Tag Archives: flowers

New Hayden Los Angeles Maxi Dress

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New Hayden Los Angeles Maxi Dress

Hello! These past two days you got to see the gorgeous jewelry that I got from EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s in Marietta, Ohio. Now, it’s time to introduce all of you to the lovely new pieces that I added to my wardrobe for surprisingly cheap (I think I paid forty dollars for three things). It was honestly one of the best shopping experiences I’ve had in a while. Exploring a new store in a new city with the love of my life was such a treat and I cannot wait to wear all of my purchases, like the one below:

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I have recently been trying to add more dresses to my collection because all of the ones in my closet are old as dirt. There are some that I still have kept around from my PacSun days over five years ago and they definitely look it. So, I was very happy to find this pretty little floral number for a whole fifteen dollars, because my dress hunt has been quite unsuccessful until now.

I absolutely love the white piping on this dress, the buttons going all the way down the front, and the way the colorful flowers pop against the navy base. The one hundred percent polyester material keeps the dress lightweight and breathable despite its length and, depending on how it’s styled, it could easily be worn for at least three seasons.

Of course, I’ll be wearing my new dress in its true form of, well, a dress. But, in the fitting room at EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s, I undid the buttons and had it on as a duster over my jeans and cami, which also looked very cute. I can picture myself wearing this dress belted with a killer pair of heels but I also predict that I’ll be throwing it on as a duster to spice up a more basic outfit very often!

How do you style maxi dresses? Is there anything that you’re trying to add more of to your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Thoughtful Ways To Honor A Friend Who Passed Away

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Thoughtful Ways To Honor A Friend Who Passed Away

When a friend passes away, it can take a massive toll on your mental health and well being. You go through various stages of grief and loss that last for months. Honoring friends who pass away is a great way to cherish the memories that you have and somehow “give back,” even if you didn’t get the chance in life. You can do so with the following ideas:

Visit Their Favorite Vacation Spot Annually:

If your friend had a favorite place that they liked to go, then it can be an excellent idea to visit that spot with your other friends in honor of their memory. It could be a relaxing trip to the beach or a tour of a city destination – it depends on what they enjoyed. Here, you’ll have a chance to reminisce about the times that you shared and continue to enjoy the things that they liked before they passed away.

Get A Tattoo:

When somebody passes away, a lot of people like to create some sort of permanent reminder that reminds them of the time that they spent with them. Getting a tattoo related to that person can be a gesture that ensures that they remain a permanent fixture on your body. You have a lot of freedom over the type of tattoo that you get. Some people ask the tattoo artist to recreate their likeness on their skin. Others will enshrine the date of their death or the time that they first met them. Or it could be something as simple as a line from a poem that they liked.

Of course, getting a tattoo isn’t for everyone. However, there are many ways to permanently express your sentiments for your loved one. You could host an annual gathering for remembrance or even design a special marker at their resting place. You could custom design one with Tegeler Monument (or a similar company in your local area) and include a favorite quote, animal, or a picture of the two of you together and it will always be there.

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Pixabay Image

Plant A Tree:

The beautiful thing about life is that no matter how many people pass away, new life will always emerge. Many people grieving because of the death of a friend, therefore, plant trees.

Trees are a fantastic way to cherish a memory. If you plant an oak, it could stand tall for a thousand years or more, paying permanent homage to your loved one. What’s more, you can visit the tree regularly, and it’ll always be there to pay respects to the person you lost.

Buy A Special Necklace:

A lot of people now wear an urn cremation necklace in memory of a person who has passed away. The idea is simple. You collect some of their ashes and then use them to fill a pendant that you wear around your neck. It’s a way of ensuring that a part of their spirit remains close to you at all times. Urn necklaces last forever and ensure that you never forget the person you lost. For this reason, they can provide comfort.

Donate To Charity In Their Honor:

If you had a friend who had a passion for a particular cause, you might want to donate to a related charity in their honor. Part of paying respects to the passing of a dear friend is continuing to do things that they would have done to make the world a better place. Had they lived, they may have donated to animal shelters or water aid charities. You can help maintain their legacy by making donations of your own.

Create A Memory Journal:

If you have a load of photos of your friend lying around, why not create a memory journal? The concept is pretty simple. You just create a set of themes – like your friend being silly or enjoying a holiday – and then glue photos to the pages of a notebook. Everyone can then refer to the journal whenever they want to think more about the person they’ve lost, creating a permanent homage to their life.

