January Favorites ~ 2022

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Good Morning,

I hope everyone had a restful weekend! On Friday I came home drank a glass of wine and relaxed. My husband picked up my favorite dinner from the Cheesecake Factory and it was a really good night! 

On Saturday I took my shoes in for repair, went antiquing and grocery shopping. I found some wonderful finds at the antique store.  I will share them later. For right now let’s get into my favorites for the first month of 2022!

 

 

First on my list is this gorgeous blue and white scarf from Amazon! I still can’t believe that this beautiful accessory came from Amazon. You know they do surprise me sometimes. 

 

 

Second is this elegant hair clip from Jefferson Lane. I knew when I ordered it that I was going to turn it into a brooch. I just added a brooch pin to the back and viola! An elegant piece for my wardrobe. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Third are my chinoiserie-inspired teacups and new teapot from HomeGoods! I still can’t believe that my location had these! I had the biggest smile on my face when I spotted them on the shelf. I have been using them ever since. I wish I could find the link for them but I found this one and this one on Amazon. I did manage to find this coffee mug as well. 

 

 

It has been REALLY cold here in Indy and so I pulled out my faux mink coat that I found during the summer at H&M for only (and get this) $44! What a steal! This coat is so warm! I love it so much. My coat is sold out but QVC has this one, this one, and this one. 

 

 

Fifth has been my floral tights from Target. They are back in stock!!! You better hurry and order your size!

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The sixth has been this incredibly chic and vintage-inspired soap dish from Amazon! It is super heavy and amazingly good quality! It was under $20!

 

 

Seventh is my winter antiquing trip that I just took. I will share my finds later this week! If you follow me on Instagram I posted a reels video on my feed. 

 

 

And lastly are my new Coach heels. I have been stalking these online for a while. They do have a pair that is on sale and they are here. There are more items that are on my favorites list but this list would get too long and I have already posted most of them on my blog. 

Oh I almost forgot. Last weekend we had our monthly Chic Society Zoom call and I enjoy these so much. I did learn about a new Youtube channel called Lazy Dancer Tips. I am really enjoying this channel. It is helping me so much with my posture, how I stand, and how I sit. My favorite video has been the “Look More Elegant with 3 Simple Tips”. I hope you all enjoy this video and this month’s favorites. Have a wonderful Monday and stay warm!

 

Please note: some links are affiliate links and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a small commission for referring you to the product. Thank you so much in advance if you decide to make a purchase through my link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oprah’s Rose Garden…

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Good Morning Everyone!

It is freezing here in Indy. Yesterday’s high was only 12 degrees! Goodness! But I think some warmer temps may be coming our way next week. This weekend I plan on doing a “closet review”. I plan on purging, donating, and posting new clothes to my Poshmark account. I also plan on taking in another pair of shoes in for repair. 

Honestly, I do want to have a day to just sit in my bed and watch movies. I just want to relax. It has been so cold this week. With all of the talk about colder temperatures I thought I would share a recent rose garden that I stumbled on. It belongs to Oprah….

 

photo credits: Veranda Magazine 

 

This is Oprah’s property in Montecito California and it is 65 acres! Oprah said that when she purchased this property she had no idea how or what she wanted to do with it. 

 

 

She ended up hiring a master rosarian. I didn’t know that a job like that even existed! Master Rosarian? Wow! She hired a gentleman named Dan Bifano. I may be looking into this profession soon. When I continued to read the article Oprah went on to say that she helped her rosarian plant, and arrange her flowers in her garden. This task is so rewarding. I love gardening especially if there is a plan. 

 

 

I love this section in her garden as well. I would love to have something like this in my backyard. This is simply a dream. I could see me having alfresco dinners here regularly. Especially during the spring and summer nights. 

Oprah said,  “Sometimes I stand under the arbor, close my eyes, and allow myself to take in as much as I can: I hear birds splashing in the fountain and literally smell the roses. This garden makes me present.” 

If you want to read the entire article you may do so here. You know this garden reminds me of the Butterfly Garden that I visited in 2015. Looks like I may need to take a second visit in the spring as well! Have a great weekend! 

 

 

Paula Deen’s Birthday Cake

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Good Morning,

Oh goodness, is it the weekend yet? I am ready for the weekend already! It has been such a busy week at work and it is only Wednesday! But on to something fun that I saw on Facebook…

I think that I mentioned that I follow a Facebook page called Grandmillennial Style and we are always sharing our finds and decor from our homes. Well someone shared these wonderful photos from Paula Deen’s 75th Birthday party on our group page. I have no idea who the photographer was or who posted the pictures but I do know one thing, I need to find out who made her cake!!!!

 

photo via Facebook 

 

OMG! This was her cake! It’s incredible, isn’t it? Oh my goodness!

 

photo via Facebook

 

I kept staring at it trying to find out how it was made. I am so curious about this cake and in love with it!

 

photo via Facebook

It’s a beautiful cake, isn’t it? My only hope is that the information about who the baker is surfaces. My 40th birthday is this year and I would LOVE to have something similar to his made. I may have to just take this photo and have someone try to make something similar. What do you all think? I hope this put a smile on your face today. Have a great Wednesday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanity Porcelain Roses

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Good Morning!

We finally got some snow here in Indy. It’s not much but I am so glad to see it! This weekend was nice and quiet. On Saturday I just puttered around the home (I love doing that), went to the grocery store, soaked my nails, and went and had a wonderful dinner at Longhorn. I got the grilled chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, green salad, and a glass of wine. It hit the spot!

On Sunday, I worked on the blog, did some boutique inventory, and went to Von Maur. I wanted to look at some Estee Lauder products in person. I am really curious about a new scent that I just found called Dream Dusk, a lipstick called illuminating shine and the intense brightening cream. The cream is suppose to help reduce your scaring. I already use the Perfectionist Pro and it has been working beautifully! 

Speaking of Estee Lauder products I saw on Saks Aerin Lauder’s home decor items. I immediately fell in love with her Introduction Bloom Porcelain Flower. 

 

photo credit: Aerin.com 

 

Isn’t it gorgeous! Aerin and Estee are notorious for creating beautiful vanity items. 

 

 

Now they do come in two different colors. The darker color is called berry. 

 

photo credit: Aerin.com

 

They are made of ceramic and measure about 5.7″ in diameter and 2.1″ in height. They are just lovely pieces!

So lovely that I had to order my own!

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

I have no regrets! Most of you have already seen my dresser/vanity and know that I love beautiful vintage items and this rose is a wonderful addition. It’s classic, beautiful, and will be timeless. 

 

 

 

 

 

I took this photo so that you can see the size of it. It fits right into the middle of my hand. It’s not too big or too small. Honestly, I ordered two! I wanted a second one for my office at work. I seriously have no regrets ordering these. Now I know that they are a bit expensive so I searched online to find something similar and a bit less expensive and I found this one and this one on Amazon. 

Beautiful things are so hard for me to pass up. Especially something that has the potential to be a family heirloom. I love heirlooms. I have no heirlooms from my family but have a few from my husband’s family and I think that they are the best things to have. It shows your family’s taste, their minds, and their heritage. Lauren, our daughter, is going to have a LOT of heirlooms from me. I just hope that she cherishes them. 

Have a great Wednesday!

 

Boutique news: With Valentine’s Day fast approaching I wanted to put some of my dresses on sale. The Lillian Vine dress is still on sale and now the Frances dress is on sale as well as the Charlotte Velvet dress! I think all of those would be a great dress to wear on a date night! And if you purchase one of those dresses you get a free pair of earrings your choice! Just put a note in the note section when you are finishing your purchase! 

 

Please note: some links are affiliate links and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a small commission for referring you to the product. Thank you so much in advance if you decide to make a purchase through my link.

 

Macaroni Soup- A Comfort Food Recipe

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Good Morning Everyone,

Goodness, these Fridays sure do come pretty fast. January is almost over and I keep looking at my closet thinking, “okay I have to do a cleanout soon”. There are a few items that I need to put on my Poshmark closet account and I few items that I need to donate to the women’s shelter. Speaking of women’s shelters I have not been able to volunteer at Dress for Success for almost two years now and it has made me so sad. The pandemic has really ruined a lot of things but we will continue to pray and move forward. 

I did want to share that my macaroni soup came out so good! I was so happy with the results and had to share it will you guys!

 

 

It was so simple to make. I followed the instructions. I browned the meat with olive oil and chopped up my veggies. 

 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

One thing that I did differently and that was cook my pasta separately. The instructions do call for you to cook your pasta with the meat and veggies but I didn’t want that. I cooked it separately and then added all of the veggies, seasonings, and broth together. 

 

 

I love seeing all of the colors and textures. It was so good! I did add some beef bouillon and they gave it a little more flavor. It was so warm and tasty. 

 

 

I did bake some french bread and we had this with it as well. It was so good. I had it for lunch twice this week. The recipe was so simple, the ingredients so affordable and the soup was so filling. The link to the recipe is here if you wish to try it and I hope you do. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for reading!

 

Just a reminder the Lillian Vine Dress is only $20 this weekend. It’s a great transitional dress! 

 

 

 

 

 

A Checklist for Cozy

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Good Morning,

Our temperatures here are beginning to drop. I still can’t believe the weather that some states are getting. So far here in Indy, we have been able to dodge the snowstorms. I can’t believe it! We are suppose to drop tomorrow down to the single digits and everyone is complaining. I keep telling people, “we are due”! With cold temperatures in mind that had me thinking about Paula Sutton’s “Checklist for Your Cozy Nesting Space”. 

I read this in her book a few weeks ago and wanted to share her tips.

 

My cozy blanket

 

  • Her first tip is: A favorite warm blanket. Getting cozy is all about staying toasty and warm. You may not have an open fire, but a good-quality blanket reserved for this exact moment of the year will make it feel extra special.  (I purchased this cozy blanket from Amazon. The link is here. ) 

 

My candles 

 

Her second tip is:

  • A scented candle. Never underestimate the benefits of smell and calm-inducing aromas. Lavender reduces stress levels and helps you to sleep, ylang ylang is known for its relaxing properties and has been found to aid issues of anxiety, depression, and even high blood pressure (although always check with your doctor to treat serious medical issues); lemon and other citrus scents are good for calming stress- they are also said to improve memory!  (I am loving these Tory Burch candles another favorite candle is fresh cut lilacs from Bath and Body Works.)

 

The third tip is:

 

 

And her last tip is:

  • Your favorite hot drink. Warm milk is a great addition to your calming routine. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that can make you feel calm, and hot drinks naturally provide comforting feelings. Chamomile and lemon balm are also known for their calming properties if you’d rather not drink milk. ( I drink chamomile tea every day. It’s my favorite! ) 

 

Just reading this list makes me want to stay home and “cozy up” in my bed with my blanket, soft socks, scented jasmine candle, and a cup of hot tea! Have a great Wednesday!

 

 

 

Please note: some links are affiliate links and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a small commission for referring you to the product. Thank you so much in advance if you decide to make a purchase through my link.

Breakfast with the Madame…

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Good Morning Everyone!

Happy MLK Day! Dr. Martin Luther King was always a wonderful leader that I enjoyed studying in school. I hope that we continue to have wonderful leaders like him. Today I plan on taking a 2-mile walk around my neighborhood and finishing up some house chores. I also plan on vising my local Homegoods store to see what goodies they may have. It is always a hit or miss with that store.

This weekend I did some house cleaning, scheduled some more house chores that I need to get to. Like I really need to clean my chandeliers and wash my blue and white gingers jars that are in my kitchen on top of the cabinets. I am still in tax mode and hoping to get that finished in the next few weeks. Also, I don’t know if I mentioned this but this was going to be the month where I was going to go to my first concert! BUT… Diana Krall has postponed her tour for now and I am so devastated. I was so looking forward to it but we will wait and be hopeful that we will get some new dates here soon. 

I did get a wonderful package this weekend…. 

 

 

I started following this company called MME.Mink on Instagram. And it’s pronounced, Madame Mink. I had to search some videos to figure out how you say it. I watched this interview on Instagram to get an understanding of what Jane the owner was like. 

 

 

It was a wonderful interview and I knew that I was going to love her products. I originally wanted this tote here but I decided to go smaller. That tote is super large but I do still love it. I don’t know you guys I may order it later. 

I ended up ordering the LadyJane in Moss and I could not love it more!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

I love the fox and the gold details. The tag does have “Mrs. Shockley” on it! I grin every time I look at it. 

 

“Having tea with the Madame”!

 

This is a super high-quality basket bag. I mean you can tell when you hold it. It is not some flimsy wicker bag. It is structurally sound and has weight to it. On the inside, there are two pockets for your cell, a side zipper pocket, and tons of space. 

 

photo credit: L. Shockley 

 

This bag is definitely going to be a classic for me and I am hoping to pass it down. Maybe a granddaughter will want it! 

 

I did share this on my Youtube channel. You may watch it below.

 

 

 

This post is not sponsored.