Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Fun Date Day Ideas

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Fun Date Day Ideas

Hello!! One of my favorite things in the world is to go on Date Days with Johnny. I think dating your partner is so important no matter how long you’ve been together. Johnny and I have been an item for almost five years and I still get those first date vibes whenever we step out on the town. At least a few times per month, we make it a point to go on a date with each other. It could be for a drink at our favorite bar, going to see a show, or just walking through the outdoor shopping center in Cuyahoga Falls. Whatever we do, it is always the best because we’re together having fun and enjoying each other’s company. Want to pencil in a date day with your significant other? Here are some ideas:

Antiquing/Thrifting:

When Johnny and I first started dating, we would often hit up the thrift store. This was especially entertaining because Johnny was playing in a band at that time and we would try and find the most flashy pieces for him to wear on stage. We also went antiquing on a recent date day and it was a hoot. The beauty of thrift and antique stores is that you literally have no idea what you are going to find. It could be something hilarious or something you didn’t know you needed until now. And, as a bonus, whatever you purchase can serve as a wonderful memento of your time together.

Picnic In The Park:

In Ohio, you have to take advantage of the nice weather because you never know when it’s going to completely change on you lol. One delightful way that we enjoy a beautiful day is a picnic and walk in the park. We will grab some to go sandwiches from Subway or Mr. Zub’s, post up at a park bench, then walk off our meal! Date days can be as lavish or laid back as you want and an outing at the park won’t break your bank but will still be incredibly sweet. It’s always nice to get active with your SO and maybe you will end up making a weekly hike part of your schedule!

New Experiences:

Going on dates is all about trying new things. Be adventurous! Check out that museum you’ve been dying to go to, sign up for a cooking class, take some ballroom dancing lessons. Turn your “I wishes” into “I wills” and see where the day takes you. Perhaps you could each write some ideas down for new locations, eateries, and activities and draw from a hat each date day. There’s a chance that you won’t like whatever was chosen and that’s okay. The most important thing is that you shared a new experience together and that creates lasting memories.

Road Trip:

Maybe you’re bored with the same old, same old in your neck of the woods. So go for a drive! Choose a maximum amount of time you would like to travel for and make stops along the way. Visit quaint diners, quirky shops, and scenic areas for lots of pictures. It’s amazing the places you can find when you venture away from your own backyard. Create a playlist for your drive, get ALL of the snacks from the gas station, and see where you end up. You might just stumble upon your new favorite place.

A Day In:

Sometimes, going out is just as fun as staying in! I absolutely love the nights when Johnny and I play board and video games, listen to music, and chat the evening away. Cook a meal together, indulge in some self care, do a craft, and just chill. You will surely find that this time with no other distractions than each other is even better than dining at a five star restaurant. If you are turning your day into something special, it will be no matter what you do!

Johnny and I had a lovely Date Day this past weekend and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. Stay tuned!!

What was the best date you have ever been on? How about the worst? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Haul

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Bath & Body Works Haul

Hello!! A week or so ago I got some coupons from Bath & Body Works in the mail for a free wallflower and twenty percent off your purchase. This was perfect timing because I was in need of more of my foaming hand soap as it was pretty slim pickings during the semi annual sale in June. During a quick break at work, I was able to stop in and restock my soap, grab a freebie wallflower, and some new hand sanitizer too. The fragrance I got for hand sani during the semi annual sale reeked lol! Let’s take a look and discuss these scents further:

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Bath & Body Works was jam packed with fall and Halloween fragrances and I was living for it! If you haven’t peeped their Halloween collection, make sure you check it out because everything is fabulous. Rather than stick to one scent category, I got a little bit of everything and contained myself from buying literally every single spooky related product. It was much easier said than done! Here are my thoughts on the above…

Chew Make Me Happy: In case you couldn’t guess, this hand soap smells exactly like bubblegum! Johnny and I watch our nieces fairly often and they are always excited to see what smell goods I have when they visit. I knew they would go gaga over the bubblegum scent so this was definitely for them. I probably wouldn’t have bought this one if it weren’t for the kiddos, but they’ll love it so it’s good enough for me!

