Tag Archives: lilred

Apr13

Sunshine Blogger Award #7

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Sunshine Blogger Award #7

Hello!! This past week, lifewithlilred was nominated for its seventh Sunshine Blogger Award from my friend Debby at Debby SEO. It was such a pleasant surprise because I haven’t been nominated for an award in forever and I’m hoping that they make a comeback because they are such fun to complete and pass on! Now, let’s get to the rules for this award:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you in the post and link to their blog
  • Answer the 11 questions asked of you
  • List the rules and include the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post
  • Write a new list of 11 questions for your nominees
  • Nominate 11 bloggers for the Sunshine Blogger Award

Q & A:

Are you familiar with SEO strategies? Have you optimized your site yourself? Did you do off site or on site SEO for your blog or website and are you happy with the results? I am but I typically don’t talk business on blog posts!

What is the most embarrassing clothing item you have ever worn? Normally I love my Sexy Raggedy Anne Halloween costume but I remember wearing it when I worked in the mall and had to pass out candy for Trick Or Treat. I was so embarrassed but a bunch of dads definitely loved it, lol!

If you were given $750 to spend on anything you wanted, what would you buy? I would pay my rent for the month and then go to TJMaxx to spend the rest. 😀

If you had enough money that you never needed to work again, what would you do with your time? I would like to travel and finally get a pet because I would be home more often. A puppy and a bunny, please. ❤

If you could start over your life and change one thing, what would you change? Mmmm… I would have liked to do a bit better in high school so that I would have started college right away. But I’m happy with how things turned out.

What do you consider your greatest strength, your greatest weakness? Greatest strength is probably my personality and greatest weakness is that I can be pretty sensitive which is annoying sometimes haha.

What have you tried lately that is new and exciting? Playing Animal Crossing while riding out this stay at home order!!

What was the greatest adventure in your life so far? Dating my boyfriend and running two businesses.

What makes you happiest and when you think about it you cannot help but smile? My family, our two dogs, and my boyfriend.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. How has your neck of the woods been effected by the coronavirus?
  2. What have you been doing to pass the time during self-isolation?
  3. What shows or movies have you been binging?
  4. Last book you read?
  5. Last movie you saw in theaters?
  6. What is something that you are looking forward to?
  7. What is your favorite restaurant in your area?
  8. What is your favorite tourist attraction where you live?
  9. Do you have any phobias?
  10. Last thing you purchased from the store?
  11. What is the first thing you plan on doing once the coronavirus dies down?

Thank you so much again to Debby for the Sunshine Blogger nomination! How would you answer some of Debby’s questions for her nominees? What about some of the questions for mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr11

Reader Map DIY Craft

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Reader Map DIY Craft

Hi! One of the things that I love about blogging on WordPress is how they tell you what countries are reading you every day on your stats page. When I first started lifewithlilred, it was always exciting to get a new country reading me and it still is. So, I decided to pin a world map to a bulletin board and placed a thumbtack in the designated position for each country that I had readers in:

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Over five years ago when I began my reader map, my dad and I spent an entire afternoon locating each country so I could place a pin to start keeping track. It was a fun and downright educational way to spend some time and I thought that it was a great craft for my blogger friends to work on, especially when we all should be practicing self isolation.

Dig up an old map from your school days or print one out for yourself and you will get a visual representation of your blog’s global klout by the end of the project. I love having a reader map and the best part? Adding new thumbtacks to it as new countries start reading me! My most recent pin being in Seychelles. 🙂

What have you been crafting to help pass time in quarantine? Which DIY project that you made are you most proud of? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

Just Saying Hi!

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Just Saying Hi!

Hello! Wow, what a weird time amiright? Ohio’s stay at home order has been officially pushed back to May first so “normal” life seems even farther away than ever. I am so thankful for my quarantine buddy, Johnny, who has kept me company and sane this whole time. I am also thankful for our new addiction of Animal Crossing for also keeping us company and sane this whole time, lol.

It’s a very awkward time to be a blogger right now because it’s sure hard to make content when you can’t go shopping anywhere/do anything. So, major kudos to everyone still sitting down at their laptop and making posts happen even if they have nothing to do with your regular subject matter because it’s difficult.

I, for one, am struggling with keeping up with my once daily posting. So, I thought that it would be fun to accept writing prompts in the comments for future posts. It could be anything that comes to mind or a question that you might have for me. And, I’ll reply with a writing prompt back for you. Let’s see what happens!

What should I write about next? What should you write about next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar21

Fairy Hair Pt. 2

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Fairy Hair Pt. 2

Hello! During my family vacation to North Carolina this past summer, I noticed a boutique offering “fairy hair” AKA hair tinsel. I was so charmed by the adorable name and the variety of colors of the tinsel that I just had to get some put in. I was absolutely obsessed and they added such a sweet, girly touch of fun to my locks.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and eventually the strands fell out. I simply refused to live without them, however, and ordered a hair tinsel kit off of Amazon identical to the one that the boutique in North Carolina had. I knew my hair stylist could do the fairy hair that I so desperately craved and she worked her magic the last time I got my hair cut.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and eventually the strands fell out. SO I GOT MORE PUT BACK IN LAST WEEK! Check it out:

hairrrhairrr1hair

As per ushe, my stylist, Anna, knocked it out of the park. In fact, this time it is even better because she worked on her tinsel knotting technique and I have only had two fatalities thus far. Anna expertly layered the different hues of tinsel that showed up the best in my choppy new do and within a half hour or so my fairy hair was complete.

I was so happy with how my hair bling turned out and the compliments literally don’t stop, which is a major ego booster! I remember when fairy hair was a thing several years ago and I loved it then and I am still just as in love now. My next goal, you may ask? Bringing back hair feathers! Hopefully there will be a kit for that on Amazon… 😀

How do you like to spice up your hair style? Do you plan on getting your hair cut for the warm weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar15

Spring Has Sprung Guest Bloggers Wanted

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Spring Has Sprung Guest Bloggers Wanted

Hello everyone! After what felt like a never ending winter, spring is definitely starting to… Well, spring, in my neck of the woods. Finally! An increase in temperature means reading outside, walks in the park with the pups, and day trips to the zoo. Warmer weather also brings us beautiful blooms, floral dresses, and soft, fresh makeup. I don’t know about all of ya’ll, but I am so there for it!

If you are too, then how about guest blogging a spring themed post on lifewithlilred? Your article topic is up to you as long as it has something to do with the new season at hand. Spring cleaning tips, perhaps? Or maybe how to host a flower planting party with your friends? And, let’s not forget about all of the gorgeous spring OOTDs and MOTDs!

If you are interested, please shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com

Can’t wait to see what you come up with! xx

Feb17

A Little Extra Something

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A Little Extra Something

Hello everyone! I had so much fun creating a makeup themed Get Ready With Me post for Valentine’s Day and I hope that all of you have enjoyed my recent photo shoots as much as I have. This post is nothing special, just a few extra pics from my makeup shoot that didn’t quite make the cut but I liked anyways. Check them out:

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Once again, I want to thank my friend, Markus, for always taking the most lovely shots for lifewithlilred! You can see more of his work on the following posts here, here, here, and here. Thanks for stopping by! xxx

What has been your favorite lifewithlilred photo shoot? What kind of style would you like to see me shoot next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec25

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hello everyone and a very Merry Christmas to all of you! No matter how you celebrate in the holiday season, I hope that it has been a happy time full of warmth, love, family, and friends. I have been looking forward to Christmas day for a long time now and I’m sure everyone else on my gift list has been too, so that I can quit badgering them to let me announce what I bought for them!! But, the time is finally here and I can’t wait to see everyone’s reactions to their presents.

Last Christmas, I was recovering from a horrible surgery gone wrong and couldn’t enjoy anything about the day. I was in an insane amount of pain and I may or may not have shit my pants while everyone was eating Christmas dinner… but that’s a story for another time. THE POINT IS, that this year I get to actually be mentally and physically present for one of my favorite days with my beautiful family and boyfriend and I am going to revel in every minute of it.

I am so thankful to be well enough to have a great day and my Christmas wish is that the same goes for all of you on your celebrated holidays or Christmas. As always, thank you for your continued love and support and happy holidays to all! Much love. -Sarah

Dec16

Thrifting With Zip

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Thrifting With Zip

Howdy! As you all know, I have grown very fond of secondhand shopping this past year and am all about the Goodwill. This love for thrifting developed while shopping for my apartment and now I cannot resist the urge to check out the local thrifts to see what treasures I can find.

So, when another beautiful blogger, pen named Zip, contacted me about her amazing thrift store finds, I couldn’t say no to featuring them on my page. Let’s take a look and, as always, if you’re interested in guest posting on lifewithlilred, shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com!

Thrifting With Zip

1.) Snake Skin Short Jacket: The thing I love most about this jacket would be the snakelike design and the dark edgy look it gives off. I would probably pair this with a simple all black casual look with some high fall boots.
*Lil Red approves and recommends sporting a deep red or purple lipstick for the ultimate vampy cool look!
2.) Black & White Marble Blazer: Hence the name I picked out on this fashion find, lol. It was eye-catching the moment I saw it, and the best part is that I got this gem for free from a local thrift shop. I guess it’s true when they say that the best finds in life are free! Anyways, I really love this blazer and the old-school 90’s vibe it gives me. Plus, its a diverse fashion piece which I can wear in many ways. And, did I mention it has pockets?!
3.) Multicolor Sweater Dress: This was probably my favorite thrift find this year! The colors really make your eyes pop and it’s such a bold statement. It’s also reversible, so I can wear it both sides, which is pretty cool. Personally, I LOVE the colored side and the “look at me” vibes it gives off. I would wear this dress with some bad-ass, suede thigh high boots.

About The Author: I am Oprah “Zip” Bradford, but I’m known to most by my pen name Zip. I am just a normal ole gal from the small town of Covington, Louisiana. I am the author of ten books, a full time blogger, the creator of the empowerment platforms OprahZipBradford.com, The Come-Up, and the upcoming book “The Single Woman’s Plug”. I also created the hashtag #ZipPost on Facebook which spreads my empowerment messages around the world.

Contact Zip At:

Thanks again to Zip for guest posting on lifewithlilred! What is your favorite secondhand store? What is your favorite treasure you’ve found thrifting? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec4

Life Update

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Life Update

Howdy! It’s been a while since I’ve gave you an update on all of the new and exciting things in Lil Red’s world so I thought that I would take the time to fill you in. Let’s see, the first big news I can share with you is that I have a new nephew! My brother and his wife had their little boy, Patrick, at the beginning of November and we are all so in love with his darling tiny face and wispy blonde hair. Mom, dad, and baby are happy and healthy and I cannot wait to see them when I go to Georgia hopefully in January.

What else? Well, things with my boyfriend, Johnny, are going swimmingly and we loved spending Thanksgiving together with both of our families. We are both looking forward to the rest of the holiday season and I only have a few more weeks of pestering him to let me tell him what I got as his Christmas gift. I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.

Work is also going just swell and it was so nice to have three work days and the weekend off for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have been working my little tail off since the car accident so it was a much needed break and I feel so refreshed. But, is it bad that I’m already jonesing for my days off for Christmas? 😀

My niece, Valerie, and her mom and dad are also doing amazing. She is seriously the light of my life and it’s so fun watching her crawl around and hear her say “dada”. She loves to laugh and play with her toys and her two doggie big brothers and cat big sister. I can’t wait for her first Christmas and Christmas in general… did I mention Christmas?!

Despite the medical issues that I filled you in on yesterday, everything else in Lil Red’s world is, thankfully, awesome. I so appreciate all of your well wishes and I hope that all of you have the happiest holiday season!

What are some of your life updates? How do you celebrate for the holidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec3

Accident Update

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Accident Update

Hellooo everyone! If you recall, in late September, my boyfriend and I were hit head on by a reckless driver and I was hospitalized. I was pretty banged up and went home with a catheter and a lot of pain. Since then, my shoulder area has never stopped hurting. There’s times when I wake up in the morning and I can’t even apply my makeup because I can’t lift my arm.

I assumed that this pain would go away on its own but, then, things began taking a scary turn when I was at work in mid October. My right arm went completely numb and my hand essentially stopped working. I couldn’t grip anything and was dropping stuff left and right. I immediately scheduled an appointment with an orthopedist and was given a cortisone shot with the hopes that that would help.

Unfortunately, a week later, the symptoms moved into my left arm as well as the right and my arms began feeling fuzzy and so heavy that lifting them was impossible. It just didn’t feel like my arms. I called the orthopedist back with the update and an MRI was scheduled and in the time of waiting for that to happen, the pain moved into my neck and collarbones.

The MRI results showed a lot of swelling in my right shoulder as well as an injury to the cervical spine and my doctor ordered physical therapy. I have to begin trying to strengthen these areas of my body for three weeks and if that doesn’t work, then I’m not really sure what happens next.

This whole situation has been extremely frustrating and inconvenient, to say the least, and I am just completely over it. Especially considering that it has been over two months now since the accident and I’m still experiencing symptoms that are quite scary. But, here’s to hoping that the physical therapy will help!

I have had so many people reaching out to check up on me and I appreciate it so much. Thank you all for the well wishes and I will update everyone once the physical therapy finishes up and I find out what happens next.

What have been your experiences with physical therapy? How do you stay positive during a difficult situation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah