Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!
Jan9

3 Chilled Out Ways To Become A Master Of Relaxation

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3 Chilled Out Ways To Become A Master Of Relaxation

In the fast paced world of the twenty first century, it can be hard to find time to relax. The stresses of work, family, and the business of our social lives can mean that we don’t have much time to concentrate on ourselves. To master the art of relaxation, you will need to take a step back from your busy lifestyle, try to gain a bit more perspective, and foster a better work-life balance. To take a more relaxed approach to life, check out these simple ways that could see you enjoying a more chilled out existence:

Your Home:

Your property should be a haven of tranquility. It should be a place where you can enjoy feeling stress-free and happy. It can be tough to maintain a household if you have a young brood, with toys, clothes, and ‘stuff’ adorning your beautiful, humble abode. It’s vital that you can create a clutter free environment as much as possible. A clutter free home can foster a clutter free mind. At the very least, put junk away in drawers, store unwanted items in the loft, or even sell your unwanted gear.

Go room by room and see if you can add a more relaxing ambience. Your bathroom can be the perfect place to create a spa like atmosphere. Check out the scented terpenes for sale and light some essential oils to enjoy the intoxicating aromas of pine forests, ocean breezes, and citrus scents. In your bedroom, get rid of the darker, damson hues and repaint your walls a brilliant white to bounce more light across your room. A lighter room can lift your mood and make you feel more relaxed.

Both your bedroom and living room should be the ultimate in relaxation in your home. The living room is the perfect place to veg out with a good book or your favorite show. Increase the R&R even more by visiting a reliable wholesale supplier for all of your terpenes and essential oil needs!

Yoga:

You really don’t have to be a commune dwelling hippy who loves nothing more than going through their incense collection in order to partake in a spot of yoga. Yoga is the perfect exercise to help your joints, maintain your suppleness, and help with your breathing. Breathing techniques can allow you to focus on relieving your anxieties, combating stress in a more effective way, and leaves you heading back home after a session feeling more refreshed and relaxed.

Work/Life Balance:

If you are spending too much time in the office and you’re failing to switch off when you walk through your front door in the evenings, you need to take a step back. Take the holiday you are owed or consider a sabbatical to relieve the pressure for a little while. Spend some time at home, take up a new hobby, and enjoy having some time away from work. This can help you reevaluate your job. You may choose to change careers to find more satisfaction in your nine to five existence. Go away on holiday, relax, and pamper yourself. If it is hard to achieve a spa like vibe in your home, an afternoon getaway of pampering could be just what you need. Simply enter a search for “Skincare in Orlando, FL” (or your local area) to explore different treatment options and get that appointment booked! You will return back to work glowing and feeling refreshed.

Forget social media to try and switch off in the evening. The endless scrolling really is doing nothing for you. It’s time to quit the procrastinating and take a more proactive approach to becoming a master of relaxation.

Featured Image By: PxHere

Jan9

Choose Contractors The Smart Way

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Choose Contractors The Smart Way

Sometimes your DIY skills are up there and able to patch up those little problems around your home. But, there are times when even your enthusiastic amateur skills are not going to do it, and that’s the time you need to call the experts in. But how do you know when you’re getting ripped off when that job you could almost do is escalating in cost and not going the way you think it should? Here are our top tips on how to find and choose a reliable contractor and how to avoid the great rip off:

Word of mouth:

By far, the best indicator of a reliable contractor is a recommendation or two from friends or family. Your loved ones don’t want to see you paying over the odds, so ask around if you need a chimney repair recommendation or that plumbing finally sorted out.

Online review:

If you are lacking in real life reviews, then turn to an online version for more recommendations. Simply enter a search for “South Jersey Contractors” or your local area and see what you can find. There are sites that will rate traders in your area but, if you’re still not sure, have a look at their website and take note of the reviews left by previous customers. You then have the option of calling them up to see if the review is legitimate and why they would recommend them.

Get quotes:

If you want to see if your preferred contractor is in line with others in the area, then invite more than one over to give you a quote on the work. Three is often a good number as it gives you a middle figure to work with and lets you know if the other two are way out either way.

Trust your gut:

You might not know much about electrical systems but you do know how to read people, so if you’re talking to a contractor and you get a bad feeling, go with it. You don’t have to have anyone in your home that makes you feel uncomfortable, even if they offer a competitive rate.

Don’t scrimp the details:

Be sure to look for more than just the cost when it comes to hiring a contractor. You’re going to want to know their start and completion dates, how early they start, how late they finish, and if they’ll be working alone or with a colleague. Will your WiFi connection be affected (important if you’re working from home) and how much overall disruption are you likely to face?

Don’t be afraid to ask the obvious and get your questions taken seriously. Rope in family and friends for help and suggestions and find a contractor who can deliver your project on time and to your budget.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan9

Keeping Your Home Clean When You Have A Dog

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Keeping Your Home Clean When You Have A Dog

There’s much to love about having a dog in the home. They infuse it with energy, bring bundles of love, and who can deny that they’re fun creatures to be around? However, while the number of benefits outweighs the drawbacks, there is one pretty big problem that you’ll have to contend with, and that is that having a dog can result in a home that’s less clean than you might like. With that being said, it’s not as if you need to simply resign yourself to a home that’s dirty. You can take action! Below, we take a look at a few ways you can get the best of both worlds: have a pet and have a presentable home.

Use the Right Materials:

If your dog is going to leave a trail of hair and dirt behind them, then it’s a good idea to have materials that won’t be quickly destroyed by those things. When it comes to the fabrics in your home, look at things like leather, microfiber, and materials that were originally designed for outdoor use – they’ll be robust enough to handle whatever your dog throws at it. A cover for your couch that can easily be slipped off and thrown into the wash is also recommended.

Get a Good Vacuum:

Not all vacuums are created equal! Dog owners end up vacuuming more often than their non-dog owner counterparts. So, if you’re going to make this a daily occurrence, you may as well make sure that you’re doing it as efficiently as possible. It’ll be worthwhile spending that extra amount of cash to ensure it’s going to pick up the hair and dirt at the first time of asking.

Make Them Presentable:

The cleaner your dog is, the less of a negative impact they’ll have on your home. It’s as simple as that. As such, you’ll be well served by taking them to a local dog grooming company; they’ll make sure that your dog is scrubbed clean and manage their fur, which will mean there will be less hair to fall in your home. Dogs have a habit of getting dirtier than you think possible, and even if they look okay on the surface, you never know what’s going on when you delve deep into their fur. By making the most of grooming services, you’ll be getting around this issue.

After Long Walks:

Of course, you won’t be able to take your dog to be groomed after every big walk. Alas, after every walk, they’re going to be muddy. It’s a good idea to set up a cleaning station near the entrance way to your home, where you can clean their paws so they’re not going to bring mountains of mud into the home.

Stay on Top of Incidents:

Finally, let’s not forget that even the most well-behaved dogs can have incidents. They may pee on the carpet or knock a drink over. When this happens, it’s important that you’re cleaning it up thoroughly. If you don’t, those little marks will soon add up, and compromise the quality of your home.

Dogs are an amazing addition to any family, fur and all! And, to keep a clean home, it is all about staying on top of the mess in the first place, before things get too out of hand.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan9

New Matte Navy & Lavender Nails

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New Matte Navy & Lavender Nails

Hiiii everyone! Thanks to a fabulous new salon and nail tech, I had the most wonderful pampering experience after my month of recovery from surgery. It felt so good to get a much needed fill and have some time to get beautiful after feeling awful for such a long time. And, I even experimented with some new colors and a matte top coat. My new nail tech, Sam, did a bang up job and I am nothing short of obsessed. Check it out:

navyy

The new salon that I have been going to is called Elysian Nails, and it is the most gorgeous and luxe salon I’ve ever been to. And, to make things even better, their prices are insanely low, despite such a posh atmosphere. I follow Elysian on Facebook, and I saw a picture of someone’s nails done in indigo matte and it looked so pretty that I just had to give a shade of blue and a matte coat a try.

I love navy blue and lavender together, so I thought that it would be a perfect color combo to go with as I venture away from all black everything on my nails. But, the matte finish looks so good that I told Sam that a black matte mani next fill just has to happen – no ifs, ands, or buts. I can’t wait!

Do you prefer a matte or glossy finish on your nails? What color of nail polish do you have on right now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan8

3 Simple Changes For A Hassle Free Garden

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3 Simple Changes For A Hassle Free Garden

Some people absolutely love gardening. They don’t mind being out there on their hands and knees weeding or mowing the lawn and tending to their plants. But for some people, it’s a bit of a chore. You can’t just leave it because it’ll get out of control, but there is a long list of other things you’d rather be doing than maintaining your garden. There are some simple ways that you can save time with your gardening but, even then, it’s a pain if you don’t enjoy it. If you’re fed up with gardening, here are a few simple changes you can make for a low maintenance garden:

Pick The Right Plants:

Every plant has different needs and some of them are a lot harder to look after than others. If you pick the right plants and go for things that don’t need much care, you can massively reduce the amount of time that you spend in the garden. Conifers and some varieties of shrub are great for filling space in the garden and they don’t need much attention at all. Ferns and daffodils are great, as well, because they look good and they’ll grow fine when left to their own devices. Visit https://www.millracegardencentre.co.uk/blog/18-easy-to-maintain-flowers-plants-for-lazy-gardeners/ for a list of easy to maintain plants for the garden. As long as you fill your garden with the right plants, you shouldn’t need to spend much time looking after them.

Get Rid Of The Lawn:

Pushing a heavy lawnmower around is one of the worst gardening jobs there is, especially if you’ve got a big yard. Why not save yourself the hassle and get rid of the lawn entirely? You can just take it up and replace it with a nice patio, instead (you can get some great deals at https://www.stylemasterpatios.com.au). It’ll give you a lovely space where you can put a couple of chairs and a table for outdoor dining and relaxing and you’ll never have to worry about mowing the lawn again.

Of course, if you are considering an option like a patio or deck then get ready to start planning and budgeting. It is a big project! Resources like https://patioblueprint.com/ can be an excellent place to start if you need some guidance. They offer resources based on their research, comparisons, and experiences to help people create a better, smarter outdoor patio space. There are also plenty of recommended products to draw inspiration from with clear explanations about where it would fit best and the benefits they offer like shade or comfort.

If you like the idea of having a lawn but you hate looking after it, you should look into artificial grass. There’s some good stuff out there that looks almost identical to the real thing and, once it’s laid, you’ll never have to do anything with it. You could also look into lawn care specialists to maintain your yard for you. With a professional team looking after your yard, you can have all of the lush greenery you crave without having to lift a finger.

Put In Fences:

Hedges give the garden a nice green border but they grow fast and, unless you want your garden to look overgrown and messy, you’ll have to trim them all the time. If you’ve got them all the way around the garden, that’s a big job. You can save yourself a lot of time if you take the hedges out and put some fences in, instead. It also makes your garden a lot more secure which is important because that’s a common entry point for burglars.

If you can’t be bothered to spend hours every weekend looking after your garden, you can make these simple changes and spend the time doing something you really like, instead!

Featured Image By: PxHere

Jan8

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Chocolate Shimmer

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Chocolate Shimmer

Hello! Today, we are going to take a look at a lovely shade of chocolate brown from the Huda Beauty Emerald Obsessions palette. With the slightest hint of shimmer and a deep, rich hue, this color was a hit for me. Finally! The eyeshadow we are chatting about is in the middle of the bottom row:

huda1

Now, for a closer look:

eopeop1eop2

^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

I think that the shades in the brown family are extremely underrated when it comes to eye makeup. It makes for such a rich, warm, and different MOTD and I really like that. You can create such a nice, smokey effect with brown makeup and, in a lot of ways, it’s more striking than your traditional grey smokey eye because it’s not seen as often. I fell in love with a gorgeous shade of brown in my Elf Nude Rose Gold palette and, since then, I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of a delicious shade of chocolate eyeshadow.

I like this Chocolate Shimmer shade from the Emerald Obsessions palette for a few reasons. First, I like that, for the most part, it is a pure shade of brown. As you can see, there is a bit of gold mixed in but, I see it more as a caramel drizzle, as opposed to a tone that overpowers the whole eyeshadow, which is a problem that I had with some of the other colors. I also am happy that the shimmer in this shade is fairly subtle. It’s not too much or too little and it allows for the color to still be sophisticated while still having that extra touch of fun. So pretty!

Which color do you think is underrated when it comes to eye makeup? What is your favorite unexpected shade of makeup to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan7

Three Simple Steps To A Happier 2019

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Three Simple Steps To A Happier 2019

Want to be happier, more positive and upbeat this year? Of course you do! Even if you don’t see yourself as a naturally chipper individual there’s plenty that you can do to improve your mood and start enjoying life more. Here are three steps you can take towards a happier 2019:

Exercise:

When you think about happiness, for most of us, exercise isn’t the first thing that springs to mind. It’s hard work and it can be a bit of a chore, however, it’s incredibly good for your mental as well as physical health. Exercise regulates hormones, can help you to sleep better and, despite it being tiring, it actually gives you more energy. If you’re in a bit of a slump and feel like you have no ‘get up and go’, sign up for the gym and give it a try. If you’re not one for the gym, long hikes with your dog, swimming, cycling, or whatever else gets you moving can be just as good!

Learn:

When we leave formal education and get a job, most of us stop making an effort to learn new things. But it shouldn’t be the case, regardless of what you’re interested in. There’s so much information out there that you don’t yet know! You could research a topic yourself using articles, online libraries, podcasts, and more. You could attend a course, the subject doesn’t necessarily have to be academic – it could be art, baking, or another kind of craft.

Another option would be to take on some official education, whether it’s an online degree or paralegal studies to further your existing law qualifications, this kind of study can help you to progress in your career. Learning new things gives us satisfaction, something to work on, and it feels good when we reach our goals. Feel like you’re stagnating? Choose a topic and hit the books, whether it’s just for yourself or for your career.

Give:

You might feel as though you don’t have much to give. For example, you might feel like unless you have lots of money to give that there’s not much you can do to help a charity. But it’s simply not the case. You could hold a fundraiser and get people to sponsor you or your workplace. You could volunteer your time, spending an hour a week at a soup kitchen, a women’s hostel, or an animal shelter. Even a couple of dollars a month helps these kinds of organizations.

Giving back in some way to a cause that does good benefits both you and them. It helps them to continue on in their work and it makes you feel good, too. It’s nice knowing that you’ve been able to help and that your time and efforts have been appreciated. See if there are any charities or schemes locally that are in need of help, most are usually desperate for volunteers and donations as they don’t receive any kind of government funding.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan7

How To Make Your Wedding The Wedding Of The Year

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How To Make Your Wedding The Wedding Of The Year

Planning a wedding can be a very trying and stressful experience. There are a lot of things you are going to need to consider, and many things that can go wrong. It is important to make sure you have thought hard about the different elements of the wedding, ensuring everyone has one of the best and most memorable weddings ever. Here are just a few things to consider when planning your wedding:

Choose the Right Venue:

The most important part of the process when it comes to planning a wedding is to choose the right venue. There are so many things that have to happen in order to achieve a memorable day, but there is no doubt that the right venue is at the top of the list, as your day is going to be built around the location. Of course, a prime location for guests doesn’t necessarily apply if you are planning to elope with services like https://geoffwilkings.com/helicopter-elopement-packages-alberta/ . The perfect venue for you and your partner is just a helicopter ride away!

When selecting the venue, you will want somewhere scenic for amazing pictures and spacious enough to comfortably accommodate your guests. It is a good idea to visit several different options while keeping in mind your number of guests as well as the layout of the tables and chairs. A venue that may seem perfect might not be big enough when seating arrangements are added. To begin exploring venue options, simply enter a search for “wedding reception venue in london” (or your local area). Go in with a solid plan and don’t forget to have fun because this is so exciting!

Get the Table Plan Sorted:

There are a lot of other things you are going to have to keep in mind, and one of the biggest is making sure that you get the table plan sorted. This is something that you need to focus on because it can make a big difference to the way people are able to interact, and can have a good bearing on the way they experience the day. The table plan will cause stress, and you might like to have a couple of goes at getting it as right as possible.

Photo Booth:

A photo booth is an absolute must for modern weddings – even if you do have a photographer. A photo booth is an excellent way of being able to get more unique photos, as well as group shots and couple photos, especially with costumes and props. Take a look at the different photo booth backdrops for sale that you could use for your wedding in order to enhance the photo booth experience.

Make Sure There’s Plenty of Food:

Another of the most essential aspects of a wedding is making sure there is plenty of food. You don’t want to risk your guests going hungry, and this is why it is important to sort out food for the meal, as well as possibly a buffet for later in the evening. Remember that it is better to have too much food than not enough, so this is something to keep in mind.

Get The Help You Need:

No one said planning a wedding is easy and it can be downright overwhelming. If you have a vision but are having a hard time putting it into action, you might want to enlist the help of a wedding planner to plan your wedding with style and make your dream day a reality. Your wedding planner will bring your ideas to real life and can help you realize new ones through their expert recommendations. With this assistance, planning your wedding will be a joy as your hardest task will be saying yes or no to your wedding planner’s suggestions!

Planning a wedding can be a time consuming and difficult task, but the tips above will keep your big day running as smoothly as possible!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jan7

Making Sure Accidents Have A Minimal Impact On Your Financial Life

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Making Sure Accidents Have A Minimal Impact On Your Financial Life

Hopefully, you won’t be involved or implicated in any accident throughout your lifetime. But it’s a good idea to prepare yourself in case of accidents and to know what to do if you find yourself injured in an accident. Injury can have a profoundly detrimental effect on your overall health and well being, making it difficult for you to work and, consequently, negatively impacting your finances. Here are a few different ways to avoid the financial strain from happening if you find yourself hurt:

Taking Out Insurance:

A precautionary step that you can take in regards to accidents is to take out insurance. Insurance policies essentially protect you from experiencing financial difficulty if negative events occur in your life. Travel insurance can cover medical costs incurred overseas, such as care, treatments, and procedures. Disability insurance can ensure that you still have an income if you become disabled and are no longer able to work.

Gathering Savings:

Another step to take is to gather savings. This means that if times get financially hard during your process of recovery, you will have funds to fall back on. You won’t have to go without at any point. You can generally gather savings by dedicating a portion of your disposable income to a savings account each time you are paid. Make sure to compare different savings accounts and to choose the one with the best interest rate.

Seeking Legal Help:

It is extremely important that you seek help after an injury if the injury was no fault of your own. Generally speaking, injuries take place in spaces where others are responsible for your safety and well being and, if you have been hurt, someone needs to be held accountable. This goes for injuries that occur in the workplace, in public places, or on commercial premises. Should you have been at work when your injury occurred, you will want to research the best workers’ comp lawyer in Wisconsin (or your local area). Getting help through a lawyer that specializes in workers’ comp not only benefits yourself but your fellow employees. With a job site injury, equipment and safety protocols will be improved to prevent another worker from getting hurt.

Seeking legal help through a lawyer for your specific injury such as a Spine Injury Lawyer can ensure that the same doesn’t happen to someone else in the future, and it can also help you financially. Those in the wrong should pay compensation, which can cover your medical costs and can go towards your lost earnings during your period of recovery. This will help you to avoid going into debt if you have to take time off work to get back to your usual, healthy self.

If you are needing assistance from lawyers, remember to find a firm that specializes in your specific case. You might be surprised to learn that there are lawyers that primarily handle Truck Accident Spinal Injury as opposed to spinal injuries in general. Finding a lawyer that has a ton of experience for your specific situation can only help you. It means that they are well versed on the ins and outs of these cases which can speed up the legal process immensely.

On the flip side, legal help can be sought when you were in the wrong and this can help lessen your punishment in court. Everyone makes mistakes and if no one was harmed if, say, you got a DUI then a lawyer can emphasize that point to the judge. Should this be the case for you, a consultation with a Denver DUI attorney (or your local area) can be most beneficial. Perhaps they can assist in getting driving privileges to work so you can maintain your source of income.

Living Within Your Means During Recovery:

Recovery can be a relatively dull period in our lives. We have limited entertainment and distractions and can quickly grow bored of watching the same television shows each day. So, it’s not all too surprising that many people tend to treat themselves excessively and live beyond their means at this time. They might spend more on comfort food. They might purchase films they’ve not seen before. They’ll buy more reading material. The list goes on and on. But it’s extremely important to live within your means during your period of recovery, or you might find yourself sinking into debt.

These are just a few different steps that you can take in order to ensure that accidents have as minimal of a negative impact on your finances as possible. Incorporate them into your routine as soon as you get a chance!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan7

Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Shimmer

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Huda Beauty Eyeshadow Swatch In Gold Shimmer

Hello! We are going to keep trucking through the Emerald Obsessions eyeshadow palette by Huda Beauty because, as a benevolent blogger, I give the people what they want! In today’s post, we are going to be swatching another one of the gold shimmer shades that the palette offers, which you can see in the bottom right corner:

huda1

And, now, let’s take a closer look:

hbhb1hb2

^^^ The first heart is the eyeshadow wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

I was looking forward to swatching the second gold shimmer shadow in this palette but, unfortunately, it missed the mark for me like the first one. But, unlike the gold shade in the top left corner having the tinge of green to it that I really didn’t care for, this hue is just way too yellow-y for my liking. I thought the color was going to be more saturated but, it ended up applying in a sad, pale yellow both when wet and dry. Whomp whomp.

I don’t plan on using this color, because all it is going to do is wash me out big time. With really pale skin and red hair, my complexion takes to the bold, rich colors. Anything too dull and it just makes me look sunken and blah. Not a good look. Fingers crossed that the swatch in tomorrow’s post makes for a good one, because my batting average of only liking one of the three colors viewed is pretty weak!

Which colors work best with your complexion? Which eyeshadow from this palette should I swatch next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah