Couple’s Country Concert Photo Shoot

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Couple’s Country Concert Photo Shoot

Hello! This past Friday, Johnny and I got dressed up in our country best to go see Willie Nelson at Blossom Music Center. We didn’t end up attending the show but if you have a killer OOTD and didn’t take pictures, then did you really wear it at all? Lol, Johnny ended up snapping some pics of me like the amazing blog husband that he is and we took pictures of us together afterwards. They turned out ultra cute minus one MAJOR issue – can you spot it? *Massive eye roll*

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Who? What? Wear? Johnny’s OOTD:

  • Button down Western shirt: Straight To Hell
  • Skinny jeans: Hot Topic
  • Pointed toe boots: Amazon

If you said that the glaring problem with these pictures is that Johnny is flipping off the camera, then you are absolutely right! I seriously had no idea and when I commented on how nice the pictures of us turned out, Johnny started laughing. I asked what was so funny and then the realization dawned on me. Guys, I was SO. Freaking. Annoyed lol. It’s not just that he’s flipping the bird – it’s how pleased with himself he looks in all of them. He seriously looks happy as a clam and I know damn well it’s not because he was taking pictures with me! SMH!!

After I did a quick look through of the pictures taken, I made us a simple dinner of quesadillas and my annoyance quickly dissipated. While I was finishing up in the kitchen, Johnny took his first bite and went “mmmmmmmmm” and I just melted haha. He is always so appreciative of my cooking and it never fails to warm my heart. After that little display of cuteness, I was able to forgive but I will NEVER forget. Husbands, am I right? 😀

This concludes my Country Concert OOTD series and I can’t think of a better, sillier way to wrap things up. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did making it and keep it posted for lots more fun on lifewithlilred!

What is something annoying that your partner does? How about something adorable? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

 

5 Things To Do Before Bringing A Dog Home

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5 Things To Do Before Bringing A Dog Home

A dog is man’s best friend. You’ve probably heard that statement too often, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Dogs are the perfect pets or housemates to have. Pick the right one for you and your family, and you’ll have the most loyal and lovable creature! Numerous studies highlight the several benefits of owning a dog. But if you’re thinking about owning a pet dog for the first time, there are some things you should do first. Here are a few:

Have a good supply of healthy food and treats:

While you may visit several places to get dog food and treats, you don’t need to wait to get a dog before attempting to find the right one. Dog nutrition is complex, and you must ensure that you get the right dog food and treats to help your new family member grow and stay healthy. Be sure to find a reliable and holistic pet store with different dog food types, treats, and other supplies your dog will need. And this leads to the next point:

Stock up on essential dog supplies:

In addition to food, your dog will need several other essentials to make them comfortable, healthy, and safe. These supplies include food and water bowls, a crate, a bed and sleeping area, a dog collar and leash, dog toys, stain and odor removal cleaners, and so much more.

Prepare everyone in your home for their new responsibility:

A dog is a fun addition to the family, but these little guys also have some responsibility. And if you live with others in your home, it’s only right that you prepare them for this. Share the various responsibilities of dog care amongst your family before you bring the dog home. For example, decide who will take care of its daily meals, take the dog out for walks, handle the dog’s training, etc.

Prepare a safe spot for the dog to play and sleep in:

If you’re expecting to bring home a pup, then it needs a safe space to play and sleep in. This space should be confined enough to restrict it from wandering away when not supervised. A safe and confined space also gives a pup enough time to learn its house manners and a spot to chill out comfortably.

Be sure that you’re ready for the responsibility:

If you live alone and cannot rely on anyone else to help you take care of your dog, then you need to be sure that you’re more than ready for the extra load of responsibility. If you have a very busy lifestyle, for example, you must first make enough time in your schedule to devote to your dog, from taking it out for walks to trips to the vet. Also, you might want to make sure that dogs do not trigger any allergic reactions from you.

Once you have implemented these tips, you and your family are ready to welcome your new and special addition. Life truly is great when you have a healthy and loving dog!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Country Concert OOTD Bloopers

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Country Concert OOTD Bloopers

Hello!! It’s time to wrap up my Country Concert OOTD with everyone’s favorite segment: The blooper reel! I don’t know about all of you, but some of my favorite parts of comedy movies happen in the bloopers during the credits. It’s a true testament to not everything being a perfect take – for actors and influencers alike. Before I began doing blooper posts, the following pictures would have been deleted without a second thought. Now, I think otherwise and love sharing them with you:

Waving to my fans on the red (or green) carpet

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Practicing my zombie walk

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Three cheers for me!!!!

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I have NO idea what is happening here

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Yoo-hoo!

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Nothing like a good old fashioned dismount shot

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About to spill the tea to Johnny

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Always keeping those nails fresh!

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Pissed off when Johnny told me the mailboxes were in the background lol SMH

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It’s safe to say that none of these shots would make the cut as the cover of my country album “Timbertop” (In honor of my apartment community) but they certainly have a place here on lifewithlilred. Actually… Now that I think of it, Timbertop is a great name for a country album! For me, OOTD shoots are a lot of play and little work and it’s fun to team up with Johnny to create some photography magic – the good, the bad, and the yikes!

Tune in tomorrow for one more peek at my Country Concert OOTD in the form of a couple’s shoot with Johnny. The pictures are pretty adorable minus one glaring issue… You’ll know what I mean when you see it!

What is your favorite comedy movie? Do you delete or save “bad” pictures? 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: The Paris Apartment By Lucy Foley Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Paris Apartment By Lucy Foley Edition

Hello! We interrupt your regularly scheduled OOTD bloopers for a brand new Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing an excellent read by Lucy Foley called The Paris Apartment. This was a fast paced thriller that included everything I like – multiple narrators, short chapters, a good whodoneit, and lots of text in French. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Paris Apartment for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it – without giving any spoilers away, of course:

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Jess is on the run. Not only from her past but a petty crime committed in the UK. With no friends and family to turn to aside from her estranged half brother, Ben, she decides that now is as good a time as any to visit him in Paris. He somewhat reluctantly agrees, gives her his address, and promises to wait up for her when she arrives in the evening. However, during her travels, Ben stops replying to texts and phone calls. He is also nowhere to be found when Jess arrives at the ultra posh apartment that she has no idea how he affords as a freelance journalist.

With a bit of ingenuity at the locked gate and some good old fashioned lock picking at Ben’s apartment door, she is finally inside. Rather than finding Ben asleep, she sees that his wallet and phone have been left behind. Still hopeful that her free spirited brother will arrive in the morning with an excuse that he forgot, Jess goes to sleep. And in the morning? Nothing. And the days to come? Nothing. Ben has disappeared.

The day after her arrival, Jess begins to investigate and there is no better place to start than with the residents of the apartment. There is the violent alcoholic Antoine on the first floor, nice guy Nicholas on the second, elusive Mimi and party girl Camille on the fourth, filthy rich Sophie and Jacques in the penthouse, and a concierge who sees everything in the lodge. All of them provide Jess with nothing of value but they all appear to be hiding something about her brother’s whereabouts.

The more Jess digs, the more she is convinced that someone in the apartment is to blame. In Ben’s wallet, she finds a business card for Theo, an editor of a Paris newspaper. He tells Jess that Ben was working on an article for him that was a pure investigative piece. A far cry from his usual restaurant reviews. Ben’s big scoop is about someone in the apartment but who? And is this how he came to disappear into thin air? Read The Paris Apartment to find out!

I really enjoyed The Paris Apartment and, despite the *slightly* farfetched conclusion, I think that it is worth the read. While I did figure out the grand reveals fairly easily, it was still a fun thriller that had me hooked. In fact, I was sad when I finished it because I wanted more – especially in regards to the reactions of the grand finale from the apartment residents.

Jess was a very likeable and unlikely heroine and she was so easy to root for. She has a somewhat scruffy appearance and is dirt poor so it was really endearing as she went about her investigation among people who want for nothing. Jess was also reckless and you truly felt that danger was around the corner for her all of the time, which kept me on the edge of my seat.

Although the other main players in the book were equally horrible in their own right, I still loved the back and forth chapters between all of them. Their chapters shifted between the past with Ben and the present without him so you got to learn all of the key moments that led up to his disappearance. I do like a more vague read but it was nice to have all of the cards out on the table with minimal guesswork for once.

Overall, I am going to rate The Paris Apartment with an eight out of ten stars. Was it the most original thing I’ve read? Not really. However, it was a good page turner and I still recommend it. I would definitely read more by Lucy Foley!

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

Fourth Watercolor Project

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Fourth Watercolor Project

Hello! I have a vast repertoire of hobbies and enjoy reading, ice skating, writing, swimming, and, of course, shopping in my free time. Watercolor painting is a recent hobby that I’ve added to this list and I have been loving it and trying my hand at different projects as often as I can. This past weekend, I made this little painting for my nieces while Johnny took a nap lol check it out:

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My sister and brother-in-law have their daughter, Valerie, and will have another little girl very soon. We are SO excited and I wanted to make something adorable for their bed or playroom. They most certainly are cute as a button so inspiration for my most recent project was really easy to come by!

Val’s favorite colors are purple and pink so I obviously had to incorporate that and I think she will be super happy about the palette I chose. She’s also not old enough to know good art, either, so that’s another win lol. Good art or not, it was fun to make and I like how it turned out so that’s all that matters. 😀

Every time I paint something, I come up with ideas for another project that I would like to do. Without the watercolor class that I took, I would have never thought that it would be an activity that I would enjoy. However, here we are now on my fourth project and I am eager to continue creating more and more. I have some sketches ready to paint when I can and I also plan on making a rainbow painting for my nieces. I can’t wait to show all of you!

Have you started a new hobby recently? What do you like to do in your free time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Tune in tomorrow for bloopers from my Country Concert OOTD!

Country Concert OOTD Bonus Pics

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Country Concert OOTD Bonus Pics

Hello everyone and welcome to some bonus pics from my Country Concert OOTD! Although we didn’t end up going to said country concert of Willie Nelson, I got tons of pictures that I love to show for it so I guess it all worked out lol. This OOTD was a blast to style and even more fun to wear! My inner Dolly Parton was able to burst free and I felt like a total country diva. Take a look at some bonus pics so good that they should be outlawed (See what I did there?!):

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Wearing this outfit was very interesting to me because it is not even close to my usual personal style at all. I’m sure all of you can agree! However, it was a true testament to the confidence that a great outfit can give – regardless of of it’s something that you would normally wear or not. When I first put this OOTD on, I admit that I was slightly self conscious. Then, I began playing with the fringe and dancing around in the mirror and I was transformed!

What has always drawn me to fashion is that it gives you the opportunity to be whoever you want on any given day. My standard look is a combination of glam rock and punk but who says that I can’t be a country superstar or a posh theater goer? When you dress the part and have the confidence to pull it off is when you can start having real fun with styling without limiting yourself to your signature style.

I can honestly say that this is an outfit that I would wear again without the catch of attending a country show. Is it a bit much? Absolutely. But, so am I so what difference does it make? I felt AMAZING in this OOTD and that’s all that matters to me. So, if you have a look that you’re on the fence about but feel good in: Wear it anyway!! It will be an excellent practice in your own self confidence and you’ll end up feeling glad that you took the risk.

Tomorrow, tune in for a new watercolor painting project. Then, it will be on to bloopers from this look and a couple’s photo shoot! See you then! ❤

How would you describe your personal style? What makes you feel confident? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

4 Ways To Quickly Boost Your Confidence

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4 Ways To Quickly Boost Your Confidence

Feeling confident is key to success in any area of life. When you feel good about yourself, it shows in your actions and the way you interact with others. If you’re looking for a quick confidence boost, try some of these methods:

Stand up straight and tall:

The first step to looking and feeling more confident is your posture. Stand up straight with your shoulders back and your head held high. This will make you look and feel more powerful, which in turn will boost your confidence. If you’re not used to good posture, it may take some practice to get into the habit of standing and sitting up straight. But once you do, you’ll notice a difference in the way you feel about yourself.

Smile!

Smiling is another great way to boost your confidence. It makes you look friendly and approachable, two qualities that will help you feel more confident in social situations. If you’re not used to smiling, it may take some extra thought at first. But once you do, you won’t be able to stop. There is always something to smile about!

If you feel like your smile could use some work, consider visiting a Dentist. A professional cleaning and whitening can do wonders for your self esteem. Dentists can also help with other confidence boosting treatments, such as straightening your teeth or fixing minor imperfections. If you’re considering any type of cosmetic dental work, be sure to consult with a reputable dentist who has experience performing the procedure you’re interested in.

Make eye contact with people:

Making eye contact is a great way to show confidence. It shows that you’re interested in what the other person has to say and that you believe in what you’re saying yourself. If you’re not used to making eye contact, it may feel awkward at first. But the more you practice, the easier it will become. In addition to making eye contact, be sure to speak slowly and clearly when you can. Speaking too quickly can make you seem nervous or unsure of yourself. But speaking slowly and clearly will help you come across as confident and in control.

Dress for success:

What you wear can also impact your confidence. If you dress in clothes that make you feel good about yourself, it will show in your demeanor. So be sure to choose clothes that fit well and are comfortable to wear. You should also avoid wearing clothes that make you feel self-conscious. There is no point in that and it will show as you fidget and pull at your clothes throughout the day. When you look good, you’ll feel good – and your confidence will reflect that.

With a little practice at these four suggestions, you’ll be feeling more confident in no time! Why not give it a try?

Featured Image By: Pexels

Country Concert OOTD

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Country Concert OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Friday, Johnny and I were supposed to see ZZ Top and Willie Nelson at Blossom Music Center. However, we decided at the last minute that we weren’t comfortable going due to the newest highly contagious COVID variant. My sister is about to have her baby (Yay!!) and we didn’t want to take any risks to prevent us from seeing our new niece.

Even though we didn’t attend the concert, taking pictures was an obvious must because your girl was feeling herself! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

When it came to styling an OOTD for a Country Concert, I had literally no options in my wardrobe lol. Thankfully, Johnny has plenty! The Rock N’ Roll Cowgirl shirt is his and, yes, he is my lil rock n’ roll cowgirl! I love wearing my husband’s clothes and adore his personal style so marrying him was like inheriting another wardrobe – GREAT SUCCESS!! 😀

I have actually been lusting over the silk fringe button down for ages and never had an opportunity to wear it. Although no one but Johnny saw me in it on Friday, it was still really fun to wear and take pictures in! I loved the way the fringe moved and had a blast dancing around and invoking my inner rock n’ roll cowgirl lol. It was seriously the perfect top to wear for a country show and so easy to style an OOTD around.

Little blue jean shorts were a must for a country concert and I’ve said it numerous times and I’ll say it again: The shorts from American Eagle are simply the best. They are so flattering, not too short, and fit well without being really tight. The distressed detailing on these shorts also added a little country flare and I found myself thinking “I feel like Dolly Parton” the entire time we were taking pictures. It. Was. Awesome. 😀

Of course, some cowboy boots would be the way to go for a country inspired OOTD. However, I didn’t go this route and chose my army green Guess wedges, instead. As someone barely over 5’1, it’s important for me to create length in all of my OOTDs. Flat shoes would have made me look squat in this outfit and we can’t have that! Although my wedges aren’t country in the slightest, I loved how the army green complimented the mustard yellow and burgundy flowers on the top.

To complete my Country Concert OOTD, I tied things together with my grandpa’s bolo tie. I have quite a few of his bolo ties from his days of line dancing with my grandma and I’ve never been able to wear any of them. It was SO special to me to have it on and it looked amazing with the rest of my outfit. The burnt orange stone and brown leather against the cream colored button down was stunning!

Even though I was all dressed up with nowhere to go, I am obsessed with this OOTD. I hope you can find inspiration from it if you are attending any country festivals this summer. Keep it posted for more pics from this shoot, bloopers, and an adorable couple’s photo shoot with Johnny!

Have you attended any concerts this summer? Who is your favorite country artist? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Boosting Professionalism To Enhance Your Brand

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Boosting Professionalism To Enhance Your Brand

As a professional, you should always look for ways to boost your brand and enhance your standing within your industry. If you are running a small business or start-up, this is not as straightforward as you’d like. You need to compete with established enterprises with more contacts than you have employees. Yet, this does not mean you’ll never be able to enhance your brand.

One key component of success is professionalism. This does not need to mean the impersonal or prim and proper demeanor, especially in the modern business sphere. Instead, there are some crucial points you need to remember to demonstrate how professional you are, which should attract customers, networking opportunities, and more:

Make Your Company Easy to Find:

Considering how the internet has made it easy to learn more about businesses, you should strive to make your business equally easy to find. Otherwise, you will lose customers to local competitors who took the time to establish an online presence. Setting up your website and making sure it demonstrates what your brand is all about is a fantastic place to start. You should focus on social media profiles and covering all popular platforms helps you reach a wider audience. Search engine information such as Google My Business also helps, as it provides all of the information customers need to get in touch.

Have Professional Photos:

Looking the part is a significant aspect of professionalism, especially when it comes to photos of yourself and your business. Investing in professional entrepreneur photography for your profiles to help capture your aura as a leader can only help you. It also helps put a face to the name behind your company.

Design a Welcoming Office:

While the office is not as common as it was two years ago, many businesses still need a dedicated workspace for employees or meetings. The least you can do is design a welcoming office so that employees and clients feel comfortable. This all starts with your reception area. Comfortable sofas and complementary refreshments (water, coffee, tea) encourages a welcoming appeal. Inside the main office, natural light and ventilation are two key factors that can transform an office atmosphere and make it a pleasant place.

A welcoming office also means having information readily available. This could be in the form of a bulletin board, daily emails, or a A5 leaflet holder from Alplas that contains important memos for the day. When your employees are up to date on the happenings of the workspace, everyone is included and, in turn, creates a welcoming atmosphere.

Hire the Right Talent:

It isn’t just the boss that can improve professionalism within the workplace. If you want to enhance your company, you need to hire the right talent to help push your business to even greater heights. However, the hiring process can be tricky and even the most promising candidates can let you down.

Understanding the top tips to hire the best candidate will help you avoid getting burned by applicants who lied on their resume or simply weren’t up to the demands of the industry. By choosing top-quality candidates, you can set your business up for years of success and trust them to lead when you are not around.

Deliver on Promises:

Delivering on promises is a crucial aspect of improving your standing and demonstrating professionalism. But, you can’t promise the earth to every client, as you’ll end up letting someone down. Instead, you must know what you can promise and make sure you deliver. Setting achievable expectations shows honesty but could still impress clients if you deliver a project ahead of schedule. If follow through is something that has been a struggle, it would benefit you to have some additional help. Technology like Profit software can improve your performance and task management skills. It also includes handy features to further engage your employees, boosting their job satisfaction.

Offer Value In All Content:

Content is a valuable aspect of any business. It gives you the chance to interact with customers and clients less professionally while also sharing your thoughts about the industry or even highlighting interesting tidbits of industry history. But, your content must be valuable. Content calendars and dedicated copywriters or content creators (whether in-house or outsourced) can improve your content so you’ll always have something to say and you’ll know that it matters.

Of course, the content you are publishing must be the perfect balance of professional and engaging. Your brand’s social media and online presence is not your own page but a page for your customers both current and in the future. It is best not to post shocking content on your brand and personal page alike because it can be a major turnoff. A reputation management company can be most beneficial in their expert knowledge of social media and online etiquette as well as pinpointing content that could harm your business. These services are certainly worth looking into so your brand is always being showcased in the best light.

Understand You Don’t Know Everything:

It’s important to spend time building relationships and seeking mentorship at any stage of your career. Doing so and asking for help leads to business growth and shows you’re willing to learn from others and your own mistakes. The more willing you are to take advice on board from mentors or industry veterans, the easier it will be for you to establish your business as an industry leader. Furthermore, you’ll have built a reputation as a professional, improving relationships and making people more willing to work with you.

Enhancing your brand will not happen with a snap of your fingers. Like any business venture, it takes time to establish yourself as a reliable and respected member of your industry. You can accelerate this by considering these tips to help your business stand out from the crowd and let everyone know that you’re serious about what you do!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Namesake Watercolor Project

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Namesake Watercolor Project

Hello! I enjoyed the watercolor painting class that I took so much that I just had to buy some supplies to paint during my free time at home. Although my leisure time is scarce during the week, I have managed to do two projects that I am really proud of. I created a likeness of myself and Johnny and also painted a dedication to my namesake this past week:

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The Lil Red nickname originally stemmed from a coworker when I worked retail thanks to my signature red hair and lipstick. At the cash register, he would ask if Lil Red helped the customer out and they always knew who he was talking about! I have had this project in mind to feature my blog’s tagline and a red lippie tube since the class I took and I love how it turned out. 😀

Because of the constantly changing color of my hair, it has been a while since I was able to wear a pure red lipstick. I miss it terribly but I still think that it is the epitome of chic. A bold red lip screams confidence, even if you aren’t really feeling yourself that day. A quick swipe of red lipstick can completely change a simple jeans and T outfit or enhance a date night look. This never fails to amaze me and is a true testament to the power of makeup.

It sounds silly but I honestly feel like my red lipstick helped shape me into the person that I am today. It gave me a confidence boost when I had none as well as inspiration when I created my blog. During my next tap out tattoo session, I plan on getting a red lipstick tube somewhere on my arm. For now, however, a painting will just have to do. I wonder what I’ll come up with to paint next!

What do you consider a signature part of your style? What is your favorite lipstick shade? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah