Items that I loved for the month

June Favorites ~ 2026

 

 

Good Morning Friends,

We have reached the halfway point of the year, and it hardly seems possible. June is nearly behind us, and I find myself wondering where the days have gone. The first half of the year has been full, with three work trips already completed and a fourth on the calendar for July.

Through the busyness, I have remained committed to the things that ground me. I am still attending Pilates classes, still reflecting on my word of the year, and still intentionally planning for beauty in my everyday life.

One of my greatest joys has been watching my raised beds come to life. This season, I added peonies, delphiniums, hydrangeas, and tulips, each bringing its own charm to the garden. And after much anticipation, I have one sweet pea beginning to bloom. It is a small reminder that beauty often unfolds slowly, rewarding those who are willing to wait and tend with care.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

One of my favorite monthly traditions is reflecting on the little things that have brought joy to my days. Throughout June, I discovered several new favorites, including YouTube channels that inspired me, songs that became the soundtrack to the season, beautiful accessories, delicious desserts, and a refreshing spring drink. These small pleasures have added a touch of beauty to everyday life, and I am delighted to share them with you.

 

 

During one of my recent work trips, a colleague ordered a drink that immediately caught my attention. It was a simple combination of sparkling water, fresh lemon, lime, and mint. Intrigued, I ordered one for myself, and what a delightful discovery it was! Light, refreshing, and wonderfully crisp, it quickly became a favorite.

Since returning home, I have stocked my refrigerator with sparkling water and have kept lemons, limes, and fresh mint on hand so I can recreate it. I have especially enjoyed sipping this refreshing beverage alongside dinner on warm summer evenings. Sometimes the simplest pleasures are the most enjoyable.

Later in the month, I attended a staff luncheon with my attorney and team at the lovely The Capital Grille. I ordered the chicken breast entrée, which was excellent, but it was dessert that truly stole the show. I selected the sweet and savory apple tart, and it was absolutely divine. The perfect balance of flavors and textures made it a memorable ending to the meal. In fact, I am still thinking about it weeks later—a sure sign of a truly exceptional dessert.

 

 

Next up is a gorgeous leaf brooch I discovered on Etsy, paired with a stunning Dior pouch from Poshmark. The brooch is wonderfully oversized, making a true statement piece, and features three pins on the back for secure styling. I recently shared a reel featuring this beauty on my Instagram account, and it has quickly become a favorite. The Dior pouch is equally enchanting, with its garden-inspired design creating a dreamy, elegant combination that feels both timeless and unique. I ordered a second one just in case. 

 

 

A touch of beauty can transform even the simplest spaces, and this lush bouquet of faux peonies does exactly that. I arranged in a vintage-inspired crystal vase, the creamy ivory blooms bring softness, romance, and timeless elegance to my vanity space in my bathroom. Their realistic petals and full, abundant form create the look of freshly gathered garden flowers. I found them in my local garden center recently. 

Now this was a great find! This delicate tulip bag charm in the prettiest shade of pale blue was such a wonderful summer find. I also have it in pink, and ivory. The charming floral accent adds a whimsical touch to my handbags, proving that the smallest details often make the most beautiful statement.

 

 

It was time to refresh my collection of home fragrances, and I was thrilled to finally add the Manor Candle in Lemon Loaf by Nabela Noor to my home. I have mentioned her candles before, but this one exceeded every expectation. Not only does it fill the room with the most delicious, comforting scent, but the vessel itself is absolutely stunning. It is truly a beautiful piece of décor in its own right. I will be sharing an unboxing on my Instagram account and possibly on YouTube as well, because this candle deserves a closer look.

Later this month, after a lunch meeting, I decided to make a stop at Williams Sonoma and discovered another treasure. Their Famille Rose candle in the Lush Jasmine fragrance immediately captured my attention. The scent is exquisite—fresh, elegant, and beautifully layered—but it was the gorgeous ginger jar-inspired vessel that completely won me over. With its timeless design and delicate details, it felt like the perfect addition to my home for the season. Some pieces are simply too beautiful to leave behind, and this was certainly one of them.

The final addition to my favorites this month is a beautiful piece of classical music that has quickly become part of my daily routine. Titled Marianelli: Liz on Top of the World, it is featured on the soundtrack of Pride & Prejudice and captures a sense of joy, hope, and quiet elegance in just a few short minutes. Though the composition is brief, it is remarkably moving and leaves a lasting impression. Its uplifting melody now serves as my morning alarm, offering a gentle and inspiring start to each day. There is something wonderfully serene about waking up to music that feels both timeless and enchanting.

I hope you enjoyed this month’s collection of favorites. I shared the beautiful pieces, fragrances, and moments that made June so special. Until next time, may you continue to find beauty, elegance, and joy in the everyday.

 

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May Favorites ~ 2026

 

Well Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone has been well. I had a work trip last week and had a trip two weeks before that. It’s been busy. I still have a few more trips, there are lots of things going on at the office, and I am still trying to figure out what to do with the boutique. 

I will say this I have loved my work trips. The exposure and experiences that come with them are priceless. My next newsletter will be hitting your inboxes soon. I hope you all are having a lovely spring. Now here are my May favorites. There are quite a few.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

First is my “beauty book”. Every Friday morning, I have my devotional in my office then I go to my sitting room, light a candle, and read my beauty book. It is a wonderful way to start my Fridays. I don’t usually work out on Fridays. I like to take my Friday mornings easy. This month my beauty book is Flower Couture by Cordelia de Castellane. Cordelia is the artistic director for Dior and is a tastemaker in Paris. 

Next up are these gorgeous garden heels from DSW. They are from their Kelly and Katie shoe line. The heel height is perfect and so is this gorgeous print. There are several more on my favorites page. 

 

 

Third is this gorgeous ceramic rope vase from Crate and Barrel — now completely sold out. I had been watching it for over a year, and when it finally went on sale from $399 to $179, I knew I had to get it before it disappeared.

On the right is a tulip brooch I’m considering for the boutique, inspired by a design created by Carolina Herrera. I love pieces that feel elegant, timeless, and feminine. Let me know your thoughts below.

 

 

 

Now this favorite is incredible! One of our designers from the show house shared this with me. It was in his room at the show house. Now of course it is not a real one, but it sure does look like one. It’s from a company called Bagvard. It is such great quality and comes in other colors. I will be ordering a second one! 

 

 

With so much upcoming travel, I realized it was finally time to invest in luggage I truly loved. I chose a silver hardcase set from Delsey Paris — including a carry-on with a protected laptop compartment that’s perfect for travel days. I’ve never owned matching suitcases before, and somehow it makes the entire experience feel more elegant and intentional. Beautiful pieces that travel well and function well are always worth it. 

 

 

I recently discovered a new Instagram account called Soulfedhome and I am completely smitten with her white vintage vase. Her finds are so carefully curated — classic, timeless, and full of quality. I’m hoping to find something similar for my own home.

I’ve also been focusing more on hand care lately, especially with all of my recent travel. Flying leaves my skin so dry after landing, so I decided to start using the same creams I use on my face for my hands and nails. Right now, I’m loving my L’Oréal Paris collagen cream paired with sweet almond cuticle oil.

And lastly is a new YouTube channel discovery of course. 

 

This channel is so good and I love their honesty. If you don’t know who Mrs. Alice is then you should get to know their website. It is where I purchased my chinoiserie vases. 

Well, that is all my friends for my May favorites. I do hope that you have found some inspiration and enjoyment as always. Take care and be elegant!

 

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April Favorites ~ 2026

 

 

Hello Everyone,

I have decided to share my April favorites a week early. I have a lot going on next week and will not be posting to the blog. Of course, I will share any elegant adventures or finds that may occur. My newsletter will arrive the last week of April and I am currently working on a survey. I want to get everyone’s opinion about the future of the boutique and blog. 

Photo via Helena Simon.com 

 

First on my list is this new website discovery. I don’t know how this website ended up in my feed, but I am glad that it did. Helena Simon is a designer who crafts beautiful brooches. This one is a dream! The cherry blossom branch brooch is handmade with silk organza and two 14-carat gold pins. It is on my dream list! 

 

 

Next is this lion tissue box that I purchased for my home office. I love the gold trim and lion head. Then I decided that I needed a little extra protein the mornings before my walk. So, I ordered these small glass bottles to put my favorite protein drink Owyn in. It helps me to not waste my drinks and gives me a little boost before my walk. 

 

 

Oh, this was an interesting purchase from Amazon. I saw another influencer using this and thought I would give it a try. It is a such a treat and helps with puffiness and inflammation. I think it will be my go-to self-care treat this hot summer!

 

 

 

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and I am sharing some gift ideas on my page here. I think this peony candle would be a great gift idea. The scent is light and floral and just look at this adorable, fluted candle holder. During my recent HomeGoods spring shopping visit , I picked up these absolutely stunning faux roses with vines! I mean these are a dream. I am now trying to hunt them down at every HomeGoods in my city. I need more!!! 

 

 

And last is a new YouTube channel discovery. I found Chic Between the Lines earlier this month and have really enjoyed this channel. I hope that they record a second season and I would love to see more vlog style videos as well. I hope you all enjoyed this month’s favorites. I hope you have a great week, and I will see you all in May with blog posts about the show house! 

 

 

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March Favorites ~ 2026

 

Hello Friends,

I had a wonderful quiet weekend. I spent most of it at home. I needed a weekend to get chores done. I clean up my flower beds, swept out the greenhouse, and reorganize it. I cleaned my bathrooms, washed some clothes, and even gave myself a pedicure! The weather was wonderful! I even enjoyed some ice cream and watched a few movies. It’s been a while that I have had a weekend that I felt productive. 

I am still learning to “plan around my energy” and I am trying to pay attention to if I am living well. Let me know in the comments below how your spring cleaning is going. 

 

photos: via Mrs. Shockley 

 

First on my list of favorites is a floral bouquet that I purchased for myself. I normally purchase flowers from my grocery store. They have not been great but this month I actually found some wonderful blooms. It was nice and speaking of blooms my tulips are coming up in my raised beds! It has been such a nice surprise.

 

 

Next up are handbags! I got a call in early March from my SA at Coach. She told me that Coach was requesting that all of the green Coach Empire 48 bags be returned to the warehouse! I have no idea why, but when you try to search for them now you cannot find them. I was glad that I grabbed one before they were sent back! My second tote purchase was the Knightsbridge Travel Bag from Holland Cooper. Jade the founder of Holland Cooper posted a video about it in October of last year and I was finally able to purchase it this month! It is sold out already but get on the list to be emailed about it being restocked if you are interested. 

 

 

Next is another FBMP purchase! If you watched my recent video you will know that I am working on my guest bedroom. I share more details in my video, but I found this beautiful vintage queen size headboard and footboard on FBMP. I am now on the hunt for a mattress and then let the fun begin! I can finally put the room together.

Now that spring is here, I can finally open the windows. I ordered these curtain tiebacks after another influencer shared them on her page. They are what I call Amazon chic!

 

 

 

 

This was such a beautiful moment at home. At this moment I was planning my week for beauty and wanted to capture it. I shared a small reel on Instagram. I had a candle burning, it was quiet, and very enjoyable. I am trying to take moments like this once a week to work at my desk and embrace the beauty that I live in. 

 

 

 

Here are some of my pockets of peace! I went antiquing last week and drove to Thistle and Thyme. It is an amazing antique store in my city. The owner does such a beautiful curating her store. I just love how everything is decorated and placed in the store. You can tell it is with purpose. While I was there, I spotted this red and white faux floral arrangement. Now I don’t have any red in my home, but I could not stop looking at these. They have been there for a while because I remember seeing this arrangement months ago. I decided to buy it. It has landed on my desk for now. I actually don’t mind it being there.

And last is my home office. I was sitting at my Mahjong practice table one morning, I was there practicing, and I saw this area in my office. I loved my settee with the faux fur throw, my pillows, chinoiserie stool, and Mrs. Alice urn. It just made me smile.

My newsletter will be hitting your inboxes soon. Have a great week and Happy Easter!

 

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February Favorites ~ 2026

 

 

Well, that went by fast. February is over. I honestly didn’t realize until last week that we only had one week left. Geez, I was going to post something else but then realized that I need to do my February Favorites. I have been trying some new things this month so here we go… 

 

 

My first favorite is my Galentine’s Day lunch with my girls! We always have a great time at lunch, and it is so good to catch up with each other and spend time together! We had lunch at Restoration Hardware which is always a treat! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Next up is my new nightgown! Don’t you just love a new nightgown? I purchased this from Amazon and have been wearing it non-stop! It is so elegant and so comfortable! I need it in more colors. Then I decided that I needed a new hairbrush for my downtown office space. I found this leopard one on Amazon as well. It’s functional and chic!

 

 

Okay, don’t make fun of me but I got an email about two weeks ago sharing this Disney Princess castle candleholder from Bath and Body Works. The little girl in me took a gasp! I had to have it! Those of us with VIP access got to shop first so I ordered mine right away. Then it sold it in less than 48 hours! Keep your eye on it. They might restock it. 

 

 

 

Next up are some office beauties. I will be sharing some more photos from my new space soon. I wanted a new sophisticated trinket box for my space and ordered this decorative box from Amazon. It is huge and so elegant! It comes in many different colors. I think I need a second. Then my husband sent me some pink roses my first week in the new office. That were so beautiful and smelled wonderful! He then sent a second bouquet for Valentine’s Day!

 

Speaking of elegance did any of you see Jennifer’s video about Elegant Planning? Oh, I loved it and hope you will enjoy it as well. 

 

And last on my list is a new health product. I have been really interested in collagen and wanted to try some to help with my joints, skin and possibly help me get more protein. I found Quince’s Collagen Peptide Plus and it is sooo good! I have been putting it in my morning lattes for the last month and have really enjoyed the taste. In addition to the collagen, it has 20 grams of protein! I also saw that it is third-party tested which is a huge plus for me.  

 

 

I add some warm frothy oatmilk and it becomes a real treat. Let me know in the comments below what collagen are you using. People have been stopping me saying, “your face is so radiant, and it is glowing”. Hummm I wonder if it is working? 

I hope you enjoyed this month’s favorites. The newsletter should be coming out soon! Have a great week. 

 

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January Favorites ~ 2026

 

Snowmageddon is here! It is so cold! We have had frigid temperatures all week. How are all of you doing in your part of the world? Is it cold? I have had a lot going on and hopefully will have some beautiful things to share soon. Like my new updated closet, updated laundry room, new office space, and a vintage chinoiserie desk but for now it’s time for my January favorites. 

 

 

We started the month of January with a baby shower for our new granddaughter who will be arriving in February. We are praying for a safe delivery and lots of hair! We celebrated with a baby shower that my husband and I hosted. We had it at Something Splendid in Westfield. The staff was incredibly nice, and we really enjoyed the food. I loved how our balloon arch turned out. I ordered the backdrop, floral garland, and arch from Amazon. The balloons were created by Banzi Balloons here in my city. 

 

 

Next is a little vanity love. Do any of you remember the Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan and seeing her mother Elizabeth James’ vanity? I remember the scene having a crystal item of some sort so I went on the hunt for something similar and found it! I ordered it on Etsy. It is beautiful! Then my husband found these gorgeous peach roses from Costco. It has been a long time since I have had beautiful flowers. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Speaking of vanities and beautiful vignettes, I was sitting in my home office and looked across the room and saw this. I realized how beautiful it was and had to snap a photo. Sometimes it is the little, small things in life that bring beauty and peace. 

 

 

Earlier this month I went to my Mahjong studio to play a few games and ended up buying another Mahjong mat. This mat was inspired by the famille rose china design. This mat is stunning! 

 

 

I love how it has the “Charleston” Mahjong instructions on it. The correct name for it is the Imperial Mahjong mat. I few places online have it. I also purchased this swan to keep my dice in. I was inspired by my Mahjong studio to buy the swan. 

I know my list is a little small this month but that is okay. I have shared lots of great Amazon finds on my LTK. Like these slippers, and this scarf necklace. I hope you all stay safe and warm this week. Bundle up! 

 

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Top Posts of 2025

 

 

Good Morning Friends,

I hope everyone enjoyed my last video. I loved getting messages and hearing your words of the year. I also talked to some co-workers about their goals and words of the year. You can tell people have put a lot of thought into their words. I have one co-worker whose word is “move” and another whose word is “ambiguity”. I have had a lot of good responses for my word curate. I use my word a lot as a reminder. It reminds me of my goals and where my thoughts should be. I did read a quote recently that said, “is the thought nourishing?”

Now I can’t believe that I am sharing the top posts of 2025!!! Wow…

For the month of January:

February:

March: 

 

 

April:

May: 

June: 

July: 

 

 

 

August:

September: 

October:

November:

December:

 

 

 

Last year was a great year of new adventures and challenges. I look forward to what the Lord will curate this year!