Posts that inspiring an elegant life

Your Gratitude List…

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Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you all had a great weekend! I am still busy at work, and we are now on our last full week of Lauren being home! I can’t believe it. It truly is amazing at how fast time does really fly. My husband and I have been sending each other pictures of the kids of when they were little. I still can’t believe that Lauren will be off to college next week. 

Having that thought pushed me into thinking about being grateful for things in my life. I was listening to another Tonya Leigh podcast and this one was called “2 Ways to Upgrade your Gratitude Practice”. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I still can’t believe that I took this photo!! It is just so magical. I still remember standing in this garden last year in Newport, RH. It truly felt like a dream…. even now I am taking in this moment and being grateful that I got to see this with my family.

Tonya mentioned this in her podcast…

“I also think we can get into gratitude slumps, gratitude ruts. And for me, what that feels like is I’m going through the motions of being grateful but I’m not really feeling it. Do you know what I’m talking about?

Like, you write it down in your journal, “I’m grateful for my family. I’m grateful for my job. I’m grateful for my house. I’m grateful for the food. I’m grateful for my friends.” But you’re not really feeling gratitude. You’re not feeling the emotion of gratitude”. 

Oh yes, I have been here which is why I don’t have a gratitude journal. I always felt like that was all I was doing. Just writing things down just to be writing things down.

 

 

 

Tonya said, “When it comes to gratitude, I think it’s about quality not quantity. I don’t think it’s about the numbers of things that you’re grateful for, but the depth of the gratitude that you have for some things.

Deep gratitude is when you get into the emotion of gratitude. And the way I like to do that is to think of one thing and go deep into why I am grateful for that person or that thing.

I could not agree with this more. I have found myself in the past just going through the motions of making a gratitude list and found myself just blowing right through things. But if I take one thing at a time, I find myself exploring that item, person or event more deeply. It brings more quality to my thoughts of gratefulness more than anything. Let me know in the comments below if you have done this before. How do you apply gratitude to your life?

 

In boutique news, the Vintage Vanity Collection is now on sale. There are a few pieces that are down to $15! You may order on the website. 

 

 

Simple Elegant Foods I Am Enjoying

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Good Morning All,

I am a little excited about this weekend. I found a new Antique Mall! I hope to visit it tomorrow while our daughter is away on her little trip with her brother! My husband and I also plan on having dinner at a new restaurant. It’s called Cooper’s Hawk and it’s also a winery. I, of course, already have my dinner entree picked out. It should be a good weekend!

Speaking of food, I wanted to share some food items that I have been enjoying for the past few weeks.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

For the last few weeks, I have been going to Trader Joes to buy different items. I feel like we have gotten into a bit of a food rut, and I wanted to get some different items for meals. I also love having some sort of pastry on the weekends to enjoy at home. I found these delicious apple blossoms deserts. They are so good! The apples are just sweet enough and the sprinkle of crunchy granola on top is just perfect. I add a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream and it is absolute bliss to me!

 

 

My second delicious find are these bags of mushroom risotto and asparagus risotto. These were perfect side dishes to my weekly roasted chicken meals. All you do is pour it into your skillet, add some water, let it simmer and voilà! It is creamy, tasty and very flavorful. 

 

 

My fourth food find is not from Trader Joes but a recent new tea bag find. I am such a fan of Harney & Sons tea and this vanilla comoro was quite exceptional. This is a delicious vanilla black tea. It has the perfect balance of vanilla. It also had a very creamy texture to it. It’s delicious and I need to order another tin! 

 

 

The last new food favorite are these vegetable spring rolls from Trader Joes. These are so good! I simply place them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes and they come out so crispy and tender. I normally pair them with some steam rice and viola another easy and delicious meal.

It’s amazing how having these simple dishes can change up a weekly dinner night rut. I loved trying these new items and Trader Joes has some of the best prices that I have ever seen! I don’t have one near my home so I can only go every other weekend, but I love going and really like the staff. Oh, and one more new favorite of mine is their dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Oh my word! The staff let me try these for free and oh my word! So good!

I hope you enjoyed my new food finds. Let me know in the comments section below if you have tried any of these items. I would love to know.

A Beautiful Table Setting with Disposable Plates?

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Hello Everyone!

I just realized that some of the students here in my city will be heading back to school next week! I am so happy that it is not us this year! Lauren still has another month before we drop her off at the college campus! So happy! I will miss her but that school schedule that she had was for the birds! Way too early to go back to school!

Which also reminds me that my cousin and I are suppose to head down to the outlet mall here in my city tomorrow. It’s probably going to be crowded because of all of the back-to-school shopping! Oh boy….

In recent news, did any of you hear about Phyllis Hoffman Depiano’s recent passing? I can’t believe it! I was so sad. I love Victoria Magazine and was so happy to hear that she was the one that revived it!

This magazine has provided so much inspiration for all of us. I still have my very first copy of Victoria Magazine. I purchased it when I got my first apartment at age 19 in 2002. I hope that the work and inspiration that Phyllis inspired continues. 

I was on the website recently and saw this table setting…. 

photo credit: Victoria Magazine.com

 

Now isn’t this beautiful? I got so excited because I thought it was a real china set that they were now selling only to realize that it is a disposable table setting?!!! Isn’t that crazy? It looks so real! 

 

photo credit: Victoria Magazine

It’s called the Victoria Timeless Table setting and you can buy all of it on the website. There is a list of all of the pieces that come with it. I would love to have these, but I would use them for every day. Let me know in the comment section below what your thoughts are. Would you use these for everyday dining? Have a great weekend everyone! 

 

 

Style Tips for Elegant Women

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Good Morning!

Oh goodness, I am finding myself to be so “froggy” lately and honestly, I know what it is! It’s because we are normally on vacation this month and all of our vacation memories are coming up in our Facebook memories and it is not helping me! I need a change of scenery!

I just keeping telling myself “calm down September will be here soon”. I am so ready for our trip and for getting away. It is really going to be so different for us. We will have no kids, no dogs to worry about, and will be able to stay where we want! Oh goodness! I am really looking forward to it. 

I have been on the hunt for lots of ideas and new podcasts to inspire my daily life. I recently found Tonya Leigh on Youtube and then on Spotify. I loved her “elegant woman series” and had to share some of her tips on style with you all. 

 

 

The first commandment is elegant women wear what they love. That’s right, they just wear what they love. They don’t depend on the outside world to tell them what’s in style, what they should wear, what the season is telling them is appropriate or what’s acceptable.

The second commandment of elegant women is that they dress for their dreams. And this is where self-image comes into the picture. Because we can get so used to seeing ourselves in a certain way that we continue to choose clothing to reconfirm a certain image that we have of ourselves. (I love this commandment!)

The third style commandment of elegant women is to choose quality over quantity. Now, I know that those sales are tempting. And you’re thinking, “Why don’t I just get a bunch of these things right now because they’re 50% off?” But this is not how elegant women think. Elegant women are not about quantity. They are about quality. They don’t want to invest in things that fall apart after the first few wears. And I believe it is better to have one quality piece than 10 crappy ones. (But I do keep in mind that everyone has their own budget)

Style commandment number four of elegant women is a big one, and it’s one that I have to remind women of often in my programs. And that is, elegant women dress the body they have now.

How many of you are waiting until you lose the weight to invest in clothes that make you feel beautiful? It’s like putting yourself in purgatory. And it doesn’t work. And the reason why it doesn’t work is that you are reconfirming a self-image that is out of alignment with the version of you who has lost the weight.

 

 

Now, I get not wanting to go and buy really expensive things if you know that you’re going to lose the weight, in a year from now, chances are you won’t be wearing those things. But that doesn’t mean that you neglect the body that you have now.

I have been guilty of a few of these and especially the last one. I have held off buying clothes because of my size. I have always had issues with my weight. But I have never wanted it to stop me from being elegant.

I hope you all have enjoyed these tips. I am linking the rest of the style commandments here for you to read and enjoy. Until then have a great day! 

 

 

(style tips from author Tonya Leigh)

 

 

A Snippet from Teatime Discipleship

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Good Morning All,

I feel a little better. I was able to sleep in on Sunday. I decided to stay home and rest a little, do a few house chores, and try to get some things done. While I was vacuuming my bedroom and thought came into my head. “I am in a different stage in life. I no longer want to take my weekends and just clean my house. From now on, since we are not going to have children around, I will do daily house scans and just add whatever needs to be cleaned to my list.” After that thought passed thru my mind, I had a sense of peace come over me. 

It’s interesting…. being in this different stage of life. A new chapter is beginning for me, and I am trying to navigate it as best as I can. In the mornings I love having my devotional. I have been reading Teatime Discipleship and it helps me start the day with my mind in the right place. 

I loved Sally Clarkson, the author, tips on discouragement. She provided a wonderful list to keep in your mind. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

  • God is with me, and He will help me succeed.  Each of us experiences “winter” seasons in our lives- times when growth is stagnant, when our dreams appear to be dead and buried. But while we can hardly perceive at the time, roots are growing deep in these seasons.

 

  • There are always do-overs in God’s economy. All of us mess up. Peter blew it royally when he denied Christ at His hour of need, but before he even sinned, Jesus told Peter He had prayed for him. Jesus had compassion on Peter before His disciple had even committed his sinful act. 

 

  • A wise woman learns her limitations. Sometimes women go so long without taking a break that they start breaking down. Wise women learn to say no so they don’t live in a constant state of exhaustion. 

 

  • I can seek outside perspective. You might need some inspiration and counsel in order to move forward. Find someone older, wiser and more experienced to help you come up with a plan. Sometimes this is easier said than done! But I have found that when I summon the courage to pour out my heart to more mature believers, I usually find compassion and often find help. (When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul. ~ Psalm 94:19) 

 

  • I can pace myself. If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the tasks ahead, ask yourself what’s stealing your peace of mind. Commit to identifying the stressors and drainers over which you have control and, as much as possible, eliminate them. Be honest about what needs to go and vigilant about removing it from your life. 

 

  • I can give the day to God. First things first! Beginning the day with the Lord will orient you. Set yourself on the right path for the hours head, with God’s truth and wisdom casting light over your priorities and plans. 

I hope you all enjoyed this snippet from Teatime Discipleship. This book also has great teatime recipes and ideas for fellowship with friends. Things have been so crazy in the world. I try to ground myself in the mornings as much as possible. 

“The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn. That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” ~ Proverbs 4:18

 

(tips from Sally Clarkson, Teatime Discipleship, pgs. 99-105) 

Why Should I Add Elegance to my Home?

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Good Morning,

It has been such a busy week. Today is our last day watching our neighbors greyhound and bearded dragon! It has been rough adding it to our daily schedules, but we have gotten through it. This weekend I am hoping to SLEEP in a little. 

Our summer vacation plans just took a different turn. Lauren will be going with her brother and some friends to an amusement park and has basically asked us not to come. I was a little sad by this but then I realized that Rick and I have NEVER taken a vacation together without our kids! So we are planning to visit the Swan House, have lunch at the Swan Coach House and do some shopping in Atlanta in September! I must admit I am a little excited by this. I will keep you all updated as we plan this trip!

In today’s post I wanted to talk about a recent podcast that I listened to called “How to Cultivate an Elegant Home in the 21st Century”. Author Shannon Ables shares tips from interior designer Timothy Corrigan and how he things elegance is much easier to add to your home than what you think. 

 

photo credit: L. Shockley 

Timothy says, “Elegance is not something that adds stress or difficulty to our lives — quite the contrary. True elegance . . . means confidence in who you are and what you love, grace in how you handle yourself, and openness to the best in others.”

Great quote, isn’t it?

 

 

This is my favorite quote of Timothy’s “Elegance adds immense pleasure to life. To seek elegance — in your behavior, in what you wear and surround yourself with —is a treat you give to yourself and, almost inadvertently, share with those around you.”

I can attest to this myself. Whenever people come to my office at work or my home there is always of sigh of pleasure when they come. They always enjoy something and ask where I got it. People yearn for elegance. They just don’t know that’s what the sigh is all about. 

I am linking Shannon’s blog post. She goes into more details about the book and tips from Timothy that I know you will enjoy. If you are on your way to work, then listen to the podcast. I have linked it above. Let me know what elegance you have added into your life. Have a wonderful weekend! 

 

A Beautiful Life Contains Small Things…

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Good Morning Everyone!

I hope everyone had a good holiday. Ours was a bit rocky. We have been having thunderstorm after thunderstorm. Some have been okay, but others have been difficult. We lost power on Sunday and then had hail!! It was awful. Luckily the power came back on after about 40 minutes, and it does not appear that we have hail damage on my husband’s truck. It’s been really awful!

We kept our holiday simple. I really did not want to do much. I just wanted to hang out at home and look at some things online. I think that I shared that recently how I am wanting an English aesthetic in my life. When I saw the recent Sarah Flint Gracie collection with the beautiful and breathtaking shoe bags this quote came into my mind, “Having a beautiful life is also in the accessories that you possess”. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

I have always loved the “small” beautiful things in my life but now that I am getting older, I want my small life items to be beautiful as well. I mean why not? The world has been such a crazy place recently and it does not seem like it is going to get any better! 

I reached out to my contact with Sarah Flint and asked if we could purchase more shoes bags. They of course said that it was not an option. I will mention that in our next Zoom call. I believe that her shoe bags would do so well! 

 

 

I think that the small details in our lives can put smiles on our faces. These garden floral napkins from Pottery Barn just arrived. I smiled as soon as I saw them. Beautiful small details… 

 

 

This lovely English garden inspired pillow cover just arrived as well. I added it to my loft and it is sitting on my pale green settee. The combination of colors and patterns just adds to the beauty and simplicity in my office space. This stunning pillow case is also a favorite of mine and should be arriving next month. 

Wherever you are in life, and it doesn’t matter your budget, add beautiful things in the small items that you possess. Life is so short. Make your journey every day beautiful.  Have a great day!

 

 

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