Learn A New Skill:

If your friend was a whizz on computers or loved to play the piano, then you might want to learn that skill and continue it in their stead. Learning a new skill is a great way to deal with the grieving process. It allows you to direct your energy into something positive. The last thing you want is to wallow in misery. You want to be able to move on with your life. That’s what your friend would have wanted too.

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Try learning the piano!

Create A Memorial In Your Home:

For some people, creating a memorial in their home can help a lot with the grieving process. A permanent memorial is a way to allow their memory to live on, even if the person isn’t here anymore. When creating a memorial, you don’t have to do anything complicated. Something as simple as a picture on the wall or a bunch of flowers in a vase can be all you need. You can be more extravagant if you want, but there’s usually no need.

Keep the memory of your friend alive with the tips above. ❤

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Valentine’s Day Bouquet Pt. 2

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Valentine’s Day Bouquet Pt. 2

Hello, everyone! I had a simply magical Valentine’s Day with my boyfriend, Johnny, and I hope that everyone had as wonderful of a day as I did… Whether it be with your spouse or a romcom and a bottle of wine! Johnny’s band, The Outside Voices, was playing a show in Marietta, Ohio on the fifteenth. So, Johnny and I decided to make a long weekend of it and drove there on Valentine’s Afternoon.

We stayed at a beautiful hotel called the Lafayette and we had a delicious dinner. Then, we went back to our room and drank champagne and watched Weird Al music videos for two hours straight. Like I said, it was simply magical.

The following day, we explored Parkersburg, West Virginia and Marietta before The Outside Voices played. Johnny and I spent the day checking out different thrift stores and boutiques and it was a complete blast. Definitely stay tuned for all of the amazing finds I scored from a trendy boutique that is in the process of going online so all of us can shop on there together! 😀

Johnny and I agreed to not go overboard with Valentine’s Day gifts and that was fine by me. Our entire weekend was the greatest gift of all and it was one of the best days of my life. But, being the sweet angel that Johnny is, he surprised me with roses and champagne and that was the cherry on top. Check it out:

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When Johnny and I celebrated our big one week (haha), he gave me one single rose and I gave him a pack of hard seltzer water. I have kept that rose in my favorite vase and put the not dead ones in there too for good measure. When will I take them out, save the petals, and clean the vase? The world may never know.

In case you haven’t noticed, I like getting flowers. I guess that stems from (Ba dum chhhhh!) the fact that I have so many vivid recollections since childhood of my dad gifting flowers to my mom. During the summer time when the flowers in our garden were in bloom, there would be a fresh bouquet on the kitchen table every weekend. And, once the flowers wilted come fall, at least once a month my dad would purchase flowers as a “splurge” from the local grocery stores.

We interrupt your normal blog viewing with a conversation that happened between Sarah and her dad two weeks ago:

Me: Dad, I like those flowers. Where did you get them?

Dad: At Aldi’s… I splurged!

We now return to our normally scheduled programming.

Anyways, I know that people always associate getting flowers with love. But, my association literally comes from seeing true love between my parents. And, that’s why a simple bouquet and a bottle of booze (!!!) was the perfect gift for me. ❤

How did you celebrate Valentine’s Day? What do you associate with love? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sweet Surprises: Valentine’s Day Bouquet Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Valentine’s Day Bouquet Edition

Hi! One of my clients, a freshly turned sixty year old with Down Syndrome has a love for all holidays. He revels in decorating for and celebrating each calendar holiday and Valentine’s Day was no exception. From mid January on, it was all about paper hearts, stickers, and Valentine’s Day themed episodes of his favorite old TV shows.

While shopping at Walmart for the finishing touches on the valentines he was going to mail out, he surprised me with a bouquet of a dozen colorful roses. It was quite possibly the sweetest thing in the world and I just had to share how beautiful they are with all of  you:

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While browsing through the Valentine’s Day decor at Walmart, my client “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed” at everything he found appealing. So, I told him to pick out a small treat for me to purchase for him as a little V-Day gift. He selected his items – some more heart decor and a pair of heart shaped glasses and we continued to make our rounds in the store.

Once we came across Walmart’s aisle way of bouquets, without missing a beat, my friend plucked a colorful arrangement and placed it in his cart. “I get these for you” he said and my heart literally melted. I have never met someone with such a joy for each individual holiday and sharing that enthusiasm with all of his loved ones. It’s simply beautiful and all I need do is think about him to get a smile on my face.