Candy Apple Cauldron: Apple is my absolute favorite scent so I was really excited to see that one of the new Halloween fragrances was Candy Apple Cauldron. It offers notes of “mysterious green apple, simmering sugar, and crystalized bergamot”. I can’t speak for if the green apple smells mysterious or not lol, but it smells identical to a green apple Jolly Rancher. I would happily use it all year.

Afternoon Apple Picking: All of the apple!!! Whenever fall rolls around, I have to get my Afternoon Apple Picking fix. It is truly the perfect fall scent and captures the essence of a crisp fall day at the apple orchard. This fragrance features notes of “crisp apple, succulent pear, and cinnamon”. Normally, I am not a cinnamon fan at all. However, it blends beautifully altogether and I think it smells like a steaming cup of hot apple cider.

Vampire Blood: Whenever spooky season is nigh, I always have to purchase my favorite scent of Vampire Blood. B&BW brings Vampire Blood back every year and I am so glad they do. It is a deep berry fragrance with notes of “red berries, blooming jasmine, and petrifying plum”. If you are a fan of berry scents, this is a must buy. The packaging for it is also so cute this year!

Sweet As Sugar: Holy moly – Sweet As Sugar smells good enough to eat!! The fragrance notes are equally as mouthwatering and feature “crumbled crust, gooey brown sugar, and sprinkled cinnamon”. I think it smells like caramel hot chocolate and it is divine. I would absolutely buy it again.

Hand Sanitizers: I selected Champagne Apple & Honey (Shocker!) and Cozy Vanilla Almond for my hand sanitizers. Both of these scents are completely straight forward. If you like apples or vanilla, you will like these fragrances without a doubt.

Wallflower: For my free wallflower, I went with Caramel Pumpkin Swirl. I am not big on pumpkin scents, but that doesn’t really matter because it doesn’t smell like pumpkin at all. This wallflower smells like straight up caramel. It is rich, decadent, and is basically like you’re unwrapping a Werther’s Original. Yum!

I am very pleased with my Bath & Body Works Haul and you can’t beat the price. I got all of these goodies for twenty-five dollars. Total steal!

What is your favorite fall scent? What is your favorite Bath & Body Works fragrance? 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: Nailbiter Vol. 2 “Bloody Hands” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 2 “Bloody Hands” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new, spoiler free edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! I was introduced to the Nailbiter series at my favorite local comic shop, JC’s, thanks to an excellent recommendation from the owner. During my last trip there, I purchased volume one and two of the series and completed the first one in one sitting. I thought I was going to have to nurse volume two until the special order for the rest of the volumes got shipped to JC’s. Blessedly, it arrived quickly and I was able to pick up the rest of them on Friday. So I devoured volume two, too! Before we begin our discussion on Bloody Hands, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for graphic violence, gore, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Bloody Hands begins where There Will Be Blood left off. Finch and Sheriff Crane have located the man they were searching for, Eliot Carroll, in an underground tunnel beneath what is known as the Serial Killer Graveyard. He is in bad shape and his colleagues are nowhere closer to solving the mystery behind their town of Buckaroo and why it is the birth place to a double digit amount of serial killers. There are several working theories, but none of them are quite right. And, as panic spreads throughout Buckaroo compliments of the murders in volume one, the townsfolk begin to act out in their own uniquely awful ways.

Of course, we are only two volumes into Nailbiter and that is not enough time to make real traction in finding answers. Rather, Bloody Hands helps set the stage for what is to come. We are introduced to The Whistler, another famous serial killer who has a love of “whistling while he works” on his victims. Finch also tracks down a lead that Eliot was working on at a bee farm ran by a deranged grandfather and grandson duo. Buckaroo used to be a blossoming community thanks to its exports of honey. Then, the bees died suddenly and inexplicably. This is the last functional farm in the town and Eliot couldn’t help but wonder if there is a connection between the bees and the Buckaroo Butchers. The jury is still out.

Finally, we get a taste of the zealots of Buckaroo who are trying to turn the town around by any means necessary. Reverend Fairgold begins to fearmonger throughout the streets. He urges the power of prayer and for the townsfolk to share their secrets to shed light on why the devil resides in Buckaroo. Fairgold is extremely insistent on this to our Sheriff Crane as it is revealed that Edward “Nailbiter” Warren was her high school sweetheart in volume one. He, and most of the community, believe that she is helping him in some way. The fact of the matter, though, is that Finch and Crane need Warren’s assistance to get anywhere closer to solving the mystery. Bloody Hands ends with Finch in Warren’s home taking him up on this whether he likes it or not. How will the interrogation go? We’ll find out in volume three!

Although we didn’t learn too much new intel about the Buckaroo Butchers in Bloody Hands, I still thought it was a strong volume. It didn’t pack as much as a punch as There Will Be Blood because the primary focus in this one was the townsfolk themselves. Even if we didn’t get all of the answers we were hoping for, Bloody Hands needed to happen to paint a full picture of Buckaroo because that includes the people that reside there – not just the serial killers. It was extremely interesting to see the measures the residents were taking. Perhaps the most gripping was Issue Nine called School Bus, when the long term bus driver of Buckaroo, Mister Crowe, has his own ideas in mind for how the town should be cleansed.

Bloody Hands was also helpful in relationship development. We really get to see Finch and Crane take their partnership in stride as they work the case. The friendship between Crane and the resident “weird teenager”, Alice, also deepens and she becomes the unofficial tag along throughout the volume. It isn’t revealed how Alice and Crane are connected and I am looking forward to finding that out. I’m not sure if Alice knows Crane because she’s a troubled youth or is, perhaps, her kid sister. Either way, this is A-okay with me because I adore Crane’s begrudging acceptance of Alice’s enthusiasm and huge attitude problem. It provides much needed relief in such an intense series and whatever partnership they have really begins to blossom in Bloody Hands.

Overall, I am going to rate Bloody Hands with a seven out of ten stars. Did we gain traction in solving why Buckaroo is the birth place of serial killers? No. Did this volume need to happen to give you a better understanding of everyone who lives in Buckaroo? Yes. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Wanted: Sayonara, Summer Guest Bloggers

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Wanted: Sayonara, Summer Guest Bloggers

Hello my beautiful friends! We are officially in August and in my head, summer is already over lol. I have been manifesting a cool breeze, crunchy leaves, pumpkin spice, and everything nice since summer started. Fall is right on the horizon, back to school will be here before we know it, and I’m sure that everyone is trying to squeeze in the last bits of fun in the sun. As a farewell homage, I thought that it would be the perfect time to introduce a Sayonara, Summer guest bloggers series!

For this collaboration, I am looking for summer recaps. Did you go on vacation? Did you make an amazing dish for a neighborhood barbecue? Maybe you sported the most adorable sundress? Or, perhaps you learned a new skill, took a class, or found a new favorite hobby. Whatever you did, I want to hear the highlights and it will be so interesting to see summer aesthetics from all over the world. 🙂

If you are interested in participating, please shoot your girl an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com with your ideas. I can’t wait to hear them! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 1 “There Will Be Blood” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 1 “There Will Be Blood” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club… Or should I say Lil Red’s Graphic Novel Club?! I have been crazy busy, crazy stressed and just do not have the mental capacity for reading “book books” right now. Instead, I have been enjoying a deep dive back into graphic novels. Last week, I picked up the first two volumes of a horror series called Nailbiter from a local comic book shop in my neck of the woods. I devoured the first volume “There Will Be Blood” in one sitting and am nursing volume two until I can pick up the rest of the series that the owner ordered just for me this Friday. When he told me I would love this series, he wasn’t lying because I am obsessed!

Before we begin our discussion in a spoiler free setting, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on Nailbiter. It is gory, gruesome, and downright disturbing. Not your bag? It’s all good! Interested? Then let’s get to it:

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Buckaroo, Oregon is a small town where everyone knows everyone. It is also a town that is known to everyone worldwide for being the birth place of sixteen of the most brutal serial killers known to man. In Buckaroo, if you aren’t personally related to a serial killer, then you surely went to school with one or lived next door in one of the tiny neighborhoods. What is it about this town that breeds serial killers? No one knows. Someone is getting awfully close though and his name is Eliot Carroll. In fact, he just phoned his friend – a disgraced NSA agent called Nicholas Finch to haul ass to Buckaroo. He is hot on the tail of the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers and has something that Finch needs to see to believe.

When Finch makes it to Buckaroo, he expects to be greeted by Carroll. However, he is nowhere to be found. As he searches for his friend, Finch finds himself in front of the Murder Store – a specialty shop with serial killer memorabilia for sale. In front of the shop, the quirky teenager Alice is being roughed up by two local losers. Finch assists in putting the situation to an end and Sheriff Crane arrives on scene. She is a total baddie who was working closely with Eliot on the Buckaroo Butchers case. She, too, is fearful for him as he missed their standing coffee date to discuss progress.

With Eliot in certain danger, there is nowhere else to turn. Nowhere good, anyways. Finch and Crane need help and they must look to an unwanted and unlikely source. None other than Edward “Nailbiter” Warren, the most infamous of all serial killers birthed out of Buckaroo. He was acquitted in trial for his sins and still resides in Buckaroo to this day. Edward also has a standing appointment with Eliot that has not been met, but is he helping Finch and Crane out of concern or something more sinister? Read Nailbiter to find out!!

I have read a lot of graphic novels in my day, but none of them are quite like Nailbiter. This series grabs you by the arm and simply doesn’t let go from the very first panel. Between Joshua Williamson’s gritty writing and finely detailed and captivating art by Mike Henderson, a formidable Volume One was created. Each artist worked in tandem so beautifully to create memorable characters. Finch was tough as nails, a sense of foreboding lingered around Alice, and even Edward “Nailbiter” Warren was a character that you absolutely loved to hate. My favorite was Sheriff Crane who carried the story impeccably with her icy, sarcastic demeanor and very… interesting backstory.

Needless to say, I was hooked on this series right from the jump. It had such a sense of urgency that I couldn’t not finish it in one go. The basic story line was just so darn fascinating – a middle of nowhere town that breeds serial killers. It’s every horror and true crime fan’s slam dunk. A complaint that I saw a lot of online was that there were several “plot holes” in Volume One. Don’t let that be a deterrent. Let it be a reason to keep reading the series because there are multiple volumes for a reason. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

I am definitely going to give Nailbiter Volume One the coveted ten out of ten stars. From start to finish, this was unputdownable and I am so eager to sink my teeth into the rest of the series!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

What Was I Watching?

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What Was I Watching?

Hello!!! This past weekend I got hit with the plague and didn’t get out of bed from Friday evening until Monday morning. It was boring, lonely, and disappointing because I had to miss out on a big work event that I was really looking forward to. All I could do was lay in my own misery, drink blue Gatorade, and watch a TON of TV. Now, I love a binge watch marathon just as much as the next person but this was way too much! Despite being completely blah about the situation and feeling my brains rotting, I did plow through a movie and several documentaries that I was meaning to watch so let’s discuss:

Piggy:

*Trigger warning* As a huge horror movie fan, I see a lot on my Facebook newsfeed about movies and shows that I might like. Earlier in the week, I learned about a Spanish horror movie called Piggy that was on Hulu. Long story short, it was about a girl named Sara who struggled with her weight and was bullied horrifically for it. A serial killer clocks her turmoil and abducts her tormentors and it is up to her to be either the hero or villain. It. Was. Phenomenal!

While I deeply enjoy American horror films, foreign scary movies are where it’s at. This flick didn’t offer too many jump scares but it was completely harrowing from start to finish. Sara was a character that was so easy to feel sympathetic for and was portrayed beautifully. Piggy had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through because she could be as monstrous as the killer or become a heroine. Watching her battle with this until making her final decision kept me guessing and engaged the whole way through. Highly recommend.

Dirty Pop:

My blogging bestie, Kate, and I revel in discussing documentaries together and when she told me about a new release on Netflix called Dirty Pop, I was all in. This doc was all about the founding of two of the biggest boy bands of all time, the Backstreet Boys and Nsync, under the guidance of Lou Pearlman. What seemed like the most wonderful dream come true thanks to Lou ended up being a nightmare for the bands and Pearlman’s “investors”. While Lou was living a life of luxury, the bands were making chump change. Eventually, the bands parted ways with Lou but that didn’t stop him from cultivating more popular boy bands of Y2K. How did he do it? By conducting the longest running Ponzi Scheme in history.

As a forever fan of this era of pop, I was totally shocked. I had no idea about any of this let alone who Lou Pearlman was. It was so crazy and sad to see such exorbitant spending on Lou’s part with absolutely no regards for the people he was hurting. So many of his investors lost their life savings because of him and I truly believe he didn’t plan on stopping or paying anyone back until he got caught. If you are always going to be stuck in your boy band era like me, this is a must watch!

The Man With 1000 Kids:

The Man With 1000 Kids was another Netflix documentary that Kate recommended and, once again, I was all in. Lol, what can I say we have very similar tastes! This doc was about a serial sperm donor named Jonathan Meijer who spread his seed throughout the Netherlands and countless other countries to people who were desperate to have a baby. There is a cap for the amount of times you can donate sperm in every country to avoid the risk of accidental incest. Jonathan never got the memo apparently and his offspring is estimated to be at around 1,000 worldwide despite his consistent low balling.

What a wild ride this documentary was! There were shocking twists and turns with every episode that literally had me clutching my pearls. It was incredibly difficult to watch the people who chose Jonathan as their donor struggle so badly when they learned about what he was doing. They had genuine fear for their children and rightly so. Thanks to the hard work of the parents who banded together to stop Jonathan, he was taken to court. The results? You’ll just have to watch it. 🙂

America’s Sweethearts:

*Trigger warning* And, finally, the last Netflix documentary I watched was called America’s Sweethearts and was all about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. I’m not really sure why I chose to watch this because it normally wouldn’t be my first choice. I’m glad I did, though, because it was addicting from the jump. This show explored the process of auditioning to be a part of the elite DCC squad, their training camp, and performing at football games. I was blown away by the talent, hard work, and drive of all of the cheerleaders. It had my old ass wanting to be a DCC girl too!

This doc was highly entertaining but I think it could be very triggering for people who are struggling with body image as a lot of the girls on the squad did too. As someone who had an eating disorder, it was hard to watch the girls meticulously counting calories, having meager meals, and being told their tummies need toned even if they are accomplished athletes in their own right. I had mixed emotions about America’s Sweethearts because being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader was a dream to every girl auditioning. But at what cost? You could literally see the mental health of some of the girls deteriorating and it made me hurt for them. If this is something you are comfortable watching, I would still recommend it and I am hoping for another season.

Even though I was bored to tears, I did enjoy the movie and documentaries I watched a lot. I am also happy I am feeling almost all the way better so I can take a break from the boob tube!!

Have you watched anything good recently? What are you currently binging on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Worst Weekend Ever

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Worst Weekend Ever

Hello my darlings!! After achieving the highest of highs last weekend, your girl plummeted to the lowest of lows. I spent every moment of my weekend from Friday night on cooped up in bed with a summer cold from hell and it sucked. It all started with a scratchy throat late Friday afternoon that spiraled into body aches, fever and chills, nonstop nose blowing, and a pounding headache. And, naturally, all of this occurred when I was supposed to work an event with my boss, Tim. It was really disappointing, to say the least.

Rather than spending the weekend posted up at a huge motorcycle event shooting content, I was wallowing in my own pity lol. Johnny refused to breathe the same air as me (For good reason!) so I was lonely and left to my own devices. I was able to work from my phone for a bit, which was nice. A majority of my days, however, was spent watching TV to the point that I was SO sick of watching TV (We’ll discuss the documentaries and movies I watched tomorrow!). The only solace I found was that it was hot AF all weekend and as you all know, Lil Red and the heat does not mix. Granted, I was sweaty all weekend anyways so I definitely would have preferred to be working!

Despite being wicked bored for forty-eight hours and change, I do have to give big ups to my main squeeze. Johnny supplied me with ALL of the blue Gatorade and toast and scrambled eggs when I felt like eating. When he wasn’t keeping the blue on lock, Johnny made me the most disgusting tea with lots of honey. It tasted foul but I actually did feel a little better after drinking it! When he wasn’t providing sustenance for his poor sick wifey, Johnny would visit me from the doorway from time to time. Best of all, he even texted me from downstairs frequently and I genuinely can’t remember the last time he texted me period. Sometimes nice things happen even when you’re feeling like ass. 🙂

I missed a lot of my favorite things this weekend – shooting OOTDs and simply coming alive during events with Tim. This was an unwanted break, to say the least, and I am ready to take this week on and make up for lost time!

What is your cure all for a cold? Have you had to miss out on anything fun from being sick recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

July 2024 Finishes

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July 2024 Finishes

Howdy!! And just like that, another month has gone by and I hope it has been a wonderful one for all of you. July was actually a banner month for me – work has been going awesome and I was still able to pepper in lots of summer fun with Johnny too. This was also a highly successful month in terms of beauty empties. I got to use up lots of products that have taken FOREVER to complete and there is just something so satisfying about that lol. It’s like finishing up an entire tube of chapstick! Let’s take a look at some of these long term products and discuss further:

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Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Lotion in Butterfly: YES

Bath & Body Works Shower Gel in Tropidelic: NO

Bath & Body Works Breathe Deep Hand Cream in Eucalyptus & Lavender: YES

IZME Rosehip Lip Sleeping Mask: NO

Youth To The People Superfood Moisturizer: NO

The Face Shop Rice Water Foaming Cleanser: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: As you all know, I loves me a Bath & Body Works product – especially their shower gels. My morning showers would not be complete without the pretty scents and a surplus of foamy bubbles! However, I just could not get behind Tropidelic. I don’t know what I was thinking when I picked it out as a freebie because I thought it reeked when I was using it lol. It smelled like moldy mangoes, which is such a specific scent but it really does hit the nail on the head. I am just thankful it was a travel size shower gel and I was done with it in a week or so because I couldn’t stand it! Definitely skip on this one.

B&BW Lotions: In stark contrast to the shower gel, both the Butterfly and Eucalyptus & Lavender scents were divine. Butterfly smelled like whipped raspberries. It was nice and light, but had the slightest bite of tartness and I was so there for it. Raspberry is one of my favorite fragrances! It took me one month of once daily use to finish the bottle. The Breathe Deep Hand Cream in Eucalyptus & Lavender was also fantastic and I wish it came in bigger sizes because I would love to have one right now. I have a summer cold (The worst) and this hand cream seriously worked like Vicks VapoRub but smelled infinitely better!

IZME Lip Mask: I used the Rosehip Lip Sleeping Mask by IZME for two months. In that time, I noticed no real difference in my lips in terms of fullness or hydration. It was no harm no foul because I only paid four bucks for it at TJMaxx. This is a product that is not worth buying, even if you see it on the cheap. I found that my favorite chapsticks by Pacifica worked so much better and am excited to incorporate them into my nighttime routine again.

Youth To The People Moisturizer: I received this travel size Superfood Moisturizer by Youth To The People as part of my free birthday gift from Sephora. I love trying different skin care (Particularly more expensive brands) out and was really looking forward to giving this new to me brand a go. I can’t say that I was overly impressed, though. In the two weeks of twice daily use, there was nothing to write home about which just goes to show that sometimes you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg for quality skin care.

The Face Shop Cleanser: It took me close to four months to finish the Rice Water Foaming Cleanser by The Face Shop and I really liked it! I used it every day and every time I noticed how soft my skin felt and how radiant it looked. I get up super early for work and by the time my skin care routine was complete, no one would be any wiser to how tired I am! Lol you can’t beat that. This cleanser had no scent, lathered well, and a little went a very long way. One dime sized dollop was all I needed to get the job done!

Wow! We had a lot to talk about for my July Finishes. I am so happy to kiss the dud products goodbye and say hello to new skin and beauty care goodies!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Flower Child OOTD Bloopers

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Flower Child OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Flower Child OOTD! These pictures were taken during a charming little date day I had with Johnny and is, hands down, one of my favorite summer OOTDs yet. From head to toe, I felt fabulous in this fit and it had me thinking that maybe dressing for summer isn’t so bad after all. Momentarily, anyways! Although I was feeling my damn self, there were definitely some pics that didn’t match the superstar vibes lol. Let’s take a look:

Feeling AND looking like a pissed off soccer mom

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Out here trying my best to work the wind in the hair

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This face was absolutely in response to something or other Johnny said!

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Staring at you from across the room like

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I swear to high I’m not god

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Why I oughta

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99% of the time wind in the hair results in hair in the mouth

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Whenever Johnny and I are out and about, we often get stopped to chat it up with people. We both have very distinctive personal styles and it turns into an instant conversation starter. This is something that we really enjoy because we love meeting new people and it’s always nice to receive compliments too! As we concluded OOTD shots and were making our way back to our car, we were stopped in our tracks by the tiniest voice saying that she likes butterflies too. When we turned around, we saw a little girl with her dad and sisters who took a liking to my sunglasses.

For the better part of fifteen minutes, we made chit chat with the lovely family visiting the area from Columbus. Johnny and the dad were able to talk music while the sister squad and I talked up a storm. We chattered away about animals, birthdays, Taylor Swift, and fun places they might like to see during their trip. By the time our conversation was done, the admirer of my sunglasses invited me to her fifth birthday party and I almost cried lol. It was just SO sweet and if they weren’t in completely different cities I might have had to take her up on it!

The point of this story is to engage with and be kind to everyone you meet. This chat totally made mine and Johnny’s day and it all started with four simple words of “I like butterflies too”! ❤

What makes your day? What are your go to conversation starters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

JC Comics Haul

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JC Comics Haul

Hello!! There are so many amazing local businesses in my neck of the woods. My favorite one, though, has got to be JC Comics. It has been a staple in Cuyahoga Falls since I was little and I definitely remember going there a lot with my brother, Andrew. To this day, we still love to frequent JC’s and just had a trip there this past week. JC’s isn’t a big shop, by any means. However, it feels like home whenever I walk in and the owner is there behind the counter to greet us warmly and chat it up. He also ended up talking me into a new series during my last visit and gifted me with freebies too! Check it out:

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I consider myself to be an avid reader, but have fallen off the path pretty significantly. I have just been super busy and that can get overwhelming. When I get overly stressed out, I don’t have much mental capacity left for anything else – especially reading. This is why I have gotten back into graphic novels because they are more low key and I take a lot of joy in admiring the artwork. When my brother and I visited JC’s, I wanted to scope out some new series to take note of and one called Nailbiter caught my eye.

I spent a lot of time flipping through the pages of the first volume of Nailbiter and when the owner clocked it, he said I would like it without a doubt. I am a huge horror fan and Nailbiter is all about a small town with a double digit population of serial killers. So, yeah, he was totally right lol. Curiosity got the best of me and I walked away with the first and second volume of it. The owner is even ordering the other five volumes just for me so I can have the whole collection! 🙂

Not only did he hook it up for Nailbiter but he also surprised me with some freebies while I was checking out. The first issue of five other horror series that he thought I would enjoy too. When he put them on the counter, I thought I could only pick one so I was ecstatic when I was given the lot! It was such a kind gesture because after so many shopping trips and conversations, he really does know my style when it comes to comics. These might not be in the traditional format for Lil Red’s Book Club but I can’t wait to dive in and share my thoughts with all of you. 😀

JC Comics is a beloved gem where I live and it has withstood the test of time thanks to the wonderful owner and his employees. They truly foster a love for literature and art to everyone who walks in the door and I am looking forward to my next visit so we can discuss Nailbiter!

What is your favorite local business? What is your favorite graphic novel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah