Trying to Live Well ~ Part 2

/2 Comments/in /by

 

 

Happy Friday!

It is a cold day here in Indy. We got 3 more inches yesterday…. I think everyone is hating snow this season. I hope things get better in Texas. I pray that they do. This weekend I have some errands to run. I really want to go to Kohls. I heard that the Harry Slatkin candle collection is at Kohl’s. I want to go and give those a smell and I may stop by DSW to have a look at their sandals. Well, let’s get into today’s post. 

In 2018,  I wrote a blog post called Trying to Live Well, and in that blog post, I discussed my frustration with rude people. I can’t believe that I wrote that almost 3 years ago! Time is just flying. Well, my frustration with people has since calmed down but the world is still a rude place. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

We are now in a new year and I always try to think about my year ahead. It’s hard to do that but I do know that living a good life is always on my list. I was on Amazon (like always) and spotted another Alexandra Stoddard book called “You Are Your Choices; 50 Ways to Live a Good Life”. 

Alexandra talked about how past philosophers “believed we should live by the Golden Triangle of what is true, good, and beautiful. When we grasp what is true and good, we elevate our lives to become beautiful”. 

 

photo credit: Rachel Parcell.com 

 

Alexandra goes on to say that “the good life is a life of moral excellence that leads to happiness. We need to be hungry and thirsty for life abundant in order to fulfill our highest aspirations day to day. While some people just want to get by, we should choose to thrive”. 

 

photo credit: Gal Meets Glam.com 

 

The last thing that I wanted to share from the book was this, “a well-lived life is not an accident. The challenges that some of us will face in the future are unprecedented. We must be prepared. We are not saints. We are often tempted. We will not always make wise choices, but we will have to live with the consequences and hardships as a result. Nonetheless, we can recommit ourselves to true, good, and beautiful. Never mistake your choice to live a good life as selfishness. This is what all of us ought to be choosing. By having a proper framework for right thinking and right action, we come to understand that we have a right to pursue personal happiness”. 

I hope this helps some of you today. Choose truth, good, and the beautiful! I also believe that the Lord will guide us to it. 

Have a great weekend! 

 

 

 

A Time to Focus

/in /by

 

 

Good Afternoon,

Well, I guess snow felt the need to make an appearance this season. I can’t believe all the snow that they are getting in Texas! Wow…. here we are holding steady and honestly Indy is use to this kind of weather. It doesn’t mean we like it but we are use to it. Well enough snow talk….. 

 

I recently found this meme on Pinterest and wanted to share it.

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

I read this during quarantine last year and it made me do some serious thinking. I began to think about everything that I tried to do in my office to get promoted and then it dawned on me that it was wasted energy. So at that moment, I began to take that energy and put it toward things that mattered. 

 

photo credit: Pinterest 

So then this meme popped in my news feed on Pinterest and I thought, hum. God is listening. I think the Lord uses small things to speak to us. So I then started to put more of my time and energy into my home life. I got my daughter on a checklist schedule for school. I began to think of things that my husband and I could do. I put more energy into prayer and devotional time. I got focused on my weight loss, moved my blog to my own website, organized my home, and started an online boutique. And you know what, I have been so much happier!

 

photo credit: Marchioness (Instagram)

 

I honestly just got tired of things. I am tired of all of the stupid competing that some of the support staff in our office do. I just got tired and so now I am at the point where I really don’t care who they promote I am just going to take my energy and run my own race! I am so excited about my new online boutique! I am telling you guys even looking for items for my boutique has given me a joy that I have not had in a long time. That’s how I know that I am following my passion. 

 

If you feel like you are running in circles in your career, you may want to take a step back and re-evaluate things. Really began to ask your self is this what you really want? Is this position or job really worth the fight? I asked myself those questions and I came up with a loud and resounding NO! Now I am not saying that I am going to quit my job but what I am saying is it’s no longer going to take top priority. No, it’s been shifted to last on my list and that is where it will stay. 

