Tag Archives: celebrate

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Hello all and Happy Valentine’s Day! For some of us, Valentine’s Day means a romantic date night with your significant other. And, for others, it means a hot date with your couch, pajamas, a box of chocolate, seven bottles of wine, and a chick flick marathon. However you spend your day, Lil Red has got you covered.

We previously discussed the perfect Valentine’s Day makeup for your Valentine’s night out. But, today, it’s all about kicking back and having fun. I absolutely adore coming up with V-Day themed posts and, this year, I wanted to celebrate the two polar opposite styles that are traditionally associated with the day of love. We already got glammed up together and now it’s time to pop a few (or ten) pieces of chocolate and belt out “Love Hurts” like our lives depend on it. Let’s get to it:

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Who? What? Wear?

Featuring: Mini Bret Michaels cardboard cutout!

Does anyone remember that scene in Legally Blonde when Elle gets dumped and she’s laying in bed eating chocolate? With smeared mascara and crocodile tears she hurls her heart shaped box at the chick flick on her TV and screams “LIAR” at the man professing his love. Yes? No? Either way, that was definitely the vibe I was going for in this shoot minus the heartbreak and running mascara, of course!

Yes, this post is about poking fun at the cliches of a Valentine’s Day spent alone but it also is about celebrating it! I, for one, enjoy my own company more than I enjoy being around most people. I had a blast creating the concepts for my V-Day extravaganza on lifewithlilred and I wanted to pass that along to all of you.

Many a Valentine’s Day has come and passed, some with a significant other and some without. And, if you happen to be without this year, so what?! I have always lived my solo dolo Valentine’s Days as the ultimate “treat yoself” occasion of the year. Whether that be going on a shopping spree, getting mani/pedis, or lounging in the comfort of your own home and ordering takeout – A solo V-Day doesn’t have to be a bad thing if you don’t let it.

Let it be known that if I weren’t in an amazing relationship right now, the pictures above are a pretty solid representation of how I would be spending my day. It’s actually a pretty solid representation of how I’d like to spend every day. Riding solo on V-Day? Take some notes from my photo shoot, pop in the Devil Wears Prada, sit back, and enjoy!

How do you plan on treating yourself for Valentine’s Day? What is your favorite chick flick? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Boyfriend

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Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Boyfriend

Hello! Yesterday, we went over some perfect Valentine’s Day gifts for the special ladies in your life and, now, it’s on to the fellas. I, myself, find Valentine’s Day particularly difficult to shop for when I’m in a relationship. I definitely don’t want to go overboard with presents, as we just finished the holiday season. But, I don’t want to purchase too little, either! It’s a fine balance and today we are going to look over a bunch of different gifts for your man for every budget. Let’s get to it:

The Classics:

Who says guys can’t get chocolate, too?! The classics for the girlfriend is often chocolate, flowers, and a bottle of wine. Give these ideas a masculine twist like a six pack of his favorite beer, chocolate with pieces of bacon in it, and beef jerky bouquets… Yes, they are a thing. Or, you could always go to Five Below and grab one of these hunky chocolate bars that I got for my beau:

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^^^ Lololol.

Dapper Dudes:

Does your man candy enjoy dressing up or have a unique personal style? Go with this and treat him to a new pair of shoes or a goofy T-shirt. Help him accessorize with tie clips, pocket squares, and cuff links for a suave touch to his OOTDs. Any apparel based gifts will make him think of you every time he wears it, which is the whole point! But, if you gift him with a hoodie it is partially yours, of course. 😉

Sports Fan:

If you’re in a relationship with a sports fan, an ultimate gift would be tickets to the next big game. Ballin on a budget? That’s okay! Plan a night in when the next game he’s interested in is on TV. Provide Super Bowl level snacks, cold drinks, and a positive attitude in case his team is losing!

Memorabilia:

My boyfriend is a music connoisseur and we both have an affliction for movies. So, this is always a safe route to go if your partner is the same way. Snag him a cool new band T-shirt, get a coffee mug with his favorite Star Wars character on it, your options are limitless! And remember, nothing beats a good old fashioned night at the movies, which would be a great choice if a flick he’s dying to see is playing.

From The Heart:

Guys appreciate heartfelt gifts just as much as girls and just might be better at not showing it. Frame some of your favorite pictures together, write a poem, or take him to dinner at the restaurant where you had your first date. There is nothing wrong with going the more romantic route and it could be his favorite gift to date.

Experiences:

Experience gifts often go very well for guys and you could go as big or as small as you wish. How about a weekend getaway in a cozy cabin? A winter hike with thermoses of warm spiced cider? Or maybe a trip to a local museum for your history buff? Either way, you will be sharing in a day together and that is the most special part about Valentine’s Day! ❤

And who says guys are hard to shop for with the tips above?!

What do you like to gift your guy for Valentine’s Day? How do you plan on celebrating this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Girlfriend

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Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Girlfriend

Hi! Valentine’s Day is getting closer and closer which can serve as a friendly reminder of the love you have for your partner OR that you are truly all alone in this world. 😉 I kid, I kid. Despite having a boyfriend, I think Valentine’s Day is a bunch of garbage and your relationship should be celebrated every day, not just on February 14th.

However, it will be nice to have a special day with my beau and I’m sure that those who are participating in V-Day are looking forward to it too. Frankly, I’d be hyped for Valentine’s Day even if I didn’t have a partner because it gives me the perfect excuse to drink wine and eat chocolate!

Speaking of wine and chocolate, how about we discuss some great gifts for the special lady in your life? And, be sure to tune in tomorrow when we explore some gifts for the fellas. Let’s get to it:

The Classics:

Some will find the gifting of the classics on Valentine’s Day lame or cheesy. However, I would be so amped up to receive sweet gifts like heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, a bouquet of flowers, or a good bottle of vino from my boyfriend. I find that the simplest gifts are the most effective and your ladyfriend will be tickled by the adoring gesture of a timeless variety of gifts.

Pampering, Please:

If you have a hard working, independent woman in your life, a treatment at the spa might be just what the doctor ordered. How about splurging on couples massages? Or a mani/pedi package for your princess? Pop some champagne, relax, and enjoy.

On a budget? No matter! Run a nice, hot bath with rose petals in it, light some candles, and turn on some Barry White. It works every time. 😉

Hopeless Romantic:

If you are overwhelmed with feelings of love for your girlfriend, fiance, or wife and have a way with words, perhaps a poem or a letter would be the perfect gift. Nothing is more swoon worthy than reading all of the reasons why your boyfriend loves you and it is something that you can keep for forever.

Date Night In:

Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day isn’t about fancy dinners and posting your new heart shaped jewelry on Facebook. Rather, it’s about celebrating the bond between you and your partner. If you’re not into the hoopla of V-Day, plan a date night in. Cook a delicious dinner, don’t skimp on the chocolate cake, and play your lady’s favorite movie while enjoying a glass of wine. Beautiful.

Over The Top:

If you have the extra cash burning a hole in your pocket, plan a nice weekend getaway. You don’t have to travel far, two or three hours will do. But, a weekend together in a lovely B&B or hotel to celebrate the holiday is a definite treat. Look into Valentine’s Day suites or packages wherever you are staying for the best deals or a special gift from the location. New York City is a popular option for a getaway as there is just so much to do! You could see a Broadway show, visit museums, or opt for a spot of shopping and bbq in Soho for lunch. Wherever you go, plan at least one special date to truly take your Valentine’s Day over the top.

In this post, we explored different options for every budget to make this Valentine’s Day the best one yet for you and your partner. You’re welcome in advance! 😉 ❤

How are you celebrating V-Day? What are you gifting your loved one with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Valentine’s Day Card Call To Action

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Valentine’s Day Card Call To Action

Hi everyone! I often see people post different news articles about an individual asking for a bunch of cards in the mail for a holiday or birthday. I used to think nothing of it but, when the holiday season hit, I figured that it was the least I could do to send a little holiday cheer to someone who is down on their luck, struggling, or could just use a smile.

Now, every time I see a post on Facebook of someone with a card request, I happily comply and send some snail mail their way. I also like to publish it on lifewithlilred so a larger, world wide platform can be reached for those who would like to make a Random Act Of Kindness.

A few days ago, I saw a post about a 104 year old WWII veteran asking for an overflow of Valentine’s Day Cards. You can read the full article here and send a card to the following address:

Operation Valentine
ATTN: Hold for Maj Bill White, USMC (Ret)
The Oaks at Inglewood
6725 Inglewood Ave.
Stockton, CA 95207

I hope that Maj. White enjoys his Valentine’s Day and the influx of cards that he is sure to receive. He is going to keep every single one and it makes me happy that one of them is going to be mine! 🙂

How do you do Random Acts Of Kindness throughout the day? What is a Random Act Of Kindness that you have received recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Ultimate Gift Guide For The Love Of Your Life

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The Ultimate Gift Guide For The Love Of Your Life

You might think that Christmas has only just said goodbye for another year, but you will need to get your gift giving juices flowing again as Valentine’s Day is creeping up on the horizon. If you are in the throes of love, then chances are that you want to show your beloved exactly how much you care on the 14th of February. While those more miserable amongst us might be worried about the commercialization of the day of love, it is still pleasant to make your loved one feel special. Whether you are in a new relationship or whether you have been happily married for decades, take a look at these wonderful gift giving ideas:

Jewelry:

There can’t be many more romantic gifts than jewelry for your loved one. You might choose to go down a relatively traditional route and choose a ring or a necklace for your darling. Or perhaps opal bracelets and their stunningly unique designs might be more up your street. If you are tempted by a piece of jewelry, consider the colors that your beloved adores. White gold is very on trend at the moment as is titanium and rose gold. The more traditional diamonds and yellow gold jewelry items are still as popular as ever. Or, you might want to go the fully customized route for a one of a kind piece of jewelry on a website like Holts Gems. How special to have a necklace or ring that no one else in the world has! For the man in your life, why not consider cufflinks or a tie pin. Just because they might not be a big fan of the bling, something small and classic could make them smile on Valentine’s Day.

Experience Gifts:

If you are tempted to look for something a little more unusual or your loved one is a bit tricky to buy for why not consider a more experiential gift. Think about what your soulmate adores and think about their personality type. If your beloved is an adrenaline junkie, think about purchasing them a bungee jump, a chance to skydive out of a plane at five thousand feet or perhaps a driving experience would be more worthwhile. You could buy them a sand dune drive, a rally drive, or a lap around a track in a Formula 3 race car.

For those individuals who aren’t as thrill seeking, something more relaxing might be better. A spa weekend or a relaxing reiki head massage experience may light your loved one’s face up. Alternatively, you could book a weekend away and treat yourself to a couples holiday to spend some quality time together.

Traditional:

If money is tight or you are looking to save your pennies for a big ticket item, think about making your gift a little smaller. There’s nothing wrong with going down the traditional albeit slightly cheesy route. You could pick up a bunch of roses and a box of chocolates for single figures. The scale of the gift isn’t important, it is the thought behind it. You might even fancy whipping up a home cooked three course romantic meal for your loved one. These gifts are more thoughtful and special. Forget about the grand gestures and opt for the more romantic.

Follow this guide and you can be sure of a romantic and special Valentine’s Day!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hello everyone and a very Merry Christmas to all of you! No matter how you celebrate in the holiday season, I hope that it has been a happy time full of warmth, love, family, and friends. I have been looking forward to Christmas day for a long time now and I’m sure everyone else on my gift list has been too, so that I can quit badgering them to let me announce what I bought for them!! But, the time is finally here and I can’t wait to see everyone’s reactions to their presents.

Last Christmas, I was recovering from a horrible surgery gone wrong and couldn’t enjoy anything about the day. I was in an insane amount of pain and I may or may not have shit my pants while everyone was eating Christmas dinner… but that’s a story for another time. THE POINT IS, that this year I get to actually be mentally and physically present for one of my favorite days with my beautiful family and boyfriend and I am going to revel in every minute of it.

I am so thankful to be well enough to have a great day and my Christmas wish is that the same goes for all of you on your celebrated holidays or Christmas. As always, thank you for your continued love and support and happy holidays to all! Much love. -Sarah

How To Make Your Home Feel Like Christmas

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How To Make Your Home Feel Like Christmas

It’s winter, the days are shorter, and the feeling of wanting to stay inside and watch movies is getting stronger by the minute. Not to worry, most of us have had the winter blues at some point. Christmas is an excellent opportunity to get into the festive spirit, decorate your home, and invite friends and family over to enjoy the holidays with you. Here’s how to make your home feel like Christmas for your celebrations:

Make it smell nice:

Having Kindred Fires scented candles around the house can do wonders for getting you into the festive spirit. Feel free to change candles throughout the week, and try pine-scented candles as well as clove and cinnamon. Along with candles, if you have a real Christmas tree, the natural smell of pine will go beautifully with other Christmasy scents. Feel free to make your own candles if you’re feeling particularly adventurous!

Make warming recipes:

A delicious way to dine this Christmas is to create wholesome dishes that will keep you warm this winter. While you may want to save yourself for the big day, the Christmas period is a time for indulging so don’t feel bad for having a few extra treats. Recipes that taste particularly good when it’s cold include soups, stews, and roasted vegetables. Traditional recipes and comfort food can be enjoyed in abundance during this time. Try to cook this recipe for homemade chicken and drop dumplings, a delicious recipe that is both seasonal and harks back to grandma’s cooking.

Light it up:

Placing lights around your house will automatically give it a Christmas feeling. Keep the lighting warm and low, with soft lamps and candles rather than overhead lighting. Outdoor lights will go wonderfully in your backyard, especially when the sun has set and you look outside your window in the evening. There are many kinds of lights that you can go for, but consider using energy-saving lights, as the cost of lighting decorations and electric lights over Christmas can be very expensive.

Set up treats around your home:

Setting up bowls or jars around the house filled with Christmas goodies is a nice way to enjoy some sweet treats while also functioning as decoration. Cute ideas include filling these bowls or jars with candy canes, chocolate coins, and marshmallows. Having these treats on hand is great when you’re making hot chocolate, as you can grab a couple of marshmallows or chocolate pieces to add on top.

Blankets, throws, and cushions:

Staying cozy at home with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate or mulled cider automatically makes me feel Christmasy. Having blankets and throws on your couch adds a nice winter feel, especially if you are lucky enough to have a natural fire. Thick knit blankets and woolen cushion covers are both comfy and fashionable additions to your interior design.

Spending time with loved ones is the best way to enjoy Christmas. After all, that’s what the season is all about. How ever you choose to enjoy the winter period, keep it festive with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Gorgeous Gifts For The Girls In Your Life

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Gorgeous Gifts For The Girls In Your Life

Gift giving is an excellent way to show love and appreciation to those that are important in your life, especially at Christmas time. Of course, for the genuinely special loved ones such as the female friends in your life, pre-bought gift sets just aren’t going to cut it! Instead, you will want something more thoughtful and personal. Fortunately, we’ve given this matter some thought and came up with some suggestions. The best of which you can read below:

Flowers:

Flowers aren’t just for romantic couples. In fact, they have traditionally been given as a token of affection of friendship for hundreds of years. Something that makes them an excellent choice for a gift that shows the girls in your life how much you care. There are several options to consider when gifting flowers too, like having an elaborate display delivered to a friend’s work or bringing a single bloom when you visit their home.

You may even wish to get deeper into the language of flowers if you’d like to convey even more meaning. For example, as you can see from the post at thelanguageofflowers.com a bouquet of yellow roses is a way to express friendship, while sunflowers demonstrate loyalty and longevity.

Jewelry:

Another popular gift for the ladies is jewelry. Of course, you do not have to spend a fortune to find a piece that your friends will love. In fact, you will find that there are numerous sites online that provide personalized pieces of jewelry at a reasonable price. You can then use a guide like the one at rogersandhollands.com to select a birthstone or engraving that can be customized to your choice. Thus giving you the perfect opportunity not just to get something beautiful, but to get a gift that is meaningful and lasting, as well.

Something personalized to their interests:

One of the best ways you can show your friends how much you care for them is to choose them a gift that is based on their own interests and passions. The good news here, is that if you know what their hobbies or interests are, you can use the gift guides at sites like allthestuff.com to find a present that suits them down to a T.

Something customized:

Finally, if you are looking for a gift that is a lot more personal than something you can buy off the shelf, why not go for a custom item? There is a vast range of products to choose from that can be monogrammed or customized, including clothes, ornaments, purses, and even photo books and calendars.

That is not the only way to customize items, either. Actually, there are now some makers that specialize in creating art that includes images and words representing the recipient’s most favorite things. This being an option that means the person you gift it to will get a great decoration for their home. While at the same time will be shown how well you know them and how much their friendship means to you.

Show all of your favorite ladies how much you value their presence with the gifts above!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Cool Crafts: Personalized Card Making

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Cool Crafts: Personalized Card Making

Creating cards and letter writing is a lost art. Taking the time to make something with care adds personality to your crafting, something that cannot be replicated when buying cards from a store. That’s actually where most of the fun comes in, making a card that is entirely unique and took incredible patience and skill. If you’re just teetering on the brink of getting started and buying the various equipment you need, then take a look at these examples where card making becomes the perfect craft:

A mark of professionalism:

What if you could make your business card yourself? If you had the freedom, what kind of design would you use? When it comes to card making, it’s not just the normal greeting cards that you will be able to make, but business cards too. Right from scratch, you can decide the material so when someone touches it, they get a unique sensation. A business card made out of foam, for example, is much more memorable than typical card stock. Being able to make your own 3D designs so again, anyone who is rubbing their finger over it gets a different feel. And, rather than the typical rectangle business card, how about curved edges? Any colors, fonts, dies and materials, the choice is yours.

A bespoke wedding:

Wedding cards are, perhaps, the most difficult to choose. It’s not like a birthday that comes around every year, weddings are once in a lifetime. People who have been invited to the wedding will often fret whether or not their card looks extravagant enough and does it warrant being saved by the couple. Usually the married couple will only choose a select few cards that they’re going to save for the rest of their life along with all of the other wedding day memories. To make your card worthy of being kept and valued, you’ll need to make it yourself using Sizzix dies. These dies are some of the most detailed in the crafting world and there are plenty of them to choose from. Characters, letters, houses, animals, patterns and jewelry designs, for starters.

For your wedding card, you may wish to use thinlit dies, which are intricate patterns that are used to cut out the frontal design of your card. This allows the cover to be see-through and show a bit of what’s inside without opening it. The festive repeats, floral, seasonal, and mystical dies would go great for celebrating a moment of love and happiness.

Celebrating a milestone:

Normally, people get into crafting because they want to make a brilliant birthday card, which is fine. But you can use your crafting skills to make a card that marks a special milestone. This could be something like giving your parents an anniversary card for their 20 years together. It might be giving your daughter a card for her promotion at work. A moment in time where an achievement of perseverance and struggle is documented, acknowledged, and celebrated is perfect for making a personalized card.

First, you need custom dies which you can very easily order online. But what kind of dies would you need? For a promotion, how about the logo of the company they work for? For an anniversary maybe a picture from the photo album? Anything that relates to the focal point can be made into a 3D design with a custom die. Next, you should use materials and colors that match the event. Again, you could use corporate colors for the promotion card or the favorite colors of the couple. Ribbons and flowers are a great addition to personalized cards as a change of material and adds depth to the card.

Making a children’s book:

Children will one day grow too old to be read bedtime stories but, while you have the chance, make them a personal bedtime story. You can make up your own characters and story line to reflect the kind of teachings you want them to learn. With using the dies, you can make a 3D book which has lots of opportunity for interactive storytelling. Popup books are popular because they have moving parts, so you might want to incorporate that into your crafting skills, as well.

Handcrafted cards are incredibly personal and will instantly be recognized for the hard work you have put in. Start crafting a card and make something special for someone you care about!

(Late!) Father’s Day Story

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(Late!) Father’s Day Story

Hi everyone! I want to extend the happiest of late Father’s Day greetings to all of the daddios that celebrated such a special day. I also felt so inclined to share with you my Father’s Day gift purchase for my dad as well as a story about what makes mine the best of the best from when we enjoyed a family lunch this past Saturday. First, take a look at the hilarity that I got him for his beautiful garden:

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Not only does my dad have five hundred green thumbs, but he also has a fantastic collection of outdoor decor to add even more charm to his handiwork. You can only have so much of anything, though, and my dad put the kebash on anyone getting him more garden gnomes.

So, to solve the problem, I got him a surefire way to keep the gnomes at bay with the new garden statue seen above. Is it a T-Rex? Godzilla? Or something the world doesn’t even know about yet? I don’t know. BUT, this statue entitled “The Massacre” was a hit for my dad and everyone else in the family. My dad said that “only Sarah would find something like this” but I’ll give you all a hint: I got in on Amazon!

As I’ve said hundreds of times on my blog, my dad really is amazing. And, I was reminded of that when we went out to lunch at First Watch last Saturday. As we waited for our table, an older man gestured for his wife to look at me in all of my tattooed glory and she then proceeded to mean mug the ever living shit out of me. I didn’t know anything was even happening until my dad made a broad gesture and loudly exclaimed “Wow, Sarah, she’s checking you out!”

I was so tickled by this encounter because my dad HATES my tattoos. He’s constantly asking for me to stop getting them and to get laser surgery, lol. But, he hated his daughter getting treated like a member of the freak show at a carnival even more. I didn’t notice the interaction between this couple and, even if I did, I’m used to it. So, it was really touching to know that my dad is literally always looking out for me even when I don’t know it. And, although he might not agree with all of my choices, he still supports and protects me no matter what. #myhero #daddysgirl

How did you celebrate Father’s Day? How does your dad look out for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah