New Vintage Inspired Bags

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Good Morning Friends,

I hope you are all well. My recent “girls day” went so well. I spent the entire day with some of my friends from the St. Margaret’s Guild and we had a wonderful time. I will be sure to share a blog post later about our adventure. 

This week we are taking Lauren back to her college campus. 🙁 I am really sad but she is ready to return to her friends. I also will be taking a few days off this week. I want to just “putter” around the house and get things done. I am thinking about changing around my office furniture so we will see what I end up doing. 

Have you read the title? Oh my goodness. I recently received a package and it was just stunning when I opened it. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

This vintage hatbox is stunning and was created by V.J. from Notiq! 

 

 

This hatbox is a serious head turner! I took it with me on my recent work trip and you would not believe the amount of people that stopped me to look at it. It is perfect as a carry-on and to take with you for short trips. I have even used it to take to my office to carry my lunch bag, water bottle, and planner. 

It is made of sustainable luxury materials and will absolutely elevate your look. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The second bag that I just got is the MME. Carlton Basket tote. It is huge and I have always wanted a large basket bag. I absolutely love it. For one it is different. You will not see many people with this bag. Anytime I carry one of my MME.Mink bags I always get stopped and people ask me questions. This basket bag is made from organic grass fibers woven together. The bag also has leather and the distinctive MME. Mink design and gold hardware. It’s lovely. 

 

 

 

It’s has lots of room inside and I added my purse insert from Amazon to give me compartments and proper storage. I found something similar on Amazon, see here if you are interested. 

I can’t believe that summer is almost over. I am preparing for my closet review here soon. I actually cannot wait to do it, purge some items and get ready for fall. Speaking of purging most of the dresses in my dress boutique are on sale. Most of them have been marked down to only $10! Order a few for your wardrobe! 

 

 

 

 

  • This post is a paid partnership. 

My First Plate Wall ~ Home Decor

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Good Morning Friends,

Goodness, it is still hot here but it is August. My David Austin roses are doing so well. They are blooming beautifully!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

Oh my goodness! I am so happy! My English Garden dreams are coming into fruition. I have always wanted an English inspired garden. I will be going to Costco to try to find another trellis here soon. 

Okay friends. I have finished my plate wall for now. I want to add more plates, and I am on the lookout for some smaller ones to add but for now the project is complete. If you recall the room below was the inspiration for this. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

If you want to read more about this room, you may visit my blog post here. 

 

 

Now it took me a few weeks of searching Poshmark, Ebay, and antique stores to find plates that I liked. Honestly it was harder than I thought! Everyone is keeping their “grandma” china and selling it. I hardly found anything in the Goodwill stores here in my city. Those locations were filled with junk! It blew me away! 

Only two of my plates were found at the antique stores the rest were from Poshmark!

 

 

If you recall the blue and white plate on the far left was a plate at the showhouse this year. I did the Google lens feature on my phone and found it online. There was a seller on Poshmark that had two. I purchased both of them. The bottom middle plate was plate on the wall in the room designed by Jenni Egger. I found that on Poshmark as well. It was called the Andrea by Sadek Japan Buckingham Porcelain Floral Paisley dinner plate. There were quite a few on Poshmark. 

 

 

This is the right side. Some of the small plates are on this side and they were found on Poshmark as well. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I found this plate on Poshmark and I was not sure what it was going to look like in person. When it arrived and I saw this, I went on the hunt to find a second one! It’s stunning. It’s made by Asahi Japan. I have never heard of it but it’s stunning. 

 

 

This plate was another favorite. As I mentioned it was at the showhouse. It’s called the 222 Fifth Avenue Adelaide Dark Blue and White Dinner plate. It’s very affordable and should be easy to find. 

 

 

Despite the searching and looking this was so fun to do. I did find a new Instagram store called Tulip Home Design. I purchased one of my plates from there as well. Now I am thinking about adding about 8 desserts plates to the wall, but I want them to be a set. I think that would bring a cohesive look to the collection. The plate hangers that I used are from Amazon and came in a pack of 12 with different sizes. They were so easy to use. 

Let me know in the comments section below if you have a plate wall or you are considering creating one. I would love to know.

I was going to wait to share this news, but I am too excited! Sarah Flint has changed the brand ambassador program, and it is a good change! Now when you use my NEW code SF-SHOCKLEY-15 you get 15% off of your purchase and that means ANY purchase! You can use my discount code on all items including accessories! All you have to do is spend $230 or more and you can use my code and you can use it MORE THAN ONCE! Now how great is that! 

I am thrilled about this change! So I hope that you can order your dream shoes or scarf, or belt soon! 

 

 

 

July Favorites ~ 2024

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Good Morning Everyone,

Well, I am trying to get back into the swing of things. My work trip was last week and honestly it really kicked my butt! I was so tired most of the time. We had late meetings and I had lots of interviews, reports to write, and still had to manage my workload back home. Whew!!! I am taking a few days later in August as “puttering days” because I just want to hang out at home and do things around the house. I have a few antique stores to visit, and I want to move around furniture in my office. I am really looking forward to being home. 

Okay, let’s get into my favorites for this month. Thank you to everyone who reaches out to tell me how much they love my monthly favorites posts. This are not easy to put together, so I am glad that you all enjoy them. 

My first favorites have been a working horse in my wardrobe lately. I have been looking for chaffing shorts for years and I mean years! I finally found a pair that do not “ride up”, sink, or move. 

 

These have been so wonderful and come in various sizes and colors. Get you some! I have 9 pairs now! I have been wearing them under my dresses non-stop. They are perfect. 

 

My second is my new phone sanitizer from Amazon! It can sanitize any phone, any size. It’s great!

 

 

Third is my new bikini trimmer. I have been on the hunt for one of these for a while and you know what else it does? It’s a nose hair trimmer! Yes! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

It comes in other colors and with a $15 off coupon. 

 

 

Fourth is my new to me but vintage armchair that I found while antiquing last weekend. I saw it in one of the booths in Midlands and could not leave it there. It was only $35 and I immediately saw it in the greenhouse. It’s perfect. 

 

 

This was such wonderful purchase. This fly/bug trap has been a summer dream this year. I hate seeing flies and gnats flying around my home so I have been on the hunt for something that would work. I saw this on QVC and found them on Amazon and had to order them. They are so easy to install and use. Order you some! 

 

 

The sixth favorite was my new dress that I purchased from JJs House. My stepson was recently married, and I went on the hunt to find a dress that I could wear to the wedding, but I also wanted this dress to be something that could stay in my wardrobe for other events.  This dress worked wonderfully! I got lots of compliments and the price was fantastic! I order the dress as a try on and only paid $10. I ordered two different sizes and kept one and returned the other. Once I decided to purchase it they gave me 20% off. The dress was only $99 then with the 20% off I paid around $79! Wonderful transaction! Would highly recommend. 

 

 

My seventh favorite is actually for the fall season. I tried this on at Von Maur and initially I didn’t like it when I smelled it in the bottle, but I decided to spray it on and walk around. After a few minutes, my daughter turned and looked at me and said, “Mom is that you? You smell good!” Okay at that point I knew that it was a winner. I already have a few of the Aerin scents and honestly, she never disappoints. The notes are violet leaf, cedarwood, and amber. A little scared of scents? Order a sample here or the bottle here. 

 

Next on my list is this divine video of Dame Joanna Lumley at Wimbledon explaining afternoon tea.

Simply wonderful to watch. Now I hope you all enjoyed my favorites for this month. My newsletter should be hitting your inboxes soon. Here shortly I will be sharing the status of my plate wall, sharing two new bags, and my new vintage birdcage! It is stunning! 

I am also about to start putting items on sale for the boutique. I need to start trying to clear out inventory. With that being said the Gatsby Pearl Necklace is now on sale for only $10! The WooPay option is easy to use and accepts all cards. Order a pair for your wardrobe to enjoy and to wear when you feel the need to be elegant. WEAR THE PEARLS!

Enjoy!

 

  • Affiliate links attached.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Travel Luxuries ~ 2024

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Hello Everyone,

Goodness what a weekend. I am trying to stay away from the news. There is too much going on right now. I did go antiquing on Saturday. One of the interior designers from the showhouse has a booth at Midland’s and I wanted to take a peek at it. While I was there, I found a gorgeous armchair that I will share in my July favorites. I placed it inside my greenhouse. It looks so stunning there. 

I am gearing up for my trip next week. I will be flying to Virigina. In this blog post I wanted to share my current travel items. Honestly some of them are a luxury to me because I did not have really nice travel items until recently. There are a few influencers that I follow on Amazon, and they have shared some wonderful items on how to travel with affordable luxury. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

I will start with this first. This is the cabinet in my closet. I have taken the first two shelves and created these “travel essentials” shelves. What I noticed (after traveling all these years) is that after we go on a trip, I usually leave my travel essentials and bags in my suitcases. What I noticed is that when my trips were approaching, and I was making a list I would NEVER know what I needed for my trip because everything would be in my suitcases tucked away in my closet. So dumb! 

So when I reorganized my closet a few months ago I decided to go through everything and pull things out and make space for my travel essentials. It has made me so happy! I can know see what I need, and it has encouraged me to purchase more travel items and get more organized for my trips. 

 

 

One of the new travel luxuries that I have purchased are these petite candles from Linnea. Now these are NOT petite. They are the size of your hand but so easy to pack away and take with you. I will be taking the Night Bloom with me to burn in my hotel room at night while I read a book. I also have a box of matches to take with me from Linnea. How elegant is that! 

 

 

My second new travel luxury are these gold airless pump cream jars from Amazon. First off, these are stunning. I will be filling these with my facial cleaners and creams. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Okay I have succumbed to the clear case epidemic but only for the cleaning kits that I kept seeing on YouTube. I love the idea about having my very own cleaning kit. I cannot tell you how many times I have been in a hotel room wish I had some tools to clean items with. 

 

 

But honestly, I am so happy to now have this as a part of my travel luxury items. A cleaning kit for the hotel room? Yes please! I ordered this bed bug spray and the rest was found at stores. If you can’t find any items, this travel cleaning kit is available on Amazon as well. 

 

 

The last newest travel luxury are my new tea bag tins. So most of you know that I love tea and love having it with me when I travel as well but I will admit that I am TERRIFIED when I take tea bags with me through airport security. I do have TSA precheck but still these look suspect! So I wanted to come up with something to carry these in and a sandwich bag was NOT going to cut it. Really these in a sandwich bag? Think about it! So I thought about it and saw that my Harney’s tea is stored in tins, so I searched Amazon for these, and I love them now! I fill so much better having my bags with me and a secure elegant place. 

Of course, I will still be using my packing cubes, vitamin pill holder, contact lenses container, cosmetic bag, and travel jewelry box. This is a work trip so my new mouse pad will be going with me as well as my new laptop screen extender. To see more of my travel favorites, you may read here, and here. 

Also this week I have two new bags that should be arriving. This one from Notiq! I can’t wait. It comes in a smaller version as well. And this bag that I have also been stalking for a while from MME.Mink. I will share an unboxing soon. Have a great week! There will be no blog post next week because I will be out of town, but July favorites will be posted the following week. Talk soon!

 

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Tips for a Balanced Life

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Well Good Morning Friends,

Thank you to everyone who reached out about my perimenopause blog post from last week. I feel like everyone is on this journey. We are all seeking information and looking for ways to naturally deal with the changes in our bodies. The good thing is this is getting more attention, and we are not just left at the mercy of our hormones. 

I was listening to this podcast (it was so good) and the author has a book called The Art of Chilling out for Women. I must admit I was quite curious, so it has been added to my Amazon book list. 

I am always getting emails about items or things and last month I received a newsletter about secrets to a balanced life from V.J. , the owner of Notiq. 

 

photo credit: L. Shockley 

 

In her newsletter she said, “There is a never-ending argument about the concept of work-life balance. Some say there is no such thing as work-life balance. Others say there can only be work-life integration. What are your thoughts on this? How do you define work-life balance in your own life?

As a writer and researcher, I do my best to avoid arguments. I share my research findings and personal observations, empowering you (my audience) to discern what is best and meaningful to you in your own life.

In my many years of research, here is what I have found:

  1. Balance isn’t doing everything.
  2. Balance isn’t knowing everything.
  3. Balance isn’t pleasing everyone.

YES! I could not agree with this beginning more! I certainly did not know this or didn’t believe it. 

She goes on to share her thoughts on “Life Seasons” which I found intriguing.

“This past weekend, I had the honor of speaking at a retreat designed to inspire women to recharge. During my sessions, I shared the three seasons of life many of us go through. These particular life seasons are based on the number of years we’ve had to experience life on earth. I call them Life Seasons. I want to share those three seasons with you today.

Seek Season (ages 1 – 24)

  • The season of searching and discovering
  • The season of learning and awareness
  • The season of “I want to see.”

Success Season (ages 25 – 49)

  • The season of being and becoming
  • The season of doing
  • The season of “I want to matter.”

Significance Season (ages 50 until….)

  • The season of reflection
  • The season of reaping and harvesting
  • The season of “I want to have something to show”

Identifying the season of life you are in can be valuable for several reasons. First, it can help you make better decisions and set appropriate goals based on where you are at in life. For example, if you are in a season of growth and learning, you may prioritize acquiring new skills or education. If you are in a season of doing so, you may focus on adopting systems and tools to help you maximize your time management and resources”. 

Understanding your current season can also help you appreciate and make the most of the present moment rather than constantly striving for something else or comparing yourself with others. It can also provide a sense of perspective and help you navigate life transitions more effectively. We go through many seasons in life.

 

 

Now how inspiring was this? I love the breakdown of the seasons. I seriously believe that I am in season 1 (Seek Season) because I didn’t get to experience it. I married so young and I am now in a season of searching, discovering, learning, and awareness. Now that I am aware that I am in the seek season I will try my best now to rush it but enjoy it. 

How about you? What season do you believe that you are in? Share your thoughts below. Also I wanted to let you all know that the Vintage Vanity Collection is on sale! Each piece is about $10! Order quickly. 

 

 

My Journey with Perimenopause

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Hello Everyone,

I have a short work week this week and hope to get a few things done around the house. We are celebrating the 4th at home with just a small barbecue and some rest hopefully. I really want to head to Meijer to see if they have any flowers or plants. I have been shocked at some of the items that their garden center has. I am hoping to be surprised again. 

Now let’s discuss something serious. I know, I know, the title is a little rough, but we have all gone through it, knows someone in it, or will be going through it here soon. Perimenopause is all over social media and is being discussed by many individuals. I only just learned this term earlier this year. I was having lunch with a few friends when I begin to discuss how I was feeling physically. 

I mentioned how I was tired all the time, could not sleep well (which I NEVER had a problem with), was waking up with moments of body heat, headaches (which I rarely had), noticeable weight gain (that seem to happen overnight), body tightness, fluid retention, and unpredictable periods. My friend then mentioned peri. I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, but she then told me about Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s Instagram videos and that I needed to watch them. 

Oh my goodness! A whole new world was opened to me, and I begin to look up everything that I could on perimenopause. I then called my doctor to make an appointment with her.

 

Captured at on May 09, 2020 by Stacie Flinner Photography.

 

As usual it would take months to see her, so I decided to try a hormone balancing pill. I was sure that I was in perimenopause. I had all those symptoms all the time and I do recall my mother mentioning it to me in my late 20s early 30s about “early menopause”.  I went to Happy Mammonth and took their hormone test. I answered honestly and everything came out pretty true, so I ordered their Hormone Harmony pills to try. I used them for about 2 months and realized that I was not getting the same results as everyone else, and you have to take 4 pills a day! That to me was a lot. The only difference that I noticed was that I had less upset stomach which I enjoyed but I was still miserable. So I stopped ordering them and moved on with my research.

I met with my doctor, and I did share my bottle of Hormone Harmony pills and she to be careful. A lot of those hormonal pills have metals in them. She did “confirm” that I was mostly likely in perimenopause but of course there are no tests to confirm your hormones before menopause. She then referred me to a dietitian and weight loss doctor. I had a great Zoom call with her, and we are meeting in about two weeks to discuss my meal plan and hormones. 

 

photo credit: Victoria Magazine

 

While waiting on my appointment I have been reading the book Rushing Woman’s Syndrome book and I have learned so much from it. I have learned not only about perimenopause but how being in “fight or flight” has an impact on my body, weight, and hormones. I am now in the section learning about PMS, estrogen, and progesterone. 

I didn’t realize how excessive estrogen could affect your body and give you PMS symptoms. I didn’t know that progesterone is one of the most powerful antianxiety and antidepressant substances that the body makes. One thing that is in the book that has been sticking in my mind is SNS (flight or fight) and PNS (rest and digest). I now know that I am in flight or fight ALL THE TIME. I have been trying to train my mind to rest and digest. This book has been guiding me on how to deal with my hormones and perimenopause in a natural way and I am loving it. One comment that the author had was “Women are not supposed to get PMS. Your period is supposed to just turn up…. no extreme mood swings, no pain, no premenstrual migraines… just menstruation”. 

I certainly hope to get to that someday. I hope my post has helped someone in some way. We are all making these hormonal journeys and I love when women share theirs. I hope that you enjoyed mine. Please share you story below. I would love to hear about it. 

Happy 4th! 

 

 

June Favorites ~ 2024

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Good Morning!

It’s been a moment since I have updated you all on the greenhouse. Well last week was dreadfully hot! I lost some of my plants! It was so horrible. My husband and I still have not found a fan to install in the greenhouse, but we are working on it. I need one badly. I did plant more seeds and got a butterfly bush to put in it but it’s still a work in progress. I also found a small birdcage to place inside of it. I thought a birdcage in it would be wonderful to have. I will share photos later. 

Friends, I must tell you about a movie that a co-worker shared with me recently. It is called Mr. Malcolm’s List. If you are a Bridgerton fan then you will certainly enjoy this movie! I LOVED it and have watched it a few times already. It’s such a treat without all of sex scenes. I am a little tired of that and probably will not continue to watch Bridgerton. It’s just a bit much!

Now let’s get into my favorites for this month…

 

 

My first favorite is my David Austin Roses. I shared these in my post about my greenhouse earlier this month. They are truly elegant. I love all three of them and they each have their own scent and a certain charm. Make sure that you watch Nicolas Fairford’s recent video. He actually takes you on a small tour of the original David Austin Rose location in England. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

Second on my list is my personal fan. I cannot tell you how much I LOVE this thing! It’s easy to charge and fits right into your bag or tote. I carry it everywhere. We have had some horribly humid days and having this to refresh me has been a game changer!

 

 

 

 

Third were these gorgeous pale pink and gold plates from Amazon. I ordered them for a recent baby shower and they were perfect! The quality was unbelievable. Everyone loved them. They came with dinner plates, dessert plates, utensils, napkins, and cups for under $40! 

 

 

Oh my goodness! This fantastic blue and white dress from Bloomchic was a steal! It is under $40, available in plus sizes and it’s blue and white. Need I say more. Look at the wonderful details. 

 

 

Fifth are my solo dinner meals. Sometimes my daughter goes and has dinner with her friends and my husband runs late while working on projects so I get dinner alone and it’s great! On those nights I make my salmon with lemon and dill, steam rice, and roasted cherry tomatoes with spinach and mushrooms. It is a wonderful self-care moment. 

 

 

As I mentioned in my greenhouse post I had to get some garden shoes and these shoes have turned out to be the best thing for me while I am gardening. They are perfect. Easy to slip on and comfy! Now I don’t wear these any other place but my garden and the greenhouse. 

 

 

My seventh are these newly launched scarf ties from Sarah Flint. They can be worn in multiple ways. Around your neck, bag, wrist, you name it! The pattern is lovely and classic. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

This was another OMG moment. I was a little unsure about this mouse pad but when I saw how much it was, I figured why not order it. It’s outstanding! I love it. It will be my travel mousepad while I am on my work trips. It’s easy to pack away and extremely chic! Order while you can! 

 

 

These days are hot and I love having my Notiq water bottle. I have the large you can order the small. Both are very becoming. I am telling you people will ask you about it. I always get asked about it. It also comes with its own bottle cleaner and is BPA free. Also check out the new arrivals. Like this beautiful blue and white gift box. It’s perfect for putting your gorgeous gifts in and sending it to friends and family. 

 

 

 

Last on my list has been such a gem. I think I shared this in my newsletter last month but finding this was truly incredible. I love having this play on my screen when I am working around my home. I truly does look like a work of art. I would encourage you to take a look at this channel and save all of these beautiful works of art to play on your screen. It will uplift you and bring about elegance in your home. 

As usual I hope you all enjoyed my favorites for this month. I will be sharing my travel favorites soon as I prepare for my work trip to Virigina. Have a wonderful day!

 

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