Tag Archives: yayayay

Dec8

Collar Coolness: Modena Edition

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Collar Coolness: Modena Edition

Heyoooo. So last weekend at TJMaxx I got the literal coolest faux fur collars that I am totally obsessed with. When I was in New York for the Bloggers Conference with Kate from Ankhor You, we went to Anthropologie to do some browsing. In the store, they had an emerald green faux fur collar that I loved, but the price was something that I hated. However, I vowed to find a similar item for a much more reasonable price and I did in this fifteen dollar Modena collar (Holler!). Take a look and let’s discuss:

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^^^ Looooove.

I am so happy with this TJMaxx find that I really can’t even. I love wearing my clothes in different ways and this detached collar allows me to do that with literally any top, jacket, cardigan, or dress that I own. I simply just have to put it around my shoulders and then BOOM I have a seemingly brand new item – just add faux fur!

When I was at TJs, I tried this collar on with the moto jacket seen above and it looked so cute that I just had to use it for my example photo. This combination is actually one of my favorites, because the collar looks like it was made for the jacket. I love all shades of green when it comes to my clothing and accessories and this piece is no exception. The funky dark green looks amazing against my red hair and pale skin and it always seems to make those features pop even more – which is a total plus!

I am always trying to find new and innovative ways to style my clothes and this Modena faux fur collar just made that a whole lot easier. Some of my older wardrobe pieces are going to feel brand new again and I can’t wait to begin working my new collar into my outfits.

BUT WAIT!

THERE’S MORE!

Because I totally got another collar in a luscious mauvey grey by St. Tropez and it is also fabulous, so do tune in tomorrow for that! How would you style this chic green collar? How do you incorporate faux fur into your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

Liebster Award #14

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Liebster Award #14

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! This past weekend, lifewithlilred was nominated for its fourteenth Liebster Award by my sweet friend, Joy, at Mademoiselle O’Lantern. Joy is such a doll and I love her page so definitely take the time to check it out. Thanks for the nomination!! Now, let’s get on to the award rules:

The Rules:

  • Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to them on your blog.
  • Answer the questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
  • Nominate blogs that you feel deserve the award.
  • Create a new list of questions for the nominees to answer.
  • List these rules in your post.
  • Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award and provide a link for them in your post so that they can learn about it.

Q & A:

What is your holy grail makeup/skin care product? Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara and the Vitamin C Skin Boost from The Body Shop.

What is your favorite thing about Christmas? Spending time with my loved ones, a big dinner, and PRESENTS!!! 😀

Have you ever traveled outside of your country? If yes, where to? My family went to Canada when I was five or so. I don’t really remember it, though.

Who is your favorite beauty blogger/influencer/youtuber? I don’t really have one.

What is your current favorite song/music? I love Marilyn Manson’s new album Heaven Upside Down.

What do you wish to receive for Christmas? Shoes, shoes, and shoes!!

Salt or Sugar? Something salty and then something sweet! Wash and repeat.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Favorite Christmas movie?
  2. Favorite holiday memory?
  3. What is winter weather like where you live?
  4. Weirdest holiday gift you ever received?
  5. Are you an early or last minute gift shopper?
  6. What are your favorite holiday decorations?
  7. Which celebrity would you like to find under the mistletoe?!

Thank you so much again to Joy for nominating lifewithlilred for its fourteenth Liebster Award! How would you answer some of Joy’s questions for her nominees? How about some of my questions for mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec1

Liebster Award #13

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Liebster Award #13

Hello everyone and TGIF! Lifewithlilred was recently nominated for its thirteenth Liebster Award compliments of the darling Victoria of Tashnee.V.Mavee. Victoria runs a delightful blog ranging from beauty and lifestyle to men’s fashion. Her page is a real treat, so do be sure to check it out and give it lots of love! Now, let’s get on to the award rules:

The Rules:

  • Post the instructions for accepting the award and passing it on.
  • Create a new blog post on your page thanking the person that nominated you, link to their blog, and put in a graphic of the award.
  • Answer the questions that were provided, and then share some facts about yourself.
  • Create a new set of your own questions for others to answer.
  • Nominate ten others and share your blog post with them so they can accept their award!

Fun Facts:

  1. I just started teaching myself American Sign Language with books from the library and I love it. Once I get a good understanding of signing, I will be trilingual.
  2. I would like to start learning Italian or Spanish once I am done with ASL.
  3. Learning new languages in my twenties is difficult, but it’s rewarding and gives your brain an amazing work out!

Q & A:

Besides blogging what do you do? I work with people with special needs and I coach figure skating for the Special Olympics.

