Tag Archives: style

Mar28

Accessory Story: Earthbound Bracelet Edition

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Accessory Story: Earthbound Bracelet Edition

Howdy!! My sister and I had the most fantastic time in New Orleans and it was such fun to explore the city with Kristen. Prior to our cousin’s Saturday evening wedding we shopped till we dropped in the French Quarter. We hit up plenty of markets and quirky souvenir shops and had to laugh at the random CVS because it stuck out like a sore thumb. There weren’t many chain stores to visit but we did end up stopping in Earthbound as we have never been there before and the closest one to us is an hour away. It was a cool, hippie chic shop that boasted clothing, decor, and beautiful jewelry. They were also running a buy one get one half off sale which was a score! Kristen ended up purchasing a lovely bracelet for her daughter and treated me to this dynamite snake wrap bracelet. Check it out:

When I saw this bracelet on display, I literally clutched my pearls. I absolutely love snake themed jewelry and have several pieces in my collection. None of them are like this one, though! Unraveled, this bracelet stretches two feet long and then you can wrap it up as a bracelet or a necklace. All of my bracelets are just cuffs and this number by Earthbound is the perfect jewelry embodiment of a real snake. The salesperson at the store told me they got the bracelet back in stock the day before and that they sell out very quickly. I can definitely see why!

As this bracelet was a bit pricier at twenty dollars, I told my sister I would buy it and get the bracelet she wanted for the half off price. Instead, she got it for me and it was just the sweetest! The whole weekend away warmed my heart and it was so special to have a memento from her to commemorate our trip. I have worn it several times since our mini vacation and it’s impossible not to smile about it. Not only is this bracelet insanely fun to put on but it instantly takes me back to all of the amazing memories we created. Spending all of that time one on one with my sister was the greatest gift I could ever ask for and this bracelet from big sis to little sis was the cherry on top. ❤

Tune in tomorrow to check out an OOTD featuring my new hair and this fabulous Earthbound find. See you then!

Which store has your favorite jewelry? What is your favorite kind of accessory? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar27

New Hair, Who Dis?

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New Hair, Who Dis?

Hello! After a long weekend of travel, I had a blessedly easy week as I was due at The Shear Shop on Friday to get my hair done. I had been chomping at the bit to transform my hair for spring! Prior to my appointment, Anna and I were thinking of a blue and orange palette using Pulp Riot’s Blue Tux and Shag Rug. Then, that plan turned on its head as soon as I was in her chair! Anna showed me an array of colors that she picked just for me and we were definitely on a similar wave length. We both came to the same conclusion that instead of blue, why not do purple? Anna said her inspiration was a spring sunset and that perfectly describes the color palette we ended up using. Check it out:

^^^ Lol idk what I’m doing here but you can see the colors really well!

Pulp Riot Colors Used:

Top Left: Satire

Top Right: Shag Rug mixed with Lava

Bottom Left: Jam mixed with Lilac

Bottom Right: Pyro mixed with Fireball

Prior to this appointment, my hair featured a peacock palette with red, blue, and teal and I washed my hair every day to try and lighten the colors as much as possible. Pulp Riot’s formula has changed to increase the dye’s longevity and after multiple hair washes, the colors were still quite vivid. We were genuinely worried that the bleach wouldn’t lift all of it to achieve the spring sunset palette but we just had to give it a try. We let the bleach sit with no heat for about fifteen minutes and then turned on the heat for ten more. And you know what? It worked! There were a couple random spots that Anna needed to bleach again but by the time we were done, my hair was pale blonde and ready to rock.

Once the bleach was washed out and we could breathe easier, it was onto painting the hair. Anna and I were most excited because Pulp Riot brought back one of our favorite colors – the gorgeous marigold Satire and it was just what we needed for a sunset inspired look. We always mix Pyro and Fireball for my red and Satire is fantastic as is. However, both Jam and Shag Rug needed an extra dose of vividness. So, Anna created custom colors to brighten them up by mixing Lilac into Jam and Lava into Shag Rug. That was much more like it!

Rather than do our usual horizontal application of the dyes, Anna and I wanted to switch things up by going vertical. To frame my face, we used our red concoction and I love having that Lil Red right at the forefront. She painted underneath my hair and on top with strips of Satire and the Shag Rug + Lava combo. Then she painted the back half with the Jam + Lilac. She also applied Satire to the ends of my hair so we could get that pop of yellow the whole way through. All that was left to do was sit and wait for an hour as we eagerly anticipated the grand finale…

And this finale definitely deserved a standing twenty-four hour ovation because holy WOW! We were both amazed that my hair went from peacock to sunset in an afternoon because getting it all out with bleach was so up in the air. Everyone at the salon was oohing and ahhing and for good reason – this new do is everything! My hair feels strong and healthy and I will never be over the custom colors that Anna created. I am the only client of hers that she does funky colors for and she nails it every time. I am SO lucky to have her as my stylist and friend for over two decades!! ❤

Shout out to my wonderful stylist for creating this spring sunset magic. I am totally and completely obsessed!

How often do you dye your hair? Are you changing your hair color up for spring? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar25

New Orleans Wedding OOTD

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New Orleans Wedding OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The weekend of Friday the thirteenth was a fantastic one as my sister, Kristen, and I were in New Orleans to celebrate our cousin’s wedding. We went to a wonderful pre wedding party on Friday and then the big show happened on Saturday evening. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and we even got to parade through the street after the happy couple said “I do”. It was way cool! It was such fun to get dressed to the nines with my sister and be with our extended family and new friends. Take a look at what I wore and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Dress: ModCloth, Coconinno

Fringe Shawl: TJMaxx, Laundry

Gloves: These belonged to Johnny’s grandma!

Heels: Steve Madden, Kohl’s (I think!)

I think the earrings are from Target!

Outside of going to Playhouse Square for a play or musical, I rarely have the chance to get super dressed up and definitely took advantage of the wedding to do so. Styling formal wear is something that I get to do maybe once a year and there is no better occasion than a wedding to get all dolled up! For my wedding look, I started with a gorgeous dress by Coconinno. I actually wore this when my oldest brother got married over ten years ago and am very glad it still fits lol. From the fitted top to the a-line skirt and the stunning medley of colors, this dress is so charming. This Coconinno number is also quite light making it ideal for a summer wedding or an early spring one in New Orleans. I just love the movement of the skirt and it was perfect for dancing the night away!

Next up was shoes and accessories. For accessories, I added a little bit of everything! First was an adorable fringe shawl by Laundry which is oh so pretty and unique. Although the dress could have been worn without it, the shawl covered up the bra area and I really appreciated that as I could attend the wedding without worrying about bra straps being visible. It also added movement to the top half of the look with the fringe bouncing with every step I took. I also decided to wear a pair of gloves that belonged to Johnny’s grandma which I thought looked so elegant. If you look closely, you can see that there are ruffles going around the wrist and it was yet another sweet detail that elevated this fit.

Last but not least for accessories, I added a pair of dangly three tiered black gemstone earrings. I styled my hair in a chignon inspired do and the gems looked so pretty as they danced around my bare neck. For shoes, I went with the very first pair of heels I ever owned – a strappy little pair by Steve Madden. I will never part with them and that is a good thing because they were exactly what I needed to wrap this OOTD up. That wooden heel is so funky and it was a thrill to hear them clacking across the brick sidewalks! With that, I was ready for a night to remember at the most lovely wedding. ❤

I felt like a star in this look and am so in love with how it turned out. The dress was already great but the accessories took it over the top!

Are you going to a wedding this year? Do you get the chance to rock formal wear often? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar24

New Orleans OOTD Bloopers

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New Orleans OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my New Orleans OOTDs! Be sure to stick around this week to see the actual OOTD post for what I wore to my cousin’s wedding. 🙂 Without my resident photographer, Johnny, my sister pulled through in the clutch to take my pictures and TikTok videos. It took a little bit of coaching for Kristen to get them just right but she was a quick study! Huge shout out to her for putting up with my nonsense not just with OOTD shoots but for always taking a selfie with me every other minute lol. Hey, sister time is a rarity for us so I had to milk it for all it was worth! Let’s get to these yikes shots:

I’m a star, baby!!! Out here doing the most as per ushe

Practicing my dance moves for the wedding and looking GREAT

Kristen’s OOTD shots were a work in progress but her bloopers were on point

My face when Kristen asked if we were done yet lol the answer was NEVER

Looking SO cool (said no one ever)

A strong preface to the Blooper Reel story time…

After my cousin got married, we paraded around the street and it was absolutely amazing. The entire block was going freaking nuts and I think we all felt like celebrities during that five minute trek! Because the experience was so exciting, I wasn’t looking where I was going whatsoever. In the streets of New Orleans, that is a big mistake because their walkways definitely need some love. As I strutted my stuff, I was so unaware that I walked right into a pothole with a huge cone in it lol SMH. It was a shock to the system but I think I recovered beautifully and made the rest of the parade without further incident. That was to come later…

When the dance floor opened up after dinner and speeches, my uncle and I were cutting a rug. My cousin’s dad is the literal coolest and he is very tall and very broad. For the beginning of our dance, we were in perfect step and it really was lovely. Then, came the spin. Oh, that spin lol. We were dancing on brick and combined with that, my heels, and my uncle’s sheer strength without even trying, I completely ate it when he spun me out. I went from being on my own two feet, to in flight, to on the ground in two seconds flat. You guys, it was SO embarrassing I can’t even put it into words. In my defense, however, literally everyone said that my uncle straight up hurled me and that made me feel a lot better… Kind of. Once again, SMH!!!!!

Weebles wobble and in this case they fell down. But, hey, all that matters is that I got up again, right?!

Has anything embarrassing happened to you recently? Would you consider yourself clumsy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar21

Wedding Party OOTD

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Wedding Party OOTD

Hi! After my sister, Kristen, and I landed in New Orleans on Friday we were whisked away in an Uber to get to our hotel. We stayed at the Chateau Orleans and it was absolutely gorgeous. The staff was so wonderful, the decor was stunning, and the location couldn’t be beat as it was right in the heart of the French Quarter. We arrived at our digs around three thirty and relaxed until it was time to partay at a pre-wedding party for my cousin and his beautiful bride at the Napoleon House. It was such fun to get glammed up and let the good times roll! Take a look at the little look I put together for the celebration:

Who? What? Wear?

Polka Dot Slip Dress: Talia Benson, TJMaxx

Faux Fur Collar: St. Tropez, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Bamboo, TJMaxx

The earrings were a Christmas gift from my blogging bestie!

I wanted to bring the drama to the pre-wedding party and I couldn’t imagine a better dress than this fabulous number by Talia Benson. It is one of my favorite dresses I have ever owned and I love it so much that I don’t even care about the slight difficulty getting it on and off. Those connected slip dresses can be tricky! This dress invokes my edgy girly style to the T and I felt like a star in it. That sheer mesh overlay, the dropped waist, and ribbon ties to cap the sleeve truly allow the eyes to dance as there is a lot going on but it still feels so cohesive. It was also the perfect dress to wear in the warm weather of New Orleans as the fabric was so light and breezy!

While this dress provided an excellent base, I wasn’t done yet and felt like something was missing. As I racked my brains on what I could add, I landed on faux fur and decided to pair it with an amazing lavender collar by St. Tropez. Regardless of if the dress had a pattern or not, it was still a neutral piece which meant that I could have some fun with accessories and I sure did! The faux fur collar elevated the dress to a whole new level and the silhouette it created was so striking. I have never paired this dress with the collar before and I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it smh.

For the remainder of my accessories, I chose a pair of sword earrings that my bestie gifted me with and it was like she was there for the party too. She is always very close to my heart! Finally, it was onto shoes and I went with a killer pair of platforms by Bamboo. They might have taken up a ton of space in my suitcase but it was so worth it because wow. That pop of red with the colorful embroidery made this look special from head to toe. With that, I was ready to celebrate good times in New Orleans!

There is a lot more fashion fun from my trip so stay tuned on lifewithlilred!

What do you normally pack on a vacation? Where is your favorite place to travel to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar19

New Orleans Souvenirs

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New Orleans Souvenirs

Hello! This past weekend was a great big adventure because my sister, Kristen, and I went to New Orleans! When we got invited to our cousin’s destination wedding there, I was so surprised when Kristen asked if I wanted to go together. I couldn’t let that quality sister time pass me by and we flew into New Orleans on the morning of Friday the thirteenth. This might be considered an unlucky date but it was the luckiest in the world because we had the best time. I can’t wait to tell you all about it! The food, the scenery, the unfortunate cancellation of our flight home. And, of course, ALL of the OOTDs. But, first, let’s talk souvenirs because we shopped till we dropped in the French District:

The French District was a blur of shops, restaurants, music, and lots and lots of bars. We got to explore it a little bit prior to a pre-wedding party on Friday and then got to peruse it fully on Saturday before our cousin’s beautiful wedding. After a delicious meal at The Market Cafe, we got our shop on to purchase goodies for ourselves and family. The only thing I really wanted for myself was a mask and I fell in love with the one I found at a quirky souvenir shop. The mask itself is gorgeous and ornate but what sold me was the amazing plume of feathers. I also couldn’t believe the price at just thirteen dollars! It was a total steal and I cannot wait to display it in the apartment. It is even giving me ideas for future Halloween costumes. 😀 I am so delighted with this purchase and out of every mask we saw, this one just screamed Lil Red the most!

At another souvenir shop, I stumbled upon the fun little New Orleans Voodoo coffin and I knew Johnny would love it for our knick knack shelf. It is the perfect memento for our spooky selves and I also had to get a few more treats for him too. My Johnny was gifted with a great shirt that features a skeleton playing guitar beside the skeleton of a dog and it says “New Orleans Howlin’ Blues”. Just right for the man who brings music everywhere he goes! I also got him a stick of alligator jerky against my better judgement because gross. However, I knew it would be appreciated so up to the cash register it went smh.

The French District also featured a couple of regular shops that seemed horribly out of place. This included a random CVS, an H&M, Urban Outfitters, and Earthbound. We had never been in an Earthbound before as the closest one to us is about an hour away. It was a really cool store and I walked away with a fabulous wrap around snake bracelet. As you all know, I am an avid fan of snakeskin patterned clothing and snake themed jewelry. It is just so edgy and sexy too! The wrap bracelet I got is dynamite and we were at the store at just the right time. The employee told us it got restocked the day before and sells out very quickly. I can’t wait to rock mine in a new OOTD soon so you can see it in all of is glory!

Stick around on lifewithlilred for all of the New Orleans content. This was the trip of a lifetime and I am so happy that I got to share it with my sister. ❤

What is your favorite part of New Orleans? Do you have a vacation coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Navy, Baby OOTD Bloopers

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Navy, Baby OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Navy, Baby OOTD! I am dead tired as I type this and am fantasizing about a crispy Diet Coke from McDonald’s. However, the blog must go on and I am nothing if not dedicated. Hello, six and a half year blogging streak! Perhaps I need a laugh to perk me up and maybe all of you do too. So, let’s take a look at these yikes shots and discuss why this chronically sleepy gal is extra sleepy today!

LOL Johnny brought up something that apparently made me want to throw up

This was the picture that was taken immediately after which isn’t bad for just hurling

Here’s looking at you, kid

Just out here doing my best!

The face of a gal who loooooves spring!

Looking at you from across the room like

Has Daylight Savings time thrown you for a loop? It most certainly has for me and your girl is dying! Johnny and I have a pretty unique schedule. We are both up for work around three AM and go to bed at six thirty or so. In normal circumstances, this is a-okay. In Daylight Savings time world, however, it is a massive problem. I am one of those people who simply cannot fall asleep unless it’s dark out and it throws a wrench in the plan when it is still light until eight PM. Eventually my body adjusts to this new rhythm but it is hellacious until it does.

When my alarm clock went off this morning, all I wanted to do was hit the snooze and keep snoozing until I got back to baseline. What motivated me to get up? The bunnies, of course! I know I would hate if I was hungry and my breakfast was late and, although my schedule has been unwillingly adjusted, there’s doesn’t deserve to be. While my mind screamed more sleep, my heart screamed “but the bunnies” louder and so here I am… Typing this post while half asleep! Zzzzzzzzzz

Can we all just make a pact to do away with Daylight Savings time because WOOF. Mama needs her beauty sleep!!

Has Daylight Savings time effected you? When do you normally go to bed? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar15

Navy, Baby OOTD

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Navy, Baby OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I don’t want to jinx it, but I feel like spring is officially here and it has been glorious! Frigid days and snow turned into balmy rainy days and I have been loving it. It is just SO nice to leave the house without it hurting my face and, although I enjoy dressing for winter, I was definitely over bundling up! This past weekend had sixty degree temps and I couldn’t wait to shoot some outfits without having to tap out from the cold. I knew exactly what I wanted to wear thanks to my last TJMaxx trip with my mom! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Collared Top: Truth By Republic, TJMaxx

Skater Skirt: This was a hand me down but it’s from Rue 21

Snakeskin Pattern Boots: Vince Camuto, TJMaxx

The turquoise cross earrings were a gift from my mom and are Lucky Brand!

I tried on several different blouses at TJMaxx that were gorgeous for spring. However, none of them spoke to me as pretty as they were. What screamed at me was the fabulous collared top by Truth By Republic. I just think it is the coolest and is the epitome of a basic staple with a twist. The denim detailing is incredibly stiff and it’s such an interesting juxtaposition to the soft as can be remainder of the top. I love the colorblocked blue and this top is a perfect example of unique and simple details that go a long way.

Oftentimes when I am trying clothes on at TJs, visions of OOTDs come swirling into my head that feature the pieces that are coming home with me. That was very much the case for this top and my outfit turned out exactly how I imagined it. I love it when that happens! In the fitting room, I pieced together the top with my navy skater skirt to turn it into a pseudo dress. The colors in the skirt and top might not have been an exact match but it was close enough and that’s good enough for me. This skirt provided some flouncy movement as the top was quite form fitting and helped to create a sweet for spring silhouette.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. As navy is a neutral, I could have fun with my shoe choice and went for a pair of snakeskin patterned heeled boots by Vince Camuto. I am very partial to a grayscale snakeskin print but those rich brown tones were too good to pass up and looked great against the navy base. For accessories, I simply popped on a pair of dangly turquoise crosses as there wasn’t much open real estate for necklaces or bracelets. That was no matter, though, because I wanted to let that crisp denim detailing do all of the talking!

This Navy, Baby OOTD can easily be replicated and is so fab for a spring day. Stay tuned for the Blooper Reel tomorrow!

What is your favorite season to dress for? Are you updating your wardrobe for spring? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar13

Cute In K-Pop OOTD Bloopers

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Cute In K-Pop OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Cute In K-Pop OOTD! As you all know, not every picture taken is going to be a winner and rather than instantly hit delete, I like to celebrate them. For every good picture I take, there are several bad ones to go along with it and I never miss an opportunity to poke some good old fashioned fun at myself. They may be yikes shots, but they are my yikes shots so let’s check them out and have a laugh:

Why isn’t everyone posing like this when they get engaged?

Ha ha ha ha ha…. NO!

Scratching at my imaginary beard

Holding my imaginary ball

The literal face of oopsie daisy!!

Lol say cheeeeeeese!!!!

While bloopers are a sure fire way to make me laugh, the most common way that Johnny and I get our yucks is through workplace comedies. We just love them! Like many people, shows like The Office, Parks & Rec, and Superstore are consistent background noise at chez nous when we are just hanging out or going to bed. However, we have seen each of those shows a thousand times apiece and needed something different. Thankfully, I feel like we are in a workplace comedy renaissance because we have added so many to our roster and have really been enjoying them.

For the past several months, Johnny and I have been watching Stumble, St. Denis Medical, Abbott Elementary, Animal Control, Strays, and Shelved. I actually don’t normally care to watch a lot of different shows at once because it’s so much to keep up with. But all of these are so funny that I’ll give it a pass! With a majority of these programs currently airing on TV, it gives us a daily show to look forward to and it has been so nice – especially since The Traitors and my beloved Olympics are all done. These shows have been the perfect way to settle in after work and no matter what the day has been like, we are always ending it in stitches!

If you haven’t given any of the above workplace comedies a try, we can’t recommend them enough. They are a hoot!

What is your favorite workplace comedy? Do you have a favorite game show (We are loving The Greatest Average American!)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar12

Cute In K-Pop OOTD

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Cute In K-Pop OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Johnny and I had such a nice weekend and part of it came from celebrating our birthday girl niece. I got to spend a wonderful morning all together with my girl squad and I knew exactly what I wanted to wear – my K-Pop Demon Hunters cropped tee! The girls are avid fans of that movie and, damnit, so am I. It is SO good. The music is SO catchy. And I am never going to turn down a dance party to the soundtrack! Take a look at this fun little fit and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Cropped Tee: 5 Below

Bejeweled Boyfriend Jeans: Banjara, TJMaxx

Lavender Platforms: Olivia Miller, Walmart

Earrings: SugarFix By BaubleBar, Target

With my K-Pop Demon Hunters cropped tee already in mind, this outfit essentially built itself. And, let me tell you, it was SO nice to simply wear this outfit out sans jacket because we had a glorious sixty plus degree day. Spring, is that you?! Can we talk about how fab this tee is, though? The picture of the Huntrix chicks is just adorable and it fits like a glove. It’s snug without being overly tight which is exactly what I like when it comes to my clothing. The material is soft as can be and I have a feeling I’ll be living in it this spring and summer!

In the pants department, I went with a cool pair of bejeweled boyfriend jeans by Banjara. Try saying that five times fast! I just can’t get enough of the distressing with the big fat rhinestones and these are one of my favorite pairs even if they aren’t skinny jeans. The relaxed fit of these jeans with the form fitting crop was a match made in heaven and while this look was super casual it still provided an interesting silhouette. A baggier piece paired with something tighter always makes for a good look. 😀

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories which was an incredibly easy decision. For shoes, I chose a lavender pair of platforms by Olivia Miller. I got these shoes for a whole five bucks and talk about a steal! They are so sweet for the warm weather and comfy enough to walk for miles in (Maybe one or two lol). Although it wasn’t a true match to the colors in the cropped tee it was close enough and that’s good enough for me! In my jewelry box I selected a pair of glittery circular earrings that also fell in the pastel purple and pink category. It really tied the look together from head to toe and with that, I was ready to go!

I am so loving this Cute In K-Pop OOTD – stay tuned for the Blooper Reel tomorrow! 🙂

What is your favorite song from K-Pop Demon Hunters? Have you been treated to spring weather yet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah