Blog posts that inspire

Seeking the Arts ~ The Claude Monet Exhibit

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Happy Friday!

It is Veterans Day and of course I want to thank everyone who has served this country. I have shared this before but my husband is one of them. Thank you! I don’t have to be in the office today so I booked a few things to get done. Last night my group the Guild had a Wine and Design Event. It was a lot of fun! We got to meet the new designers for the upcoming Decorator’s Showhouse!  We got to see their plans for the room that they are assigned. It’s really exciting! Our Christmas luncheon will be coming up soon as well as the fashion show! I’ll try to share photos if I can. Now on to my most recent “seek the arts” adventure. 

During fall break we went to Nashville and visited a few places. What we also did was take Lauren to the Monet Art Exhibit at Newfields. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

The exhibit transported you to 19th century Paris and displayed the works of Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and Cezanne. The exhibit had music which was set to include Europe’s most renowned composers! 

 

 

 

 

I found a seat and just enjoyed the exhibit. I believe this was “Woman with a Parasol” from 1875. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I believe this is the “Water Lily Pond” from 1900. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I only took a few photos. I wanted to pay attention and enjoy the moment. It was a pretty long presentation, and it also displayed the works of the other artists. Lauren and I both love the water lily piece. There are a few more that I love from Monet and they are Camille (the Woman in the Green Dress), On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt, Houses on the Achterzaan, Bouquet of Sunflowers, and there are so many more. I am trying to find ways to enjoy the arts in my city. Please let me know below what you are doing to explore your town!

Don’t forget to check out the boutique! A few dresses are on sale! Have a great weekend! 

 

 

My Wonderful Visit to the Official Sarah Flint Store!

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Hello!

I hope everyone has had a great week! I don’t have much planned this weekend. I am going to try to film a short YouTube video. I am so behind I know. I try to post one video a month and the month of October just slipped away from me. I honestly want to stop posting videos for YouTube. Let me know in the comments section below what you think about that.

I know one thing that I am excited for and that is for daylight savings time. We get our hour back! Now sometimes I have mixed feelings about it but I just feel like I get so much done with that extra hour. How do you all feel about it?

Next weekend I will start decorating for Christmas and I am hoping to get some inspiration here soon. I have grown tired of some of my decor so we will see what I end up with. I want a more sophisticated Christmas but with my family they love the old decor. We will see…

Now let me share how my adventure was going to the Sarah Flint store in Nashville, Tennessee!

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

It took us a little over 4 hours to get here. This was such a nice mall! It was big and really clean. The Sarah Flint store was on the second floor at the end. 

 

 

I smiled from ear to ear once I walked in. I was greeted by the assistant manager. She was so warm and kind. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I loved looking around. Seeing all of the custom blue and white fabrics, the sisal rugs, I wanted to just take in all of the decor inspiration! Now I did learn from a fellow brand ambassador that this store used to be the Free People store but they left a few years ago.

 

 

Now this was one of my favorite vignettes in the store. I love the faux chimney, vintage blue and white plates, and yes the framed Sarah Flint scarves! Such a wonderful idea! Oh and don’t forget about the tea set as well. I believe the assistant manager said that Sarah is considering selling china from her line! Now how fun would that be!

 

 

Loved the rich colors in the scarves! 

 

 

 

It was such a treat to see the belts there and I did try them on. I told the assistant manager it would be nice to see those in bigger sizes. I think that is being consider as well.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

I loved seeing how all of the details, the furniture, and the decor, fit right into the brand of the company.

 

 

I could not stop staring at the scarves! There were so many good ones to chose from!

 

 

 

More framed scarves, and these were the everyday silhouettes. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I had to try on the Grace’s Perfect Mary Jane Pump! Lovely fabric!

 

 

 

I could not resist looking at this scarf! It was one of my favorites!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was on my radar as well. Again I am loving these rich colors. Such good quality!

 

 

 

 

In the end I ended up purchasing this one. This was my husband’s favorite! I have worn it a few times already!

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I did not want to miss one detail. I simply adored the vases and lamps. I believe this tablecloth was from Sarah’s linen line as well. 

 

 

 

Don’t forget about the beautiful Pasotti umbrella from her collection. I have this as well and always get compliments on it. 

 

 

 

I wanted to try this one but they did not have my size! Beautiful color and leather.

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I brought my pair of Perfect Round Toe Pump 70! This is such a classic silhouette. You will not be disappointed with this shoe. It is completely timeless and comes in 7 colors! 

 

 

 

Now let’s not forget about slippers. Our evening feet must be chic! I have a pair of these in navy. I have them out and ready for the winter season. 

 

 

Me wearing the Rose’s Parker Sling

 

Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I am so glad to be apart of this brand. Working with Sarah Flint had honestly been a dream come true for me. I have always wanted to work with an elegant brand, and I am so happy that the Lord has allowed me to have this opportunity. I am truly grateful! I hope you all had fun reading my post and of course if you decide to order a pair don’t forget to use my code SARAHFLINT-BASMSSHOCKLEY for $50 off your first order! 

Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

This post is sponsored.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shopping Poshmark ~ My Key Search Words

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Good Morning Everyone,

Goodness, it is so hard to head back to the office after being out for a week. I have been able to keep up with my emails and work which has been nice but it is still hard to return. I also have a lot going on this week! We’ve got a staff meeting, I have a women’s leadership event happening on Tuesday, and lots of other things happening. I also have started my Christmas shopping! This is a little late for me. I like to start in September but with our family changes gift searching has become very light. The kids are getting older so it’s less toys and now more money! It’s kind of sad but it’s change. 

I will have lots of great new posts coming your way. I did not have jury duty while on vacation! They did not call me which was great! I got to do everything on my list so I will be sure to share it soon! 

In today’s post I did want to share my key search words when searching for fashion on Poshmark. I have shared about Poshmark before. I love it! It’s a great way to shop someone’s closet and make offers! There are a few key search words that I use when shopping. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I shared how I shop for vintage earrings before and those key search words remain the same. Sometimes I will add what color I am looking for if I want to narrow it down but for vintage earrings I always put in “vintage clip earrings” in the search bar. I am actually selling these on my Poshmark closet! Here is the link if you are interested! 

 

 

Now let’s not forget about brooches! I actually found the big spider brooch from eBay which is another great place to find vintage jewelry. In the search bar I would put in “insect brooch”, or “bug brooch” and usually options do come up! It’s so fun to see what shopping options are available for purchase! 

 

 

Other items are totes. Everyone knows that I am a huge tote fan and always on the hunt for one! This beautiful orange leather tote was found on Poshmark a few years ago! I couldn’t believe it when I saw it! I remember putting “Ann Taylor leather totes” in the search bar and a few options popped up including this one! She only wanted about $30 for it! I did not hesitate to purchase it. Once I got it, I inspected it of course and there is a tag on the inside that says, “genuine leather” and it’s from Ann Taylor. What a find! I would also use those same search words for Coach leather totes and any other designer. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

“Embellished tops and dresses” are other great key search words. I am selling this in my Poshmark closet as well. I always search for “Ann Taylor heels, “Banana Republic heels”, “Coach heels”, “Gal meets Glam dresses”, ” A-line skirts”, “Tweed Cardigans”, and don’t forget about housewares. I will put in the search bar “Pink Jasperware”. There are a lot of people selling home decor antiques and keep in mind you can make an offer. Pottery Barn is one of the brands that I follow as well as Crate & Barrel, Lenox, Martha Stewart, Pampered Chef, Pier 1, Sur la Table, and Williams Sonoma. Don’t forget about fragrances as well. I hope these tips will help you in our Poshmark shopping endeavors! Let me know in the comments section below if you are on Poshmark! Have a great Monday!

 

*This post is not sponsored. 

 

A Special Kind of Chair…

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Good Morning,

I am a little excited. I will be taking a week off next week! Now I am hoping that things go well, and I can do everything on my list. I will be sure to share how my fall break went as well as how my first concert went! I don’t know if I shared but I went to my first concert on Wednesday! My husband took me to go see jazz pianist Diana Krall! It was wonderful! I will be sure to share that soon. Today I wanted to show you guys my recent big antique purchase. 

 

Photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I went to Vintage Whimsy a few weeks ago for their fall festival and spotted this chair in the corner. I immediately stopped and stared. I thought it was so beautiful!

 

 

The store clerk saw me staring at it and said, “That chair takes a special kind of person”. I then said, “I am that person”! She then smiled and said, “are you”! We began to talk, and I tried to get the price down but could not. I was going to leave it but my heart began to sing and that’s when I knew that I had to take her home. 

 

 

I love the fabric. It has a “rised” look to it. It reminded me of my carpet bag that I purchased a few years ago. The bones of the chair are so good but I am still complimenting having it reupholstered. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I took it to my office. I have gotten lots of compliments on it. Most people think that I should keep the fabric the same and only a few think that I should change it. I do love it the way it is.  I wish I could find out what year it was. I may reach out to the store and see if the seller knows any details about it. 

 

 

Such a great addition…

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I think it is going to be great having this chair. Just look at how gorgeous it looks with my new Rose Parker Slings from Sarah Flint! Vintage, rich, and chic! Lovely! Don’t forget about my code for $50 off! Use code SARAHFLINT-BASMSSHOCKLEY if you see a pair that you want for this holiday season! There will be more beautiful shoes to come! 

Speaking of new arrivals, the boutique has one! The Charlotte Velvet Midi has returned but in plus size! The color is emerald green and I am trying my very best not to keep one. It is available for purchase right now! I hope you enjoy it! I will be posting on Monday but then taking the rest of the week off! Have a great weekend! 

 

 

 

 

 

This is 40…

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Good Morning,

The crisp mornings have stayed so far. I really do enjoy my walks in the mornings. It’s so nice. Well, I had a WONDERFUL send off to 40! My husband did a great job and pretty much got everything that I wanted! It was splendid. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

On Friday, I came home to see this. My husband was trying to get it done before I came home but I think it worked out. I gained a new friend in the process. 

 

 

It’s a mother and daughter team by the name of Balloon Ambience and they did a great job! I think they nailed it honestly!

 

 

I felt so special. Honestly, I felt like a little kid! The balloon arch is still up and will stay up a few more days. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Now let’s talk about this gorgeous cake of mine. I did not even want to cut it. It was so beautiful! I smiled from ear to ear and told my husband over and over how much I loved it so! It was cherry chip on the inside of the cake and tasted just as good as it looked. The cake was completed by Kim’s Kakery, Bakery & Cafe. They did a phenomenal job! I could not have been happier!

 

 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

After that I was presented with my gifts. I could not stop staring at this elegant Gucci Flora Compact. Even if you don’t wear eyeshadow the compact alone is worth having on your vanity. It’s one of those vanity pieces that will always remain timeless. I also received my new favorite fragrance. It’s Aerin Rose De Grasse. The scent is alluring and classic as well!

 

 

On Saturday morning I received another unexpected gift…..

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

This beautiful bouquet of David Austin Roses from Grace Rose Farms! I was not expecting this! It was such a wonderful surprise, and the smell is so amazing! My husband said that they got stuck in customs because they were being shipped from Columbia. Wow…

 

I also went to the Vintage Whimsy Fall Festival and did a bit of antiquing….

 

 

I saw this in the store and could not stop staring at her. It was the exact shape I wanted. I have been looking for an armchair like this for a few years now.

 

 

I tried to negotiate the price, but the seller would not go down. But I could not walk away from it. So I have her! Do you think that I should change the fabric and paint it? 

 

 

 

This photo and this photo are my inspirations. What do you think? Let me know in the comments section below!

 

 

Have a great Monday and thank you all again for the birthday wishes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My First Guild Luncheon ~Woodstock Country Club

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Good Morning All,

How was your weekend? I was pretty busy on Saturday with our subdivision’s HOA garage sale. I love setting up the boutique! A lot of inventory sold so the boutique does have slim pickings at this time! If there was something that you wanted you may want to go and take a peek. I have been doing some clean up and trying to find new items for the fall and winter! I will be sure to keep you all posted!

Last week I shared that I went to my first Guild luncheon! It was for new members and to honor those who served for the year. I am so glad to be a part of this group! Seeing all of the women there and talking about the mission of the group was a great feeling! This morning I am actually headed to a breakfast at LePeeps to meet with my sponsors! They want to make sure that I know what is expected and to discuss the Guild a little more. Our group had to come up with a group name and we decided to name ourselves “the Marvelous Mrs. Maggies”! Fun right? I am looking forward to this breakfast and I am so enjoying these meetings. It’s nice to meet with other women! Finally!

Now I could not wait to share with you all this country club where we plan to have meetings! I can’t believe that I never knew about this!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

Now driving in I was not sure what to expect but once I started to look around the property that the Woodstock Country Club sat on, I knew that it was something special. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

And indeed, it was! After we took group photos, I tried to look around the property and look at every detail. It was a beautiful club! My goodness! I was certainly in heaven! This was the first room that we walked into. I am not sure what you would call it. Maybe a “welcoming room”. I am not sure, but I loved the vintage rugs, chandelier, and Juliet balcony!

What do I all think of the yellow paint color?

 

 

This was the second room. Again, I loved the chandelier and I wish I could have gotten the details about the clock on the wall. 

 

 

Another room…. It think this was some sort of entertaining room. There was a hostess desk and this big wide space. Loved the floors and the couches in the distance. I had to get upclose…

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Can we say that we love the fabric? I do!

 

 

After looking around as much as I could I headed into the luncheon. Lots of new faces and smiles! I also loved the tablescapes! 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Now how beautiful is that? I loved walking in and seeing this! I smiled from ear to ear. 

 

 

 

You also could not miss the fabulous fabric on the chairs! No detail was lost! We sat down next to our sponsors and talked about everything! We had lobster bisque soup, a wonderful salad with candid pecans (yummy), and a key lime pie souffle. So good! After eating and getting to know each other, announcements and awards were given. After awards they called all of the new members to the front and introduced us! It was a wonderful time. 

 

 

 

I wanted to visit the ladies room to freshen up and walked into this tulip garden surprise. Now how wonderful is this wallpaper?

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I am a sucker for ladies room that look like actually boutiques! Now how great is this wallpaper with the mirrors and green cabinetry? Just lovely! I went back and finished my time with the group and headed out to finish my day. Overall, it was a sensational time, and I am so excited to meet new friends and start this new journey. I hope you all enjoyed this post. Hopefully, it inspired you to get out there and see what you can get involved in. The older I get the more I begin to understand how much lady friendships mean. 

Don’t forget to check out my shop my favorites page. I found some Wedgewood inspired pumpkins from Etsy! Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plans for my 40th!

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Good Morning Everyone!

Boy these weekends go by so fast. We had an office picnic scheduled for Sunday, but it poured most of the day, so it was cancelled. I did go by Target, and I picked up a skeleton to place in my hostess chair at my dining room table. He does look cute there! I will share a photo later. 

Today I wanted to share my plans for my 40th! I can’t believe that this birthday is finally here. I have been looking forward to this birthday for a very long time. Why you may ask? Because I knew that in this pocket of time a few chapters in my life would be closed. 

One of them being taking care of children. Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVED it when the kids were little but there was so much drama for my husband and I because of his ex-wife. So I knew that once I hit 40 that time would be done and it is. I don’t see her no hear from her. The boys are 22 and 25, her time is up. 

Now we know that the boys could get married and have children, as they should, but certain “petty actions” and things that she can do to us is over. Chapter closed. Another chapter is confidence. I knew that once I hit my 40’s a certain amount of confidence would be granted to me. Meaning the Lord would have put me through some things, testing of some sort, that would allow me to have confidence in him and me. I could go on and on but let me get into my birthday wishlist for 40….

My first birthday request was a birthday cake and this is my very FIRST birthday cake! I know, I know now how in the world is this your first birthday cake? It’s an easy answer. My mother never threw us birthday parties. Now in her mind she did but I challenged it one year and asked her to provide photos of these “alleged” birthday parties. She could not. Also I married young and never asked for a birthday cake in my twenties or thirties because I was a little embarrassed that I never had one. So here we are and me having my first birthday cake and I could not be more excited!

 

 

This is my cake inspiration! I sent this photo to a bakery that is nearby that has great reviews. I explained what I wanted and sent multiple photos! I am so excited and terrified at the same time. I just hope that my cake is beautiful. It’s my first one. Oh please make it gorgeous! 

 

 

Next are balloons, naturally. I sent this balloon arch inspiration to my husband and my fingers are crossed that the person that he sent it to can execute it. I don’t want the flowers but I want the blue color balloons and the rose gold 40 numbers! Wish him luck!

As far as gifts, these items have been on my wishlist.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

This perfume has been on my mind. It’s Aerin Lauder’s Rose de Grasse Pour Filles. I tried this on last month and wore it around the mall. I could not stop “sniffing” myself! The notes are pear, fresh rose and soft musk. Once it “settled” on me it had a light powder smell to it. I must have it! 

 

photo credit: Saks.com

 

Next is this stunning and limited-edition Gucci Flora Eyeshadow Palette. I saw this on Instagram and have not stop thinking about it since. I have watched numerous YouTube videos. This one and this one have been my favorites so far. I love the colors and just look at the case! Gucci had one last season and it is just as beautiful. I will be calling my local Saks store to see if they have it in stock! 

 

photo credit: SweetSavings on Instagram

 

And the last item is this beautiful shawl from Amazon. I saw it on the LTK app and had to order it. It should be arriving today. This is an actual photo of someone wearing it. It comes in several different colors and is only $40! I can’t wait to see it!

I do have a dinner planned for the Cake Bake Shop of course. Family will be joining me for that. Other than that, I just want to soak in my age and enjoy the journey. I hope you all have a great Monday!

 

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.