Blog posts that inspire

Activities Outside of Work

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Good Morning,

I can’t believe it hit 80 degrees yesterday! It was beautiful a little warm but beautiful. I placed my chinoiserie rug outside on my porch recently and I need to visit the nursery to get my mandevilles for the year. My lilac bushes are blooming and my peonies are beginning to bud. The beautiful flower season is upon us! 

I am planning on having a picnic at our favorite park soon and I will be sure to share some of my favorite items from it. With all of these summer activities coming up it and all of my new adventures beginning it got me thinking about “activities outside of work”. 

 

 

photo credit: Randi Garrett

 

I am on a committee at my office called the Women’s Leadership Initiative or “WLI” and we recently had a panel of women in leadership roles speak to some of our guests. We discussed topics such as motherhood, being wives, taking care of ourselves, being leaders in male-dominated fields, and being involved in activities outside of the office. All of these subjects were wonderful but the one that struck a chord with me was “activities outside of the office”. One thing that I noticed about some of the “trouble-makers” or “petty Pattys” in our office was that none of them were involved in anything significant outside of the office and you could tell!

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

When you are involved in activities outside of your normal job it gives you balance. Because then your time and efforts are put into something else that you love! When you have nothing going on then you begin to try to find your value or worth in your current job because that is where all of your efforts are going. Don’t do that! Find other activities to do! I will be 40 later this year and I am finally at a point in my life where I can finally start getting out a little more. By me joining all of these committees and volunteering I am making friends and meeting people. 

Don’t put all of your value in your job. It is not healthy. Because what ends up happening is when so and so gets the promotion you want you then begin to devalue yourself because all of your worth is in that job! You also tend to start drama with other staff and gossip because your focus is on everyone else because you have nothing going for you. So now everyone is a target! Don’t do it. It’s not worth it and trust me people see it. 

I would say pour yourself a cup of tea, get out a pen and paper, jot down your favorite things to do and then search your city! Or you can do what I did. Speak it! When I take my morning walks I speak things out loud to the Lord. He hears and if it is his will he will get you there. I said I wanted to network. He heard me and here I am. There will be some work on your part but you can do it. Build the life you want. Don’t be one of those petty sour women in the office that thrives on drama. Rise above it! Have a great Wednesday!

 

 

 

 

Joining the Guild

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Good Morning Everyone,

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and an excellent Mother’s Day! If your mom is no longer around I am sorry. I know that mothers hold a high place in our hearts and homes and for some people, this can really be a hard time.

I had a great weekend! On Saturday I got up early and got ready for our subdivision HOA sale. I set up the boutique in my garage and it looked like a mini-store. I got LOTS of compliments on the setup. The boutique did so well! Half of my inventory is gone! I am so happy that everyone who made a purchase loved the dresses that I had.  I am working on ordering another plus-size dress as well as a regular size so we will see what my vendor has available. 

After the sale, I went to get my car washed, visited HomeGoods, and went grocery shopping. I found a new mirror at HomeGoods. I needed a bigger one to do my selfie photos because my silver one was way too narrow to work with. I also found this tray table to use in my bedroom. I will share all of these in my “May favorites” blog post.  On Sunday, I got up early to start a few house chores, work on my blog and boutique, finish some laundry and receive my Mother’s Day gifts. I got a beautiful bouquet and this gorgeous ring from Nicola from my husband. Lauren also wrote me a wonderful Mother’s Day card and those always mean a lot to me because she sketches them herself!

This week is going to be a busy one at the office. We have a trial scheduled this week and another one in about another week but we are ready. In today’s post, I wanted to talk about some of the other activities that have been grabbing my attention.

I shared last week about going to the Indiana Decorator’s Showhouse and touring the home. I didn’t go into details about what happened while I was there. I do talk about it in my recent Youtube will be uploaded tonight or tomorrow.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

The entryway of the showhome

 

When I approached the home there was a hostess outside giving us the facts about the home. After she spoke with us about the home she invited us to come inside. When I begin to approach the home she stopped me in my tracks. She looked at me and said, “you need to be doing this”. I looked at her and said, “I just want to see the house”. She said, “no you need to join our committee”. She then told me to take the tour and then come back and see her. 

 

photo credit: Aerin.com

 

So I finished the tour and came back. She then told me about the committee and all of its activities. They are involved in the volunteer work for each home that is picked, they do fundraising, host social events, and network. I have a conference call scheduled this week with the president and I am so looking forward to meeting new women and volunteering. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday and I will update you guys on this new adventure!

 

 

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 Mother’s Day Weekend

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Good Morning,

I have a very busy day today. My division is preparing for a 3-day trial next week and there is a lot to do. It will be my first trial as a civil paralegal supervisor and I am a little nervous. But I believe we are ready for the challenge. I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Mother’s Day! I have a few things planned that I want to do but we will see. Tomorrow our subdivision is having its yearly spring garage sale and I will be setting up the boutique! I hope to get some items sold but we will see. Last year we had two garage sales and I did great at both of them so wish me luck!

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

My husband got me these roses yesterday from Costco for Mother’s Day! They are so fragrant. Do you spy a Sarah Flint shoebox in the background? I will be filming a new Youtube video this month giving a life update and showing a new pair of shoes! 

 

 

Beautiful azaleas right? These were on the back porch of the showhouse that I went and toured this week. On Wednesday I went to the new members meeting and next Tuesday I have a conference call to discuss membership. I will be giving you guys an update next week! 

Also, I saw this gorgeous gazebo in the paper and begged my husband to go and get it! I have been wanting to dine al fresco at home during the spring and summer for years! He should be setting this up for me this weekend! I also have a table and chairs that need to be repainted and he is going to paint those. Hopefully, I can get some flowers and create a beautiful oasis in my backyard! I will be sure to share photos of the progress and finished product. 

Thanks for reading and enjoy the weekend!

 

 

Is Your Worst Still Your Best?

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Good Morning,

Goodness, it is still cold! We had snow yesterday morning!!! Yes you read that correctly SNOW! Goodness, so over the cold weather. But in today’s post, I wanted to discuss Jennifer’s recent video that she posted about “3 Articles on Dress”. One of the subjects was “goblin mode”. Now, this has been the first I have heard of this phrase. I will post the video below if you missed it. So goblin mode is a new term for laziness and just looking at the photo that described it grieved my soul a little. Like Jennifer said in the video, “people can do want they want” but I just wanted to check my pulse and yours about this subject. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

So lately when I go grocery shopping or out period I have been seeing a lot of people in clothes that I think they sleep in. I mentioned this before that it just grieves me. I know that people can live the way they want but when we go out and we see how people look it can inspire us for better or worse. When I see a woman looking her absolute best it totally inspires me to continue with my clothing style choices. When I see women in “goblin mode” I feel sorry for them sometimes. But I keep in mind that I don’t know what that person is going through and to extend grace. 

 

Photo credit: Memorandum.com 

 

We should live in a way that when we are down in the dumps we still have “elegant choices” around. The bad choices, whether clothing, food, or entertainment are not an option for you because everything you have is your absolute best. “Live your life so that your worst is your best”! That phrase popped into my mind while watching Jennifer’s video. Live your life so that your worst is your best! 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I purposely choose elegant items in my life. There is no room or limited room for me to choose things that are not my best. I would encourage you to replace items, clothes, and entertainment that will enrich you to always use it. We are only on this earth for a short time. Make it count! 

 

 

Here is Jennifer’s video if you missed it. I hope that you all are inspired to use your best always and to begin to replace items that are worn with items that are the best for you. You must be fearless in this area and confident because not everyone will like it nor support it. 

As I have said before, “there is so much darkness in this world. Why not be elegant”. Have a wonderful Wednesday! 

 

 

 

 

 

The Boutique ~ 1 Year Anniversary!

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Good Morning Everyone!

It has been such a busy week at the office. I have barely had time to take lunch breaks! But I always make sure to do that. I either bring my lunch or go out and grab a salad or sandwich. Then I eat at my desk in my office with the door closed. I usually read while I eat (a book) and try not to touch my cell until I have finished eating. After that, I usually get on my phone and check emails. I make an effort to enjoy some quiet time during my lunch hour.

While I was on my break recently I realized that I did not discuss the one-year anniversary of the boutique! I can’t believe it has been a year already. It actually turned a year old on March 8th! I am still astonished that I made it this long. I have seen a few boutiques start last year and end immediately! It is a LOT of work! I don’t think people realized how much work it would be trying to get exposure for your items!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

Running an online boutique is extremely time-consuming and takes a lot of management. The setup is really hard. You have lots of registration fees, trying to find vendors, and filling out applications to shop online. Yes, you have to apply to shop on vendor websites! The vendors that I use wanted all of my business info! After all of the setup work the fun really begins! And by fun, I mean trying to get the “pulse” of your consumer. The good thing for me was that I had my blog. So I had already taken the time to build an online base. 

I started this blog in 2014 and I still can’t believe that I am still going! 

 

 

I love shopping for the boutique but there is a lot of second-guessing. I always have to ask myself. “Do I love this piece?” “Will it sell?” “Does it fall in line with what I am trying to build”? On and on and on. Again, there is a lot of management that goes into running an online boutique. In addition to keeping the boutique stocked there is the blog. I have to make sure that I find inspiration in order to provide content. I love my blog more than anything and hope that I can continue to do it for years to come. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

The last part is money. Most small business entrepreneurs don’t make a lot of money from their businesses the first few years. I am here to say that this is true. Well, GOOD entrepreneurs usually don’t pay themselves. I am not taking a salary or paycheck from my business. All of the money that the blog and boutique make stays in the business account to help support the business! I refuse to pay myself at this time. It will probably take a few years to get it to where I want it to be and that is okay! I am really trying to enjoy the journey. This is something that I have always wanted to do and I am loving every minute of it. So thank you! Thank you for reading the blog, shopping my boutique, shopping my favorites, and the LTK app. I appreciate it all! 

To celebrate the boutique’s one-year anniversary you may use code “boutique10” to get 10% off of anything in the boutique! I do hope that all of you are enjoying it! Have a great weekend and Happy Easter! 

 

 

 

 

 

A Reader Inspired…

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Good Morning,

I think I finally got things organized in my new phone. I like it so far but I think there is always a huge adjustment when getting a new phone. The trees are blooming here. It’s such a beautiful sight when driving into our subdivision. I love it in the mornings as well during my walks. It’s quiet and I can just stare at the blooms. 

I picked up the recent issue of Victoria Magazine. I love reading the reader-to-reader section. There was one letter that stood out to me and I thought I had to share it….

 

photo credit: Style Me Pretty

 

“Victoria magazine has instilled in me an appreciation for everyday life. Inspired by its pages, I have begun to notice daily blessings that come in many forms: the rising sun illuminating the sky, the first sip of morning coffee, the scent of lavender in a warm bath, a songbird’s music, a home-cooked meal, or a full moon rising before bedtime. 

However, the most unexpected gift came when I found myself accompanied by my best friend on a small plane to Victoria, British Columbia. Neither of us had ever flown out of the U.S., but articles from the magazine prompted us to book a stay at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. There, we experienced the unparalleled elegance of teatime at the Empress. We also re-energized at Willow Stream Spa and shopped the delightful local boutiques. 

My friend and I still can’t believe we flew to another country to have afternoon tea. We surprised ourselves on that Canadian getaway with our sense of adventure, sparked by the pages of Victoria”.   ~ Janice Allee (Depew, Oklahoma) 

Now how wonderful was that? I was so motivated by this letter. I even looked up the Empress Hotel myself! I love hearing stories like this. Women being bold to take an “elegant adventure”. I am telling all of you I have had this urge in me to do the same. 

Let me know in the comments below how you have been inspired by anything you read or have read recently. With everything going on in the world, letters like this give me hope!

Have a wonderful Monday! 

 

A New Company Discovery

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Good Morning,

Spring is so near. I am looking forward to seeing the spring blooms. I went outside to see how my buds are doing. I see some life. I am hoping that everything will bloom this year. 

Speaking of new things, I forgot to talk about this new company that I found in the last issue of Victoria magazine. This particular entrepreneur was a part of the Victoria Magazine 2022 Business of Bliss Entrepreneurs.  That is where I found her. I went to her website and took a peek at all of her products and she has some beautiful designs.

 

photos via Notiq.com 

 

I especially love her Saffiano Structure totes. You all know how much I love a structured tote. The travel tote (the middle one) is my favorite. I love a tote that is wide and can stand on its own. 

 

 

Oh goodness! I really love the dusty rose and the gold hardware. I think it has a subtle shimmer finish and has rose gold feet stud on the bottom! 

 

 

She also offers other types of designs. This has a very “Chanelish” design and beautiful dusty rose color. I just love the combinations that she is creating. 

 

photo credit: Notiq.com

I really loved reading how she started her company with just $1,000! How awesome is that? I hope you all enjoyed this new find. If you have already ordered from her please let us know your thoughts below. I am seriously thinking about ordering the dusty rose wide structure tote and affirmation drinking bottle.  I am posting the video below if you wish to see her products. Have a great Wednesday!

 

 

This post is not sponsored.