Tag Archives: favorite

May19

Liebster Award #6

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Liebster Award #6

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! I hope everyone’s week is going just swimmingly so far. Mine is going fine, thanks for asking. I am so excited to be nominated for my sixth Liebster Award here on lifewithlilred by my friend, Camille, over at Camille Shern! Her blog is a lot of fun so please be sure to check it out and give it some love! As you guys know, with all of these blogging awards comes a set of rules so check them out and then see how I answered the questions asked by the lovely Camille. Take a look:

The Rules:

  • Tag the person who nominated you and thank them.
  • Answer the ten questions you are given.
  • Nominate ten new bloggers and tag them.
  • Give them ten new questions to answer.
  • Notify your nominees.

Q & A:

1. Describe your blogging style in FIVE words?

Unique, humorous, engaging, fun, and quirky.

2. What is ONE beauty product you can’t live without? Why?

Red lipstick. Particularly the shade Pure Red from NYX. The bold red lip is my signature look and it makes me feel confident and beautiful every time I wear it.

3. If you were to do a makeup look for ONE person for the rest of your life, who would it be and why?

No one. I suck at doing makeup for other people. I can barely do my own makeup! 😉

4. What is ONE piece of advice you would give your younger self when it comes to beauty? Why?

That beauty is more about being confident and comfortable in your own skin than what your makeup or hair looks like. I think every younger person is always trying to fit in with the trends and what’s popular but it’s important to stay true to what you like so your own unique, personal style can be developed.

5. If you were not a blogger, what would you be doing right now?

I would be doing what I’m usually doing! Going to school, working, and being a baller.

6. What is ONE funny beauty horror story you had?

Every time I dye my hair with my trademark Runway Red by Vidal Sassoon is a horror story. Whenever I wash the dye out, it looks like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was committed in my shower.

7. What is ONE product that you keep inside your every day makeup bag that you don’t really use at all?

Hmm… I don’t think I have an answer to this one. I’m not one to go makeup crazy at the store so everything that I have in my makeup stash is what I use as part of my daily routine.

8. What is the first thing you do in the morning as soon as you wake up?

Ugh, I hate saying this but I check my phone and Facebook! Such a millennial. -_-

9. What is ONE beauty routine you can’t live without?

Bubble baths!!!!

10. What is your main goal as a blogger?

To reach a wide variety of people and make new friends.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What was your favorite childhood toy?
  2. What is your favorite article of clothing to shop for?
  3. How about your least favorite?
  4. What is one of your guilty pleasures?
  5. Favorite TV show to binge watch?
  6. Favorite fragrance?
  7. Favorite candy?
  8. How do you like to spend your free time?
  9. Are you going on an upcoming summer vacation?
  10. Where is one place that you would like to travel to?

So there you have it, lifewithlilred’s Liebster Award #6! Thanks again to Camille at Camille Shern for the nomination! How would you answer some of the questions that Camille asked her nominees? How about some of the questions that I asked of mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr2

Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again.

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Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again.

Howdy everyone and happy weekend! Once again, I am calling upon all of the fabulous Beauty Bloggers of WordPress for some HELP! I’ve been using The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Skin Boost for as long as I can remember. Although I’ve always found their price of twenty-seven dollars per bottle a little steep, I still shell out the cash when there’s a good sale. However, the price for the Boost is now almost thirty dollars and that doesn’t mesh well with my lifestyle of ballin on a budget.

I’ve been wanting to wean myself off of TBS products for some time now because I truly feel like I can find similar products for a better price elsewhere. Now that one of my favorite items in my daily beauty routine has hiked up in price, I feel like there’s no better time to start browsing the market for a new serum style product. Does anyone who’s familiar with TBS’s Vitamin C Skin Boost have any suggestions on a similar item? I have normal skin and am willing to try anything within reason. Thank you so much! -Sarah

tbs2.jpg

^^^ Old faithful.

Mar19

Photo Shoot Album (Pt. 1)

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Photo Shoot Album (Pt. 1)

Hey everyone and happy weekend! It’s been a few weeks since my photo shoot with Britta Photography and I’m still obsessed with all of the shots that were taken of yours truly. And now that I know that there’s a handy slideshow tool on here for picture viewing, I figured why not put up the album in its entirety? I wish that I would have known this fun fact sooner! All in all there’s about fifty photos so I thought that I would divide up the pics and post the album in separate parts. Take a look at part one of my Photo Shoot Album and then let’s discuss a little further:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I love having these pics readily available on Facebook because one of my favorite things is when I catch a glimpse of them and am kind of shocked that it’s actually me in the shots. I would really like to get some prints made of at least some of them but it’s going to be so hard to pick which ones I want! It’s seriously impossible to pick a favorite because I adore all of them equally and differently. If any of you are interested in getting some prints of your favorite Lil Red pics, just let your girl know!

I hope all of you are having a wonderful start to your weekend and make sure you stay on the look out for part two of my Photo Shoot Album! What is your favorite subject to photograph? What is one of your favorite pics in my album? 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

Dec19

Treat Yoself! My Grown Up Wishlist From Spring

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Treat Yoself! My Grown Up Wishlist From Spring

Hello everyone and happy weekend! I recently got invited to create my own “Treat Yoself” Grown Up wishlist with the amazing products from Spring, an online boutique for all of your fashion needs! I have to say, if I treated myself to everything that I wanted from their incredible selection of clothing and accessories, I would be in severe debt because it’s basically the entire website, which is: Spring . Click on the link, shop along, and see what Lil Red likes the most as well as what you can send my way for the holiday! 😉 ❤

Silk Gauze Parka by Laveer: Oh. My. Goodness. This jacket is fabulous. I’m a huge jacket girl and this piece really caught my eye. As I scrolled through Spring, I noticed a lot of gorgeous leather jackets as well and perhaps if I wasn’t a strict vegetarian, one of those would be on my list. But this Laveer piece is just to die for. If there’s one thing my readers have learned about me, it’s that when I purchase clothing it must fall under the criteria of: black (usually), edgy, and super chic and this jacket fits that to the T.

laveer

Blazer with Bones Crystals by Libertine: Okay, the thing about this blazer is that if I talk about it for too long I’m going to start to cry because that’s how badly I want it. I LOVE Libertine so when I saw this piece I instantly started to drool…metaphorically speaking. This is hands down my favorite item on the website, and that’s really saying something. It’s perfect. I can’t say more than that.

libertine

Mollie Box Pleat V Neck Flare Dress by Alice + Olivia: Surprise! A non black item! I adore this dress! Some people are shocked that I love dresses but the funny thing about my style is that I love either really edgy or really girly pieces, there’s no in between. What I like the most about this dress is the color because I love wearing burnt orange. Rich fall colors make up quite a bit of my wardrobe so this dress would fit in perfectly. And the fact that it’s Alice + Olivia is a plus – their clothes are darling!

alice

Multi Blue “OH ROY” Pump by Pierre Hardy: Soooo…I really like shoes. I tried to go through all of the various categories on Spring but I got stuck on their selection of heels, boots, and flats. These. Are. FABULOUS!! I love pieces that are so unique and out there that the only question people can ask is “where did you find something like that?” These pumps by Pierre Hardy scream quirky to me, therefore, I’m in love.

pierre.jpg

Comet Mid Heel Ankle Boot with Removable Bracelet by Freda Salvador: Yes, these are leather but that’s why they’re part of my wishlist…because I wish they weren’t leather! These are the coolest pair of booties ever! And everyone knows that Lil Red loves her booties. There comes a point in the world of ankle boots when they all start to look the same but these are such a loud and cool statement and I can’t get enough of it. Size 6 1/2 pleather, please.

freda.jpg

Embellished Tiger Sweater by Nicole Miller: The thing is…is that I’m kind of obsessed with this sweater. I scrolled through the entire section of tops on Spring and fell in love with their silly slogan-ed shirts adorned with phrases like “Namastay In Bed” but I couldn’t stop thinking about this piece! It’s so quirky, but it’s still sharp and chic and I can’t pinpoint why but I really like it. I’m not exactly one to walk around with an embellished tiger on my tops but I can definitely picture myself rocking this one!

tigre

I had a complete ball making my Treat Yoself! Grown Up Wishlist From Spring and I encourage all of you to check out their site at: Spring. What is your favorite piece from Spring? What are you going to add to your holiday wishlist from their site? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec18

A Letter To A Friend

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A Letter To A Friend

Hello all and happy Friday! I had a long day in Columbus yesterday for work but it was definitely worth it! Stay tuned for the Monday Update to hear more on that. ANYWAYS, If there’s one thing that Lil Red loves, it’s letting close friends borrow books from my extensive collection. What I love the most though, is when I find a book that I think one of my friends would respond really well to and personally give it to them with a hand written message explaining why the book reminded me of them. Recently a very dear friend of mine had to go away for a spell so I made a special care package just for her with books and of course, a letter. This very well may be one of my favorite things that I ever wrote, so I thought that I would share it with all of you. Take a look:

Hello, you. I brought you some of my favorite books and I hope you find as much comfort in their pages as I do. You’ll meet girls who are brave like Coraline and Liesel. You’ll come to fall in love with a boy who never grows up and a Little Prince from a planet far away from here. In The Little Prince, the fox teaches the little boy a lesson: “One sees clearly with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.” Well, I see you so clearly in my heart and eyes, for that matter, and I think it’s important for you to know what I see.

I see a beautiful young woman who is working so hard to better herself and I admire you very much for it. G.K. Chesterton states that “fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten. You have a big obstacle to face during your time away but I trust that you will be able to beat it and come out victorious on the other end. Please treat my books with care because they hold some of my dearest friends but don’t be afraid to let them help you on the way. All my love, Sarah

I dunno, I kinda liked it! 😉 I always enjoy sharing my personal writings with my readers so I figured “why not”, especially because I like this letter a whole lot – and maybe it might just help one of you! I hope you’re all having a great day and I’ll talk to you all soon! Until then, what is your favorite book? What book inspires you when you need encouragement? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: The books that I referenced in my letter were in order: Coraline, The Book Thief, Peter Pan, and The Little Prince – all of which are some of my favorites!

Nov25

Woman Crush Wednesday: Christina Aguilera Edition

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Woman Crush Wednesday: Christina Aguilera Edition

Hellooo everyone and welcome to a new issue of Woman Crush Wednesday – Christina Aguilera style! It’s been awhile since we’ve had a #WCW article since I straight up couldn’t think of anymore BUT after a girl power singing session to XTina in the Little Red Love Machine yesterday, I was inspired to give her a shout out! Let’s discuss:

Dear Christina Aguilera,

Oh, Christina you tiny little songstress – I just adore you! I forgot just how much I enjoyed your music until I was singing along to all of your songs in my whip (lolol) yesterday. I didn’t sound half as great as you though, so don’t worry about me stealing the pop star throne anytime soon. ANYWAYS, I had a really difficult time picking out what song I was going to choose to honor you with and in the end I just had to go with “Fighter”. A little known Lil Red Fun Fact is that “Fighter” is on my top ten list of favorite songs on the planet. Nothing makes me feel more empowered, nothing gets me more hyped, and nothing makes me feel better after a struggle than this song. And please, PLEASE don’t even get me started on the music video – it’s such a classic.

I think you are drop dead gorgeous and I can’t get over that big beautiful voice you have in that tiny little body! I felt so sad when you were getting ridiculed for weight gain (yay, pop culture) and thought you handled all of the negativity and backlash with such poise and grace. And believe me, no matter what size you are you look fabulous to me! Your amazing vocal talent is something that I envy so much and I just love everything that you do from your Dirrty XTina past to your days as Miss Diva on The Voice. You are one in a million and I LOVE YOU!!!!

xtina2xtina1

^^^ Omg. SHE’S SO PRETTY!!!!

So there you have it, this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday: Christina Aguilera Edition! Who is your favorite female pop vocalist? Who is your #WCW this week? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov21

Everyday Granola Recipe

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Everyday Granola Recipe

Helloooo everyone and happy weekend! My recent food obsession as of late has been all things granola. I love it plain, with yogurt, or with milk and thanks to my mom finding this delightful little recipe on http://www.thekitchn.com, I’m able to enjoy it every day.

The recipe for Everyday Granola is the perfect combination of sweet and salty and I feel so energized after I eat it thanks to all of the protein packed in through seeds and nuts. Here’s the recipe if you would like to make your own Everyday Granola:

   Ingredients:

  • 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
  • 1 cup chopped nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans (I use pecans)
  • 1 cup dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional)
  • 1/2 cup seeds, such as sesame or pumpkin (I use pumpkin)
  • 1/2 cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup oil, such as olive or walnut (I use olive)
  • 1/2 cup sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup (I use honey)
  • 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup chopped dried fruits, such as cherries or apricots, or whole currants or blueberries (I use raisins)

   Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
  • In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, coconut, seeds, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, liquid sweetener, and vanilla. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine. Add the egg whites and combine thoroughly.
  • Scrape the mixture out onto a half sheet pan (18 x 13 inches) and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the mixture is light brown and toasty. Stir after 20 minutes, moving the crispy bits from the perimeter into the center and distributing the granola in the center out toward the edge of the pan.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and add the dried fruit. Using a spatula, stir to combine the mixture and let the granola cool. The mixture may be sticky, but it will harden as it cools. Transfer to an airtight container.

If you have never checked out http://www.thekitchn.com, then both my mom and I encourage you to do so! It’s filled with simple and delicious recipes, like their Everyday Granola, for you to enjoy. This granola is seriously to die for and I hope all of you enjoy it as much as I do! What is your favorite healthy snack? What is your favorite junk food snack? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov16

Monday Update: Really Good Recipe Edition

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Monday Update: Really Good Recipe Edition

Helloooo everyone and happy Monday! As you guys know, I really enjoy cooking and once or twice a week I like to make dinner at home. This past weekend I made one of my all time favorite recipes that I just had to share – it’s that good. If you’re a fan of unique, bold, and slightly spicy dishes then you’re going to love my Peanut Noodles! This recipe is directly from the Quick Vegetarian Pleasures cookbook by Jeanne Lemlin and if you can get your hands on a copy then I urge you to do so! It’s an excellent cookbook for fast and healthy vegetarian eating. Here’s the step by step guide to making a Peanut Noodle dish of your own:

       Ingredients:

  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 4 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use crunchy PB but creamy will do, too!)
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sherry
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar or other vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced (I use 6)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Note: The sauce is a bit too bitter for my liking so I add about 3 teaspoons of white sugar to balance it out

Directions:

  • To make the sauce, combine 2 tablespoons of sesame oil with all of the other ingredients except the cucumber and scallions. Beat until well mixed and refrigerate.
  • Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the noodles and toss with the remaining two tablespoons of sesame oil.
  • This dish can be served hot or cold so you could refrigerate the noodles if you choose or eat it hot after the spaghetti is cooked. I prefer it hot but it’s still very good cold as well!

My mom started making this recipe forever ago and it remains one of my favorites to this day. I made the Peanut Noodles this past Friday and was left with only a small dish of leftovers which I annihilated for lunch the next day. Almost everyone in my family is a big fan of this recipe and I hope you guys enjoy it too! It’s a quick and easy dish to whip together but it tastes like you spent hours cooking it. Peanut Noodles have been my go to dinner to make for a few boyfriends and many a night when there seems to be “nothing to eat” in the house. If you like trying out somewhat “different” recipes to change things up at home then this is the recipe for you!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Really Good Recipe Edition. Once again, if you can snag a copy of Quick Vegetarian Pleasures – DO IT!! Who is going to give the Peanut Noodles recipe a try? What is one of your go to dishes to make at home? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct28

Frittata Favorite

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Frittata Favorite

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! Every Sunday I love making dinner for my family and I hate to brag but it turned out pretty darn good this past weekend! I made frittata with rosemary garlic home fries. I followed a tried and true recipe for the frittata but I freestyled the potatoes with lots of butter, herbs, fresh garlic, onions, and romano cheese and it turned out SO yummy. I posted a status on Facebook about my dinner and some of my friends expressed interest in getting their hands on the recipe for the frittata, so I thought I would post it for the world today! This recipe is from the Broccoli Forest cookbook and it’s excellent if you can find a copy of your own:

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbs olive oil (you might need additional oil or butter when sauteing the veggies)
  • 1 tbs melted butter
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced (I usually use 6 cloves in mine)
  • 1/2 tsp salt, basil, oregano
  • 1/4 tsp thyme, rosemary
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 5-6 mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced
  • 1 small bunch or spinach, swiss chard, or kale chopped
  • 1 small green bell pepper
  • 5 large eggs, well beaten
  • grated mozzarella cheese
  • grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. In a large cast-iron skillet, cook the onion and garlic with salt and herbs in combined olive oil and butter for 5-8 minutes
  2. Add remaining vegetables and cook over medium high heat until the vegetables are tender for 8-10 minutes
  3. Turn the heat way up and pour in the beaten eggs. Cook on the stove-top for several minutes, lifting the edges, and letting the uncooked egg flow underneath the cooked egg (as you would for an omelet). Turn the heat back to medium as you do this.
  4. As soon as the egg appears set, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top and then top it off with the parmesan. Place it in the oven at 350 for 12-15 minutes (until it’s firm and the cheese is melted and slightly brown).

This recipe is one of my family’s favorites and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! One again, it’s from the Broccoli Forest cookbook and it really is great, especially if there’s any vegetarians in your family. What is your favorite thing to cook for dinner? Do you have a primarily vegetarian cookbook that you would recommend? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Sorry for the lack of pictures of the frittata – it was completely devoured before I got around to snapping some pics!