Posts that inspiring an elegant life

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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Plans for my new Greenhouse

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Hello!

I can’t believe June is almost over! Goodness gracious, that went by really fast! I have had some busy days and I have some more busy workdays ahead. Next week, I am so nervous, but I found a new hair stylist. I have not been to the salon for a full-service appointment since 2019! Ever since my hair stylist passed away almost 2 years ago now, I could not bear going to someone else. This new stylist that I found I discovered her on Instagram. So wish me luck. 

 I also did something wonderful recently. I got a greenhouse!!! I can’t believe it. I have always wanted one and Costco lowered the price on theirs, so my husband and I had to go and get it. I would provide the link but it is not available online. 

 

photo credit: Mr. Shockley 

 

I am on cloud 9. I love it so much! We are hoping to get it up in the fall or by the fall of this year so we will see. My husband wants to do some more research on how to handle the foundation. We also have to get it cleared by our HOA. As soon as I walked inside of it I saw my very own flower cutting garden. 

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

I know that I want to grow this tulip pictured above. These are white parrot tulips, and I will definitely be ordering these! I have never seen them in person but have always loved them.

 

 

I, of course, want to grow peonies and I would love to have some David Austin Roses. Casablanca lilies are also on the list as well as some climbing roses. I would not mind some wisteria as well, but we will see. 

Overall, I am delighted that I get to start this new project. I adore flowers and have them everywhere in my life. To be able to grow what I want right outside my back yard will truly be a blessing. I can’t wait to smell the beautiful scents inside my greenhouse. Have a wonderful weekend! 

 

 

Peony Festival ~ 2023

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Good Morning,

We got some exciting news a few days ago. Lauren got her first job and it is at an antique mall that I shop at!!! Now how fun is that? She is so excited and so am I. I am really shocked that she would even be interested in a job like this but so far she likes the staff so we will see how this goes. 

Today we are headed to Lauren’s future college for her student orientation. She is excited and nervous about her new journey. Today will be a day of getting more information and getting her scheduling done. On Saturday her open house party will begin and on Sunday I have scheduled absolutely nothing so that I can get caught up on housework and take photos for my new boutique dress arrival! I hope to have it posted this weekend or next week.

I can’t believe that it has been two weeks already since this year’s peony festival. I hate that that season is so fleeting. I am still on the hunt for peony bunches. I may call my local Trader Joes to see if they have any. Oh well, here are some photos from this year’s festival and here is last year’s if you want to revisit it!

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

When we walked into the festival this was the very first vendor that I saw. Her blue and white olive oil containers caught my eye.

 

 

I did purchase one. I could not resist. I am trying to remember the name of the company but it escapes me. Sorry!

 

 

We did a lot of walking around and of course I had to get peonies from my favorite vendor JP Parker Flowers. I swear Mrs. Parker has the most flawless, and fantastic peonies ever!

 

 

Of course, I could not leave without my favorite candles from Linnea. They have a new candle called Passiflora and I had to take it home with me. It is amazing! I do hope that they continue to make it. Another tip that I learned about was “layering the scent of candles”. So they told me to burn Petals and Fields together and oh my goodness! The smell is amazing in my bedroom. I am also interested in getting their small travel candle to take me with on trips. I can burn it in my hotel room. They also gave me a sample of their Persian Lime lotion and my goodness. I could not stop smelling my hands. So wonderful…

 

 

I had such a good time this year. I wish the peony season lasted longer! I felt really comfy but elegant in my outfit as well. I got lots of compliments on my floral tote from Express.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

This was the biggest and most fragrant peony bouquet that I have ever had! It was like a dream truly. Let me know in the comments section below if you were able to get a peony bouquet for yourself. Make sure you do. Just buy it for you and enjoy it.

Have a great weekend! 

 

 

My Fourth FBMP Purchase

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Good Morning,

Gotta love these short work weeks. They always seem to feel longer to me. Lauren is out of school so I feel like I got my life back a bit. I am always waiting on her to leave in the morning and go to bed at night so it has delayed my schedule for so long that now I am in “schedule shock” a bit. Now when it’s late at night I have to catch myself and tell myself to start to get ready for bed. In the morning, I have to tell myself, “okay Lauren is not in school, get ready early”. It’s been quite an adjustment, but I am ready to be back on my own schedule for once. I have not had my own schedule in 20 years, literally! Life is certainly going to be different in the next few months. 

Not only is life changing but so is my home. I am now on FBMP so much looking for vintage pieces. I can’t get enough of Facebook Marketplace. I think I finally fixed my algorithm. It has taken me some time, but I now have vintage pieces showing up in my feed that I would purchase instead of junk. I think FBMP is a great source to use to discover or locate those vintage pieces that you can’t find in stores or even online. I was inspired to look for a vintage floral divider last year when I saw the photo below on Jenny from Tallwood Country House’s Instagram account. 

 

photo credit: Tallwood Country House (Instagram)

 

When I saw this on her reels I knew that I had to have one in some form for myself. It took me a while to find something. I typed the words “vintage floral divider” in the search menu for months and then something appeared. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

THIS! And it was located in my city only 30 minutes away! I saved it and waited another week before I messaged the seller. It is all wood and hand painted. I just loved the floral design and the birds. Also the light green color or sage is a perfect fit in my home office with my pale green settee that I just purchased a few weeks ago on Facebook Marketplace. 

 

 

When I went to pick it up she had her garage door open and it was FULL of antiques! I turned and looked at her and said, “now what do you do?” She then proceeded to tell me that people hire her to help them downsize their estates! She helps them get organized and then sells their items on FBMP. She had chandeliers from France, dividers from Asian, vintage furniture from Pottery Barn, I mean it was marvelous!  I can’t believe that I keep finding these people on FBMP who have access to all these wonderful pieces, but I am so grateful that the Lord allows me to. Get busy searching your city for vintage furniture or antique pieces to fill our home. You never know who you may meet. To read my other FBMP purchases you may see it here and here. 

Please don’t forget that the boutique is still having a spring sale! Use code spring15 for 15% off of your entire order and that includes the Vintage Vanity Collection. I hope you all have a great weekend!