Posts that inspiring an elegant life

Valentine’s Day at Home

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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

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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

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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

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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! 

 

 

 

 

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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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. 

Elegant & Custom Stationary Cards

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Good Morning Everyone,

Gosh, it’s Friday again. I am looking forward to a 3-day weekend. I am trying to plan accordingly. I am finally finding my way around my apps and website. I finally figured out how to get access to all of my internet favorites. It has been hard but now I can add great items to my Favorites page.  Keep an eye on that page. I will be updating it every week!

With all of the commotion going on with my website and the holidays I completely forgot to share these custom stationary cards that I ordered on Etsy. 

 

My custom cards & photo 

 

These custom cards are from an Etsy shop called “A Thing Created“.  Aren’t they fabulous? She has so many options it’s crazy. I will be going back to order more. The owner of this Etsy shop was actually featured in Victoria Magazine this month.  I love her work and made sure that I gave her a 5-star rating! 

 

 

photo credit: AThingCreated 

 

This is the second set of custom cards that I am thinking about ordering. I think that they would be wonderful to have for the spring and summer.  I am also considering ordering the set below too. 

 

 

photo credit: Ivana Illustrations 

 

 

 

Now these are not from the same Etsy shop but they sure are chic! Let me know in the comments section below what your favorite custom stationary cards are. It sure does feel great writing a note on one of these and sending it to a very dear friend. Have a great weekend!

 

 

fyi: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.