Tag Archives: winter

Dreaming Of Your December Decor Yet?

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Dreaming Of Your December Decor Yet?

I know it’s early still, but why not get excited about the upcoming holidays? I know I am! All the magic and atmosphere of those few short weeks brings a little cheer that can last through the entire winter. And you get to spend all that extra time with your lovely family! There’s food, drinks, friends, gifts, and lots of lovely decorations. What’s not to like?

Whether you’re a Scrooge with no fairy lights or a grid grinder that lights up the whole street, the festive period should bring you some joy. Most of us like a small number of twinkling fairy lights on the tree. And if you have kids, you might add some outdoor lights to your roof line as well. If you’re worried about the cost, or the effect on the environment, consider LEDs. They use far less energy so they’re much cheaper to run. You can also add a timer so the lights go out automatically when you want them to.

If you love crafts and DIY, you might work on a festive project each year to create your own decorations. Perhaps you like to paint a snowy scene? Or maybe make your own paper chains to hang around the room? Of course, if you prefer to buy good quality tree decorations or fun Christmas ornaments, they will last for years and can be used again and again. Pick a theme that means something special to you and your family. Or choose something quirky each year to bring a smile to all of your faces. If crafting is so not your thing, revel in decor shopping instead. Websites like Hammacher offer a one stop shop for all of your holiday decor wants and needs. Curl up in a blanket, get cozy, and shop away to fully immerse your home in the festive spirit – no crafting required!

If you’re like me, buying gifts might be your most favorite part of the season. Or it might be the bit that you dread the most! It’s always fun, though, if you take someone along with you. A friend, mom, or sister could be the perfect companion to help you make some fun gift choices. Stop off at a cafe for an eggnog and Christmas cookies! Make a fun day of it and you’ll soon be in the festive spirit.

Real tree or artificial? There are lots of reasons for choosing an artificial tree. They can be reused. You can leave the decorations on all year while it’s in storage. And you won’t get all the mess. But you also won’t get that lovely scent. You won’t get the joy of picking the perfect size for your tiny apartment. And you won’t have all the fun of dragging it down the street! Personally, my family has had the same artificial tree for years and the best thing about it is that you don’t have to take it down right away out of festiveness or laziness. Regardless of the reason, my family tree may or may not have been up until May of last year…

Do you like to have a festive centerpiece on the table for your Christmas dinner? You can make them quite easily with a few crafting essentials. Choose candles or battery powered lights for a warm glow. Just make sure your other table decorations are fire proof! Do you add decorations to your wine glasses? Glass charms come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Pick a festive set, and charm your own glasses.

It’s lots of fun decorating the tree and the rest of the house for the festive period. It can be a good way to come together as a family, too. Best of all, it’s something wonderful to enjoy looking at for a few weeks while the weather is bad!

What is your favorite holiday decoration? What was the longest that you ever had a Christmas tree up for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Flickr

Common Winter Skin Issues and How to Deal With Them

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Common Winter Skin Issues and How to Deal With Them

With cold weather just around the corner, this post is jam packed with tips and tricks on how to deal with the effect that it can have on our skin. Take a look:

Common Winter Skin Issues and How to Deal With Them:

It’s a fact of life that as the weather gets worse, our poor skin can suffer. But what can we do about the most common cold weather skin complaints? For issues like dryness or joint aches from the cold, you can’t go wrong with private label CBD skin care to help soothe chapped, irritated skin or minor aches. Bath bombs, body butter, and salves all can go a long way in providing some much needed relief. For other common skin issues, you can try the following:

Cold Sores: Many people have problems with cold sores when the weather turns. Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex virus and usually occurs when the person’s immune system is compromised. That means they are more likely to pop up when you get a cold or the flu during the winter time.

The good news is that you can only get them if you already have the virus. The bad news is that it can be transmitted quite easily and that is why you shouldn’t share lipsticks or lip balms if at all possible, as you just open yourself up to the risk of contracting the virus. To treat cold sores, ignore the old wives tales and use antiviral creams. It’s best to deal with them as soon as you feel the familiar tingle. If you leave them to develop, they can become painful and ugly.

Chapped Lips: Even if you are not susceptible to cold sores, the harsh weather of the winter may cause you to get nasty chapped lips. This is when the skin on the lips dries out so much that it begins to crack. It can be very painful, and your lips are at a high risk because they move a lot and go from being wet to dry frequently.The best way of dealing with chapped lips is to use a lip balm regularly. You should also exfoliate your lips once a week so the dead skin does not build up on them.eos.jpg

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Eczema: Winter time is often when people suffering from eczema experience a worsening of their condition. This is because the temperature varies so often throughout the day from the cold outside to the warm indoors which can further dry out and irritate damaged skin. It is worth remembering that eczema is more than just a bit of dry skin that can be dealt with by using face lotion. In fact, it is a recognized medical condition. If you believe that you could be suffering from this, you can get some more information online from West Dermatology.

If you can’t get into your dermatologist’s right away and are looking for relief for your eczema, you could try HarlanMD’s eczema cream for face. It is a prebiotic lotion that can help to both relieve and prevent flare ups to keep your skin looking and feeling its best all winter long.

Redness: A lot of people can suffer from redness in the face during the winter. This is often because they struggle to regulate their body temperature sufficiently. Or, the tiny capillaries in the cheeks become constricted trapping blood flow in that area. For many of us this red face issue, known as Rosacea is embarrassing and difficult to deal with. Some rely on creams to take the redness down, while others swear by green cream which is meant to neutralize the red color.

A more lasting way of dealing with Rosacea is to use a dermatologist developed camouflage cream. These creams are makeup that contains a high percentage of pigment. That means that they are effective at covering up redness and other issues like birthmarks. They are often waterproof once sealed with translucent powder, so the wearer doesn’t have to worry that it will come off in the rain or snow.

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Sun Damage: Surprisingly, another cause of red skin in the winter can be sunburn. We all associate sunburn with hot weather, but the sun can be shining brightly on even the coldest, snowiest day. That is why skiers often wear crazy neon colored sunblock. Make sure that your family is protected against the UVA and UVB rays of the sun all year round by providing them access to sun cream. The ones that you put on once in the morning and last all day are best because it’s likely that they will forget to apply regularly if the temperature is below 0!

Chaffing: Another rather embarrassing problem that winter can bring us is chaffing. This can happen anywhere on the body where your skin meets your clothes but is often an issue on the inner thigh area. It can be very painful and cause red bumps and welts to appear on your otherwise healthy skin. In particularly bad cases the skin can become so dry and damaged that it becomes flaky.

If you are suffering from this problem, there are a few things that you can do. First of all, you can apply an intensive moisture cream to aid healing in the damaged area. Secondly, check the fit of your clothes. Rough trouser seams or friction creating tights can have a lot to do with this issue. Lastly, you can coat the affected area with Vaseline which will add movement and prevent such a friction build up.

Moles: While we have to be careful of exposing any mole that we have to sunlight in the summer, they can still be problematic in the winter. This is because it’s easy to forget to check them regularly because we are much more covered up in the cold weather. However, it is essential to check skin marks like moles for the symmetry and edges. This can tell you and your doctors a lot about your risk of skin cancer. Although it may sound silly, schedule a time each month to make sure you check of this sort of thing. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Blisters: While many people jump for joy, because winter is the season for wearing big heavy boots, it makes others groan. This is because heavy footwear, made of stiff materials is likely to cause nasty blisters on your feet. At least until your boots have broken in with wear.

You can minimize blisters by stretching your boots out before you wear them properly. Wear two pairs of thick socks and your boots around the house so they begin to mold to your feet. You can also use specialized blister plasters or balm which will protect the most vulnerable parts of your feet like your heels and toes. This should make your boots a lot more comfortable and enjoyable to wear come wintertime.

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How do you beat winter skin problems? What is one of your skin care secrets to combat the cold? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Stay Warm This Winter With These Toasty Decor Tips

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Stay Warm This Winter With These Toasty Decor Tips

I am one of those people who are always always cold. So if you are anything like me, then I am sure that you will find this post useful to help keep you nice and warm this winter:

The cold weather will soon be upon us! How are you planning on staying warm at home this winter? Of course, you will always have your heating system available to heat your rooms. But did you know that there are also some other useful decor ideas that can help you stay toasty through the winter. And, no, I’m not just going to tell you to put on an extra jumper and woolly hat! Here are some of the best tips that you should take advantage of to make sure you don’t feel the chill this winter:

Thermal Drapes: Did you know that thermal drapes are a thing? They are a lot thicker and heavier than regular ones. But that doesn’t mean they have to be gray and unattractive. Quite the contrary! You will find that you can find them in a variety of colors and patterns. If you hang them on all of your windows, you will prevent any drafts from cooling down your home. They also help to insulate your rooms and prevent hot air from escaping through the windows. And that will save you a lot on energy bills!

Gas Fireplaces: There are some appliances that you can add to your home to help support the central heating system. For example, gas fireplaces. If you ever feel too cold, even with your heating on, just turn on the fireplace. And if it is ever a bit chilly, but not cold enough to turn on your entire home’s central heating, use the fireplace. What’s more, you can now get a double sided fireplace that can heat two rooms at once.

Get Some Throws: Throws are a great addition to any family living room. They are inexpensive and will add gorgeous bursts of color to your sofas and armchairs. Plus you don’t have to take them away once spring is here and the weather starts to warm up. Simply leave them on the backs of your chairs and sofa. But they are especially great in the winter. Once you start to feel a little chilly, grab a throw and snuggle up into it! It’ll be a great way to get cozy during a movie night!

Scented Candles: Now that autumn is here, the nights will start to get longer and darker. It can be very depressing when you come home to a dark house after a busy day in the office! Thankfully, there is an easy way to brighten things up. Just add some candles to your living room! This is a quick and cheap way to create an atmospheric room. For an extra cozy touch, use scented candles and fill your rooms with autumnal aromas.

Use Festive Decorations Wisely: There are a number of Christmas decorations that can help you seal up gaps and prevent drafts. Buy a Christmas doorjamb that can compliment all of your other decorations. Not only will your door be draft-free, but your home will look exceptionally Christmassy!

Winter is coming! But you don’t have to suffer; especially now you have these toasty decor tips.

Featured Image From: www.pexels.com

I hope everyone is having a fabulous start to their weekend! How do you keep nice and toasty during the cool weather? What is your favorite fall or winter candle scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Ice Skating Fun

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Hello everyone and happy Thursday! Last Sunday my darling boyfriend, Kyle, and I went ice skating at the Lock 3 skating rink in Akron, Ohio. I skated competitively for quite some time and now I’m a coach for the Special Olympics. Kyle and I have never been skating together before so I was so excited when he finally agreed to making a date out of it on Sunday afternoon. We bundled up, I gathered my skates (I’d rather die than wear rental skates), and then we hit the road for our date.

Once we got to Lock 3, we saw that the rink was pretty crowded. Lucky for us, though, it cleared up by the time we were done waiting in line to rent skates for Kyle, getting our skates on, and walking over to the rink. This was Kyle’s first time ever on ice skates and right from the get go he gave it a valiant effort, which I thought was so sweet. Walking to the rink which was about one hundred feet away proved to be a struggle, to say the least. To me, skating and walking around on skates is second nature so I never thought how difficult it must be to put these contraptions on your feet for the first time and then walk to the rink let alone skate on it!

Once we got on to the ice hand in hand we began our first trip around the rink. My poor Kyle got the worst rental skates on the planet and I felt so bad at how difficult it looked for him. The blades on each skate were so crooked but I didn’t have the heart to have us walk back to the rental shack, get new skates, and then have to walk all the way back to the rink. After a few times around the rink, the skates started to hurt Kyle which is pretty common with rentals. We then devised a plan that I would go skate for a while, he would watch and rest, and then we could skate some more together.

I happily took the opportunity to get some skating in for myself. When I’m coaching, I rarely get the chance to do any spins or jumps before or after the session so it felt so good to do some of these things on my own. Whenever I go skating at a public rink, I’m always so flattered by the people who stop to watch me do my thang. I was greeted to some applause after I pulled out of a spin and many a “good jobs”, “beautiful” and “well done” throughout the hour or so on the ice. My favorite compliment came from a teenage boy who was with a group of friends who asked me if I would stay on the ice and do a show after every one exited the rink for it to get zambonied. It was definitely an unexpected and very sweet compliment, considering the boy was surrounded by his gaggle of male friends!

After a few minutes of skating on my own, I always would return back to Kyle so we could take a journey around the rink together. After a while, we both decided that it was getting cold and that we should head back home. We got off the rink and I walked while Kyle waddled back to the rental shack to take off our skates. Taking our skates off and putting our shoes on felt so good that we used the term “pillow feet” to describe the walking on air feeling!

The real question that arises from this is “did going skating with your boyfriend really happen if you don’t have pictures”? The answer is NO, so to prove the validity of this post, take a look at some cute pictures of me and Kyle. My featured image photo is my favorite picture of us!

^^^ I love us!!

So there you have it, some weekend Ice Skating Fun with my beau! We had a blast and I hope we can hit the rink again sometime soon. What is your favorite winter sport? Who has never gone ice skating before? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Busy Busy Week!

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Busy Busy Week!

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! This is a Busy Busy Week for Lil Red…One of my college classes started yesterday, my boyfriend’s mom is getting surgery, I have Special Olympics skating to coach, siblings to drive, and I’ll be out of office Thursday night and Friday for a road trip to Detroit, Michigan. Detroit?! Yes, Detroit. My uncle is trading in his car to someone in that neck of the woods so I’m going to be his wing girl so he has a way to get home! It will be about a three and a half hour trip and luckily my travel partner is one of my favorite relatives so it should be a lot of fun.

One of my classes for my spring semester at Tri-C started yesterday so I need to get a jump on that since I won’t have much time to work on it throughout the week. I’m taking French II, Introduction to Criminology, and Abnormal Psychology which is the one that just started. I’ve taken so many different psychology courses at Tri-C that I can’t even think of them all off of the top of my head. I’ve loved all of my psych courses but I’m really looking forward to my newest class. I enjoy learning about mental health and different disorders so I have a feeling that the Abnormal Psychology class will be one of my favorites. My French and Criminology classes don’t start until February 1st so it will be nice to get a little refresher for a few weeks after my winter break!

I have a lot of fun posts lined up for this week once things slow down a little including some new purchases from Forever 21, a possible article for a new company that I’ll be posting for if it’s ready, and some beauty product reviews. I’ll try to get some of these prewritten so I can schedule them for when I’ll be away during my Detroit drive! I’ve really enjoyed my winter break but I’m so ready to get back into the normal crazy swing of things. Having some time off was nice but I can’t wait to get back to work and get a few steps closer towards getting my Associate of Arts degree!

It’s definitely a Busy Busy Week in the world of Lil Red but you can always count on me to keep supplying the latest and greatest here on the ol’ blog! Where are all of my college kids at? What courses are you taking for your spring semester? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Attention All Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!!!

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Attention All Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!!!

Hello to all of the fabulous beauty bloggers here on WordPress! I need your help desperately so I’m sending out a Lil Red SOS. As you may know, I am the proud owner of extremely fake red hair. It’s safe to say that I have a mild obsession with my locks and I’m totally okay with it. Because I’m dedicated to keeping my herrr luscious at all times, the SOS has been sent because my hair is dry as a desert right now thanks to the winter cold. Let’s discuss, but first enjoy this ironic choice in music:

What I really need in my life is a good leave in conditioning product as well as a heat protecting spray or serum. I only wash my hair twice a month so a wash out conditioner just isn’t for me. Lucky for me, I’ve been blessed with hair that never gets oily or greasy so my semi annual washes help me in my quest to prevent color fading. I never really “wash” my hair either, I just put conditioner in, let it sit, and then wash it out. What I really would like is a great leave in product or anything really to help get some moisture back into my hair. I’m open to any and all suggestions because hair isn’t my forte at all.

Another product that I’m interested in is a heat protecting product. I flat iron my hair every day and frankly, it’s never been an issue until this past month when the temperatures have dropped. For all of the straightening that I do every day, I’ve never had dry split ends result from it so I definitely want to avoid that from now on. I also think that it would be a good thing to start using anyways with or without the winter cold effecting my hair.

You guys are probably reading this post and thinking “how does this girl even have hair left?” because to me, it sounds like it really should be damaged. But for over a year now, Ive been using the no wash technique and only during my last hair cut was the first time my stylist has ever mentioned split ends on my hair. I would love to get my locks back into the good graces of having a soft and sleek texture as well as nice and sharp ends as opposed to the jagged straggles I’ve had as of late. Any and all suggestions for a conditioning and heat protecting product are welcomed and encouraged!

To all of my beauty bloggers: I NEED YOU NOW!! If you have any pro tips on how to get my hair back to its normal ways, I would forever appreciate it! Do you have any suggestions or recommendations? What are some of your off kilter hair care techniques that you swear by? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

^^^ Lolololololol, I had to!

Treat Yoself! Schofferhofer Edition

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Treat Yoself! Schofferhofer Edition

Helloooo everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope you’re all having a fantastic week so far. So usually I’m not a big beer drinker, I’m definitely more of a wine kind of gal. But over the weekend I just had to pick up a special alcoholic treat from the grocery store, Schofferhofer’s grapefruit beer. It was one of the first drinks that I had at the bar when I turned 21 this past summer and it’s remained one of my favorites ever since. Let’s discuss:

Right now the weather in Akron, Ohio has been insane. It’s the middle of December and we’ve had temperatures in the high 60s, which is completely unheard of in our neck of the woods. Last year around this time, I can vividly remember brutal snowfalls and way below freezing temperatures. With the warm winter time weather, I developed a taste for summer over the weekend that I just couldn’t shake.

While grocery shopping with my mom at the local Giant Eagle, I swung by the alcohol department to pick up some Christmas gifts. As I browsed through the different seasonal beers, a four can pack of the Schofferhofer grapefruit beer caught my eye. I had no intention of picking anything up for myself but I just couldn’t help it! I had summer on my mind and my favorite summer time drink was calling my name.

When I saw the beer I was taken back to this past summer – my first summer of being 21. I was a big fan of ordering the tasty grapefruit flavored wheat beer at the bars, compliments of the suggestion from my sister. I love all things fruity and sweet so it was the perfect beer for me to sip on during summer nights out. What I love about Schofferhofer is that it tastes carbonated, to the point that it feels like drinking a soda. It’s SO good. After the montage of sweet summer time played through my head, I couldn’t not grab a pack of Schofferhofer from the shelf!

Over the weekend I enjoyed two cans of my favorite beer per night and it was just the little Treat Yoself pick me up that I needed. The best thing about being 21 isn’t going out to the bars to get completely white girl wasted – it’s being able to have a nice casual drink at home without having your parents jump down your throat about it! If you’re of legal drinking age and are looking for a new (super girly) beer to try, I can’t recommend Schofferhofer’s grapefruit beer enough! It’s delicious!

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So there you have it, this week’s Treat Yoself! Schofferhofer Edition. Every once in a while you need to get a little something special for yourself and that’s exactly what I did this past weekend. Who has tried my favorite beer before? Are there any super fruity beers that you recommend? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Weekend Off

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Weekend Off

Hiii everyone and happy weekend! I hope all of you are having a wonderful and relaxing time and are up to a lot of fun. Unfortunately, things in the world of Lil Red are not going so hot right now so I’ll be MIA for the weekend to be depressed and miserable. -__-

I do have one nice thing to look forward to today though! My Special Olympic figure skaters who I’ve been coaching are having a performance at a skating rink in my neck of the woods this morning. A sensory friendly winter fest will be happening and it should be a lot of fun! I can’t wait to have some proud mama moments when I see my skaters perform their routines that we’ve been working so hard on! So there’s that. 🙂

Asides from that, I’m just really not feeling my life right now. So, if you need me you know where to find me via comments, email, or Facebook. But fear not, I’ll be back with you for the Monday Update soon! Does anyone participate in any winter sports? Who has some big weekend plans? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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^^^ Thanks, Sweet Brown. ❤