Home Office Chandelier

Good Morning All,


Here we are week three for some of us working from home. I have been trying to take a break from the news. I just can’t watch it every day. It can be nerve-wracking.


Time for a little quarantine project sharing! I have made a list of small projects for my husband to do around the house. Of course, he keeps dodging it but you’re here buddy so…  


The first was my new glass front door. I posted it on my Instagram. So now I can have my front door open during sunny days. That helps with this quarantine for sure. The second was a new light fixture for my office/ loft. 


This is called the Trellis Light Chandelier (here is the crystal version of it). I tried to find it online but I could not. I could not buy it in the store either. It is a “special order” light fixture. I don’t know why but it is. 
Here is what it looked like before the light. I have about two lamps in this room and here recently those just have not been enough. We need more light. 

When we had the house built in 2013 we made sure that we had the contractors put electrical sockets in the ceilings. I just had a “feeling” that down the road I would change my mind and want ceiling lights. 


I love the way it looks and it provides the extra light source that I need. I hope that you enjoyed this post and I am hoping to have more “quarantine projects” in the next few days. I really want my husband to paint the television stand in our room. It is solid wood and it was given to me by my mother in law. It is about 40 years old and I would like to have it painted gray with brass hardware. Now wouldn’t that be pretty?


(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

March Favorites

Good Morning Everyone,


I hope you all had a pleasant weekend. We had thunderstorms on Saturday night so I open the windows to smell the rain. It was nice…


The end of March already. I can’t say much but it has been a nightmare for everyone. I am still trying to find the good in all this. It gets really hard sometimes. 


Let’s get into my favorites for March.

I absolutely love my Coach Field Tote 40. It has been a great work tote and weekend tote. I carry it everywhere and get tons of compliments on it!















Next has been my new hair journey. I am trying some new pieces and I love them. The great thing about hair extensions or wigs is that you can try out different styles and colors without damaging your own hair. Loving all of the new options out there.




Fourth has been the new floor samples that my husband and I went and looked at in Home Depot. Which is your favorite from the left (sample 1, 2 or 3)? I love 3! It’s called vintage pewter oak and I am hoping to have this installed sometime this year or next. 






Fifth has been my first pair of Nike Air Max (similar see here). I have never had a running shoe before. Honestly, I don’t even remember owning a pair of Nike’s. I love these and have been wearing them to work out and walk my dogs (sometimes). 

Me in the store trying them on
Sixth has been my new Moody Bloom plates from Pier 1. I have been using them every day during my work from home schedule. 

And last is my Work from Home Outfits video that I posted on my Youtube channel. I actually had fun making this video. I normally don’t like posting videos to my channel but I am trying to do better. 

I hope you all enjoyed this post. I keep praying things will get better but I don’t have a clue what will happen. I just keep repeating what King Jehoshaphat said to the Lord in 2 Chronicles 20:12, “For we are powerless before this vast army (I have been saying virus) that comes against us. We do not know what to do but our eyes are upon you”. 


Enjoy your Monday.
(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

A Novel: The Signature of All Things

Good Morning Everyone,


We are at the close of another week. It still doesn’t seem real. With all this going on, I don’t think any of us could have imagined our year beginning like this.


I will say with all of the negative news and whatnot… I am still trying to enjoy my life, work, family and home. While Lauren has been home we have been working on money worksheets. Sounds juvenile I know but they don’t teach about money anymore in schools. I have also had her working on cursive writing. Now, these lessons don’t thrill her but I told her she will thank me later.


I mentioned on Friday’s post that I was trying to find a novel to read and I think I may have found one. This is called The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. Below is a synopsis…

Spanning much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the extraordinary Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker—a poor-born Englishman who makes a great fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia. Born in 1800, Henry’s brilliant daughter, Alma (who inherits both her father’s money and his mind), ultimately becomes a botanist of considerable gifts herself. As Alma’s research takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she falls in love with a man named Ambrose Pike who makes incomparable paintings of orchids and who draws her in the exact opposite direction—into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose a utopian artist—but what unites this unlikely couple is a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all life.
~Amazon


Now doesn’t this sound like a wonderful novel? 

I remember Laura Slatkin the maker of Nest Fragrances discussing how she was stranded in an airport and how she stumbled on this book because of the beautifully illustrated cover. She said she read the book and it was wonderful and it became the inspiration behind her fragrance Verde. 

Vladimir Kanevsky lily of the valley in Laura Slatkin dining room

photo credit Quintessence 

You have to watch her wonderful home tour, how she entertains, and the inspiration from the book!

Now I am in Chapter 2 and really enjoyed Chapter 1. The book is really well written and is quite interesting. The first chapter was soo good. I really liked it and read some of it to my husband. If you are curious I would encourage you to download a sample onto your Kindle if you have one. That’s what I did and that’s what sold me on purchasing the book. Have a great week everyone!

App Love: Like to Know It

Good Morning Everyone,

Still working from home. The governor of Indiana has issued a mandatory “stay at home” order. We can still go to the store, pharmacies, and essential jobs are considered exempt. We will see how things go for the rest of the week with this. 

Since everyone has to stay home at the moment it has given me the opportunity to explore new apps. I know there have been several times where I am on Instagram and a blogger posts something that I love and I click on it and it takes me to the app called LiketoKnowIt.


This always irritated me until recently. So I made the decision this past weekend to download this app and I must say I am hooked! 

This app gives you access to all of their home decor and clothes. My Amazon lists are full and for the most part, everything is affordable.


One person that I am following on the app is called My Texas House.

photo credit My Texas House

She has great taste and because I am following her on LiketoKnowit I get all of the links and information on all of her sources. 


Like that beautiful wall mirror in this photo is from Home Depot. 

My Texas House By Orian Lady Bird Area Rug - Walmart.com

photo credit My Texas House 








Or this gorgeous bench from Wayfair. Even though I like this one better for my bedroom. 




Image result for milumia elegant frilled
photo credit Amazon 

Another item that I found was this very elegant flare dress on Amazon. I’m still thinking about ordering this. 




Image result for bagsmart electronic organizer

This sophisticated and chic electronic organizer is something else that I found on LiketoKnowit. 

And I can’t forget to share these feminine flower earrings. 




I found so many gorgeous things on this app. 


And I could not resist ordering these Audrey tortoise sunglasses as well. 



photo credit Liketoknowit 
I hope you guys enjoyed this post. If you have seen this app before I would encourage you to download it. You will find lots of beautiful things!

Have a great day!

(photos via LiketoKnowit.com)


Spring Cleaning in Other Areas

Good Morning Everyone,


I hope you all had a great weekend, practicing social distancing I am sure. I did quite a bit of online shopping. Oh my gosh, I have about 6 packages arriving this week. 


I am sure that some of you saw on my Instagram that my 3-tier plate pedestal arrived and I couldn’t love it more!

I look forward to using it. Also arriving in the mail was my gorgeous pair of polka dot kitten heels from Ann Taylor. They were 60% off with free shipping!

I will share my other items once they arrive. Since I am home more that leaves more time for reading. My husband picked up a copy of Real Simple Magazine for me and as I was flipping through I saw an article called, “5 Things to Clean this Spring (No Elbow Grease Required)”. 


The writer gave 5 areas to clean in our lives besides our homes. 
































photo credit: Annie Spratt 







1) Your conversations
I found this one to be interesting…


“One way we can “clean up” our conversations, especially with kids, is by talking about people as individuals rather than as a part of a group. You might think to tell your daughter that girls like math are good because you’re countering a nefarious stereotype. But in fact, when you talk about girls as a category, you set up a structure that allows others stereotypes to seep in. Get in the habit of talking about individual strengths; describe one woman as great at math, another as great at something else”. 


~ Katherine D. Kinzler, PHD



2) Your Schedule


This gave me new insight into my routines. 


“Look for commitments in our schedule that fill you with dread- those things you’ve been doing the same way for years, like a weekly staff meeting- and create new, less time-consuming ways to handle them. Try walking-and-talking meetings. Instead of sitting face-to-face, you can circle the block, which sets a natural time limit. You’ll also be moving and in the sun, and discussing hard things can seem easier. It works with kids and family too! Revamping how we fulfill our responsibilities can make them less onerous, and it carves out more time to do things we want to do”. 


~ Sam Horn
CEO of the Intrigue Agency 


























photo credit Mary Becker Instagram





I hope that you all can find a copy of the magazine and read the other suggestions. I believe that spring cleaning all aspects of life can bring about great change and ideas. 


Enjoy your Monday!

Friday Beauty

Good Morning Everyone,


Today I just wanted to share some beautiful pictures from my Pinterest boards. I will be doing a little spring cleaning this weekend, watching The Martha Stewart Show (on Dabl, a cable channel we recently found), and trying to find a great novel to read. 

photo credit Caitlyn Wilson 

My bouquet at home. #ahomeforelegance


My home last summer…






































photo credit Eugenivy



Dreaming of a floral spring…









Beautiful romantic pink peony.  They bloom in June here in VT and are gone too quickly.  May favorite flower.  #garden #stowemeadows

“We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on difficulties”. 
~ Oswald Chambers. 


Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

(photos via Pinterest)


An Elegant Welcome

Hello Friday,


We are still adjusting to the time change. I know some of you are too. In today’s post, I wanted to know if any of you have a three-tier cake tray? I just realized that I don’t own one. 

I saw these beauties on Etsy and figured I think I would like to have one of those.

Aren’t these gorgeous? I will be searching eBay and Etsy for the next few days to find one that is perfect for my needs and our home life. 


Whenever we have guests, I always put out some sort of food or drinks. It makes everyone feel welcomed and appreciated. I believe it helps people to know that you were thinking of them. 


I know that if I walked in and saw a beautiful stand like this I would feel welcomed and it would make me smile. Receiving guests is very important in this age of technology. Receiving them well. 


Please let me know in the comments section below if you have a cake stand? I would love to know if you use it. Have a great weekend everyone!




(photos via Pinterest)