific breed for those interested.

And, finally, I needed a new moisturizer and serum in my life so I went with the SkinLab lift and firm serum and moisturizer combo to keep my mug looking young, fresh, and hydrated all winter long!

My holiday shopping is officially complete and now it’s time to wrap up my presents, get them to their respective owners, and enjoy the rest of my holiday season!

Are you all done holiday shopping? Do you finish your shopping early or last minute? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Puppy Love

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Puppy Love

Hello everyone! This past week, we welcomed a brand new tiny, furry member to our family and he goes by the name of Archie! My mom and dad adopted a new baby brother for our little terrier, Ollie, from One Of A Kind Pets in Akron and he is the sweetest ball of Golden Retriever fluff you will ever see in your life. Take a look and prepare accordingly for your heart to melt:

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We Mushenheims are a lover of all dogs big and small but we have a special place in our heart for Golden Retrievers. Sadly, our sweet golden, Gem, passed several months ago and we still mourn the loss of her and all of our fallen angel pets. However, we have always been a two dog family and, once we felt the time was appropriate and we were ready, we began to look into different pet rescue sites for a new pup to adopt.

After a handful of failed meet and greets with some of the dogs we were interested in because little Ollie straight up didn’t like them, we were beginning to lose hope. And, then, tiny Archie rolled into One Of A Kind Pets, an amazing rescue organization, and we decided to give it one more try.

My parents brought Ollie into One Of A Kind to meet Archie and, thankfully, they got along swimmingly… Probably because they’re the exact same size for now! So, needless to say, the adoption was a go! We have never had a puppy before, as we’ve always opted for older pups and it is definitely a different change of pace. Archie is three months old and loves to chew on everything, sleep, and then continue to chew on everything. 😀

We are so in love with our new little baby and, although Ollie remains indifferent to everything, I think he likes him too. I can’t wait to watch Archie grow and play and I am obsessed with that uber soft puppy fur! He is already and irreplaceable part of our family and we are so thankful to One Of A Kind Pets for bringing him to us. ❤

Have you gotten a new pet recently? What animals do you have at home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Holiday Card Call To Action

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Holiday Card Call To Action

Hello! While scrolling through Facebook the other day, I stumbled upon a news article that someone posted about a Wisconsin man, Gene Weittenhiller, who is currently dying of cancer. In this article it explained the hardship and that his last Christmas wish is to receive a ton of Christmas cards. You can read the full article here if you would like more details.

Gene is a father, grandfather, and loving husband and his story touched me. So, the following day, I sent out a Christmas card myself to Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin in the hopes that it would give him a little holiday cheer from Akron, Ohio. But, how wonderful would it be if he received cards from all over the world? Cue the lifewithlilred platform!

If you would like to send off a card to Mr. Weittenhiller, you can do so to this address to give him his best holiday yet:

Gene Weittenhiller

410 20th St.

Prairie du Sac, WI 53578

I hope that all of my darling readers can take some time out of their day to spread some happiness to a family who is in such desperate need of it. My heart goes out to the Weittenhillers and my wish is that their mailbox is overflowing with holiday cards daily. ❤

Who is sending out a Christmas card to Gene? Where in the world are you located? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Where Can You Cut Costs When Working On Your Kitchen?

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Where Can You Cut Costs When Working On Your Kitchen?

DIY has long been a popular way to make your home look better without spending a small fortune on it. A lot of people are choosing to go down this route with their homes, working hard to make changes by themselves. Of course, even when you do all of the hard work yourself, it will always be difficult to avoid spending money on a room like a kitchen. There are simply too many expensive items which go into this space.

When planning to renovate a kitchen, you need to get prices for everything and compare those prices to see which is best. You will need to get prices for a skip, flooring, cupboard doors, and possibly even screws and hinges among other necessities. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the best ways to save in the kitchen, covering each of the elements you’ll need to buy:

Cabinets & Surfaces:

This is usually the priciest part of most kitchens. The cabinets and surfaces you have can cost a lot, but you need them to be able to use the room effectively. Thankfully, people often sell this part of their home when they renovate. You can find loads of kitchens cabinets on sites like eBay, and many of them will come in excellent condition. While you have to collect them yourself, this option will be far cheaper than buying something new, while also giving you the opportunity to get features which you may not have been able to afford brand new.

Appliances:

Appliances are another area which can be expensive when you’re renovating your kitchen, leaving a lot of people to keep their old machines for this job. Like the cabinets, though, you can often find appliances in great condition on the used market. This is always a lot cheaper than buying the items new.’

Flooring:

While it may seem like something which should be nice and cheap, flooring can often be one of the priciest parts of a new kitchen. With tiles being so expensive, a lot of people opt for plastic flooring, though this rarely looks perfect. There are a lot of discount tile retailers around the web, giving you access to this resource for far less than you’d pay full price. It’s well worth hunting for deals on items like this, as this can drastically reduce the price of your kitchen, while also keeping it looking good.

Sinks, Taps, & Other Accessories:

Finally, as the last area to think about, it’s time to consider sinks, taps, and other accessories which finish your kitchen. These will always be the most noticeable objects in your kitchen, and this makes it worth spending more on them than the other areas in this post. You can usually find good second hand deals for them, but buying them from regular stores shouldn’t be too hard, as long as you’ve saved enough money on the other parts of the room.

Building a new kitchen will be a challenge. Not only will you have to find everything you need at the lowest prices, but you will also need to put the room together. You’re going to need to do some learning to achieve the best results, but these skills will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Introducing: Flat Bret

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Introducing: Flat Bret

Hello, hello! My boyfriend, Johnny, and I have taken a shine to watching Rock Of Love, the dating show for Bret Michaels of Poison that aired on Vh1 forever ago. It originally started out as a joke and our plan was to get drunk and see if any of the girls on the show looked better with beer goggles on. But, then, it turned into something so much more and I became completely hooked.

Much to my boyfriend’s dismay, we are now on season three of Rock Of Love and I know he’s super over it but he watches with me anyways. Talk about true love, amiright? Because of my adoration for this insanely stupid show, Johnny had a brain blast of what to get me for Christmas and just couldn’t wait until the day to give me this special gift:

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Lol, yes, Johnny DID get me a mini cardboard cutout of Bret Michaels. And, yes, we DO plan on taking him out on adventures in “Flat Stanley” style and photographing the results. Flat Bret will accompany us to the bar, to concerts, out to eat, and where ever we see fit because we both think it will be hilarious. Dumb? Kind of. But so, so funny.

I can’t look at my mini cardboard cutout without laughing and I love that my boyfriend thought to get something so ridiculous but so perfect for me. Now, if only Christmas would hurry up and get here so we can give each other the rest of our gifts!!

What is your favorite dating TV show? Do you have a cardboard cutout of anyone? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah