Items that I loved for the month

November Favorites ~ 2023

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Hello!

Happy Friday! I don’t have much planned this weekend and I am happy about that! Yesterday my team and I went to the Ayres Tea Room for lunch. It was so good and we really enjoyed ourselves. The temperatures are dropping, and it is starting to feel like Christmas. I have 3 more luncheons to attend and then it will be time to go and see the Nutcracker with Lauren. I am looking forward to it this year.

And now here we are with my November favorites. It’s actually December! So crazy but anyway here are the things that I loved this month…

 

 

First on my favorites for November is my white mum. This was the biggest mum that I have ever had, and I still have it! It looked absolutely beautiful on my blue and white garden stool this fall. 

 

 

Second was my floral arrangement session at Random Acts of Flowers. I try to make sure that I volunteer at least once a month. This was so fun! I met a lot of women and I felt like I was creating something beautiful and meaningful for someone else. #Volunteeringrocks

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Third was the new showhouse! I am so excited to see what the designers are going to do at this year’s showhouse. Did I mention that there is a vintage greenhouse attached to this home? 

 

Fourth has been my Christmas decor for this year. I posted a video on my YouTube channel if you missed it!

 

 

 

Fifth has been this merlot vintage Micheal Kors bag from Poshmark. I was on the hunt for a red or burgundy tote, and this come up in my search! I could not believe it and the color was perfect along with the gold hardware. I got it for a steal!

 

 

 

The sixth is the Barbie Dreamhouse ornament from 1999! My mother-in-law purchased this when it debuted in 1999 and I have wanted it for my tree for years. I found it on Poshmark as well! I made an offer, she countered me and then I accepted! Yay! 

 

 

And last on my list are the gorgeous gift bags from Aerin Lauder. So I went to Von Maur to get some more moisturizer for my face, and I always ask the Estee Lauder counter girls if I could have certain gift bags. I have only been turned down once and was so happy that she gave me two! Aren’t they wonderful? 

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend! The boutique’s sale is still going on. Use code BlkFriday23 for 20% off your entire order. New arrivals included! Have a great weekend! 

 

 

Elegant Amazon Finds

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Good Morning Everyone,

The weather here has gotten quite crisp, and I am loving every minute of it. My husband always has a fit when the temperatures drop but I love the crisp weather. I feel like I can open up all the windows and let that fresh air in the house. It’s wonderful. I especially love it when the crisp air is coming in while I am burning my apple scented candles. So lovely! 

This weekend I don’t have much planned. I just need to make sure that I have my calendars in order, and I finish working on my Christmas list. Speaking of gifts, I am sharing some great and affordable gift ideas from Amazon!

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

First on my list is this fabulous hydrating facial mist from Elizabeth Arden. I have had this for a few weeks, and I love it! Every time I use it someone gives me a compliment about how my face is glowing. I would highly recommend it. 

 

 

My second beauty find is this dusting powder from Woods of Windsor. I found this while watching Lydia Millen on YouTube. She mentioned dusting powder and how no one ever uses it anymore. She mentioned this brand and I had to look for it on Amazon. It is wonderful and the scent is perfect. This is the lily of the valley scent. I will be going back to order the jasmine scent next. This is a perfect beauty gift for yourself or someone else. 

 

 

Next is another great travel find or for daily use. I found this pill travel case on Amazon as well. It is much bigger than the one that I currently have, and I love the separate sections that it offers. I can carry a lot more and a variety of pills. I have my aspirin and vitamins in here now. It’s perfect!

 

 

Now I stumbled on this dusty pink purse bags while shopping for something else. These come in different sizes, colors, and with a draw string for tight closure. They are made of breathable silk. This are so beautiful and would look great in your closet and covering your handbags. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

The last item is the best thing that I have purchase this month! I was inspired to look for atomizers while watching Lydia (again) and decided to a search on Amazon for perfume atomizers. I found these and wanted to give them a try. I have to say they are phenomenal. I love being able to fill each one with my favorite perfumes that I normally cannot carry with me. There are five in a pack and the come with the tools to remove the perfume from your bottle. 

I hope you all enjoy these Amazon finds! I love finding elegant things on Amazon. It’s quite fun!

I do have the new arrival for the boutique finally. The Belle Rose Maxi is available in small, medium, and large. It is so pretty and perfect for any occasion! It is covered in rose peonies! 

 

 

August Favorites ~ 2023

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Good Morning Friends,

Empty-nester week 2! It has been going well so far. Lauren will be coming home this weekend because there are no classes on Monday so we will be so happy to see her. We do have some running around. She has a hair appointment and I have my first waxing appointment! Oh my goodness you guys wish me luck! I have never done waxing before, but I need to try it. Shaving is causing me all sorts of issues! And I mean issues! If you would like for me to share my experience, please let me know below. 

Okay, let’s get into my favorites for the month of August!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

First on my list is this beautiful bouquet of hydrangeas from my very kind neighbor. I was opening the windows to my home office and saw his huge hydrangea tree and thought, “oh I would love a few of those for my crystal vase”. I sent my husband over to ask and he cut me a few! How grand is that?

 

 

Second on my list is the new Aerin Lauder Rose de Grasse perfume called Rouge. I had to go and smell it and it smells just like red roses. It’s quite lovely. If you want to try a sample here is the link to order that. Enjoy! 

 

 

Third on my list is my new monogram tote from Abbot and Lyon! I have always wanted to try a monogram tote and I actually got to see this tote in person while I was in South Carolina in May. A woman walked by me, and I stopped her and asked about it. The quality is quite exceptional, and the price is incredible! I have no regrets ordering it. It is quite large and has lots of organizational compartments on the inside. 

 

 

Fourth was my delicious meal that I got at Ford’s Garage. It was a new restaurant that my family and I decided to try and it was really good. The lime vinaigrette was outstanding! Oh so good! 

 

 

The fifth is my new Kate Spade Leopard tote. I saw a beautiful influencer with this bag and went on the hunt for it. It is sold out everywhere. I managed to find it on Poshmark. Yay Poshmark! This is going to be perfect for the fall. 

 

 

Sixth on my list are these travel contact lense containers. I found these on Amazon and they come two in one pack! Great for traveling or keeping in your handbag for easy access! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Seventh is this incredibly chic white umbrella that I also found on Amazon. I love the gold handle and gold hardware. It is so elegant and comes in different colors. I ordered it and took it to my office immediately. It’s quite lovely.

 

 

The eighth item is this lovely goat milk soap from Beekman 1802. Now I have been watching this company on QVC for years and was always curious about their products. I saw a recent show of their bar soap and after seeing how it lathered on t.v. I had to give it a try, so I ordered it from Amazon. I have been using it for a month and I LOVE IT! Oh my goodness, it is so creamy, and the lavender smell is very light. I love using it. 

 

 

And the last item is my new lip balm from Elizabeth Arden. I found this on Amazon and wanted to give it a try and I must say it moisturizes my lips very nicely. I use it daily and carry it in my handbag. You should give it a try. I will be ordering the 8-hour hydrating facial spray, and hand cream as well. Those items will go nicely in my handbag especially with winter on the horizon. 

I hope you all love my favorites for the month of August. My monthly newsletter will be hitting your mailboxes soon! Please make sure that you check your spam folder if you are not getting it! Have a great day and…

 

 

 

 

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July Favorites ~ 2023

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Good Morning Everyone!

I am on a mission this week to eat less sugar (food in general) and get into the bed on time. I felt awful this past weekend. I was so tired. I know it was because of my bad bedtime habits this past week and my bad eating habits for the last two weeks. I really need to get it together! 

I also have some fun news! I found my vintage cabinet that I will be using for my books. I have a photo of it down below but I have not moved it to its new spot in my office. I am waiting on my step-son to clear out his room next month. He will be taking most of his furniture to college so that will be exciting. 

Now let’s get into my favorites for July!

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

First on my list is my English inspired floral pillow cover. I love it and have gotten so many compliments. It is the perfect and quintessential English inspired pillow cover. 

 

 

Second on my list is my matching English floral inspired napkins from Pottery Barn. I have enjoyed using these at meals. They are large and look lovely sitting on my lap. These are small things in life that make it lovely. 

 

 

My third favorite is my new Chanel-inspired travel luggage bag from Amazon. I could not resist ordering this! I saw it and watched a few videos on it and just had to give it a try. I knew that if it was really bad, I could send it back. Amazon had an awesome return policy. I have not used it yet. I may use it in September for our Atlanta trip. 

 

 

Fourth on my list is my garden. Now it’s very small but I love what little flowers I do have. This year’s hydrangeas turned out so well! I have cut a few and put them inside the house and taken them to work. They are so beautiful!

 

 

The fifth favorite are my beautiful, elegant blouses from Express. I love a blouse with sheer sleeves. It is the epitome of elegance to me and whenever I can find one under $50 then I must have it. They are so versatile and offer simply the best coverage and sophistication. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The sixth favorite is my new MME. Bentley tote with rose ribbon. I have been stalking this on the website since it launched and really wanted a beautiful straw bag. The bigger one that I have is not something that I could carry every day and the Bentley is. So glad that I ordered it! They come in smaller sizes. 

 

 

And last on my list is my (new to me) vintage china cabinet. A few of you know that I have been on the hunt for a vintage china cabinet with wood shelves so that I can use it as my new book library. I am so excited! I found it on FBMP of course and it is in incredible condition! There is hardly any damage. This was the fourth cabinet that I went to go see and this was the BEST looking one. It is from the 70’s and I can’t wait to clean it up and style it. I am waiting until August to move it to its new spot in my office. My step-son will be moving out of his room next month to attend college with Lauren! I will style it and show photos then. I may even record a YouTube video! I will let you all know soon! Also should I paint it? Let me know in the comments section below!

 

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June Favorites ~ 2023

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Good Morning Everyone,

I had a pretty good weekend. Although I did go and look at a new cabinet for my bookcase and I walked away from it. It just had too much damage and the seller did not want to drop the price so the quest continues. I had some glorious purchases from Poshmark recently. I will be sharing them below as some of my favorites. 

 

First on my list is our daughter’s Open House party. I still can’t believe that she has graduated from school and will be headed to college in the fall. It is so incredible!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

We decided to keep things simple. We ordered most of her food. I really didn’t want to cook anything, and it turned out very well. She was happy and so were we! I was thrilled when she said that she wanted blue and white as her colors. I thought, “well that is just perfect”. 

 

 

Second on my list is my new sage green or pale green nail color. I found this at the grocery store and it is called “Thyme is money”. I was actually inspired by an influencer to try this color. I will share her down below. 

 

 

My third favorite for the month is florals. I don’t know why but I am extremely inspired by florals this season. I always have flowers around, but I am craving an English garden aesthetic. I want it in my clothes, shoes, accessories, and home decor. I just want it in everything! I wore this outfit to work last week and my chief says, “you look absolutely wonderful today”! I said, “thank you. I was trying to channel an English garden today”. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Speaking of florals, my fifth favorite is my new but old vintage Gucci Scarf. I have been searching on Poshmark for years for a vintage floral Gucci scarf. Every time that I found one it would be priced too high. I found this one a few weeks ago and went ahead and made an offer. I love it and I think it fits perfectly into my wardrobe and provides the English garden aesthetic that I want. 

 

 

My sixth favorite are my new vintage insect brooches. I found these on Poshmark as well. I did a search for “bug brooch” and these popped up. I originally made an offer on the green spider but then I received a message from the seller offering me the other two bee brooches as well. I paid only $50 for all three! What a steal! They are a great size as well! Not too small at all, very elegant! 

And my last guilty pleasure for the month has been Lydia Millen’s Youtube channel.

I have found so much inspiration for this channel. I think I may have fallen more in love with pale or sage green. I simply adore Lydia’s dressing closet which you will see in her videos. Her sage green nail polish, bright smile, English accent and exquisite taste. I hope that you enjoy her channel just as much as I do. 

I hope you all enjoyed my June favorites. I wanted to let everyone know that my spring sale is still going on for the boutique. Just use code spring15 and get 15% off of your order. The Vintage Vanity Collection still has pieces left! 

 

 

May Favorites ~ 2023

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Good Morning Everyone,

It is so good to be back home and finished with traveling. I had a wonderful time in South Carolina. I got the management training that I needed and networked! I met more people and got more connections. Networking is so important, and I didn’t realize that until the last few years. I would encourage anyone to try to network. Get people around you to help you with succeeding and training people if you need to. It helps! Trust me it does!

Lauren graduated on Saturday, and we are so excited for this next chapter for her. It was so nice seeing her with her friends’ taking photos and making memories. Now we are in open house party planning mode, and I hope to get that list completed here soon.

Now let’s get into my favorites for the month of May.

 

 

First on my list is another bathroom organizing idea. I found these simple, yet beautiful bathroom storage containers from Amazon. They have been just wonderful having and using on my vanity. I have my cotton balls and reading glasses wipes in them. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Second on my list is my new lunch bag and card holder from Notiq. These two items have been on my wish list for some time now. I have been getting lots of compliments on my lunch bag. It is so elegant and chic. It will inspire you to grow in your meal planning and be an elegant lunch companion!

 

 

Third are my new candles. There is a new candle collection at Bath and Body Works created by Chiaki Nomura. I absolutely love this new collection! It is rare for me to like all of the scents and I love all of the scents from this collection. What I dislike about Bath and Body Works is that most of the scents smell like foods and are just a little on the juvenile side to me. I want scents that are light, beautiful and classic. I purchased all of the scents that I could and will enjoy them. This collection will not be around for long so go and give them a try. 

 

 

The fourth item was my Mother’s Day gift to my mother-in-law. I saw a beautiful advertisement for these on Instagram and decided to take a look at their website. What I discovered was a company that made these giant, lifelike floral bouquet cards for all kinds of celebrations. I ordered the Nantucket Hydrangea card and she loved it! It was all she kept talking about. I also ordered the Cherry Blossom one for myself and the Sunflower card for a friend. I hope you order one for someone! 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Fifth on my list is my new Sarah Flint Royal Kingdom Scarf! My husband got this for me as a Mother’s Day gift. I love it! I remember when Sarah was sharing this on her Zoom call with us. I fell in love then. Right now, there is a 60% off sale going on with an additional 20% off markdowns! And don’t forget about our brand ambassador codes that you can use and are now $60 off instead of $50! You can get a lot of elegant pieces with these sales. Use my code: SARAHFLINT-BASMSSHOCKLEY for your discount. 

 

 

And the last thing is my newest adventure, eating Vietnamese food for the first time! So on my recent work trip, a group of us wanted to go have dinner but one of our friend’s has severe food allergies so she mentioned Vietnamese food. I thought, “oh dear unknown territory for me”, but I felt my heart open to it and so I agreed. We went to a place called Pho Viet. I ordered the beef noodle soup and some spring rolls. It was so delicious!!! I immediately came home and began to Google places near me. I found one and will be going next week. 

That is all I have for my favorites lists. There are more items to share but they will be put into separate posts in the upcoming weeks. Also if you have subscribed to my newsletter please make sure to check your spam folder. I have been checking the reports and some of you are not getting the newsletter because they are going to spam. Please make sure to check that folder. I hope you all have a great day!

 

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April Favorites ~ 2023

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Good Friday Morning,

It has been a very tiring week for me. I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday and had to do a glucose test which was awful. In addition to drinking that extremely sugary drink, the nurse could not find my vein, so I ended up getting stuck two extra times! Not ideal for me but I got it done and now I can talk about some options with my doctor next week. I just hope everything goes well. 

This evening my husband and I will be attending our very first cocktail party! It’s the opening party for the Guild’s Showhouse and I am a little excited about it. My first shift as a docent will be this weekend so wish me luck. I will share a few photos of the home in addition to last year’s home and the year before. Now let’s get into some favorites for the month of April. 

 

 

My first favorite was our daughter’s college visit. It turned out to be a very pretty day and I wore a dress, beautiful scarf, and my glitter pink sneakers! I am so glad that I did! I was so comfortable, and I still felt chic. I also ordered this lace slip shorts to wear under my dresses. They are so good! I need more! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

My second favorite is this beautiful room in a church where we have our Guild Meetings. This is one of the other rooms. I just love the decor and paint color! It’s the “perfect pink” for me. 

 

 

Third on my list is my new Nespresso machine! I adore it. I can now make my own chai tea lattes! I have had it for a week now and love making my own foam oatmilk. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Next are my lilac bushes! They are in full bloom. I wish these lasted forever!

 

 

Fifth on my list are my new mules from Ann Taylor. Now how elegant are these? These have been my weekend go-tos! They go so well with my dresses and cardigans. I still feel put together comfortable and elegant. 

 

 

 

Sixth is a new organizational find from Amazon! I saw one of the influencers that I follow have this in her bathroom and I had to order it. It’s outstanding! Everything fits on it and I still have room for other beauty items. It’s great and look at the gold buttons! 

 

 

As I mentioned earlier the Guild Showhouse starts this weekend. This stove is in the kitchen at the Showhouse. It’s my dream stove. I love it so much! After I heard the price on it I now know that it will stay a dream stove!

 

 

And lastly are these new tea bag filters that I found on Amazon! I have teatime every day and some of my tea bags fall apart and I don’t have a filter to pour tea. So, I ordered these and could not be happier! You get both the silver and the gold. 

I hope you all enjoyed my favorites for the month of April. The monthly newsletter should be going out soon! Have a great weekend!

 

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