If you could be President of your country for one day, what would you change in your country and why? Uhhh…Can I change the president, please?

Name three people who inspire you when it comes to blogging? My family, my friends, and myself.

Why did you start blogging? Enough people told me to!

Name your favorite gospel music: No comment. Lol, I am an Atheist so no gospel music for me.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Coffee or tea?
  2. Wine or beer?
  3. Sweet or sour?
  4. Cold weather or warm?
  5. Favorite holiday memory?

Thank you so much to Victoria for lifewithlilred’s lucky thirteenth Liebster Award nomination! How would you answer some of Victoria’s questions for me? How about some of my questions for my nominees? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov20

Monday Update: Mystery Blogger Award #7 Edition

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Monday Update: Mystery Blogger Award #7 Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday! This past week I was so honored to receive lifewithlilred’s seventh Mystery Blogger Award nomination by my sweet friend over at Absolutely Blush. I adore this talented chicka’s blog so much and I know that all of you will, too! Do be sure to check it out and give it lots of love! Now, let’s get on to the rules for this award:

The Rules:

  • Put the award logo on your blog.
  • List the rules.
  • Thank whoever nominated you and leave a link to their blog.
  • Mention the creator of the award and leave a link to their blog also.
  • Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
  • Nominate 10-20 other bloggers – let them know via a blog comment.
  • Ask your nominees 5 questions, including a funny one.
  • Share links to your best blog post/s.

Fun Facts:

  1. Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays so, needless to say, I am so stoked to hang out with my family and eat all of the food this week!
  2. I am a shoe fanatic, and created the hashtag #alliwantforchristmasisSHOES while chatting back and forth with my siblings about what we want for Christmas on Facebook Messenger. So, hopefully, there will be a bunch of boxes of shoes under the tree for me for Christmas. :*)
  3. I plan on taking American Sign Language classes next year so that I can take a stab at becoming trilingual.

Q & A:

What do you do besides blogging? I work with people with special needs and have racked up three jobs in that field on top of maintaining my blog and coaching for the Special Olympics.

What blog post are you most proud of? Uhhhh… I don’t know, I like all of them.

What is your biggest dream? To spend a couple of months traveling in Europe!

What is your favorite book or movie? Lol, we would be here literally all day if I started listing them all!!!

Where/when do you like to work on your blog? At home and in the morning.

Bonus Question: What is the most embarrassing moment you are willing to admit to? I’m a silly person in general, so nothing really phases me when it comes to being embarrassed. HOWEVER, if I’m at the skating rink with my mom (I’m teaching her how to skate! #socute), and I do my own thing for a little bit and happen to freaking eat it on the ice, I always get a little embarrassed about that. But falls happen to everyone, and you just have to brush it off like it didn’t even happen.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. How do you pamper yourself?
  2. What is your favorite holiday?
  3. What was your favorite childhood toy?
  4. What is your favorite way to kill time when you’re feeling bored?
  5. Which celebrity would you choose to go out for lunch with?
  6. Bonus Question: Would you rather not shower for a week or wear the same outfit for two weeks?

Thank you so much to the darling Absolutely Blush for my seventh Mystery Blogger Award! You’re a doll! How would you answer some of the questions that I was asked? How about some of the questions that I asked my nominees? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: This award was created by Okoto Enigma!

Nov19

Special Olympics 2017 Banquet

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Special Olympics 2017 Banquet

Hi everyone! This past week, the Special Olympics hosted their yearly banquet to celebrate the athletes, coaches, volunteers, and families that dedicate themselves to such an incredible organization. I have been coaching Special Olympics figure skating for three years now and every practice, competition, and event is such a joy to be a part of. This year, I was honored as the Volunteer Of The Year for my involvement as a coach. It was such an amazing surprise and I have my award displayed proudly already! Check it out:

awardd

^^^ Isn’t that cute?!

I know that I used this word already, but “honored” really describes how I feel about receiving this award. Out of all of the incredible coaches that volunteer their time to the cause, yours truly was chosen, and that is such an indescribable feeling. I am so proud to have been celebrated by my beloved athletes and their families, and I am looking forward to working with my skaters to be the best that they can be, on and off the ice, at our next lesson. ❤

What is something that you are proud of? Which organizations do you volunteer for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: CBS DFW

Nov12

All Done Holiday Shopping!!

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All Done Holiday Shopping!!

HURRAY HURRAY! As of this week, I am officially all done holiday shopping and I seriously could not be happier. Being finished with gift buying less than halfway through November might seem obscenely early to some but, for me, it is just right. For as long as I can remember, I have never been one that enjoys last minute shopping or even going to the shops as Christmas draws closer. Don’t get me wrong, I love holiday set ups in stores and magnificent window displays just as much as the next person but, my god, the stress can be unbearable.

What if I can’t find just the right present in store? What if the gift arrives broken or the shipment gets delayed? What if the present is out of stock by the time I get to buying it? What if, what if, what if. AHHH! Just typing this out gives me anxiety!! I am far from the home stretch, just because Amazon packages still have to arrive, but the fact that I’m ninety-nine percent done makes me breathe easier.

Not only the aforementioned, but I’m happy to get one big bill out of the way now, rather than have it broken up into December when I’ll be trying to save moolah again. Hello, holiday cash! This is the earliest that I’ve ever completed my holiday shopping before, and I find myself wondering why I haven’t done it like this every year. The major stress of the season is gone and now I can sit back, relax, and sip my hot chocolate while the rest of my family and friends do the December Dash to get all of their shopping done in time! But that’s none of my business. 😉 😉 😉

Who else is all done holiday shopping? Who is a last minute gift buyer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov9

Beautiful Stories, Beautiful Button Down

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Beautiful Stories, Beautiful Button Down

Hey everyone and happy Thursday! One thing that Lil Red loves is all embroidered everything. From fun sew on patches to elaborate floral designs and patterned backs, I’m obsessed with all of it. Embroidery takes a basic piece to an over the top fashion statement. Not only that, but it’s an easily accessible trend, as it is so popular right now, and you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for it. My shopping trip to TJMaxx last weekend allowed me to open my closet (And heart!) to a new button down by Beautiful Stories that I am completely swooning over. Take a look and let’s discuss:

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The first thing that I thought when I saw this twenty buck beauty was that I totally needed it. And second, I thought about how much is reminds me of one of my favorite army green button down tops from Zara with a similar “look at me” motif on the back. This shirt is so magnificent to me and what I love the most about it is that every copy of this shirt that was made is a little bit different due to the embroidery and dyes of the string. This button down is literally one of a kind, and I was sold the moment that I laid eyes on it.

The color palette of this top is so striking. I love that the army green base color has a more grey undertone to it, giving it a unique shade that makes my red hair and pale skin pop. The peach, bronze, white, silver, and yellow hues of the patterns on the back all work so well in a collaborative tapestry that makes for a grand reveal every time it catches someone’s eye. Not only is the back divine, but I loved how they added a little something something to the front of the top on the pockets and the patches in the bottom left corner. Sometimes I find that a beautiful back makes for a boring front, which is so not the case on this button down!

I cannot wait to incorporate this statement piece into my wardrobe year round, but especially now during the fall and winter. Because jackets are now becoming a necessity with the drop in temperature, showcasing this button down once my jacket is removed will feel like a huge unveiling every single time. This Beautiful Stories top has it all, and with such gorgeous detailing, who even needs jewelry while wearing it?!

So there you have it, my brand new Beautiful Stories, Beautiful Button Down! How do you feel about tops and jackets with a heavily detailed back? What is your favorite trend to sport this season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct30

Monday Update: Early Holiday Shopping Edition

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Monday Update: Early Holiday Shopping Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a fabulous weekend. One thing that Lil Red loves almost as much as shopping for herself, is shopping for other people. I live for birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas so that I can spoil my friends and family rotten with well thought out presents. I revel in making my holiday shopping list, mulling over the hobbies and favorite things of my loved ones, and coming up with the perfect presents under the tree for each of them.

Even though it is a bit early to start holiday shopping, I am pretty happy to have knocked out a solid chunk of gift buying this month. It was admittedly hard to spend the extra dough, especially because of my New York trip, BUT I was going to be buying the presents anyways so I figured that I would start getting it over with now. And since my preferred method for present shopping is doing it online, the earlier the better, in case any of the gifts are broken, take long to ship, etc.

Amazon has always been a godsend when it comes to gift giving occasions for me. What I usually do is buy a majority of my presents from there and then go to the mall (Yikes!), TJMaxx, or Target for the rest of the random odds and ends. Quite a few of my purchases have already arrived to chez moi, and I have to say that Amazon has really stepped up their shipping game. All of my packages arrived in about three days and all of the contents seemed to be handled and packed really well. When I opened the boxes and saw a solid amount of packing foam, I was confident that all of the items were going to be in one piece and ready to be given as a gift. And they were.

I’ve only had a handful of bad experiences while shopping on Amazon in the years that I’ve been a customer of theirs. But the success of my recent early bout of holiday shopping has made me feel safe in my decision to leave a majority of my purchasing in Amazon’s hands, once again. I’m glad to have gotten a head start on my Christmas shopping and am looking forward to checking off the rest of my list in November!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Early Holiday Shopping Edition! Who is done with their Christmas shopping already? Who is a last minute gift buyer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct25

AnkhorRed’s First Annual Bloggers Conference

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AnkhorRed’s First Annual Bloggers Conference

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! As you all know, Lil Red visited the Big City this month to visit my blogging (and real life) BFF, Kate, from Ankhor You. After literal months of constant texting and FaceTiming, we decided to take the next “big step” in our friendship and finally meet each other!

In case you didn’t know, Kate and I are both former figure skaters, so we planned our get together for October, when the rinks in New York are open. Kate jokingly called our hang out a “bloggers conference” and it was so funny and appropriate that it stuck. After what seemed like months of waiting…because it was quite literally months of waiting…October rolled around and the BC was a go! I Greyhounded myself to Manhattan (A ten hour ride!) and was greeted by Kate at the gate.

Saying that our first “real life” meeting was surreal is a true understatement. Yes, we talk every day and yes, we FaceTime almost weekly but talking via phone is never the same as meeting in real life. Anyone on CatFish can attest to that! But our initial meeting went exactly how I hoped it would go – with a big hug and infinite high pitched “eeeeeeee’s”. Although, I could do without the fact that I needed to go to the Port Authority bathroom immediately after and that I was blind as a bat because I accidentally fell asleep on the bus in my one a day contacts and had to take them out. Smh.

ANYWAYS, spending four days in NY and staying in Kate’s “doll house” apartment was magnificent, to say the least. The days were long and filled with walking, in heels no less! But the company was fantastic, the laughter was nonstop, and, as if things couldn’t get any better, a Harry Potter marathon on TV was there to greet us every evening.

Tomorrow, I will discuss some of my favorite highlights of my trip and some more NYC fun with one of my favorite people on the planet! Where is your favorite place to travel to? What is your preferred method of travel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Oct23

Monday Update: The Fall Tag Edition

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Monday Update: The Fall Tag Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday! Last week, my darling friend from Absolutely Blush nominated lifewithlilred for its first Fall Tag. Out of all of the fantastic awards that my page has so graciously been nominated for, this one is probably my favorite because I love and live for all things fall. Please make sure to check out the fabulous fun that is Absolutely Blush and let’s get to the tag rules:

The Rules:

  •  Put the badge and rules in your post.
  • Answer the tag questions.
  • Tag at least 5 other bloggers to join in the fun!

Q & A:

What’s your favorite fall outfit? Mmmm, let’s see. I can’t say that I have a favorite outfit in particular but I would have to say that my favorite piece of fall clothing would definitely have to be peacoats. I’m obsessed with my newest peacoat purchase from Target – it’s perfect!

What is fall weather like where you live? I am located in Akron, Ohio which is about forty minutes from Cleveland. Right now, it feels way too warm here to be fall. Usually in the good ol’ AK-Rowdy we enjoy brisk temperatures in the 50’s and low 60’s, which is perfect for putting on a big, chunky sweater and hiking in one of our gorgeous Metro Parks.

What’s your favorite drink to have during the fall? Every once in a while I like to treat myself to the yummy Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks. However, I definitely enjoy hot coffee more during the cooler weather so I usually will just make myself a pot while I’m working and sip away.

What’s your favorite fall scented candle? I’m not a huge candle girl but I do love vanilla scented candles year round, even though that’s not really a fall scent!

What are your favorite fall activities? I love going to haunted houses, watching scary movies, and going for hikes. Apple picking and corn mazes are a plus, too!

What is one of your favorite fall memories? My family and our two pups went apple picking in Asheville, North Carolina last year and it was so much fun! The orchard was huge, the scenery was breathtaking, and the apples were delicious.

What are some fall movies that you enjoy? All of the Saw movies, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Ils, Sinister one and two, and The Conjuring. If it’s a scary movie, then chances are I love it!

What is your favorite fall treat? A great big caramel apple with peanuts! Yum!

If you celebrate Halloween, what is your favorite costume that you have worn? I can’t say that I really have a favorite, because I normally don’t dress up. When I was little, I was a generic, bought at the drug store princess for five years in a row – so clearly my younger self loved that!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: The Fall Tag Edition! Many thanks again to Absolutely Blush for my nomination! How would you answer any of these tag questions? What is your favorite season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah