Dec23

Bath & Body Works Haul

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Bath & Body Works Haul

Hello!! When I moved into my very first apartment, I thought it was the coolest thing to be able to buy Bath & Body Works hand soap for my place. We never used them at my parents’ house so it was exciting to pick out scents just for me (Clearly I lead a thrilling life). They have been a staple in my home ever since my move in date and I always look forward to the next time Johnny and I need to restock our supply. With only one hand soap left in the cupboard, it was about that time! Check out my haul:

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Would I Buy Again:

  • Peach Bellini: YES
  • The Apple Of My Eye: YES
  • Vanilla Bean Noel: YES!!!
  • Twisted Peppermint: YES
  • Winter Candy Apple: NO
  • Fresh Sparkling Snow: MAYBE
  • The full size lotion was free with my purchase!

With four scents that are a resounding rebuy and only two “mehs”, I’d say that this was a very successful haul. Even more so because I ordered these online! Granted, I did know some of the scents already but still lol. While the Peach Bellini will always be my A1 hand soap scent, the Vanilla Bean Noel was a close second this time around. I have used the vanilla before but I forgot how freaking good it smelled. Some vanilla scents can become sickly sweet with the add ins of “sugar cookie” or “frosting” and the Vanilla Bean Noel is just right. It smells purely like vanilla bean without any unnecessary additions and I cannot wait to use it!

The Apple Of My Eye and Twisted Peppermint are also scents that I would happily buy again. Sometimes, there will be a dud of a scent in my order because it smelled nothing like what I pictured in my mind. That was not the case at all with these two soaps and there were no surprises when I took a whiff. The Apple Of My Eye smells exactly like my favorite candy of caramel apple suckers and the Twisted Peppermint smelled like… Peppermint! What a shocker. 😀

The two scents that missed the mark for me was Winter Candy Apple and Fresh Sparkling Snow. I thought that I was going to love the Winter Candy Apple but in this instance, the apple scent did nothing for me. It’s very sweet with floral notes and is one of my least favorite scents from the holiday collection. Fresh Sparkling Snow was alright. Its scent was very light, which is to be expected. However, the combination of icy melon and pear was pretty lackluster. I would buy it again if it were on sale for the cheap but would skip on it otherwise.

Overall, I am really pleased with my Bath & Body Works Haul. My only regret is that the free lotion I picked out was in the only scent that I didn’t like. SMH!!!!!!!!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works holiday collection? What is your favorite B&BW scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec22

Jolly AF OOTD Bloopers

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Jolly AF OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Jolly AF OOTD! Johnny and I had the best date day while I was sporting this look and it doesn’t get more holly or jolly than that. And, of course, it’s jolly AF to poke some good old fashioned fun at myself too so let’s get to the yikes shots that definitely aren’t Christmas card worthy:

Sassy ladyyy

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Don’t mind me just looking straight up terrifying 😉

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I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

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Tried to do a dramatic turn, which clearly didn’t work out

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Took a little stumble…

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And she’s okay!!!

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Give. Me. My. PHOOOOONE. Yikes, dude.

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My face when I tell Johnny “just a few more” pictures

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Surprisingly, this picture was taken before I had a drink at the bar!

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OOTDs are, honestly, my time to pretend like I’m on America’s Next Top Model and as you can see from the pictures above, I am well on my way lol. These posts have always been one of my favorite things to create for lifewithlilred because it’s purely fun for me. I just love the process of it. Styling an outfit, picking out a location, and trying to get perfect pictures is a fashion challenge that I am always up for. And, although going through the million pictures that Johnny takes each shoot can be a time consuming chore, the hunt for the best bloopers turns it into a much more enjoyable feat!

One of my goals for these past few months was doing a lot more OOTD posts and, unfortunately, that didn’t go as planned due to unforeseen circumstances. However, the craziness has slowed down significantly in Lil Red’s world and I am excited to get back on the horse for more fashion, shoots, and date days with my blog husband! And, of course, laughing at all of the shots that make me glad that I haven’t fully quit my day job. 😀

Stay tuned on lifewithlilred for all of the Jolly AF Christmas festivities. Even those dead inside still know how to get down with the holiday spirit!

