Tag Archives: marc’s

Dec27

My Presence Is A Present OOTD

Posted on December 27, 2022 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This little fit was worn during my Christmas celebration with my family and it was such an amazing day. My Presence Is A Present might be a cocky title for a holiday outfit, however, I had to let it be jokingly known to everyone since I was sporting an adorable bow headband! This outfit isn’t the most exciting but it was perfect for the day of running around after three small children and kept me warm with the frigid temp of negative four. Yikes! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Striped Sweater: Philosophy, TJMaxx
Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters
Chain Heeled Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx
Skull Earrings: Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx
Bow Headband: Marc’s

This outfit is actually a very far cry from what I had in mind. Originally, I was planning on wearing a skirt and jacket combo to my family Christmas extravaganza. Obviously, it didn’t end up hitting the way I had hoped for and, honestly, it was a good thing. It was SO. Freaking. Cold. and rather than spend time trying to make a less warm outfit work, I scrapped it entirely for a look that I wouldn’t completely freeze my nads off in. I also wanted an outfit that kept me comfortable as I tried to keep up with my nieces and nephew!

With simplicity, warmth, and comfort being the new focus, my striped sweater by Philosophy was the optimum choice. It is so soft and I love the way it fits. It has just the slightest touch of slouch in the sleeves while being more form fitting in the torso, which is refreshing after endless aisles of oversized cold weather apparel. And, although this holiday fit ended up being basically All Black Everything, the poppy bright stripes added some festive cheer. This sweater was an awesome purchase and it served me well in the clutch when my first fit was an epic failure.

Since a skirt wasn’t in the cards, the only other option for bottoms was a pair of jeans and I wore my old standby from American Eagle. I sure as hell wasn’t going to be wearing the distressed pair with under zero degree weather! As always, the jeans from AEO are the absolute best. They fit so well and hug the curves of my body without being too tight. I have never owned a better pair of pantaloons in my life and can’t recommend them enough if you are on the hunt for a good pair of skinnies.

For accessories, not only was my original outfit a bust but so was my hair. It just wasn’t behaving the way I wanted it to and I was getting so annoyed lol. After what felt like forever of mussing and tussing my hair in the bathroom mirror, I threw my hands up and said “Screw it, I’m getting a headband”. The green bow band that I selected was bought for a dollar at a local discount store and it was just what I needed to tame the beast of my mane and incorporate some holiday fun.

With a headband on, I didn’t want to overdo it with a flashy pair of earrings to avoid looking cluttered. So, I kept things simple with a pair of Betsey Johnson earrings in a lovely teardrop shape. This pair was ideal because it didn’t hang too low and, of course, I like anything with skulls on it! These earrings were a gift from my mom two Christmases ago and I was happy to break them out for our celebration this year. ❤

Finally, it was time for shoes and I selected my pair of Olivia Millers. I purchased these for twenty dollars last winter and they are adorable and of such good quality despite the discounted price. The white stitching around the chunky base is such a cool detail and the bold silver chain turns the basic shape of the boot into something special. Granted, I did slip a little outside in these babies in the snow and ice but that’s neither here nor there. 😉

Even though my presence wasn’t a present in the OOTD I had planned for, I still like this one all the same! Keep it posted for bloopers from this look tomorrow!! ❤

How did you celebrate the holidays? What did you wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct1

Mini Halloween Haul

Posted on October 1, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! It is spooky season all year long in mine and Johnny’s world and the decor in our apartment reflects this. We love all things horror and true crime and Halloween is the happiest time of the year for us. Now that we are settled comfortably in our new apartment, we really wanted to upgrade our spooky decor since we have so much more additional space.

After a wildly successful haul at Marc’s, a discount store in my neck of the woods, I was itching to go back. I got all kinds of cool Halloween goodies and the best part was seeing the same items I purchased at Walgreen’s for triple the cost. The haul below costed me a whole ten bucks at Marc’s and from the Akron Zoo when I went with my nieces and sister. You can peep the OOTD from our outing tomorrow! Now, let’s take a look-see at my new Halloween treats – no tricks necessary!

^^^ The little ghost and pumpkin are from the zoo, the rest is from Marc’s.

My Johnny has a huge collection of Halloween themed socks and he actually just bought a ton more from TJMaxx when we went last week. I was so proud! I’d be a liar if I said that I wasn’t a tad jealous so I was so happy to find some socks of my own at Marc’s. They are also the same brand of the Frankenstein socks that Johnny surprised me with last year and that I’m currently wearing right now! While my collection will never achieve Johnny level, it’s a pretty good start. 😀

The skull candles were a whopping two for a dollar and I am obsessed with them. 1) Talk about a STEAL and 2) they will be perfect for our scary movie marathons every weekend! The piece de resistance of my haul, however, is the skeleton hand candle holder. This costed me two dollars and I couldn’t believe my good luck. It reminded me so much of this year’s Bath & Body Works Halloween line and probably would have been selling for twenty or more bucks from there. Talk about an amazing find!

And, finally, who knew you could find some Halloween cuteness at the zoo?! At the Akron Zoo, you have to exit through the gift shop and it’s a total money trap lol. I love spoiling my nieces with a new stuffed animal every time we go, though, so what can ya do except buy a treat for yourself too! Every year, Johnny and I work on instilling a love of Halloween in our oldest niece, Val. It’s definitely working and she picked out the pumpkin for herself. She also plays with the decorations on our spooky shelf whenever she comes over. Proud aunt and uncle alert!! ❤

Not bad for a ten dollar haul, right? Mine and Johnny’s apartment is filling up nicely with Halloween decor and it is what we have always wanted. A local discount store with the coolest spooky treats is really helping the cause!

What is your favorite discount store? Do you have your Halloween decorations out yet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep14

Marc’s Halloween Haul

Posted on September 14, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! In my neck of the woods, there is a discount store called Marc’s that offers everything from food and clothing to toys and home goods. This past week, they also had a ton of Halloween goodies that I just had to snag for the apartment. Everything was SO cute and also way cheaper than anything you would find at TJMaxx and Walmart. Take a look:

It is Halloween year round in mine and Johnny’s home and our decor includes skeletons, pumpkins, ghosts, ghouls, and a Jason Voorhees cardboard cutout lol. Our neighbor gave us this life size likeness and it still freaks me out sometimes! I have taken it upon myself to freshen up our Halloween stock pile this year and just couldn’t say no to the above purchases – especially considering I got all of them for under twenty-five dollars. 😀

I am particularly partial to the glittery hanging skeleton with the bow tie and Johnny loves the skeleton and scepter statue. Our niece, Valerie, always wants to play with our ghost figurines when she comes over so I think she will be a huge fan of the “BOO” ghost statue! As soon as I brought this haul home, it was like a kid in a candy store and Johnny added them to our spooky shelves throughout the apartment. SO. Precious!

While chain stores might have a bigger selection of Halloween goodies, don’t write off the discount stores. I have never seen anything like my purchases at Marc’s elsewhere so you are sure to find some very unique pieces if you know where to look. Now, is it Halloween yet?!

Where is your favorite place to shop for seasonal decor? How do you decorate for Halloween? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr7

Vaccine Team

Posted on April 7, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!!! Johnny and I have been incredibly eager to get our COVID vaccine and about three weeks ago it was announced in Ohio that anyone over sixteen could get the shot after March 29th. Finally!! I am so pleased to say that by an insane stroke of luck, I was able to get Johnny and myself into one of the last appointment slots on April 1st to receive our first shot of the Moderna vaccine.

I’m not going to lie, it was very difficult to find an appointment time for the both of us because almost every single day at every single location vaccinating was fully booked. I went through the websites of pretty much everywhere in a forty-five minute range and kept coming up empty handed. So, like I said, it was a huge stroke of luck when the last location I checked still had some times available on April Fool’s Day. And the best part? It wasn’t a joke, either!

Johnny and I made a short drive to a Marc’s in Broadview Heights and it was actually pretty wild because we were driving on the highway in whiteout snow conditions. Thankfully, we arrived to our location safe and sound and were in and out in roughly a half hour. The vaccination process at Marc’s was so efficient and, frankly, I would have waited all day to get it because the feeling of relief I had after my first shot would make any waiting time well worth it. I am already counting down the days until our second shot.

While side effects after the vaccine vary from person to person, Johnny and I both experienced soreness in the arm we got the shot in for about a day and that was it. It was uncomfortable and we both agreed that the pain was similar to what we felt after we got injured in a car accident when we first started dating. But was it unbearable? Absolutely not and my arm felt much better after a nice, hot shower the following morning.

The peace of mind that Johnny and I feel after our vaccine is such a welcome sensation after being hunkered down for the past year and change. Of course, we will still be following all COVID safety precautions but it feels good to know that not only will we feel safer around other people but they can feel safe around us too.

I wanted to share my vaccine experience with all of you and am hoping that it will encourage those on the fence to reconsider. This vaccine really can save lives and it would, honestly, mean so much to me – especially as someone who has worked in the care field with high risk families throughout the pandemic’s duration. Johnny and I will be receiving our second shot at the end of April so make sure you check back for a Part Two update!

How has the pandemic changed your life? What is the vaccination registration process like in your area? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb6

Marc’s Accessory Haul

Posted on February 6, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! An Ohio staple that all of us know and love is a discount grocery store called Marc’s. I pretty much exclusively shop there for my groceries but they are “famous” for their closeout section. You literally never know what you’re going to find in the closeouts. From holiday decor to home wear and clothes the selection varies and sometimes you can find brands from Target, if you’re lucky!

Similar to TJMaxx, every Marc’s location is different and will offer closeouts that you can’t find at another store. When shopping at a different Marc’s than my normal one with a client, I ended up with an accessory haul that cost me a whole five dollars, which I was so excited about! Take a look and let’s discuss:

I have grown increasingly fond of headbands this past year and scored my adorable emerald green bow band for FIFTY CENTS. Is it of the best quality? No. BUT, it looks awesome against my red hair and the bow is just darling for a preppy chic accessory. I also love my little boot bracelet that I plan on doubling as a hair tie for a funky vibe fresh out of the 80s.

What I am most excited about, however, are my new silver and gold necklaces that were two for a dollar. I was enamored with the chain link style material as well as all of the different styling possibilities that come with it. From layering them at different lengths to wearing them as a bracelet, headband, anklet, or hair tie, they make for a quick fix to spruce up any outfit.

There is nothing better than scoring a treat yoself purchase for a steal. I got eight new accessories for five bucks and you really can’t beat that. I’m well aware that the quality may not be as good but, styled correctly, they can end up looking like a million bucks!

What is your favorite discount store? Do you have a store similar to Marc’s in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb18

I Love…Strawberries & Milkshake Shower Gel Review

Posted on February 18, 2016 by lifewithlilred

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Hi everyone and happy Thursday! In my neck of the woods, there’s a discount store called Marc’s that’s seriously the best. They have the most fantastic closeout products ever and their prices certainly won’t break your bank. When my mom does her weekly grocery shopping there, she’ll sometimes surprise me with a beauty treat from the closeout section. A couple of months ago she brought me home an exfoliating shower gel from the brand I Love… I finally got around to using it and finished the gel yesterday so take a look at the pretty in pink packaging and then let’s discuss:

Those who have read my product reviews before will know that for me to like a gel, cleanser, or what have you – it has to smell good! Usually I’m not the biggest fan of strawberry fragrances because it’s too sweet but I actually quite liked the scent of the I Love…Strawberries & Milkshake shower gel. What was nice about the aroma of the gel was that it wasn’t a straight up strawberry scent. The “milkshake” essence of the gel dulled down what would be a potent strawberry fragrance with the luxurious scent of rich, freshly churned cream. The result of this combination was true to the product’s namesake…It really did smell like a frothy strawberry milkshake!

When it comes to cleansers and shower gels, another must for me is that it lathers well. This is where I Love’s… exfoliating body wash fell short. The texture of the product was one that I thought would bubble nicely – it was rich and creamy. It also had what appeared to be strawberry seeds thrown in for good measure. Despite having a texture that I usually would love, the lather that this gel created was minimal, at best. I really don’t like that. I love seeing big, soapy bubbles when I’m showering. It enhances my morning hygiene experience and most importantly, it makes me feel clean!

I’m going to chalk the lack of lather up to the fact that this gel tried to do a two for one by combining an exfoliant with a gel. Frankly, I think this product would have been a better exfoliater than a body wash. On the rare occasions that I do use an exfoliater on my body, I prefer for it to be cream rather than gel based. Products that are strictly gel based dehydrate my body to the extreme. The Body Shop has a strawberry seed exfoliater that’s a gel and I honestly think that if I Love’s… body wash was just an exfoliater, I would prefer it over TBS. (For a product to trump The Body Shop usually never happens for me!)

Although this product wasn’t the best body wash, per se, it still has a lot of potential and I really do like the I Love… brand. I’m going to rate the I Love…Strawberries & Milkshake shower gel with three stars. My mom paid a whole two dollars for this body wash (granted, it was a closeout) and I think that it was a solid product, especially for what she paid! I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy the shower gel again but I wouldn’t say “no” to using it if the opportunity came about!

So there you have it, my I Love…Strawberries & Milkshake Shower Gel Review! My mom scored some of the brand’s lotion at the Marc’s closeout recently so I look forward to giving that a shot soon! Is there a discount store in your area that you like to shop at? What is your favorite body wash fragrance? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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