 

photo credit: Laurel Bern Interiors 

 

Now if the Lord opens a door for me as far as a promotion then I will accept it because I don’t think he will allow jobs or opportunities into my life that are not his will. But one thing that I am done with doing is being concerned with other people’s thoughts of me. And worrying about if they think I am worthy of promotion. Over it! 

What are your thoughts? Have you been here before? Be brave and share your experience. In the meantime here is an article about 11 Ways to Uncomplicate Your Life. It’s a great list. I hope you enjoy it! 

 

Other blog posts about life elegance:

Challenges in the Office, the Symphony of Elegance, Chic Tips for Working Women, and  Be Someone of Quality

 

 

 

Valentine’s Day at Home

/2 Comments/in , /by

 

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I hope you all had a great weekend and enjoyed your Valentine’s Day with your loved ones. I saw lots of pictures on Instagram full of candies and sweets. They all look great but I don’t know about you but I can’t eat sweets like that anymore. I am not sure why but my taste buds are going through changes. I did enjoy seeing everyone’s flowers. I love flowers and love a wonderful large bouquet for no reason. 

Mr. Shockley and I spent the holiday at home. I am telling you I did not step foot out my door yesterday. Saturday I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things but that was it. Today I wanted to visit my p.o. box (just to check on things) but that will have to wait until later this week. We are getting ready to get hit with our 6 to 8 inches of snow today!

In today’s post, I did want to share how my stay home date went with my hubby.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

Of course one cannot start Valentine’s Day without flowers. My husband asked if I wanted anything specific and I told him to just keep it simple this year. So he came home with these and I could not love them more!

 

 

A rose bouquet that he got me earlier in the week. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

I think I shared that I did not want to go out for dinner so I included a steak dinner in our HelloFresh box for this order. This was the middle eastern steak and rice pilaf meal.

 

It turned out pretty good. I was really intimidated by the steak. I have never cooked steak on the stove. I have always cooked it in a crockpot. It always comes out so tender. But the basmati rice was good and I always love roasted vegetables. The dipping sauce for the steak was sour cream, yogurt, and zucchini which I thought was a bit unusual but it tasted good. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

We turned off the lights and I brought down my candelabra from the boutique. I placed a candlestick in it and we enjoyed a nice quiet dinner. Where was our daughter you may ask? Well her bestie called her and asked if she could come by for a few and we sent her over there. It was nice having a quiet home. 

 

 

Even though we spent the day home I still got dressed up. I dress every day so this was not hard for me. And yes I spent the whole day in the house looking like this. I enjoy looking nice so sitting around my home like this does not bother me at all. 

Overall we had a nice Valentine’s day. I did order a few things from Express while they had their sale. I ordered this lace cami, this wrap blouse, and these quilted slides in pecan.  I have actually tried these slides on in the store and they are super comfy. 

I hope you all have a great Monday and enjoy your day! 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.

 

 

 

A Home for Elegance ~ Online Boutique

/2 Comments/in , /by

 

 

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all are well. Valentines’s Day is this weekend! My husband and I really don’t have much planned. I really don’t want to go to a restaurant. The wait time has been terrible because of social distancing, so I plan on spending it at home. Our second Hello Fresh box is suppose to arrive today and I am so excited. I picked out a steak dinner to prepare and eat at home. That is what I plan on doing for Valentine’s Day this year.

I think most of you follow me on Instagram (and here) and saw that I have started an online boutique! I made a decision in November to start this journey. I am really excited and have been wanting to do this for quite some time now. A few of my orders have arrived and I will be sharing them on my A Home for Elegance boutique account. Of course, I will be sharing lots on the blog too! Here are a few photos so far. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

I took a corner in the loft of our home. I use the loft as my home office so there is plenty of space in this room. I had my elliptical here. It was placed sideways and I just felt like it was taking up good space so I moved the elliptical next to my desk. Everything looks great in this corner! What do you guys think?

I found the table with drawers (buffet) at the flea market. I paid about $100 for it. It is solid! The clothing rack is from Amazon and was only $89 with a coupon! The clear chair I found at a florist shop but I found one similar here. The quilted handbag is from RedDress. I am trying to find some for my boutique. I love how everything turned out.

 

 

Every morning when I get up, I come into this room and just stare at it. It’s not much but this boutique does wonders to my soul. I have dreamt of starting something like this for many years and to actually began the process of making this happen has just been amazing to me. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

This dress was in my first order. This is a dress that I will have in plus sizes. I already have it in 1x, 2x, and 3x! I intend on carrying regular and plus sizes. I have a few more items that I will share later. I added the brooch. I think it looks fantastic! What do you think?

My hope is to have everything ready in March. There are still a few things left before we can launch. I hope you all enjoyed this post and I know it’s crazy but I can’t believe that I am turning my blog into a business. I hope you guys come along on this journey! 

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

 

Also, don’t forget to follow me on the LIKEtoKNOWit app.  This app is completely free and is easy to download. I was a little apprehensive too until I decided to download it and follow some of my favorite grandmillienials. I don’t regret it. It’s a wonderful app and I don’t get any money if you download it. I only get a small commission if you purchase something from my account. 

 

 

A Classy Galentine Luncheon

/in , /by

 

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I am super excited! My orders from my first two vendors arrived yesterday. Everything looks great and I have the correct sizes! I can’t believe it. I am still so nervous about this but there is a little tug on my heart that is letting me that this is okay. 

With all of the work that I have had to do for the website, boutique, housework, etc., I almost completely forgot about Valentine’s Day this weekend! I saw this on another blogger’s post. This is something that I would love to do with some of my close friends. 

 

photo credits: Mary Craven Photography 

 

 

Wouldn’t this be nice? I would love to invite some girlfriends over and we could sit, enjoy a nice meal together and just chat. 

 

 

What a wonderful lunch? Chicken and mushroom crepes? I have never heard of that but it looks delicious! I’ve never had a citrus salad either. Looks refreshing!

 

photo credits: Mary Craven Photography 

 

Oh and let’s not forget the china and dessert. This looks similar to Aerin Lauder china that I shared in yesterday’s blog post! This is bittersweet chocolate with creme Chantilly. Add some fresh berries and some shortbread and you have a light but tasty dessert. 

 

 

I have already visualized myself and some of my very good friends at this table. So classy, timeless, wonderful, and benevolence. If you don’t have a Valentine for this year then call on your good friends! You don’t have to be as fancy as this. Use your best and do your best but enjoy your time. If you wish to read the original article you may see it here. 

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make Time for Yourself

/2 Comments/in /by

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you all had a great weekend. I did, it was cold but I enjoyed myself. On Saturday our daughter had a hair appointment so we dropped her off at the salon and my husband and I headed to the mall. We are trying to get into the habit of doing more things together. My husband headed to Von Maur and I went to Sephora. I picked up some new skincare products. I will be sharing them soon. 

On Friday I stopped at the flea market to find a long table with storage for my online boutique. I am hoping to have it up and running soon. The goal is to add another page to the “shop” tab and call it the Boutique. I still have a lot of work ahead of me but we will get there. My goal is March but we will see. Anyway, while I was at the flea market I found some gorgeous crystal candlestick holders! They are stunning. I can’t stop looking at them. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

After that, I went grocery shopping and picked up some gorgeous lilies. These are going to be so beautiful to have in my home office/boutique this week!!!!!

 

 

On Sunday I did a little housework, blog work, and boutique work and then decided to give myself a pedicure. While sitting I started to read my Entertaining Beautifully by Aerin Lauder. It is so well written and so inspiring. I got to page 15 and this subchapter was called, ” Make Time for Yourself”. Aerin discussed how it may seem counterintuitive to focus on solitude before you entertain but her grandmother Estee said that it is worth taking the time to make any meal or occasion beautiful. And you all know that I could not agree with her more….

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

I love the early mornings on the weekend. It is my time to enjoy the silence of my home, make a beautiful breakfast, and savor a hot cup of roasted dandelion and chamomile tea. I use all of my china in my home. I don’t care what day it is. 

Aerin went on to say that, “Even when you’re having your morning coffee or afternoon tea by yourself, it’s deserving of a china teacup, cream and sugar served in a pitcher and sugar bowl, not a carton and a linen napkin. These things only take a moment, but they elevate the entire experience so that you can slow down and actually enjoy it”. 

 

photo credit: Simon Upton, page 17

 

The above photo is of Aerin’s tea set. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Aerin says, “Fresh flowers and your best china and silver shouldn’t just be saved for special occasions or holidays: use them every day for yourself and notice the difference in how it makes you feel. I think taking time for yourself is the secret to being a good hostess, wife, mother, and friend. I believe in putting the same care into a cup of afternoon tea for myself as I would when serving a guest. It’s those little niceties that rejuvenate me”. 

I hope you are inspired to use your best and to take moments of solitude. Even with everyone working from home these days, we still need that rest and solitude. Take care of yourselves and do it beautifully! I have written other posts about using your best. See here, here, and here. Enjoy! 

 

 

 

 

My Blue and White Facemask Collection

/in /by

 

 

Good Afternoon All,

I am working on something new and will be sharing it soon. Make sure you start to follow the A Home for Elegance Instagram account. I will be posting the updates on there as well. I am really excited but absolutely terrified at the same time. This is something that I have been wanting to do for years and I mean literally years! I remember sketching clothes and my business ideas way before I was even married. I still have all of those sketches and business ideas from 2002. I kept everything I wrote down. Everything….

Well, it’s Friday and it’s going to be a cold weekend for us here in Indy. I think I saw that it was going to be only 10 degrees (as a high) on Monday! Great… That’s my office day. But I try to remind myself that we need this cold. It’s a necessary evil. I am trying to get my weekend planned. I always have a checklist. Even for the weekends. I really want to visit Sephora. I need some new face wash and I want to take a look at some eyebrow products. 

In today’s post, I wanted to share my blue and white collection of face masks. I can’t believe we are still wearing these things but I am hoping that some changes will come soon. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

This was my first blue and white mask purchase. I purchased this from a website called Gossamer. My particular print is no longer available. It debuted in the Spring of 2020 but this blue and white face mask is available for a really great price. They have other masks. I would encourage you to look around. 

 

 

This was a second Gossamer purchase. This also debuted last year and sold out pretty quickly. It is two-sided. It has the same print on the other side but the majority of it is white and the birds are blue. It’s quite lovely. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

This was my third blue and white mask purchase. I ordered this from fellow blogger Tina from the Enchanted Home. This is her hand-embroidered face mask in soft blue. It is still available for purchase. I have been thinking about ordering a second from her. I really like the navy color that she offers. We will see. 

 

 

My fourth blue and white mask purchase was from Etsy. Another fellow blogger shared this. This is the shabby chic blue and white mask from Perdita Studio. It was only $10 and I love it! It fits great on my face and was affordable. 

 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

My last purchase (for now) was this blue and white Audrey mask from Shopfofas. Once you get your ribbons tied to your face shape it becomes easier to put on. They have other beautiful masks available. I hope you take a look around.

I hope everyone enjoyed these now essential finds.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Let me know in the comments section below what your favorite mask is.  Also, don’t forget to follow me on the LIKEtoKNOW.it app. You can download the app for free! I love it! I get to shop and follow all of my favorite grandmillennial influencers!  You can also screenshot my photos and get instant access to the items! I will be posting there 3 to 4 times a week now. Enjoy!