What is your favorite thing to blog about? Do you delete “bad” shots or post them anyway? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec21

Jolly AF OOTD

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Jolly AF OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! After a wildly successful haul at TJMaxx, I have been dying to break out some of my new purchases and did so on Saturday. Johnny and I spent a wonderful afternoon visiting at my parents’ and then we went to downtown Cuyahoga Falls to take some pictures and go to our favorite bar. This was a quick photo shoot because it was freaking freezing out but, as always, Johnny was a stellar blog husband and only complained a little! Lol, check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

Last Friday, my bestie and I had our annual holiday hang out and she gifted me with the most amazing T-shirt by Sadie Maes Co that features the tagline “Dead Inside But Jolly AF”. Nothing has ever spoken so much to me before and I truly believe that this shirt was made for me. With the approaching holiday, I just had to break it out in an OOTD and mine and Johnny’s Saturday date day was the perfect occasion.

It is very rare for me to feature a T-shirt as a piece in an OOTD. In fact, this might be the first time ever in lifewithlilred’s over eight year history! In a way, it almost threw me off a little because while a T-shirt is an essential item in the wardrobe, it is very casual. Rather than try to dress this T up, I embraced it and styled this look with running errands or a lunch date in mind. Nothing goes better with a T-shirt than jeans and to make things more interesting, I went with my ultra distressed pair from American Eagle Outfitters.

My Jolly AF outfit is about as dressed down as I get when I step out and I thought that my new Philosophy topper jacket would be a good compliment to the vibe I was going for. The pattern is so fun and bold but the light knit material offers an easygoing air to throw on over a T-shirt. I loved how the deep red and black pattern looked over the fossil grey T and this jacket is also long enough to cover the exposed parts of my legs. Very nice!

With the base of my outfit ready, it was time to accessorize. I went with one of my favorite pairs of Bamboo heeled boots for several reasons. 1) Gold and red is stunning together so the brocade pattern was ideal. 2) These boots blended seamlessly into the jeans for a nice, long leg line. 3) With a more simple base of the outfit, it gave me the opportunity to use statement heels. The Bamboo boots gave a touch of glam without going overboard and I was happy to incorporate that into an on the go OOTD.

During the cold winter months, it is a necessity to accessorize with warm bonus pieces. I didn’t want to overdo it on cold weather accessories, especially because the jacket and boots were statements enough. Remember, accessories are meant to enhance an outfit so if they start taking away from the base of your look, it might be a good idea to remove some. To keep with the grey motif, I chose my smiley face scarf by Nardi & Tagliaferri. This seemed like the best option, considering the slightly macabre memo on the shirt!  I also went with my favorite Steve Madden fingerless gloves. I love the surprise colors peeking out on the fingers and it added some variety to the color palette I was working with without being distracting.

To complete this look, I added a cool pair of dangly dagger earrings that I got on vacation. I like to think of my neck as one of my good features and am never thrilled to cover it up with a scarf. If you feel similarly, put on a simple pair of dangle earrings to still draw attention to that area and give the illusion of length despite your wrap or scarf. It works like a charm!

This was such a fun OOTD to create and I am so happy to use my new clothes and Christmas prezzie in a brand new look. Keep it posted on lifewithlilred for the bloopers from this shoot! ❤

What is your favorite cold weather accessory? Do you like to dress up or dress down? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Dec20

Happy Haulidays: Bestie Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Bestie Edition

Hello!! My best friend, Lea, and I have celebrated fourteen Christmases together and we had our annual holiday hang out this past weekend. It was a hoot! I made us a big baked ziti dinner and our husbands had a man date playing banjo together while Lea and I girl talked the evening away. After almost a decade and a half of prezzies purchased, you would think that Lea and I would be fresh out of gift ideas. That’s far from the case for us, though, and Lea is one of my favorite people to shop for! As always, she knocked it out of the park for me too. Check it out:

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Until a week or so ago, I never appreciated the joy of fuzzy socks. However, one of my clients gifted me with an amazing pair of slipper socks last week and I am obsessed. So, I was insanely excited to receive some more pairs from Lea! These holiday socks are the softest, most comfortable things that I have ever put on my feet. They keep my tootsies toasty and they are too cute to boot. The polka dot pattern is so sweet and how adorable is that little hedgehog?! 😀

Lea loves to frequent craft fairs during the holiday season and the jewelry dish and T-shirt were both bought at one she went to with her mom. The jewelry dish is going to be perfect for housing my stud earrings, which is just what I need. I have so many pairs throughout the house that I have taken off and never bothered to put back smh. This dish is so pretty and simple and the cream base with the mauve rim is divine.

The piece de resistance from this holiday haul is, of course, the hilarious T-shirt that Lea got me. I have never owned any type of Christmas themed clothing and this shirt is the one to have. Its sentiment speaks to me on a spiritual level and I would have bought it for myself if I saw it while shopping. What can I say, after fourteen years of best friendship, Lea knows a thing or two about me! Although this is a holiday shirt, I will be wearing it year round. In fact, it just might make an appearance in an OOTD coming soon!

I had the best time celebrating Christmas and comradery with my best friend. I look forward to our holiday hang every year and here’s to fourteen more years of them!

Do you have any holiday traditions with your bestie? Where do you like to shop for holiday gifts? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec19

New Emerald Green & Silver Glitter Nails

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New Emerald Green & Silver Glitter Nails

Hello! This past Wednesday was a really busy work day for me and I was so happy that I got to squeeze in an appointment for a fill at Elysian Nails in between shifts. The expert pampering by my favorite nail tech rejuvenated me for the rest of the evening and I still can’t stop looking at my nails to save my own life! I decided to go glitter this time around and these blingy talons are nothing short of spectacular. Check it out:

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Christmas is fast approaching and, as you all know, I am really not one for holiday themed nails. I go about three and a half weeks between fills so I would rather have something that works for that entire length of time rather than just one day. While I was mentally choosing my colors before my appointment, I thought that an emerald green would be pretty and I could pair it with a champagne pink or navy blue to avoid a combination that was too Christmasy. However, that just didn’t end up happening lol.

As I scoured the polish wall at Elysian, I instantly fell in love with the glitter green and began to search for another color to compliment it. While there were some shades that I originally had in mind that looked good together, they just weren’t hitting the way I wanted it to. Sometimes, the best thing to pair with glitter is more glitter and I decided to go all out with the sparkly silver. I figured that this combo wouldn’t look that festive but I was dead wrong once my acrylics were painted!

Once my nail polish was on, I looked down and all I could see was a Christmas tree! In fact, my brother told me that they looked exactly like a Christmas tree with tinsel and that only further confirmed my fears lol. Then, I kept looking at them again and again and found myself slowly growing obsessed because these nails are gorgeous! They are definitely not what I would normally go for but that makes it fun. The dazzling glitter makes it look like my nails are drenched in diamonds and how can I complain about that? They are a girl’s best friend, after all. 😀

A fairly recent trip to the hair salon and a fresh fill have me perfectly OOTD ready for holiday celebrations and I can’t wait. Thanks to my beloved Elysian Nails for another year of fabulous pampering! ❤

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

Dec18

Face Mask Festivities: Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Face Mask Festivities! Today, we will be discussing the Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask. I purchased this product during my last skin care haul at TJMaxx and was excited to test it out. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me and I am happy that I only paid four bucks for it rather than its original ten dollar price tag. While it was an okay mask, it wasn’t great and Lil Red won’t settle for anything less! Let’s get into the details:

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I love me an overnight mask and that is the main reason why I purchased the Elf Dope Dreams one in the first place. It is a no muss no fuss solution to better skin and it doesn’t get much better than that. Before coming to my conclusions about the product, I used it twice as a sleeping mask and once as a wash off mask before my morning shower. What I liked about this mask was that it’s unscented. Not that I was expecting it to smell like straight up weed but I always prefer little to no scent when it comes to skin care. And, of course, the jojoba beads were a nice touch for a bit of exfoliation to help remove dead skin.

After my first use, I woke up in the morning and didn’t really feel one way or the other about how it worked. Before and after rinsing it off, my skin felt the same as if I had completed my normal skin care routine without anything special to it. I decided to use it again the following night and, once again, didn’t notice any mind blowing results. Since the overnight use was shaping up to be a bust, I figured I would change things up by using it as a wash off mask a few days later. I left it on for about fifteen minutes and was still unimpressed with the condition of my skin.

The purpose of the Dope Dreams mask is strictly hydration and I thought that it would make a good addition to my skin care routine during the winter. However, my skin felt better when I was just using my every day products and that essentially eliminated the need for the mask. For skin care, I like products that serve multiple purposes and if it only focuses on one thing like moisturizing or radiance, then it better be the best! The Dope Dreams mask was a far cry from ultra hydration for my skin and once I finish the bottle, I will not be purchasing it again.

Even though the Elf Dope Dreams Sleeping Mask wasn’t my favorite, it was still a treat to try something new. I will say that this mask received pretty good reviews overall so use your discretion if you are thinking of making the purchase. We are all different and what didn’t work for me could be amazing for you!

Have you ever used this sleeping mask before? What are your thoughts on it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec17

Identifying Pests In Your Area

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Identifying Pests In Your Area

Pests are an unwelcome part of life that can often seem unavoidable and different pests pose different risks depending on where you reside. The different types of pests that most people encounter range from insects and rodents to birds and more. While some may be specific to a certain region of the country, others are widespread and can cause severe damage throughout. 

Damage caused by pests can be expensive and difficult to repair. For example, if rats or mice get into a property, they may damage insulation, chew through wires, and even spread disease. In addition, insects such as termites can cause extensive structural damage to properties if left untreated. If your home or office is at risk of a pest infestation, it is important to know which pests are most commonly found in your state and how to protect your property against them. It will help you better understand the threat of pests in your area and make sure that you are taking precautions to protect yourself. 

To help provide insight into which pests are most searched in each state, Pest Search has created an infographic that maps out the Most Searched Pest in Each State. If you are interested in learning more about the pests in your area, read the infographic below. It will give you an overall look at what kind of pest activity is common in your state, giving you a better idea of what to look out for. With knowledge comes power, so make sure you are well-informed on which pests are most likely to appear in your area:


Infographic Design By Team At Pest Search

Keep your family and property safe from pests to avoid lots of future pestering and headaches!

Dec17

New Anne Klein Blazer

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New Anne Klein Blazer

Hello everyone! Today, we are going to wrap up my TJMaxx Haul posts by discussing a gorgeous new plaid blazer by Anne Klein. I always feel lucky with my findings at TJs but even more so this last shopping trip. Almost every piece of clothing that I found was the only one left in the store and I got them for a steal of a price. The blazer seen below, for example, had an original price tag of one hundred and thirty and I got it for one hundred dollars less! Check it out:

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Going to TJMaxx is like a fashion treasure hunt and you never know what you are going to find. I didn’t expect to end up with so much beautiful clothes this last trip around but here we are now lol. When I saw this Anne Klein blazer, it was love at first sight. The crisp shape paired with traditional red plaid hues was so divine and the stark white stitching gave such an eye catching pop. As if I wasn’t swooning already but the awesome price sent me head over heels. ❤

As soon as I tried this blazer on, so many different styling options began to swirl in my head. In fact, when I was shooting my It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD, I originally had a plaid on plaid scheme in mind by pairing my Wild Fable skinnies with a red plaid blazer from the Goodwill. While the yellow and red plaid motif worked well, the blazer was too bulky and didn’t have the structure that I wanted to achieve the silhouette that I was going for. It bummed me out a little because I knew that it could look really cool and it just didn’t lol. I sure wish I had my new Anne Klein blazer a few weeks ago during that shoot because it would have worked perfectly for the punk rock tuxedo I had envisioned!

This blazer will allow me to restyle my It’s Not Just A Phase OOTD with my initial plan AND MORE. As you can imagine, it would look stunning with some black distressed skinnies and huge platform boots. It will also add a nice dose of rock to flowing maxi skirts and sweet dresses. Or how about paired with a pleated mini skirt for the ultimate preppy bad girl look?! Now, If only I had a pleated mini skirt… 😀

After a whirlwind of Christmas shopping these past few months, Lil Red needed a gift too! I played Santa for myself with all kinds of beauty and fashion goodies and I cannot wait to put all of them to good use, starting with lots of brand new OOTDs. Keep it posted!

Have you bought anything for yourself while holiday shopping? What are you gifting yourself with this holiday season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Dec16

The Ideal Traits You Need To Be A Caregiver

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The Ideal Traits You Need To Be A Caregiver

To be a caregiver, you need to have certain personality traits and skills as an individual. Just like other jobs, it often takes a certain person to become a carer and to be great at the job itself. What are those traits that make one successful in this career path? Here are some of the personality quirks that are needed to become a great carer in the field:

Patience:

A lot of patience is important because not every patient you work with will be as cooperative as others. Depending on how many people you work with, you may need to manage your approach with each one a little differently. If you’re one to get easily frustrated or impatient, then this might not be the ideal career path for you. It can be filled with a lot of challenging times which require patience – and plenty of it!

