Tag Archives: birthday

Let’s Get Personal With These 6 Gift Ideas

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Let’s Get Personal With These 6 Gift Ideas

We give gifts on so many occasions throughout the year that it can be difficult to feel like you’re being original with your present ideas. Christmas, birthdays, and anniversaries are only some of the occasions a gift is required and as we all get older, it gets harder to shop for what our loved ones want. Cash gifts always feel so impersonal, as do vouchers, and unless specifically asked for, kitchen items can be a relationship killer. Rather than go for another jumper, tie, or set of slippers, you can do one better with something more sentimental.

So, how can you make gift-giving far more exciting? The best gifts out there are personalized ones, as they always mean something a little extra to the recipient. Everyone can see that a mug is a generic item, but when you plaster a photo of the family on it with a witty phrase it becomes something to be treasured. With these gift ideas, you can get a little more creative and a lot more personal with your present shopping:

1 – Glasses and tankards are very popular gifts for big birthdays or even retirement, so making them more personal with a beautiful engraving and going for crystal, instead, makes for a stunning, personal present.

2 – Photo gifts go down well with people of all ages. Mothers will always love cushions or blankets with pictures of their children on them. A photo blanket for their bed or the couch is as personal as it can get. Go for a canvas collage for the wall for grandparents, where the faces of their loved ones are in full view always.

3 – For the career-minded friend, a gift for their desk with their initials engraved on them such as Parker Pens are always well received. Do one better for your partner by monogramming a brand new, leather briefcase so that they can carry something beautiful and personal to and from work.

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Snazzy stuff!

4 – Every girl loves jewelry, so personalized bracelets and necklaces are a gift that is     appreciated almost always. You can also inject some sentimentality to your jewelry gift by adding tiny photos to an engraved locket.

5 – If you have a teenager who has just got their first car, why not splash a little cash and buy them personalized license plates for their car? Car gifts can be a little boring for men but something that is unique and helps them to stand out can be exciting, while giving their first car an edge over the others on the road.

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Maybe not “GOOD” but you get the point!

6 – Everyone loves a baker and if your mother or grandmother is a keen pastry chef in the kitchen, get them a personalized chopping board like this one. Practical in its use, they’ll be able to see it at all times and will always be reminded of your generosity.

Giving gifts doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t have to be expensive, either. It takes some thought and creativity on your part to give an interesting and well received present. Go all out for your loved ones and you’ll get the satisfaction of their smile when they open your present.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition

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Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition

Heyyy everyone and happy Monday! This past weekend was SO much fun because it was my sister, Kristen’s, 25th birthday! We had such a wonderful time celebrating and I was really happy because I got to spend her entire birthday with her. Kristen is unbearably hard to shop for, so for her birthday I decided to keep it simple and snag her some gift cards so that we could make a day out of using them. Which is exactly what we did!

I got Kristen a gift card to Sephora and to the nail salon that we go to, so we spent the afternoon girling out with pedicures and makeup shopping. Although I didn’t get a pedi because balling on a budget, I got to soak my nasty feet and sit in a massage chair while Kristen got pampered and we had so much fun chit chatting and laughing with all of our favorite nail techies. Kristen got the Hello Kitty pink polish that I recently got on my nails on her toes and it looked so freaking cute! I can’t say that about my feet, but I’m glad that her toesies are on point just in time for flip flop season!

After pedicures, we went to the mall to ultimately spend what felt like forever in Sephora. I have actually never spent that much time in there before and it was surprisingly really fun. We tried on different lipsticks and browsed through the aisles pointing out ridiculous eyeshadow or lip colors and figuring out the best way for her to spend her gift card. Kristen ended up getting a gorgeous new lipstick and an eyebrow pencil as well as a birthday gift from the store (a blush and lip gloss) and some freebies that she got from cashing in the points on her reward card.

Although I tried on some okay-ish lipsticks, I just ended up going with a tube of the Better Than Sex mascara. Kristen got it for me for Christmas this year and since I’ve ran out, no other mascara can compare, so it was a must to get another one! I was really happy because the gift card that I got her covered everything that she wanted and she also got some super nice freebies, so she walked away with an awesome Sephora birthday haul.

Once we were done shopping, I treated Kristen to coffee and then dropped her off at her apartment so that she could get ready for the evening festivities. Our night was a boozy celebration of going to get margaritas with her friends and then hitting the bars afterwards for some more alcohol related fun. AND I also got to ride in my first Uber, so that was really exciting, lol. THE DRIVER WAS SO NICE!! #ubereverywhere

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(The lovely lady in the second photo, Kelsey, will be featured on lifewithlilred soon so keep your eyes peeled!)

The day after Kristen’s birthday was spent nursing a very worthwhile hangover and celebrating at home with the family. I know I had a blast and it felt really good knowing that Kristen did, too, and I like to think that I helped make that possible! Now, I’m just excited for my birthday to roll around in June so that she can return the favor!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition! How did you celebrate your birthday this year? How did you spend your weekend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Birthday, Sister!!

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Happy Birthday, Sister!!

Hello everyone and happy weekend! Today is an amazing, special, wonderful day because it is my beautiful big sister’s 25th birthday! Kristen. My sister, my soulmate, my best friend on the face of the earth. Kristen is someone who my life would be absolutely impossible without. She is someone that I can go to for literally anything. To laugh, cry, complain, or just be there with to pass the time. My sister is one of the strongest women that I have ever met. Ever. She is a survivor, she is brave, and she has proven to herself and everyone around her that she can get through the worst of times and ultimately improve and better herself along the way. If that isn’t the definition of courage, then I really don’t know what is.

Kristen is someone who is kind. She is genuine, she has a huge heart, and she brings so much joy and light to everyone who she encounters. Her smile and laugh is contagious and her beauty is second to none both inside and out. If you can’t tell by now, my sister is my everything. I am so thankful not only for our sisterhood but for the friendship that came from it. You can have someone as a sibling and only view them as such, but Kristen is so much more for me than that.

From outings to the movies, shopping, the nail or hair salon, coffee, dinner, or just binge watching on Netflix, I treasure every minute that I spend with my sister. Don’t get me wrong, she drives me fucking crazy, but isn’t that what sisters do every now and then? And I promise you that she would say the same thing about me, but probably even more so!

The point that I’m trying to get at, is that I am so, so incredibly lucky to have my sister as, well, my sister. I love you more than anything, so here’s to you, you beautiful, fantastic, intelligent, loving, perfect girl. Happy birthday and I can’t wait to celebrate with you tonight!

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Happy Birthday, Kristen ❤

I FREAKING LOVE YOU!!

Happy Birthday, Dad!!

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Happy Birthday, Dad!!

Helloooo everyone and happy Thursday! Today is a wonderful, special, fabulous day because it’s my dad’s birthday!! Although my beloved father isn’t particularly fond of birthdays, I can’t not celebrate my handsome, charming, adoring dad here on lifewithlilred. There’s a saying that talks about how a dad is the first guy that a girl loves or something like that and it is so true because my dad is basically my number one. Let’s discuss all of the reasons why!

From a dry but silly sense of humor that occasionally results in laugh attacks to the compliments and approval that is always special when it comes from my father, my dad is the best. He plans the most wonderful vacations, he has two green thumbs, loves his backyard animal friends, and is always down to watch two episodes of Seinfeld in a row as a “double feature”. CHARLES has excellent taste in music, too. If you were to see him cruising around with his stunner shades on, chances are he’s listening to The Rolling Stones, The Black Keys, The Who, U2, and an abundance of other classics in a rock n’ roll lover’s arsenal.

My dad is just a cool guy. Seriously. So here’s to a man that makes me laugh, smile, feel increasingly warm with love, and, of course, some type of way! I love you, my daddy dearest. Happy birthday!!

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I LOVE YOU, DAD!!!! ❤

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! Today is a special day because it’s my mommy’s birthday!! As I’m sure that you guys have gathered by now, my mom is basically my best friend. We love to hang out together, cook, watch movies, go shopping, pet dogs, and play Scrabble. My mom is easily one of my favorite human beings on the planet and everyone who has the honor of knowing her feels similarly. It’s hard not to!

I am so thankful for having a mom who is as funny, smart, wonderful, and perfect as mine. Not to mention how caring, supportive, and encouraging she is. I can always count on good ol’ JANE to be there when I need to talk and am appreciative to have a mother who is a fantastic listener. No matter how my mom and I spend our time together, I always enjoy it because I am seriously in the best of company when I’m with her. I love you so much, mommy!

Happy Birthday!! ❤

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Beauty And The Beast Review

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Beauty And The Beast Review

Hiii everyone and happy Hump Day! Yesterday night was a fun one because my older sister, Kristen, treated me and my mom to a night at the movies to see Beauty And The Beast for my mom’s birthday. I have to admit, I was semi ambivalent because I had heard some amazing reviews, some horrible reviews, but mostly very average reviews about the film. But the remake of Beauty And The Beast made me eat my words five minutes in because I absolutely LOVED it. It wasn’t just me, though. My mom, sister, and what felt like the entire audience seemed to be in agreement that this film was really special. Let’s discuss:

What I loved about this remake was that they stayed true to the original cartoon and then enhanced it appropriately. With these improvements, we gained further insight into the backstory of Belle, the Beast, and the castle’s inhabitants. Some people on my Facebook newsfeed deemed these additions “pointless” but I thought that they were brilliant. Why would a classic film be remade at all if there were no changes made to it? If it was a literal live action play by play of the cartoon, I would rather watch the original any day.

Now, let’s all be honest with ourselves here. We all know that that was not Emma Watson singing. The autotune was strong for her – so strong that it sounded exactly like the singing in the cartoon version. I ain’t mad at it. Only a little! Another teeeeny tiny bone that I have to pick is that the British accents seemed incredibly out of place because they are in France, after all. I would have loved to have had the entire film done with really good French accents, but we can’t always get what we want. And, finally: WHY WAS BELLE’S SKIRT TUCKED IN ON ONE SIDE?! IT DROVE ME FREAKING CRAZYYYYY!

Okay. I’m glad I got that off my chest.

But really, though. It was a hell of a remake. It really was. And that’s saying something coming from me because Beauty And The Beast is easily one of my favorite Disney movies. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed myself immensely. The cast was so strong and complimented each other so well, which made each scene in the movie flow perfectly. I wanted more. I was honestly sad when it was over! The little tastes of the retelling of such a beautiful tale left me ravenous and if a sequel were for some reason announced I would probably cry from happiness.

It’s crazy, because when you’re a kid, you don’t really think about how intense Disney films are. It’s only when you’re older that you can look at the film and be like “wow, that’s kind of fucked up”. I mean, there’s an entire song in Beauty And The Beast dedicated to killing the Beast. And don’t even get me started on the turmoil that Maurice goes through upon returning to the village after Belle stays as the captive. Of course, the cartoons are sad. But there was something about seeing this remake after not having seen the original in so long that made me weep like a baby. The characters were so easy to connect to so all you wanted was the very best for them. And for Gaston to jump off of a freaking cliff!!

Speaking of, I loved, loved, loved to hate Gaston with every ounce of my being! He was so bad and so good and I was so pleased with the “Gaston” number in the bar because that’s weirdly my favorite song. And, I thought Monsieur LeFou was perfect. The combination of Gaston’s meatheaded nature and LeFou’s sass for days was definitely a fun twist. And LeFou is obviously better at seeing the good (or lack thereof!) in people for crushing on a total asshole!

All in all, I’m rating this movie with a ten to the ten, ten, ten. Despite me being nitpicky, I had a fantastic time at the movies last night and would happily go see Beauty And The Beast for a second time!

(And, as always, I have no rights to this trailer or featured image.)

So there you have it, my Beauty And The Beast Review! What did everyone else think of this movie? Which Disney flick do you hope is remade next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Disney UK

Accessory Story: Sparkling Snakes Edition

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Accessory Story: Sparkling Snakes Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Hump Day! I hope all of you are having a wonderful week so far and are looking forward to an exciting weekend ahead. When it comes to fashion, Lil Red loves it all. Beauty, makeup, clothes, shoes, purses, hats, and of course – jewelry. I have quite a staggering jewelry collection that I am just now beginning to appreciate. I’ve grown to love layering necklaces, throwing rings on multiple fingers, and stacking bracelets and bangles on my arms. This Accessory Story is an ode to two of my personal favorite pieces – my Sparkling Snake arm cuffs. Take a look:

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One of these bracelets is Betsey Johnson and one of these pieces is from the gift shop at the Akron Zoo. Can you guess which is which? Lol, don’t worry – I’ll tell you! The gold snake with the pink toned gems is a Betsey Johnson cuff that my mom gave me a few Christmases ago and the blue gem snake is from the zoo (which sounds so weird saying!). I am an avid lover of all of the fun, quirky, sassiness that is Betsey Johnson so my mom was spot on in gifting me with this cuff. I actually think she might have gotten me the bracelet from the zoo, as well, as a birthday present. So shout out to my beloved mama AGAIN!

When it comes to jewelry, I don’t do subtle and soft. I want loud, in your face pieces that really make a statement. And, honestly, what better way is there to make a cool, glam rock impression than a couple of gem stoned snakes coiled around your arm? I normally like to wear one snake for each arm and love breaking them out in the summer time when they can be fully appreciated thanks to tanks, tees, and crop tops. Not only that, but in the intense summer sun, you can only imagine how gorgeously these cuffs glisten!

So, how did my mom land on gifting me with snake themed bracelets? Do I like snakes? Not particularly. I don’t dislike any animal but it’s not like I’m going to go out of my way to get a pet snake any time soon! And also – HOW DO THEY PEE?! I wish that I could say that jokingly but I REALLY WANT TO KNOW!! But I digress. I actually think I pointed out the zoo snake bracelet to my mom and told her how much I liked it. Then, it must have been the same year that she gifted me with the Betsey Johnson one at Christmas because she had to have remembered how much I liked my birthday prezzie. Oh, mom! What a darling, perfect gal! ❤

So there you have it, my latest Accessory Story: Sparkling Snakes Edition! Does anyone else own any animal themed jewelry? Where is the strangest place that you have ever bought jewelry from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Gift Ideas For The Sports Lover In Your Life

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Gift Ideas For The Sports Lover In Your Life

Ahh, we all have a sports mad man or woman in our lives. But as much as we cherish their impact on us, they can often be the hardest person to buy a present for. You know that celebrating their passion is the perfect foundation for finding a great gift. Unfortunately, narrowing it down from there can feel like a minefield. So how can you give yourself a sporting chance of finding the ideal solution? Try these ideas on for size:

Enhance Their Playing Experience: There’s no doubt that playing at least one sport offers huge benefits to our lives. Your sport-loving friend or relative appreciates this more than most and is always seen with a bat or ball in their hand. So why not embrace their activities by increasing their fun? This could mean buying a new pair of shoes, football, or virtually any accessory. Even if it’s a fitness watch to help them record data regarding their activities, those additions will brighten their time on the field. From their perspective, that’s the greatest gift ever.

Celebrate Their Love Of A Team: As well as playing sports, your gift receiver is probably a fanatical supporter of their favorite team. Buying tickets to a game or a stadium tour is a great way to provide an unforgettable experience. Moreover, you can use this as an opportunity to show an interest in their passion by attending the event also. Let’s face it; you’ll probably enjoy it, too, even if it’s just from seeing the happiness of your giftee.

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Woooo!

Make Memories With Memorabilia: It’s hard to explain the strength of the emotions gained from sports to an outsider, but let’s just say it’s massive. This is often a love that follows us throughout our lives and that’s why we idolize those on field heroes. From the gift giver’s perspective, this is the ideal opportunity to shine. Signed memorabilia from their favorite star, such as from Domonique Rodgers NC State, is something that they’ll cherish forever. Or you could use a personalized bobblehead to immortalize the receiver as a sports star. Either way, those products are a guaranteed way to brighten up the home for many years to come.

Think About The Home Arena: Does the sports enthusiast in your life constantly watch ESPN? If the answer is yes, create an even greater viewing experience and the presence of your gift will be felt every single day. The possibilities will be dictated by where they watch it. However, the additions could include a projector, new seating, or a beer fridge. Whatever option you go for, a better place to entertain friends when watching the game will not go unappreciated.

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^^^ Excellent idea

Subscriptions: Your sports-loving friend or relative wants to feel closer to the action. Whether it’s a magazine subscription, an online streaming service, or points for their video games doesn’t matter. Buying a present that strengthens the relationship with their favorite sport can only be positive. Best of all, many of those presents are recurring monthly ideas. The recipient gets a regular reminder of the gesture while your payment for the gift will be staggered across an extended period. Even if you don’t particularly like sports yourself, that surely makes you a gift giving champion.

The world of sports is a vast one but once your gift giving ideas are narrowed down, the end result will always be a touchdown!

Featured Image By: Google Images

BevRAGE App

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BevRAGE App

Hey everyone and happy Thursday! So yesterday was one of my best friends, Danielle’s, 24th birthday so I spent the day celebrating with her. We went out for drinks and then spent the evening going out to eat with her dad (who coincidentally has the same name as my dad AND they BOTH have a mustache!) for her birthday dinner. It was such fun!

While we were at our favorite bar, Merry Arts, in the afternoon, a friend of hers told us about a super handy app called BevRAGE. This app essentially gives you cash back via check or PayPal when you purchase certain kinds of beer, wine, liquor, or mixers when you’re out at the bar or a restaurant or when you’re doing grocery shopping. When I woke up today, I just had to download it because who doesn’t love free money AND alcohol?!

I think that this app is completely genius, and now if you download it and use my referral code, we both get two dollars FO FREE! Here is the post published on my Facebook with the code for those of you who aren’t friends with me on there:

Get cash with the bevRAGE app when you buy beer, wine and liquor. Sign up using my referral code: HUOXPBBQ
https://www.bevrage.com/promo/HUOXPBBQ
Handy little app! Use my referral code and we’ll both get cash back for buying booze! Who doesn’t love that?!

Download and enjoy! Happy drinking! 🙂

ALSO: My pinup girl themed style swap collaboration post will be up this Saturday and I enjoyed creating it SO MUCH. I’d love to do a style swap collab again so if any fashionistas are interested in participating, shoot me an email at sarah.mush6794@gmail.com !

What are your favorite handy apps? What techniques do you utilize to save cash? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

ModCloth Haul

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ModCloth Haul

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! I recently just received the sweetest ModCloth Haul of all time – a box that went up to my shoulders filled with shoes for me! That’s right, I got FOUR pairs of ModCloth shoes for SEVENTY DOLLARS thanks to their end of summer sale. I stocked up on cute boots and killer wedges for a fraction of their original cost. I could not be happier with my purchases so take a look and let’s discuss:

^^^ PRETTY!!!!

My relationship with ModCloth is for the most part, nonexistent. Their prices just do not fit into my Lil Red Lifestyle of ballin on a budget so I just admire all of their gorgeous clothes and accessories from afar. I constantly lust over all of the prettiness that ModCloth has to offer and when the end of summer and winter come around, I religiously check the site to see when their amazing end of season sales take place. Usually around these times, the out of season items are marked down and an additional percentage is taken off, too. So, needless to say, when I learned that ModCloth’s sale items were an extra FORTY PERCENT OFF, homegirl just had to jump on the opportunity.

Jump on the opportunity? Psh, more like a pounce on said opportunity. I scoured the sale items and clicked on anything that tickled my fancy. After all, the prices were right! I ended up with two funky pairs of wedges, a penny loafer wedge, and my beautiful, beloved, gorgeous star studded booties. Said booties are actually what I would like to discuss today because there’s kind of a funny story behind them considering this was the third time that I ordered them. Let me explain…

I’ve been hungrily staring at these amazing booties on my laptop screen for the better part of two months. As soon as they got marked down, my mom generously offered to pay for them as an extra birthday present. As soon as “extra birthday present” traveled from my mom’s mouth and into my ears, I was on the computer and ordering the boots as quickly as my little fingers could. The boots arrived. They were perfect. End of story? Eh, not quite.

Literally three days after my order was placed, the boots were marked down further. *Sigh* So I had to do the old rebuy and return trick to get the better price. The boots arrived, again. They were still perfect. And the more expensive pair got returned. End of story?! Still no.

While browsing the sale pages, there they were. My star studded boots were marked down even further. *You’ve got to be freaking kidding me* Thankfully, I was still within the thirty day time period for a refund and was able to buy the boots one more time and return my current pair. The boots arrived, yet again. You already know that they were perfect. And that is the end of the story. The moral being: That I will do anything to save some extra moolah, even if that means buying the same pair of shoes three times to get the right price. #SMH

I have worn all of my new shoes except for my star booties which is funny considering the trouble I went through to get them. Reason being: It’s too damn hot in the AK-Rowdy to be marching around in skinny jeans and boots. So for the time being, I’ll march around in skinny jeans and wedges instead.

So there you have it, my latest ModCloth Haul! What is your favorite site to online shop on? What is your favorite ModCloth purchase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. –Sarah