As soon as I got home, I grabbed my spooky vases (Also from Walmart!) and began arranging my flowers. I have them proudly displayed on my coffee table and plan on keeping them there even after they have dried out as a sweet reminder of my friend and his joie de vivre. ❤

What is your favorite kind of flower? What were you treated to on Valentine’s Day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mean Muggin’ Pt. 2

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Mean Muggin’ Pt. 2

Hello! A simple gift that I really love to receive are coffee mugs. I don’t know why, but I am always so tickled when I am presented with them and I have quite the collection from many years of exchanging during gift giving occasions with my BFF. I enjoy selecting from my mug shelf for the perfect cup to put my morning coffee in and every one reminds me of a special time or person in my life. It always starts my morning off with a smile and this new one will more than likely start my day with a laugh… If I’m not too hungover, that is. 😉 Check it out and you’ll see what I mean:

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While shopping at Target with one of my girlfriends so she could spend some Christmas gift cards, I pointed my “hungover” mug out to her because I thought it was hilarious. It was the last one on the shelf and I told her that I loved it. Without even missing a beat, my friend plucked the mug from its spot and placed it in her cart. I was so taken aback, because it was such an unexpected but pleasant surprise and I had to double check with her like a million times to make sure she was okay with the extra purchase.

Not only do I get a kick out of the funny saying on the mug, but I think the pretty flowers against the stark white background are beautiful and the sentiment behind it makes it even better. There is nothing like a sweet and simple gift to turn your day around completely and I am so thankful to my friend for her generosity. I don’t think I’ll ever not feel a warmness in my heart every time I select this mug from the cabinet! ❤

What is a simple gift that you love to receive? What does your favorite coffee mug look like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

6 Ways To Improve The Appearance Of The Front Of Your Home

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6 Ways To Improve The Appearance Of The Front Of Your Home

It’s relatively easy to stay on top of the interior of your home. That space, after all, is a place that you see again and again, and if something isn’t quite as good as it could be, then you’ll notice it pretty quickly. But the exterior of your home is a little different. While it’s a space that you see every day, we usually end up walking through the front door without looking around and inspecting whether it’s in as good of shape as it could be.

But there’s a lot of value in taking the time to ensure that this part of your house is in tip-top condition. Among other benefits, it can nudge your home’s value in the right direction. In fact, the home’s curb appeal is one of the first things that potential homeowners look for when searching for a house.

So if your home’s front isn’t quite as great as it could be, then what can you do? We take a look at a few tried and tested tips below:

Add Some Green:

Everything looks better with a little bit of color splashed on it, and that includes the front of your home. There aren’t too many spaces in the world where you’re able to add plants and flowers, so don’t waste the opportunity that your front yard presents. If you’re not an experienced gardener, then you can start small, perhaps by planting a couple of plants that are native to your area. A hanging flower basket over your front door will look especially good, and it’s easy enough to care for. There’s also a lot of studies that say plants can help boost your mood, so you might just be making your house a more joyful place in the process.

Upgraded Doors:

And speaking of your front door, it’s not just a hanging flower basket that can make it look better. You can change out the door itself, and improve the aesthetics of your house. They say that if you want to keep your home’s value intact, then you shouldn’t add too much of your personality to your property, but there are a couple of spaces where you’re able to add some sparkle – and that includes your front door. Look at switching it out to something new and improved; it will make the whole exterior of the house look better, especially if you choose a statement color.

Clean Windows:

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that windows are just windows, but this isn’t the case. While people tend to change them out for newer windows only when they have an obvious fault, such as when there’s a crack, it’s worth remembering that windows do need changing before it reaches this stage. If it has been some years since you’ve changed your windows, then look at upgrading them with a Window installation service in Frisco, TX or your local area. You will be surprised at just how much of a difference a bright and clear set of windows can make to your home.

Big Changes:

Just as with the windows, people seem to think that you should only make a change to the infrastructure of your home when there’s something obviously wrong with it. But it’s not the case, with the front of your house or the roofing. If your home is looking a little tired, then look at having it repainted by a professional company. It’ll make your home shine again. For your roof, you can work with a roofing company and get a replacement fitted. It’ll make your home look refreshed and modern.

Upgrading your roof is a big task to take on but it will pay off in spades. A refreshed roof is an instant face lift for your home, can boost curb appeal, and raise property value. With so many benefits at stake, you will want to plan, budget, and work extensively with a trusted team of experts. To begin researching the best company for you, simply enter a search for “Roofing Company In Mansfield, TX” (or your local area). This research stage can also be most helpful in finding an updated style that appeals to you.

Creating Privacy:

You’ll want your home to look good to your visitors, but that doesn’t mean that you should be showing off your house to the whole world, or at least making it easily accessible. A home with a front yard that’s too easily accessible loses something. So it’s worthwhile to look at making it more private. There are multiple ways to do this. You can make your home feel more cozy by adding a hedge or you can keep it on display, but not accessible, by adding a front gate.

Staying Symmetrical:

Finally, there’s one final rule that you should keep in mind no matter what you’re trying to do to your yard: keep things symmetrical. It’s a little trick that can make your house look a lot better. It’s one of those things that our eyes like to see, from people’s faces to buildings. Do we know why? No! But we like it!

Boost your home’s curb appeal by revamping its exterior – making it feel brand new again in no time!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Scary Good Vases

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Scary Good Vases

Helloooo everyone! I have tons of knick knacks in my apartment that I love to have on display. From my crystal collection and gifts from friends to items I treasure from my beloved grandparents and, of course, Wilson the volleyball from Cast Away – it makes me happy to see it all every day in my apartment. I have a little bit of everything but, shockingly, no vases which I needed to add to the arsenal to hold the gorgeous rose that my boyfriend got for me.

Luckily, Walmart had their Halloween collection already in store the last time I was there with a client and I was able to snag these beauties. Check it out:

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As a lover of all things creepy, these new vases were right up my alley and for five bucks a pop, I couldn’t pass them up. The shocking black butterfly, skull, and spider against the creamy white bottles are the ultimate spooky chic decor. And, pair it with a blood red rose? Perfection.

These vases were a great find and, although I won’t say I needed them, I did need something to put my flowers in. So, technically yes, I did need them. Having these vases that encase such a sweet gesture makes me smile whenever I look at them. It’s the little things that make me the happiest in a relationship and this definitely scored some extra brownie points for my MAN. And, double brownie points for him unknowingly giving his shopaholic girlfriend a reason to buy more stuff, lolol. 😀

How do you celebrate Halloween? What are your favorite knick knacks in your home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Super Cool Planter

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Super Cool Planter

Hi! As you all know, my dad is an expert gardener so that makes gift giving very easy for him. For his birthday this past month, I got him this awesome stackable planter set from Amazon. Since it has warmed up significantly in Ohio since April, he finally got around to getting the planter set up with strawberries and flowers and it looks great! Take a look:

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I was so happy to come home on Mother’s Day and see the planter out on the deck in its full glory. It also made me smile to see the garden gnome planter that I got for him last year with a potted plant in his little knapsack. Seeing the splendor of my dad’s hard work never ceases to amaze me and it’s always so cool to see the projects that he tends to so lovingly take full bloom!

What is your favorite plant or flower? Who else is a fan of gardening? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Art Gallery: Floral Galore Edition

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Lil Red’s Art Gallery: Floral Galore Edition

Hello hello! During the initial process of getting everything squared away for my apartment, I was a nervous wreck. But, the more I shopped, the more excited I felt about my big move. Retail therapy at its finest! I had the most fun shopping for my larger pieces of furniture and it felt good to check all of the big purchases off of my list. The extra stuff like things from the wall art seen below to hand soap were just the cherry on top of the moving sundae!

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Now, normally I am not a huge floral girl when it comes to wall art. But, the pictures above spoke to me for some reason and for eight dollars total at Goodwill, I figured “why not?”. Since we established that my decor style is apparently funeral home chic, these pictures will fit right in! I love the lace on the rose picture and the more ornate frame on the smaller one. I feel like someone loved these pictures a lot or maybe they belonged to one of their loved ones and I like feeling like I’ve given both of them a beautiful new home to be showcased in. :*)

Are you a floral decor fan or nah? What is your favorite thing to shop for when it comes to home goods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Mother’s Day!!

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Happy Mother’s Day!!

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! I wanted to extend warm Mother’s Day greetings to all of the wonderful moms in the blogosphere and all over the world today. Whether you are a mom to a beautiful baby or a darling dog, you have lost a child, or want to be a mom really badly – today is for you. I hope you have a beautiful day full of love and flowers and are surrounded by things that make you smile. Happy Mother’s Day from lifewithlilred! ❤