Floral Sunglass Case

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I shared recently about what I carry in my handbag. I wanted to share the floral sunglass case that I picked up from H & M.

H & M Sunglass Case
This case is so pretty in person. I showed it to a co-worker and she was just mesmerized by it! It is quite lovely and reasonable. They are only $10! It has a hard case on the inside to protect your glasses. And the shiny gold clasp just adds a bit of glamour to it. 
They also have it in black, leopard, and pineapple. Click on the link above to purchase one. 
Enjoy!
(photo via Mrs. Shockley)

My Cupboard Update

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Oh, I am so excited to share this post with you all. My mother-in-law gave me this cupboard 8 years ago. She had it for 20 years and her friend (whom she purchased it from) had it much longer than that.

So our guess is it’s about 30 years old. At first I thought about getting rid of it. But then I stared at it for a moment and began to use my imagination. I imagined it in a different color with new knobs.

Once I did that I was hooked and wanted to keep it. The only factor was getting my husband to paint it and replace the knobs.

He finally did it this past weekend and it looks great!

We painted it black and bought crystal knobs for it. It looks wonderful and we both love it!
My husband got a new light bulb for it and turned it on. It looks great!
I love the vintage glass. My brother in law asked if we were going to change the glass and I said no way! I want to keep as much of the authentic pieces to this cupboard as possible.  I just love my blue and white ginger jars. Looks like I may have to find some more!
I think the crystal knobs add a nice touch to the cupboard. I picked them out at Lowe’s. They were pretty reasonable. 
This is what it looked like before. This photo was taken in our first home in 2010. It was our daughter’s 5th birthday party. My mother in law had just given it to me. 
Here is another photo of the cupboard. It is a great piece with good bones and I am glad that I kept it. Plus it will be nice to share the story behind it. I can pass it down to my daughter and she will know that this came from her grandmother and hopefully pass it down to my grand-daughter who will know that it came from her great grandmother. I love the idea of passing down family heirlooms and I look forward to passing down this beauty.

(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

What’s in my Bag?

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I decided to post a “What’s in my Bag” entry. I thought this would be fun. I love watching these on Youtube. I thought about doing videos but I am not quite sure yet. Having a blog helps me to keep some of my mystery. So without further adu, let’s share what Mrs. Shockley carries with her on a regular basis….

Well, first things first, I carry a Louis Vuitton “Neverfull” tote. My tote is in the GM size and these are huge! I purchased it last year from Von Maur. They sell Louis Vuitton bags. All of their bags are half price because they are used. This tote is a 2007 edition so it is already considered vintage. 
It looked practically brand new when I got it. The purse consultant said that some of these bags were used in photo shoots and that since they were used for shoots they could not sell them full price. So win, win for people like me!
Here is the inside of my bag. I carry very little. I hate having junk in my bag. I clean them on a regular basis. If you would like to see how I clean my bags you can read about it here.
Here is my cosmetic bag. It is pink blush and it is from Anne Klein. I love it because everything fits inside. I have 3 lipsticks, 4 lip balms, my shimmer bronzer, rose blush eye shadow, my Anastasia eye brow filler and brush, and glue for my eyelashes. 
The second thing that I carry is my Kate Spade wallet. I discussed this wallet in a blog post a few months ago. You can read about it here.
The next items are my Philosophy case with my small hair brush, lemon hand cream, spray hand sanitizer and feminine spray. I love the hand sanitizer for those moments when you can to get rid of germs quickly and you don’t have a towel or sink around. I love the feminine spray for those horrid summer days and you need to feel fresh in “certain” areas. 
Next, our my Gucci sunglasses. I wear them on a regular basis, even in the winter. It has a Gucci case to go with it but I hate the darn thing! It’s awkward and doesn’t fit well in most places so I picked up this case at H & M. I think it is very chic. 
I always keep some sort of fragrance in my purse. Right now I have these two. One is Amazing Grace from Philosophy and the other is Philosophy also but it is called Violet Blossom. The only place you can find it is on Ebay. Both are wonderful! 
And last but certainly not least is my pashmina or scarf. I carry these every where I go. I keep two in the car and one at work, I just love them! They are great for covering yourself in cold restaurants, cars, theaters, wherever you are at that moment. 
Well, I hope you enjoyed this post! It’s a tiny little peek inside my world. I do hope that some of you will share your favorite purse items as well. 
(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

My Cocktail Rings

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This weekend my daughter and I stopped in one of our consignment stores called Style Encore. I picked out a few things and then we headed to the counter. My daughter found this great cocktail ring by Susan Graver for only $9!

I love it! It is so chic. I managed to find it on QVC but it is only available in green and I actually like it. There is a video available to watch also.
Susan Graver Cabochon Cocktail Ring

I have other cocktail rings as well….

This is my Juicy Couture ring that I found at T.J. Maxx some years ago. They had it in purple too. I think I should have gotten the purple instead. What are your thoughts?
I think I purchased this ring at New York and Company some years back. It is really understated and very comfortable. 
And last and certainly least is this ring. I don’t remember where I got it or why. It is okay. I am just being honest. I will probably never wear the darn thing but oh well. Live and learn. I will be keeping my eye out for more vintage rings to replace some of these. If you have any cocktail rings, please share where you got them from and what they look like.

(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

My Aerin Lauder Haul

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So this past weekend I headed to my favorite department store called Von Maur. I have mentioned them numerous times on the blog before. I always go here for my facial products, lotions, perfumes, etc.

I did not know it but this past week was a free gift with purchase! I was just looking around and saw that Aerin Lauder had a new lip conditioner! It has a light rose scent to it and is just lovely.

Aerin Rose Lip Conditioner
My lip conditioner at home

I absolutely love it! It has a light pink hint of color to it and did I mention the smell! So nice. I will be buying this all the time now. 




The next item that I got was this fantastic stargazer lily tote! Oh my gosh, isn’t it gorgeous?

She gave me tons of Estee Lauder products as well. I ended up with two cosmetic bags full of generous size samples! I am trying everything out. In the large package of stuff I received was this lip and cheek lipstick. 



It is so pretty and I cannot wait until Von Maur carries it on a regular basis! 

Here is another look at the tote and it is reversible. So pretty….

She also gave me these fantastic postcards from Estee Lauder that match the bag. They came with the envelopes as well. 

Another one of the free gifts was this eye shadow makeup kit. Even the brush is chic. 

It has four colors to try. They are Pink Ingenue, Alluring Rose, Pink Kiss, and Peach Passion. Alluring rose is my favorite. 



I am very grateful to the sales clerk at the Estee Lauder counter for being so gracious to me. She sees me in there all the time so I think she gave me extra samples just to be nice. It was wonderful receiving these beautiful things. 


I hope you enjoyed this post and check out the new lip conditioner. It is amazing! 

(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

Social Graces

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This is our last section on manners for this week. I do hope that you enjoyed these tips from Kate Spade. If you are interested pick up the book on Amazon. It is really cheap, entertaining and helpful.

The last tips that I wanted to share are on social graces:

~May I air kiss you?


The handshake of yesterday is the air kiss of today. If you’d rather shake hands, then be swift and extend your hand in greeting before someone leans over to plant a kiss. Depending on where you live, the social air kiss can vary: in some cities, one kiss will do it; in others, it’s European style, with a bus to both sides. If you each turn so that you accidentally kiss on the lips, might light of it. 


Photo by Hendo Wang on Unsplash

~ To hug or not to hug- If you’re friends, then yes. If it’s a business colleague or client, with whom there is a genuine rapport, then yes. If you’re meeting up with a group that includes good friends and near-acquaintances, then hugging everyone is optional- but so time-consuming!

~Sorry, but what’s your name?– You’re in a swoon, you and your new amour kiss, and he calls you by someone else’s name. What to do- step on his foot? Vow never to go out with him again? Or call him by the wrong name? If you care, then bring to his attention, but don’t let it keep you up at night. 



~ We must do lunch– Sincerity is the cornerstone of good manners, so if you suggest lunch or a drink to someone, be sure to mean it. Follow up with a phone call or written invite within two days’ time. 




Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash


~ Double dipping- It’s not SANITARY, it’s certainly not appetizing to witness, yet just about everybody does it. If you’re passing hor oeuvres, you can help prevent this by immediately offering someone a napkin or toothpick. You can’t reform all the folks all the time, but no harm comes from trying. 



~ The Art of the Toothpick– Actually, there is no art to using a toothpick. When you feel the need for a little dentistry, excuse yourself and take care of the problem in private. 

And lastly, 

~ Tardiness– Some people are inherently tardy, no matter how hard they try: others are always early. With understanding, both kinds of people can be accommodated. What isn’t excusable. however, is calling someone at the exact time you’re supposed to meet and saying that you’ll be anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes late. Calling ahead shows respect for the other person. 



I do hope you enjoyed this post. I know I did. I always need a refresher on manners and grace. Being in a world where you see none of it can be hard sometimes. I must admit, sometimes I just want to throw my hands up and join the masses. But I try to step back and remind myself of what I want out of life and try not to be like everyone else. 


I always say I want to be a fragrance to people, not an odor. 

(list by Kate Spade)




Gracious Recoveries

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We are now moving on to social spills and recoveries from Kate Spade’s book Manners. I thought these were pretty funny and interesting.

It’s one thing to get mail with your last name misspelled and quite another when an acquaintance continually does the same thing (and mispronounces your name as well).  What can you do? How can you be gracious without embarrassing your friend?

~ Squirting your seatmate when you crack open a lobster. Offer your bib, if you have one, another napkin, and maybe even a piece of your lobster if it was from the claw.



~ Arriving a week early for a party
Humor is really the only way out of this one. Explain that you’re on a campaign to improve your tardiness and that you seem to have gone slightly overboard in the direction. 





photo credit Guillaume de Germain 

~ Inquiring after someone’s spouse and learning that they’re no longer married
It’s apparent that this is more of an acquaintance than a close friend, so offer a brief but sincere apology. Don’t, however, take license and ask why the marriage ended. 

~ Wearing the same dress as the hostess of an event
This is a case of the Frozen Smile Solution. Doubtless, neither of you is amused by the coincidence, but outwardly make light of it and let it pass. 

photo credit This is Glamorous Instagram account

~Spilling a Sea Breeze down the front of your white summer dress/ Someone else spilling a Sea Breeze down the front of your white summer dress. 
Both spills were accidental, and thus it doesn’t matter how the cocktail got on your dress. Excuse yourself, find some club soda, and do what you can in the short term to minimize the problem. 


~ And the most predictable of bathroom boo-boos: a stubborn toilet
Who said life’s fair? 


And last but certainly not least….

The Name Game:

Social faux pas are often committed in the misspelling or mispronunciation of a name. Contrary to the belief that you should grin and bear it, it’s actually a kindness to correct the person right then, rather than wait until a later time. Sometimes a delay adds to someone’s embarrassment rather than mitigates it. When you do inform someone of your correct name, do so in a friendly and casual manner. 


I hate doing that but you want to make sure that they know how to say your name. I have to correct people all the time. I hope you enjoyed this list just as much as I do. It was most helpful. 
(text by Kate Spade)