Mar27

The Best Dress OOTD

Posted on by
Standard
The Best Dress OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This look is the second one that I shot all by myself on my tripod. I had every intention of doing some shooting outside, then I walked outside, froze my buns off, and promptly returned into my apartment cocoon lol. As I scoured chez moi for a Plan B, I decided to make use of Johnny’s guitar corner to show off one of my favorite dresses. This was a bit of a process because the lighting did not want to behave whatsoever so I was making adjustments here there and everywhere. I did end up with a few good shots, though! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: BCBG, TJMaxx

Word Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

As you can see, there really wasn’t much to this OOTD but I still think it packs a punch! I fell in love with this dress by BCBG as soon as I saw it during an online shopping stint with TJMaxx. I didn’t think I could possibly love it more until I tried it on! Once I looked in the mirror, this little number skyrocketed to one of my all time favorites because it is so different than anything else I own and the concern I did have went right out the window. As a girl with a bigger chest, I was worried that the black cutout portion of the dress would be “too much” and that’s something that definitely makes me feel uncomfortable. However, the funky 70’s print button down part of the dress balanced it out. Instead of having the key focal point be smack dab on my chest, there was a surprise pattern and it allowed the eyes to dance rather than settle.

In conclusion, this dress is perfect lol. I am genuinely enamored by the button down pattern and would so love to have it in a dress or shirt too. Not to mention how striking of an hourglass silhouette it creates. Can you say va va voom?! This dress makes me feel so confident and when you have something on that makes you feel that good, you really don’t need anything else. So, I popped on a pair of super fun word bubble heels by Lust For Life, a dangly pair of cross earrings, and was ready to model in front of a bunch of instruments that I have no idea how to play!

The Best Dress, indeed! Peep my TikTok (lilred6794) for more from this look and stay tuned for the Blooper Reel too! ❤

Do you have an outfit that makes you feel really confident? What is it like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

Floral Flounce OOTD Bloopers

Posted on by
Standard
Floral Flounce OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Floral Flounce OOTD! I have had a bit of extra free time on my hands (I will explain eventually!) and want to make the most of it. This has involved a lot of housework and shooting a lot of content. I even made a TikTok and you can follow me at lilred6794 !! The OOTDs that I have created this past week have all been shot using a tripod. It is a process that I have been getting used to and it can be quite time consuming. Normally, I am done in five minutes when my blog husband takes my pictures! Despite being slightly annoying, it is fun to try something new and, of course, check out some yikes shots:

Lumbering back to redo the shot again

My arms were moving so fast they propelled me through the ceiling

The face of a woman who is FED UP with this process

Aw! That’s not so bad 🙂

This is lmaooo I look like Lord Voldemort!!

In case you couldn’t tell, I was genuinely pissed at this point lol

The Floral Flounce OOTD was the very first look I shot on a tripod in years. I think I might have done one or two tripod shoots a few summers ago when Johnny was out but you get the point. All I know, is that my conclusion after those shoots was that it sucked and that Johnny would take my pictures for forever lol. In the bloopers above, you can definitely see my frustration with the tripod process because it was annoying. That’s the only word I have for it: Annoying. Put the timer on the camera, run into place, strike a pose, evaluate the picture, rinse, repeat. And repeat, and repeat, and repeat. I must have done that at least fifty times and I was just done at the end of it.

But, you know what? It got easier! Since the Floral Flounce OOTD, I have shot two new looks with the tripod (Peep those soon!). The second outfit was still a learning process. However, I was ON FIRE with the third look. I hate to toot my own horn but toot toot! I had a plethora of shots to choose from in under ten minutes, I was able to place the tripod in the best position on the second or third try, and only had a few lighting issues to tend to. Not bad at all considering it took me a good half an hour to shoot the Floral Flounce fit. In fact, after my successful third tripod attempt, I found myself wishing that I had brought more outfits to shoot!

The moral of the story? Try and try again. I am stepping outside of my content comfort zone. The tripod experience is brand new to me and my own TikTok is something I never thought I would make. I’m having fun, though, and am proud that I decided to blaze a new trail instead of thinking of reasons not to!

Have you tried something new recently? How did it go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar25

Beyond Meat Veggie Burger Review

Posted on by
Standard
Beyond Meat Veggie Burger Review

Hello! Whenever Johnny and I are in the mood for veggie burgers, we tend to go with the MorningStar Grillers. However, we had the opportunity to try a new to us meatless brand called Beyond Meat. This “opportunity” was completely random. I have NO idea where or how Johnny’s dad acquired two big bags of the Beyond Meat patties but he did and bequeathed them onto us lol. My father-in-law is always ragging on me for being a vegetarian (It’s hilarious – seriously!) but he sure is supportive and provided us with the best veggie burger we’ve ever had at home:

^^^ You can check out my prep video on TikTok! @lilred6794 !!!

Meatless options have truly evolved over the years and Johnny and I have tried several that we were genuinely concerned was actual meat lol. I hate that!! In fact, the first time I ever tried a Beyond Burger in a restaurant, I had to have the waiter double check that that was for real what I was eating. Ever since that fateful incident, I have never had a Beyond Burger again. I can’t enjoy my food if I am worried with every bite I take! For a majority of my life, the meatless brands didn’t taste like the real thing in the slightest. It’s just what I’m used to, what I like, and what I feel comfortable eating.

I was a tad concerned that these Beyond Meat burgers would be a bust due to my preferences and, happily, that was not the case at all. These burgers were delicious! In stark contrast to the MorningStar Grillers, the Beyond Meat burgers were thick and juicy. The hint of flavor of a real burger was subtle and I appreciated that a lot for my own sanity lol. This also allowed for the toppings and the fluffy and sweet Hawaiian roll bun to do the talking. I put mozzarella cheese on my burger as well as a healthy dollop of Taco Bell Chipotle sauce. The end result was a flavor symphony and, boy, was it filling. We were totally stuffed at the end of the meal!

If you are like me and shy away from the “taste alike” meatless options, I cannot recommend the Beyond Meat burgers enough. If you are just looking for a yummy new veggie burger to try, I also cannot recommend the Beyond Meat burgers enough!

What is your favorite meatless brand? What are your favorite toppings on a burger? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar24

Floral Flounce OOTD

Posted on by
Standard
Floral Flounce OOTD

Howdy everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I had a surprise day off on Monday and I fancied shooting some content with my tripod. I had every intention of going outside to take some OOTD shots, then I stepped foot outside and it was cold AF. Lol, so I went to the limited “blank” spaces in my apartment and in the words of Tim Gunn a la Project Runway – I made it work! Check out this super cute look that is so perfect for spring:

Who? What? Wear?

Bubble Sleeve Top: True Destiny, TJMaxx

Bubble Skirt: A New Day, Target

Heeled Mules: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx

Lego Stud Earrings: AbbieDabbles

I have been enamored with the bubble skirt that I purchased from Target for Valentine’s Day as soon as I laid eyes on it in the store. A bubble skirt is something that I have wanted for forever and it has exceeded all of my expectations. It is just so fun, flouncy, and transforms any look with such a unique shape and lots of movement. I love that this is a piece that can be worn year round and I have every intention of doing so – starting with this look. My Floral Flounce OOTD is one that I styled in my head and I am pleased to report that it turned out exactly how I wanted it to. GREAT SUCCESS!

As the bubble skirt was a shoe-in for this fit, the question was simply what to pair it with. I had just the top in mind – a darling little bubble sleeve number by True Destiny. This top is an instant showstopper. From the vivid floral pattern to the fitted torso that explodes into huge bubble sleeves, there is no doubt about it being a statement piece. Regardless of the pretty pattern popping against the black skirt, I was more interested in the True Destiny top for the fit. As a rule of thumb for myself, I don’t like pairing two like items together – IE: Two bubble fit pieces. However, the fitted torso gave an excellent buffer between the bubble skirt and sleeves and prevented a giant marshmallow effect. 😀

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. To keep with a nice and lean leg line, I opted for a quirky pair of mules by Betsey Johnson. These mules are jam packed with sweet surprises like the flower brooches and striped heels. As the black skirt was a buffer between the bold top, it was no harm no foul to incorporate additional patterns on the heels. Between all of different dynamic aspects of this look, jewelry wasn’t necessary in the slightest. I popped on a pair of stud earrings made from Lego bricks and was ready to take pictures in my kitchen lol.

This Floral Flounce OOTD is FUN from top to bottom and I am in love with everything about it. I can’t wait to wear it out!

Have you updated your wardrobe for spring? What are some of your own fashion rules? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar23

Follow Me On TikTok!

Posted on by
Standard
Follow Me On TikTok!

Hello to you!! Well, everyone, I finally did it… I made a TikTok lol. This is something that I truly had no intention of doing. As you all know, I am a word girl through and through. I always have been so when video content started to become increasingly popular, I simply had no desire to even think about following suit. So why did I make a TikTok? It’s funny you should ask…

While I was shooting an OOTD in Johnny’s guitar corner, the pictures were being taken “live”. I had an inspired idea to put one of the cords from his amp around my heel and pop my foot. In my head, I was SO amped up and thought it was going to be MAGNIFICENT. It wasn’t:

Magnificent? No. Hilarious? Yes. So, I decided to post it on my Facebook and it ended up getting over one thousand three hundred views. Is that a lot? No. However, it wasn’t bad for someone who literally never posts videos and that’s when I decided that it couldn’t hurt to at least give TikTok a try. I created an account, I filled it full of old videos, and am pleased to report that I have… FIVE FOLLOWERS!! Lol hell yeah. 😀

I’ll be the first to admit, it lightweight sucks starting a completely new page. Then, I started to see the merits of making a TikTok for myself and that’s what inspired me to keep going with it. It’s kind of cool that I can give all of you a further glimpse into what you are reading about here on lifewithlilred. Whether it’s food or product reviews, a peek at the bunnies zooming about, Johnny playing guitar, or OOTD shoots, I am viewing TikTok as a way for people to get to know me better.

I’ll also be the first to admit, that I am by no means a videographer lol. Once a word girl, always a word girl. But, if you want to hop on my TikTok train – please give me a follow at lilred6794 because I can’t wait to get to know you better too!

What is your favorite social media platform? What is your favorite kind of content to view? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar22

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Posted on by
Standard
Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Hello everyone!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful, glorious day because it is my mom’s birthday!! My mom is my A1 ride or die bestie and is a shining example of a person who is truly beautiful inside and out. She is strong, courageous, and resilient – even in the most difficult of situations and it has provided me with a masterclass on handling life’s curveballs with grace. On top of being a total badass, my mom is silly, hilarious, and sweet as can be. From my childhood to present day, I have never seen her without a smile or a kind word for everyone she encounters and I try to model that every day. I always remember her saying that these words and actions can make someone’s day and I apply that sentiment liberally.

My mom inspires me to no end. Of course, I find inspiration from her in my day to day life, but in my career too. I would not be an Independent Provider without her expert knowledge and guidance and her teachings are so beneficial to myself and my clients alike. It is such a gift! My mom plays a major role in all aspects of my life and I always want to talk to her. Whether it is working through a problem, sharing good news, or chatting about the day, it is a huge comfort to know that my mom is just a phone call or five minute drive away.

When people age, they tend to say that they are “turning into their mother” like it’s a bad thing. My biggest hope and wish is that I turn exactly into my mother. In fact, I love it when I have a “mom moment” because I know I am well on the right track! ❤

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!! I love you!!!!

Mar21

Gardein Ultimate Chick’n Filets Review

Posted on by
Standard
Gardein Ultimate Chick’n Filets Review

Hello! I have been a strict vegetarian for longer than I can remember and my, how times have changed. Way back when, I feel like there was only MorningStar and Boca for “fake meat” options. Now, the selection is seemingly endless and I am always excited to try what’s new in the meatless market. I am especially partial to the brand Gardein and so is Johnny! Despite being anything but a vegetarian, he loves when I make a meatless dinner and that is a beautiful thing. During my last curbside order, the Gardein Ultimate Chick’n Filets caught my eye and Johnny and I couldn’t wait for a taste test. Let’s discuss:

When Johnny and I first made fake chicken sandwiches with the Gardein filets, we made them in the air fryer and it was just okay. They definitely weren’t as crisp as we would have liked and that left us less than impressed as the taste was kind of bland and it was a much thicker patty than our usual offering from MorningStar. HOWEVER, I had the last filet in the bag for a chicken sandwich last night and I made it in the oven because our air fryer basket needed washed. We should have made them in the oven from the jump because the difference was night and day.

Our oven cooks really fast so I had to modify the amount of time the filet cooked. Mine was in the oven for eighteen minutes with a flip halfway through and it was perfect. I made my sandwich with a Hawaiian roll hamburger bun, mozzarella cheese, and chipotle sauce. The end result was, easily, one of the best meatless sandwiches I have ever had. The filet was nice and crisp and the sauce and cheese combo was spot on. It was delicious, filling, and was the closest thing I have had to a “real” chicken sandwich since I stopped eating meat. My only qualm with this option by Gardein is the flavor because these filets absolutely need some dressing up and are pretty bland sans sauce. They do have a “spicy” option for the Ultimate Filets and I can’t wait to try them – I think they will be even better!

If you are a vegetarian or simply trying to add more meatless options to your diet, the Gardein Ultimate Chick’n Filets are a fantastic place to start. Just be sure to make them in the oven!

What is your favorite meatless brand? Where do you like to grocery shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar20

Treat Day Birthdays

Posted on by
Standard
Treat Day Birthdays

Howdy! Johnny and I are the proud Fun Aunt and Uncle to five amazing kiddos – four girls and one boy. We value our time with each of them so much and they bring us such an immeasurable amount of joy! Johnny and I coined the phrase Treat Day for our outings with the kids because that is exactly what it is: A day where we get to spoil them rotten. Our typical Treat Day MO is a lunch at whatever restaurant they would like and an outing somewhere fun like the zoo, an indoor amusement center, or trampoline park. We will give options or will go with whatever our little has in mind. This past weekend, we celebrated our niece’s sixth birthday with a Treat Day bonanza and she knew exactly what she wanted to do: Dinner at Chipotle, a Target shopping spree, and a slumber party. It was a blast!!

Treat Days are amazing, but Treat Day Birthdays just hit different. It creates not only a celebratory atmosphere but a day where it is literally all about your little and anything goes. This could be a great option if you have a kiddo, niece, or nephew with a birthday on the horizon so let’s discuss a few key components to make it the best day ever:

Gifts:

For our niece’s Treat Day, shopping was the move so we were able to gift her with whatever her little heart desired. I did, however, make a sentimental gift for her to be able to physically open up: A photo album filled with pictures of me and her, her and Johnny, and all of us together. It was a huge hit! Chances are high that the Treat Day location you end up at will have plenty of opportunity to make purchases there as extra presents on top of the gift of experience. This formula served us well this time around because our niece was able to make her own choices and select toys and crafts that she knew she would play with. It also eliminated the possibility of her parents taking on the task should anything we picked out need returned.

Follow The Leader:

Our eldest niece is such a little planner and she simply comes alive during Treat Days because of that. Johnny and I are literally making her plans happen and use the Follow The Leader approach to solidify that it is “her” day. Whether it is the order in which she wants to do things or changing plans on a dime like an impromptu craft break during a viewing of Moana 2, it’s all good! During the birthday extravaganza, I couldn’t help but utilize the “Yes, and?” model of improv back in my theater days. Kids change their minds, you might end up doing something completely different than what you had in mind, and? You just go with the flow!

Prepare Accordingly:

For our niece’s outing, weather wasn’t a concern because we were simply going in and out of different places. If you are having an outdoor based Treat Day, then I cannot emphasize this enough: Plan it well! This seems like a no brainer, but there really is nothing more disappointing than a plan falling through that you were looking forward to – especially for a kiddo. Schedule your outing on a day with no weather surprises and should the unexpected happen, explain an equally fun Plan B a few days before and the promise of Plan A happening when weather permits. Springing a Plan B after disappointment might make matters worse and we can’t have that.

And, of course, if you are having an outdoor adventure – pack accordingly too! Prep a bag with sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, snacks, drinks, and items of comfort if needed. Don’t forget to bring some cash too as you might need it to do a wagon rental, photo booth, or activities at the location itself like feeding animals at the zoo!

Johnny and I truly have Treat Days down to the T and we cannot wait for our next adventure with our favorite littles!

What is your ideal Treat Day? How are you celebrating your little’s birthday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar19

Airbrush Plush Review

Posted on by
Standard
Airbrush Plush Review

Hello! This past Friday, Johnny and I had the most amazing time celebrating our eldest niece for her sixth birthday. We wanted it to be the ultimate Treat Day for her and she gave us a grand plan of what she would like to do: Dinner at Chipotle, a shopping spree at Target, and a slumber party at our apartment. So that is exactly what we did!! After noshing at Chipotle, we shopped till we dropped at Target. Our niece picked out plenty of toys and a couple of crafts and it was so sweet that she wanted to play with everything and complete the crafts with us. On Saturday morning, we broke out the Airbrush Plush craft kit and it was seriously the cutest little project and the kiddo loved it. Check it out:

As soon as our niece locked eyes on the Airbrush Plush kit, she was all about it lol. Anything that comes with a unicorn plushie is an instant yes so into the cart it went! I was really excited to help her with this craft because it was so delightfully reminiscent of the DoodleBear. The DoodleBear was a toy that I had as a child and it was basically the OG version of the Airbrush Plush. It was a teddy bear that came with markers, you could color all over it, and then wash it and do it again. The Airbrush Plush had all the same sentiments and my niece couldn’t believe I played with something so similar when I was little too.

This kit cost twenty bucks and I consider it to be money well spent based on the fun factor alone. The ease of use and the fact that you can rinse and repeat the process only solidified that and it would be such a great gift or a craft to pick up for a rainy day. The Airbrush Plush kit came with an airbrush, four markers, and plenty of stencils in a wide variety of patterns. All Johnny and I had to do was put two AA batteries in the airbrush and our niece was able to handle the rest completely on her own. She had a solid idea of how she wanted her plushie to look and airbrushed away until she was satisfied, then added stencils to give the unicorn magic powers lol. Our hearts exploded when she said she was giving the plushie “rock n roll” hair!! We have taught her well. ❤

The Airbrush Plush fully dried in under twenty minutes, the cleanup was nonexistent, and I think we were all very happy with this purchase. If you were a 90s kid and unlocked a core memory with the DoodleBear mention, you will enjoy it just as much too. Highly recommend!

What was your favorite toy as a child? What is a really cool toy that your kiddo has? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar18

Are You Ready For A Big Change?

Posted on by
Standard
Are You Ready For A Big Change?

Hello!! Whether it is a change that is expected or not, change can be really hard. However, change is necessary and, more often than not, the risk is worth the reward. I have some big changes coming up in the next few months and despite feeling a little stressed, I am mainly excited! After spending a lot of time mulling over my decision, I was able to reach a conclusion that was best for me. Here are the approaches that I took that I found to be the most helpful and maybe they will help you too for your next big adventure:

Time Travel:

Are you currently feeling unhappy with where you’re at? Then, I invite you to time travel! Go back and think about the last point in your life when you were feeling fully content. What was your situation back then? What changed between then and now? Can you make the changes to get those feel good feelings back? When you can pinpoint that moment in time, you can really start to evaluate what was working for and against you. Even if you can’t make a huge change immediately to get your life on a more positive trajectory, you will have a place to start when the time comes.

Plan A, B, & C:

Of course, making major life changes requires a lot of planning. In my situation, I made my perfect world plan as well as several backup options that I would be happy with too. When you have a Plan A, a backup plan, and a backup to your backup plan, you are well set to implement them anyway you see fit. It could be a combination of the three or you might find that one plan has everything and you are going for it. Putting all of your eggs in one basket definitely means betting on yourself but, remember, sometimes compromises will need to be made to get you to where you want to be!

When You Know, You Know:

Does simply the thought of making a change make you happy? Or maybe you have a gut feeling that a shift in your life needs to be made? Don’t ignore that! No one but you can tell you what’s right for you so listen to yourself. What’s best for you might not be the decision a partner or loved one would make and that’s okay because it’s your life. Only you can direct where it’s going to take you so if you are experiencing that desire for change, work with it.

Challenge Your Thoughts:

A big life change can sometimes feel like a grieving process. You are switching up the norm and that can be difficult to wrap your head around. However, implementing a necessary change is going to be a lot harder if you are constantly going back and forth about it in your head. Be firm and confident in the decision you arrived at and challenge those wishy washy thoughts. This is why it is so important to plan, plan, plan because solid next steps can allow you to go forth knowing without a doubt that you made the right choice.

If you feel ready for a big change – go for it full steam ahead. You never know where it will take you but the chances are high that you’re going to feel a lot better!

Have you had a big change in your life recently? What helped you during that process? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah