New Dinner Recipes ~ Hello Fresh

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Good Afternoon Everyone,

I want to jump right into today’s post. I shared this on my Youtube channel that my family and I were going to be trying HelloFresh! And drum roll please….. it was wonderful! So let’s start with what we ordered.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

So this is how the order arrived. There is a freezer packet in there and all of the ingredients are packed in their own bag. It is very organized! Also, you are encouraged to recycle everything and we did. 

 

Here are the meal instruction cards. I ordered the creamy chive chicken, creamy chicken & mushroom cavatappi, and the onion crunch chicken. Lots of chicken dishes but each dish was packed with flavor and easy to prepare. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The first meal that I made was the creamy chive chicken dinner. The side dishes were lemony rice and a dijon apple salad. 

 

 

I washed and cut up all of the produce. Put the jasmine rice in our rice cooker with the lemon zest, (oh so good), made the creamy chive sauce, and cooked the chicken. 

 

 

 

Here is the finished product. It was so delicious! The hint of lemon in the jasmine rice was yummy. The sauce on the chicken was out of this world! I love the combination of the chicken stock with the dijon mustard. It was a real treat. The salad was tasty as well. The sweet apples with the lemon, mustard, and chives was wonderful. My husband ATE his salad! Can you believe it? He ate his first salad you guys! I couldn’t believe my eyes! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

The next meal was the creamy chicken & mushroom cavatappi. 

 

 

I washed and cut up the produce as usual. 

 

While the pasta was cooking, I finished cutting up the scallions and garlic cloves. 

 

 

I placed the chicken in the pan with the mushrooms, cream sauce base, Italian seasoning, and mushroom stock. 

 

 

Once everything was cooked, I combined the chicken with the pasta, and voila. We had another delicious, flavorful meal in about 30 minutes! My husband and daughter ate this too. My husband went back for seconds!  Yay! 

 

And finally, the last meal, which was the onion crunch chicken with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted broccoli with honey dijon dressing. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

Wash and cut the produce. 

 

 

 

In this photo, I am mixing the crispy fried onions and Monterey jack cheese in a bowl. 

 

 

I topped the chicken with the mixture. The sweet potatoes were boiling and the broccoli was in the oven roasting with olive oil and salt and pepper. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

This was the meal after cooking. The chicken was tender, the broccoli tasted great, but the mashed sweet potatoes were the best! It had sour cream and butter in them. Oh my goodness, so good! Well after having this for almost a week I would say HelloFresh was wonderful! My favorite meal was the first one. The creamy chive sauce was the best thing I have ever made. My husband loved every meal and our daughter ate most of it. 

The next week I was looking for meal ideas and I told my husband that I wish we had a box of HelloFresh he said he wish we did too! That was so good to hear. Now I have set up our membership for bi-weekly boxes. So we will not be getting our next box until February 12th. I am excited about the next box. If you have been on the fence to try HelloFresh I hope this helped you to give it a second look. You can cancel at any time and their customer service is great! Enjoy your Wednesday!

 

 

 

fyi: This post is not sponsored. 

 

 

Beautiful Office Finds

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Good Afternoon Everyone!

We woke up this morning to a cold and snowy day. I was so happy to see that. Mr. Shockley was not! He hates snow but lets me enjoy my moment. I was so happy to see it snow this weekend. It helps bring balance to my world. We have had very warm winters here and it always concerns me. I need things to freeze! Especially parasites! Sheesh…

Okay everyone I wanted to share some recent office items that I purchased. Do you ever look around and think, “Goodness I need to replace that stapler”. Especially since it can’t staple more than 7 pages! That is one of the problems that I have been having with my office supplies. They really don’t give us “pretty” desk items to use at my office so I made a decision recently to buy my very own beautiful items. 

I started with my crappy stapler…

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

So the office where I work does provide office supplies but sometimes they are not the best. I had the worst stapler. It didn’t work half of the time and I kept it for years! I recently had an epiphany and decided I am going to buy my own! So I found this gold and white one at Target a few months ago and could not be happier! I thought I should have done this sooner! 

 

This soon put me on the path to replacing everything in my office! This next item was my tape dispenser. 

 

 

Now the office provided me with a basic black one and even that didn’t work right! The cylinder that held the tape never stayed in place and I kept that one for years! One thing I can say about myself is that I am long-suffering. Sheesh! So I decided to replace it with this lovely one that I found on Amazon. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

Next was a new pair of floral shears. Most of you know that I enjoy buying and having fresh flowers at home and at work every week. Well, I was using these basic black scissors (provided by the office) to cut my flowers and sometimes I destroyed them because they were not sharp! Enough of that! My flowers deserve the best and so do I so ordered these great floral shears from Amazon and I could not be happier! They are perfect for cutting my floral bouquets! I bought two pairs! One for home and the office. Yay!

 

 

Here is my second pair in the office and I placed them in this floral pen holder that I also found on Amazon. This holder is great for pens, makeup brushes, or maybe a small floral arrangement. You could use it for anything and it’s affordable.  

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

Speaking of makeup brushes and this is not office-related but since I am on an organizing kick, I decided to organize my side of the vanity. I use lots of products and wanted something to organize them all. 

 

 

So I decided to give this rotating, adjustable cosmetic tray a try. Honestly, I couldn’t love it more! Oh my gosh! I have so much room and it spins! I love it! I can see all of my products and I was able to add more of my products to it. I had to keep a lot of my creams and serums in the drawer because there was not enough room for them. Now I see everything and use it. Best investment! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Okay on now to some new pens. I also wanted to replace some of my pens in the office and found these on Instagram. These pens are so stunning to me and look great on your desk. They are black ink and I do prefer blue but that is fine. They work well. She has several different kinds. Even one with a giant pearl at the top. I would also encourage you to take a look at her other close-out office items! 

 

 

At last and the best of all is my new blue and white tissue holder from Splendor in the South.  If you are interested in ordering one you must contact her via her website or Instagram. You may ask her if any of the blue and white tissue holders are available. They are $58 plus shipping. I would recommend you sending her a direct message on Instagram. It may take her a bit to get back to you but she will. 

I hope you all enjoyed my office finds for today. If you have broken office items that don’t work well get rid of them. Don’t be like me and keep them for eternity. There are so many affordable office supplies out there. There is no need to keep broken items on your desk. Make it beautiful!

 

 

 

fyi: This post is not sponsored. I use affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links.

 

 

Floral Laptop Case

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Good Afternoon Everyone,

I just watched our local weather and we are expecting more snow! Here in my city, we are only suppose to get 2 to 4 inches but the northern part of the state is expecting more! Oh goodness. Here we go! 

Well let’s move on to my wonderful Amazon find. I have been shopping like crazy on Amazon and what I have been ordering are items that I should have replaced a long time ago. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

One of those items is this laptop case. I ordered the 15-16 inch and it turned out to be the perfect size! 

 

 

I have to take my work laptop home and did not like the case that they gave me and wanted to order my own. This was only $14.99 and is water repellant, has foam padding, and has a fleece lining for bump and shock absorption. 

 

 

Loving the fleece lining. 

 

 

My laptop fits perfectly inside. I love having this and I am so glad that I ordered it. It also fits perfectly in my large work tote. It’s so nice just to place it inside and out of my tote instead of carrying a separate bag for my laptop. Annoying…. 

I hope you enjoyed this quick, chic, and functional find. I will be sharing more Amazon finds next week. Have a wonderful weekend! 

 

fyi: This post is not sponsored. I use affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links.

 

 

 

Elegant Living ~ Moments at Home

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Good Afternoon Everyone,

 

I have had such a busy week. On Monday I decided to register “A Home for Elegance” as a business here in my state! I am really excited! I did it for future business endeavors that I want to move into and for protecting my name. I have heard of some horror stories of individuals having their blog names stolen! Not fun!

Also this past Sunday I received an email from a college professor who found my blog post about the Thomas Jefferson’s Library. She wanted my permission to use my photos and info for one of her upcoming lectures! How cool is that? I told her yes and she will be giving credit to my blog! How fabulous is that?

It really made my heart sing. Another thing that made my heart sing was some recent home photos that I took. I try my very best to enjoy my home. I want it to be a place that I enjoy and that beauty is allowed to reside at all times. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

This is a photo of my dresser. Sometimes I walk by a place in my home and it just captures me. This very moment did. My feminine jewelry is displayed and I have a lovely and large peony arrangement. It’s full of pinks and creams. The way to my heart. Always have your favorite items out and look at. It will make you smile on the inside. I promise you. 

 

 

 

This is my desk in my home office. This weekend I found some Queen Anne’s Lace. I could not pass it up. It cut it down to have it fit in this small but beautiful vase. I found it at an antique store while shopping with a friend. Fresh flowers are always a must. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

This weekend I also changed our bed linens. Fresh linens are always a sign of softness and scent. Having fresh bed sheets is heaven scent. I love climbing into a well-made bed every night. I hope you change your sheets often. It will help your soul at night. 

 

 

Beautiful things to enjoy are also soft blankets. On a cold winter night, I placed the pink one down first and then I lay on it. It provides softness to my body and warmth. This is a lovely trick to do before sliding into a cold bed at night. My doggie Bishop agrees. He has a very warm bed himself. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Again you simply can not pass up flowers. I love this nightstand bouquet that I had last week. The roses were fragrant and so was the purple stock. The colors were perfect. The right amount of pinks, greens, and purple. Enjoy it with a cup of tea and a book. 

 

 

And lastly, my scarves are everything in the winter. We get really cold here in Indy and a scarf goes a long way. From having it on my legs in the car to being wrapped around my neck while running errands. I always spray my scarves with my favorite fragrance. I still smell it even with a mask on. When I come into the home, I place it on my host chair. Just seeing it on my chair gives it an elegant look. It’s a small gesture but powerful to me. It says, “a lady lives here”. 

I hope you enjoyed today’s ideas. I hope my elegant living gestures prompt you to take small actions in your own life. Enjoy being a woman. It’s a wonderful thing. I also wanted to share a favorite Youtube video from last week. If you love table setting, blue and white, this is up your alley!

 

Enjoy! Also, don’t forget to follow me for more inspiration on Instagram. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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January Favorites ~ 2021

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And Good Monday Morning,

I hope everyone had a great weekend! We got snow again and I went to the grocery store and picked up some Queen Anne’s Lace. I love it here in my office. It’s lovely. 

Well, let’s get into my favorites for this month of January.

I going to start off with one of my favorite movies The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez. This movie was free for several months and I watched it several times. I remember when I first got this movie on VHS. I was about 19 and my boyfriend at the time knew that I loved this movie so he bought it for me. I studied this movie every time I watched it and here I am 20 years later and still finding wonderful details to admire. 

Okay, I don’t know how I missed this but has anyone noticed the beautiful and chic pillowcases that J. Lo had in her room? OMG! It could be because in previous times I was paying attention to her clothes and shoes and not her decor but now that I am older I am looking at all things. 

I LOVE these and have been on the hunt for similar ones!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley (I froze the movie in order to get these shots!)

 

Here is another beautiful shot I took from the movie. I love everything about her living room. The champagne striped couch, elegant chairs, gold candlesticks on the fireplace mantel, even the artwork. The room is stunning!

 

 

Here is another photo that I took while freezing the movie of her bedroom. I am just loving how simple yet sophisticated it is. Even the wood vintage style nightstands are inspiring. I love the pink/peach color on the walls. That is my future office color. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Second, on my list is my new chinoiserie bathroom! I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to have this lovely room in my home. I have been wanting chinoiserie for years now and to have it is a dream! This door stays open so that every time I walk by or if we are sitting down for dinner I can see it in the distance. It sings to my soul! 

 

 

Third is my new bar cart from Homedepot. I remember posting about buying a bar cart and putting flowers on it and teacups back in 2014 on the Instagram account. It’s funny how sometimes you can post your dreams and they become a reality. 

 

Fourth is my new full-length mirror that I found at HomeGoods! I only paid $60 for it and it was not what I originally wanted but it does the job and fits into the space I want perfectly. This mirror does stand on its own. It has a folding frame which makes using it anywhere possible. I did find one similar on Amazon and I found this one which looks great as well! 

Now I can look at myself before I leave instead of standing on my tippy toes in the bathroom mirror! Plus I get to do more fashion posts. Yay! This tote was on my shopping page. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Fifth is my new coffee table book by Aerin Lauder. I have already started reading it and I have enjoyed the writing so much. I have Aerin’s last book Beauty at Home and consumed that book quickly. There is something so soothing about her writing. The photos are exquisite and the inspiration is unlike any other. 

 

And lastly my sixth favorite is my new silk Coach scarf that I picked up at the Coach Outlet. I could not find my scarf online but I did find this one, and this one for really reasonable prices! One thing I love about this scarf is the colors. I love pink and blue together. I love the horses, and flowers together. It has such a Gal Meets Glam look. 

I hope you all enjoyed my favorites for January. I look forward to what February holds! 

 

 

 

fyi: This post is not sponsored. I use affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Chinoiserie Bathroom

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Good Morning and Happy Friday,

I hope everyone watched the Inauguration. I did and was very happy to see everyone being gracious to one another. That meant more to me than anything. I was happy to see former VP Mike Pence there and how he and our new VP Kamala Harris treated each other. It was respectable. I am a very traditional person and enjoy historical ceremonies such as these. I am always curious to see how the women will dress. Everyone looked great. Although I must admit, I was coveting Jennifer Lopez’s Chanel earrings! How chic were those! Well on to a favorite project. 

I mentioned in my last Youtube video that my husband would be painting our downstairs guest bathroom. I mentioned a stencil by a company called Cutting Edge Stencils that would help accomplish the beautiful chinoiserie print that I wanted and I must say it turned out beautiful!

 

 

This is our bathroom before. The color on the wall is called Flagstone and I believe my husband painted it about 3 years ago. I love this color and knew that white would look great with it. 

 

 

We ordered the Avian Chinoiserie Chic stencil in small. It turned out to be a perfect size. I think if we had ordered the large then the birds and vines would have been too big. 

 

 

This was the bathroom after one day. It took a lot of work. My husband had to use a spray adhesive to get the stencil to stick to the wall. This was a slow process because you also had to wait for the sections to dry before you could continue. 

 

 

This is my husband and this was Day 2. He started off using a roller brush but we soon realized that it could not get all of the details of the stencil. The roller would miss spots so I went and grabbed my foundation sponge and it worked like a charm!!!

 

 

Day 3….

 

 

This was Day 4 and I could not love it more. The paint has dried and it looks like a completely different room. The family is use to closing the door but I have been demanding that they leave it open. I want to be able to see my beautiful bathroom. Plus my husband did a lot of work so I think he should be able to see it too. 

 

 

This was a great compromise for us. I have been wanting chinoiserie wallpaper for a while (some of you may know that) and this was a great substitution. We have had a lot of people already tell us that it looks like wallpaper. I know there are a few spots that we need to fix but for the most part it is a dream for me. My husband has packed away the stencil for another day. I am sure that we will use it again soon. I am very tempted to order a second stencil just in case! 

 

Let me know in the comments section below what you think. Are you a chinoiserie lover? 

 

Have a great weekend!

 

fyi: This post is not sponsored. 

Follow Your Dreams ~Inspiration from Victoria Magazine

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Hello Everyone,

I don’t think I have made it a secret about how much I love Victoria magazine especially January’s issue. If you have not picked up a copy I would suggest you do! It was SO inspiring. For me having my very own side business has always been a dream. I never knew how I would accomplish it and to this very day I still don’t know how, but creating beautiful things has always been a dream for me. 

Even having this blog has been one of the best adventures that I have ever taken. This blog has caused me to create an environment that I love and can’t wait to return to. I love my blog seriously I do. It’s nice to have something that belongs to you. Especially if it is something that you are creating. I always pray that the Lord will continue to lead me in the right direction. 

I picked up my magazine in December and dived right into the articles. This issue is the Entrepreneur issue and has lots of women who are starting businesses while also following their dreams. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

 

This issue talked about seven women entrepreneurs. I follow about three of them and love the work that they do. It is so rewarding to do what you love. I think that most of us follow Jennifer L. Scott and love her channel. I thought they did such a wonderful job telling her story. 

 

photo credit: John O’Hagan ~ Victoria Magazine 

 

The other entrepreneurs that I follow are Cheryl Luckett and Erisha Rubingh. Both of them have wonderful companies that will inspire you to live well. Another person that was mentioned in the magazine was Ajiri Aki who has a business that I dream of.  Ajiri Aki has a wonderful business called Madame de la Maison.  Ajiri has a fondness for beautiful things and turned that into a career. She started her business after she explored Paris’s flea markets and began to buy items to sell online. What a dream!!! 

 

 

photo credits: Madame de la Maison 

 

 

I hope you found this post to be inspiring. Whatever your dream may be, whether it’s joining Youtube, starting a blog, or an online business, do what you LOVE. With everything going on around us we are in a time where the “pursuit of happiness” is a must!

 

Thanks for reading!