Tag Archives: presents

Holiday Shopping Head Start: Baby Niece Edition

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Holiday Shopping Head Start: Baby Niece Edition

Hi! We are on a fast track to the holiday season and it is definitely that time of the year where I like to start getting my Christmas shopping in order. I always prefer to get my shopping done in November so that when December rolls around, all I have to do is sit back, relax, and be thankful that I beat the crazy rushes in the stores and ordered gifts online with ample time for them to arrive.

This year, there is a new addition in the family to shop for – my baby niece, Valerie Jane. Val was born in the beginning of March and she is the apple of everyone’s eye. This includes her two pups at home, Tydus and Winston! Valerie loves her big brothers and animals in general so when I saw this darling Fisher-Price Bounce and Spin Puppy at Walmart, I just had to get it for her. Check it out:

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^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to this video!

Valerie is a very active little lady and, nine times out of ten, you can find her crawling about and playing with her toys. I thought that the bounce and spin puppy combined the best of both worlds for her – her very own doggy friend to ride on as well as something that is very physical to help wear her out for nap time! This puppy dog teaches all kinds of cool stuff like numbers, colors, and letters and it also sings songs while improving the baby’s balance. At fifty bucks, I thought that it was a steal and it will be something that Val can enjoy for a long time.

Will baby V remember her puppy from her auntie when she’s older? Probably not. But, I will certainly remember watching her play on it and I cannot wait for her first Christmas! :*)

Are you an early or last minute holiday shopper? What do you like to gift for babies or children? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Easy Ways To Make Extra Holiday Money

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Easy Ways To Make Extra Holiday Money

Christmas can be a stressful time of the year financially, especially if your budget is already stretched. If decreasing your spending won’t cut it, then starting to look at options for making more money can be the way to get through the holiday season. Many people take on second jobs at this time of year, but could there be an easier way to boost your savings? Get ready to grow your income with these ways to make extra money in the lead up to Christmas:

Invest:

Putting your money into a particular stock that you know will help you reap rewards will make sense. Of course, it’s a case of having patience, discipline, and knowledge. In this day and age, the likes of cryptocurrency is taking over. This is because we’re likely to use digital currency going forward and cash will become close to being obsolete. Learn about crypto, BNB trading, the market cap, and all kinds of related pieces because it could help you make more than just a little extra money on the side.

With the rise of cryptocurrency, you might want to buy bitcoin with INdependent Reserve. As always, it’s important to do your research first as many people know of bitcoin but are not familiar with its ins and outs. If you have a friend or family member that uses bitcoin, it’s a great idea to pick their brain and ask for advice. Should you not have that option, go online and seek tutorials and step by step guides. Find out the Bitcoin price in USD or the currency you use, familiarize yourself with best practices, and make your investments wisely. Once you become savvy, it can become a viable extra source of income.

Use your skills:

Do you work in a job where you could use your skills on a freelance basis? It could be easier than you think. From copywriting to bookkeeping, there are all kinds of jobs you can do part-time or freelance to help you boost your income. It’s worth checking out the types of roles that are available online through websites like Upwork and People Per Hour.

Many people turn side hustles into full-time roles, giving you the perfect excuse to make a switch to a career you’re passionate about and interested in. Remember to only work the hours you can afford to spare, you don’t want your side hustle to have an effect on your day job.

Become a tutor:

Becoming a tutor can be another excellent way to put your skills and knowledge to good use. Whether you can speak another language or you were great with math at school, you could help a student improve their skills and help them succeed. You can find tutoring opportunities listed with local schools or colleges, and a shout-out on Facebook could be another way for you to find your first gig. Becoming a tutor can be very rewarding, helping you remember your enthusiasm and interest in a subject you might not get to use very often.

Offer babysitting services:

Many people need babysitters at this time of year. People get very busy during the holiday season, so if you love kids – why not offer up your services? You could ask friends and family to begin with and to help you build up some experience. From there, you can find babysitting jobs online in your local area. Babysitting can be a lot of fun, and great practice if you’re thinking of starting your own family soon!

