Hi hi hi everyone! This past weekend, I enjoyed hanging out with my dear friend, Markus. He is actually my sister’s boss and has taken up a photography hobby a few years ago. So, when he contacted me to see if I could help him with a project for school, I was all for it. For this project, he had to use lighting to create a look for a business, beauty, and emotional style outfit. He also was able to work in some time to take some pictures for lifewithlilred!
I enjoyed working with Markus so much and it was such a delight to see how much he has improved since he began his photography journey. The featured image photo and the one below is a little sneak peek for all of my darlings. And, be on the lookout for an OOTD post coming soon!
What is your favorite hobby? How do you make time to practice your craft? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
When you’re decorating, it’s important that you have a good sense of balance and symmetry in a room. It’s also important that you’re considering the size of the room that you’re decorating so that you don’t end up with large rooms that feel too empty or smaller spaces that are cramped and uncomfortable. Often, the furniture choices that you make have a big impact on this, but that’s not the only thing to consider.
Visual weight is an interior design term that refers to the weight that an object or surface appears to have, rather than how much it weighs on a scale. Understanding how to use visual weight to your advantage when you’re decorating your home will help you design the best space possible. Read on to find out more:
Color And Material:
The first thing to consider is the color and material of things around the room. As a general rule, darker colors and materials have a higher visual weight. Red tends to have the highest while a pale yellow has the lowest, blues and greens are somewhere in the middle. That’s why a room that is painted entirely red will feel very claustrophobic and so will a room where all of the furnishings are red.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use colors with a high visual weight, but it’s important that you balance them with lighter colors, as well. The same goes for materials; using reclaimed wood in the home is a great way to get a rustic look, but it has a high visual weight. If you design a room with reclaimed wood on the walls and then fill it with wooden furniture, the balance will be off. You need to choose one or the other and offset the wood with some light furniture or pale shades on the walls.
If you need some visual examples, it can be helpful to visit a Furniture store in Rockwall, TX (or your local area) for inspiration. Browsing through the displays and fixtures in person can really help you start to picture your home in a different way. Be sure to snap pics as well as inquire about different color options to the staff for any pieces you might like.
Size:
Size plays a big role in visual weight so it’s important that you consider it when choosing furnishings and ornaments to put around a room. If you’re using thick curtains on the windows, for example, they have a heavy visual weight. If you combine that with a lot of large pieces of furniture, the room will start to feel cramped. If you wanted to have a big coffee table and some large armchairs in your living room, you’d be better off looking into blind installation rather than sticking with the heavy curtains, so you can balance out the furniture. When it comes to decorations around a room, you need to group them by size. So, if you’ve got a large sculpture on one side of the room, you need to balance that with something of a similar size, or a grouping of small objects on the other side of the room.
Transparency:
Any items that are transparent seem to have a lower visual weight, and you can use this to your advantage. If you’ve got a room where the walls and furniture already have a high visual weight, you can offset that by using clear vases or bottles to decorate with. This is also ideal for darker rooms where you want to improve the flow of sunlight and brighten the space up a bit.
If you experiment with visual weight and remember these rules when you’re decorating, your home will be stunning and guest ready in no time.
Hiii! Starting on Friday, I will be enjoying a long weekend visiting my brother and his wife in Atlanta, Georgia. I have been so busy for the past couple of months making up for lost time at work post surgery and now preparing for my move, so a little trip will be just what I need before my move in date the following weekend. While I am away, I would be happy to feature some guest bloggers on my page. So, if you have a post that you are particularly proud of or would like to create something new, please shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com! THANKS! ❤
Hello! Today is a very special day, because it is my big sister’s birthday! Kristen is my best friend and has granted me the gift of having two other besties – her boyfriend, Ramon, and my darling niece, Valerie. Together, we create a foursome of awesomeness and I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be surrounded by.
Kristen’s little girl is one month and one day old and it has been the most amazing thing seeing Kristen blossom into a mommy. I am so incredibly proud of her and I brag about her every chance that I can get. How can you not when you share DNA with a lady like that?! I love you so much, Kristen, and I can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Hellooo everyone! This past week, I treated myself to a new set of acrylics. The ones that I had been wearing for over a half a year or so were getting pretty flimsy and it feels so good to have some nice, sturdy new nails again. And, did I mention that they’re pretty?! I went with a springy color palette and am in love with the soft pink and shock of glitter that I chose. Check it out:
I recently painted one of my client’s nails with a pale pink similar to the color that I went with and I was obsessed. So, I decided that that shade definitely had to be used once I was able to get my nails done. Light pink is so lovely for spring and it reminds me of one of my favorite flowers – pink hyacinths! The gold accent nail compliments it nicely, too, and is reminiscent of golden foil wrapped chocolate eggs for Easter. 😀
And, as always, Elysian Nails did a wonderful job with my talons. I honestly can’t believe I ever went to a different salon, because this one is the real deal. Amazing techs, gorgeous set up, and fair prices – it can’t be beat and I am so happy to have finally found a salon that I love!
What color of polish do you have on right now? What is your favorite spring flower? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
They say we should treat our body like a temple, but many of us are very good at ignoring that advice. In fact, some of us behave more like our bodies are toxic dumping grounds and completely forget that the things we consume actually have a significant effect on our health and well being. Luckily, if we know what is good and bad for our body, we can make much more educated and healthy decisions. A topic you can read more about in the post below:
Liquids:
There are some things that are good to drink and some that aren’t so great for you. Of course, water is essential, as staying hydrated can not only help you be more mentally alert but can help your body function better all the way down to the molecular level! Be careful, though, because you can have too much of a good thing. In fact, if you go over your recommended daily water amount it can actually make you quite ill.
There are some drinks that you should try to stay away from, as well, or at least minimize your consumption of, due to their toxic nature. These include alcohol, sugary soft drinks, and even caffeinated beverages. You don’t have to give them up entirely if you don’t want to, but they all can have a dehydrating effect. Sugar and caffeine can also cause an increase in anxiety, while too much alcohol is not only bad for the liver but can seriously impair your judgment.
Products:
I know you’re expecting the next section to be all about things you should not eat because they are toxic, but before we get to that, we want to talk about the lesser known issue of products that we use that can have an adverse effect on our health. In particular, makeup, perfume, and cosmetics need mentioning here, because they are nearly always applied directly to the skin and so are easily absorbed by the body. What that means, is that if there is anything nasty in them, it will end up in you!
In fact, recently, there has been a move towards more natural and healthy products in the cosmetic and toiletries industry including non toxic perfume and paraben free toiletries. Using beauty products that are better for you has never been easier.
Food:
Finally, when it comes to food, there are plenty of things that can be toxic if you consume them. However, apart from the basic poisonous plants and berries, there are also other things that you need to watch out for. These include sugar which, while we love the taste is beginning to be thought of like a narcotic style substance that can cause many problems when ingested.
It’s also wise to be mindful of the containers you store your foods in, as some can leach out plastic molecules, which we then end up ingesting. This is something that can lead to a toxic buildup in our system and contribute to all sorts of health problems!
Treating your body as a temple includes being mindful of what you’re putting in it, so use the tips above to detoxify your lifestyle today!
Hello, everyone! Today is a fantastic, wonderful, special day because it is my dad’s birthday! I am lucky enough to say that my dad is one of my literal favorite people on the planet. He is a loving father, devoted husband, friggen hilarious, and is a man of many talents. From tending his beautiful garden to planning amazing family vacations, everything that my dad does, he does to picture perfection. I so appreciate this, because it has truly taught me the importance of a job well done throughout the years.
I cherish all of the time that I get to spend with my dad. Even just watching an episode of Seinfeld or sharing a meal together makes me happy and I am so going to miss seeing him every day once I move. CHARLES is the best dad in the world and is now the best grandpa in the world to my little niece, Valerie. I love you so much and I hope you have a great birthday even though you hate birthdays!
Hello, hello! All of you have been following my process of getting ready for my move into apartment life and I thank you for it. I am so excited and, honestly, I wish I could move in right now! But, my move in date of April 20th will be here before I know it and I’m happy to say that pretty much all of my preparations for it have been made. Of course, there are things I still need, like home decor – but I’d rather get all of that once all of my furniture is moved in because then I’ll have a better understanding of how I want to decorate.
During moving prep, my shopping hauls definitely helped me feel more excited rather than stressed out and my bedroom has officially been overtaken with all of my purchases:
^^^ So. Much. STUFF!!!
While I am feeling good about everything I have, I just know that I am forgetting some things and that is where all of you come in. Has anything been missing from my apartment hauls? What are some apartment necessities that I will need? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hiiii everyone! When I am making my schedule for work, I prefer to work two or three really long days so that I can have a few laid back ones during the work week. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my schedule and am going to keep it that way. But, the eleven plus hour days can get exhausting. So, when I am driving from client to client, I use my time in the car with my music to refresh myself. And, that is what this month’s Funky Time Jams are all about – the songs that help me keep going during a long day:
^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos.
When I’m driving and I’m kind of tired, my soundtrack is all about music that I can sing along to. I turn the volume up and I put my air on and I just sing at the top of my lungs and it always manages to get me bright eyed and bushy tailed for the next person that I’m working with. That’s why all of the songs above are more fun ones than my normal all emo everything. Of course, if I’m having a bad day, then it is absolutely all emo everything, though lol.
All of the songs above are ones that I know by heart and they instantly make me dance and I end up feeling so rejuvenated afterwards. But, it’s definitely not hard to feel that way after playing a little Pharrell or Duran Duran! Eighties music is another must to help perk me up and my car dance parties are honestly what keeps me sane sometimes during my super busy weeks. The power of music!
What do you like to play to help get you through a long day? What kind of music do you listen to to get you in a fun mood? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hiii everyone! In my neck of the woods in Ohio, there are several thrift stores called Abbey Ann’s. Rather than clothes, though, they sell furniture and unique knick knacks for your home. Going to Abbey Ann’s wasn’t even on my radar until my client’s mom suggested it and I am so glad she did, because I got all of the furniture I needed for my apartment for a whopping four hundred and thirty dollars. This includes the following:
Loveseat
Chair and footstool
Vanity and stool
Full length mirror
Coffee table
Two end tables
Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the goods right now, because they are all covered up in my garage. But, I will definitely take pictures once they are all set up in my apartment. What I will say for now is, that I was a friggen fool for even considering purchasing all new furniture for my apartment when I got SEVEN things for less than what one new item would probably cost.
People tend to turn their nose up when it comes to thrift and consignment shopping and, I have to admit, I can be one of those people. But, I know a well taken care of item when I see it and all of the pieces that I picked out were of such high quality that I couldn’t pass any of it up. Not only that, but the owner of the Abbey Ann’s that I shopped at cleans all of the furniture up and sands or polishes them to make them look like new. In fact, he had just steam cleaned the loveseat that I bought two days before.
I’m really proud of myself, because after furniture shopping I pretty much have all of the big necessities that I need and I got it all for a price that was a steal. Now, all I have to do is pick up a few more random needs and I will be all set for moving day. That wasn’t so hard, after all! 🙂
Do you have a store similar to Abbey Ann’s in your area? What is the best deal you’ve ever scored at a thrift or consignment shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
