Mar14

Monday Update: Versatile Blogger Award Edition

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Monday Update: Versatile Blogger Award Edition

Hellooo everyone and welcome to another week here on lifewithlilred. I hope that all of you had a fantastic weekend despite the fact that we lost an hour of sleep! I was a little under the weather over the weekend but I still had lots of fun so expect some posts about all of my adventures soon! I was recently nominated by my pal, Simon, over at sfarnell for the Versatile Blogger Award. I was pretty excited because this is an award that I’ve never been nominated for before. So thank you very much, Simon, and everyone be sure to check out his blog! With all of the fun blogger awards comes a set of rules to follow so check them out and then read up on some fun facts about yours truly:

The Rules:

  • Display award.
  •  Thank the person who nominated you.
  •  Share seven facts about yourself.
  •  Nominate up to 10 other bloggers.

All About Me:

  1.  This week is my spring break at Tri-C and unfortunately a trip to Cancun isn’t in my future. Instead, I’ll be attending an internship fair at school to interview for a summer internship! Fingers crossed.
  2.  My family has two dogs – a Golden Retriever named Gem and our newly adopted Terrier mix named Ollie. Now I have my heart set on getting a black dwarf bunny and naming him Floppy! I’ve been begging my boyfriend to get one for me for my 22nd birthday in June since Christmas! Fingers crossed.
  3.  At this moment in time there is someone knocking at my door but I’m not going to answer it. BYE!
  4.  My boyfriend and I just finished the three seasons of Wentworth that are on Netflix and are now looking for a new show to binge watch so if you have any suggestions, let me know!
  5.  I LOVE the Despicable Me movies so much and the minions and Agnes are my spirit animals.
  6.  I love to read and have recently just finished Room and The Danish Girl. Both were excellent and I’m looking forward to watching the movies soon! Now I am on to a book called Charlotte’s Story which is part of the Bliss House series. It’s very good so far!
  7.  I love all types of food. Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Indian, you name it. There’s an amazing Indian restaurant down the street from my house and I seriously think that I could eat there every day. YUM.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Versatile Blogger Award Edition! Thank you again to Simon at sfarnell for the nomination! What are some fun facts about yourself? Did you do anything exciting over the weekend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Mar13

Garden Party OOTD

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Garden Party OOTD

Hey everyone and happy Sunday! Last week you might have noticed that I had a very special guest blogger on Sunday’s post. Nida from Shopaholic Blogs graced lifewithlilred with her presence and did such a fantastic job that I asked her to come back each Sunday for the month of March. This week I asked Nida if she could create an OOTD perfect for an afternoon Garden Party and she sure didn’t disappoint. Nida came up with a gorgeous look perfect for a day spent lounging in the sun and sipping iced tea with a group of equally glamorous friends! Take a look at how Nida styled her Garden Party OOTD and then be sure to give some love to her page!

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Hello lovely people! 💞
As you all know I have been collaborating with the lovely Sarah from lifewithlilred for guest posts on her awesome blog!
When she came up with the idea of a garden party theme, I was thrilled! 💐
Who doesn’t want to get all dolled up to go to a tea party? 🍰
Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of celebs pair dresses with pants and rocking it so I wanted to give it a try! 🎉. You can make this look your own by swapping out the pants with dark skinny jeans or ditching the pants part totally and showing off those tanned mile long legs.  😘
So here you go ladies, my take on a spring Garden Party OOTD! Frosting anyone? Yum! 🍰
✨ Dress: Garage – Lace is so feminine and perfect for spring. 🌹
✨ Pants: Banana Republic – You can wear jeans if you want the look to be a little more causal.
✨ Scarf: Beech Tree – Silk and lace is a match made in garden party heaven. 💐
✨ Shoes: Max Studio – I love that they have a rosette on the front! 🌹
✨ Clutch: J Crew – I adore this sleek clutch! It has a chain strap if you want to go hands free and stuff your face with all of the treats. Hey a girl’s gotta eat!
✨ Earrings: Macy’s – I loved pairing these turquoise earrings with the soft pink and white in my outfit. They bring the perfect pop of color to your face. 😘
✨ Bracelets: Fossil & Tiffany – Lately I’ve been hooked on rose gold and can’t wait to add more pieces to my collection.
✨ Necklace: Fossil – Hearts in rose gold, what’s not to love? 💖
✨ Hat: Forever 21 – This floppy sun hat makes me feel like I should be at the race track placing some winning bets right about now! 💵
✨ Nails: Kinetic Solargel – This shade is called Pink Power.
  ✨ Makeup:
  • Moogoo tinted moisturizer in medium.
  • Kat Von D lipstick in Backstage Bambi.
  • It Cosmetics blush in Radiant Rose.
  • Bobbi Brown smokey eye mascara
  • Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Caviar Ink.
There you have it, ladies, my take on the spring garden party theme! How do you guys rock a garden party look? Let me and Sarah know right here!
Again many thanks to Sarah for this collab!
Until next time xoxo 💋
^^^ Thank you so much again to Nida from Shopaholic Blogs for creating a Garden Party OOTD for lifewithlilred! Make sure you tune in tomorrow for a brand new Monday Update! Much love. -Sarah
Mar12

Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!

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Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!

Hello everyone and happy weekend! Once upon a time, I had the longest, fiercest, and sharpest acrylic stiletto nails in the world. I loved them so damn much but unfortunately, the price of upkeep was just getting to be too much. I’ve been without my talons for a solid half a year now and I’m missing them something fierce. But here’s the rub, I really don’t want to pay for acrylics now that I haven’t been shelling moolah out for nail maintenance for six months!

I’ve been trying to grow my nails out to at least get them somewhat lengthy but I’ve been having a really hard time. After the removal of my acrylics, my nails were really brittle and would barely grow. Luckily, I’ve moved past that stage and my nails can and are growing. My nails start out strong in their effort to grow out but then they will reach a certain point and just get flimsy as can be. We’re talking that if I bent them hard enough, they would probably break.

I would really love some suggestions from the beauty gurus on here about how to strengthen and grow out my nails. I’ve been trying to keep my nails hydrated with hand creams like I’ve been told on Facebook. I also recently just applied a hardening base and top coat when I painted my nails over the weekend because my BFF said that that might help. I know that I’ll never get my real nails to be anything like my old claws seen below but I would love to at least have some length to them!

talons.jpg

Beauty Bloggers – I need your Help now more than ever so if you have any tips at all it would be so very appreciated! I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar11

iPod Picture Purge

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iPod Picture Purge

Hello everyone and TGIF! I have recently been informed thanks to a pop up on my beloved iPod that I am totally out of memory. Thanks to this memo, I can no longer take pictures with the built in camera. This is a problem because all of the low quality shots that I snap and upload onto the ol’ blog are compliments of my iPod. Unfortunately, this problem was a tough one to solve because I am a total funny picture hoarder.

I have pictures from years ago on there that crack me up that I just can’t bear to part with. However, through the process of elimination, I was able to find a few memes that I decided to throw on to my blog so it won’t be like completely deleting them! Take a look at some of the pics that never fail to make me laugh and that (sadly) won’t be part of my iPod memory bank any longer:

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^^^ Omg. I love this slide show setting! How handy!

Okay… So maybe they’re not that funny but they still get me every time! I hope that some of these were able to make you laugh and that you’re all having a great start to your Friday! What is everyone up to this weekend? Any big plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar10

Facebook Buy/Sell Groups

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Facebook Buy/Sell Groups

Hey everyone and happy Thursday! So I don’t know about you guys but I can’t stand clutter. Once I don’t find use out of anything from clothing to perfume to old childhood toys and jewelry, I want them gone. But here’s the catch – I’d love to make some moolah off of these unneeded items, too! I recently became introduced to the Buy/Sell Groups on Facebook and they’ve been working brilliantly for me so far, so let’s discuss:

I’ve used and am still using the virtual garage sale app, LetGo, but I’ve found that items on there take forever to sell. Don’t get me wrong, it is a very handy little app and I don’t plan on deleting it any time soon because I do make sales on there…I just want something that’s a little more fast paced. I saw a girl on my Facebook newsfeed post about using the Buy/Sell Groups and how quickly she has sold her unused belongings on there so I figured that I would give it a go. All I did was search the Buy/Sell Groups on Facebook based on my area and then I requested access to the group.

By the next day, I was accepted to the groups and was eager to post some of my unwanted treasures for sale. I spent some time uploading pictures and descriptions of my items and before I knew it, my posts were up. Within minutes I had likes on the posts, comments requesting more information on items, and offers to make a purchase. In five days of my posts being up and running, I had made fifty dollars. Thanks to one lovely woman, I finally sold some of my unused perfume and another lady bought a Victoria’s Secret umbrella that I got for free with a purchase and have never used once.

Between my use of Letgo and the Facebook Buy/Sell Groups, I’ve made over one hundred and fifty extra bucks by getting rid of my unused items. I’ve been so pleased with my discovery of these handy tools because other than having a garage sale, I don’t know any other way to get rid of my unwanted but still somewhat valuable items. These virtual yard sales have also been my much preferred alternative to selling clothes at Plato’s Closet. I love it because I get to make the price as opposed to blindly accepting whatever they offer for the clothes they selected. Therefore, more money for me!

The Facebook Buy/Sell Groups really are the epitome of the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and I would absolutely recommend them if you’re itching to get rid of some clutter! I’m looking forward to clearing out my hoard of unwanted items even more and making a few extra bucks, to boot! What is your way of saying bye-bye to your unneeded belongings? If you use the Facebook Buy/Sell Groups, how would you rate your experience? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar9

Final Photo Shoot Favorites

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Final Photo Shoot Favorites

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! I had a photo shoot this past weekend, as you guys know from my previous two posts. I had such a blast being photographed by my darling friend, Britta, who has her own photography business, Britta Photography. Britta did such an amazing job and I’m so in love with all of the pictures that she took. So much so, that I had to stretch all of my favorite pics out into three posts. I’m here today to show you my Final Photo Shoot Favorites out of the many that Britta snapped of me. You can go on to Britta’s website or my personal Facebook page to see the entire album. If you do, be sure to give Britta’s page some love and send a friend request my way!

^^^ Obviously I’m such a fan of all of my cigarette pictures!

I want to thank my dear friend, Britta, so much again for the fantastic photos that she took of me. I am so in love with all of them and I can’t wait for you to shoot me again! And once again, if you would like to view the full album from my photo shoot you can check out Britta’s Facebook page or my personal page! What is your favorite photo that I featured on lifewithlilred? Do you prefer to be behind or in front of the camera? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar8

Photo Shoot Favorites

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Photo Shoot Favorites

Helloooo and welcome to some more of my Photo Shoot Favorites from my weekend photography excursion with my fantastically talented friend, Britta. I selected some more of the pictures that I was totally in love with to share with all of you today, so take a look! And then be sure to give Britta’s photography Facebook page some love and check out some more shots of yours truly. 🙂

Thank you again so much to Britta for doing such an amazing job at making me look good! It was so hard to pick just a few shots to post so be sure to keep tuning in to lifewithlilred and Britta’s photography page for some more Photo Shoot Favorites! What has been your favorite picture posted so far? What is your favorite location to photograph at? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar6

Welcome, Spring! OOTD

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Welcome, Spring! OOTD

Hi everyone and welcome to a very special Sunday post! When I got emailed from Nida at Shopaholic Blogs inquiring about guest blogging here on lifewithlilred, I couldn’t say no. Her blog is just darling and I knew that she would do an excellent job. My hunch was right, because she came up with a fabulous OOTD post to welcome spring weather to share on my page. Take a look at what Nida created special for lifewithlilred and then give her page some love:

If there is one thing I enjoy just as much as shopping it’s getting all dressed up 👗! I love mixing and matching different pieces in my wardrobe and getting the most out of my purchases 💵. Adding accessories like scarves, jewelry, and watches can really make your outfit pop!✨
Here’s one outfit that I put together just for spring 💐. Thanks to Sarah from lifewithlilred for giving me the opportunity to do this OOTD post on her awesome blog 😘!
I like to invest in neutral pieces that I can wear different ways and change up with a few accessories.
This look uses one of my favorite color combos especially for warmer weather.
✨ Top & Pants: Loft Petites
The ivory top is light, drapes beautifully, and goes well with the khaki crop pants.
✨ Scarf: Old Navy
I added my pop of color with a coral scarf that has embroidered flower accents .
✨ Blazer: Hollister
The checkered blazer is my way of adding a pattern to the look and gives my casual outfit a more polished finish. (Plus I am forever feeling cold so I always keep an extra layer with me to combat those chills 🌬)
✨ Shoes: Vince Camuto
I’m a flat shoe girl all the way. These ballet flats are super cushiony and cute.
✨ Handbag: Marc Jacobs
I love my tote bags! This is technically a hobo but carries just as much as a medium tote. Plus it has a cross body strap for those days when you want to be hands free!
✨ Watch: Mistura
This adorable watch has a wooden case and a real gold leaf and flower inlay. Perfect for spring  😘!
✨ Nails: Sally Hansen Extreme Wear in Strobe Light
I’m a sucker for all things glittery and sparkly  😍✨. You need at least 3 to 4 coats to get a real shimmer with this polish.
That’s it peeps! 💞 My spring outfit of the day! Hope you guys like the look and many thanks to Sarah for doing this!
Until next time xoxo 💋!
^^^ Isn’t she amazing?! I enjoyed Nida’s post so much that I invited her back for future Sunday articles. Thank you so much again for your adorable Welcome, Spring! OOTD, Nida! What is your favorite piece from your spring wardrobe? What is your favorite season to dress for? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
 * And once again, be sure to check out Nida’s page at Shopaholic Blogs!
Mar5

Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review

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Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review

Hey everyone and happy weekend! Today I’m going to be discussing my new favorite product, compliments of a Christmas gift from mi madre. I always ask for a supply of my beauty and skin care necessities for Christmas so my mom hooked me up with a new moisturizer from Trader Joe’s. I only recently started using my Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion because I’ve been in the process of finishing a Neutrogena moisturizer since November. Last week I finally finished my Neutrogena and began my TJ’s journey and let me tell you…I’m already hooked. Take a look at their packaging and then let’s discuss:

tj12

I’ve been writing about quite a few fragrance free products lately which is weird but I actually really don’t mind this moisturizers lack of a scent – especially because it has SPF 15 in it. I find that most skin care products that have SPF in it always smell like you’re lathering yourself up to get ready for the beach. My Neutrogena moisturizer had SPF 15 in it, as well, and you could definitely tell by its scent. When it comes to products that have any amount of SPF in it, I would prefer for it to be fragrance free so that’s a major plus for Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion.

When I am browsing the market for a new moisturizer, I’m always very concerned about the texture of it. I can’t stand products that are greasy, oily, or too thick. Lucky for me, none of these issues were a problem with TJ’s face lotion. The texture was so lusciously creamy and it actually was quite thick – I know, I know, I just said that this was a problem. BUT to me, there’s a big difference between a thickness that’s goopy and heavy and one that is nice and rich. Obviously, Trader Joe’s lotion texture was the latter or I would not be using it!

The final “must” for me when it comes to a new moisturizer or lotion is how well it absorbs. I have to say, I was very impressed with how quickly Trader Joe’s lotion absorbed considering that it is a bit thicker than what I normally would use. A quarter sized squeeze sunk into my skin in record time and it left absolutely no residue. My skin felt hydrated and soft and I was amazed at the way my skin looked after using it. My prized super pale epidermis (science!) looked like porcelain. My face looked and felt so supple and I was blown away. I’ve never used a moisturizer before that had such evident results after ONE USE. You can’t beat that!

Of course, I’m going to have to rate Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion with: five stars. I really can’t recommend this product enough, especially for those with a normal to dry skin type. I’m aware that the packaging says that all skin types can use it but I fear that it might be a bit too heavy for problem skin. But, I suppose a thin layer can’t hurt!

So there you have it, my Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion Review! Has anyone used this moisturizer before? What did you think of it? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar4

Let’s Get In Touch!

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Let’s Get In Touch!

Hey everyone and TGIF! As you guys know, I really want to reach the 5,000 friends mark on Facebook and I’m about seventy friend requests away from doing so! So here’s a little friendly request from me for you guys to send a request my way! By doing so, you’ll get to see all of my thoughts, pics, and rants that didn’t make it on to lifewithlilred. It’s also another great way of keeping in touch with each other. My links are as follows:

While you’re checking my pages out, please make sure you click on the ads from Twistfire Media that I have posted because it helps me get paid! All of the articles are super fun and interesting so take a gander! In fact, take a few! And if you like what you see and are interesting in signing up to post for Twistfire Media on your Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest you can let me know via email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com!

❤ THANKS!!!! ❤

PS: I have the pleasure of welcoming a fabulous guest blogger on lifewithlilred this Sunday so make sure you tune in for a very special new post! 🙂