Posts that inspiring an elegant life

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! 

 

 

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.

 

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.

Thriving is Elegant…

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Good Morning and Happy 2022! 

Do you remember my post in December called “Word of the Year”? Did you pick your word yet? My word is trust. I need to trust the Lord more. I am not good at it. I have several reasons why but that is another blog post. Have any of you picked up the January/February issue of Victoria magazine? Oh it is good but then again they always are. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I picked up my issue a few weekends ago and have been savoring it ever since. Sometimes I read the “Reader to Reader” section and sometimes I don’t. For some reason, I read this month’s section and I am so glad that I did. 

A lot of readers were giving their hopeful expressions for the new year. Two of the letters that were sent in captured me. One reader wrote:

“The other day, I was going through my stash of inspirational greeting cards when I ran across one that a close friend gave me years ago. The purple-and-gold note has a saying from Maya Angelou emblazoned on the front: “Surviving is important. Thriving is elegant”. This sentiment resonates with me, particularly now as I am looking to make some big changes in my life. I am setting “Be Elegant” as my theme for 2022. That phrase will remind me to move beyond mere survival thinking and, hopefully, will motivate me to become a woman of style, and grace, to flourish, to grow, to succeed, and to live life to the fullest”.  ~ Jacquie Koewler (Redmond, Washington)

Now, how great was that? I marked this in the magazine and plan on absorbing this myself. I have never heard of this quote before from Maya Angelou but I can assure you it will remain in my mental rolodex from here on out! Maybe I should change my word of the year to this quote for the year. 

I just loved this letter from Jacquie and will be keeping it close by. Another item that I wanted to share that I found in this month’s magazine was the Antiques and Garden Show in Nashville, Tennesee. I really want to attend this! I spoke to my husband about it and we are trying to see if it will work with our schedules and finances. Did you see who the speakers are?

Well for starters Martha Stewart is one! Oh my gosh! I have been wanting to meet her for years. Bunny Williams is also a speaker as well as Alexa Hampton and Christopher Spitzmiller. There will be antiques and gardens and it would just be a dream to me. It really would. Of course, I will keep you all updated if we make the trip. 

Let me know in the comments below if you have ever heard of this quote for Maya? Have a great Monday!

 

 

 

 

My Tour of the Lilly House

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Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! My Christmas was good. I was exhausted on Christmas Eve. I did all of the cooking and decorating so at the end of the day I was really tired but we enjoyed ourselves. This should be a light work week (I hope). We don’t have any plans for New Years’ Eve. I just plan on making my cheeseboard, opening a glass of wine, and enjoying a quiet evening. 

I did want to share my recent home tour. I have been wanting to visit this home for quite some time. I took the afternoon to tour the Lilly House. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

It is a two-minute walk to the house from Newfields. The house is on the property. The Lilly family donated the house to the museum. It was made a National Landmark in 2003.

 

 

The whole time I am walking up to the home I am daydreaming that it belongs to me!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

It truly is my dream home. I have always wanted a home that looked just like this. So this home sits on 26 acres and has a beautiful water view in the back that I did not get to see. It was built in 1913. 

 

 

They had it decorated for the holidays. There were Christmas trees everywhere!  This is what it looked like when you walked in.

 

 

I loved these chandelier lamps. I would love to have one for my dresser. The ornate vintage mirror was gorgeous as well. 

 

 

I walked into the study and this room was filled with Christmas trees. And look at the ceiling? All of the wonderful details!

 

 

Oh my goodness this was the next room and you guys know that I LOVED the chinoiserie wallpaper! I think this was added some years later. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Okay, now I just learned about Nancy Lancaster’s yellow room. This color reminds me of that? What do you all think? 

 

 

I was told that the furniture is original to the home. How great is that?

 

 

This tree was mostly decorated with peacocks. They looked as if they were homemade because they were made of felt. 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I loved the mural painted in this hallway. The Chinese lanterns made it fun!

 

 

I then walked into the dining room. I wish I would have gotten the details about this room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The butler’s pantry! I have always wanted one of these. I got upclose to see if I could get pictures of the china.

 

 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

I believe this was the family’s china. I loved all of the prints here!

 

 

 

Here is the kitchen. I don’t believe it has been updated. I read the card about the room but I can’t remember the last time they updated the kitchen. It may have been in the 60s. 

 

 

 

Here is the other side of the kitchen. I believe the desserts were fake but still lovely and added to the Christmas decor!

 

 

 

This was the second entryway in the home. I loved this area and the chandelier. They did not let you tour the upstairs so I was bummed about that but so happy that I got to see the home. I did learn that Lilly House was designed by Landon’s brother-in-law, Lewis Ketcham Davis, in the French Château style. The house is positioned on a bluff overlooking the White River, taking advantage of expansive views to the west.

The house includes a service wing, pavilions on the east and west with access to balconies from the second floor, and a large terrace atop a garage and service area. While occupied by the Landon family, the main floor originally included a music room, library, sunroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and porch. The second floor was made up of private suites, bedrooms, bathrooms, the servant’s suite, and a study. A third-floor ballroom was also present in the Landon home and was used for storage during the Lilly’s occupancy (from Wikipedia).  At that time the estate also included a formal garden, greenhouse, tennis court, and several outbuildings. If you want to read about the history of the Lilly Manor you may read it here. 

I hope you all enjoyed this beautiful home tour. I do hope that I can tour more homes like this in the future. If you miss my home from this past spring you may read it here.  Have a wonderful Monday everyone!

 

 

Weekend Christmas Events

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And Good Monday Morning Everyone!

We are just a few short days away from Christmas! I can’t believe it’s this week and honestly will be over so soon. A new year will be beginning and so will all of the promises of a new year. I think I shared this before that I never make new year resolutions. I just don’t see the point for me. If I need to make a change just do it now. I don’t see the point in waiting for a new year to start. 

I did want to share my weekend with everyone. On Saturday morning my family and I headed to the L.S. Ayres Tea Room for our annual brunch. This year they made some changes. We were told that it went to “buffet style” and honestly when I heard that my heart fell. I hate buffets. I am just being honest but all I see in my mind when I hear that word is people breathing all on the food, putting their grubbing hands everywhere, and thinking about how so people just don’t wash their hands. But when we walked into the room I was pleasantly surprised….

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The entryway did not change much and that beautiful piano was still there….

 

 

Beautiful isn’t it? I still don’t know much about it. Maybe I will get info on it next time. 

 

 

 

I did snap a photo of this. This is a photo of some of the original staff. This photo was taken in 1905!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

So when we walked in we were shown to our table and we sat down and ordered our drinks. After that, we were directed to the buffet line. The room was not crowded and the food was completed covered with servers behind it! I was so relieved. No one could touch the food, you were able to select what you wanted and could go back for seconds. There was a glass shield over the area of the food. I mean you could not even breathe on it. I was so happy! I know that sounds bad but some people are just gross. 

I selected the tuna tea sandwiches, some chicken salad, ginger peach tea, and chicken velvet soup of course. I shared the recipe for this soup and it is the most viewed post on my blog! They also had this wonderfully soft pumpkin bread. Oh, it was so delicious! I should have gotten the recipe for that. 

 

photo credit: Mr. Shockley 

It was a wonderful lunch with a beautiful atmosphere that we all enjoyed! On Sunday afternoon my daughter and I went to see the Nutcracker at Newfields. It was really nice this year and we sat in the balcony which wasn’t bad but we have decided to try another Nutcracker next year. I hope you all enjoy your Christmas holiday with your family this week. I will be taking the rest of the week off from the blog and I will see you all next week!

Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Higgins’ Room Tour

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Oh goodness, it’s only one week until Christmas! I can’t believe it! We still don’t have snow here in Indy but there is a rumor going around that we are expected to have some this weekend. It has been so warm here which has made the holidays a little sad to me.

For this week I have been trying new recipes. I have been bringing my own salads to work this week for lunch and making my own dressing. It has been delicious! I have also been adding apples with roasted chicken (my chicken from home) and that has been a wonderful combination. I wanted to try and make Nicolas Fairford’s cranberry sauce. Seeing that on those turkey tea sandwiches that he made had my glands salivating. Oh yum!

In today’s post I wanted to talk about the Mrs. Higgins home in My Fair Lady. 

 

photo via Pinterest

 

I adore this room. Whenever I watch this movie I replay this part over and over so that I can get a glimpse of the details. I learned that the room was decorated by Cecil Beaton. I believe he was inspired by C.F.A Voysey. I also believe that there is a little bit of William Morris inspiration as well. 

I love the chairs, table, just everything about this setting. I still can’t believe that people actually lived this way…. 

 

 

I paused the movie at this point and tried to take in all the details. I looked at the wallpaper, the blue and white dishes at the top of the cabinetry. Just look at the cabinetry! It’s timeless. I see cabinets in homes on Pinterest like this now. Oh and did you get a peek at the chandelier? It’s blue and white!

 

 

I tried to take up-close photos of the movie. There are so many wonderful details in this room. How about that beautiful brown wood floor? 

 

 

Oh, I did notice this section in the room as well. This beautiful white secretary desk with a stunning blue and white chair! I couldn’t find any information on this furniture. I think the lamp might be Wedgewood. It sure does look like it. 

Let me know in the comment section below if you know anything about Mrs. Higgins’s room. I would love to know what you love about the room or dislike. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday.