Tag Archives: love

Just Something Nice :)

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Just Something Nice :)

HELLO! So, this quarantine has been lots of fun… I mean not the quarantine itself, everything kind of sucks. But, hanging out with my boyfriend at home when I’m done at work has been a hoot. Johnny and I have binge watched series after series and played countless hours of Animal Crossing to help us pass the time and, although it’s boring, I wouldn’t want to be quarantined with anyone else. :*)

One of my favorite nice Johnny stories that I never shared was from after I attended a wine and paint night with my best friend and some of the bridal party for her upcoming wedding. I came home with my tail between my legs because I thought my painting turned out like BOO BOO:

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But, the first thing Johnny said when he saw my painting was that he liked it and it looked like a Christmas card. Now, I have the painting proudly displayed in the living room. He always knows how to turn something I see negatively into a positive which I suck at doing and I always feel happy when I look at my masterpiece now.

Another thing that never fails to put a smile on my face is when I notice that Johnny has put my little artist’s wooden body model into a different position:

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^^^ It’s the little things, right?! 😅

Although things are far from awesome right now, I get to spend my excess free time safely tucked away in our goofy apartment world and I am so thankful for that. Especially when such fun surprises are scattered about if you know where to look! 🙂

Who has helped make this time in quarantine more tolerable for you? What is a silly tradition between you and someone your close with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits: Forever 21 Wedge Loafers Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Forever 21 Wedge Loafers Edition

Hello! One of the last treats I purchased for myself during my recent online shopping extravaganza is a fabulous pair of embellished wedge loafers from Forever 21. The brand: Chase + Chloe. The price: Below thirty bucks. The style: Can’t be beat! Check out my new funky pair of footwear and let’s discuss:

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When I don’t feel like spending a fortune on crazy shoes from Dolls Kill, I usually turn to Forever 21 to satisfy my urge for shoes that have a little more oomph to them. While browsing through F21’s selection this time around, I wasn’t too impressed. But, when my eyes locked on these Chase + Chloe loafers, my heart skipped a beat. It was literally one of those “That’s what I’m talking about!” moments and into the cart it went.

I was really looking forward to my new kicks arriving in the mail and, even though I love them, I was riddled with disappointment as soon as I opened the box. Yes, the shoes are fabulous. However, as soon as I took one of them out of the box, one of the studs fell off immediately. You can actually see where it is in the picture of the back of the shoe.

Of course, things like this are to be expected with embellished shoes no matter how much it sucks and once I got over my initial “whomp whomp” I was able to appreciate how cool these shoes are. Everything about these shoes is a statement from the bold black and white palette to the rock n’ roll studs and stars. I can’t wait to bust these bad boys out and I am sure that they will be a crowd pleaser… Minus a stud or two. 😉

Where do you get your most fun shoes at? How would you style these loafers? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mother’s Day Bouquets

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Mother’s Day Bouquets

Hello and a very happy belated Mother’s Day to all of my lovelies who celebrated! Although I normally love getting creative with gift giving, I always find Mother’s Day to be a bouquet occasion. So, I went to our local grocery story and picked out some beautiful flowers and floral decorated mason jars for them all to go in for my giftees.

Over Mother’s Day weekend, my boyfriend and I made our flower delivery rounds and, although these pictures are admittedly not the best (I was half asleep!), take a look at my handy work:

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Once I bought my Mother’s Day flowers, I took them home so that I could begin arranging them into their jars. My dad is an amazing bouquet arranger so I thought back to all of the million times I’ve seen him prepare a bouquet for my mom and gave it my best shot. And, I think they ended up looking great – the recipients definitely thought so!

I am partial to receiving flowers, myself, but there’s nothing like giving them on a special occasion to all of the strong, beautiful women that you love. Again, a very happy belated Mother’s Day to all and I wish I could have given flowers to all of you. ❤

How did you celebrate Mother’s Day? What is your favorite flower? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

Hello! While Ohio’s stay at home order is still in place, I’ve been trying to do a lot of pampering at home until I can get to the salons. This means bubble baths, face masks, and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) but painting my nails with regular old nail polish. Lol, it’s a far cry from acrylics but what can ya do?!

I love a good at home pampering sesh as much as the next but, damn, am I looking forward to leaving it to the professionals! In the meantime, it’s not so bad, especially when bath time involves using wonderful treats from my friend, Annie’s, business of Bombs & Balms. Annie makes amazing bath and body care treats including the Harry Potter themed bath bomb we’re going to discuss today:

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Okay, everyone knows I am a Lush snob when it comes to bath bombs. I friggen love them and, I hate to be the one to say it, but some homemade bath bombs just aren’t good. The ones I have used in the past that weren’t from a name brand always ended up being a disappointment, which is why I was so blown away by Annie’s Death Eater inspired bath bomb.

Of course, anything Harry Potter is alright by me so we were already off to a good start. And, as soon as I dropped the bath bomb in the water it was putting in work! Before I knew it, my tub was filled with inky black water but it wasn’t over yet. I kid you not, this bath bomb fizzed for at least seven minutes, and it was still going by the time I just couldn’t wait anymore and had to get in the tub!

Annie’s bath bomb put on a great show and I fancied thinking that I could almost see the Dark Mark from Harry Potter in the water. So cool! I also loved seeing all of the green, gold, and silver glitter twinkling about for a magical touch that felt oh so Slytherin.

Annie’s bath bomb was easily of Lush quality and I would use any of her products again in a heartbeat. In fact, it was one of my favorite bath bombs that I have used in a while! Annie is currently in the process of rebranding her business to now include homemade jewelry and you can shop with her on all of the following platforms:

  • Facebook
  • Etsy: BombsAndBalms
  • Instagram: bombsandbalms

Looking for some high quality bath and body care with the perfect touch of fun? Be sure to check all of Annie’s work out today! 🙂

How have you been pampering yourself at home? Which Harry Potter house do you belong to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dinner For Two Pt. 2

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Dinner For Two Pt. 2

Hi! On April first, Johnny and I celebrated seven months of PASSIONATE LOVE with each other. Thankfully, neither of us said April Fools and it was easily the best day I’ve had since all of this self-isolation business. If you recall from previous posts, I love cooking for my boyfriend. And if you recall from a very previous post, Johnny surprised me with dinner he made a few weeks ago when I came home from work.

Just when I thought that he couldn’t top himself, he raised the bar as he always does. On our seven month, we both got dressed up and when I got home from work I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened the door. As I stepped in, I heard music playing on our record player, smelled garlic bread, and saw a fireplace screensaver burning brightly on the TV.

The best sight of all, though? Definitely seeing Johnny standing in the kitchen in a button down top and skinnies stirring a huge pot of spaghetti. We ate a delicious meal that he got stressed out cooking at our coffee table that he cleaned off special for the occasion. Then, we drank champagne and listened to all of our favorite songs. I lied when I said it was one of the best days of self-isolation because it was one of the best days of my life.

This has been a very stressful time for both of us and it was so nice to escape those feelings of unease for the day to celebrate our relationship. Johnny’s theory was that he wanted to make the dinner special because he couldn’t take me out to a restaurant. He succeeded with flying colors and, to me – a night in like that trumps going out on the town any time.

How have you celebrated special occasions in self-isolation? How have you kept your spirits up during this difficult time? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Birthday, Dad!!

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Happy Birthday, Dad!!

Hello! March through May is a stretch of the year where birthdays are plentiful in my family. It starts with my niece’s birthday at the beginning of March then goes to my mom, dad, sister, and brother ending in mid May. Today, we are on birthday number three in my family, which belongs to my dear old dad. Despite him despising birthdays, I can’t not give him a shout out on lifewithlilred so here it goes:

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Ever since I was little, I can remember my dad’s lament that birthdays are “another year closer to the grave” and he still feels that way today. Lol so, needless to say, his birthday is filled with begrudgingly opening presents and accepting birthday wishes. The best part, though? I think we can all tell that he secretly enjoys himself and that makes the obnoxiously huge birthday hugs I give him even more fun. 😀

Although we all love pushing my dad’s birthday buttons, it really is a special day. My dad is one of my favorite people on the planet. He is so funny – like so unbelievably funny. The humor is then amplified by his infamous and infectious “laugh attacks” which is the cherry on top of whatever my family was joking about.

What I love the most about my dad, though? He is such a thoughtful man and it always makes me so happy when my boyfriend gifts me with flowers or cooks dinner for me because my dad is constantly doing stuff like that for my mom. He provided me with the best guidelines of how I should be treated in a relationship and I am so thankful for that.

When I had a really early class in college and had to drive an hour to get there, my dad would always get up and make coffee for me so I could have it during my commute. That’s the kind of guy my dad is. Sweet gestures and kind words from my father will forever be treasured by me and he is a man who deserves to be celebrated… Even though he hates his birthday. 😉

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!

I LOVE YOU! ❤

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

Hello! Today is a happy, special, wonderful day because it is my mom’s birthday! My mom is my best friend and, although she deserves to be celebrated all day every day on and off the blog, I always look forward to bragging about her for her annual birthday post! With two new grandchildren being born in 2019, my mom had an exciting year and I can only hope that 2020 will continue to offer the best of all of life’s sweet surprises to her. Now, let’s take a look at this beauty:

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Jane is a loving mother and grandmother and she is also a bona fide, badass, cancer survivor. We are so thankful for her remission status and, whenever I am struggling with something, I always remember the positive outlook my mom kept during that difficult time and it instantly makes things easier. No matter what curveball has been thrown at my mom, her shine never manages to dull. In fact, it radiates even more strongly and I think everyone can learn from that.

My mom is amazing and she has this beautiful gift that makes everyone around her feel amazing too. It’s hard not to when we’re together, considering you can literally feel the pride that she has for her family, grandchildren, and dogs! My mom is proud of me but I am even more proud to be her daughter and I will always aspire to be half of the woman that she is someday.

I LOVE YOU, MOM! ❤

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

New Magenta & Gold Nails

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New Magenta & Gold Nails

Hello! Every month, I treat myself to getting my acrylics filled at Elysian Nails. It is my happy place and my happy time and I always leave the salon feeling like a million bucks. I also leave with the hopes that someone will try me so I can give them a good scratch! Lol, because I’ve been getting my nails done for forever, I am running out of inspiration for good color combinations. So, I revisited an old favorite of magenta and gold polish this time around. Check it out:

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I am, admittedly, a pretty flashy girl. I love the bling, I love being bold, and I love things that stand out, all reasons why I love my new nails. The glittery gold against the almost metallic magenta makes for an eye popping combination and they feel perfect for welcoming the spring weather with.

Now that I have the palms of my hands tattooed, keeping my nails fresh to death is a necessity because my unique ink is definitely a conversation starter everywhere I go. Lol, I have never been asked “did that hurt?” so much about anything in my life! This is a weird thing to say, but my decorated palms and nails make me feel so confident and it feels like putting on a show with every hair flip. Love it!

What color of polish do you have on? Which colors should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

March 2020 Funky Time Jams

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March 2020 Funky Time Jams

Howdy! One of my clients at work absolutely loves oldies style music. This has definitely opened a whole new genre to me and I am actually pretty obsessed. I find myself humming the catchy, poppy tunes constantly and feel like I always have an earworm in my head of songs from the 1950s. Before, I was a-okay with just hearing this music for fifteen hours of my work week but I’ll be goddamned if I say that I’m not listening to it all the time now! Especially some of the following:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love music of all kinds. I dabble in all genres and I always enjoy hearing things that I haven’t heard before. But, after being exposed to this golden era of music, I can honestly understand why people say “they don’t make music like this anymore” because it’s one hundred and fifty percent true.

I just love the talent behind all of these short and sweet songs. The big band instrumentals, the amazing vocals, and the way I want to get up and dance to each song is something that I don’t hear or feel on the radio today. Hearing modern remakes of all of these classics would be cool but nothing will ever beat the real thing.

I feel like I’m traveling back in time when I listen to the oldies and from now on you can find me posted up at The Hop! 😀

What are some of your favorite oldies? What genres of music have you been exploring? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hayden Los Angeles Maxi Dress

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New Hayden Los Angeles Maxi Dress

Hello! These past two days you got to see the gorgeous jewelry that I got from EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s in Marietta, Ohio. Now, it’s time to introduce all of you to the lovely new pieces that I added to my wardrobe for surprisingly cheap (I think I paid forty dollars for three things). It was honestly one of the best shopping experiences I’ve had in a while. Exploring a new store in a new city with the love of my life was such a treat and I cannot wait to wear all of my purchases, like the one below:

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I have recently been trying to add more dresses to my collection because all of the ones in my closet are old as dirt. There are some that I still have kept around from my PacSun days over five years ago and they definitely look it. So, I was very happy to find this pretty little floral number for a whole fifteen dollars, because my dress hunt has been quite unsuccessful until now.

I absolutely love the white piping on this dress, the buttons going all the way down the front, and the way the colorful flowers pop against the navy base. The one hundred percent polyester material keeps the dress lightweight and breathable despite its length and, depending on how it’s styled, it could easily be worn for at least three seasons.

Of course, I’ll be wearing my new dress in its true form of, well, a dress. But, in the fitting room at EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s, I undid the buttons and had it on as a duster over my jeans and cami, which also looked very cute. I can picture myself wearing this dress belted with a killer pair of heels but I also predict that I’ll be throwing it on as a duster to spice up a more basic outfit very often!

How do you style maxi dresses? Is there anything that you’re trying to add more of to your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah