Tag Archives: all done

May10

What Have I Been Watching?

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What Have I Been Watching?

Hi! Although there are plenty of ideas to help keep you occupied during this quarantine, sometimes there is nothing better than turning on the ol’ BOOB TUBE. Lol, we’re talking TV! My boyfriend, Johnny, and I have been finishing shows left and right and are always ready to start something new. This past month or so, we have been watching the following:

Community:

Hilarious six season comedy based around a study group formed at a community college. All star cast, witty dialogue, and so freaking funny that it wasn’t hard to finish a half a season in a day! Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a laugh.

Game Of Thrones:

Before dating Johnny, I had never seen one episode of Game Of Thrones until he suggested it and, believe you me, I was perfectly fine with this. But, that was until I saw one episode and realized what I had been missing! Johnny and I took a nice long break from the show after the intense Red Wedding, promising we’d come back to it in a little while.

A little while ended up being months on end but, thanks to the quarantine, we finally finished it and it was amazing! Intricate story line, twists and turns every episode, amazing action, and oh yeah… Dragons! Not a show for the faint of heart but definitely worth the watch if you can turn a blind eye to the more disturbing scenes.

Stand Up Comedy:

Before I go to bed, sometimes Johnny and I will watch a stand up comedy special. We have watched a lot of Peter Holmes and Jason Mulaney and it has been so much fun! I was never too “in” to stand up before and I’m still not but it’s a nice change of pace every once in a while. I have laughed till I cried so I guess you could say those comedians are pretty good!

Parks & Recreation:

After finishing Community, we needed a new comedy show to watch so we decided to both rewatch Parks & Rec. This show revolves around a Parks & Recreation department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana and it is a delight. Fabulous cast of Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, and more! No matter how many times I’ve seen each episode, I laugh. It is the perfect show to put on as background noise or a binge worthy way to spend an afternoon.

Saturday Night Live:

Johnny and I have been enjoying watching Saturday Night Live From Home. Granted, the first episode was a huge disappointment. However, the second one knocked it out of the park once the cast got the hang of it. It’s so fun to see how these comedians can get creative in their own homes to make these new skits.

Johnny and I believe that the producers are literally approving anything suggested from the cast solely based on if “it sounds funny”. And, I promise you, it’s all funny. Especially the music video from the past episode with a cameo from Adam Sandler! Love it.

Coming Up Next: Ozark

The next show that Johnny and I plan on watching is Ozark, starring Jason Bateman. Netflix recently released the new third season, which I have yet to see. I have seen season one and two and loved it. So, I’m looking forward to watching it again with my BOO and seeing all of the craziness that I see being discussed about season three. No spoilers, please!

What have you been watching in quarantine? What is your favorite TV series? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May4

Lil Red’s Book Club: Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep Edition

Hello! Before Ohio’s stay at home order was put in place, I took my brother to the library to get some books. I ended up picking out Doctor Sleep by Stephen King for myself and, since all of the libraries are closed, it has been sitting in my apartment this whole time. So I read it. And, let me tell you, I am so glad I did because it was EXCELLENT! Let’s get started:

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Doctor Sleep is the sequel to The Shining, which follows the infamous Jack Torrence’s son, Dan. Despite constantly being drunk, Dan still shines and every once in a while, he gets contacted by a little girl named Abra who writes on the chalkboard of his rented room. Fast forward, and Abra grows up into a preteen, Dan gets sober, and becomes a hospice orderly with the nickname of “Doctor Sleep” because he helps people who are close to death pass over.

Everything is looking good, until Abra becomes aware of a wandering group called the True Knot. The True Knot are a vampire like people who feed off of “steam” to help promote their longevity. What is steam? It’s the vapor that comes out of the children who they like to torture that are able to shine. And Abra? She shines a lot. So much so that the True Knot, lead by a beautiful viper women named Rose The Hat, picked up on her and they want her bad.

Will the True Knot continue to prosper from their evilly acquired steam? Or will Abra, Dan, and some unexpected friends along the way be able to finish them off once and for all? Read the book to find out!

Before reading Doctor Sleep, I saw the movie with my sister and boyfriend in theaters and was less than impressed. I loved the story line but, oh my god, did it drag on for what felt like forever. I believe it was just under three hours. So, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the book because I didn’t want it to be so drawn out that it read like a dryer manual.

Thankfully, it was the movie that was flawed and not the book because it was a wild ride. There was excitement with every turn of the page of Doctor Sleep and I found myself reading it for hours on end without feeling any desire to stop. The “good guy” characters were all just so likeable and I was mentally cheering them on the whole time. As for the bad guys? They were awful. But, I’d be a liar if I didn’t say that I was eager to find out what they were going to do next.

Doctor Sleep was an amazing read and my only regret was that I didn’t start it sooner. I loved it so much that I’m even willing to give the movie another shot! I reward Doctor Sleep with the prestigious ten out of ten stars and I can’t recommend it enough if you are a Stephen King fan!

What book are you currently reading? What did you think of the movie or book of Doctor Sleep? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr30

April 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

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April 2020 Finishes Pt. 2

Hello! The month of April brought me so many empties that I had to break our normally scheduled discussion into two posts. Ah yes, the stay at home order has been making me go through my products like water. So much so that I had to have a major online order with Amazon to restock, so be on the look out for that later! Now, let’s wrap up April’s finishes with the rest of my reviews:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Cactus Blossom shower gel: NO
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • Provence Beauty Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid serum: NO
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm serum: MAYBE
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm eye cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: I received some mini B&BW products as part of a Christmas gift and I wasn’t a huge fan of the Cactus Blossom fragrance. I am not a floral scent gal in the slightest and much prefer tangy, fruity fragrances and the Cactus Blossom was just a bit too overpowering for me. I will say that I love the convenience of the B&BW travel sizes and I got at least seven full body uses from one little bottle.

SkinLab Moisturizer: I love the SkinLab products and I am sure that you all have seen this brand show up on my posts many times. At twenty-five, I figured it was time to start using skin care with more firming and lifting power and I definitely got in in the SkinLab Lift & Firm line. I have seen a noticeable difference in my skin from using it regularly for the past several months and I can’t wait to get more from Amazon soon. It took me one month to finish one jar.

Provence Beauty Serum: I purchased this serum the last fateful time that I went to TJMaxx and I was less than impressed. First of all, the dripper or whatever you call it was broken so it already wasn’t off to a good start. And, the formula of the serum was just too thin to feel effective. It was a tad thicker than the consistency of water and I like something that feels more substantial when it comes to my skin care. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

SkinLab Serum: Speaking of consistency, I like the SkinLab Lift & Firm serum but it was too thick! Where is my Goldilocks serum that is just right?! I typically finished a bottle of the SkinLab Lift & Firm serum in under a month and that didn’t seem like the best value to me. Therefore, I began playing around with brands like Provence Beauty (But was still disappointed!). I probably wouldn’t use this serum again but I am looking forward to getting more Azure Lux serums from Amazon soon!

SkinLab Eye Cream: Despite not being a huge fan of the Lift & Firm serum by SkinLab, I love the eye cream from the same line. A little bit goes a long way and it takes me at least three months to finish one tiny jar. The sensitive skin around my eyes feels much stronger and any fine lines that were starting to crop up definitely got put in their place. I also can’t get enough of the gel like consistency – love that!

Although I had a few duds during April, all in all it was a very successful month for empties. And, as Ohio continues to follow a stay at home order, I’m sure May will be just as full of finishes too!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the products above if you have used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr29

April 2020 Finishes Pt. 1

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April 2020 Finishes Pt. 1

Hello! Being inside for a majority of the day minus going to work means that I have had ample time to use up a lot of the items in my bath and body and skin care stock pile. I have been taking plenty of bubble baths and am generally not wearing makeup during the day, so I now perform a skin care routine at night making my products go by even quicker.

So quick, in fact, that I had to break my April 2020 Finishes up into two parts because, yeah, there were that many empties. Tune in tomorrow for the next batch of finishes and let’s get started with Part One:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Pink Prosecco lotion: YES
  • Bath & Body Works hand soap: YES
  • Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water: YES
  • Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple shower gel: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Lotion: During Bath & Body Work’s last major sale this past winter, I stocked up on all of my favorite shower gels, hand soaps, and lotion. I got each product for a fraction of the cost and it was definitely easy to just keep throwing stuff into my little basket, lol. During my haul, I purchased a few tubes of the Pink Prosecco lotion and I love it. The smell is just divine, like fresh and sweet sparkling pink champagne – my favorite! It also leaves my skin so insanely soft and smooth it’s unreal. I got three full body uses from one tube of lotion.

B&BW Hand Soap: The hand soaps from B&BW have become a staple in my apartment ever since my first shopping trip for supplies last year before I moved in. The foaming formula means a little bit goes a long way and I have a bottle faithfully posted up by my bathroom and kitchen sink. While we are all, hopefully, washing our hands more often during the coronavirus panic, this is the soap for you. It leaves my hands feeling so clean without drying them out and the Peach Bellini is my absolute favorite scent. Margarita Time isn’t half bad, either! 😉

Garnier Micellar Water: As usual, a skin care staple in Lil Red’s world. It took me at least three months to finish the bigger bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: Anything apple scented is my favorite, so during my B&BW haul it was necessary to get all of the Winter Candy Apple shower gels! It takes me over one month to finish one bottle because it lathers like no other. Every morning, my showers are filled with luxurious sweet/tart apple bubbles and it doesn’t get much better than that!

Part One of my April 2020 Finishes focused on all things bath and body care so be sure to stop by tomorrow while we discuss the skin care portion! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? How about your favorite old school B&BW scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

March 2020 Finishes

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March 2020 Finishes

Salutations! So, for a lack of a better word, March has been crazy. Not so much in terms of having done anything exciting. In fact, quite the opposite as the coronavirus panic spread and self-isolation was recommended. With all of the extra time at my apartment, I definitely found that I went through many of my beauty products quicker. Especially considering that I wasn’t wearing makeup when I was just at home and would apply skin care as a night time routine. HENCE, we have a lot of empties to go over:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Hand Soap: I absolutely live for the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. They all smell friggen amazing, the formula doesn’t dry out my hands, and you can’t beat the value for the price as B&BW normally runs a special on them. The Watermelon Lemonade scent was the perfect combination of summery sweet and tart and it just felt good to use. One pump of this soap goes such a long way and it took me about two months to finish one bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: With all of this coronavirus panic buying, I am grateful to have my bath and body care hoard fully stocked from a recent B&BW haul. Their shower gels are my fave and I love anything apple scented so the Champagne Apple & Honey scent was a must. The B&BW gels are fun because of how much they lather and the crisp scent of a freshly bitten apple with sparkling champagne doesn’t hurt, either. It took me one month to finish one bottle.

Garnier Micellar Water: Lol, of course a bottle of micellar water was bound to show up eventually! I always try to purchase the bigger sized bottles if I can find them and the value is just insane. One normal sized bottle would last me about a month while the next size up lasts me three. And, for three to four bucks more, it doesn’t get much better than that!

IGK Hair Balm: I turned into an avid lover of the IGK Mistress hair balm after receiving it in one of Sephora’s Play boxes. I use it every time I straighten my hair, as it is a heat protector, and it leaves my hair perfectly sleek and frizz free with each styling. It also adds such a lustrous shine to my hair that definitely didn’t exist before I started using this product. It takes me at least five to six months to finish one bottle.

TBS Pore Minimizer: The Tea Tree Pore Minimizer by The Body Shop is one of my favorite skin care products and it is such a treat when it pops up at TJMaxx. I always end up buying the lot because I love the matte finish and how it helps shrink up some of my larger pores. If it was possible, I would use this product in my daily routine for forever! It takes me about a month and a half to finish one tube.

SkinLab Moisturizer: I love the Lift & Firm moisturizer by SkinLab and I have noticed a huge change in my skin since using it. Especially since I’ve been applying it more frequently compliments of my fresh face a la quarantine. My complexion looks a lot more radiant and hydrated and I can feel an obvious difference in the tightness of my skin. It takes me one month to finish one jar.

March was an excellent month for finishes and I highly recommend each product on my list of empties. Here’s to hoping that there’s not so many in April so I don’t have to write as much! 😉 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the products above? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb26

February 2020 Finishes

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February 2020 Finishes

Hi! After what seemed like five months of January, we are already at the end of our second month of the new year. I blinked and February was over but so much fun stuff happened this month! I had a wonderful Valentine’s Day weekend with my boyfriend, I was in a music video (More to come later!), and enjoyed some great practices at the skating rink. I’m already looking forward to what March has in store but, first, let’s check out my February finishes:

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Would I Use Again:

Why/Why Not?

TBS Treatment: I absolutely LOVE the Tea Tree Pore Minimiser by The Body Shop. This wonder product not only helps shrinks pores but leaves my skin with the most perfect matte finish, which gives me flawless skin with no makeup. The Pore Minimiser has always been one of my favorites by TBS and I was so stoked when I found it at TJMaxx. One tube lasted me about one and a half months and I am hoping that there are more available to purchase next time I go to TJs!

SkinLab Serum: The more I use this serum, the less crazy I am about it. This probably stems from the fact that I only get about three weeks of usage from one bottle. As someone who balls on a budget, I hope for a little more longevity out of a product, especially one that’s seven bucks a pop! I don’t think that I would buy this serum again unless I had no other options and am excited to try out something new once I finish up my last bottle of Lift & Firm.

SkinLab Moisturizer: Despite not being crazy about the serum, I love the Lift & Firm moisturizer by SkinLab. It takes me at least one month to finish the jar and I am really enjoying this cream while it’s still cold out because it’s a bit heavier. Although the consistency is thicker than what I normally use, this moisturizer absorbs quickly, sits well under makeup, and I highly recommend it.

Not too many empties this month, but I just have a feeling that there will be a ton in March so get ready for it!

Which products did you use up this month? What is your favorite serum? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan30

January 2020 Finishes

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January 2020 Finishes

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Finishes post of 2020! Can you believe that we’re already one month into the new year? Crazy! January has been a very busy month for me and I, for one, am looking forward to things slowing down after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Thanks to many TJMaxx gift cards for Christmas, I completely restocked my skin care hoard. But, thanks to many agonizingly long days in January, I did not get to pamper myself as much as I would like – resulting in a minimal amount of empties. Check it out:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: I absolutely LOVE the shower gel from Bath & Body Works. They always smell delicious, they lather well, and a little of it goes a long way. It took me over one month to finish one bottle and you can’t beat that. The Fresh Sparkling Snow scent was so crisp and invigorating that it felt like you were breathing in a gust of winter air every time you popped the lid. This scent is a perfect example of a holiday fragrance that isn’t overpowering and I wish I had more of it!

SkinLab Serum: At twenty-five years old, I figure that it is high time to start a skin care regimen that emphasizes lifting and firming. So, the Lift & Firm Treatment Serum by SkinLab was an obvious choice! I use this serum along with the moisturizer and eye cream from the same line and I have definitely noticed a difference in the tightness of my skin during the past month.

My only qualm with this product is the fact that it runs thicker than the serums that I am used to using. Normally, it takes me over a month to finish one bottle of serum and this SkinLab one was finished in about three weeks. I am not thrilled about that because I like getting the most bang for my buck. However, I have two more bottles to get through and am going to try and ration them better this time around.

SkinLab Eye Cream: The Hydrate & Replenish Eye Cream by SkinLab rocks! I love hydra gel formulas and this cream was perfect for the sensitive skin around your eyes. Despite being in a tiny jar, it took me at least three months to finish it up. It sat so well under makeup and it really did leave the exposed skin around my peepers feeling completely nourished. I would use this eye cream again in a heartbeat.

Although I didn’t have many empties in January, all of them were ones that I was pleased with and would recommend. Now, here’s to a less busy February so I can work in a bit more pampering!

Which products did you finish up this month? What is your skin care regimen like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec31

December 2019 Finishes

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December 2019 Finishes

Good morning and we interrupt the normal scheduling of the Holiday Haul to bring you the last monthly finishes post of 2019! December was an excellent month for using up some long term products that I’ve been working on and I love being able to start something new after a two or three month run. So take a look at my empties and let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Softsoap Body Wash: I never understood why people spend a buttload of money on body washes when there are brands like Softsoap available for three dollars a bottle. I loved the pomegranate and mango scent, the moisturizing beads, and how it lathers so well. This body wash was so invigorating to use during my morning shower and it took me over one month to finish the bottle.

Garnier Micellar Water: We all know that I love my Garnier micellar water and I’ll be using it for forever, I reckon. The big bottle, which costs about twelve dollars, lasts me three months while the smaller one for around seven gets used up in one. Talk about a great value!

Clean & Clear Cleanser: I liked the Clean & Clear Morning Burst cleanser a lot. It always helped wake me up in the morning, it lathered well, and my skin would feel so fresh but not overly dry after using it. It took me at least two months to finish one bottle and I would happily use it again.

Provence Beauty Serum: This serum was a TJMaxx purchase and it lasted me a little over one month. I loved how the serum’s consistency was very liquidy because one dropper full was enough to cover my whole face and neck. Sometimes, you have to use a lot more when the consistency is thicker. The faint scent of orange in the serum was nice and it always seemed to rejuvenate my tired skin in the morning.

SkinLab Moisturizer: I absolutely love the SkinLab moisturizers and have been using them pretty exclusively for the past handful of months. The Detox Cloud moisturizer was a thicker texture but it never felt too heavy and still sat well under makeup. It is the ideal moisturizer to use during the winter months when dry skin can be a problem and it took me one month to finish one jar.

Laneige Sleeping Mask: This mini jar was a sample from Sephora and I was surprised that I was able to get at least six uses on my full face and neck from such a tiny container. I didn’t love this sleeping mask but I didn’t hate it. To me, it didn’t pack enough of a super hydrating punch but if the freebie option for it was available again I would probably go for it.

This was the perfect month of finishes to end the year on because every product was successful in their own ways. This is Lil Red’s last post of 2019 but I’ll catch you all tomorrow in 2020 for more of the latest and greatest!

Which products did you use up this month? How are you ringing in the new year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec14

TJMaxx Haul

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TJMaxx Haul

Hello! My last holiday shopping to accomplish was for my boyfriend’s parents so I hit up TJMaxx during my free time to find something for them. I ended up with a lovely Starbucks gift set for them as well as a little something something for my cousin and some skin care for myself. Check it out:

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There is nothing better than a nice, warm cup of hot chocolate during the winter and when I saw the gift set above I thought it was the perfect present to surprise the rents with. Along with a delicious combo of peppermint and double chocolate hot chocolate, the gift set included two Starbucks logo mugs which will be ideal for their morning coffee as well as the hot cocoa. I don’t know my boyfriend’s parents too well yet but you can’t go wrong with a holiday themed box set so hopefully they like it!

I also gifted my Boston Terrier crazy cousin with a dog shaped cookie jar filled with holiday cookies. He looks oh so dapper in his shades and tie! My cousin, Laura, in Pittsburgh is my go to for microblading and she always does so much for me when I come to visit so it was the least I can do for the next time I pop up. I know her and her boyfriend and their two precious Boston Terriers will love it and TJMaxx always has the cutest themed decor for that specific breed for those interested.

And, finally, I needed a new moisturizer and serum in my life so I went with the SkinLab lift and firm serum and moisturizer combo to keep my mug looking young, fresh, and hydrated all winter long!

My holiday shopping is officially complete and now it’s time to wrap up my presents, get them to their respective owners, and enjoy the rest of my holiday season!

Are you all done holiday shopping? Do you finish your shopping early or last minute? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr29

April 2019 Finishes

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April 2019 Finishes

Hi! Another fun filled month has passed by on lifewithlilred with a lot of exciting stuff that has happened – namely my big move into my apartment. I thank all of you for being so supportive and offering me advice and encouragement, it has been so appreciated! I really have the best readers in the world. And, with the end of another month comes our usual empties post, so it’s time to go over the measly amount of beauty products that I finished up in April. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Travel size lotions: MAYBE
  • The Body Shop Nutriganics eye cream: YES

Why/Why Not?

Mini Lotions: In my bath and body care hoard, I have an obscene amount of lotions that have been gifted to me or were freebies including the two above by CeraVe and Eufora. Both of these lotions absorbed quickly without being greasy and, because the CeraVe one was for babies, it was especially gentle which was nice after shaving. I wouldn’t go out of my way to by either of them again but I would use them if given the option.

TBS Eye Cream: We all know that I love me my Nutriganics eye cream and, sadly, it has been discontinued by The Body Shop. I am so upset about this because I’ve been using this cream for what feels like the past decade and the one that I bought from TJMaxx by Lanoline just isn’t cutting it. The Nutriganics eye cream was seriously the best. It was so gentle on the sensitive skin around the eyes but it was effective and sat well under makeup. I wish I could buy a ton in bulk so that I can continue my skin care journey with it, but it looks like that isn’t going to happen. Le sigh. 😦

April was a very underwhelming month for finishes and saying goodbye to an old beauty product companion is never easy. So, here’s to hoping for some fun products to discuss in May that won’t be discontinued in the near future! 😉

Which eye cream do you recommend? What is one of your favorite products that has been discontinued? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah