Tag Archives: proud

Nov18

TikTok Love

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TikTok Love

Howdy! As you all know, I am a word girl through and through. I don’t really like scrolling through videos or pictures and have always preferred Facebook as my primary social media. However, way back at the end of March, I decided to make a TikTok. I had just left a work situation that, for lack of better words, sucked ass. I was in a weird kind of limbo but what I wanted most of all was to focus on my own content again. Not anyone else’s – just me, myself, and I. And you know what? It felt good!

Prior to making my TikTok, I rarely made videos of myself and was busy making videos for other people. I was deeply ambivalent at first but after a few days, I definitely saw the appeal. It’s just pure fun! My blog baby will always be my A1 but I loved the idea of making video content that coincides with what you read on lifewithlilred. It’s like an extra sneak peek into my world and I have found myself enjoying making OOTD videos just as much as shooting them in picture form. I have also been having a blast just making videos that I think look cool or are funny. It might not be to anyone else, but it is to me.

I went into my TikTok with no intentions of following trends. No expectations of getting paid or becoming TikTok famous. I went into it with the intentions of trying something new. The last new thing I tried in terms of work sucked and that’s because it wasn’t on my own terms. My TikTok was totally different because I had the final say and I still relish in that feeling every time I click post. It really does feel amazing to do something for you with zero expectations. Just to enjoy yourself. It sounds silly, but my blog and TikTok really are my favorite forms of self care. Outside of shopping, and getting my hair and nails done – obvi lol!

As I have literally zero expectations with my TikTok, every new like and follow feels like a huge win. Every notification is a victory and it feels like a pat on the back. I am immensely proud of my 2,640 followers and 24K likes. Like my blog, my TikTok is an extension of me. Something I made all on my own. I started both pages on a total whim and the fact that I still make daily content after all this time tells you everything you need to know. I just love to create!

If you are in the mood for more Lil Red, have I got a deal for you! Follow me on TikTok for more from your favorite lil blogger. Every single follow means the world!

Are you on TikTok? What is your handle? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov14

Best Husband Ever!

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Best Husband Ever!

Hello! My darling husband, Johnny, really is a blog husband to the T. He has been taking OOTD pictures (And now TikTok videos!) since our second date over six years ago. Every single shot you have seen on lifewithlilred is compliments of him and words can’t even describe how appreciative I am for it! When the weekend rolls around we shoot one or two outfits and it takes well under ten minutes to do so. Although the sessions are speedy, Johnny always does his running joke… He will him and haw under his breath, say something along the lines of “oh my god”, and proceed to be my photographer while grinning at his cleverness. It has been this way for forever and I could not picture our shoots without him going through his little routine!

Although he puts on his hilarious act, I know so very well how proud Johnny is of me. 1) He tells me so all the time. And 2) He tells literally everyone. This past weekend we had one of our best friends, Cliff, over to watch the Rock Hall induction ceremony. I went to bed after an hour or so and as soon as I went upstairs, I could hear Johnny telling Cliff a story about me. I recognized it immediately as when Spinal Tap shared my OOTD video on TikTok from when we had our date night to see the sequel. Johnny claims that this is the coolest thing that has ever happened and I have to agree! Since that share, Johnny has made it a point to tell every single one of our friends when we see them and it makes me so unbelievably happy. ❤

My Johnny isn’t just a blog husband because he helps me with my content. He is a blog husband because he talks it up every chance he can get. It’s actually really funny because Johnny doesn’t read my blog as he is already living it lol. Despite that, he hypes it up so much and that is true love! He verbalizes and puts into action his pride in my side profession and it means the world. Johnny will even give me suggestions for posts and outfits that I hadn’t thought of and I love that lifewithlilred has given us both a space to be creative.

Johnny’s work hosted a Halloween costume contest and when we both returned home he dove right into a story about it. A group of his coworkers asked him to take a picture and he shifted into blog photographer mode. Thanks to my teachings, he knows how to work angles baby and his coworkers couldn’t believe how well the pictures turned out. He told them it was all because of me and his weekend photography gig. I have a feeling he is going to be the go to guy to snap pics at the next work function!

I am the luckiest girl in the world and Johnny’s help on my blog makes me feel so special. He makes me feel so special and I just love my main squeeze! ❤

Does anyone help you with your blog or social media? What do you appreciate about your partner? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct1

Polka Premiere

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Polka Premiere

Hello! My Johnny and I absolutely LOVE Polka music and are lucky enough to be dear friends with the singer and accordionist from the Chardon Polka Band, Jake. For those of you who are not hip, the Chardon Polka Band is one of the best touring Polka parties all across America. Johnny used to play shows with them way back in the day and I have known them through work for the past decade. It is so exciting to watch them live out their Polka dreams and we just adore them!

The Chardon Polka Band has a phenomenal show that airs nationally on PBS called The World According To Polka and its third season premiere was this past Friday. Over one year ago, Jake contacted us asking if Johnny might play some tunes on their very first episode that revolves around trains. We were thrilled and took a drive to a historic village in Burton, Ohio to record his part of the episode. Take a look and be sure to peep my TikTok for some snippets:

As it has been a phat minute since then we honestly kind of forgot about it lol. Until we received an email inviting us to the season premiere party at the PBS station in Kent, Ohio. The festivities were this past Thursday and it was a blast!! Johnny and I went out for a celebratory dinner at a super cool restaurant down the road from the station called Mike’s Place. We enjoyed every bite of our meals and rolled into the shindig both stuffed with food AND feelings!

At the party, we got to mingle with all of our friends from the Chardon Polka Band, PBS employees, musicians, and diehard Polka enthusiasts. There were pretzels and pierogies, dancers, and Dyngus Day Festival character actors and the station was radiating with pure joy. After we got settled into the auditorium, it was time for the show to begin. It started with some clips of all of the great work that PBS does in our local community and then Jake took the stage to speak about what the Chardon Polka Band has been up to and presented a larger than life trailer of The World According To Polka. We were then treated to a viewing of the first episode of their new music education show on PBS and the season premiere of The World According To Polka with my Johnny.

The Polka Train episode was so wonderful from start to finish. The Chardon Polka Band visited several train related locations in Northeast Ohio. This included a model train museum, a one eighth scale train ride in a Metro Park, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and the last stop in Burton where we filmed. Seeing Johnny on screen was simply amazing and I was so incredibly proud of him. He gave extensive knowledge to the two songs they were performing together and why the train motif was so popular in music upon its invention. Johnny played guitar and sang in both songs and when each of them were over the whole audience went wild. Everyone sitting by us acted like they were sitting by a celebrity and it was just so freaking cool! ❤

Being able to take part in this season premiere party was such a gift. The Chardon Polka Band does so much good everywhere they go and we are so thankful that Johnny got to share in that. Be sure to tune into The World According To Polka every Friday on PBS and give the Chardon Polka Band a listen. You will love them as much as we do!

Has something exciting happened to you recently? What is your favorite show on PBS? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep26

Spinal Tap Shout Out!!

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Spinal Tap Shout Out!!

Howdy! Spinal Tap is one of Johnny’s all time favorite movies and we had a fabulous Middle Class Fancy date night to see the sequel the day it came out. To commemorate the special occasion, Johnny and I wore matching muscle tank tops that was worn by Nigel Tufnel in the first movie. You can peep the OOTD here! A day or so later, I posted a video of my Tap Into Fashion fit on TikTok and didn’t think much of it until I got the most glorious notification this past Friday. Check it out:

When I first got this notification, I assumed it was a fan page. Then, I looked at the profile and was giddy to find out it was the actual Spinal Tap movie page. A page featuring my TikTok set to the tune of Big Bottoms lol. You could have knocked me over with a feather because I genuinely couldn’t believe it. I saw this notification prior to heading back home and the five minute drive felt like an eternity. All I wanted to do was snap my fingers and teleport to Johnny so I could tell him immediately!

As soon as I was home, I came bursting through the door without so much of a hello – just a guess what?! Like me, Johnny was in a state of disbelief before we reveled in this GREAT SUCCESS because honestly wtf? I never expected anything like this because my TikTok is far from popping off and it was confirmation that I am doing at least something right! As a content creator for over a decade, I have had my fair share of wonderful collaborations and so much fun. However, Johnny claims that this was the coolest thing I have ever done and I couldn’t agree more. ❤

This may seem like a small victory but it was a huge deal for Johnny and I as we are such avid fans of Spinal Tap. It made me feel so proud that Johnny started texting all of his former bandmates about it as soon as we recovered from the shock!!

What is the coolest social media interaction you have ever had? What has made you proud recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug28

Eleven Year Blogiversary!!

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Eleven Year Blogiversary!!

Howdy! lifewithlilred has been a big part of my life for so long that I honestly forget how long it has been around for lol. It always comes as a surprise to me when I get the WordPress email that my domain name is about to renew and this time around was no different. You could have knocked me over with a feather when it dawned on me that my little corner of the internet is celebrating its Eleven Year Blogiversary! Not to mention over SIX YEARS of publishing daily content. Holy wow, it really is quite an accomplishment and I am so very proud of it. ❤

lifewithlilred started out as a pleasure project when I first started college and honestly it wasn’t even my idea. At that point, I was regularly posting pictures of my outfits on Facebook and I was getting constant comments that I should start a blog. I had always loved writing and, of course, fashion and I decided to go for it. I am so glad I did because I could not imagine my life without my blog baby today. lifewithlilred has given me countless gifts that I am eternally grateful for. It introduced me to my best friend in the world, provided me with the space to create, have fun, and be my most authentic self, and opened up an entire blogosphere with the most amazing people. I put myself into lifewithlilred fully and I was rewarded in ways that I will always treasure.

Of course, the most important aspect of lifewithlilred is you. My dear readers and beloved friends. You have been with me through life’s many ups and downs, through thick and thin, and every milestone for the past eleven years. You know me well and it is my complete pleasure to know you too. The blogosphere is my friend and I truly mean that. Whenever anything happens, you are the first person I want to tell and I eagerly await to put words to keyboard to fill you in. That is something that I can’t thank you enough for. lifewithlilred has shown me that you are all here with me no matter where we are located and because of that, I am never ever alone. ❤

Here’s to eleven years of lifewithlilred and eleven more. I love you all!

Aug26

Friendly Reminder!!

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Friendly Reminder!!

Hello!! After leaving an incredibly shitty work experience in March, I most definitely needed a bit of me time. During that Lil Red mental health retreat, I threw my hands up, said “screw it” (It was actually an expletive!) , and made a TikTok. What makes me really happy is creating content and I decided I needed more of that in my life – even if I am not the biggest fan of making videos. However, after close to five months of posting daily content on TikTok, I finally get it lol. It’s a lot of fun and I love shooting OOTDs, hiking, exploring, cooking, and any and everything videos. All of you have been onto something for a phat minute and although I am literal years late to the party, it’s better late than never! 😀

At the end of May, I was almost at one hundred followers and you have no idea how happy that made me. Fast forward to the here and now and I have around twenty five hundred and you have no idea how happy that makes me! For a page that is still relatively new, it might as well be twenty five million to me and I feel proud of that because my TikTok really is just for funsies. I don’t expect brand deals and billions of views. All I wanted was to go back to making content for me, myself, and I… And anyone who feels like watching or reading it and that is the prize in itself.

While I was in the midst of the not ideal work sitch, I was barely keeping my head above water let alone making content that I felt excellent about. And, in turn, I felt far below excellent because content creating is truly one of my forms of self care. It gives me a safe space to wear whatever I want, experiment, and simply be me. Even if my blog or TikTok got no views, it would be fine because it is mine and mine alone and I made it and had a blast doing it. My mental health has improved tenfold and it feels so SO good to be back in my zone and feeling completely like myself!

If you feel so inclined, I would absolutely love it if you joined me on my TikTok. If not, that’s okay too! I’ll see you around the blogosphere! ❤

What is your favorite form of social media? What makes you feel like yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

TikTok Talk

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TikTok Talk

Hello!! As you all know, I am a word girl through and through. I have always preferred blogging as my main outlet which is why I was never particularly interested in incorporating video content too. However, after making a big life change, I had more free time on my hands, said “why not?”, and started my TikTok in mid March. This was not to take the place of my blog, but to enhance it with footage of OOTDs, bloopers, cooking, and whatever else strikes my fancy. After one day on the social media platform, I finally got what all the fuss is about because it is kind of fun!

I have no delusions of becoming a TikTok star, even though it would be awesome. I’m just proud of the fact that people are actually watching my content. Even if it was just one person, I would be proud because video content isn’t in my comfort zone and I decided to go for it anyways. And, I’ve got to say, after two months I feel pretty awesome about my amount of likes and almost ONE HUNDRED followers!

Slow and steady wins the race and even if my page’s progress isn’t astronomical, it’s there, and that’s good enough for me. And, as another old cliche goes, if you never try, you never know. While video content isn’t my forte, you don’t need to be Spielberg to create a video and post it on TikTok. Had I didn’t give it the old college try, I wouldn’t have realized how much fun it is to create in a new medium. Whether you’re thinking about starting a blog, going to the gym, growing a garden, or making a profile on a different social media platform – go for it! If you end up not liking it, it’s okay. The most important thing is that you gave it a shot and you know one way or the other. I definitely expected to fall off of my TikTok a few days in but I have posted daily content since its creation. Your new favorite thing could be just one try away!

As always, give me a follow on TikTok @lilred6794 and keep pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. You never know what opportunities will come from it!

Have you tried something new recently? How did it go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May26

Don’t Knock It!

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Don’t Knock It!

Hello!! Those of you who have been long term readers of lifewithlilred will know that I absolutely despise going to the dentist due to a horrible oral surgery gone wrong. For those of you who are just tuning in: I absolutely despise going to the dentist due to a horrible oral surgery gone wrong lol. It took a lot of time for me to feel even remotely comfortable going to routine cleanings and I am proud to say that they are a lot easier than they once were. Part of it definitely has to do with where I go for my cleanings: Aspen Dental.

I know, I know – Aspen Dental isn’t the most well reviewed dentistry practice in the world. In fact, I know several people who vowed to never step foot in one again lol. However, it is affordable and I love my oral hygienist who has been taking care of me since I started going a handful of years ago. She is well aware of my dentist phobia and does her best to accommodate anything that I need to make me more comfortable. This includes explaining everything she’s doing as she does it as well as providing ample time for me to take breaks. It might not seem like much but it has transformed my appointments into a more positive experience and encourages me to keep trying to do better with my oral health.

I had an appointment at Aspen Dental this past week and as I was waiting for the dentist to check in on me after my cleaning, I couldn’t help but snap this picture of my X-Rays. It always makes me laugh to see my piercings show up:

^^^ Lol so cool!

As I waited, I also pondered all of the ways that Aspen Dental has helped me. Regardless of if the practice as a whole might not be well received, the people who work at mine are phenomenal and their expertise is crystal clear. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is Don’t Knock It! I began going to Aspen Dental because they were able to get me in immediately for a chipped tooth. That experience alone told me everything I needed to know because I was upset and in pain and they took excellent care of me. I scheduled an appointment for a cleaning that very day, kept every single appointment since, and have no regrets. I feel fully confident in their team and I hope this instills confidence in you should you ever need to get dental help ASAP!

My appointment went great this week and I feel so good about the strides I have made in tackling my phobia and improving my oral health. I can’t believe I’m saying it but… I’m actually looking forward to my next cleaning!

What are you scared of? What helped you get over your fears? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May17

Happy Birthday, Brother!!

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Happy Birthday, Brother!!

Hello!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my big brother, Andrew’s, birthday!! Andrew is my partner in crime. He is my best friend, my work out buddy, and an absolute gift to all who know him. Whether we are hiking, gaming, or just hanging out it is the best time because we are together. Andrew has an incredible sense of humor, is so caring, and always has a kind word to say. He is the first person who notices when I get my nails done or am wearing something new and you have no idea how much that warms my heart.

Being able to have built in besties with my siblings is such a special thing and Andrew and I are the dream team. Our personalities work so well together and there is nothing we can’t do when we have a plan in mind. Andrew inspires me to no end and is always striving to better himself, which is something that we can all learn from. He’s a hard worker, a loving son, and the most amazing friend I could ever ask for. I am so excited to be able to celebrate my big bro and am thankful for every minute we have together!! ❤

Happy Birthday, Andrew!!! I love you!!! ❤

Apr25

Back On The Ice!

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Back On The Ice!

Hello!! My childhood sport of choice was competitive figure skating and I stopped when I was about sixteen years old. After that, I would skate just for fun and coach for the Special Olympics a few years later. Prior to the pandemic starting, I thought it would be cool to try ice dancing and take lessons again and did just that. Cue pandemic, what felt like an indefinite hiatus, then I was back. Until I wasn’t lol. I had an extremely off putting encounter with a male coach and it instantly sucked all of the joy out of being on the ice again. So, I hung up my skates and never went since. Until this weekend!! Check it out and peep the videos on my TikTok @lilred6794 :

A month or so ago, I noticed one of my friends on social media had recently got back into skating after some time off too. I knew who she was but she skated in a different club than me and was a few years younger than me in high school. However, her decision to skate again inspired me and I thought that it couldn’t hurt to shoot her a message to see if she wanted to go together sometime. The answer was a resounding YES, we scheduled a skate date, and were both so eager to hit the ice together this past weekend.

I arrived at the rink a bit earlier than my friend so I started the open skate session solo. And omg I was feeling good as soon as my blades touched the ice. The open skate was blessedly not crowded at all so I basically had free reign to do anything and everything. I did a few warm up laps and like no time had passed at all, I was back to spins, jumps, and footwork. What’s that old saying about riding a bike? Granted, what I was doing wasn’t perfect and I felt straight up drunk after spinning but I was sure proud of everything that I could still do!

By the time I was nice and warmed up, my friend was ready to get her skate on too. I told Johnny it was like the equivalent of going hiking with a friend. We skated around, talked like we had known each other for years even though we just met, and just had fun skating for the joy of it. It was such a wonderful experience to skate with no pressure whatsoever and to encourage each other to keep trying all of our long lost tricks. Before I knew it, the hour and a half long session was over and we exited the rink exhausted but exhilarated. We are going to try and skate at least once a month and I am already chomping at the bit for our next skate date!

The moral of the story is to NEVER let anyone take the fun and joy out of something you love to do. I am so thankful to have found a friend that gave me the motivation to get back on the ice after swearing off of it and am still riding the high of how proud I feel of both of us!

What is your favorite sport to play? Which sports did you play when you were little? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah