Tag Archives: treat yoself

Oct19

New Happily Grey Topper Jacket

Posted on October 19, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello!!! This past Tuesday, I had an afternoon off and decided to do a little holiday shopping at TJMaxx. However, I am in the phase of my early Christmas shopping where I need a treat too and it turned into a shopping trip for me! Lol, when I got home with TJs bags in tow I told Johnny that “I did some shopping for XYZ” to which he said “And…?” My reply: “…And a little something for me too”. Haha, he knows me so well! But, obviously, I just couldn’t say no to this gorgeous topper jacket by Happily Grey:

I am a huge fan of topper jackets and I clutched my pearls when I saw this number by Happily Grey. Johnny and I love the 70s era of fashion and this jacket gave me all of those vibes. It was one of those pieces that I just knew was going home with me and I considered it a steal at just thirty dollars! I have a feeling that I will be rocking my find all fall and winter long. I own maybe two or so full on “winter jackets”, but I much prefer a topper instead. I like that it gives you the option of layering and that I’m not sweating bullets as soon as I get into a car with the heat on!

I was drawn to my new Happily Grey topper for many reasons, the first of which being the colors. Burnished gold is one of my favorite hues and the cream filigree detailing looked so rich and lux against it. I also live for a faux fur collar, which just added to the expensive aesthetic that this topper gave. The length was lovely too, hitting at the mid calf and I could already picture wearing it with my knee high winter boots. Pair it with cable knit tights and a knee length skirt or dress? Yes, please. 😀

I am so happy with this TJMaxx purchase and I already put it to great use. You can peep that soon in an upcoming OOTD that I created for seeing The Wiz at Playhouse Square. If you are in need of new cold weather duds, hit up TJs ASAP because it is all there for the taking. PS – their holiday decor is out too!

What is your preferred style of winter coat? Does your winter wardrobe need a refresh? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct16

How To Bring A Little Joy Into Your Life

Posted on October 16, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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How To Bring A Little Joy Into Your Life

Many times in a person’s life they can find themselves feeling stuck in a rut, deflated, or that there is nothing positive happening. If you feel like this, then it could be for many reasons. One of which could simply be that you are not giving yourself the time you deserve to enjoy the possibilities that life is presenting you. So, whether it is cutting out negative habits, creating new and healthy ones, or simply allowing yourself time to relax, here are several ways in which you can bring a little joy into your life:

Limit your time on social media:

Social media is still a relatively new thing as far as human existence goes. Although it has brought about many new and exciting possibilities, it also has some fairly negative attributes associated with it. Many people can find themselves consuming social media for hours, and letting the days slip by without doing the important things that make them happy. When consuming a large amount of social media it can be hard to detach from what you are consuming, and many people find themselves constantly comparing their lives to those they see online. Both of these situations can impact your mental health in a negative way, and suck the joy out of your life. To combat this, you should consider limiting your time on social media, and instead give that free time to yourself. Even if you do nothing and simply relax, this is better than an all evening social media session.

Find something fun to do outside:

It is no secret that many people, whether they realize it or not, gain huge benefits and satisfaction by spending time outside. If you can couple that with doing a fun activity or having new experiences, then you will significantly increase the joy you experience in life. Whether you live by the sea or a lake and want to learn the basics about paddle boarding, or perhaps if you live near the woods and want to explore your local areas and find out about all the wildlife, consider getting yourself outside and doing something fun to live more fully.

Make time for your loved ones:

Humans are meant to be social creatures. Although it’s perfectly fine to spend time alone, often you will experience a larger amount of joy when spending time with loved ones. This could be anything from taking a vacation together, to simply eating regular meals together. As long as you are enjoying each other’s company is all that matters!

Treat yourself:

If you want to truly boost your happiness in life, you need to learn how to be your own best friend. Do you need to take a break? Take it. Do you want to have that treat? Have it. Do you want to do something different? Do it. Self-love is one of the best ways in which a person can bring a little extra joy into their life.

There are many other ways in which you can bring joy into your life, but why not consider these first?

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct6

New Mocha & Oxblood Nails

Posted on October 6, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! When Johnny and I had COVID, I had a nail appointment that needed to be cancelled. The last thing I wanted was to make all of the fabulous techs and patrons of my favorite salon sick! As I lounged about doing a whole lot of nothing, the promise of a fill was the treat I needed to look forward to. My nails were so grown out and it was driving me nuts! This past Tuesday, I couldn’t wait to hit the salon after a quick shift at work and Shelley slayed on these Mocha & Oxblood nails:

I was feeling very uninspired the past few fills in terms of nail polish colors. Summer was winding down, but it wasn’t quite fall and it was hard to determine what I wanted to go with. Not this time, though! On Monday evening, I went out to a delicious Mexican dinner with my bestie, Lea. She had on the most lovely beige polish and that was all of the inspo I needed. This is not the first time that I have done a variation of nude and red polish, but it hits just right every time. It feels so chic for fall and I am living for that oxblood polish – it is gorgeous!

When I have a first thing in the morning appointment at Elysian Nails, I am SO fine with the fill taking longer because my work won’t start until later. In the middle of the day, however, I want a super speedy session so I can get back to whatever else is on my agenda for the day. Shelley is synonymous with super speedy fills and she knocked mine out in forty minutes. As always, it is most impressive and she completely rocked it. In under an hour, my grown out talons were a distant memory and I left the salon feeling like a million bucks. This is the first fill I have been excited about in a while and the color combo has me feeling like a fall queen.

Some pampering was exactly what I needed for a post COVID pick me up and your girl is officially back to feeling herself. It’s amazing what a mere hour at the salon can do!

What are your favorite fall colors? What color of nail polish do you have on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep6

Bath Bomb Blitz: Bombs & Balms Edition

Posted on September 6, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I enjoyed a wonderful long Labor Day weekend with Johnny and we had a blast doing a whole lot of nothing. One of my “goals” over the weekend was to finally use the last of our purchases from the Punk Rock Flea Market we attended in mid August. Johnny bought me a bath bomb from our friend’s booth, Bombs & Balms, and I have been eager to try it out! This bath bomb was easily the coolest looking one that I have ever used and I think all of you will be able to see why:

There were tons of awesome goodies at the Bombs & Balms stand including bath bombs, obvi, and lots of adorably unique homemade jewelry. Johnny and I both gravitated towards the bath bomb we walked away with immediately because we like anything with skeletons and cauldrons lol. I am also a lover of all things with an apple scent so I couldn’t wait to take a whiff of the Green Apple fragrance! On Sunday evening, I thought I would cross my bath time goal off of my to do list and it was just the relaxing, pampering treat I needed.

The scent of this bath bomb was so perfectly Green Apple and I was really impressed with its sweet/tart fragrance. I had a great feeling about this bath bomb because the last one I used from Bath & Body Works sucked on ice. Before popping this bomb into the tub, it was a given that it would begin to bubble and brew in the cauldron. Seeing it actually happen was SO cool, though, and it was like watching a potion fizz and pop!

My literal only gripe about this bath bomb was that the cauldron floated, so it was up to me to keep it under the water to fully do its thing. This wasn’t a big deal because the novelty of the witch’s brew was fun and different enough that a floating cauldron was the least of my worries. This bath bomb turned my water a bright glittery green and I thought that was fantastic because lighter colored bombs have the potential to turn the water swampy. After my soak, my skin felt soft as can be and as a bonus, the bath bomb washed away completely in the tub so there was no scrubbing afterwards. 😀

You can check out Bombs & Balms on Facebook and place orders through their page. If you are looking for a treat yoself purchase with some spooky flare, then you know exactly where to go!

What is your favorite homemade beauty brand? What is your favorite fall fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep4

New Pink & Lavender Glitter Nails

Posted on September 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Lil Red has some REALLY exciting news on the horizon and I can’t wait to announce it! Unfortunately, everyone is going to have to wait a little bit longer because the event that I will be attending got postponed a week. It is not often that I get my nails done twice in one month and I guess I could have held off a little bit longer. But, I didn’t hear about the rescheduling of the event until it was too late to reschedule my nail appointment. That’s okay, though, because I never say no to some extra pampering and I love my new Pink & Lavender Glitter Nails! Check it out:

When I was on my way to Elysian Nails, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for my colors. Did I want to give a final hurrah to summer? Or did I want to welcome fall with rich deep hues and jewel tones? Both options sounded good to me so I decided to let the nail polish wall decide. As I browsed through the endless array of nail polish, I ended up going with not my first idea or second one either. Instead, I found an adorable glitter pink called “Bubble Bop” and glitter lavender called “Just 4 U” sitting side by side. They looked so cute together that I figured I might as well! My new nails look exactly like candy with these sweet shades and I am obsessed.

Mary, my nail tech, knocked this fill out of the park as always. We were working on a time crunch because she was running a little late and I needed to get back to work, which was totally fine. I have had many a speedy fill by Mary and I trust her with my claws completely. It always amazes me when Mary does my nails with limited time because they still look like someone spent over an hour on them. This fill was accomplished in forty minutes and in that time she didn’t miss a beat with her attention to detail or customer service. I cannot wait to sport her handiwork for the event I am going to!! 😀

Keep it locked on lifewithlilred for some big news and a brand new Bath Bomb Blitz all coming soon!! YAY! ❤

Do you like glitter on your nails? Do you prefer gel, dip, or regular polish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug21

New Punk N Junk Earrings

Posted on August 21, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! The Punk Rock Flea Market that Johnny and I went to was freaking awesome! We were blown away by the talent of the local artists and makers peddling their wares and returned home with a bagful of goodies. The first purchase that I made at the flea market was actually from one of the first vendors that we visited called Punk N Junk. They had the most adorable earrings and I wanted all of them! But, I exercised self restraint and walked away with these two:

These earrings actually tell a funny tale of mine and Johnny’s morning before going to the flea market. I couldn’t find my black parasol to save my own life and I was getting SO frustrated. TBH, my mental health feels like it’s hanging by a thread sometimes, which is why I am starting therapy this Wednesday. Because I am very sensitive at this current juncture, I cried a little bit about my missing parasol because everything just seems overwhelming to me. Then, Johnny found it in his car of all places and all was right with the world.

After my mini freak out, I had one of my “ecigs” AKA Emergency Cigarettes on our way to the market. Every week or so, I’ll have a real cigarette and that was definitely the time I needed one. So, when I saw the Crybaby earrings at the Punk N Junk stand, I jokingly told Johnny that was me! Then, I saw the cigarette ones and said that that was also me lol. These two earrings literally summed up the twenty minutes before we went to the event and it gave us a huge laugh. Even when Johnny or I are feeling frazzled, we always find a way to end up laughing at the end of it!

You can visit Punk N Junk’s Etsy page here and give them a follow on Instagram @punknjunkk. Thank you for the fab earrings – I love them! ❤

Who is your favorite local artist? What makes you feel better after something upsetting? Shopping always does the trick for me lol! I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May31

Mini Mall Haul

Posted on May 31, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! After a very long tenure of working retail in the mall, I tend to avoid it like the plague now lol. I can probably count on ten fingers the amount of times I have been to the mall since being employed there and that is fine by me! You know your girl is a TJMaxx frequent flyer at heart. This past week, however, I crossed the threshold into Summit Mall because my brother had some birthday gift cards. I told myself that I wasn’t going to buy anything for myself, but that changed when I saw the most perfect T-shirt I have ever seen at Hot Topic. I also had a freebie coupon from Bath & Body Works to cash in! Check it out:

Bath & Body Works has recently switched up their freebie options and it has been most exciting! For the longest time, a free travel size product coupon left you limited to shower gel and lotion. Then, they upped their game to mini fragrance sprays, bar soap, and hand cream and they are all fair game for the free coupon. It is awesome and turns every time I get a B&BW coupon in the mail into an “I need to go there right now” event!

Johnny’s mom gifted me with some bar soap this past Easter and I forgot how much I enjoy a good ol’ bar of soap every now and again. With plenty of B&BW shower gel and lotion in my stockpile, I decided that trying out their bar soap for the first time would be the move. There wasn’t a huge selection of bar soap scents to pick from and I went with Coco Paradise to welcome summer with. Coco Paradise is a combo of coconut (obviously lol) and the softest hint of tropical flowers and it is lovely. It also is a shea butter based bar so I’m sure it will be ultra lush and hydrating. I can’t wait to try it out!

After browsing at other stores, my brother and I ended our rounds at Hot Topic. As a reminder, I truly had no intention of buying a single thing… Until I saw the AFI T-shirt that I just had to have. AFI’s album, Sing The Sorrow, was the first album I ever bought with my own money. It was and will always be in my top three favorite albums and seeing them live was one of the best moments of my life. I was so lucky because they only had one size small in this shirt among a sea of XLs and believe me when I say, I literally snatched it from the shelf!

The last T-shirt I bought from Hot Topic was from a few years ago and now I understand why almost all of Johnny’s T’s come from there. When I sported my AFI T the following day, I was blown away by how soft it was! It felt like a hug when I was wearing it and I honestly regretted not buying a few more! The fit was also perfect – not too loose and not too tight but just right. I am freaking obsessed with my new favorite T featuring my forever favorite band. 😀

After this trip to the mall, I don’t think I will go again for another handful of years lol. But, I was able to treat myself with an awesome pick me up purchase and for that I am grateful!

What was the first album that you ever bought? What is your favorite band? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May12

New Watermelon Nails

Posted on May 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past Wednesday, I was lucky enough to get an appointment first thing in the morning at Elysian Nails for a fill. It was a bit of a time crunch appointment because I needed to be at work very shortly after, but my amazing tech, Mary, made it work! While I always prefer an afternoon time slot to get the full relaxation effect of being at the salon, this speedy session was just what I needed to put some pep back in my step. My nails were looking SO jank and they are now absolutely perfect! Check it out:

^^^ Lol, precious Archie decided he wanted to show off his “talons” too! Cutest thing ever!

With the weather finally heating up in Akron, sweet summertime has been weighing heavily on my mind. So, I chose a color palette in honor of my favorite summer treat: watermelon! There is nothing better on a hot day and just thinking about it makes my mouth water! At the nail polish wall, I selected a pretty glittery pink and a bright and poppy kiwi green. I couldn’t find a glitter shade of green that spoke to me, but I did find a white and green glitter top coat and it worked out even better than I imagined. This is one of my favorite color combos yet!

Once my polish was selected, I let Mary know that I had to leave by eleven and she freaking DELIVERED. Mary has done my nails several times in the past and she has become my new go to girl since my old go to girl got a new job. She blew me away during this fill and, despite her speed, the quality of work was not sacrificed in the slightest. My nails are sturdy, sharp, and shaped to complete perfection. We were also chatting away the entire time which makes this session even more impressive to me. She is the best and I cannot wait for my appointment with her the day after my birthday in June. 😀

My high speed fill at Elysian Nails got me back to feeling myself as I have been feeling so blah as of late. I can’t help but smile every time I look at my watermelon claws and am looking forward to a more leisurely birthday fill soon!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? What is your favorite summertime treat? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr14

New Hot Pink & Tiger Orange Nails

Posted on April 14, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I had a simply lovely day on Tuesday and can’t wait to share with all of you in the next few posts. I visited my loved one at the hospital, got my nails done *finally*, prepared a gorgeous OOTD, and saw Jesus Christ Superstar in Akron with my mother in law! Due to family emergencies, I had to cancel my fill last week and had been looking forward to a trip to Elysian Nails every time I caught a glance of my grown out talons. They were really, really bad! Thankfully, the team at my happy place always gets me right and I am loving my freshly done claws:

Unfortunately, my favorite tech from Elysian Nails moved onto a new job so I have taken to scheduling appointments with anyone that I can get. My preferred choices are usually all booked up and that’s fine because all of the employees at Elysian are excellent. Due to the rush of spring nails and pedicures, old staff members have been brought back and I actually ended up having an appointment with one of my least favorites. The few times she did my nails in the past, she was so rough and it made for a pretty unpleasant experience. However, she really turned things around this time and while I wouldn’t go to her again, I still enjoyed my time at the salon and zoning out to HGTV. 😀

For my nail polish colors, I wanted bright, springy hues and had highlighter colors in mind. The weather in Ohio has been lovely and I wanted my nails to reflect it! To start, I chose a vibrant tiger orange and went from there. I decided that pink would be a nice compliment and selected a bottle of hot pink polish. But I am calling BS! It looked pink in the bottle but it applied as a cherry red. I didn’t care enough to switch out to the flamingo pink I was eyeballing and I still like this combination all the same. It reminds me of Taco Bell sauce packets and I see absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Spring has finally sprung and I am ready for some fun in the sun with these nails! They are exactly the pop of color I needed and I am eager for my appointment next month with one of my go to girls… I actually just booked the appointment!

What color of nail polish do you have on? What is your favorite springtime activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar12

New Shimmer Ocean Blue & Glitter Pink Nails

Posted on March 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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New Shimmer Ocean Blue & Glitter Pink Nails

Hello!!! This past Wednesday, I spent a lovely morning before work being pampered with a fill at Elysian Nails. I was bummed because I couldn’t get an appointment with my usual tech, but it honestly ended up working just as well. The tech that did my nails was SO fast and I ended up making it to work early instead of fifteen minutes late like I had originally planned. Normally, I crave extra time at the salon but, in this case, everything was coming up Lil Red! Check out this fill that was completed in forty-five minutes:

As I made my way to Elysian Nails, I struggled to come up with a color combination that spoke to me. So, I decided to let fate decide and left it up to whatever struck my fancy first at the nail polish wall. After a quick once over, my eyes locked in on the bottle of the shimmery ocean blue polish and decided to go for it. It looked so pretty in the bottle and the color reminded me of mermaids! With the mermaid motif in mind, I selected the glittery pink for my second color and waited for my appointment to start.

The tech who did my nails has been at Elysian for forever, but he was new to me. It was freaking amazing to watch him work because he was both fast and efficient but the quality of my nails was still on par if not better than someone who took their time. I admit that I was a bit nervous to have him do my nails because I don’t trust just anyone with my claws. However, my mind was quickly put at ease because he wouldn’t be at the salon if he wasn’t excellent. As we settled into our comfortable silence, I was able to relax and get my HGTV on but before I knew it, he was already done!

I love how my nails turned out and I can’t stop looking at them to save my own life! The shape is perfect and the colors are so playful in the light. Of course, the flash of blingy glitter from the pink is always fun, but I am obsessed with the ocean blue. In just the right lighting it looks emerald green and no matter what color you see it as, it is still gorgeous! 😀

I would happily see the tech who did my nails again and it is good to know that there is another option if my usual gals are booked up. This was definitely another successful trip to Elysian in the books!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? Do you prefer gel, dip, or regular polish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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