Tag Archives: kent

Dec8

All Done Christmas Shopping!

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All Done Christmas Shopping!

Hey everyone and happy Tuesday! This past weekend I was SO happy to finally finish my Christmas shopping! I got a vast majority of my shopping done at Kohl’s, TJMaxx, and some local shops in downtown Kent. But this weekend, I broke out the big guns and let Amazon take care of the rest. I ended up saving a lot of precious time and moolah this year thanks to smart shopping and all I can say is…I’m glad it’s over. Let’s discuss:

I was really pleased with all of the items that I bought in person and because I had lots of great coupons and gift cards, I was able to save a lot of money, too! But after spreading the wealth in stores, I knew that there were things that would just be simply easier to buy online. That’s when Amazon and a beautiful gift card that my mom got from work came in.

I affectionately call myself the “Queen of the Amazon” because I really am. Give me an hour on that site and I’ll have a shopping cart full of the perfect gifts for everyone on my list. I spent some time writing out ideas of what to get everyone who I still needed to shop for and then I logged on to Amazon to browse what might work for each of them.

When I’m doing a big online shopping haul, I have a tried and true technique that I return to year after year:

  • Step 1) Make a handwritten list of gift ideas.
  • Step 2) Browse the ideas on Amazon and bookmark anything that might work.
  • Step 3) Mull it over.
  • Step 4) Return to the site a few days later to make your final decisions.

I bookmarked so many items on Amazon that I lost count and ended up forgetting a lot of the things that I had saved. But that’s the beauty of expanding your options far and wide. Because I picked out so many possibilities, there were only a chosen few items that I really remembered and those were the ones that I ended up going with each time. I’m all about picking items that are memorable, useful, and relevant to the person that I’m shopping for.

After I had time to think of each gift, I returned to Amazon one last time to make my final decisions. This is when I start the nitpicking. I look for the best price on the product, an item that will ship for free, and the one with the best reviews and ratings. My rating rule of thumb is that if it has less than four stars overall, then I don’t even consider it.

Once I’m 150% sure that I have the perfect gift for the best price, I add the item to the cart and repeat the process for the next product. Thanks to this ballin on a budget method, I ended up spending under one hundred dollars for SEVEN items and still had cash to spare on the gift card! Nice!

Thanks to smart shopping, coupons, gift cards, and having a keen eye for the best deal, I ended up spending a grand total of…Eighty dollars of my own money for multiple gifts for seven people! Not bad, not bad at all!

snuggle.gif

I can’t say what I got for everyone because you never know who’s tuning in to lifewithlilred! BUT, I know for a fact that my dad doesn’t read my blog so I can say that I’m pretty excited for what I got him! My dad loves to travel and plans fantastic vacations so one of the gifts that I got him will definitely come in handy…A brand new atlas for 2016, which will be a vast improvement of his torn and used 2005 atlas that has never been updated. I think that after eleven years an upgrade was much needed! 🙂

I’m All Done Christmas Shopping and I couldn’t be happier! Now it’s time to sit back and relax until it’s time to start wrapping all of the presents up! Who is all done with their holiday shopping? Where do you usually do all of your shopping at? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov23

Monday Update: Early Christmas Shopping Edition

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Monday Update: Early Christmas Shopping Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! The holidays are approaching quickly and because I’m a big fan of planning ahead, I’ve been doing a lot of my holiday shopping nice and early. I made my list of what to by and who to by for, checked it twice, and crossed off three people on my list already this past week! Let’s discuss:

Last year I did all of my shopping on Amazon and I plan on doing a vast majority of it on there again this year. However, thanks to some wonderful coupons and gift cards from Kohl’s and TJMaxx, I was able to knock out gifts for my sister and best friend. I can’t post what I got for them in case they read it, of course, but I can say that for both of them I purchased a gorgeous cloth decorative basket to fill with some of their favorite things. I’m excited to give my gifts to them because this year I went with items that I knew for a fact that both of them would love so there’s absolutely no way that they’re going to dislike anything and deem me a horrible gift giver!

It’s always fun to shop around and try something new that you think someone might like but it just causes so much anxiety! This year, I’m going for gifts that I’m 100% sure are going to be used and enjoyed by the people who I’m buying for. Believe me, the last thing that I want to do when Christmas rolls around is retreat back to the stores to return or exchange gifts that I went out on a limb to purchase with a hope that the receiver just might like it. This rings especially true for my sister, who is literally the hardest person ever to shop for! It’s not that she’s picky, she just knows what she likes and what she doesn’t so it was especially important to go with tried and true favorites for her!

I mentioned above that I did some shopping at Kohl’s and TJMaxx but I also did some purchasing at a few small businesses in Kent, as well. I think that it’s so very important to shop local when you can during the holiday season and in general so I was really pleased that I was able to find some nice presents from some fantastic little boutiques that are relatively close to me. Thanks to the fun downtown shopping area in Kent, which is close to where I coach figure skating for the Special Olympics, I was able to buy an add on to my sister’s gift basket and an amazing gift for my boyfriend. I wish that I could tell you what I got him so badly because it’s seriously the best gift ever and I got it for the best deal ever, as well – which you know is something that I always look out for! #ballinonabudget

I’m really glad that I knocked out some shopping last week because now I only have four people left to shop for and to me, that is so relieving! For these last few gifts I’ll probably stick with Amazon and other online shopping sites because I already have items from there in mind. Another big relief is that I won’t have to venture out into the craziness that is the mall or other shopping centers during the next few weeks because it’s much too overwhelming for me. When I went to Kohl’s and TJs they were both fairly crowded already but the local shops that I hit up were nice and vacant for the most part which made shopping so much more enjoyable…another benefit of shopping local!

As far as any hardcore Black Friday shopping goes this week, it’s strictly out of the question…sort of, anyways. The past two years my mom and I have went to the mall probably an hour or so before they close up for the day, and each year it’s been quite empty – so fingers crossed that it’s like that again this year for a threepeat! We go to the mall with one store to go to and one store only…The Body Shop! Each year TBS runs their three for thirty sale as well as an awesome gift for a great price that you can purchase, which is typically a cute tote filled with one hundred or more dollars worth of product. During the three for thirty sale we stock up on our more expensive necessities and end up saving a small fortune! It’s seriously the best, but if we don’t make it out to the mall this Friday then it’s okay because the deal runs throughout the entire holiday season. Our yearly tradition is fun though, so I hope that it will happen again this Black Friday!

black-friday-meme

^^^ Lololololol, so true!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Early Christmas Shopping Edition! Who has gotten some holiday shopping done already? Who plans on going Black Friday shopping this week? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov2

Monday Update: Look Out Edition

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Monday Update: Look Out Edition

Howdy everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fantastic Halloween weekend, I sure did! You know why I had a great weekend? Because for the most part I did absolutely nothing for the first time in weeks and it was AWESOME! Now that I’m all relaxed and ready to go, I’m here to bring you the Monday Update for the week so you guys can be on the Look Out for some exciting posts coming up in the near future!

Trades Of Hope: I had the pleasure of sitting down with one of my dear friends, Sarah White, to chat about the company that she works for, Trades Of Hope. TOH employs female artisans in third world countries and pays them a fair living wage for the creation of their beautiful accessories, home decor, and beauty items. On Tuesday, you can tune into http://www.lifewithlilred.com for the full article and the link to Sarah’s site where she’ll be hosting a TOH party for the next few weeks. When you make purchases through the party you have the opportunity to win free or discounted items and I strongly urge you to take advantage of it because everything is gorgeous! I was gifted with the Kala Necklace from Sarah and I’m obsessed! Take a look:

kala

My necklace was made by artisans in India and I love it so much! Once again, I’ll be posting the article this Tuesday and the links for the party will be provided in the post!

John Patrick Halling: This past Thursday I was so excited to sit down and chat with an extremely talented musician fresh out of Kent, Ohio, John Patrick Halling. John Patrick is a blues/folk/country hybrid artist and he is simply fantastic. During our meeting we chatted about everything from his most recent tour (the Boy in the Water US tour), his style on stage, and what influences him as an artist and musician. Everything during our get together was just swell, until…..

Until I made the biggest fool of myself of all time!! When I meet with new clients, our talks usually happen interview style and I record everything on a Word document on my laptop. Basically, they talk and I type. John Patrick and I chatted for a solid thirty-five to forty minutes and once I had everything I needed, I told him he was good to go. We packed up our belongings and I said something along the lines of “let me save and exit” the document. Unfortunately, a classic case of “I shouldn’t have clicked that” happened because instead of saving and exiting, I accidentally just clicked exit. It was one of those things where you do what you were saying because you were saying it and since I had “exit” on my mind and tongue, it just kind of happened…It. Was. AWFUL.

Thankfully, John Patrick was SO nice about it and I was able to recall almost everything we talked about from memory. I stayed at the Starbucks we met at after he left and retyped everything and ended up with more than I started with. As soon as I got home, I got a draft of the article ready to go and the only things that needed corrected were the brand name of a hat, the location of a venue that he played a show at, and the name of a city. Since those were the only things that didn’t ring true, I’d say I did pretty well!

I’m so happy that the article is looking good so far but you guys have no idea how embarrassing it was! My best friend, Lea, and I have discussed how difficult it is to think of a moment that was truly cringe worthy but I think I found it with that unfortunate incident. But fear not! The article is almost done and is set to publish mid-November when John Patrick releases his music video for “If I Would’ve Known”. Until then, you can check out his music at: http://johnpatrickhalling.com/#/ and make sure you give his Facebook page a like at: https://www.facebook.com/JPHallingMusic/?fref=ts ! Seriously guys, make sure you give his music a listen because it really is wonderful and stay tuned for the article on Mister Halling which will be coming out soon!

embarrassing

^^^ My life.

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Look Out Edition! I’m so excited to share these upcoming posts with you and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did working on them! How was everyone’s Halloween weekend? What did you do to celebrate? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct26

Monday Update: Special Olympics Edition

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Monday Update: Special Olympics Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fantastic weekend, I sure did! As you guys might remember me mentioning before, I figure skated competitively for a hefty portion of my youth. Thanks to my background as a skater, I’ve been given the opportunity to coach figure skating for the Special Olympics. I had my first practice with my skaters this past Thursday and it was one of the best times of my life! Let’s discuss:

Every Thursday for the next several months I’ll be at the Kent State ice arena for an hour coaching my new friends for the Olympic games in February. I had the best time during my first evening getting to know all of the skaters and their parents. It also felt so good to get back on the ice because I haven’t skated since last winter! I spent my time on the rink going back and forth between different skaters to check on how they were doing and help them improve. It was so rewarding every time a skater accomplished something that I helped teach them!

I had so much fun coaching my skaters but I also really enjoyed just standing back and watching them skate. All of my friends seemed so at peace while they practiced their sport and it was nice to see big smiles and hear laughter throughout the rink. I was legitimately bummed out when the session came to an end but I made sure that before the ice got Zamboni-ed that I was able to have a race around the rink that I promised to one of my speed skaters. He was thirteen years old and was a freaking speed demon so I can imagine I’ll be constantly reminded of his victory every session by him and his uncle, which I’m so okay with!

I seriously can’t wait until next Thursday so I can see my students and their families again. It was so touching how gracious the parents or guardians were after I got off of the rink but I should be the one thanking them because I think I got much more out of my time than the skaters did! I’m so excited to go on a coaching journey with my new friends and their support systems and I’m so ready for another wonderful session this week!

In other news, my boyfriend Kyle and I had our two month anniversary on the 20th which is really exciting stuff! I also got to sit down with one of my good friends to discuss her Trades Of Hope campaign this past Thursday so you can expect an article about that in a few weeks! AND after skating this upcoming Thursday, I’ll be staying in Kent for a little while longer to meet with a really talented musician, John Patrick Halling, to chat about his cross country tour this past summer! It should be a lot of fun so keep your eyes peeled for lots of cool new posts. 🙂

I hope all of you are having a great start to your week and make sure you tune in at http://www.lifewithlilred.com for all of the latest and greatest! What was everyone up to this weekend? How do you plan on celebrating Halloween? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep29

Hawthorne Heights Concert Recap

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Hawthorne Heights Concert Recap

Hiii guys! I hope you’re having an awesome start to your week so far! So on Friday I had the pleasure of seeing my friends in Millstone perform as the openers for Hawthorne Heights at The Outpost in Kent, Ohio. I got to spend the day with the band and my boyfriend, Kyle, and it was honestly one of the best times I’ve had in a long time. Take a listen to Millstone’s debut full length album, The Dreams We Don’t Remember, and then let’s discuss:

Kyle and I had a somewhat early day on Friday, because we had to drive from Canton to Highland Square in Akron to meet up with the Millstone boys to help assemble all of their equipment for the show. Lucky for me, since I was the only girl all I had to do was watch as the guys did all of the grunt work! I did carry a few guitars though, so I guess you can say that I helped. 😉 After a break for a late Chipotle lunch, we (and by we I mean everyone but me) gathered the last of the amps and instruments into various cars and headed for The Outpost.

Once we arrived at the venue, all of the gear had to be hauled out of the car and onto the stage so everything was ready for the big show. A lot of other local bands were performing as well so tons of musicians were already there preparing for their set upon our arrival. It was basically like being in a co-ed fraternity for musicians and their friends. Thanks to the helping hands of people at The Outpost and the adrenaline for the evening kicking in, we were able to unload the car in record speed, which left us enough time to get some margaritas at Salsita’s, a Mexican restaurant down the street.

It was so much fun hanging out with the band, mutual friends, and my man in such a relaxed environment after a semi stressful afternoon. We got hella pitchers of raspberry margaritas and enjoyed our time out until the Millstone members had to get back to the venue. By the time we got back to The Outpost, bands were already performing on the multiple stages in the building. Kyle and I opted for a spot out on the patio where we had some time to kill with friends for two or so hours until Millstone was ready for their set. We had a few more drinks and I got to meet a lot of Kyle’s friends who I’ve heard so much about, so that was awesome!

Millstone was due to perform at 9:30 and we were all getting really excited. By the time they were getting themselves together on stage, I was lightweight freaking out from happiness for them. The last time I wrote about Millstone, their guitarist, Adam, told me that he would love to have the band eventually open for Hawthorne Heights and here they were a few months later doing the damn thing! Millstone one hundred and fifty percent annihilated their set. They sounded so amazing and were so much fun to watch. It was so cool to see their music come to life off of their album and to see all of the guys let their individual personalities shine through on stage. Millstone killed it like no other and I was so proud to be watching them in the audience.

After an amazing performance by my friends, it was time for Hawthorne Heights to take the stage. As I mentioned before, I saw HH live when I was sixteen or so and it was awesome. All of my emo kid fantasies of meeting the band and crying to “Ohio Is For Lovers” came true that night, so needless to say, I was pretty fucking stoked to see them again…And then, Hawthorne Heights appeared on stage…Oh.

As soon as the guys came on, I only recognized two of the band mates who I originally saw all of those years ago, which was kind of disappointing – but don’t even get me started on their appearances. All of the Hawthorne Heights players looked old, overweight, and tired. They were not the energetic and charismatic guys I saw five years ago. Here’s the thing, I wouldn’t have been so upset about the guys not living up to my memories appearance-wise BUT their music didn’t sound very good either. They mostly played songs off of The Silence In Black And White but all of it sounded slow and toned down. It was like watching a really bad cover band competing in a battle of the bands competition…It was shameful.

About three songs into their set, I was bored to tears, I wasn’t anywhere near as emotional as I wanted to be, and I just really wanted to go home…And that’s what we did. After a long day and despite not even bothering to stick around for “Ohio Is For Lovers”, Kyle and I left The Outpost and returned back to his place for Taco Bell and an episode of Dexter before bed. A perfect end to a perfect day!

So there you have it, the Hawthorne Heights Concert Recap! What did you guys think of Millstone’s album that I posted the link for? Have any of you had an experience similar to what I described when I saw Hawthorne Heights perform again? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

Hawthorne Heights Concert!

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Hawthorne Heights Concert!

Heyyy guys and TGIF! I’m actually prewriting this post before I leave for my boyfriend’s for the night because I won’t have a lot of time tomorrow to fill you in on the exciting day! My friends at Millstone will be the opening act for Hawthorne Heights’ show at The Outpost in Kent, Ohio and we’re all very excited! Make sure you check out my article about Millstone on http://www.lifewithlilred.com and enjoy this classic Hawthorne Heights emo kid anthem:

So yes, Millstone, a band who I’ve worked with and a band who Kyle knows very personally considering the lead singer is his best friend will be opening for my angsty teen favorite, Hawthorne Heights. I actually met the guys of HH when I was sixteen or so when they played at Musica in Akron and they were awesome. All of them were so sweet and genuine and I still have the pictures, my autographed Silence In Black and White album, and the guitar pick belonging to the lead singer, JT, to this day. Not only were they a joy to chat with, but they killed their set as well!

Kyle and I are both thrilled for our Millstone friends and we’re going to arrive at the venue early to help in any way we can, so we’re gonna have a busy day tomorrow! But fear not, I’ll be back for the usual Monday Update and Man Crush Monday segments, so make sure you tune back in with me on the twenty-eighth for more of the latest and greatest! Until then, what is everyone up to this weekend? Any concerts or big plans? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug31

Monday Update: Follow Up Edition

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Monday Update: Follow Up Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the newest Monday Update: Follow Up Edition. I’m writing this update to bring you all of the news on events that I’ve mentioned in previous posts, so let’s get to it so I can keep all of you lovelies up to date on the life of Lil Red!

In last week’s Monday Update, I mentioned that I had an audition for a play called The Boys Next Door, and unfortunately I did not get a part – but I knew I wasn’t going to. Allow me to explain. The play features only one female character so the competition was going to be stiff to begin with, but frankly, I wasn’t even considered competition. I rolled into the audition only to be surrounded by men aged forty-five and up who were trying out for the show. With most of these guys doubling my age, it’s obvious why I didn’t get a part, especially when the female character is a love interest. I’m all for an odd couple, but a pairing of a twenty-something along with someone pushing fifty just wouldn’t look right.

Despite the realization that I wasn’t going to get the part as soon as I walked into the theater, I still gave it my best shot and did very well. I made the director and the auditioners laugh and I really do think that I made a lasting impression. I’m glad that I’ve never been one to throw in the towel during situations like that because my audition was very strong, so maybe I’ll come to the director’s mind when he’s working on a show with a more suitable character for me. If a staggering age gap was not an evident issue, I think I would have been a little disappointed over not getting the part. Lucky for me, I had nothing to be sad about because I knew from the get go that being cast for the show was impossible. Regardless, it was a great experience and an awesome little audition to get me back into the spirit of entering back into the theater circuit!

If you’re familiar with my site, then you’ll know that it was my best friend, Lea’s, birthday this past week! My darling girl turned the big 2-1, so we went barhopping in Kent, Ohio to celebrate. We had the best time doing shots and throwing back fruity drinks to our hearts content. Lea had a great twenty-first birthday outing, therefore, I had a great time too. All I wanted was for her twenty-first birthday celebration to be better than mine and we definitely exceeded that goal! Take a look at how cute we are:

leaaa

In other news, I have a really special post in the archives that will be published hopefully within the week featuring a ukulele strumming duo, Recipe of Life. The sweet girls of ROL, Shelby and Ariel, are a force to be reckoned with straight out of Stow, Ohio and I can’t wait for you guys to hear them! Their music is the epitome of beachy fun, so make sure you keep your eyes and ears pealed for it!

Annnnnd to conclude this Monday Update filled with exciting follow ups, I can tell you that things with my boyfriend, Kyle, are just dandy! 🙂

^^^ This basically sums up how I’m feeling, minus the cocaine. 😉

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Follow Up Edition! How was everyone’s weekend? What are you most looking forward to this week? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May10

Thrift Shop Fun At Blue!

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Thrift Shop Fun At Blue!

Helloooo everyone and Happy Mother’s Day to all of the beautiful mamacitas out there!! In one of the local newspapers that gets delivered to my house there was an article recently about Blue, a Goodwill “boutique” in downtown Kent, Ohio. The article mentioned that Blue only carried new and next to new name brand clothing such as Banana Republic, Nine West, Doc Martin, and Guess to name a few. Naturally after reading the article about the Goodwill company’s attempt at a more high end thrifting experience, my mom and I decided that we would love to go on a shopping trip and look around. Yesterday evening we got into the mom-mobile and made our way to Kent to pop some tags at the thrift shop. It took a stop at the gas station for directions to find Blue, because we were driving around aimlessly with no luck for about ten minutes but thankfully we found it after some much needed help from the sweet employee – and let me tell you, I’m so glad we did! Blue Boutique was tucked away in the heart of downtown Kent, and walking into it seriously felt like walking into any other store in the area. It felt clean and crisp, it was well decorated, and most importantly there was an amazing selection of clothes and accessories to look through. When I read the newspaper article about Blue, I felt pretty ambivalent about the shop being described as a boutique, but after taking a quick scan of the store, that’s truly what it was. It had amazing full wall murals of The Beatles, comfy ottomans, vintage-esque mirrors placed strategically throughout the store, cute little knickknacks showcased on table displays, and fun music playing on the speakers. While exploring the boutique and searching through the clothing racks, I was amazed at how “un-Goodwill” the store felt. Blue was so spacious, unlike a normal Goodwill where all of the clothes are jam packed together in endless aisles and clothing racks. But most importantly, the clothing at Blue really didn’t feel like it was second hand. You know how when you go thrifting you can almost always tell that the clothing you’re shopping through has been really worn, is stained, or has an unpleasant odor? Blue was nothing like that. The clothing felt brand new (some of them still had the original tags on it), there were no visible stains, and none of the clothes had a distinctive smell to it. Don’t get me wrong, I love thrifting as much as the next hipster, but it was nice to be in a Goodwill environment that felt like I was in a high end boutique. While chatting with one of the employees, she told me that Blue is very picky about the clothing that they take into their store, and I have the purchases to prove it! Take a look at my fabulous new finds:

IMG_3291[1]IMG_3295[1]

Here’s the usual breakdown of my “new” second hand jackets from Blue:

  • Lace blazer: Esley, purchased for $15
  • Emerald green peacoat: Nine West, purchased for $15

Love, love, love! My Esley blazer actually still has the original tags on it, and I’m seriously so thrilled about finding this little beauty! I’ve been in need of a sharp new blazer for ages now, and I finally found one. This little lace number fits like a glove and is a fresh, edgy take on a staple piece. I plan on wearing it to my brother’s graduation this upcoming weekend. And please don’t even get me started on my Nine West peacoat! I’m seriously so obsessed with this coat it isn’t even funny. For one, emerald green is my absolute favorite color to wear. For two, minus the too long sleeves that my mom is hemming, the coat fits perfectly. For three, a Nine West number for fifteen dollars?! Yes, please! And most importantly, for four, this beautiful peacoat reminds me and my family of my beloved late grandma. Every thing about this coat from the color to the classic shape just screams “Grandma Rita” – the most gorgeous, classic Hollywood woman in the entire world. When an item invokes that type of emotion on you, you just have to bite the bullet and make the purchase, and I’m beyond excited to welcome such a timeless piece into my wardrobe.

hey girl

Thanks, Ryan. ^^^

I’LL WEAR YOUR GRANDDAD’S CLOTHES. I LOOK INCREDIBLE….Oh…you’re back already?…Uhmm…Hey. 😉

I hope all of you guys have a lovely Sunday and a terrific Mother’s Day! What was one of your best thrift store finds? Is there a Blue-like boutique in your neck of the woods that you shop at? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec10

New Piercing!!!

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New Piercing!!!

Soooo I got a new piercing today! I’ve been wanting my septum pierced for quite some time now, so I decided that today was a good day to get it done. No better time like the present, and whatever. For all of my tattoo needs I go to my boy Travis at Odd Fellows who you might have read about in my previous Body Mods articles, but for piercings I like to hit up Defiance in Kent, Ohio. My featured image is part of the layout in the shop, and the guy on the left with the dreads, Mike actually pierced me today. He was absolutely fantastic. Let me tell you guys a little about my piercing experience today…

I’m a piercing junkie. I’ve gotten so many that I’ve lost count honestly, and in all of those piercings I’ve never once cried or felt intense pain. Well unfortunately that streak was ruined today. Ha! The clamps used to hold the area being pierced hurt so incredibly badly!! All of the pressure and pain piled on top of each other made me start crying…I felt like such a bitch! After the clamps were on initially, I just couldn’t handle it, so Mike took out the four piercings I already have on my nostrils to give the clamps some more room. He legit had to talk me into getting the clamps put back on, but it worked. I asked him if the piercing was going to hurt as bad as what I was already going through, and he looked right at me and said that the piercing doesn’t hurt at all. I thought he was kidding or just saying it to make me feel better, but he was right. “In and out, right?” I asked. And with that, the clamps were back on and I was ready to go. He gave me to the count of three and pushed the needle through, and I didn’t feel a thing. It was crazy!!! Mike put the horse shoe jewelry in and then put my four studs back into my nostrils. My nose was so sore!!! I bled like a faucet too, which was weird because usually I never bleed an excessive amount during piercings. I’m being dead serious when I say that this piercing experience was probably the most painful one that I’ve ever been through. The clamps felt like they were cutting through my cartilage and my skin felt like it was burning. It was AWFUL. And this is coming from the girl who’s gotten four dermals done at one time, four nose piercings at one time, a six hour tattoo at once, and so much more. I’m really happy with how my piercing turned out, I think it looks super cute. Mike did a great job. However, I don’t really recommend anyone with a low pain tolerance getting their septum pierced…I like to think that my pain tolerance is incredibly high and I could barely handle this one. Here’s a picture of the end result:

septum

If you’re ever in Kent, Ohio and are in the mood to get a piercing, definitely hit up Mike at Defiance. Here’s their Facebook page as well, so make sure you give it a like!! https://www.facebook.com/DefianceEmpire It’s a fantastic shop with extremely talented artists!

What was the most painful piercing you’ve ever got? What was your favorite piercing you’ve ever got? I’d love to hear from you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Also, make sure you stop by lifewithlilred tonight for my review on episode nine of American Horror Story: Freak Show! Have a fabulous hump day night! -Sarah

Sep21

Beckwith Orchards

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Beckwith Orchards

I had a lovely afternoon outing in Kent today with my parents at Beckwith Orchards. It was the perfect fall day in Ohio to go to the apple farm! The property is just gorgeous, filled with flowers, honey bees, and apple trees as far as the eye can see. They have a biking and hiking trail and a super quaint little gift shop filled with bakery, decor, and a million different types of apples to taste test. The orchard has been family owned and operated for over 125 years, and you could definitely tell. There was a home like atmosphere throughout the property, and all the workers were extremely knowledgeable about the apples and the products they sell. They were so friendly too! They all seemed to really be enjoying themselves, which added to the family like touch of Beckwith. I could have spent hours just roaming their acres of land and filling my bag with the luscious apples adorning each tree. If you live in Ohio and are looking for a fun afternoon trip for your family, I definitely recommend giving Beckwith Orchards a try. Make sure you get some of their apple cider while you’re there, it’s so ridiculously delicious!!! Here’s their website with their hours, directions, and event calendar: http://www.beckwithorchards.com/index.html

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Above is a Pic Stitch I made of just a few of the batrillion pictures that I took today. My featured image is of my parents being all cute and walking the property:) Happy Sunday! -Sarah