Tag Archives: love

Aug17

#blessed

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#blessed

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! This post is about to be TMI so if reading about female hygiene problems grosses you out, then feel free to tune in with a new addition of If The Shoe Fits tomorrow! I won’t be offended, I promise.

Okay, so the other night I was so excited because I had on my brand new Calvin Klein sleep pants. If you forget what they look like, here they are:

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They’re cute, right? Really, really white, right? The type of pants that you wouldn’t want Aunt Flo visiting you in, right? Well, of course, that’s what happened. The sequence of events went like this:

  1. I changed into my pajama pants.
  2. I made it a point to announce to everyone in my home how happy I was about said pajama pants.
  3. Promptly did a little twirl to show off.
  4. Sat down to watch TV after realizing that no one cared.
  5. BOOM. Started my period. -___-

After realizing that a really unfortunate “accident” happened on my brand new white jammies, I didn’t know what to do. My mom wasn’t home, so I couldn’t tell her and hear her sage advice. And my dad gets upset whenever I ask him to shave the back of my neck compliments of my short hair, so I knew he wouldn’t be of any help. But, boy was I wrong.

The thing about my dad, is that he HATES 1) Talking about bodily functions and 2) When I use the washing machine. The few times that I’ve tried to do laundry, I royally messed it up and after those unfortunate incidents, my dad doesn’t want me anywhere near an expensive piece of technology. With this knowledge, can you imagine approaching my father with a period related laundry problem? Yeah, yikes.

So, instead of using the washing machine without asking, I casually changed my pants, applied stain remover to the problem area, and asked my dad, “Do you know how to get stains out of white clothes?”. Of course, my dad had to ask, “Well, what kind of stain is it?”. I literally didn’t know what to say. Honestly, I think I would have preferred to tell him that I peed my pants. ANYTHING but my period. I shuffled my feet for at least five seconds and finally said, “It’s blood, if you really have to know”.

And what did my dad do? If you’re thinking that his head exploded from the sheer shock that his adult daughter was menstruating, then you’ll be surprised to know that he calmly replied with, “Okay, did you put stain remover on it?”. He then proceeded to ask me what material the pants were made out of and then GOOGLED “how to remove blood stains from cotton clothes”. Like, what?

My dad then walked me through, step by step, how to use the washing machine and how to remove the stain according to Google. How to presoak the pants, that I should put more stain remover on after the soak, which setting I should wash it on next, how to dry it without the pants shrinking. Every step in the dance of removing a period stain from white pants, my dad covered in detail.

And guess what? It worked! Thanks to my dad helping me and keeping a level head, the stain out of my WHITE pajama bottoms was gone. I was shocked, but after it happened, I don’t know why I thought that he would have reacted any differently. I think my dad saw that I really just needed help and taken care of. I’ve had a rough few weeks and instead of telling me to figure my woman problems out myself, he taught me how to handle it.

My dad faced his fears of 1) Me being within a foot of the washing machine and 2) Me talking about my body problems because he saw his daughter in distress. I don’t know, this just really showed me the man that my dad is so clearly and it was special to me. I put him in an awkward situation and he handled it in the way that I so desperately needed. I love my parents so much, but I’m genuinely happy that my mom wasn’t home so that my dad and I could tackle this #periodproblem together.

I feel so #blessed about my Aunt Flo scenario, but I think I’ll be waiting until after my period is done to wear my new sleep pants again! Has anyone ever had an awkward moment with their parents that brought you closer together? How do you beat the period blues? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

Pajama Party: My Calvins Pt. 2 Edition

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Pajama Party: My Calvins Pt. 2 Edition

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day!! I would by no means say that I care deeply about designer clothing and accessories. A majority of my shopping is done at Target, TJMaxx, and Forever 21 and I’m extremely okay with that. However, we all have our favorite high end designers that we love to ogle over. Myself, for example? I love Michael Kors shoes. I adore Kate Spade and Betsey Johnson accessories. And, I also can’t get enough of Calvin Klein everything!

I would never ever pay full price for any of the designer goods that I listed above, but I definitely am inclined to make a purchase if I see any of their duds at TJMaxx. I’ve gotten gorgeous Michael Kors booties, darling Betsey Johnson jewelry, and sweet Kate Spade accessories for a fraction of their original price tag. However, my past two times at TJs has resulted in Calvin Klein sleepwear that I’m simply obsessed with, including these new pajama pants that I purchased this weekend:

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  • Original Price: $42
  • TJMaxx Price: $15

I genuinely love pajamas and I’ve accumulated a collection this year that I am very happy with. To me, there is nothing better than slipping into a sweet nightie or a cozy flannel top and pants set and crawling into bed. It’s such a simple pleasure but, to me, it feels luxurious and I am all about a ballin on a budget life of luxury. And to think that up until now I was literally just sleeping in unwanted, god knows how old t-shirts!

I was so excited about these pajama pants because I had recently purchased the matching pair of boxers, which I love! They also had a nightie in this pattern that I shied away from because I didn’t much care for the shape. These pajama bottoms look cool and comfortable and I can’t wait to wear them during a chilly fall night while tucked under a million blankets.

What I love the most about these sleep pants is the feeling of “treating myself” that I got when I made the purchase. You would be a fool to spend over forty bucks on a pair of pajama bottoms. But fifteen? I can swing that! I get to hit the hay in one of my favorite designer’s sleepwear and it feels kind of naughty and absurd. But the fact that I got it for an amazing price makes the feeling of almost foolishness that comes with the territory of sleeping in designer duds totally guilt free and a whole lot of fun.

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So there you have it, Lil Red’s Pajama Party: My Calvins Pt. 2 Edition! How do you treat yourself? Who is your favorite high end designer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug14

Monday Update: Sweet Surprises Edition

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Monday Update: Sweet Surprises Edition

Hello everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a fabulous weekend and are beginning your week feeling refreshed and ready to go. So, as most of you have gathered by now, I am far from a religious person. This is ironic, considering I spent my years up until high school attending school and church in a Roman Catholic setting. But from as young as five years old, I knew that religion just wasn’t something that I was interested in.

Despite these feelings (which is not what this post is about), I do have a deep appreciation of the beauty of churches as well as religious imagery. Specifically, rosaries. I can remember being really young and loving to wear rosaries and to this day have a special drawing towards them. This has led me to beginning my collection of rosary style jewelry, a la Bono, my U2 front man celebrity crush.

In my collection, I actually have a beautiful black rosary that was blessed by Pope Francis, which was gifted to me by my brother. But the other two in my arsenal are from my beloved mama, who knows my style all too well thanks to hundreds of shopping trips throughout the ages.

My mom knows exactly how to make someone feel special. Whether it be through her kind words, lending an ear to listen to your problems, or picking out a treat just for you when she’s out shopping – my mom does it all. I can’t tell you the amount of times that she’s come home from trips to Target or the grocery store with a box of hair dye for me or a new shade of nail polish for my sister and, of course, a new makeup or polish shade to treat herself with, too.

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Ever since I was little, I can remember mom coming home with her shopping to tell me or one of my siblings that she has a “surprise” in the bag for one of us. As a child, I lived for that. And as a twenty-three year old adult, I still do. Knowing that someone picked something out special for you is a delight that I treasure so deeply. Finding out that someone saw a piece of jewelry or a color that reminded them of you so much as to purchase it for them is a marvel that never gets old to me. Kindness is something that I value beyond all other qualities and, to me, this exudes such divine kindness and generosity.

This past weekend was really rough for yours truly. My mom knew this and saved an afternoon of us running errands last Sunday to tell me that she has a “surprise” for me, which she had been carrying around in her purse. She waited until we were done with our shopping and in the car to leave for home to gift me with the most gorgeous necklace that I’ve ever seen:

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I literally gasped out loud when I opened the small black box that my mom presented me with and saw this amazing rosary necklace sitting inside of it. This Louisa L brand necklace was made in Italy and on the back of the charm with the Blessed Mother features the Italian “Ruega Por Nosotros” or “Pray for us”.

My new rosary necklace has everything that I love – the color, the style, and the thought behind it, which made this the most wonderful gift to receive. My mom had gotten this present days before my unfortunate weekend, but waited until a “rainy day” to give it to me. I am so happy that she did, because it left me feeling infinitely better and so loved. Thank you, mom!! I LOVE YOU! ❤

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Sweet Surprises Edition! What is something that makes you feel better when you’re feeling down? What is the best “just because” present that you have ever received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug13

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the final post in my Face Mask Festivities mini series! Today, we’re going to discuss one of my all time favorite masks – The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat. This mask literally smells good enough to eat and it leaves your skin looking peaches and cream perfection. What’s not to love? Take a looksee and let’s talk more:

honeyy1honeyy3honeyy2honeyy4honeyy5

When I think of face masks, The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat is the first thing that comes to mind. This mask is my favorite because it’s so gentle. This is a bit contradictory because I usually tend to go for the more rough masks and exfoliaters because I like to feel it really working. But, I don’t know, when I think face masks I’m thinking about being at a spa and relaxing and the creamy texture of this mask just takes me there.

Not only does this mask feel amazing with its whipped consistency mixed with sudsy oats but the smell is simply to die for. You need only open the lid to catch a whiff of freshly made oatmeal combined with cream and a heaping dollop of honey. It really takes everything in my power to not take a finger full and give it a try. So imagine having to sit with this mask on for ten whole minutes when all you want to do is eat it! IT HURTS SO GOOD.

The best part about The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat mask, though? 1) It is SO easy to wash off. There are some masks that you really have to scrub to get off, but not this one. This mask seems to completely melt away as soon as warm water hits it, which makes for an even more lush experience since you don’t have to claw at your skin to get it off. And 2) Because of said easiness to wash off and the creamy texture of the mask, you’re left with a clean tub, instead of one that’s coated with mask residue. I’ll take it!

Doing this mini series was a lot of fun and, in my opinion, I saved the best for last. I do like the Lush and Charcoal mask from The Body Shop that I featured earlier in the week. However, the game changer with the Honey & Oat mask is the way your face feels after using it. When I washed this mask off, my skin felt nourished. It felt supple and soft rather than tight and dehydrated. The glow that radiated from me was from a mask that worked on my skin from the inside, rather than scrubbing at the surface to remove imperfections. This mask made me feel beautiful and it made me feel like I cared for myself while using it, and you really can’t beat that!

So there you have it, the finale to my Face Mask Festivities mini series with The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat mask! Out of the three masks that I wrote about, which one would you like to try? What do you look for in a face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug12

The Body Shop Bronze Bliss Eyeshadow Swatches

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The Body Shop Bronze Bliss Eyeshadow Swatches

Hi everyone and happy weekend! Today we’re going to discuss my all time favorite eyeshadow shade compliments of The Body Shop, Bronze Bliss. More often than not, although I am trying to step up my makeup game, you will see me sporting this color. Seriously, scroll through my pictures on Facebook for like ten seconds and you’ll see what I mean!

Bronze is such a magical color because it looks good on everyone. From the palest porcelain to the deepest ebony, bronze is a shade that can be pulled off on makeup and clothing with ease. I guess that’s why I’m so drawn to it. I could be wearing any outfit of any color and I know that this eyeshadow will look fantastic with it. That’s kind of why I never bothered with anything else, even though I’m having fun trying out new makeup shades now! Take a looksee at some swatches and let’s discuss:

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^^^ Pretty!

As per ushe, the first heart seen above is Bronze Bliss dry and the second heart is when it’s wet, which is how I prefer wearing it. Normally, I’ll wet my brush and just paint my entire lid with this shadow for a striking metallic hue against my hazel eyes. I love when I wear this eyeshadow because it turns my hazel peepers into an insanely reminiscent of Edward Cullen a la Twilight golden shade. This sounds like a cocky thing to say about oneself BUT I’ve been told this multiple times so I guess it must be true!

The best part about this particular color, though? Oh, that I got it for a whole five dollars when The Body Shop that I live by had their going out of business sale. You definitely can’t beat that! 😀

So there you have it, my Bronze Bliss Eyeshadow Swatches from The Body Shop! What other colors look universally good on the people of Earth? What is your go to color of eyeshadow to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug9

New Black & Sky Blue Nails

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New Black & Sky Blue Nails

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! This past week I got my beloved talons spruced up with a much needed fill. I’ve been trying to extend the amount of time that I go in between fills to save money so I recently began getting my nails done every four weeks instead of three. I have to say, that it’s freaking torture! BUT, it does end up saving money in the long run so I guess that there’s a silver lining to everything. 😉 Take a looksee at the claws and let’s discuss:

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I’m sure that all of you noticed that there’s something missing on my nails…MY MIDDLE FINGER AIRBRUSHED CROSS. 😦 Unfortunately, my nail tech, Steve, couldn’t find the stencil anywhere, so I had to go cross-less this time around. I can’t say that I’m not disappointed about this because I’ve been getting crosses on my middle fingers ever since I started getting my nails done. I’m definitely mourning the loss of the fallen stencil, but hopefully when I come back in a month’s time, someone will have found it and my nails can be complete again! WHOMP WHOMP.

Despite the disturbing lack of my crosses, I do love my glittery sky blue accent nail. I think that it looks so pretty against the harsh black and sharpened points and it’s a color that I can totally see myself getting again in the future!

So there you have it, my New Black & Sky Blue Nails! What color of nail polish do you have on right now? What color should I get next for my accent nail? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug6

Elf Palette Faves #3

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Elf Palette Faves #3

Hellooo everyone and happy Sunday!! Welcome to my final post of my top three favorite colors from my Elf Nude Rose Gold Palette! I could have gone with the bronze color today, but everyone already knows that that’s one of my favorite eye makeup colors. Instead, I went with this lovely, chocolatey mauve shade, which can be seen below. We’ll call it…Chocolatey Mauve. Take a look:

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Chocolatey Mauve is the third shade from the right and can be seen dry on the first heart and wet on the second. I like this shade because it’s such a fresh alternative to plain old brown eyeshadow. The combination of milk chocolate and a dusky purple makes for a color that is perfect for an alternative to the classic black and grey smokey eye. Pair a Chocolatey Mauve lid with a light pink or taupe-y brown in the corner and you’re in business!

So there you have it, the last of my Elf Palette Faves! What colors do you like to use to create a smokey eye? What is your favorite color of eye makeup to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug5

Elf Palette Faves #2

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Elf Palette Faves #2

Hi everyone and happy weekend! The next color that we’re going to talk about in my top three faves from my Elf Nude Rose Gold Palette is a pretty shell pink that’s perfect for using on the corner of your lids for bright, sparkling eyes. Unfortunately, the names of these colors in my palette are not listed so we’ll just go with the generic Pretty In Pink for this color, lol, check it out:

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Pretty In Pink is the shade in the middle of the palette and can be seen dry in the first heart and wet in the second. As you can see, there’s not that big of a difference, but I prefer to wear it dry. I’m all about wetting my brush when I’m using eyeshadow as a liner but for the colors on my lids, not so much. This color is great because it goes with virtually anything and is a flattering shade for all skin types. As I mentioned earlier, it looks great in the corners or slightly underneath the eyes. But, for a fresh princess glow, a generous sweep on the lids is all you need for a delicate and feminine look.

I like Pretty In Pink a lot for its versatility and, of course, the sparkles in it don’t hurt, either! I think all of the colors in my Elf palette are really nice, but be sure to tune in tomorrow to catch my third and final Palette Fave! What shade in the Nude Rose Gold Palette is your favorite? What kind of makeup look would you create with this product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug2

Thinking Ink? Common Pros & Cons

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Thinking Ink? Common Pros & Cons

Tattoos are a huge deal nowadays. Something you’d once only see on sailors, you now see on men and women from all kinds of backgrounds. This can be great! Tattoos are a wonderful way to express creativity and tell people a little about your loves and personality. That being said, there are cons to consider, too. Let’s explore the pros and cons of inking your skin. If you’ve got a tattoo in mind, consider these things first:

Pro: Express Your Creativity And Individuality

A tattoo can tell people a lot about who you are, what you like, and things of the like. We don’t all want to look the same, and a tattoo modifies the body, helping it to stand out from the crowd. If you’re a unique person and want to express that, getting a tattoo you love could be something to consider to give yourself that little something extra. Regardless of if you are following a new tattoo trend or getting something you have been thinking about for a while, the most important thing is that you truly want to get it and a safe and skilled tattoo artist is creating it. When you have a gifted artist, your own creativity and individuality can blossom even more!

Con: Not All Artists Are Created Equal

Researching an artist is absolutely crucial before you go ahead and get a tattoo. You should never walk into a tattoo studio and ask for a tattoo there and then. You won’t get something unique, and chances are, a shoddy job will be done. Browsing through portfolios and making sure this person can do the style you want is a must. The best artists aren’t necessarily expensive, but you do usually get what you pay for. Don’t try to save a quick buck when it comes to tattoos, which usually just leaves you with a literal lifetime of regret.

Pro: Open A Door To A New Community

Chances are, you’ll meet a whole new bunch of people when you get tattoos. You’ll meet people like you, and people will likely comment on your tattoos (comments won’t always be positive). If you want to meet your ‘tribe’ tattoos could be the way to do it. (I’m part of that tribe! It’s great!)

Con: A Tattoo Could Limit Your Career Choices

Unfortunately, some places still discriminate against tattoos. You may be okay in a creative profession or if you’re your own boss, but working as a teacher, for example, usually requires un-inked skin. There are options, though. If you want to change your career down the line and you’re okay with getting rid of your tattoos, you could use a special cream or have laser treatment. Here are some astounding facts behind tattoo removal cream for you to learn more. If not, you could potentially cover up your tattoos with clothing, but this depends on how inked you are.

Pro: A Tattoo Is Your Own Piece Of Custom Art

Having a tattoo on your skin is your very own piece of custom art that lasts forever. This is great if the tattoo means something to you and is designed and undertaken by a pro. That way, you’re getting a reminder of something that you love every day!

You will likely change later on down the line, whether this be in your style or tastes. It’s a good idea to consider whether the tattoo you want will be something that means a lot to you years down the road. If it’s a yes, then go go go! 😀

Featured Image By: Pixabay