Flexibility:

Flexibility is a must when it comes to being a carer. It’s something that live in care jobs require particularly because the hours may not be fixed or set. It might be that you’re required for an evening shift with one patient and then a middle-of-the-day shift for another person the following day. Flexibility is required for this type of role and, unfortunately, not every lifestyle can adapt to this. However, there may be carer jobs out there that offer more flexibility in terms of a structured or fixed working schedule.

Dedication and commitment:

With a carer role, it’s not something that’s easy to walk away from. Whether that’s deciding on a new career path, retiring, or just going home after a long day on the job. Walking away from it can be emotionally and physically tiring. There’s a lot of dedication and commitment that’s required of these roles and some have it in them – others don’t. It’s important to fully understand this level of dedication and commitment required, defining the key roles of caretaker vs caregiver, and whether or not you’re up for all that these important positions demand.

Passion for the job:

Having a passion for this field can make it feel less like work and more like being paid to do something you thoroughly enjoy. The job itself can be challenging and it can be tough in many ways. Being able to possess that passion needed is going to make all of it a lot easier to handle. When you are interviewing for a job in this field, your interviewers will know if you are being genuine or not. If this is something you truly want to do, it can be helpful to look at the hiring process for companies in your local area. For example, you can explore things like the benchmark careers page to find information like if the company is hiring, employee reviews, and client testimonials.

It is always a good idea to research the company you are interested in first and foremost. You want to work at a place where clients are satisfied and comfortable with their care. Anything less can reflect poorly on you even if you are wonderful at your job. To get started simply enter a search for “caregiver jobs Philadelphia” (or your local area). You might even want to ask different places if there are shadowing options available.

Respectful and balanced in opinion:

One of the final traits you need when it comes to being a carer is respect for others. At times, there are going to be patients who will test you. They may not give you respect but as a carer, you need to give them yours – something some may struggle with. Being balanced in opinion is also essential because you’ll need to be able to respect their choices and wishes.

These traits are just some of many that are needed for this type of role or career path. Make sure you tick them all off before pursuing it so the people you help can get the best quality of care!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Dec16

New Philosophy Topper Jacket

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New Philosophy Topper Jacket

Hey! TJMaxx is my shelter from the storm. It’s where everything in the world makes sense and nothing puts a pep back in my step like a good shopping trip. And, of course, getting great deals on each purchase certainly helps the cause too because this next item from my haul was a STEAL! Originally priced at one hundred dollars, I bought the Philosophy topper jacket seen below for eighteen bucks. You just can’t beat that and I am so excited to step out in this pretty little thing:

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In case you haven’t noticed by now, I am a HUGE fan of anything and everything houndstooth. I love clothing that features it because it is such a classic yet bold pattern and that really speaks to me. And, this blood red houndstooth knit topper jacket by Philosophy made me clutch my pearls. While nothing pleases me more than a traditional black and white houndstooth – life is better in red, as the saying goes. This jacket proves it! 😀

When I first laid eyes on my new Philosophy topper, I said a silent prayer that it wasn’t going to be dummy expensive and the fashion gods answered my humble request. I couldn’t believe my good fortune that such a gorgeous jacket was knocked down to only eighteen dollars on clearance!! I felt in my heart of hearts that this topper was made for me and me alone and it was my destiny to have it. Okay, dramatic much but still. What a find!

While I do have several warmer jackets for the cold months, I love me a topper jacket so very much. Other than walking my dog, the time I spend outside in the winter is minimal and is mainly just me going into my car and walking into work. Of course, I could wear something warmer but it just seems unnecessary. The topper jacket is a perfect solution to this and provides an additional layer of warmth without all of the bulk when I am making such short trips in and out of the car. Oh yeah, and they’re cute. 🙂

Everything about this Philosophy topper jacket completely sold me. The deep red and black pattern is so punk rock and the knit fabric provides a bit of slouch to enhance the vibe even more. This jacket is begging to be worn with my distressed black skinnies, a crisp white sweater, and embellished combat boots. The topper jacket is a classic piece of clothing and I consider it to be a wardrobe essential. But what a statement it can make when you put a funky twist on a timeless staple!

Tune in tomorrow for the last item from my TJMaxx Haul and then it is onto more fun here on lifewithlilred – see you then! ❤

What is your favorite pattern? What pieces of clothing do you consider to be timeless? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah