Tag Archives: shopping

Perfect Gifts For The Writer In Your Life

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Perfect Gifts For The Writer In Your Life

If you are trying to think of a gift to buy a writer, there are a few options that might spring to mind. But you probably want to buy them something a little different, especially if they already ‘have it all’ in terms of writing gifts. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the best gift options you might want to consider when you are looking for something for the writer in your life:

Special Pen:

This is the kind of gift that is always going to go down well with any writer in the world. Most people will appreciate a special pen that they can call their own, but nobody quite as much as a writer. If they haven’t already got a special pen, then this is definitely something you should consider buying them. Make sure that it is a proper fountain pen, one which is going to last a long time and which they can refill with ink as necessary. This will help encourage them to actually use it.

Unique Notebook:

Chances are, your writer already has a lot of notebooks and you are going to need to make sure that you are keeping things a little different. They probably don’t want another Moleskine, and you would be surprised to discover how many they already have that you don’t know about! However, going down a slightly different route might prove useful – such as getting them a notebook which has been personalized just for them, perhaps with a monogram or something similar.

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^^^ Pexels Image

Tickets To A Reading Or Book Launch:

If your writer has a preferred author, then you might want to look out for some event or reading that they have coming up, especially if that author has a book coming out. This is the kind of event that writers tend to love! If nothing else, it can be a kind of date, so that is definitely something to think about if your writer is also your partner. Either way, it’s a gift they will be sure to remember.

Online Writing Course:

Finally, writers are always looking to improve their skills, so they might appreciate being given the chance to do so. It’s a good idea to get them booked into a writing course, but you will need to make sure that you choose one that they are likely to enjoy and get a lot out of. If you can do that right, you will find that they really appreciate it, so it’s definitely something that you can think about. It’s a gift they’ll use every time they write!

The writer on your shopping list will love any of the above – take it from me!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Early Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

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Early Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

Hello! While Halloween is always at the forefront of my mind, it is never too early to think about Christmas! In fact, I have already began crossing a few people off of my shopping list and it is a necessary feat – I have a lot of giftees. Beginning the process of holiday shopping early prevents you from having a huge bill come December. These money saving tips and other clever hints will also help the cause:

Make the most of seasonal sales:

If you are looking for seasonal deals, then right now is the perfect time to do some shopping – especially if your giftee is a fan of summer. To ring in the changing season, summer clothing, outdoor activities, pool floats, and gardening/grilling gear will all be discounted. Why pay more later when you can just pay less right now? Similarly, if you have a lover of fall in the family, November is a great time to shop for them as fall items will be discounted to welcome the winter. Of course, Christmas gifts for the house like decor is something you are going to have to wait for as the holiday season draws closer and that’s okay. Christmas themed gifts never go out of style!

Stockpile points:

I buy everything exclusively with my Amazon credit card and each purchase gives me money to spend online. Rather than use my points for every random Amazon order, I have began stockpiling points and I can’t believe I haven’t done this sooner. I got a gift for my husband and best friend completely free of charge. There is nothing better than checking an item off of your list and getting it for free to boot!

Sales are your friend:

This should go without saying but it needs repeating. If you see something on sale that a giftee would love, then go for it. If you hold off, then chances are that the item will be sold out or you will have to buy it at full price later. I saved over one hundred dollars by shopping a sale at Old Navy to get some Halloween themed pajamas for Johnny. If you are concerned that the sale price will drop lower, talk to a store employee. Many stores offer a grace period after your purchase to do an adjustment if the price drops again.

Shop local:

If you have grown bored of shopping at local chain stores, then try your hand at shopping locally or through Etsy. You will walk away with a one of a kind piece and you will be sure that your giftee doesn’t have it already. For example, my best friend and I have been celebrating fourteen years of birthdays and Christmases. We have gone through every common gift option possible and I decided to break that cycle by buying her some art from Falcon Grove Studios for her birthday. The paintings were beautiful, supported a local artist, and she absolutely loved them.

Become a rewards member:

While the constant emails from stores that you have a rewards membership through are annoying, they can be very helpful. Lots of stores offer perks for their rewards customers including additional discounts, free shipping, double point days, and free product. As already stated, sales are your friend and if you can get even more of a discount, then why not? I have a stockpile of free Bath & Body Works products that I use as add on gifts simply because I’m a rewards member!

Store your gifts safely:

Getting a head start on holiday shopping means that you are going to have to hang on to your purchases for a while. To avoid clutter, clear out a designated space at home to store your gifts. The place you choose should be safe from prying eyes, pets, and areas that could be prone to water damage or pests. It would be a shame for your gift to get ruined before you even have a chance to give it!

It might be September, but I have already been bit by the Christmas bug and that is fine by me. Come December, I will be sipping hot chocolate and watching Elf with zero pressure of last minute gifts!

Are you an early or last minute gift buyer? When do you usually start your holiday shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Autumn Awesome OOTD Pt. 3

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Autumn Awesome OOTD Pt. 3

Hello everyone and welcome to the last set of photos from my Autumn Awesome OOTD before we move on to the blooper reel! I had a ball styling this look and exploring a new to me metro park with Johnny. I definitely want to go back in proper hiking attire to enjoy the trails because this outfit had me sweating bullets in the fifteen minutes it took to take all of my pictures! My OOTD was, admittedly, not the best for hiking but it was the best for a fabulous fall look:

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^^^ The mural was painted by Matt Miller @mtmilo .

I have many favorite things about blogging but high in the ranks is doing OOTD posts. The process is just so satisfying to me and I love seeing something that I had in my head come to life. Planning the outfit, finding the perfect location, taking pictures with my husband, and seeing the results is all such a blast. It also makes it difficult to select only a handful of pictures, which is why several of my recent OOTDs have been a series!

I very much enjoy taking pictures of others and, obviously, having my picture taken too. I consider it to be an excellent practice in self confidence and I can tell how much mine has improved in terms of my OOTD shoots over the years. I’d be a liar if I said that I didn’t use to feel silly having pictures taken of me. Now, I feel like a model when I’m being photographed and try to do photo shoots for the blog with Johnny as often as I can. 😀

Blogging can be hard work but nine times out of ten it feels like play. I appreciate everyone who tunes in to share in the fun with me ❤ . Keep it posted for bloopers from my Autumn Awesome OOTD after a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club!

Do you prefer to be behind or in front of the camera? What helps you improve your self confidence? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Autumn Awesome OOTD Pt. 2

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Autumn Awesome OOTD Pt. 2

Howdy and welcome to some bonus pics from my Autumn Awesome OOTD! There is something about the arrival of fall that just feels exciting. One primary reason for me is that I despise summer weather lol. I love when the shift of hot AF to comfortable AF happens and I can wrap myself up in all of my cozy fall clothes! I think I will be living in my new Rachel Zoe sweater all autumn long:

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^^^ Note the Peter Grimm hat worn on my back instead of my head and don’t note my roots too much!!

As I mentioned yesterday, the weather still fell under the category of “hot AF” during this photo shoot despite my fall ready outfit. I was sweating by the time Johnny and I were ready to leave and put on a pair of shorts and T-shirt as soon as we got home lol. The long awaited temperature change, clearly, hadn’t happened yet but I was very much mentally in fall mode!

During the summertime, I could truly care less about what I’m wearing and if my hair and makeup is done. I already know that I’ll be sweating profusely so what’s the point?! Johnny and I are cold weather creatures and would much rather spend our time in the AC than out and about! When fall arrives, however, it’s like a flip switches and all we want is to be outside doing all of the things. It’s when we thrive. 😀

There is nothing better than taking a hike, visiting a craft fair, or the pumpkin patch and being comfortable while doing so. My summer long hibernation ends and that means that I have to show out no matter the activity or occasion. My wardrobe skews heavily towards fall clothing and I need to seize every opportunity I can to break out all of my favorite pieces. Yet another reason why I freaking LOVE fall.

I don’t know about all of you, but this is the time of year for me when I begin thinking about all of the cold weather holidays. I am daydreaming of Halloween, Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas. In fact, I have already began my shopping! Fall brings about all kinds of amazing changes and I am ready to live my best life all autumn long. And also my best dressed life too!

What is your favorite type of weather? Have you started any holiday shopping already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Autumn Awesome OOTD

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Autumn Awesome OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! As far as I’m concerned, it becomes fall as soon as it turns September and it is my favorite time of the year. Crisp weather, all of the autumn activities, Halloween, and, of course, the clothes! Nothing pleases me more than the arrival of cozy sweaters, cardigans, and coats in stores and I have a recent haul from TJMaxx to show for it. This Autumn Awesome OOTD features one of my new purchases:

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^^^ The mural was painted by Lizzi Aronhalt.

Who? What? Wear?

When trying on my new Rachel Zoe sweater at TJMaxx, my mind was swarming with OOTD possibilities and this look is the first one that flashed before my eyes. It just feels like the perfect fall outfit and I love it oh so much. I can definitely picture myself at the pumpkin patch, apple picking, or on a hay ride while wearing this OOTD and that means I accomplished my goal of an ideal fall fit!

It’s easy when we think of fall to associate it with deep burgundy and jewel tone colors and that’s fine. However, I think people often forget about the softer tones that look stunning come autumn too. The dove grey, camel, and periwinkle palette of my sweater is a unique take on fall colors and I like that it’s not your typical oxblood or plum.

When I first purchased my sweater, I thought that the diamond patterned stitching throughout it was black. It’s actually a chocolate brown, which would make it so cute with some brown velvet skinny jeans. But, I didn’t have any so I just went with my favorite AEO black skinnies. You would really have to look closely to notice the small color difference so it was good enough for me.

With the base of the outfit settled, it was time for accessories and I knew exactly what I needed thanks to my fitting room vision. There is nothing better than a cool pair of boots in the fall and I chose my Olivia Millers with the chunky chain embellishment. I love clothes and accessories with a little extra something to it and these boots added some flare to a relatively simple outfit. They were also a steal at only twenty dollars and you can’t beat that!

Of course, no fall outfit is complete without a cute hat and my camel one by Peter Grimm was the winner. It matched perfectly with the sweater and I am obsessed with the toggle strap, allowing you to wear the hat on your head or on your back when you tighten it (You can see pics featuring the latter option tomorrow!). Hats are, easily, one of my favorite accessories and are also the easiest fix when you need your hair done – which I do desperately lol.

I wrapped up my accessorizing with some rings from Target to add some extra bling. They are, honestly, old as dirt but I still love them! I didn’t want to add a necklace as the hat strap acted as a pseudo one. I also didn’t want anything to take away from the pattern on the sweater. Always remember that less is more when it comes to finishing touches on an outfit!

With an Autumn Awesome OOTD ready to go, Johnny and I headed to a nearby metro park to snap some shots. It was a beautiful location and you can see more of it all of this week in some bonus pics and bloopers. I also just want to say that I changed into a shorts and T-shirt immediately after taking these pictures because it was hot AF out lol. Mentally, I was feeling very fall, though! 😀

What is your favorite cold weather accessory? What is fall weather like 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

New Rachel Zoe Sweater

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New Rachel Zoe Sweater

Hello and welcome to the last new purchase from my TJMaxx Haul! When I go shopping, I usually know instantly if a piece of clothing is going to work for me just by looking at it. I am a seasoned pro, after all, and I am well versed in the styles, shapes, and colors that work best for my body type, hair color, and complexion. This little number by Rachel Zoe is a prime example of that and I fell in love as soon as I saw it:

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Similarly to my new DKNY sweater that you saw yesterday, I gasped when I saw this Rachel Zoe sweater. The shape is almost identical to my favorite chartreuse sweater by Cynthia Rowley and I haven’t found anything like it since buying it three years ago. I am living for the mock turtle neck, form fitting but not too tight fit, and diamond block pattern. The ultra soft material and all of the fun styling potentials are the cherry on top!

Thanks to my sixth sense when it comes to clothing, all I had to do was slip this sweater on and off for a second or two to know that it was a must have. And, within that time, visions of fabulous fall OOTDs began to swirl inside my head. I can’t wait to sport my new sweater with skinny jeans, brown ankle boots, and my Peter Grimm hat. It will be the perfect look for a leisurely autumn hike. I also love the idea of pairing it over top of a maxi dress or skirt for something more dressed up. This sweater screams “fall” and I am so there for it. 😀

Autumn is amazing for many reasons – cooler weather, leaves changing colors, Halloween and, oh yeah – the clothes. Keep it posted here on lifewithlilred for all of the fall OOTDs coming soon!

What is your fall style like? How would you style this sweater? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New DKNY Sweater

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New DKNY Sweater

Howdy! What was supposed to be some light shopping at TJMaxx turned into a full blown haul because fall clothes are back in stores, baby! While I had fun styling all kinds of summer looks, I am beyond ready for the crisp days of autumn. Oh yeah, and literally all of the sweaters, cardigans, coats, and cold weather accessories too. With the greatest season of all at the forefront of my mind, I just couldn’t say no to this darling DKNY sweater:

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^^^ Originally seventy dollars and I got it for thirty. NICE!

When I first saw this sweater, I literally clutched my pearls because it features what is, apparently, my new favorite trend: Sheer sleeves. This little DKNY number reminded me of my new Zara top that I got last haul and I knew that it would be a winner. As a heavily tattooed lady, it is always sad for all of them to get covered up come cold weather. Sheer sleeves allow for the tattoos on my arms to still be seen and I am so there for it. It’s seriously the perfect fix for the seasonal problem of forgetting what tattoos I even have until it gets warm out again lol.

Of course, my new sweater will look amazing with black super skinny jeans and ankle boots. Throwing on a huge floppy hat with it is also a definite must. I also have visions of pairing this sweater with a sweet skater skirt, cableknit tights, and a fun pair of heels. I think that it will be an awesome look for date night or family holiday gatherings.

I love refreshing my wardrobe with a few new pieces as the seasons change to keep things interesting. I consider this DKNY sweater and the Rachel Zoe one that you will see tomorrow as ideal additions to my fall clothes. I can’t wait to wear them!

What is your favorite season to shop for? What is your favorite thing about fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Hello!! Last week, I visited TJMaxx strictly to get some more skin care. I was successful in that regard and also wound up leaving with way more than just skin care lol. Funny how that works out! I ended up walking away with some Halloween goodies, Christmas presents for my niece, two adorable sweaters, and all of the following:

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^^^ All of these products are Leaping Bunny certified!

It has been a while since I restocked my cleansers and eye cream so that was the mission I had in mind during my TJs trip. Every morning, I like to wash my face with both a scrub and a cleanser for a deep clean. I was almost completely out of both things and chose a Vitamin C cleanser by Clinical Works and a hyaluronic acid and sugar scrub by SpaScriptions. Each of these products feature two of my favorite ingredients for my skin care as a late twenty something and I can’t wait to try them out!

For my eye cream, I went with a manuka honey cream by Lanoline. And, of course, I had to grab another bottle of the Evoluderm micellar water, which I love. I have only used products with manuka honey in it a handful of times. However, it was a must have ingredient for skin care a year or so ago so I’m more than happy to give it a try in eye cream form. Fingers crossed that it smells as amazing as the Freeman face mask that introduced me to manuka honey. 😀

This Skin Care Haul turned into a major haul in general and it was just what I needed. There’s nothing like a little retail therapy to help soothe the soul!

What ingredients do you look for for your skin care? What are your favorite skin care brands? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

TJMaxx Mini Halloween Haul

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TJMaxx Mini Halloween Haul

Hello! In terms of shopping, I think that right now is the most wonderful time of the year. I love when fall clothing starts making a comeback and, of course, all of the Halloween goodies! This past week, I couldn’t help indulging in the former and the latter during some much needed retail therapy. I went to TJMaxx at just the right time when they started putting out their Halloween decor and walked away with the following:

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Johnny and I keep our spooky decorations up all year round so I was excited to get some new additions for our little slice of Halloween heaven. I freaking LOVE the snow globe featuring a skull and striking snake. The best thing about it, of course, is the little bats floating around in lieu of glitter. It is just so cute and looks great on one of the shelves in our book nook. It was also the only one in the store. 😀

I also just had to get two new plates by Royal Stafford with his and hers skulls on it. When I saw these on display, I literally clutched my pearls because I have several plates from this brand already. I purchased them almost three years ago and have never seen anything like it at TJMaxx since so I felt lucky to find more to add to my collection. They are way too pretty to use for its intended purpose of eating off of but I like having them just to have them lol.

Halloween is in my home all of the time but is officially in the air in stores and I am so there for it. Johnny and I plan on having a Halloween shopping crawl soon for more decor and I can’t wait!

What is your favorite holiday to shop for? Which stores have the best holiday decor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Mini Haul

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Bath & Body Works Mini Haul

Hello!! This past week, I had a bunch of errands to run and decided to partake in a little retail therapy. You can peep a new TJMaxx Haul soon but, today, we are going to chat about my finds at Bath & Body Works. I had two freebie coupons to cash in for a travel sized product and a hand sanitizer. I also decided that I should probably buy some more of their wallflower fragrances while I was there! Check it out:

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Prior to my last haul at B&BW, I had never used their wallflowers before. However, I had a coupon for a free one and their Halloween plugins were too cute to pass up! Now that I have two in my apartment, one upstairs and one down, I can’t believe it took me this long to join the bandwagon. They are DELIGHTFUL! The wallflowers provide the perfect amount of fragrance without being overpowering. They are also super long lasting and after over twenty days of use I still have half a vial left.

Aside from freebie coupons, I also had a twenty-five percent off one so I bought two wallflowers with it. I went with Honeycrisp Apple and Wildberry Tea Spritzer. As you all know, I live for apple fragrances and the one I selected is so fabulous for fall. It smells like a just bitten apple and I can’t wait to use it. The Tea Spritzer fragrance is nice but it is not my favorite – I just happened to like it the most out of the available options. It actually smells exactly like the summery beverage I imagined but it is just a little too sweet for my liking. We will see what it’s like when I try it!

I am a huge fan of the B&BW hand sanitizers and was excited to be able to pick out a free one. Their PocketBacs leave my hands feeling so clean without drying them out and have become a must have when I’m on the go. I decided to keep with the squeaky clean vibes and chose Sunshine & Lemons. It’s zingy, tart, and will be a nice reminder of summer come fall.

For my free travel sized item, I got the old standby scent of Japanese Cherry Blossom. Not because I wanted to but because I was running low on lotion in my stockpile and it was the literal only option there lol (I was shopping at a pop up store because they are adding a White Barn to a nearby location). We all know the scent, we loved it in high school, and that’s all I have to say about that. But, hey, a free lotion is a free lotion!

For twelve bucks, I got four products and you just can’t beat that. I also contained myself and didn’t buy anymore Halloween goodies so it was a GREAT SUCCESS of a Mini Haul!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? What was your favorite fragrance in high school? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah