Oct26

Meech & Mia Eyeshadow Swatch In Beige

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Meech & Mia Eyeshadow Swatch In Beige

Hi! Today, we are going to get our swatch on with a hand me down Meech & Mia eyeshadow from my big sis in Beige. No longer used products from the makeup guru herself are always a treat and I was delighted when she handed me a Birchbox box full of makeup! 😀 Let’s get started and be on the lookout for more product swatches soon:

This eyeshadow was a bit of an enigma because upon first inspection, it looks burnt orange to me – not beige at all. When on, I still see an orange tint depending on the lighting which reminds me of that dress that everyone freaked out about on social media because they couldn’t tell if it was blue or grey or something? Lol but I digress. This is not to say that the color isn’t lovely, it’s just not what I expected!

I do like this color a lot and it is pillowy soft to the touch. However, I am not a huge fan of loose powder eyeshadow. When it comes to makeup, I am not the best at applying and I feel like this eyeshadow would get everywhere if I tried to use it. In fact, it did get everywhere just from opening the jar.

I can’t say that I would use this as the only eyeshadow on my MOTD because it is not pigmented enough for my liking. But, I think I will try dusting it over the color that I choose for some extra shimmer – it’s way too pretty to not at least give it a shot!

What color does this eyeshadow look to you? Do you prefer a loose powder or more compact eyeshadow? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct25

How Not Sleeping Enough Affects Your Health

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How Not Sleeping Enough Affects Your Health

Not sleeping enough over any prolonged period of time will negatively affect both your mental and physical health. If you are regularly getting less than at least seven hours a night, you will fall into the category of not sleeping enough. Perhaps you already have started to notice some symptoms of lack of sleep. Or maybe, you are unaware of the consequences. Either way, if you, do not sleep enough, you should make a valiant effort to get more of it, and here are a few reasons why:

Your Immune System:

When you are asleep, your body gets to work on fixing and repairing any damage that has occurred during the day. Beauty sleep is called beauty sleep for a reason! The body is able to help strengthen the immune system and regenerate cells which are vital to helping you fight off infections. Over time, if you do not sleep enough, you will find that you fall victim to more colds, flues, and potentially worse infections.

Your Memory:

While you sleep, the brain changes short-term memories into long-term memories. You may find that not sleeping enough goes hand in hand with a bad memory.

Your Central Nervous System:

Not sleeping an adequate amount can disrupt the body’s ability to send, receive, and process information. Sleep deprivation will exhaust the brain just as much as the rest of you. It will affect your concentration levels and you might find it difficult to learn something new. It can affect your coordination, meaning that you are more prone to accidents. This can have drastically tragic consequences on things like driving, for instance. Your mental and emotional state will be in constant flux. You will have more mood swings and become far less patient. It will also affect your decision-making ability. If you have a chronic lack of sleep, you may even start seeing hallucinations or trigger things such as mania and paranoia.

Depression:

Lack of sleep can lead to depression. Having our mood affected in such a way can have very serious consequences. It may even lead some people to consider suicide or begin drinking or taking drugs. The irony is these habits negatively affect sleep even more. If this resonates with you, then maybe going to rehab centers may help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Your Heart Health:

The health of your heart is affected by your blood pressure. When you sleep, the body regulates blood pressure and helps to prevents heart disease. That means that by not sleeping enough, you may end up with heart complications.

Obesity:

Unfortunately, not sleeping enough may well be a contributing factor to obesity. Some people who do not sleep enough will find that due to their lack of energy, they eat more sugary or fatty foods to compensate. It is a false economy and does not work. Also, being overweight may cause you to wake up hungry in the middle of the night, resulting in more snacking.

A good night’s sleep, clearly, does a lot more than make you feel well rested every morning. Catch some Zs and let your body work behind the scenes to help keep you healthy.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct25

Improving Your Professional Image: 3 Mindsets To Integrate

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Improving Your Professional Image: 3 Mindsets To Integrate

Some people feel like they are not respected in their professional environment. When people are going for promotions, they may want to give themselves a makeover of sorts. It’s important to build a professional image, but you must build one from your own foundation. A solid foundation is integral to so many aspects of your life, from your health to your happiness, so when it comes to improving your professional image, you need a solid foundation to begin with. So what does it take?

Removing the Seeds of Doubt:

To go in all guns blazing, we’ve got to present a united front between our head, heart, and body. There are people who will look at you up and down and decide you do not have what it takes because there is just something about you that doesn’t scream the word “professional.” Sometimes, we’ve got to take a long hard look in the mirror and make over certain components. It could be to do with our style, or it could be to do with some aesthetic issue. The great thing is that there are many ways to fix the little things, dental services can fix teeth problems and a new hairstyle can completely reinvigorate you. But remember, removing the seeds of doubt is not just about the doubts in yourself, but the doubts from the people who will be judging you every step of the way.

Understand Your Shortcomings:

It’s important to remember that you don’t know everything. Many people who try to climb up the career ladder think that they’ve got to put on a front that they know it all and can do anything. It’s important to be enthusiastic but it’s also important to admit when you cannot do something. In many cases, if there is something you don’t know how to do, you can always find out how to do it. Half of the problem is that many of us think that in asking for help, we are showing signs of weakness. Weakness is a strength, and we can turn it into a positive.

It’s About the Job You Do:

If you want to get recognized for a promotion, you can’t be considered for the top position when you haven’t already proved your worth in what you are already doing. In order to look like a professional, you’ve got to be professional in your current role. If you do excellent work, people will always notice even if you’re not shouting it from the rooftops. It’s all about building a professional reputation. You have to make sure that what you do stands the test of time.

Improving your professional image is not just about the physical. It’s about the complete package. Work hard, never stop improving, and you will find yourself earning recognition in your work place.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct25

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Spires By Kate Moretti Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Spires By Kate Moretti Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing The Spires by Kate Moretti – without giving any spoilers away, of course. 🙂 The Spires was a fast paced read that I finished after a mere four reading sessions. Although it wasn’t my favorite, it definitely qualified as unputdownable as twists and turns seemed to happen with every short chapter. Now, let’s get to it:

Bland, rational, shy Penelope has been living her life on autopilot for the past year. With her unemployed husband not picking up any extra slack, Penelope has been forced to juggle absolutely everything – A demanding job, cooking, cleaning, and two children with tons of extra curriculars. She is run down, exhausted, and closer to reaching her breaking point with every passing day. But, with the arrival of a friend who she hasn’t seen in twenty years on her doorstep, her busy life becomes the least of her problems.

Willa and Penelope were best friends in college and lived with each other and three other roommates for a year after graduating. Willa was the resident life of the party in the renovated church that they lived in, which made her state at Penelope’s door startling. She was terrified of the abusive ex that she escaped from and needed a place to stay.

At first, Willa was a welcome guest in Penelope’s home. She cooked delicious meals, cleaned, and helped out with the kids. Then, things started turning very suspicious. Jewelry of Penelope’s began turning up missing, major boundaries in the home were being crossed, and photos of her life that she can’t recall anyone taking appeared in her bedroom. The worst part? No one believes Penelope, which leaves her questioning her own sanity and sinking further back into her history and the tragedy that took place in the church house.

With no one in her corner, Penelope goes at it alone and the secrets that she uncovers about Willa unravel her even more. In a shocking final stand off where it all began, the truth of the tragedy at the church house is revealed as well as one more grand reveal that will make your jaw drop. Will Penelope survive the show down? Read The Spires to find out!

What I liked the most about The Spires was its format. No one loves a back and forth setup more than Lil Red and this book alternated from Penelope in present and past day to present day Willa. The chapters were short and sweet which is what made it so hard to put down because just a few more pages would uncover even more game changers. And, we all know that just a few more pages means you end up reading fifty more!

While I enjoyed the story line of The Spires because it was different than anything I have read before, I wasn’t particularly fond of any of the characters. Penelope bored me, her husband drove me crazy, and Willa was SO annoying. Not feeling any type of connection to any of the main players made for a lackluster reading experience despite a riveting plot.

Overall, The Spires is one that you could take or leave and I am going to award it with five and a half out of ten stars. These stars were given for the unique plot and enjoyable format. Had I liked even one character, it would have been a much higher star rating. If you are looking for a quick read, give The Spires a try. If you are looking for something deeper than that, it is one that you can pass on.

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

Oct24

Bath & Body Works Haul

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Bath & Body Works Haul

Hello! When it comes to my beauty hoard, I like to keep it very well stocked. This means having at least two backups of my most used products on hand at all times. Johnny and I are both extremely partial to the hand soaps from Bath & Body Works so when I saw that we only had one left, a restock was definitely in order! Check it out:

Would I Buy Again?

  • Island Papaya: YES
  • Ghoul Friend: YES
  • Afternoon Apple Picking: YES
  • Blueberry Maple Pancakes: NO
  • Peach Bellini: YES
  • Let’s Get Nuts: MAYBE
  • Spooky Hand Sanitizers: YES!

Despite a couple of misses during this B&BW haul, I am still pleased with it. The Island Papaya was a huge success with Johnny who loves all things tropical and I am always happy to get another Peach Bellini hand soap – it’s my favorite! Afternoon Apple Picking was also a scent that we both really liked because it smelled strictly like apples without a touch of cinnamon, which we both hate lol. Now, let’s move on to the not so liked buys:

When I saw the Blueberry Maple Pancakes soap, I thought that it would smell amazing and was looking forward to its arrival in the mail. Unfortunately, it missed the mark big time. Instead of a delicious blueberry bakery scent, it just smells like straight up syrup and is almost sickeningly sweet.

Let’s Get Nuts is another scent that I could probably do without. It is your basic vanilla and, don’t get me wrong, I am a huge vanilla fan. However, vanilla can be kind of boring when there are so many other fun hand soap scents to explore. I actually didn’t plan on buying the soap but almost all of the Halloween scents were sold out so I added it to the shopping cart to make the most of the six soaps for twenty-four dollars deal.

The biggest success of this haul was not the soaps but the hand sanitizers! Last month, I got a coupon for a free sani and I absolutely loved it. The scent was nice and light and it made my hands feel clean without drying them out. Since we couldn’t get many Halloween scented soaps, we settled for the five for eight dollars spooky sani pack which is a great deal. Johnny and I are both currently using Vampire Blood and the only thing that would make it perfect is if we had the hand soap too – it smells SO good!

Hit or miss, you can never go wrong with the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. I am already looking forward to the next restock! 😀

What is your favorite B&BW scent? What is in your beauty stock pile? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

Shake The Holiday Time Stress – Plan Ahead!

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Shake The Holiday Time Stress – Plan Ahead!

Hi! While the holiday season can be the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be the most stressful. All you have to do is visit a store in October to know that the countdown to the holidays are fast approaching because Christmas decorations have taken over. Some people may thrive on leaving holiday preparations to the last minute and that is okay! But it is so not me and if that doesn’t work for you, either, try the tips below to sail smoothly into the holiday season:

Start Shopping Now:

One of the best ways to shake the holiday stress is, of course, starting your shopping early. In fact, I know some people who start shopping for the next Christmas with the end of season sales in January! You don’t need to be this extreme but shopping a few months in advance is a must. This will eliminate any anxiety about if your packages will arrive before your celebrated holiday. It also provides for extra time to return damaged or not as good as you thought presents.

Shopping in advance doesn’t just ensure that all of your prezzies will get to their designated giftee in a timely manner – it is better on your wallet too. Breaking up your buying between several months will also get rid of the stress of a huge credit card bill come January first!

Sort Out The Spread:

Maybe your holiday stress stems from having to prepare a big meal for the family and your guests. Although you can’t buy your food way in advance, there are some things that you can do now. How about sending invites to your holiday dinner that people have to RSVP to? Don’t forget to ask about any allergies! This way, you will know who all will be in attendance so you don’t end up cooking way too much or too little.

Once you have a firm idea of who is joining your holiday dinner and their food preferences, you can plan out your spread accordingly. It might not hurt to have some back up recipes in place just in case you can’t get your hands on a ham or turkey at the grocery store.

Know When To Excuse Yourself:

If you have a strained relationship with a family member or guest at your Christmas gathering, this can be a HUGE stressor. Develop a plan now for what you can do to protect your mental health if this is the case for you and practice it. This could be sticking with the cool cousins for the gathering, arriving after a triggering person has left, or simply knowing when to step away to compose yourself. You have every right to an enjoyable time and having a plan thought out prior to the big day will add a sense of security since you won’t have to wing responses or reactions on the spot.

The holiday season is a joyous time but can it be stressful? Big time. Plan ahead now to eliminate the mad dash feel. Then, when everything is in place: Sit back and relax – you have earned it! ❤

What are your holiday season stressors? How do you prepare for a family gathering? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct22

5 Tips For Creating The Perfect Jack-O-Lantern

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5 Tips For Creating The Perfect Jack-O-Lantern

Before we visit a pumpkin patch or farm, we might want to brush up on our pumpkin decorating skills. A well decorated front yard for Halloween is a joy for children and adults alike so why not go all out? If you are looking for an activity that extends beyond choosing a pumpkin and decorating it, which will happen too, then click here. Let’s get started:

Select the Right Pumpkin:

A thorough inspection of the pumpkin should include checking for soft spots. This is to make sure that you do not end up choosing a pumpkin that has already begun to spoil. Also avoid pumpkins with deep ridges and go for a smooth-surfaced one. At pumpkin farms, there will be plenty of choices as opposed to you trying to pick the best among limited options within a grocery store, when customers have already bought the best ones.

The design that you have in mind should also dictate the pumpkin that you choose. In other words, do you need a short and round pumpkin or one that is skinnier and taller in terms of its shape? Know in advance what you are looking for.

Prepare Your Design Before Applying to the Pumpkin:

Draw out your design and then use tracing paper to transfer it onto the pumpkin. This can be a design that you have approved yourself or that has been checked with someone else first. However, it is nice to surprise people by not showing them your design until it is carved on your finished pumpkin.

With your design, think beyond just a traditional triangular face and consider creating other Halloween symbols such as bats, stars, or moons. More adventurous still, you could attempt a graveyard scene or a spooky forest. If designing your pumpkin further down the line, perhaps at Thanksgiving in November, then think about alternative creations of say puppies, cats, or rabbits. Children tend to prefer animals because of their familiarity and the cute factor.

Know How to Hold Your Pumpkin:

It is a good idea to hold the pumpkin in your lap as you are carving it. This is the most supportive and safest way to carve a pumpkin. Have the right equipment of a serrated kitchen knife for the main carving and a small saw for the more intricate parts of the design.

Consider Shaving:

We are not talking shaving your legs or facial hair, but the alternative of not cutting right through the pumpkin with every stroke. Instead, sometimes deciding to just scrape pieces of pumpkin away to allow just enough light to glow through your open-design creations. It is always important to be patient when creating any pumpkin design. The best designs have taken much thought and a good deal of carving, and your other technique of shaving should make for a design that is more dynamic than it might otherwise have been.

Incorporating Scraps Within the Design:

Do not waste anything because you can incorporate your scraps or discarded pieces of pumpkin within your design. The ones that you do not intend to cook, that is. For example, you could make hair, a tongue, a pipe, or a chimney from these spare pieces. This will make your pumpkin into more of a character with a personality, a more sophisticated structure, or make it more three dimensional in form. You can be as artistic as you like, creating something for your pumpkin that merely started as a basic idea on paper. Think as creatively about your scraps as you do about the main part of your creation.

Turn your ordinary pumpkin into something extraordinary with the tips above and you will delight your whole neighborhood with your creation!

Oct22

Show Your Bones OOTD

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Show Your Bones OOTD

Hi! I have been making great use out of my new iPhone for exactly why I wanted it in the first place – lots of OOTD posts. 😀 Today, we are going to check out a spooky OOTD perfect for Halloween that I sported this weekend for a date night with Johnny. Let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Over the weekend, I got certified in Medication Administration which was a nine to five class both Saturday and Sunday. The location of the training was a decent amount away from the homestead, so I thought that I would get a hotel nearby to make it easier on myself. The classes were very intense and the only thing getting me through the day towards the end of the Saturday lesson was a date night afterwards.

After class, Johnny took me to a delicious Italian dinner at Napoli’s. Then, we headed to an arcade bar called the Buzzbin to play some games. However, when we got there we learned that there were no longer any arcade games there. Johnny immediately hopped on the case and we ended up at Rack It Up, which was another arcade bar in the area. We must have played ski ball for close to an hour – it was a hoot!

Whenever my husband and I step out together, we love to show out in our emo’s best. With spooky season upon us, I couldn’t think of a better time to break out my hand me down skeleton sweater from Johnny. While it was too small for him, it fit me just right. 🙂 All Black Everything was an obvious must for this look and to keep the wearing your insides on your sleeve motif going, I wore my vertebrae platforms a la Dolls Kill. It has been a while since I have gotten to wear them and they reminded me so much of the heels that I wore for my wedding. :*)

Although my Show Your Bones OOTD is quite simple, it was so much fun to wear because it felt like Halloween came early! As a short gal, it is important to me to create the illusion of length in the outfits that I style and I felt ten feet tall in this one. Rest assured that no bones were broken in the making of this post! 😀

What are you going to be for Halloween? Where do you find the best spooky themed clothes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct21

Simple Ways To Cut Down Home Ownership Expenses

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Simple Ways To Cut Down Home Ownership Expenses

Owning a home is a significant investment move. But, unfortunately, the costs involved do not end after your final payment. Whether you paid fully for your home or working with a mortgage, you will still face various home ownership expenses. Some of these are pretty much predictable, while others can take you by surprise. And unless you already have some financial cushioning, these expenses can be a source of stress. So, are you drowning under these waves of home ownership expenses? Use these tips to cut down on how much you spend:

Switch utility and insurance providers:

Suppose you’ve used the same home insurance company, utility provider, or electric company for over a year. In that case, it’s time to shop the market for alternatives, as you may be overpaying at this point. You will be pleasantly surprised by how much utility providers and home insurance providers vary in their price range. Take the time to check out other providers like Coverage Cornerstone (or a similar company in your local area) and compare their prices and other special offers they may have, and settle for the ones that give you the best deal in terms of service and price.

Try refinancing your mortgage loan:

If you have a mortgage on your property and it’s eating chunks off your income, then you might want to consider refinancing. Thankfully, getting a refinance mortgage quote is easy, as you can do it online. According to some experts, the average interest rate on a fixed-rate loan for 30 years is 3.14%. So, if your current rate is even a fraction higher than that, opting for a mortgage refinancing could help save you hundreds of dollars every month.

You can also speak with a mortgage broker to determine what rate you can qualify for if you refinance or get a refinance mortgage quote online. However, you need to note that refinancing may come with some fees. So, be sure that you intend to own your home long enough to recoup the expenses saved.

Generate income from your home:

An effective way to reduce your expenses is to generate income from your property. Depending on where you are, the size of your home, or your special interests, various options are available to you. One option is to rent out rooms in your home. You can also rent out spaces in your yard for small home dwellers looking for land space for their tiny homes. Another option is to register for short stay hospitality services like Airbnb or rent out storage space in your garage.

Find out if you can reduce your property taxes:

There is always a chance that your property tax is not being assessed correctly. And that’s not all, as you can also enjoy tax breaks for various reasons. Property tax is probably one of your most significant expenses as a homeowner, so it pays to find if there are tax breaks for you or if you’re overpaying.

^^^ Pexels Image

Saving money where you can when it comes to your home will save you lots of stress in the long run. These extra savings will sure come in handy for home ownership surprise expenses that can’t be avoided!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct21

One Year Duolingo Streak!

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One Year Duolingo Streak!

Hi! This has been a year of very exciting milestones for yours truly. I recently achieved a 1,000 day streak of writing in a row on lifewithlilred and, today, I have reached one full year of daily practice on Duolingo! Every day, I have been working on my French, Spanish, Italian, Czech, and German and I am amazed at the progress that I have made in all of them. If you can’t tell, I am a woman who thrives with a routine and it is so exciting to see my hard work continue to pay off.

Because I have six years of experience of being taught French in high school and college, it will always be my best language in terms of speaking, reading, and comprehension. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure how speaking my other four languages would go because I haven’t had the opportunity to interact with anyone who speaks them – especially in COVID times because Johnny and I haven’t been able to travel for our honeymoon like we wanted.

That’s not to say that I haven’t noticed big improvements, though. I am always tickled when Johnny and I are watching a TV show or movie and one of my five languages is being spoken. More often than not, I can get the basic gist of what is being said and it makes me feel very proud of myself. Now, the next challenge will be figuring out which language to start learning next!

For the longest time, I have answered the “What would your super power be?” question with being fluent in every language. It has been a time consuming task to achieve this without being bitten by a radioactive spider but learning on Duolingo every day brings me one step closer to that dream. 🙂

Which language should I learn next? Which languages can you speak? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah