Tag Archives: happy

Apr10

Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition

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Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mar22

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!

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

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

Happy Birthday!! ❤

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Mar22

Making Your Graduation Extra Special

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Making Your Graduation Extra Special

The day of your college graduation is an incredibly happy and special one. It is the penultimate moment of everything that you have worked and studied so hard for – in fact, it’s probably the biggest moment of your life to date! Most colleges (and even high schools) make quite a big deal out of graduation, with a formal ceremony and the opportunity to bring your family along to support you. For many people, it can be an emotional day, as it signals the end of a specific chapter of your life and the start of new beginnings. It’s only natural that you should want to go the extra mile when it comes to celebrating it. Here are a few things that you can do, both before the ceremony and on the day itself to make sure that your graduation day is one that you will never forget:

Plan Your Outfit: Just like with your prom, your graduation is one of those days where all eyes are going to be on you. This is especially true for the moment when you go up on stage to collect your degree – pretty nerve wracking stuff, eh? So, it makes sense that you would want to look your best for such a momentous occasion. Start planning at least a couple of months in advance: remember that a lot of colleges have their graduations around the same time, so you don’t want to find that your dream dress has already sold out! Pick something that you are comfortable in – nothing too heavy or revealing. Graduation day can be a long one, with the ceremony, award giving, a meal, and then sometimes a night out after. Try and find a happy medium between style and comfort – it will work in your favor.

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Shoe Heaven!!

Show Your Appreciation to Your Classmates: At college, you tend to meet a lot of people and have friends from lots of different groups. You may be close to your roommate or maybe the people on your sports team. But chances are you’ll have formed relationships with the other students in your courses as well and this is your chance to express your gratitude for them. You may want to get some of your course friends a gift by way of congratulations – it doesn’t need to be anything extravagant, more just a token of appreciation. A good option for this is a graduation lei. Now, you may wonder why we give leis for graduation. They are actually an ancient symbol and is said to offer good luck to the recipient. Pretty appropriate for a graduation day and something that your friend can treasure forever.

Take Pictures: Just like with any major event, it’s likely that your graduation day will pass in a bit of a blur. There are so many people and so many things to get through – but try and remember to take pictures! If you are too busy socializing, ask a relative or friend to snap some candid shots of you and your friends enjoying the day. You’ll probably get an official graduation picture taking by a professional photographer, but sometimes these unexpected photos can end up being the best shots of the day.

Congrats, Grad!

Featured Image By: Flickr

Mar20

Loft Haul

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Loft Haul

Hiii everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a fabulous and relaxing weekend. My Saturday was spent getting my shop on at Loft and scoring an amazing haul for a seriously amazing deal. If there’s one place that I know that I can turn to for totally profesh but super fun business casual attire, it’s Loft. And let me tell you, my work wardrobe was in definite need of a pick me up. The beauty of the clothing at Loft is that their clothes can really be dressed up or down depending on what you need to use them for. I love that my Loft clothes can double for work or play and that you can get great deals if you know how to shop their sales. Check out my latest haul and then I’ll reveal the price for all five items that you won’t believe! Take a look:

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The Haul:

  • Two shirts both originally priced at $54.95
  • One pair of jeans originally priced at $69.95
  • Two pairs of sunglasses originally priced at $24.50

I Paid: About $80

So how did I do it? This is all compliments of my mom, actually. Thanks to beaucoup Loft Cash, percentage off promotions, and fifteen dolla holla sunglasses, she was able to dwindle down a staggering price to something much more reasonable. My mom started shopping Loft a couple of years ago and I have always been so impressed with the clothes that she has purchased. Like I mentioned earlier, they really are the perfect work or play wardrobe staples. The clothes fall in that amazing “youthful but not trying to be young” category, which means that women of any age can pull off their clothing and still look great.

It’s not like I’m a super avid Loft shopper but when I do spend time in their store, I always seem to manage to find some really nice stuff. Their jeans, for example, are the best thing that has ever happened to the bottom half of my body so whenever I can get a good deal on their black skinnies, I always have to indulge. The frayed ends of my latest black skinny purchase (because we all know that it’s all I wear!) were a fun little detail and I’m hoping to take a razor blade to the knees if I’m feeling crafty enough. I don’t own any ripped denim but I really like the idea of it, so if anyone is a savvy pants ripper and has any tips for me, please send them my way!

And, of course, I freaking LOVE my new tops. In the pictures, they might look like your standard T, but they are actually made out of one hundred percent polyester so it feels silky and looks sleek as opposed to the regular old cotton T. These tops have an adorable eyelet detail on the back and the colors in each of them are my favorite. Green and yellow are two colors that happen to look really good on me, thanks to my pasty pale skin tone and vibrant red hair. As soon as I put these tops on, they just felt and looked SO good and if they had any additional shirts in different patterns I probably would have bought them, too!

Both of these tops will be great for when I’m out and about at work or paired under a moto jacket for errands or drinks with friends. I love the kimono feel of the yellow top and the deep green paired with the brighter teal details really had me feeling some type of way! It’s going to be really fun to create new looks for my day to day work and play wear for an outfit that’s business cashe or a young twenty-something on the go (generally going to Taco Bell).

Finally, I am obsessed with my new sunnies! I haven’t bought new sunglasses in forever because now I usually just opt for my Chanel shades from my nail tech, Vinny. But these new ones are SO fabulous and I got each of them for seven bucks, so it really doesn’t get much better than that! The solid black frames scream Miu Miu to me and the duel colored tortoise shell and navy sunnies are so unbearably chic. Both of these sunglasses are shaped in styles that I don’t already have in my sunnies arsenal so it will be nice to throw on a fresh new pair of shades before I hit the road in the Little Red Love Machine!

Obviously, Loft was really good to me this weekend and my closet so thanks me for it! I am super happy with my latest Loft Haul and am ready to welcome spring with some shiny new wardrobe additions. Who else is a major Loft fan? How are you upgrading your wardrobe for spring? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar18

Reader Map Update

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Reader Map Update

Hiiii everyone and happy weekend! So yesterday I was hanging out and listening to a little I’m From Barcelona and their song “Collection Of Stamps” came on. This song, a little ditty that gives an ode to friends and locations world wide reminded me that it’s been a while since I posted an updated reader map picture. So first, take a listen. And then, take a look!

(As always, I have no rights to this song. I just like it a lot.)

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I started making my reader map once I had a little over forty countries reading me with the pure intention of keeping track of them all. But now, with over one hundred and seventy different countries that are hip to lifewithlilred, this map serves as so much more than a location tracker. This little project that I began gives me such an immense feeling of pride every time I look at it – which is frequently, considering it’s located in my bedroom!

To know that the page that little old me started two and a half years ago is reaching locations that I never even knew existed completely blows my mind. This map has also made me SO much better at the geography questions on Jeopardy, which is a really nice added bonus! As soon as “Collection Of Stamps” came on, it made me think of all of my wonderful readers, friends, and followers in the blogging community and I just knew that I had to send a shout out to them in an Updated Reader Map post.

Thank you all so, so much for stopping by my page. If it’s as a one time reader or a loyal follower, I appreciate it far more than you know. Many well wishes and a ton of love to each and every one of you!

What country on my reader map would you like to visit some day? Where are you located? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar14

Ruby Tulip Launch!!

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Ruby Tulip Launch!!

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! This is a very exciting day because lifewithlilred’s very first signature scent is here in the form of Ruby Tulip, a roll on fragrance oil. Ruby Tulip was created by the unbelievably talented scentstress of Angie’s Bath & Body – a dear friend, Angela. Her and I collaborated on this scent and she took what little ideas I had and turned them into a beautiful fragrance. Ruby Tulip is available for purchase on Angela’s Etsy shop and with shipping will be just over fifteen dollars. A total smell goods steal!

As I pondered what to say about this scent, I hit a brick wall. Especially because Angela’s description of Ruby Tulip on her site is simply perfect. So, I’m taking the stumped wordsmith’s route here and sharing that with you because I literally couldn’t have said it better myself:

RUBY TULIP CUSTOM PERFUME – 1/3 oz. (roll-on)

This a very special creation. A dear friend of mine asked me to create something special for her and her beloved blog readers. And so I did.

RUBY TULIP is made from all natural ingredients and with pure love. It took almost 2 months to get all of the essential oils to work perfectly together and now it’s ready for the world. It’s a citrus scent, but lightly. It wears very well and may only need 1 touch up throughout the day.

INGREDIENTS: Fractionated Coconut oil, lavender essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, rosemary essential oils, sweet orange essential oil, and a smidge of honeysuckle fragrance oil.

You have the option of adding rose petals or ordering without. The rose petals are a beautiful addition to the perfume.

Ruby Tulip is packaged in a 1/3 glass roll-on bottle w/cap. It will be shipped in a black roll-on box and organza bag via USPS 1st Class Mail.

I truly hope that you love this scent as much as I do.

Thanks,
Angela

^^^ Told you I couldn’t have said it better myself!!

I want to thank Angela again for the hundred millionth time for creating Ruby Tulip for me but most importantly for all of you! Angela is an incredible businesswoman and you can check out her latest ventures on my most recent Accessory Story. While checking out Ruby Tulip’s page on Angela’s Etsy shop, be sure to treat yourself to some more divine bath and body care goodies like her body butters and sugar scrubs – I promise you that they won’t disappoint!

The Ruby Tulip Launch is a go and I am so excited to finally be able to share it with all of you! Who plans on making a Ruby Tulip purchase? What should Angela’s and my next fragrance be called? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar10

Smarter Living: The Priorities Of A Modern Homeowner

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Smarter Living: The Priorities Of A Modern Homeowner

A happy home environment is a platform for your entire family to enjoy life to the fullest. That means that it’s your responsibility to ensure that the right steps are taken so that you’re getting the most out of your property at all times. Before doing anything, it’s imperative that you have a suitable plan of action. By focusing on the most important things, the home will become a far more accommodating venue for the whole family. Let’s take a closer look at where your priorities should lie:

Put Safety First: This doesn’t simply mean investing in CCTV and childproofing the living room and bedrooms either. Things like knowing how to spot the signs of damp at an early stage is vital. Likewise, carbon monoxide detectors and other potentially life saving instruments are key. Making those purchases may feel like a hassle but one mistake could put your whole family at risk. If that isn’t an incentive to cover all of the bases, then I don’t know what is!

Focus On Practicality: You aren’t building a showroom; you’re creating a home. Turning an unused guest room into an office or playroom can give the home a greater sense of function. Meanwhile, boosting the shower pressure could save you a lot of time in the mornings. As a busy modern family, those direct benefits can be massive. Finally, space-saving furniture and storage facilities can offer greater versatility. They will make the home feel bigger, too, which will enhance your relationship with the property greatly.

Cut The Waste Wherever Possible: We live in a time damaged by a culture to throw things away needlessly. In many cases, furniture can be restored with a little TLC. Oxalic Acid Wood Bleach removes tough stains from wood to get those items back to their best. Similarly, repairing kitchen appliances is often cheaper than buying a new one. Combine these ideas with a little upcycling to save time, money, and hassle.

Aim For Energy Efficiency: Green living has become an important priority for modern homeowners and not only because it helps the environment. But you don’t need to use solar roof panels to see those benefits. Energy efficient toilets can cut water usage by over half. Likewise, switching to LED light bulbs can save electricity in a truly effective manner, too. Those savings can be put towards the bigger TV or luxury items to encourage even greater enjoyment for the whole household.

Comfort Is King: Stylish appearances are great but they’ll count for very little if you aren’t able to enjoy it. Creating a bedroom that allows you to sleep and relax is crucial because the repercussions of failure are huge. Meanwhile, ensuring that the insulation and air ventilation are of the desired standard will make a telling impact, too. Simplicity is imperative and, as they say, comfort is king.

While it’s easy to associate comfort with things like the temperature of your home or a nice soft mattress, comfort also includes the size of your house. It can be hard to relax if you have a large family and it feels like you are constantly bumping into each other or thwarting arguments between siblings sharing a room. If this is the case for you, it might be time to consider a move to a larger property or have one built. Should you choose the latter, you can deck out your home with the latest in smart technology and energy efficiency. To get started, simply enter a search for “Luxury Estate Builders Flordia” (or your local area). You will experience the epitome of comfort when everyone has their own space. Who knows? It might just bring your family closer together!

Master each of those five elements and the home will become far more inviting and user friendly. And when your family feels happy at home, their entire lives should look far brighter, too. Job done.

Featured Image By: Google

Mar7

Spring Surprise

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Spring Surprise

Hiiiii! This morning as I was leaving the house, I caught a little pretty something out of the corner of my eye while I was in the car. Among all of the brown leaves and dry grass, a little yellow crocus was popping out to say an early spring hello. I didn’t have time to snap a quick pic then but as I was taking the dogs out this afternoon I just had to take one! It was so cute and wittle and it made me so happy to see! Take a look:

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After kind of a blah few days, it was so nice to see a tiny pop of color as a Spring Surprise and a preview of hopefully some lovely blooms to come. There’s nothing like a brave little crocus showing off its petals to brighten your day and get you hyped for warmer weather, all floral everything, and a new spring season here on lifewithlilred!

Happy Tuesday!

Feb24

Major Body Shop Haul

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Major Body Shop Haul

Hello everyone and happy Thursday! So The Body Shop recently had a forty percent off sale online that I took full advantage of on Valentine’s Day. I decided a while ago that the next time TBS had a good percentage off sale, that I would order a year’s supply of all of my must have products so that I wouldn’t have to spend the year chasing the best deals. Not only did I get all of my necessities for a fraction of the cost, but I also got two body butters for FREE! Take a look at my haul and let’s discuss:

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The Haul:

  • 4 Vitamin C Skin Boosts
  • 1 Nutriganics Eye Cream
  • 2 Vitamin E Moisturizers
  • 2 Brush On Radiances
  • 2 British Rose Body Butters (free!)
  • 2 sample products (also free!)

The Total: $110

So normally I don’t like to post about how much I spend on myself BUT this was such a great deal that I really felt the need to talk about it in its full extent. For about twelve dollars a pop, I was able to get everything that I needed (for the most part) for an entire year. That’s huge. Not only was I completely thrilled with the amount that I spent, but I was also so happy to get two free body butters out if it! For Valentine’s Day, TBS was offering a free British Rose body butter, lotion, shower gel, or bubble bath with a fifty dollar purchase so of course I went with the body butter as it was the best value. I can’t say that I totally love the British Rose scent but beggars can’t be choosers and they will still be a nice addition to my lotion hoard!

You guys already know that I love to shop and I rarely have a problem with spending money BUT I always look for the best deal when I’m making a purchase. I really felt like I was getting the best value for my money with this online haul. I mean, 110 bucks for a year’s supply of your skin care necessities? Hello! Of course the moisturizers will need restocked but that’s what Target and TJMaxx is for as well as my June birthday!

I am so SO happy with my Major Body Shop Haul and am looking forward to a year of barely having to make any skin care purchases. That in itself made this order money well spent! What are some of your favorites from TBS? What skin care item can you not live without? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb16

Fix Your Skin Expert Roundup

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Fix Your Skin Expert Roundup

Heyy guys and happy Thursday! So a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by my friends at Fix Your Skin to give some advice in their 2017 Expert Roundup. I have to say, I was completely flattered to have been one out of the 200 dermatologists, makeup artists, bloggers, and skin care experts that were chosen to participate. Not only flattered but SO FREAKING EXCITED!! What an honor!

Skin care has been something that is extremely important to me since I was a teenager. My complexion has always been a feature of mine that I take a lot of pride in so I have always wanted to maintain peaches and cream perfection since I entered high school. Teenage skin made me nervous. Breakouts, acne, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples – whatever name you have for problem skin, I was scared.

The fear of having high school being even shittier if acne was a problem motivated me to create a regime and find products that worked for me. Through trial and error, I was able to find cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and creams that helped to enhance my skin’s beauty, some of which I still use to this day. And, I hate to jinx myself now, but at twenty-two years old I have never had a pimple in my life!

When I tell people my “never had a pimple” fun fact, I always feel very lucky, especially since all of my life and to this day, I constantly commit the biggest skin care no no: I sleep in my makeup!! But, you know what? That’s okay. If sleeping with makeup on is my one bugaboo after close to ten years of diligently caring for my skin, I’d say that I’m doing alright!

Believe me, my high school years were still shit despite a fresh face but I am so thankful that acne was not a problem that was added onto my pile of stress that came from an abundance of mental health issues. I graduated high school, then, when I was eighteen, I began to work at The Body Shop as one of their assistant managers and that just took my always growing knowledge and passion for skin care to a whole other level.

Working at The Body Shop will always remain one of my favorite retail jobs that I have ever worked. I reveled in being able to assist my customers with their skin care needs and create custom regimens to help solve their problems and boost their confidence. It really was a joy and I loved being able to swap skin care stories and secrets with everyone that walked into my store.

I was hungry to learn about all of the products that The Body Shop as well as our competitors offered to provide customers with the best answers to their questions and I was consistently complimented on my expertise. It felt good to be praised for something that I learned, which rarely happened during my high school career and even after I quit working at TBS, I still would always drop skin care knowledge on my mom, sister, friends, and randoms on Facebook when they needed advice.

When lifewithlilred was born in 2014, I knew that product reviews had to be something that was included on my page. I loved being able to steer my readers in the direction of products that I loved while helping them avoid the ones that were ehh…not so much! And you know, I guess this rambling little story about the past ten years of my skin care experimentation is a roundabout way of getting at that I am really freaking proud of myself to have been chosen by Fix Your Skin to be a part of a roundup of people that they considered experts in skin care.

I may not be working in a skin care based field anymore but I do have a blurb on a website dedicated to helping people with their skin care needs. Check it out and be sure to take a look at the full article for more advice:

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I want to thank Fix Your Skin again for including little old me in their Expert Roundup because it means much more than people probably realize! What are some of your skin care tips and tricks? What is one of your most loved skin care products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah