Hi everyone and happy weekend! I would like to take a minute to wish a very Happy Easter to those who celebrate and a very happy Sunday to those that don’t! No matter how you spend your day, I hope that everyone has a wonderful time with their family, friends, pets, or just hanging out solo dolo. Alright. That’s my spiel! Have a great day, everyone! Much love. -Sarah
Hi everyone and TGIF! Yesterday was a HELLUVA day because someone t-boned the Little Red Love Machine, making this my second accident in four months that I’ve been in that was far from my fault. With twenty-five hundred dollars worth of damage to my car thanks to someone disregarding a stop sign, I was left feeling stressed, depressed, well dressed, and pissed off! BUT, thanks to a boozy BFF evening and carrying out a long time friendship tradition, I was left feeling infinitely better.
My best friend, Lea, and I are going on about ten years of friendship and in high school we began a tradition of coloring Easter eggs together every year. Last night just so happened to be our egg dying eggstravaganza, which was so needed after my car trauma earlier in the day. We had a dozen blown out eggs, two bottles of wine, and excellent company considering that Lea’s family is basically like my second family.
We created some crazy cool tie-dye eggs, which we learned how to do from a Facebook video that Lea’s mom showed us. Take a look at our finished product and then I’ll tell you how it’s done:
Caution: Your hands will get messy!
You Will Need:
How To Guide:
Lea and I had SO much fun creating our shaving cream colored eggs. We had lots of wine, lots of laughs, and we will definitely remember this year’s eggstravaganza for many years to come! Of course, a best friend hangout wouldn’t be complete without some pictures so here we are looking mighty cute! Also featuring her twin brother, BILL!
^^^ I LOVE US! And the second picture is one of my favorite ones ever, even though Lea doesn’t like it! Her brother was making us laugh when he was taking our pictures and obviously Lea was holding it together better than me!
So there you have it, Sarah & Lea’s Eggcelent Adventure! Who has traditions with their best friends? What is your preferred egg dying method? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Okay, so if you’re following me on Facebook, then I’m sure you have seen some of my posts regarding Man At Oil Change Place – AKA, Don. This guy is awesome. He’s so funny and kind and his first words to me were “you could scratch my back from across the street with those nails” because of my long ass talons, lol. Not only is he someone who makes killing time at the auto body shop enjoyable, but he is also my windshield wiper guardian angel because he gave me free windshield wipers after I told him that my torn and old as dirt wipers were okay. He had them installed without me knowing and it was only when I was driving home in the rain that I realized what he did (and you better believe I called him to thank him!).
Anyways, my dad just got off the phone with the shop to schedule an oil change for my mom and apparently he spoke with Don. Their conversation went as follows:
And I’m not sure why but as soon as my dad told me about this, I started to cry. The thing is, is that this man who works at the shop has literally only seen me looking a hot mess. The three times that I’ve been in the shop have been no makeup days and I essentially look like I’ve just rolled out of bed. So, to me, this means that this employee genuinely enjoys my company and conversation rather than just the way I look.
I know it sounds cocky, but sometimes I feel like the only reason why people even give me the time of day is because of my outer appearance. Sometimes, I feel like no one ever cares to get to know the actual person behind the red hair, red lips, talon nails, and piercings. So, to have someone compliment my father on who his daughter is as a person and not an object felt really good because that’s something that just never happens.
Don took what little information he knows about my life, job, etc. and pieced together that I was somebody worth getting to know even though he has never seen me looking dolled up before. He used our witty banter and chats that had nothing to do with anything, like trading in the waiting room Keurig for a margarita machine as grounds for reason that I’m an okay person. Like I said, this rarely happens and, for once, somebody gave me the time of day without any alterations to my outer appearance and they liked what they saw. I can’t get over how good this made me feel and all I want to do is drive to the shop and hug the guy and he would probably have no idea how happy his remarks made me feel.
Yes, it’s a little thing, but Don remembered me enough to point out to my dad that he has a cool daughter. And after the week that I’ve been having, I really really needed that. So, here’s to you, Don. Can’t wait to see you next time the Little Red Love Machine needs some work done! I LOVE YOU!
Has anyone ever had their day turned around by a kind word? What would you say to the person who helped make you feel better? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hiii everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week so far. So, if there’s one thing that a Lil Red loves, it’s her coffee! I’m a caffeine fiend, so a smooth, strong, hot cup of coffee is a must for me when I am working, lounging, doing nothing, and doing everything. I am a hot, black coffee drinker through and through and I will be a monkey’s uncle before I succumb to putting cream or sugar in my cup. But, when the warm weather hits, which has happened this past week in Ohio, my tastes change to absolutely craving a good cup of iced coffee.
One of my favorite things to treat myself with is an iced coffee from Starbucks. A venti iced coffee with cream and vanilla, to be exact! “But wait! I thought you don’t believe in cream in your coffee!” You might say? I DON’T. But, iced coffee is a totally different story. I hate iced, black coffee more than anything and I just need that little splash of cream to turn the beverage into a drinkable delight. So, yeah.
Anyways, it’s a rare occasion that I get Starbucks now that I don’t work at the mall, so I always really enjoy it when I get it. But as you all know, I am constantly balling on a budget and it’s not like I love spending three dollars for a drink that I could totally make at home. So, make it at home I did. I have been making my own iced coffee every day for the past week and it has been an absolutely delicious experience. My coffee concoction has tasted great every time, and not shelling out the dough for basically the exact same thing at Starbucks has been a freaking blessing, lol.
An iced coffee recipe may seem self explanatory, but mine has turned out really freaking good so I’m going to share it on here, anyways:
If you aren’t hip to the Coffee Mate Natural Bliss creamer collection, then you need to get on it ASAP. It is the purest, richest vanilla creamer that I have ever tasted and it literally will transform your iced coffee. I do not say this lightly, because it makes my coffee creation taste one million times better than what I used to get at Starbucks. AND it costed like two dollars for a bottle, which is awesome!
My iced coffee revelation may seem like a simple thing, because it really is pretty simple. BUT, I am so excited that I’ve made myself something that 1) saves money and 2) doesn’t sacrifice the taste, just in time for the warm summer weather ahead! GO ME!!
So there you have it, my Iced Coffee Obsession! Who else makes their own coffee creations at home? What is your caffeine beverage of choice? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Heyyy everyone and happy Monday! This past weekend was SO much fun because it was my sister, Kristen’s, 25th birthday! We had such a wonderful time celebrating and I was really happy because I got to spend her entire birthday with her. Kristen is unbearably hard to shop for, so for her birthday I decided to keep it simple and snag her some gift cards so that we could make a day out of using them. Which is exactly what we did!
I got Kristen a gift card to Sephora and to the nail salon that we go to, so we spent the afternoon girling out with pedicures and makeup shopping. Although I didn’t get a pedi because balling on a budget, I got to soak my nasty feet and sit in a massage chair while Kristen got pampered and we had so much fun chit chatting and laughing with all of our favorite nail techies. Kristen got the Hello Kitty pink polish that I recently got on my nails on her toes and it looked so freaking cute! I can’t say that about my feet, but I’m glad that her toesies are on point just in time for flip flop season!
After pedicures, we went to the mall to ultimately spend what felt like forever in Sephora. I have actually never spent that much time in there before and it was surprisingly really fun. We tried on different lipsticks and browsed through the aisles pointing out ridiculous eyeshadow or lip colors and figuring out the best way for her to spend her gift card. Kristen ended up getting a gorgeous new lipstick and an eyebrow pencil as well as a birthday gift from the store (a blush and lip gloss) and some freebies that she got from cashing in the points on her reward card.
Although I tried on some okay-ish lipsticks, I just ended up going with a tube of the Better Than Sex mascara. Kristen got it for me for Christmas this year and since I’ve ran out, no other mascara can compare, so it was a must to get another one! I was really happy because the gift card that I got her covered everything that she wanted and she also got some super nice freebies, so she walked away with an awesome Sephora birthday haul.
Once we were done shopping, I treated Kristen to coffee and then dropped her off at her apartment so that she could get ready for the evening festivities. Our night was a boozy celebration of going to get margaritas with her friends and then hitting the bars afterwards for some more alcohol related fun. AND I also got to ride in my first Uber, so that was really exciting, lol. THE DRIVER WAS SO NICE!! #ubereverywhere
(The lovely lady in the second photo, Kelsey, will be featured on lifewithlilred soon so keep your eyes peeled!)
The day after Kristen’s birthday was spent nursing a very worthwhile hangover and celebrating at home with the family. I know I had a blast and it felt really good knowing that Kristen did, too, and I like to think that I helped make that possible! Now, I’m just excited for my birthday to roll around in June so that she can return the favor!
So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition! How did you celebrate your birthday this year? How did you spend your weekend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello everyone and happy weekend! Today is an amazing, special, wonderful day because it is my beautiful big sister’s 25th birthday! Kristen. My sister, my soulmate, my best friend on the face of the earth. Kristen is someone who my life would be absolutely impossible without. She is someone that I can go to for literally anything. To laugh, cry, complain, or just be there with to pass the time. My sister is one of the strongest women that I have ever met. Ever. She is a survivor, she is brave, and she has proven to herself and everyone around her that she can get through the worst of times and ultimately improve and better herself along the way. If that isn’t the definition of courage, then I really don’t know what is.
Kristen is someone who is kind. She is genuine, she has a huge heart, and she brings so much joy and light to everyone who she encounters. Her smile and laugh is contagious and her beauty is second to none both inside and out. If you can’t tell by now, my sister is my everything. I am so thankful not only for our sisterhood but for the friendship that came from it. You can have someone as a sibling and only view them as such, but Kristen is so much more for me than that.
From outings to the movies, shopping, the nail or hair salon, coffee, dinner, or just binge watching on Netflix, I treasure every minute that I spend with my sister. Don’t get me wrong, she drives me fucking crazy, but isn’t that what sisters do every now and then? And I promise you that she would say the same thing about me, but probably even more so!
The point that I’m trying to get at, is that I am so, so incredibly lucky to have my sister as, well, my sister. I love you more than anything, so here’s to you, you beautiful, fantastic, intelligent, loving, perfect girl. Happy birthday and I can’t wait to celebrate with you tonight!
Helloooo everyone and happy Thursday! Today is a wonderful, special, fabulous day because it’s my dad’s birthday!! Although my beloved father isn’t particularly fond of birthdays, I can’t not celebrate my handsome, charming, adoring dad here on lifewithlilred. There’s a saying that talks about how a dad is the first guy that a girl loves or something like that and it is so true because my dad is basically my number one. Let’s discuss all of the reasons why!
From a dry but silly sense of humor that occasionally results in laugh attacks to the compliments and approval that is always special when it comes from my father, my dad is the best. He plans the most wonderful vacations, he has two green thumbs, loves his backyard animal friends, and is always down to watch two episodes of Seinfeld in a row as a “double feature”. CHARLES has excellent taste in music, too. If you were to see him cruising around with his stunner shades on, chances are he’s listening to The Rolling Stones, The Black Keys, The Who, U2, and an abundance of other classics in a rock n’ roll lover’s arsenal.
My dad is just a cool guy. Seriously. So here’s to a man that makes me laugh, smile, feel increasingly warm with love, and, of course, some type of way! I love you, my daddy dearest. Happy birthday!!
Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! So one of the accessories that I have a very deep love for is the bandana. I think that they are one of the most underrated accessories out there, actually, but that’s just fine with me because I think that that makes them even cooler. When people think of bandanas, they usually think of good ol’ country folk that are riding horses and milking cows at sun rise. So not the case with me! I think that bandanas are a very edgy edition to any outfit and I use them to add a touch of grunge to my looks frequently.
This past weekend, I scored a little ten dollar treat at Target that just so happens to be a…you guessed it: BANDANA! But the fun thing about it is that it’s actually a necklace with some really pretty embellishment for an added pop of glam. Take a look:
^^^ So adorable!
Granted, this isn’t my usual black or navy blue bandana, but it only seems fitting that Lil Red finally has a literal lil red bandana of her own! Normally I don’t care for other objects trying to be a bandana. For example, I freaking HATE headbands that have the look of a bandana but are really just a circular piece of cloth. Despite those feelings, I really like this little necklace! It’s cute and pretty without going overboard and I love the way that the silver and white gems pop against the red background.
One of my favorite ways to wear a bandana is with a flannel to add some visual contrast to the look. I am excited to pair this necklace with my black and white as well as navy blue checked flannels along with a killer pair of skinny jeans and ankle booties. This Target treasure will also be great to wear with a band or fun slogan-ed T-shirt on a lazy day to give a little extra something something to the outfit.
My only concern is if I should store my new necklace with my jewelry or tucked safely inside my accessory drawer, instead. I’m leaning towards the accessory drawer, though, because I would hate to see the cloth collect dust, which is something that you normally don’t have to worry about when it comes to necklaces!
Target has a bunch of super cute spring and summer accessories available at the moment so if you have one near you, get to shopping ASAP! And make sure you grab yourself a bandana necklace so we can twin it up!
So there you have it, the latest issue of Accessory Story: Bandana Babe Edition! Who else is an avid bandana lover? How do you style bandanas into your outfits? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. As all of you know by now, your girl loves shoes. With a collection of over fifty pairs, my affection for footwear knows no ends and I am always on the hunt for unique pairs to add to my shoe museum. That’s why I freaking LOVE TJMaxx’s online shoe department. Last week, my mom and I did a little online shopping and ended up with some really cute new heels, boots, and flats. All of our purchases were so unique and fun and they were shoes that they didn’t have in any stores near us so it felt like we were getting something that no one else would have, which I love! Check out my latest shoe haul and let’s discuss:
My current shoe obsessed at the moment is platform heels. I love that this funky 80s and 90s style is making a hardcore comeback and am really keen on finding more unique platforms to add to my collection. I currently have two adorable pairs that I got for a song on ModCloth but two is not enough – obviously! That’s why when I saw such a darling pair of patched denim platforms for a whole twenty-five bucks, I just had to buy them.
What I love the most about my Bamboo platforms, aside from the shape, is the denim material! I have a pair of denim booties, also from TJs, that I love so I was really hyped to add another pair of shoes in that fabric to my museum. The beautiful floral patch work on the heels was just a nice added bonus because I feel like I would have bought the shoes with or without it. Although these platforms look intimidating, they are super comfortable! I was able to strut through the streets of downtown Cleveland over the weekend while sporting these babies and didn’t even break a sweat. The power of the platform!
As you can see from the pic of yours truly, I styled these shoes with a super 70s style frock and absolutely loved the look. I felt so retro and fierce and I thought that the dark denim heels complimented the mustard yellow dress perfectly. I am looking forward to pairing these platforms with more dresses, definitely, as well as with maxi skirts for a cool but chic summer time OOTD.
Another style of shoes that I love is the ankle bootie. I have had a lot of luck with TJs in expanding my bootie collection and they certainly did me right with my new powder blue Cape Robbin boots. I. Freaking. LOVE. These. Shoes. Most of my bootie collection comes in various shades of black so these powder blue powerhouses were a much welcomed change of pace.
I love everything about these babies – The shape, color, studs, stitching, and the cool as hell chain that goes under the heel. *Mwah* C’est magnifique! My only minor problem with these boots is that they don’t have a zipper to make getting them on easier so putting the shoes on with my long ass talons is a bit of a pain in the derriere but that’s a small price to pay if the shoe fits!
I just know that these Cape Robbin baby blues are going to be a wardrobe staple this summer. They are going to look so fierce with a little pair of black short shorts and a flannel for outdoor warm weather adventures. I can’t wait to add a touch of mod thanks to the power blue color to all of my looks while still keeping things very edgy compliments of the gorgeous details. The studs and stitching are completely fab, but I am so in love with the heel chain that I really just can’t even. I’ve never seen anything like it before and now I wish that all of my shoes had that!
If you haven’t hit up TJMaxx’s online store, then you need to get on that pronto. They have such fantastic finds that I don’t think I would ever see in store and I can’t wait to continue to grow my shoe collection with their fabulous selection!
So there you have it, the latest issue of If The Shoe Fits: Bamboo/Cape Robbin Edition! What is your favorite style of shoe? What is your must have footwear for spring and summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hi everyone and TGIF! Yesterday was super fabulous because when I went to get my beloved talons filled, I was pleasantly surprised to see VINNY at the salon. For those of you who don’t know, Vinny was my former nail tech who unfortunately works at a salon that is over an hour away now. Sweet Vinny was helping out for the day and although he couldn’t do my nails, he took me out to a delicious, boozy dinner after he was done at the salon. It was basically the best day of my life and I was so happy to finally be able to spend some much needed quality time with one of my favorite people on the planet.
Despite Vinny not taking care of my nails, they still look fabulous – compliments of STEVE! I am freaking obsessed with the OPI shimmery purple shade for my accent nail and legit can’t stop looking at my freshly filled claws. Check it out:
I’ve grown increasingly fond of all things sparkly as of late for my accent nail and can’t get enough of my latest color choice. I pointed out to Steve how this OPI shade doesn’t look like it just has a teaspoon of glitter thrown into it, which I liked. He then explained to me that OPI uses ground up crystals in their polish to give it that gorgeous shimmer and I think that that’s the coolest thing ever! I definitely plan on using more of their OPI shades in the future so that my accent nails can achieve that extra touch of glitz that isn’t obnoxious.
Super special shout out to my favorite nail techies, Vinny, Steve, and the darling Tina (Steve’s wife)! I freaking love you guys! ❤
I hope everyone has a fabulous Friday and a super fun weekend. What accent nail color should I get next? What color of polish do you have on currently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
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