Lovely Little Things

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This past weekend I went and visited some stores that I haven’t been to in awhile. One was Steinmart and the other was Tuesday Morning. I found some great goodies there and great deals!

Marilyn Matte Satin Pillow
I love this pillow!! So feminine, fun and chic!

I didn’t get this arrangement from Steinmart but I just couldn’t pass it up!
I found it at T.J. Maxx. Sorry I could not find a link for it. 



Great stripe curtains at Tuesday Morning. 

Ohh, I love these blue and white curtains!

Another great floral arrangement!




Sorry but I could not find links to these products but I do hope that they inspire you to do some spring decorating!
(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

Being Elegant During Public Speaking

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Public speaking always seems to be a dangerous job but one can accomplish this task with great elegance. I am always nervous when I speak in front of people but then I do some “self-talk” and remind myself of who I am and what goal I am trying to accomplish.

I am narrowing down to the last few chapters of Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic. In this week’s reading Jennifer L. Scott gave 5 tips for public speaking:

1) Own the space:
Whether you are on stage or standing at the head of a table, get comfortable in the space as quickly as possible. Act as if you belong there (because you do)!


2) Good posture:
All eyes will be on you. Your good posture is important now more than ever. Stand tall.


3) Project:
Make sure everyone can hear what your’re saying by speaking clearly and projecting your voice toward the back of the room. Rather than speaking from you throat, picture speaking from your belly. Let your words come out with strength and volume.


4) Don’t be afraid to move:
Avoid deer- caught-in-the-headlights syndrome by moving. It’s okay to gesture with your hands and to walk around (if appropriate). If you are being filmed, ask the director to define the parameters of your movement. 


5) Make a connection:
Whether you are pitching a job to potential clients or touting the merits of you best friend at her wedding, the entire point of public speaking is to make a connection with your audience. You have been asked to speak because you have something to impart that could benefit your viewers. Don’t make speech about you, make it about what you can give. 

If you want to read some more of my posts from this fabulous book see below:

Polish Your Poise


Polish Your Posture


Speaking Well ~ Polish Your Poise


Elegance in Punctuality





                            Photo by Melnychuk Nataliya on Unsplash


Second Hand Finds ~ Part 2

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In 2014 I wrote about how I love to thrift store shop (see here) and how most of my home is full of second hand finds. I am still on the hunt for great things and my love for “thrifting” has not stopped. A couple of weekends ago I visited my favorite flea market the Beech Grove Emporium.

I found some wonderful things and just wanted to share my finds….

These two peony urns were $24.99 each! 

This is an Arthur Wood Fine Staffordshire Ironstone vase
I only paid $3!

I found this homemade gift bag. I gave it to my friend for her birthday.







Nice little clear vase with small details at the bottom for 80 cents!




I saw this at the Goodwill for $35! I should have bought it!

I got these two small Christmas trees and this blue and white vase 
from the Goodwill for just a few dollars. 

(photos via AHFE)

Insta ~ Inspiration (Instagramers I Follow)

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Inspiration is everywhere! We have so many websites and apps now that help us in making life beautiful. I have to admit that Pinterest and Instagram are my favorites!

There are a lot of creative people in the world and I have my favorites on Instagram. So I thought I would share who I am following on Instagram and once you check out their page you will be inspired too!

He is so dapper!! I love his style!

I wrote about her fantastic style also, see here.

I wrote a blog post about her see here.

I wrote a post about her, see here.

I love her. She has become my best friend online!

She has great jewelry!

I love their iconic chinoiserie wallpaper! 

She has a wonderful blog also! 

I love her travels!

Another fellow blogger that I follow.

They have some of the best silver! So classic!

She is a fantastic blogger!



She is author of the fantastic book My Stylish French Girlfriends.
I wrote about it here.

She is such a great decorator of blue and white!
I admire her so much!

My favorite author (of course) Jennifer L. Scott
I continue to write about her books on the blog.

She is a great fashionista and has a great blog also!

And last but certainly not least my favorite business mogul Laura Slatkin and she is following me on Instagram! Talk about a honor!
(all photos via Instagram)

My Current Wish List at Von Maur

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I have talked about this store before but I am just such a huge fan of Von Maur that I have to share my “wish list” from them. I went in a couple of weekends ago to look around. I found a few great items that I want.

I always create a mental wish list in my head from this store and take photos. By the grace of God I have been able to complete every wish list there! It is fantastic! The customer service is wonderful and the products are good quality. Here are a few of my current favorites….

I love this ginger jar!!! It was only $50!

Clarins Moisture Rich Body Lotion
This smells delightful!

Kate Spade ~ All in Good Taste

Coach Delilah Heel
I love these shoes and ended up buying them!

Cole Haan Juliana Point Heel

Kate Spade Cedar Street Jensen Tote
I ended up buying this one in black! It reminds me of the Prada Saffiano tote with the double zip.

And of course this has nothing to do with my list at Von Maur but I just love this bouquet that was in my office this week! I hope you enjoyed my dream list and start your own soon!
Be chic!
(all photos via Mrs. Shockley)

Elegance in Punctuality

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Being on time can be a chore sometimes. I hate being late for anything but sometimes it happens. But I can assure you that if I am late it was not on purpose.


I am continuing my reading in Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic. This week I read a bit on Punctuality. Jennifer gives five tips for poised punctuality. I must say that the only tip I need to work on is number 3.

Read the tips below and enjoy!

Photo by Melnychuk Nataliya on Unsplash







1. Set a reminder for your appointment.

Many times people are late because they forgot they had to be somewhere in the first place! Most smartphones have a calendar with an alarm option. You can set it to remind you to be on time one hour or even one day before your event. It’s helpful to write all pertinent information in your reminder, such as the address and notes on where to park. This way you have all the information you need in one space.


2. Get everything ready beforehand.

If you have an early morning appointment, get everything in order the night before. Choose your clothes and lay them out. Pack that lunch and keep it in the fridge. Put your briefcase by the front door. Scout out the location and all potential routes.

3. Leave room for the unexpected.

If you are traveling to a new location, the GPS might say it only takes you 20 minutes to get there, but that could be without traffic. Double the time you think it will take you to get there, in case you encounter a jam. If you think your children will be tough to rally, ask them to get ready 10 minutes before you normally would, to account for any lagging.

4. Know the particulars.

If you are driving, find out where you need to park. If you are taking public transit, calculate the routes beforehand. Then, if you happen to be running behind due to traffic or a late bus, you can eliminate further confusion upon arrival.


5. Be prepared to be early.

If you arrive early, come prepared with a book or something to keep you occupied while you wait. Remember, being early is not a waste of time. It is simply ensuring that you don’t arrive flustered and unprepared.






An Elegant Routine

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We all have routines. I have a routine for Monday thru Friday then I have a different routine for Saturday and Sunday. During my work week I get up around 5:45 and put on my exercise clothes and do a brisk walk on my treadmill for 45 minutes. I then stretch, use my arm weights and then check the blog and post my entry for the day (which is only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays).




photo credit Micheile Henderson







I run my bathwater, read my bible, and pray. I love this morning routine. No one is awake. I finish getting ready and then wake up my daughter. I head to work, spend the day working at the office, and then come home to make dinner (I have a dinner rotation list). I check my daughter’s homework, review home notes, sign her agenda, then eat dinner.


I always set my table with dishes (see my entry here for my table setting). No paper plates here. I clean up then it’s bath-time for my daughter and piano practicing for me. She finishes bathing, gets ready for bed and we say prayers. I then get ready for bed (see my post here about dressing for bed) and watch a little of the Barefoot Contessa or Martha Stewart.

                                                    Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash


This is my routine. Nothing fancy but I love it! It works for my family. I read this recently… Life’s fretfulness is transcended. The different and the novel are sweet, but regularity and repetition are also teachers… And if you have no ceremony, no habits, which may be opulent or may be simple but are exact and rigorous and familiar, how can you reach toward the actuality of faith, or even a moral life, except vaguely? The patterns of our lives reveal us. Our habits measure us. Our battles with our habits speak of dreams yet to become real. -Mary Oliver



I adore this quote. Sometimes I get teased for being so routine but they are necessary. Because I have set the tone in our home my daughter is obedient to the routine. She knows to get clothes ready for school the night before. She knows to floss and brush her teeth. She even knows that mommy is going to the grocery store every weekend with her list and I will be picking up fresh flowers for our home and my office.



                        

                        photo credit Vika Fleisher 
       


But as I said, I love it. Create a routine for your life that is beautiful and fitting. I believe that with elegance there is also order. Routines can be elegant. Just make sure it is….