Tag Archives: hobby

Mar14

Making Your Life That Little Bit Better

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Making Your Life That Little Bit Better

There’s always room for improvement in life. So, if you’ve decided that you want to be that little bit happier each time you wake up in the morning, now is a better time to start than ever! Leading a better quality life is more fulfilling and will leave you feeling more content. You will be able to enjoy your life to the utmost and minor problems won’t seem all that bad. So, what can you do to improve your quality of life? Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling:

Wave Goodbye to Unhealthy Habits:

We tend to get entangled with unhealthy habits, as we find engaging with them enjoyable or pleasurable in the first place. We get some sort of immediate benefit from unhealthy substances and continue to engage with them as a result. But over time, they can prove significantly detrimental to our overall health and well being. The good news, is that there are ways to kick unhealthy habits. You can:

  • Quit smoking with nicotine replacement products.
  • Combat excessive alcohol consumption with men’s sober living.
  • Tackle obesity with a balanced diet and exercise regime.

These are just a few examples derived from common bad habits that people have. But, whatever your unhealthy habit may be, it’s time to wave goodbye to it!

Assume the Best in Others:

Many of us spend time ruminating on others’ wrongdoings and negative experiences that we have had with other people in the past. Betrayal, deception, and other harsh acts can make us skeptical of others and their intentions. This, in a way, can help us. We are less likely to be caught off guard or hurt. But, at the same time, we can find ourselves cutting off potentially positive relationships because we assume the worst in someone who has given us no reason to doubt them. So, start assuming the best of others. It will open you up to better and more rewarding relationships and provide you with a more positive mindset.

Pick Up a New Hobby:

So many of us waste hours on end scrolling through social media feeds and yearning for the fun filled lifestyles that others seem to be leading. But, this is counterproductive. Instead, why not get out there and actively engage with something that you genuinely enjoy? You could put your spare time to much better use. Pick up a hobby. Choose something that appeals to you. Common hobbies include:

Not only can having a hobby provide you with something stimulating and rewarding to do, but it can expand your social circles, putting you in touch with others who have similar interests to you.

These steps may seem relatively basic. But, it’s definitely worth putting a reminder out there. Following the above advice could help you to live your life to the utmost and wake up with a smile on your face!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec4

Newsflash!

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Newsflash!

Helloooo everyone! We interrupt your scheduled programming of Urban Decay palette swatches with a very important Newsflash. Becauuuuuse GUESS WHAT?! Some very exciting things are happening in Lil Red’s world and I wanted to share it with all of you first. So, let’s get started!

For those of you who don’t know, I used to be very big into theater and acting in plays. Then, when college began as well as the blog, I just kind of fell out of it. I haven’t done a show in about four years but, I’d be a liar if I said that I didn’t miss it. In fact, a month or so ago, I was chit chatting at work and talking about how if an acting opportunity came up, that I’d love to do it.

Well, the cosmic gods answered this seemingly meaningless conversation because, about a week ago I got a Facebook message from an old theater friend inviting me to act in one of her shows. The play is called the Parish Chronicles and it was written by her. The role that she offered me was one of the female leads and, coincidentally, I read that part for her about five years ago when we were just having some fun performing other people’s scripts.

I was so flattered and happy and then had an “oh shit” moment when I realized how demanding it would be to do a show. I already couldn’t make the scheduled rehearsal times but, that was solved when they offered special times just for me to be able to make it. And, then, I thought how the two weeks that the play runs would really put a damper on my work life as I work most evenings.

I was so beside myself because, as excited as I was to be offered this part, it would really shake my work schedule up. I asked my friend for a few days to think it over and, after some deliberation, I accepted the part the following day. How often does a leading role just fall into someone’s lap? They are making a rehearsal schedule just for me and I work hard enough that a minimal few work weeks when the show runs won’t be an issue, either.

I felt so good when I started ice skating again and I know that getting back into theater is going to be an amazing thing for me, too. And, you know what the best part is? When I participated in theater and figure skating during my teenage years and early twenties, I was so depressed and miserable that I didn’t even enjoy it. Frankly, I didn’t want to get out of bed unless it was to cut, make myself throw up, or get drunk. So, of course I didn’t fully get to experience the joys of skating and theater no matter how much I wanted to.

Now, since I’m in a better place in my life, I am ready to finally revel in the fun, excitement, and craft of acting as well as continue on with my skating. I feel proud that I’m letting myself get back into my once loved hobbies instead of falling into the trap of not doing it because I haven’t in so long. Being on the ice again was just like riding a bike and I know that acting will be the same way. I feel happy and I can’t wait to dive into this new adventure!

Do you have any exciting news to share? Who else has been bit by the acting bug? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov30

Get More Involved In Your Local Community

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Get More Involved In Your Local Community

Whether you have recently moved into a new area or you are just keen to try and improve your current sociability, you will find that it is a great idea to try and get more involved in your local community whenever possible. Getting more involved is often merely a matter of doing more and getting out there as a way to have some fun, do good, and meet new friends. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the activities in particular you might want to consider if you are going to try and get more involved in your local community. Consider some of the following and you’ll be surprised at the difference that it makes:

Play Sports:

Playing sports is an activity that is offered in almost every community. The sport that you choose to play is up to you, but it might prove especially expedient if you go for one that is strongly team-focused, so that you can meet many more people. You will find that sports such as softball and baseball and so on are especially good for this. If there are no such groups out there, grab some softball lineup cards, find a place to play, and start one!

Take An Evening Class:

If there is some skill or ability that you have always wanted to have, you might want to consider taking some kind of evening class, instead. You are bound to be able to find some in your local area, and hopefully a few that spike your personal interest. The benefit of this, is that if you go and learn about something that interests you, you are bound to meet a number of like-minded people and, in doing so, you will find that you will soon become a real part of the community. This is one of the surest and swiftest ways to build up a strong network of friends, so it’s definitely worth considering. Take an evening class at your local university or college, and you will be able to get much more involved in your community in no time.

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Always invite your new friends to coffee!

Volunteer:

One of the more wholesome ways to get more involved in your local community is to volunteer somewhere. If you look around, you are sure to find opportunities for this, as there always are. Soup kitchens, church programs, the Special Olympics, and animal shelters are all great places to start. Doing good feels good and you will meet plenty of new people (Or pets!) as a result.

Getting involved in your community is a fun way to fill up your free time and, with the new friends that you make, you will be the talk of the town in no time!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov6

Lil Red Loves: Libraries

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Lil Red Loves: Libraries

Hi! Something that I’ve been fond of for as long as I can remember but, even more so this year, is the good ol’ local library. In my neck of the woods, there are plenty of different libraries to go to that have instilled in me a love for reading from story time as a youngin up until now as a twenty something. And, what I have learned this past year, is that libraries aren’t just for checking out books and movies.

Frequenting the libraries in the greater Akron area has become a staple in my day job, as they offer wonderful, educational, and fun programs that are all completely free. My clients and I love visiting different libraries and always end up reaping the benefits that the programs and events have to offer. From gaining knowledge and new hobbies to receiving totally free books like the ones below, the library is definitely the place to be.

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The libraries in my area offer everything from reading with therapy dogs to GED classes and murder mystery dinners. I have been to excellent music concerts with clients and showings of recently released movies in a huge auditorium. I’ve also attended yoga classes, escape rooms, and lessons in meditation all for the cost of absolutely FREE.

Just last week at North Hill Library’s meditation class, there were cardboard boxes full of free books for the taking. Mysteries, romances, fiction, and nonfiction alike were all there to be sorted through and there was no limit to what we could select. My client and I had a blast looking at all of the choices and I ended up picking out all of the above horror style murder mysteries (My favorite!) to take home with me. Will I like all of them? Maybe not, but that’s no harm done, because I can always donate it so that someone else can have what might be their new favorite page turner.

Lil Red will always support establishments that better the community and I am thankful that mine has so many excellent libraries to choose from, because they do just that. Libraries are inclusive to every single person in this world and there is much to be learned and a lot of fun to be had during your next visit to the neighborhood library!

Who else makes good use out of their local library? What type of programs does your library offer to the public? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct2

My October Wish List

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My October Wish List

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! The glorious month of October is among us, which means I get to enjoy all of my favorite things. As I lover of all things horror, I get to finally get down with my spooky self and drag my boyfriend along for the ride! Because, all of the fall things wouldn’t be complete without a special someone or bestie to revel in the fright with. Here are a few things that I hope to do this month and, so help me god if I don’t, because we’re gonna have some issues!

  1. HAUNTED HOUSES!!!!!!!!!! All of the haunted houses. So many haunted houses. I LOVE HAUNTED HOUSES. The thrill, the scares, the anticipation! I spent two Octobers in my teenage years working at a haunted house and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. Ohio actually offers some pretty good haunts, if you’re willing to venture a little ways to get to them. So, road trip and spookfest, anyone?
  2. SCARY MOVIES!!!!!!!!! All of the scary movies. So many scary movies. I LOVE SCARY MOVIES! Of course, I am eagerly anticipating the theater release of the new Halloween movie but, October is also a time to revisit old favorites. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Saw, The Strangers, Ils, Hush, and all things Stephen King for starters, please.
  3. PUMPKINPALOOZA! So, I’ve never carved a pumpkin before and, frankly, I don’t think it’s the best idea. (Sarah + a carving knife sounds like a pretty bad equation!) But, my boyfriend wants to, so it’s the least I can do! Regardless of if I can carve a pumpkin adequately enough, it will still be fun to complete a traditional Halloween craft together.
  4. Pumpkin Spice, Please: I know, so basic. But, I always have to get at least one Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks this month. Don’t worry, though, I’ll be back to all iced coffee everything in no time!
  5. Take A Hike: I also want to get in lots of hikes in some of Ohio’s many wonderful Metro Parks. There is nothing better than being amongst all of the trees changing color and crunching through fallen leaves on the ground during a blustery fall day. It’s so much fun that it doesn’t even feel like exercising. 😀

What is on your October Wish List? What is your favorite thing about this month? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug10

3 Reasons Why You Should Take A Photo Every Day

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3 Reasons Why You Should Take A Photo Every Day

You’ve got to give it to people, they are pretty good at coming up with weird and interesting ways of spending their free time. The kinds of hobbies and pastimes which work their way into the public consciousness range from daredevil stunts to things like knitting and stamp collecting, on the extreme opposite end of the scale.

One trend which took off with a few vloggers some years ago, included taking a photo of themselves every day for a number of years, and then compiling the photos together into time-lapse videos. Here’s a slightly different proposition for you. Instead of taking a photo of yourself every day, why not take a photo every day of anything that you find interesting?

What you do with the photos is up to you. You could visit Setapp.com for a list of tips on how to edit photos on your Mac, and then set about turning them into pieces of art, or you could create a conventional photo album. Whatever the case may be, here are some good reasons why you should take a photo every day:

It forces you to look for the interesting in each day:

You know how a typical day goes in your life. You get out of bed, force down your breakfast, go to work, come home, collapse on the sofa, and space out, feeling deeply bored and unimpressed. Then, there’s that one friend of yours who has pretty much the same routine, but who always seems to light up a dark room and to genuinely have fun each day.

Taking a photo each day forces you to move a bit closer to that positive mode of being. Why? Because it inspires you to look for the interesting in each day, in order to take a photo worth having. It could be anything from a cool rock on the ground to a gorgeous sunset, but it makes you keep your eyes peeled all day for the perfect shot.

It gives you a great log of your life:

Journals are a pretty good way of documenting your life and experiences that you can look back on with joy and satisfaction. The thing is, a lot of people don’t really like journaling. It takes time, it can be hard to know what to say, and there’s always the issue of someone else reading it. Taking a photo each day can be a great way of documenting your life, and providing you with mental anchors to events and moments, years down the line.

It can help kick start new art projects and other cool pastimes:

Taking a photo every day can be a wonderful first step in exploring your more artistic side. Once you’ve amassed a good enough number of photos, you can create a display out of them, put them up online, or do any number of interesting things with them. This can, in turn, lead you towards other cool pastimes and hobbies, and can also be a great conversation starter or anecdote to share.

Having a hobby is important. Having a hobby that helps improve your daily life is even better. What can you capture with a photo a day?

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jul13

A Summer Bouquet

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A Summer Bouquet

Hey hey everyone and TGIF! I hope that you all have had a fabulous week and are looking forward to a fun weekend ahead. Us Mushenheims are a plant loving people. My mom’s mom and my dad have the greenest thumbs of literally anyone I know, and they can make something grow out of nothing. It really is amazing.

Because of my dad’s talent, our front and back yards are simply overflowing with beauty. From flowers and greenery to herbs and veggies, we have a little bit of everything and can appreciate it from any window that we look out of in our home. Our supply of flowers grown by my dad never seems to run low, and almost every week he will arrange a lovely summer bouquet for the kitchen table – like the one below:

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For as long as I can remember, my dad has always been a master flower arranger, whether it be with bouquets from the garden or store. He seems to know exactly which bloom should be placed where and every arrangement turns into a work of art. The wild flower bouquet seen above is a particularly inspired one and it’s so lovely that I just had to share it with all of you!

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

Jun13

The Popular Piano

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The Popular Piano

The piano is a popular instrument. It is estimated that in the United States alone, that at least 21 million people play the piano. When the piano was first invented, it is unlikely that its creators understood how popular the instrument would become. Throughout the centuries, the piano has gone through some changes. However, the basics of what the piano is has stayed the same.

When the piano first came on the scene, there was no piano store Boston residents could go to to simply pick up a piano. Pianos were handmade. It took a large amount of effort to create one. However, toward the end of the 19th century, it was possible to mass-produce pianos. As a result, pianos became less expensive, and more people were able to have access to this instrument in their home.

The importance of the piano is seen in the way that being able to play it affected one’s perceived social standing. For example, back in the 18th century, it was believed that a woman was marriage material if she could play the piano. Ooh la la!

The popularity of the piano continues to this day, because it is an easy instrument to play. A person can begin playing the instrument immediately. Regardless of the age of the student, they can press a key and make a sound. Other instruments like the guitar, flute, or saxophone require complicated fingering or controlled breathing patterns in order to make a noise. And, since the piano is relatively easy to play, students can learn the fundamentals of the instrument more quickly.

One of the neat things about a piano is that it allows the player to play the melody and the rhythm at the same time. Beginning students marvel at their ability to play multiple notes simultaneously. The fundamentals of music that are laid out on sheet music for a piano are easy to understand. Concepts that can seem abstract, like half notes or scales, become clearer when you see them laid out on the piano, and beautiful noise is sure to follow!

Jun6

How To Organize Your Photography Portfolio

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How To Organize Your Photography Portfolio

Whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur snapper with ambition, it is sensible to have a portfolio of work that you can show clients, friends, and anyone else who shows an interest. These days, photography is mainly digital, so an online portfolio is the way to go, but even if you still develop your photographs the old-fashioned way, the same tips apply:

Quality Control:

The best thing about digital photography, is that you can take hundreds of photos in a very short time. The bad thing is, that you end up with thousands. Be honest: most of your photos are not worthy of a place in a portfolio. This is not to say that they are no good, but the whole point of creating a portfolio is that you are highlighting your very best work.

The first step in creating a portfolio is to curate your work. Go through your best shots and select the ones that you think are worthy of a place in your portfolio. Don’t just rely on your own judgment, as it will almost certainly be biased. Instead, ask a selection of people to choose their favorite shots based on artistic qualities and technical ability. The photos that make the grade should tick the right boxes for everyone.

Quality control isn’t just about your pictures itself but employing best practices at every shoot so you can continue to grow your portfolio. Come prepared to smile, be engaging, and have fun. Don’t forget backup equipment because nothing halts a photo shoot like technical problems. However, if you forget a spare film camera battery, it’s worth noting that many film cameras can still function, allowing you to take pictures even without a working light meter. Your clients have the potential to review you via word of mouth and online so you always want to put your best, most professional face forward.

Professional Portfolios:

If you are a professional photographer, or you have aspirations to become one, you need to organize your photos to fit your business model. For example, a Suffolk Wedding Photographer wouldn’t include images of edgy urban scenes, as clients are not going to be interested. Instead, he/she would make sure that there were plenty of wedding themed photos in the portfolio so potential clients know exactly what they are getting when they book the photographer.

Organize into Themes and Galleries:

Check out Virtualphotographystudio.Com to see how to organize your work into galleries. Themed galleries are very important, as they help clients and viewers find the images that they want to see.

Using our example of a wedding photographer, we might have separate galleries for couples’ shots, family portraits, and perhaps miscellaneous photos of kids, animals, and even wedding cakes. If you have several existing clients, you might choose to organize your work by the client rather than subject matter. This would be applicable to a fashion photographer. You could also organize by creative theme. For example, if you have a series of images of Tuscan villas or Canadian landscapes, add them in separate folders.

A portfolio needs to be easy to navigate. Use a main menu and sub-menus. The harder it is to find images, the more likely you are to lose a viewer.

Caption Images:

Images should be captioned with key details such as title, the year it was taken, etc. If you have an online portfolio, images also need an image tag so that search engines can identify what they are and include them in search results.

Choose the right portfolio design. There are many themes to choose from if you decide to create an online portfolio, so select the best one for your business model and impress the socks off of potential clients!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Apr4

Scarf Series: Knitted With Love Edition

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Scarf Series: Knitted With Love Edition

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! This is a special edition of my Scarf Series, because the one that I’m discussing today is one of a kind. My newest scarf was handmade by my mom! Despite my mom having no artistic talent in regards to drawing or painting, her creativity shines through in a different manner. She is an expert in her craft of bread baking and always uses the phrase “kneaded with love” so Knitted With Love only seemed like an appropriate title for this post. Take a look:

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Literally no one in my family even knew that my mom knows how to knit until last month when she had a stay in the hospital. The lovely JANE decided that she would like to spend some of her time there knitting, so we took a trip to the absolutely darling Harps & Thistles Yarn Emporium to pick out some materials for her to work with.

At first, I was ambivalent about my mom making me a scarf, because I already have so many and my sister specifically said that she wanted one, so I wanted my mom to focus on that, instead. But then, my mom and I laid eyes on the gorgeous mustard yellow tweed yarn that you can see above. It was the perfect shabby chic, collegiate cool palette and my prior sentiments of “you don’t have to make me a scarf if you don’t want to” instantly turned to “can you PLEASE make me a scarf?!”.

While my mom was away, it was always so exciting to get a text or hear her say on video chat that she was working on my scarf. And when she finally returned home, which was amazing in itself, it was made even more special to see the fruits of her labor for her two girls with a rose pink and mustard yellow scarf. It hasn’t been cold enough in Ohio to wear scarves, any more (Which is great!), but I did get to wear my home made scarf one time and I loved every minute of it. I can’t wait to get more use of it next winter!!

What is your favorite craft to do? Did someone teach you how or were you self taught? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah