Paint By Numbers Misfortune

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Paint By Numbers Misfortune

Hello! My best friend, Lea, gifted me with everything that I needed for my own personal wine and paint night for my birthday. She got me a paint by numbers kit, which I have heard of before but never tried and was eager to give it a shot. This past weekend, I decided that I would get started on my project before a friend showed up for a game night. Unfortunately, it was way harder than I could have ever imagined:

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After unboxing the paint by numbers kit, I was surprised by how difficult it looked but was hopeful that I would be able to complete it. The kit included the canvas, three paint brushes of various sizes, numbered paints, and supplies for hanging it up. With everything that I needed provided, I was still under the impression that once I got the hang of it, it would be easy. That was, however, far from the case.

I had a few hours to kill and I thought that I would start with the biggest task on the canvas first, painting the background and small details white. I began working on one of the vases and even with the smallest paint brush available, I was getting paint in the wrong places and covering up numbers I would need later left and right. After the epic failure of attempting one color on a vase, I started painting the background because that should be easy, right?

WRONG!!!!

The biggest paint brush that the kit had was hardly making a dent in the vast spaces on the canvas that needed covered up. Not to mention that you had to perfectly outline the vases and flowers with the white paint too. I switched back and forth between the biggest and smallest brush to accomplish this and was constantly covering up other spaces that needed painted. You seriously almost needed a toothpick small brush to get into all of the tiny nooks and crannies and the smallest brush was way too big for the task.

Of course, I am so thankful to Lea for her super thoughtful gift but I can’t say that this project is one that I plan on finishing. After my first effort, I essentially shot myself in the foot since so many areas got painted over. I am sure that other easier paint by numbers kits are a lot of fun and would happily try one of them. I just don’t have the surgeon steady hands to successfully complete this canvas!

Have you tried a paint by numbers kit before? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Advice For A Fantastic Mid-Year “Tune Up”

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Advice For A Fantastic Mid-Year “Tune Up”

Any driver knows that from time to time, a full vehicle inspection is required. So, if we can do this with our vehicles, why can’t we do it with ourselves too? Sometimes, we might need the ‘tune-up’ that we give to our possessions. But surely you are the most valuable ‘possession’ you have in the first place! So, what plans can we make in order to optimize our approach here? In this post, we’ll discuss all of that and more:

See Your Dentist:

It’s quite amazing how fresh we feel after a visit to the dentist. A local dental clinic can help assess the entirety of your dental environment and make any recommendations that may be important. They can help clean your teeth, attend to any pain or problem areas you might have, and unlock your natural smile in the best possible way. For many this may seem like a pedestrian task, but regular visits can help you prevent long term dental issues that you may have otherwise had.

Take A Fitness ‘Inventory’:

It sounds quite sanctimonious to suggest you should sit down and consider how healthy you are. But the truth is, that it is a good thing to figure out where you are health wise and think about what you’ll do to better yourself. You also have to consider what you could actually do, not what you just think you should. This might involve losing that last couple of pounds, walking more in the mornings, or simply getting more vitamin D. It might mean trying to restore your flexibility after an injury you sustained. Your fitness inventory doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be right for you.

Update Your Style:

Updating your style is always a great thing! Otherwise, we can feel outdated and like we’re behind everyone else. This doesn’t mean you have to dress in the latest fashions, but it’s certainly health to consider the condition of your clothes and to improve them – to opt for a few fixtures like a nice winter coat or even having that watch repaired finally. A tuneup means being able to present yourself to the world with a renewed sense of confidence and appreciation. An approach like this can help you with that through and through.

With this advice, you’re certain to generate the best mid-year tuneup, ready for the best of summer and the onset of the colder seasons. 2022 is already halfway over, if you can believe it, so make the most of it!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Final Birthday Hurrah

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Final Birthday Hurrah

Hello! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to celebrate my birthday on the day of with my sister and her family due to a bout with COVID. Once they were ten days out, however, we had a wonderful late birthday outing together. I was treated by Kristen, Ramon, and my darling niece Valerie to a delicious dinner at my favorite restaurant, the Saffron Patch. It is the most divine Indian food that I have ever had and I savored every bite. I was also gifted with a TJMaxx gift card (Bless!), a sticker adorned card compliments of Val, and this gorgeous Betsey Johnson necklace:

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Betsey Johnson has always been one of my favorite brands and I love her quirky, bright designs. There is nothing like a Betsey accessory to add a fun pop to any OOTD and I have several of her purses, shoes, and jewelry. When I opened up the box containing my new necklace, I couldn’t believe my eyes… I had actually just been drooling over it during my last shopping trip at TJMaxx. Talk about sister telepathy, right? 😀

I am obsessed with this necklace and it is so different from all of my other Betsey accessories – most of them have skulls and snakes as the focal point lol! The sweet gem stoned hearts are SO. Freaking. Cute. and remind me of the plastic star and heart jewelry of my youth (In the best way possible!). Another amazing thing about this necklace is that you can put it on over your head without undoing the clasp. We all know that that is a difficult task for me with my claws!

My new necklace is perfect for adding candy dream colors to a neutral base and I can’t wait to see it shine against white, black, and grey. I had a great time celebrating my birthday with three of my favorite people in the whole world and my festivities ended on the best note possible. ❤

What is your favorite accessory brand? How would you style this necklace? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sephora Birthday Gift Unboxing & Tinted Lip Oil Swatch

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Sephora Birthday Gift Unboxing & Tinted Lip Oil Swatch

Hello!! I had a great little mostly freebie haul from Sephora, which also included my birthday gift for being a Beauty Insider member. As a Beauty Insider, you get to pick one from three or four different gift options during your birth month and I look forward to it every year. The choices range from a set for skin care, hair care, makeup, or fragrance and I always opt for the makeup because I rarely try out new products in that regard.

For the makeup gift, I received a sample pack from Ilia that had a tinted lip oil, mascara, and a lip mask:

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^^^ Lol, I had to swatch on my wrist because my hands are now occupied with tattoos!

I am a tried and true user of Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara so the travel sized one in this birthday gift will be going to my sister. What really sold me on the Ilia set was the lip mask and tinted lip oil. I love me a lip mask and am constantly on the hunt for a good one because the last several that I have tried have been duds. The tinted lip oil in Only You was also just too pretty to pass up!

I have so many lip colors from Sephora birthday gifts and they never disappoint. Only You by Ilia, however, might be my favorite one yet. It is the most lovely carnation pink hue and I love the texture. While it looks like a gloss, it feels like a balm and I think that everyone can get down with that… No one likes a sticky lip gloss! It makes my lips feel smooth, look supple, and provides the perfect touch of color. I know for a fact that I will be wearing it all summer long. 😀

Keep it posted on lifewithlilred for a review of the Ilia lip mask as well as one more birthday present surprise. Gotta love a birth month!!

What is your favorite makeup brand? What did you choose as your Beauty Insider birthday prezzie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Teal & White Nails

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New Teal & White Nails

Hello! My last fill at Elysian Nails was a bittersweet one because my favorite nail tech had moved onto bigger and better things. When I went to Elysian this past week, it was the first time in over a year that someone different had done my nails and I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t a little bummed out! On the bright side, I got another one of my favorite techs who my old one recommended and my claws turned out beautifully:

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For this past fill, one of the owners ended up doing my nails and it doesn’t get much better than that because she is AMAZING! I was in and out in a little over an hour and you just can’t beat that – especially considering how expertly she sharpened and shaped my talons. She also put on a thicker coat of acrylic to better compliment the shape and they have never felt so strong and sturdy before.

Originally, I had wanted nude nails with a colored tip but it was something that I needed to request when I scheduled the appointment. That was okay, though, and I can’t wait to get extra pampered next month as a treat. I decided to go with a teal and white combo, instead, and I am loving it! I can’t recall the last time that I had white nail polish on and I’m not sure why it took me so long to give it a shot. The bright white paired with the beachy blue just screams fun in the sun and I think it looks fabulous as well as different from what I’d usually get.

It is always sad when a preferred hair stylist, nail tech, or artist moves on from the salon but this first fill without my fave couldn’t have gone better. But, I shouldn’t have expected anything otherwise because Elysian Nails is, easily, the best salon that I have ever been to! ❤

What color are your nails? How long have you been working with your hair stylist or nail tech? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sephora Haul

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Sephora Haul

Hello everyone!! Sephora always gives the best birthday gifts to their Beauty Insider members and, shockingly, it had all but slipped my mind until I got a reminder email. I didn’t feel like going to the mall just to pick up one thing, however, so I took care of it online. Although I have plenty of the couple of products that I purchase through Sephora, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to buy more to reach the fifty dollar free shipping mark.

Happily, I discovered that they were doing free shipping on all orders when I got on their website! Rather than get more stock pile products, I purchased one small item so that I could get all of my freebies. This haul costed me three dollars in total and it was money well spent! Check it out:

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The Haul:

  • Sephora brand cleansing wipes
  • Ilia birthday gift – FREE
  • Tatcha water cream – FREE
  • Maison Margiela Replica sample – FREE
  • Sulwhasoo renewing cream sample – FREE

Prior to shopping Sephora online, I never quite understood people’s obsession with it. When shopping in store, you miss out on so many amazing deals and while I would make in store purchases, I never felt like I was getting a lot of bang for my buck. And, at over twenty five dollars for a tube of Better Than Sex mascara (Still worth it!) I couldn’t help but feel like I was getting ripped off.

Fast forward to my first online order and I was like “Oh… I get it now”. Sephora offers some of the best online deals that I have ever seen and I always feel good about what I bought because I get so many freebies. This little haul is a shining example of that and it costed literal pocket change. You just can’t beat that!

I got a sample jar of Tatcha moisturizer with my Beauty Insider points which I am excited to use. And when you shop online with Sephora, you are allowed to pick out two free samples to complete your order. I went for the Sulwhasoo cream as well as a fragrance sample. My best friend, Lea, and I recently had a conversation about wanting to try a more long lasting perfume so I couldn’t not get a new fragrance to test out. Unfortunately, Replica wasn’t a winner but, hey, it was worth a shot.

We will unbox the Ilia birthday gift after checking out my new nails tomorrow so keep it posted for that. In the meantime, give Sephora’s website a look through and see which freebies you can snag for yourself! 😀

What is your favorite fragrance? Which store offers the best in store or online deals? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Best Friend Birthday Gift

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Best Friend Birthday Gift

Hello! I had a blast celebrating my birthday last week and had plans to hang out with people almost every night. Needless to say, I am exhausted and am done socializing for the next couple of weeks lol! On Friday, my best friend and her husband came over for a game night and I was gifted with this super thoughtful prezzie from Lea:

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Lea and I have been best friends since freshman year of high school, which is fourteen years of celebrating birthdays and holidays together. We absolutely love to spoil each other for special occasions and it has been that way for as long as I can remember. For my birthday, Lea outdid herself with a paint by numbers kit and a delicious looking bottle of blueberry moscato. Yum!

I have heard of paint by numbers projects before but have never tried one and I can’t wait. It looks like such fun and is a delightful nod to the many craft nights that Lea and I have shared together. In fact, several of the canvases on my apartment’s art wall are from said best friend craft nights and I can’t wait to complete and hang up my new painting… If it turns out good lol. And, of course, the bottle of wine is the perfect compliment to make it a wine and paint night – which we have also participated in together! 😀

Lea is one of the most incredible people and we have been there for each other through thick and thin. Boyfriends, college, new jobs, and marriage are all things that we have tackled together and I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side. Fourteen birthdays are almost officially in the books after her special day in late August and I can’t wait for fourteen more. I love you!!!

How long have you and your best friend been friends for? Have you ever tried a paint by numbers kit before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Accessory Story: New SJ Pearl Obsidian Necklace

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Accessory Story: New SJ Pearl Obsidian Necklace

Hello! Last Monday, I had a very successful shopping trip at TJMaxx with a new friend. I got all kinds of cute stuff with my birthday gift cards, including a new SJ Pearl necklace that I love so much. Part of the novelty of shopping at TJMaxx that never gets old is being introduced to new brands that you haven’t heard of before. I purchased two SJ Pearl necklaces almost three years ago from TJs and still find myself looking for more every time I go.

On Monday, my prayers were finally answered and there were several new SJ Pearl necklaces on the jewelry counter. I knew the brand as soon as I saw it from aisles away and couldn’t reach the display fast enough. There were three different designs to choose from and, honestly, I wish that I bought them all lol. Here is what I went with:

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Despite having a huge jewelry collection, I always seem to gravitate towards my SJ Pearl necklaces to spice up an OOTD. They are, easily, some of my favorite pieces that I own and they add a unique touch to the most simple of outfits. I love the reassuring weight of them around my neck as they are fairly heavy because of being made with precious stones. Obsidian is used for protection and, maybe it’s just in my head, but I do feel more at peace just knowing that it’s on.

My other SJ Pearl necklaces are shorter in length, although they can be adjusted. So, I was very excited to find my new one that is longer. It is such a stunning design and I can’t wait to wear the jet black beads against cream colored blouses to add a major pop of visual interest. Also, if anyone knows more about the image on it, then please fill me in because I couldn’t find it when scouring Google.

My new necklace is the last thing from my TJMaxx haul and it was definitely one of the better trips that I have had recently. Once a maxxinista, always a maxxinista!!

What is your favorite jewelry brand? Where do you go to discover new brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Birthday Bouquet

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Birthday Bouquet

Hello! After a glorious month and a half or so with a lighter work schedule, I am back into the swing of things and have taken on two new families in the past month. The down time was much needed so I could pack up the old apartment and unpack in our new one because Johnny was working SO much overtime. Not to mention that a break was just what I needed for my own mental health.

For the first time in years last week, I worked on my birthday. Of course, I could have taken the day off but I was so eager to start with one of my new families that I couldn’t stand to wait one more day! This was a really cool change of pace for me and it felt good to be excited for work days. On Tuesday, I was surprised by receiving a gorgeous bouquet and birthday donuts from my new family. It was the nicest thing!!

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^^^ Lol, I didn’t have a vase so I had to resort to using a water bottle SMH!

I don’t know about you, but I love to get flowers. They are such a lovely way to let someone know that you were thinking of them. I can’t help but to smile every time that I look at my birthday bouquet and the flowers still look as beautiful as the day I brought them home. The “vase” might not do the bouquet justice but, hey, you work with what you’ve got!

I learned the merit of receiving flowers from an early age. My dad always makes my mom the prettiest wildflower bouquets from his garden and will expertly arrange store bought flowers during the cold months. Seeing his arrangements on the kitchen table never failed to make me happy and it added the perfect touch of sunshine to the day.

I was so touched by this kind gesture from my new family and will have that reminder every day now. Because you all know that I love me some dried flowers too! ❤

What is your favorite flower? How do you show a loved one that you care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Starting Your Own Yoga Studio? Check Out These Tips!

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Starting Your Own Yoga Studio? Check Out These Tips!

Starting your own yoga studio can be amazing. You will be in charge of creating a space that is inviting, will help people on their wellness journey, and can become a sanctuary away from the ills of the world. It is not an easy feat to open your own studio, but with the proper plan, you can do it and you can do it well:

Become An Instructor:

If you are not already, become a yoga instructor so that you can lead some of the classes and work with your clients in-person one on one. By taking a 200 hour yoga teacher training course, you can become an instructor and fully understand the art of yoga and how it can transform lives. Once you have enough time under your belt creating your own flow and way of practicing yoga, you will then be ready to open up your own studio where you can share what you have learned with others.

What Kind of Yoga Are You Practicing?

With all that you have learned, what practice are you sharing with the world? Is it vinyasa, ashtanga, or bikram? This will determine what kind of client base you are going to attract. Younger, more serious yoga students may want to do ashtanga. Vinyasa is more gentle for older clients, while the heat of bikram requires your studio to have different technology.

The kind of practice you are going to advertise will enable you to know who is going to walk through that door and what you need to do to make them feel welcome and at home.

Build a Great Team:

Because you know what yoga you are practicing, that means you know what kind of instructor you need to hire. This will help you narrow down your search and you can start to build a team that is going to make your studio the best. You will know what skill set you are looking for and what kind of experience you want to bring into your studio.

Where Are You Going to Open?

When you have the team in place, the yoga practice in place, and your vision is clear, you can then determine what is the best place to open your studio. Do you want a smaller, more intimate setting? Or a large one with multiple classes happening at once? The clearer the vision the better because it can be a daunting task to research and visit every location if you haven’t narrowed it down.

Creating a space that helps people improve their lives is a formidable goal. A yoga studio often feels like a home away from home for those who practice and your decisions will make that into a reality!

Featured Image By: Pexels