Become a dog walker:

If taking care of kids isn’t your thing, perhaps you could take care of animals, instead? Dog walkers are in high demand, and you can make some great additional income as a walker. Not only will you get the chance to interact and play with some fantastic dogs, but it can also help you stay fit too. Getting out and about during the winter is tough when the nights are dark and the weather is cold, but a four-legged friend who’s happy to see you should be more than enough motivation to get outside!

Sell unwanted goods on eBay:

With the holidays around the corner, it’s a good idea to clear out some of the clutter in your home before a new intake of gifts arrives. This helps you to keep your home neat, as well as making sure you haven’t got items sitting there going to waste.

Selling your unwanted items on eBay is easier than you might think, and you can do it all from your phone. Of course, not everything is going to sell so if you find yourself with items you can’t make money from, you always have the option of donating or recycling them.

Take advantage of cashback:

There are a lot of ways you can earn money online, some of which involve nothing more than carrying out your regular activities! Cashback websites are great for helping you get money back on your purchases, with no catch. Most top retailers can be found on cashback websites. Not only that, but many cashback retailers can also help you find discount codes online – helping you save even more money on your purchases.

Spending your free time making some extra money can be an easy way to build up your Christmas fund. Not only that, but it could lead to something more permanent that could help you increase your savings in the New Year!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Birthday Fun!

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Birthday Fun!

Hellooooo!! My June 7th birthday came and went and I am now twenty-five years of age. How about that! I had a wonderful birthday weekend and the celebrations are not over, as I have belated tom foolery scheduled with some of my girlfriends. During my birthday weekend, I enjoyed eleven hours of being tattooed, a subpar Mexican dinner with my family, and a lovely hang out with my boyfriend. Despite the Margaritas being weak AF and my dinner being cold, it was a definite success!

I received many beautiful gifts from everyone who celebrated with me. But, what I’m most excited about is the tickets that I got from my parents to see The Raconteurs at Stage AE in Pittsburgh this August. This will be my second time seeing Jack White in the past two years and they are playing at one of my favorite venues so, needless to say, I am beyond excited. 😀 #bestgiftever

Although I am not thrilled about being twenty-five, I had a great time quietly celebrating my birthday and thank you to everyone for the well wishes, which made my day even more special! ❤

How did you celebrate your birthday this year? How did you celebrate your twenty-fifth birthday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits: Dolce Vita Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: Dolce Vita Edition

Hiii everyone and welcome to a new edition of If The Shoe Fits! Today, we’re going to be discussing a gorgeous pair of faux snakeskin stiletto mules by Dolce Vita that my mom got me for my birthday. I have grown increasingly fond of cheetah print over the past year or so but snakeskin has always been my preferred animal print. I think that it is so chic, edgy, and sexy and I am especially drawn to it when it comes to accessories like purses and shoes. So, when my mom offered me this pair that she saw on TJMaxx’s website for my birthday, I was, obviously, all about it. Take a look:

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As we all know, Lil Red is a shoe girl through and through. So, it may come as a surprise to some that I only have about two pairs of heels with a stiletto on them. I have always liked the chunky wedge or platform style heels and have never been too impressed with stilettos on me. I think this might be because I have very muscular legs from figure skating so the thicker heels go better with my body type.

But, I just couldn’t say no to these Dolce Vita beauties! My new mules use my favorite snakeskin hue of grey, black, and taupe and I really do love the shape of them. The pointed toe, skinny heel, and almost full foot coverage. Ugh, forget about it! These mules are going to look SO fierce with jet black skinnies and a cardi during a warmer fall day and I am one hundred percent there for it!

What is your favorite animal print? How would you style these mules? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz: Unknown From Lush Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Unknown From Lush Edition

Howdy! I have made many wonderful friends thanks to lifewithlilred but there’s one lovely lady who holds a very special place in my heart and that’s Kate from Live In The Nautical. A fiery, intelligent beauty with a passion for travel and style, Kate is literally the coolest and it has been such a joy to be her friend. No matter if we talk every day or if it’s been a month, we always seem to pick up right where we left off, which I think is a major testament to our friendship.

Everything about Kate is amazing but her thoughtfulness is what I love the most about her. It always seems like she just knows when I need a little pick me up. For example, when I was in absolute agony from my surgery in December, I receive a Christmas present from her in the mail. And, recently, when we were very close to putting our dog down, a birthday prezzie from my Gemini Twin shows up. Talk about blogging BFF telepathy!

Kate knows that goodies from Lush are the way to my heart and I always feel so spoiled when I get to enjoy a bath bomb from there because I don’t use their products often at all. Recently, I used the little number seen below who’s name I am not sure of because it wasn’t on the website. So, we’ll just go with “Unknown” for now, lol. Check it out:

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Aside from my bath tub at my apartment having a mind of its own and draining whenever it feels like, Unknown was a very pleasant bath bomb experience. It didn’t have much of a smell but it put on a jolly good show of shamrock green and white spirals. It also took a long time to fizz out – at least five minutes, which is always a plus.

When Unknown first started fizzing, I thought it was going to be a jelly bomb because of the thicker green bubble stuff happening. But, that wasn’t the case, which was a little disappointing because I do love me a good jelly bomb. Despite that, I still felt insanely hydrated upon exiting the tub once I finished shaving and I think that’s my favorite part. I always put lotion on post shave but I probably don’t even need to when using the ultra moisturizing Lush bath bombs!

Overall, I’d rate Unknown with a five out of ten. It wasn’t my favorite but it certainly wasn’t the worst, either, and I wouldn’t be mad about using it again.

What is your favorite Lush product? Who is your blogging BFF? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mini Zen Garden

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Mini Zen Garden

Howdy! This past Christmas, one of the things that I gifted for my dad was a mini zen garden that I found at Five Below – of all places! My dad loves zen inspired decor and I truly think that he is in his happy place when he tends to his beautiful garden. So, I figured a little zen garden to cultivate would be a perfect add on gift for him. And, because I try to find my inner peace through meditation, I have enjoyed caring for our tiny garden, too. Check it out:

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The zen garden from Five Below came with all of the tokens seen above to create your own scene of peace and I thought that it was an amazing find. I don’t change the layout of the garden too often – maybe once a week. But, I always love when I see the location of the figurines moved because that means my dad has been enjoying it, too. He keeps the zen garden by his Laughing Buddha statue that he got in Thailand and all of it ties in with his super chill personality.

I was so happy with how much my dad liked his gift when he opened it on Christmas and I am even more thrilled that we can both use it and make a little peace together. ❤

What is your favorite discount store find? How do you try and get into a zen state of mind? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Edition

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Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Edition

Hiii! A few days ago I finally finished up the Lush products I got for Christmas by using the tongue twister Yog Nog Yule Log bubble bar. I have never used a bubble bar from Lush before so it probably would have helped to read the instructions of how to use it online. Long story short, my bar didn’t bubble. But, I don’t think it would have even if I used it properly and crumbled it under the running water, because this bar was so compact with what I’m assuming was Shea or cocoa butter. At the very least, it might have foamed.

But, the beauty of the bubble bars is that they are reusable so I can try again next time! High five! Take a look at some pics of my first experience and let’s discuss:

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First things first, let’s address the color of my bath water lol. After giving my body a pre-shave rub down with the bubble bar, it straight up turned the water yellow. This is, admittedly, pretty gross. But, the bubble bar was so soothing and moisturizing that I don’t even care. My skin has been so dry lately because it’s been really windy and damp in the 330. It’s the type of weather that just eats right through you and my skin has suffered big time.

The Yog Nog Yule Log bar felt so good on my chapped skin and it gave me an even smoother shave than when I use my go to exfoliaters from The Body Shop. Yes, it would have been nice to have a genuine bubble bath. But, the on the skin contact was just what I needed to get some hydration back so no harm no foul. Here’s to luscious bubbles or foam next time!

What are your thoughts on the Lush bubble bars? What is your favorite Lush product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

My Favorite Thank You Gift

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My Favorite Thank You Gift

Hiiii! Sending out thank you gifts has become a snap thanks to the almighty Amazon and it is one of my favorite things to do. Of course, it’s always great to verbally tell someone that you appreciate them and I try to do that often. But, when someone goes the extra mile or you just want to thank them for being a wonderful friend, I think that a little extra something something is needed.

I have always loved Willow Tree figurines and have been gifting them for holidays and as thank you’s for years. My dad used to work in a religious gift store and they were sold there and I can remember seeing them for the first time when I was way young and thinking they were beautiful. In fact, we have quite a few at home that I’ve gifted to my mom:

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^^^ Lol, never mind the dust!

What I love about these figurines is that they really invoke whatever feeling that they portray. The item, animal, or even a person being held by the willow figure is usually what’s in color, so it pops against the cool taupe palette. I don’t know about you guys, but nothing makes me think of love more than a big red heart!

There are Willow Tree figures (Or keepsake boxes like the one seen above.) for birthdays, losses, babies being born, marriages, friendship, family, and basically anything that you can think of. I think that these figurines are such a lovely way to show someone that you’re thinking of them. I know that I would love to receive one as a gift and that is why I enjoy giving them so much. And, the fact that Amazon has them available to purchase makes that process so much easier. 😀

What do you love to give as a thank you gift? How do you show appreciation for your friends? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Cheery Christmas Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Cheery Christmas Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz! Thanks to an early evening at work, I got to enjoy using the Cheery Christmas bath bomb from Lush. Yes, I did get it as a Christmas present. But, hey, it’s better using it late than never! And, I happened to use this bath bomb the night before Valentine’s Day so the pink color was pretty and appropriate! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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When it comes to the show that Cheery Christmas put on, I was fairly underwhelmed. I really like the bath bombs that completely change the color of the water. And, with a pink bath bomb you never know what you’re going to get. In my experience, they normally tend to change the water to this light pinky/purple shade, which is nice, but definitely not my cup of tea.

However, I did enjoy the snowflake motif that was evident in the water. The bubbles that branched out took on this transparent, snowflake style shape and that was cool. I also liked that halfway through the bath bomb fizzing, a baby blue core was revealed. Despite being smaller than the usual bath bombs from Lush, Cheery Christmas took a LONG time to fizz out completely, which I liked and I didn’t. I like when a bath bomb takes a while to dissolve when a fun show is put on. But, sadly, this bath bomb didn’t really do much so all it did was turn my bath water tepid by the time it was over. Whomp whomp. -__-

Overall, I would give Cheery Christmas a five out of ten. It makes for a good gift because of the cold weather theme. But, it was not my favorite because I like really dark bath bombs that make the water a totally different color. I don’t recommend this bath bomb, but I don’t not recommend it, either!

What is your favorite color of bath bomb to use? What is your favorite Lush product to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Shoot For The Stars Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: Lush’s Shoot For The Stars Edition

Hiii everyone! Today, we are going to discuss one of the bath bombs from Lush that I got from the darling Kate of Live In The Nautical for Christmas. I know, I know it’s over a month after the holiday but, I was incapacitated for most of December and the first week of January and the rest of that month was spent trying to catch up on missed work. So, a long soak in the tub with a Lush bath bomb was just what the doctor ordered now that I feel like I can finally relax a little. Take a look at Shoot For The Stars:

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Shoot For The Stars has easily been one of the best bath bombs that I’ve used in a long time. First of all, it smelled amazing. I caught wonderful whiffs of creamy vanilla, which is one of my favorite scents, and being enveloped in that during a soak felt so lush! And, more importantly, the color show that the bath bomb put on was pretty spectacular, too!

As you can see from the first picture of Shoot For The Stars in the water, is that it got to work as soon as it was in the tub. It rocketed all about, leaving behind gorgeous azure blue in its path, along with shooting star trails of gold glitter. It took a solid two plus minutes for the bath bomb to fizz out but, that was not the end of it.

The most fun part about Shoot For The Stars is that the four glitter stars embedded in the bomb became detached. Instead of letting them dissolve, I took them in my hands and rubbed them over my body. It left my skin glowing in golden sparkle and it matched my new metallic face mask perfectly!

The stars had me feeling like I just applied lotion – they were so insanely hydrating. #smallbutmighty And, the bath water was so nourishing for my skin, too. I love using the Lush bath bombs for that reason alone. I shave when I’m taking a bath and I get out of the tub feeling like I put body butter on. There is nothing better.

I would definitely use Shoot For The Stars again and give it an eight out of ten. Highly recommend!

What is your favorite bath bomb from Lush? What are some of your other favorite Lush products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah