Posts that inspiring an elegant life

Blue and White Teacups

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Good Morning,


We are finally in the 70’s. I have to admit it has been cold here in Indy. You would have never thought that it would be in the low 30’s at night in May. 


Next week more businesses are scheduled to open. I sure do miss Homegoods. I don’t want to go as soon as they open. It is going to be crowded!!!!


I think I mentioned a while ago that I did not have any blue and white teacups. Shocking I know. I have been looking for years but I could never find the pattern that I wanted and as soon as I did find the pattern I wouldn’t like the size of it. 


It had to be the perfect combination and I recently found a set on eBay. I made a bid and I did not think I would win because I never do but I did! So exciting!!!

I won a bid for a set of vintage porcelain blue and white cups originally from Japan. I was the only bid and paid under $40 for the set. 
They are perfect to me. The perfect size, color, and price. I could not believe that I was the only one bidding on them. 


Loving all of the details




Now I have already put them to the test and had a really to cup of tea and they were strong enough to hold it. I have been using them all week. They are so incredibly chic to me. 

I did order another blue and white cup before I made a bid on this set and it is beautiful as well. 


This is a vintage woods ware teacup with a panoramic scene. The handle is different but it is still quite lovely. It is a wonderful addition to my china collection. 


I hope you all have a great weekend. Stay safe and enjoy your homes. Thanks for reading!

(photos via Mrs. Shockley)


Flowers Returning…

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Good Friday Morning,


Another week down… it seems like we have so many more to go. I shared in another blog post that I am have been watching old episodes of the Martha Stewart Show on Dabl. Well, a few days ago it was the “Healthy Show” which aired sometime in 2009.


On that show, they discussed natural ways to cure colds and aid in physical ailments. Dr. Andrew Weil was the guest on the show and he discussed how in the future we would face a pandemic. That blew me away when he said that! Wow…. he also talked about an herb called astragalus and how it helps aid the common cold and respiratory issues. Interesting right….. 2009. It makes you wonder. 


In addition to watching the Martha Stewart Show, I have been checking the LiketoKnowit app for wonderful deals and found another blogger and Instagrammer to follow by the name of The Pink Dream. She has a beautiful website and home. Below is a photo that inspired me to pull out my silver bucket and julep cups that I forgot about. 

Lovely isn’t it? I went to eBay to look for a gold plated ice bucket. Wish me luck!
I was so happy to see a new shipment of flowers this past Wednesday. I normally pick one day out of the week to go to the grocery store. They had not had any new flowers for a month! That to me this was scarier than toilet paper because here is the thing we are not running short on soap. You could always use soap and water to clean your rear! Right? 

But not being able to buy a bouquet in the store….. oh that would make me so sad. Being at home and having beauty is a luxury to me that I cherish. Enjoy your weekend! 

Today is Good Friday…. thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross and thank you for your resurrection on Sunday! 
(photos via ThePinkDream.com and Mrs. Shockley)

Small Quarantine Projects

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Hello Everyone,


Since we all have been home and are taking things slow, I have been trying to do little projects around the house. Keeping a list and keeping busy has made my days feel much more productive and enjoyable. 

This past weekend we did a little bit of gardening. I have lots of planters and have decided to buy different kinds of flowers and plant them myself in the planters. Doing this gives me a chance to be more creative. 

I do love the way this looks so far…
Some of you may have seen this on my Instagram this weekend. I cleaned my chandeliers. Very scary (because I don’t like heights) but very rewarding once I was finished. 
Alfred (my iRoomba Robot) has been hard at work too. He is currently set for three days a week to clean. I am glad he is around. He is the only consistent helper that I can count on. 🙂 


Some of you may have seen in another post that my husband got me a glass door for the front and he installed my office chandelier. This is the next major project that I want my husband to work on. I want to paint this t.v. cabinet. It is about 40 years old and was given to me from my mother in law. It is in our master bedroom. 

You guys may remember that back in 2017 my husband painted my cupboard that was about 30 years old that was also given to me from my mother in law. 

These pieces are solid and I want to keep them. I just wanted to update them a little. I was thinking about painting this one gray but with our walls being gray I just don’t think it would look good. So we may be going with black and brass hardware. I know I don’t want it white. I just don’t think that it would complement our room well. 

I will keep you guys posted!


Thanks for reading and stay safe!



(photos via Mrs. Shockley)





Finally~ A Blue and White Teapot

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Good Morning,


Another week down and several more to go. They have reported (here in Indiana) that our expected peak for the COVID-19 is during the week of April 18th. I keep praying that things work out. We are at 79 deaths in our state. This has been so much for everyone….. 

Now let’s move on to something lovely. I have been searching for about 2 years for a blue and white teapot that I love and that would be the perfect size for me since I am the only one who drinks tea in my home. 


I follow a wonderful Instagrammer by the name of Stefania and her page is called GardenCakeParty. She posted about a month ago her blue and white teapot below and I just had to message her and ask about it. 

I told her it was perfect and asked where she got it. To my amazement, it was available on Amazon. If it is sold out then you can try this one, this one, or this gorgeous one.





I have had it for about a week and it is the perfect size and print. 





I have enjoyed my tea a little more this week. As I pick up my new pot it brings a little smile to my face. These smiles are so needed right now. The uncertainty of everything. Sighing… I hope it gets better soon. 

Have a great weekend everyone!
(photos via Instagram and Mrs. Shockley)


Friday Beauty

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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

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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)



Plates in Bloom

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Good Morning March Everyone!


It is March 2nd and we are on our way to spring! Hopefully…. we have been known here in Indiana to get snow but honestly, if we do I won’t complain. We have had a pretty mild winter. 


I hope you all had a great weekend. I took Lauren ice skating with her girlfriend for the last day. It turned out to be a wonderful night. After skating my husband and step-son met us at the Cake Bake Shop again for dinner. My husband loves the chicken velvet soup. I did end up getting the salmon dinner again but changed up the cake. I decided to get the carrot cake this time. 


Her carrot cakes are made without nuts or raisins so I was a bit skeptical. It was DELISH! I am so glad that I ordered it!

I try not to take too many pictures when I am there. I want to savor the moment but everything is so pretty. It’s hard not to take photos.

The beautiful carrot cake. So good!

On Sunday I did go and visit Pier One because an advertisement passed through my Instagram account with these beautiful plates. I had to go and take a peek. 



Beautiful florals were everywhere. 
The Moody Bloom Plates were beautiful in person. They are painted in rich colors and are microwave and dishwasher safe. Now, these are only salad plates so they are much smaller but I don’t see a problem with that seeing that we need to eat smaller meals anyway. 


They come in a set of four and are only $34.99! It would be a wonderful addition to anyone’s collection. 

I hope you all enjoyed this post and have found some spring inspiration. Enjoy your day!





(photos via Mrs. Shockley)