Receiving Guest Properly

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As most of you know, I am a huge fan of the Daily Connoisseur. Jennifer L. Scott has become one of my favorite authors!! Recently, she discussed a very important subject: Receiving Guest Properly. I thought this was wonderful because I think we all need to be reminded of how to greet our guests when they arrive at our homes. I love Jennifer’s guidelines on how to accomplish this. See her guidelines below and watch the video. It is superb!!!!

1. Get accustomed to using your best- If you use your best on a daily basis, it won’t feel awkward to do so when company comes over. 


2. Shed your insecurities and don’t apologize- While it’s important to get your home ready for guests, don’t obsess about the details. Let their knock on the door be a signal for you to drop any insecurities that you may have about the state of your home or whether or not they will like your cooking. Don’t apologize for yourself, your skills or your home. Your guests are most likely just happy to have been invited over!


3. Designate a space for their belongings- Let your guests know where they can place their handbag, coat and umbrella, or place their belongings there for them. 


4. Always offer a drink to your guests upon their arrival- It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of seeing your friends, but don’t forget to offer them something to drink when they arrive. They might be really thirsty or would really appreciate a strong cup of coffee.


5. Provide food if your guests are visiting during a mealtime- If you are inviting people over during a mealtime (noon or 7pm, for example) you must provide them with a meal. 




Photo by Aubrey Odom on Unsplash
Provide beautiful food and use your best

Photo by Olivier Bergeron on Unsplash
Organize your space, make it beautiful






(video via YouTube)


A Beautiful Life…

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Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash
“You must give everything to make your life as beautiful as the dreams that dance in your imagination.” 

― Roman Payne


Chinoiserie Inspired

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I absolutely love chinoiserie! If you want the pronunciation listen to it here (just click on the speaker button and it will pronounce it for you). My husband and I have been looking into the chinoiserie wallpaper but it is so expensive!

So one option I have been looking into is chinoiserie photos and decor. I found these gorgeous chinoiserie inspired pillows at T.J. Maxx! I love them! They are a great substitution for the wall paper.

Natalie Bird Print Pillow




(photo via Mrs. Shockley)




Faux Flowers from Pottery Barn

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I just can’t get enough of faux flowers. I saw these beauties at Pottery Barn. If you missed my entry from Hobby Lobby about shopping for faux flowers see it here.

(photo via Mrs. Shockley)

Brown and White Transferware

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Brown and white dishes are just as chic as the blue and white. I first learned about brown and white transferware from Martha Stewart.  I thought it was beautiful so I went and purchased a giant brown and white transferware pitcher from Ebay. I use it for flower arrangements. Martha has an excellent video of how she displays her transferware. See it below. Enjoy!!!!

(photo by Kim East Gary on Instagram)

To watch the video of Martha’s Collection Display click here.




My Life in France

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I love reading. I also love classic movies. I was going through Netflix and came across Julie & Julia. I watched it and loved it! I ended up purchasing the movie and I have watched it a million times already!!



I love the scenes, the clothes and the food. Meryl Streep is a fantastic actress! I then “googled” Julia Child’s books and saw My Life in France. This is a wonderful book! I downloaded it onto my Kindle and I just can’t get enough of it. Julia Child tells the story of how she and her husband Paul lived in France. 


Her husband Paul wrote letters to his twin brother and Julia wrote letters also. No one threw anything away so you have all of this beautiful information that has been put into the book. She gives such vivid details into their lives and the food! This is such a delicious book! Here is a passage from the book that I read recently….


“It was near lunchtime, and though we were hardly used to such elegance, we looked at each other and said, “Why not?’ There weren’t many patrons yet and we were seated in a gorgeous semicircular banquette. The headwaiter laid menus before us, and then the sommelier, an imposing but kindly Bordeaux specialist in his fifties, arrived. He introduced himself with a nod: “Monsieur Henocq.” The restaurant began to fill up, and over the course of the next two hours, we had a leisurely and nearly perfect luncheon. The meal began with little shells filled with sea scallops and mushrooms robed in a classically beautiful winy cream sauce. Then we had a wonderful duck dish, and cheeses, and a rich dessert, followed by coffee”. 


Just wonderful and so is the video of the movie below. Enjoy!

photo by Annie Spratt





(video via Youtube)

The Scent of Lilac

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A dear co~worker of mine brought me in some lilac from her yard. I was ecstatic! My office smelled wonderful!! I planted some of my own lilac bushes this spring and I cannot wait until they return next year!

My lilac at work
My lilac bushes at home
(photo via Mrs. Shockley)