livelovesara - An over 40 Style and Travel Blog

The Introvert and Homebody 2016 Holiday Gift Guide

November 28, 2016Sara 4 Comments

Top: Star Pyjamas // Cactus Light // Grey Scarf // Reading Socks // Cat Eye Mask //Mr. Tea Teapot // Ivory Knit Pouf // Key Bottle Opener // Paper & Tea Loose Tea // Moon LED Light // Kiehl’s Creme de Corps // Anthropologie Pillow // Faux Fur Throw //

Bottom: Library of Flowers Candle // Jane Austen Book Set // L’Occitane Relaxing Essential Oil Blend // Bunny Robe // Hand Signal Bookmarks // Long Camel Sweater // Cuppasaurus Tea Diffuser // Grey Faux Shearling Throw // Prismacolor Pencil Crayons // The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees // Ugg Scuffette II Slippers // Pink Striped pyjamas // Pusheen Kitty Coloring Book

I realized this weekend that we are almost into December and I haven’t compiled any gift lists yet. I am not a huge gift guide person but sometimes it’s nice to give a few ideas that you may not have thought about before. My first gift guide is for the Introvert or Homebody. So in other words someone like me who prefers home to crowds, curling up in bed with comfortable pyjamas, warm socks, a throw, some tea, and a book. I’m always cold so I like warm things and things that are unique or quirky like the teapots from Lennymud (I have a mug from there that is my favourite mug ever), a cute LED light for the wall, and fun pillows.

My daughter is an aspiring artist and wanted some better quality pencil crayons so I picked her up some Prismacolor which come in several price ranges depending on the quality level. I bought her some mid level ones that cost me $25 on sale (regularly $50). Some good quality pencil crayons and an adult style colouring book are great gifts (I got her a learning to draw Anime book as well).

A warm yet fun robe for someone who is always cold, some loose tea and a cute diffuser for a tea lover, or The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees for your minimalistic friend are some ideas that would be appreciated.

I officially bought my last Christmas present this weekend from a Black Friday sale (I still need some stocking stuffers but those are quick, easy, and inexpensive). It feels good to be done. How close are you?

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Some Christmas Sales 2016

November 25, 2016Sara Leave a Comment

Some of my Christmas tree decor.

I don’t usually post twice in the same day but as we just entered one of the most busy shopping periods of the year I thought I would share some sales that I know about to save you some money. Since Black Friday is of the start crazy shopping time this is when all the sales start rolling in.

I hate being so sucked in to consumerism but I do love Christmas and I really, really love buying gifts for people. Finding something that I know a person will love gives me a little thrill and finding a way to save money on that is a win-win. I use Ebates for as many purchases as I can because they offer you a certain percentage cash back on every purchase at participating stores. Even if it’s just a few cents it can add up fast over the holiday season and so far my tally is $38. They often have higher percentage cash back deals at this time of year for incentive so it is well worth it to sign up. It just really sucks when you buy something online and forget to use Ebates. I do that often :/

P.S I’m glad Canada doesn’t have the Black Friday crazy shopping like The United States does. The thought of venturing out in the crowds like that scares the shit out of me. Kudos to those that do, you are braver than I. I’ll stick to online deals 🙂

Here are some known sales that I have come across.

Asos – 20% off all weekend with code GOGOGO
Topshop – Up to 50% off From November 24th-28th
Nike – (only on Black Friday) 30% off sale items with XMAS16
Revolve: up to 50% off
Yoox: Extra 60% off top designers. Valid until November 27th 8:oo a.m.
The Outnet: Various sales and 20% off your first purchase with code BLACKFRIDAY20 Offer excludes Just In & full-price styles.
Missguided: 50% off everything with code YESYESYES (excludes sale)
GAP: 50% everything with code TGIF50
Old Navy: 50% off everything-ish
Banana Republic: 50% off everything with code BRFIVE
Chapters Indigo: 25% off Select Toys and Baby (and various other sales and markdowns)
Thinkgeek – (for the geek in your life) 40% – 60% off 100+ amazing gifts
Lenny Mud – (where I got my awesome coffee mug) 25% off featured products with code CYBER16
Everlane – The Back Friday Fund. Purchases from Friday go to raising money for helmets for Vietnam factory workers.
Hunter Boots: 25% off Cyber Weekend exclusives
GoldiBlox: (STEM toys for girls) 30% off everything with code GoldieLove16
Cody: (online exercise videos) 30% off everything with code BF2016
Soft Moc: Up to 50% off
UrbanEars: (awesome headphones) 50% off
H&M: $3 deals and up to 70% off
All Saints: 30% off with code CYBER
Anthropologie: 30% off everything
J. Crew: 40% off with code HOLIDAY
Club Monaco: 25% off $150, 30% off $250, 35% off $400 with code THANKS
Crate & Barrel: 15% off full price purchases
Disney Store: 20% off site-wide
Zara: 30% off in-store and online
Target: Doorbusters, 30% off clothes, shoes, and accessories, Bogo for some toys, up to 30% off home items.
Forever 21: Take and additional 30% off with code EXTRA30
Free People: 50% off select styles
L.L. Bean: 20% off when you spend $50 with code THANKS
Mango: 20% off everything

Have a good weekend! Happy Shopping!

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What to Wear in London, England for Christmas and NYE

November 25, 2016Sara 1 Comment

This is Part 2: Outfit Options for What to Pack for London, England from my last post. I put together 20 example outfit ideas from the pieces I included in the packing list. The Trip is for London at Christmas and New Years so some juggling with the footwear might be necessary depending if there is any precipitation on the ground. For each outfit option it is assumed you will be wearing a coat, I just don’t include it in all of them because it is to cluttered looking. Every piece is easily layered under the sweaters or cardigan, even sweaters can be layered under the cardigan you need extra warmth.

I suggested in the last post that wearing your heaviest and bulkiest pieces and rolling the rest of your items will save room in your suitcase and let you to pack any small gifts you may be bringing with you for the holidays. I hope that I was able to give you some outfit ideas for your trip. Thanks for the request and have a great Christmas in London.

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What to Pack for London Christmas + New Years

November 23, 2016Sara 2 Comments

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What I Wore This Week

November 21, 2016Sara 2 Comments

Tom’s Birthday was Saturday and Roo’s is on Thursday, so with Merle’s Birthday coming up in several weeks and Christmas being around the corner we are now entering our really expensive time of year. Birthday’s are generally low-key here and we are taking the girls to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to celebrate Roo’s. This has been her plan since she heard it came out close to her birthday. It will be Merle’s first time at a theatre because it wasn’t until recently that I knew I could trust her not to act out while there, so everyone is really excited to be able to go see it together.

Merle woke up today with no voice which freaked her out. Somewhere in the last 24 hours she came down with a head cold (which I hope she doesn’t share with the rest of us). That combined with cold, miserable weather today prompted us to put up the tree. We were listening to Christmas music on Spotify when the Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas song came on and she almost lost her shit. Then I remembered that they have an entire Christmas album, which I’m not sure how I forgot since she is an Alvin fanatic. So we listened to it on repeat all afternoon. Let’s hope the tree lasts its first night with Severus the cat who so far has basically ignored it but he becomes wild at night. I realized tonight that I also can’t wrap and leave the presents under the tree yet because the cat eats and rips paper and will help the kids unwrap their presents early or at least give them a sneak peek 😉 I need to get one of those huge Santa sacks that I can wrap and place them in until Christmas eve because I am not wrapping them all that night. I have done that the past several years and it totally sucks even when you bring a bottle of wine in to the room with you. Drunk wrapping while watching Netflix = a slightly better time.

Last week while Roo was taking a robotics class Merle and I did our usual mall walking/window shopping thing and I tried on some imitation leather pants at H&M that were only $24.99. I took a dressing room picture that I posted to Instagram stories and my mom Facebook group asking yay or nay? Opinions were a unanimous yes from them so I went back the next day to pick them up. I have looked for a pair for a while, and actually owned a pair a while back but they were borderline too snug. These are high-waist and not too long on my short legs which is nice for once, and for $24.99 I couldn’t beat that price. I’m not willing to fork out several hundred dollars for a real leather pair since these actually look like leather and fit really well. My only complaint is that you need to size up, but that is fairly common with H&M pants.

Do you wait until Christmas Eve to wrap your presents?

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What to Wear in New York City 4 Days in December

November 18, 2016Sara 2 Comments

Don’t you hate it when you go out for one thing (hamburger meat for dinner) and end up getting 10 other things that weren’t even from the grocery store? We made a quick afternoon run, down one block to the Rabba which is like a bodega to pick up some hamburger meat so I could make chill for dinner. When we got they the girls decided the day was too nice and they wanted to walk to the mall and go to the grocery store there. It’s cheaper anyway so we went. Of course we side-tracked into Hot Topic because we have to walk right past it and the girls ended up with some things that I wish I could have saved for Christmas or their birthday but there was no way I could buy them in secret and said items were selling out fast. Man, kids are expensive :/

This post is the outfit options to for the What to Pack for New York City 4 Days in December list. A 4 day trip to NYC for Christmas with your girlfriends. The trip includes lots of walking around, sightseeing, dinners, and the theatre, and the outfit options will work for each of these scenarios. I only put together 10 outfits since this is a 4 day trip but there are many more combinations that are possible. For more information about the trip and packing list selections, go to the post I linked above.

Signing off because I ate too many cookies and I feel sick. Until next time 😉

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