Tag Archives: food

Nov12

Holiday Shopping – It’s A Wrap!

Posted on November 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! One thing that I simply pride myself on is getting my holiday shopping done early AF. I have just a handful of prezzies left to buy, but I am pretty much as good as done and I am thrilled about it. To me, there is nothing better than being able to go into December with nothing to do but relax and wrap gifts up in my apartment workshop. And, let’s be honest, who really wants to go into a store as the holidays approach? They’re all madhouses and the selection is always picked over. If you need a bit of inspo to complete your shopping, here are a few of the things I purchased this year:

Art Gifts:

My nieces and nephew have plenty of toys, so I wanted to steer away from that. Other than just a few toys from TT, I bought some sand art and painting kits for the kiddos that are old enough to do them. Both my older niece and nephew love doing crafts and this was a perfect compromise of something fun that isn’t a new toy to add to their collection. Craft kits aren’t just great for children, but for adults too. There are paint by number kits, rhinestone art, or even supplying the goods for a wine and paint night. No matter your age, it’s exciting to make something by yourself so this is an excellent route to go if you’re in need of ideas.

Gift Cards:

To some people, a gift card is considered a “thoughtless” gift and I say FALSE. Gift cards are the bomb and I am totally fine with giving and receiving them. Don’t let the idea of it being a not well thought out gift deter you from using them because I literally don’t know anyone who isn’t happy to get one during the holidays. Gift cards make a wonderful add on or main gift and it is so nice to be able to treat someone to dinner, a movie, or a shopping trip compliments of you.

Ornament Kits:

During my last shopping trip to TJMaxx, I knocked out a lot of the remainder of my shopping. I was most excited to find ornament kits including one for your pet and one for baby’s First Christmas. If you have a proud pet owner in your life, this would be a really sweet gift for someone to be able to commemorate their fur baby with a paw print ornament. The baby’s First Christmas one was also an awesome find because it will be the first Christmas for my new niece. Thoughtful, effective, done and done.

Books:

The world is filled with an infinite number of books so use them! I purchased quite a few books for this holiday season and I know that they will be a hit with my giftees. Even if the person you’re gifting for isn’t a huge reader, coffee table books on one of their favorite things can make for a unique gift. Or maybe your giftee loves to cook? Pick out a new cookbook and a gift card to their local grocery store for ingredients to cook with! Books are a cool gift because you can add another gift that might fit that book’s theme for a really thoughtful surprise.

Food Gifts:

Food gifts always go over well and I was psyched to have found some nice chocolate gift sets at TJs for my clients’ families. A food gift could be a gift set, sure. But, it could also be a home cooked meal, a mason jar with ingredients for soup or cookies, a gift card to a favorite restaurant, or a meal delivery service. Everyone has to eat and I know your giftee would love a gift basket filled with their favorite ingredients, snacks, or candy!

The holidays are fast approaching and it honestly gives me anxiety that a lot of people aren’t done with their shopping yet lol. I hope these tips will better assist you as you continue to check people off of your shopping list!

When do you start holiday shopping? Are you an early or last minute shopper? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov1

Roasted Corn Queso Fundido

Posted on November 1, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Johnny and I had a fabulous Halloween weekend and I hope that all of you did too! On Friday, we hosted our bestie, Cliff, for dinner and scary movies and we helped pass out candy in my parents’ neighborhood on Saturday. We had a blast and I wish the weekend could have lasted forever! For Friday night’s dinner, I made all of the fixings for tacos including cilantro lime rice and my homemade guacamole. I also wanted to try something new by making a Roasted Corn Queso Fundido dip from closetcooking. The recipe sounded awesome but it was not that great in execution. Check it out:

This Fundido dip required minimal ingredients and simple steps. Literally all I had to do was chop some peppers and onion and let it start to char in the pan. Once the veggies were ready, it was time to add mayo, lime juice, and the cheese and mix it all up. In theory, I thought that this recipe would be really yummy and it was good. However, it wasn’t great and I definitely wouldn’t make it again.

My biggest qualm with this dip was its consistency. It wasn’t ooey gooey like I was hoping for and was essentially just veggies wadded up in melted cheese. With little to no liquid in this recipe, it makes sense and I should have thought to add some cream to it while the cheese was melting. Hindsight is, as always, twenty/twenty and I don’t really like to make tweaks on the spot with a brand new recipe. Even if this dip did have a thinner consistency, it still wouldn’t have blown me away. The flavor of it was okay, but it didn’t pack a punch and would need some doctoring up for sure.

New recipes can’t all be winners and this one from closetcooking was not the best and I don’t recommend it. I would like to try and make a Queso Blanco dip next and will hopefully have more success with that!

What is your favorite snack food? What do you like to cook when you have guests over? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct27

Cacio E Pepe Baked Gnocchi

Posted on October 27, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooooo! Johnny and I finally went grocery shopping and it couldn’t have come a moment too soon. We had literally nothing to eat at the apartment and there were several Pinterest recipes that I have been dying to try – one of which being a Cacio E Pepe Baked Gnocchi by Simply Delicious. I am pleased to report that it turned out amazing and both myself and my picky eater husband absolutely loved it. This recipe had minimal ingredients, took under an hour to make, and allowed for plenty of leftovers too. Check it out:

When it comes to cooking during the work week, it is a must for the recipes to be easy peasy. While I really enjoy cooking, I really enjoy relaxing after a long day too lol. The Cacio E Pepe recipe by Simply Delicious was extremely straight forward. All I did was cook the gnocchi, prepare the sauce, stick it in the oven for fifteen minutes and dinner was served. There were no crazy techniques or a litany of ingredients involved and that is something I appreciate. Although I am a great cook, I am definitely no Master Chef!

Speaking of ingredients, there were only ten needed to prepare this dish. The beauty of this recipe is that a majority of the ingredients are things that you more than likely already have. The only items I needed to purchase was the milk, cream, and gnocchi. Not only was the recipe completely new to me, but it included an ingredient that is new to me too – cream!

I have never made a recipe that called for cream and even if it did, I probably would have used milk because that’s what my mom would do. However, I decided to go all out for this dish and use the cream and calories be damned lol. I am so glad that I did because I don’t think the end result would be the same without it. My baked gnocchi turned out divine. It was incredibly rich and just one serving filled me up. Despite it being a short lived meal, each bite was heavenly. The sauce was so bold and flavorful, the gnocchi was tender, and it is one of my favorite things that I have ever made.

As per both mine and Johnny’s request, I will one thousand percent be making the Cacio E Pepe Baked Gnocchi again. Huge shout out to Simply Delicious as the mastermind behind this dish!

What is your favorite kind of pasta? What do you normally cook during the work week? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct12

Slow Things Down At Akron’s Farm Table

Posted on October 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Friday was a hoot because Johnny and I went out to dinner with my boss, Karnchea, and his wife, Pam. Karnchea and I have been working virtually together since January and it was SO nice to be able to meet him in real life! In collaboration with our website, Nightlife 330, we were given the opportunity to meet up with the owners of Akron’s Farm Table, have a meal, and get the scoop on the brand new restaurant. It was such a delight to chat with John, Amber, and their sweet son, Tristan, about the ins and outs of Akron’s Farm Table. It’s an amazing concept run by amazing people! Take a look at some pics and read on for a lifewithlilred exclusive interview:

LR: You recently had your grand opening of Akron’s Farm Table and how do you think things are going so far?

John: Slow. We just aren’t getting the outreach right now. But, we offer a good place to come and have a cheap meal that’s all sourced locally. There’s not many places out there that you can get the same type of ingredients for the same price.

LR: What was your inspiration behind opening the restaurant?

Amber: We wanted to make good food accessible in downtown Akron to provide that feeling of security to everyone. We wanted to show people that this is where we get our food from and you can make the same things at home too.

John: Our customers aren’t just dollar bills to us. We want them to be able to come here and have an escape for as long as they need but have the comfort of feeling at home.

Amber: We want people to come and have a cup of coffee, to enjoy our handmade desserts. We want everyone to feel like they can hang out and have a good conversation because everyone has their own story just like we do.

LR: Wow, perfect segue! Tell me about your story.

Amber: John and I met through Plenty of Fish six years ago in November…

LR: Johnny and I met on Plenty of Facebook ba dum chhhh.

Amber: I picked him up from a three quarter house for sober living, John is a recovering addict. I took him home, we got married a year after we met. I picked him up and just never took him home! We want people to know that change is possible and it’s okay to slow things down to get back to your roots.

LR: Your roots are a common theme on your Facebook posts and your menu is filled with comfort classics. What do you both bring to the table for food prep?

Amber: When we started this big idea, John said “cook what you know” and that’s what I do. I cook most of lunch and dinner and John does most of breakfast. Our son, Tristan, is a huge help too!

LR: Are these dishes things that you grew up eating?

John: Definitely! These are recipes that we have known and loved for a long time.

LR: What is your favorite item on the menu?

John: The meatloaf.

Amber: The meatloaf, for sure. We had a lot of trial and error and found that making it in a bread pan made it too dry and grainy. I didn’t feel good standing behind it because I would never serve anything that I won’t eat myself. So we came up with individual patties, instead. We try to think outside of the box so our food is made fresh and not sitting in a warming tray all day.

LR: Where would you like to see Akron’s Farm Table one year from now?

Amber: Open.

John: I want to bring the people here. I would love to create a space for people to sell their fresh produce and come together. I hope in a year people will be here to have coffee and enjoy local produce without driving to the farms.

LR: What would you like to say to your future patrons?

Amber: Come here if you want to slow things down and get back to your roots. If you want to support a small business, we’re a small business and we would love to see you!

Akron’s Farm Table is bringing locally sourced goodness to downtown Akron and it is a joy to see. We loved our evening at this new spot and are sure that you will too. Support local and check it out!

What is your favorite local restaurant? How about your favorite local artist or musician? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct5

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe

Posted on October 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy! The transition into fall is the perfect time to host guest bloggers on lifewithlilred. It is such fun to be inspired by the autumn traditions and joys of dear friends and readers and it adds that extra touch of (pumpkin) spice to my page. Speaking of pumpkins, today, we will be checking out a pumpkin milkshake recipe by Rachael from And Fierce. I have never tried a pumpkin milkshake before, but with a recipe that sounds this yummy, I think I’ll be giving it a shot! Take a look:

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe

Compliments of Rachael from And Fierce

One of our local restaurants we like to hit up at the end of their season will have a pumpkin milkshake. Earlier this month, I kept saying we have to go the last day and get one. We ran out of time and never went. After that, I decided I would make my own at home.

Simple and real ingredients but the result is perfection! So let’s go!!

Ingredients:

15 oz can of pure pumpkin

10-12 oz of vanilla ice cream (if you want more feel free to add more)

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 inch nob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie seasoning

Salted caramel sauce

Real whipped cream

Directions:

Add your pumpkin, vanilla ice cream, peeled and grated ginger, milk, and pumpkin pie seasoning into a blender and mix it up.

Once blended, get a cup and squirt caramel on the sides of the inside of the cup. Squirt or dollop your real whipped cream and add more caramel sauce to the top.

Yeilds: Roughly 32 ounces

As you can see I split mine into three 16 ounce cups to share between myself, Atticus, and Winter.

These really hit the spot and are completely kid approved! I’m sure we will make these again!

Many thanks again to Rachael for sharing her gorgeous Halloween Wreath and Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe here on lifewithlilred. For more from this amazing blogger, check out her page and give her a follow on Instagram @kavebabe !!

What is your favorite fall flavor? Are you team pumpkin spice or apple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct1

What To Do When You Have COVID

Posted on October 1, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Johnny and I are finally COVID free and thank the most high because it sucked majorly. I am so looking forward to getting back to work and returning to my normal schedule because the cabin fever is real! My COVID experience was exhausting and I cannot recall a time when I have ever been sicker. I am very much enjoying feeling back to normal and also breathing out of my nose! Your girl was sounding like Napoleon Dynamite for days and I was starting to annoy myself lol. If you find yourself bit by the COVID bug, here are a few things you can do to slightly improve your situation:

Stay Home:

I wish that this were a given, but for some people it isn’t and that is so not cool. If you have tested positive for COVID, please stay home!! If you have symptoms of COVID, please stay home!! Have yourself a merry little staycation and come back to the land of the living when you are testing negative and feeling better. You never know who you could be infecting and it’s not right to be spreading your sickness around to those in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate:

When you have COVID, hydration is your best friend. Johnny and I consumed more Gatorade and water than a football team and even then it didn’t feel like enough. I was constantly thirsty while I was sick and blue Gatorade was my saving grace. It tasted like liquid gold or rather, liquid blue lol. It is so important to give your body what it needs when you are ill so drink up. Cheers to that!

Try To Eat:

I had no appetite whatsoever during my COVID tenure and chances are you won’t, either. However, you just have to try to eat anyways. Your body needs that fuel to recover. No one is saying you need to have a five course meal, but a bowl of soup, some crackers, or in my case – a plate of spaghetti can go a long way. My bedside featured a box of tissues, a bottle of Gatorade, a bottle of water, and a box of crackers to munch on. For me, it was really hard to eat when I genuinely wasn’t hungry, but it was something that needed to be done so I just pushed myself to do it.

Entertainment:

When you are sick, there is literally nothing else to do but watch TV so put it on! Bingewatch away anything that your little heart desires. In my case, it was a Saw movie marathon! Having a movie or a comfort show like The Office on provided a welcome distraction to how miserable I was feeling. It gave me something else to focus my attention on and that was a welcome reprieve. Whether it’s video games, your favorite show, or a good book to get lost in, allow yourself to get distracted and try to get some enjoyment out of what you’re doing.

Get Up:

This is not to say get up and run a marathon, but try and get up and move after you have been laying down for a while. Not only will this help prevent blood clots, but it can also assist in loosening up your body if you have any stiffness. Every few hours, I would get up, go downstairs, and pet the bunnies or see what Johnny was watching in the living room. These little excursions were exhausting, but it made returning back to bed so much sweeter!

If you have COVID, get well soon!! I understand firsthand how badly it sucks, but you will feel better. In the meantime, give your body the tools it needs to start healing itself. ❤

What were your COVID symptoms? What did you bingewatch if you had COVID? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep21

Feed Your Dog Well With These Tips

Posted on September 21, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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As a pet owner, you want to give the best life possible for your pet. When it comes to your dog, you need to make sure that they are exercising, eating well, and feeling positive and secure. Feeding your dog the nutritious diet that they need will help them to stay happy and healthy, but it can be a challenge when money isn’t matching what they need.

Nutritious diets for dogs should give them the right amount of fats, proteins, and vitamins that they require for a healthy lifestyle. Every dog breed and every dog age requires different amounts of food, different natural dog treats, and a moderate level of high quality digestible protein. Understanding the best options for your dog’s health is important so here are some tips to help your dog eat well. Bon appetite!

Protein:

Head to the butchers if you are feeding your dog raw meat. It’s important to make sure that human grade meat doesn’t contain any preservatives. Avoid sausage, cooked or manufactured meats, and make sure that any uncooked bone is wider than the width of your three middle fingers. This is the best option for bone crunching. Marrow bones are very appealing for dogs so you should make sure that your human foods are bought from the butchers.

Sweet Potatoes:

If you want your dog to eat well and have plenty of nutrients, then adding sweet potato to their diet is really going to help. It will improve digestion and it also gives a good dose of beta carotene, which is helpful for healthy skin and bones.

Peanut Butter:

Peanut butter is an excellent snack for dogs, especially because of the vitamin B and the heart healthy fats. There’s a reason that you eat the peanut butter, and those are the same reasons that your dog should eat it too. It’s a good food to use for enrichment games and you can smooth it inside a Kong or other rubber dog toys for them to find and enjoy.

Parsley:

Add some parsley to dog food for minty fresh breath. Well, not quite minty fresh, but it will definitely be better than what it is! Parsley is a good way to improve your dog’s health and give them some much needed vitamins while making their breath smell good.

Porridge:

Puppies love porridge in the morning. If you are making yourself a bowl of porridge, consider making one for your pup as a fiber rich snack. All you need to do is avoid any added sugars or syrups and your dog will be able to enjoy it with you. It should be used exclusively as a treat, however, because while it’s fiber rich it’s not particularly rich in anything else.

Just like humans, the diet for your pet is extremely important. Feed them well with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Aug27

A Trip To The County Fair Pt. 2

Posted on August 27, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Johnny and I attended the Portage County Randolph Fair this past Tuesday and it was a hoot. It was my very first county fair and I am so glad that I got to experience it with my main squeeze! What made this date night even cooler was that Johnny and his parents would attend this particular fair every year in his youth. He was very pleased to see that the Grampa Cratchet Puppet Show was still going strong all of these years later!! Check out some pics from our outing and let’s discuss:

^^^ The sculptures in the last two pictures are made entirely out of tires!!

There was so much to do and see at the county fair and I was fine with letting Johnny lead the way – this was not his first rodeo! We began our evening by hitching a ride on a tractor from the parking lot to the fairgrounds. Once we were there, we were surrounded by animals everywhere! From cows and pigs to goats, horses, and adorable baby chicks there was livestock for days. I was really disappointed that all of the bunnies went home for the day, but Johnny told me I couldn’t bring Mel and P home a brother or sister so I guess it was for the best lol.

After we visited all of the animals, we were ready to get some food and I couldn’t wait. However, looking back now – I wish I did! As we made our way through tons of vendor booths, we finally saw lemonade and food stands. Having never been to a county fair before, I assumed that what we saw was it. So, we stocked up on fresh squeezed lemonade, a burger for Johnny, nachos, and fries and went to the seating area for the Grampa Cratchet Puppet Show to eat. After we were done, you could have knocked me over with a feather when we turned the corner from the stands we got food from and I saw an endless array of more food! This is why we are going to Oktoberfest in Cuyahoga Falls next month to get everything we missed out on at the fair.

The puppet show was, admittedly, very weird haha. It was like the children’s version of Crank Yankers if anyone remembers that show? It was basically just a bunch of puppets doing silly things and teaching valuable lessons like following instructions, which was what our show was about. It was pretty funny, but Johnny and I were ready to go after five minutes. I’m just really glad we got to see some of it because I was like “wtf?” when Johnny first told me about it and my sentiments remain the same!

The main event of the night was a demolition derby and we still had time to kill before we took our seats in the stands. We weren’t interested in any of the rides, but I had never played a carnival game before so we did that next. Johnny gave us a twenty dollar limit to play with and I already knew exactly what I wanted to win – a stuffed corndog that I saw a little boy carrying earlier. We found a game that had the plushie as a prize and I am proud to say that we DOMINATED!! We had to shoot a water gun at a target to fill up a balloon and make it pop. Thanks to our dates to the shooting range, we were a force to be reckoned with and I was so happy to claim my corndog. 😀

^^^ It’s so cute!

Our final stop of the night was at the demolition derby and we were crunched for time. At this point, it was going on seven thirty and we still had to make a thirty-five minute drive home. We were expecting for the derby to start with the big cars right from the jump and that wasn’t the case. The derby opened with the pee-wee league of five or so year olds in their souped up Barbie jeeps and Hot Wheels trucks. It was so cute lol. We stuck around for a bit longer until it was safe to say that the kiddos were not going to get out of the gridlock they created. Our other future plan is to find another demolition derby to attend when we don’t have to get up for work the next morning!

Our Trip To The County Fair ended perfectly because we arrived at the entrance just in time to catch a tractor back to our parking spot. We had an absolute blast! Tune in tomorrow for my OOTD and *gasp* seeing me in blue jeans for the first time! 😮

What is your favorite attraction at the fair? What is your favorite carnival game to play? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug26

A Trip To The County Fair

Posted on August 26, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! One of my little quirks that Johnny has never wrapped his head around is that I have never been to a county fair. In my defense, it makes the utmost sense. My parents didn’t trust the carnival rides and we have lots of strict vegetarians in my family so we avoided the buying and selling of livestock. This was so normal to me that I didn’t really realize everyone else has been to a county fair! So, when Johnny found out that the fair he attended in his youth was going on this past week, we had to go. Even if it was on a work night!

^^^ Yes, Johnny did wear that shirt during our wedding!

Once I returned from work on Tuesday, it was off to the Portage County Randolph Fair. Johnny ordered our tickets ahead of time as well as tickets to a demolition derby (Which is an event I have also never attended!). I had a hunch of what the fair would be like from Johnny’s musings and it was exactly what I expected. Lol, there were animals, more than enough food to feed a small country, games, and rides. Between all of the sights, smells, and people it was total sensory overload for the first ten or so minutes!

I will be discussing more of what we did at the fair along with lots of pictures tomorrow. You can also peep my OOTD and bloopers coming up soon too! What I will say in this post, is that I love all of the new experiences that Johnny and I have together. From going to the shooting range to attending a county fair, it is always something exciting when we go on a date. When we went to the fair, everything was new. I played my first carnival game, ate my first fair food, and was in a situation I never thought I would be in. And it was fun! 😀

Our outing to the Portage County Randolph Fair was a novelty in so many ways, but mainly it was SO different being out on a work night! I truly can’t remember the last time we did something during the week day – it was definitely before we started living together. Even though we were dead tired the following day, it was beyond worth it. The county fair might not be my favorite place in the world, but I was there with my favorite guy and that made it the best. ❤

Because I have never been to an Oktoberfest, that is next on our agenda and we have a grand plan. Do a drop in, get food, and go home lol. Here’s to brand new experiences and be sure to tune in for more on the county fair!

Have you ever attended a county fair before? What was your favorite/least favorite thing about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug22

New Tor’s Prints Chopping Board

Posted on August 22, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Today, we are going to check out the last purchase I made at the Punk Rock Flea Market! Then, keep it posted for a brand new Bath Bomb Blitz once I get around to using the super cute bath bomb that Johnny got for me. 🙂 When I shop, I only buy the things that I feel like I have to have as soon as I see it. What’s the point of spending money on something that you don’t absolutely love? This chopping board by Tor’s Prints definitely fell under that category and I think you can all understand why. That is, if you are familiar with the Papa Roach song “Last Resort” lol. Take a look:

The Tor’s Prints booth had all kinds of cool goodies like keychains, stickers, and earrings. I was most enamored, however, by the custom chopping boards. When my eyes locked in on the Papa Roach inspired board and I learned that its price was only ten dollars, it was as good as mine. Johnny and I thought it was the funniest thing and it will also come in very handy because my current chopping board sucks. Then again, it’s such a hoot that I might just keep it on display on a knick knack shelf. 😀

I love everything that I purchased from the Punk Rock Flea Market, but the chopping board is my favorite. It was so neat to shop around because every booth had something completely one of a kind. While TJMaxx will always be my happy place, you will never find anything like the stuff at the market there! This was such an awesome event to attend and Johnny and I have a lot more plans in the works… Stay tuned on lifewithlilred for when your fave Elder Emo couple hits up the county fair lolol.

You can shop Tor’s Prints on Etsy and follow all of the latest and greatest on Facebook too. And, as always, support your local artists!! ❤

Where is your shopping happy place? Have you ever been to a county fair? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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