My trips or places I would love to visit

A Chicago Trip ~ Sarah Flint BA Meeting!

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Good Morning,

Back into the swing of things and the heat has returned! Yuck! I hate humidity. It makes life very difficult but I always try to make sure that I have my essentials ready. Okay everyone I am still on Cloud 9 about my first brand trip! I still can’t believe that I am finally working with a brand. It’s been so fun and so far working with the Sarah Flint company has been a phenomenal experience. They do not put a lot of pressure on you to sell nor push content. I know it may seem like I am but it is me. I genuinely love the shoes. Honestly, I do. I wasn’t sure if I was going to attend the brand ambassador meet up in Chicago. I have never done anything like this so I did not know what to expect but something in me said, “just go” and I am so glad that I did. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The brand ambassador meet up and truck show was held at the Four Seasons Hotel.  As soon as I walked in I was in awe. It was marvelous!

 

 

Truly extraordinary…

 

 

I went in the bathroom to freshen up and wait for the other brand ambassadors. They all began to show up one by one. Most of the ladies were local. I drove the furthest. My drive from Indiana was about 3 hours. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Laurel who is apart of the “BA” team came down to greet us and to make sure that we were comfortable. Once enough people arrived they took us upstairs to the suite. I did not take a lot of pictures of the suite because I wanted to take in this moment. I did get a few photos of some shoes. Even though I am already married I still love these Wedding Parker Slings. They are just about sold out. I would wear them with my everyday dresses. I think that would look wonderful! 

 

 

I am lusting for this scarf. It’s called the Odette Scarf 90. I am still thinking about it… 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I could not resist taking a photo of this shoe. This is the Perfect Pump 85 in blue wisteria. I laid them on the table runners from the Sarah Flint company. I couldn’t find them on online but aren’t they lovely? 

 

 

Joseph who also works on the BA team loved my combination of my tote and scarf. This scarf is from the Sarah Flint collection and is called the hidden garden scarf. I love it! My tote is of course from MME.Mink. 

 

photo credit: selfie from Joseph

 

Here is the lovely Joseph…

 

photo credit: SF Content Team

 

Here is a photo of me and the other ambassadors along with some of the SF BA team! So much fun!

 

photo credit: Julie from Fashion Trends & Friends

 

I met this chic lady and her friend. Julie was such a hoot! As soon as she walked into the suite I knew it. I said, “okay I want to be her friend”. I loved her hot pink jumpsuit! The one thing that I loved about Julie is that she is fearless! She is fearless with her fashion and aims to have fun and enjoy being a woman! 

 

photo credit: SF Content Team 

 

I had such a wonderful time attending this event. I look forward to attending more events and being an influencer for the company. I love it so far. They are always sending out educational information and providing training constantly in order to help assist you with your content. 

 

photo credit: xoxoperfectjoseph

 

Doesn’t this look fabulous? This is a photo of some of the decor in the very first Sarah Flint store in Nashville! Isn’t it wonderful? It just inspired me to hang my platter that I purchased at an antique store. I will share it later. There are also framed scarves in this pictures. The hidden garden scarf is framed in the upper right hand corner. I thought oh I should frame mine?  

 

 

 

Here is the gorgeous store in Nashville, Tennesse! This is the store manager Vivian. I plan on traveling there in October when our daughter is on fall break. I hope they don’t change the decor by then. You can see all of the chic blue and white! Ohh I can’t wait!

I hope you all enjoyed this post and I am so happy to share this fun new journey with all of you. Thank you for reading my blog and for supporting!

 

This post is sponsored.

Here is my $50 off code (SARAHFLINT-BASMSSHOCKLEY) if you decide to order a pair. 

 

My Staycation ~2021

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Good Morning,

I have quite a few things planned this weekend. I will be heading to the dealership to look at a new vehicle, well possibly, I don’t know yet. Cars are so expensive and I don’t really know what I want to do yet. We will be heading to Newfields again for their Harvest Night celebration and I am really looking forward to it. Last year we missed it because of Covid. I am also about to start looking for tickets to the Nutcracker this year. I am not sure what it will look like on stage so we will see. Okay, let me share what I did last week during my staycation….

If you follow me on Instagram then you would know that antiquing was at the top of my list. I visited my normal antique stores around my city. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

I really liked the dog but the dealer wanted a $1,000 for him. Umm I’ll pass…. 

 

 

Lots of china everywhere… 

 

 

This was beautiful but I did not have anywhere to put them! They only wanted $50 for the big one and $35 for the small one!

 

 

I stumbled on some blue and white! I did purchase the giant pitcher in the middle. I loved the handle. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

I did purchase this lovely Jasperware vase. I loved having my purple roses in it from my husband. I paid about $35 for it. 

 

 

This was at the third antique store that I visited it. I loved this vase. I purchased it! It was handpainted. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I saw this gorgeous piece there as well. I was going to purchase it but I found something else. Isn’t it stunning?

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

 

I could not believe that I saw this there. I thought, “oh we are getting close to finding my vintage Louis Vuitton trunk!” This was $900 and it was pretty old. I am not sure of the year but it was old!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did end up finding these gorgeous nightstands. He wanted $450 for both but then I asked if he would take less and he took off $100! Sold!! I also saw this gorgeous vintage lamp and substantial vase. I could not leave these items there. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

I love these in our bedroom. I added the lamp, my new Jasperware vase, and other home decor favorites to the top of it. Inside I have my favorite books that I like to read in bed. 

In addition to antiquing we visited the Lume and here are some photos from that.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

It was stunning. This was the digital exhibit of the artwork of Vincent van Gogh. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

This was my favorite…

 

 

And I just adored this piece. It is all stained glass and was created in 1904. It is called the “Angel of Resurrection”. Oh I just loved it! We went and walked around the entire museum and looked at more exhibits. 

 

 

I especially loved this settee from the 1800s. They don’t make furniture like this anymore! Later on in the week, we visit the Cincinnati outlet mall and it was great. It had a lot more stores than our outlet and was very empty. There was no waiting anywhere and it was nice just taking our time. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I did pick up these gorgeous vintage-inspired Tory Burch tote from the outlet store. I have been trying to find this all over the internet but could not locate it. It is stunning! I’ve never seen this print before. It is called the Tory Burch Blake tote. 

 

 

 

I also picked up these lovely and autumn-inspired accessories from the Coach outlet. These ballet flats are so incredibly chic and comfy. The red scarf is perfect for the upcoming holiday season and I love elegant keychains. 

After the outlet mall, we went and had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and came home. In addition to all of the shopping, I did get some things re-organized around the home, got rid of old documents, and found a new carpet for some of the rooms that we want to replace. Since our daughter was away for a few days with her bestie my husband and I did have a few date nights which was very nice! 

Above all, I LOVED my staycation and want to do one again very soon! 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

My Vacation Plans ~2021

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Well, once I finished my workday today my vacation will begin. This year is going to be a little different for us. It will be the first time in about 10 years that we will NOT be leaving the state. My husband’s schedule has been so horribly busy this year and with the paint shortages, it has been really hard for him to find colors for his projects. 

Don’t get me wrong I tried to find different places that we could go but nothing worked out. I am really frustrated because I want to get away but something is keeping us home this year. I don’t know why but every time I tried to come up with a plan it just fell apart so I am going to listen to God, I think he is the one doing this, and create a staycation next week. 

So here is what I have planned….

For the whole week, I will keep my schedule of getting up around 6:30 and doing my morning walk. It takes me about 30 minutes to walk my 2 miles so I am going to keep doing that. I always come in and get ready so that will not change. On Monday I am going to check my office emails, have some breakfast and go antique shopping. I want to find a Chinese-inspired cupboard for my bedroom so wish me luck. 

 

My recent antique finds…. 

 

On Tuesday we will be taking Lauren and her bestie to see the Starry Night exhibit at Newfields. I know she is going to love it! We’ll have lunch at the cafe there and spend most of the day there. Afterward, I may swing by the At Home store. I have a coupon that I want to use. 

On Wednesday I will be doing some more antiquing, visit the Post office (we may be getting our passports), and do a “home purge”. I have a lot of things I need to drop off at the Goodwill so that will be a great time to do that! 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

For the rest of the week, we will be driving to Cincinnati to visit their gorgeous outlet mall, have a pop-up shop for the boutique, and get Lauren ready for her boat trip with her bestie. While she is gone Mr. Shockley and I are going to dine at places that we normally can’t. We plan on having dinner at Daniel’s Vineyard,  and maybe the Cake Bake Shop. 

I have a lot more things on my list but that could make this a really long post. So with that being said, I will be taking a week off from the blog. I will still be posting to Instagram and will still be shipping items from the boutique. I hope you all have a wonderful week and I will see you all soon. Oh, and I will be posting a video to my Youtube channel. It will be a “What’s in my bag video”.  Also, the lovely Hadara shared the boutique’s Stella satchel on her page. If you have a young daughter or niece that may be interested in the Stella satchel then you may use Hadara’s coupon code. Just use Hadara20 for 20% off of your purchase! You may use it for anything in the boutique. I think the Stella satchel would be a great birthday gift, graduation, Christmas gift, etc.  I hope you all enjoy it. Talk with you soon!

 

 

 

 

 

A Perfect Day in Normandy

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Le Mas des Poiriers on Instagram: “Who doesn’t love dining al fresco under a big tree for shade ? . . @oliverflyphotography”

photo credit Provencepoiriers 

Good Morning All,

I had a wonderful “free day” yesterday. I was able to get my driver’s license renewed. We have to have those updated by October so that is now off of my checklist. I got some house chores done because I want my Saturday to be free. I need to take my new mirror from the antique store into Michaels to have them add some brackets to hang it with. Also, I have been invited to a vintage purse party at Von Maur Saturday morning and I want to be able to attend that without having so much on my to-do list. 

But let’s get into today’s inspiring “french” post. I was recently reading some blog posts on Bloglovin and I found this one called, “My Perfect Day in Normandy”. I think most of you know that I follow Sharon Santoni and her beautiful Instagram account.


Sharon has the dream life in Normandy and in this recent interview she gave her perfect day. 


Tours - MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME

photo credit Sharon Santoni 

If you are looking for a mini escape I would encourage you to read the blog post. It is a dream that I would love to one day experience. 


Happy Wednesday!

Biltmore Trip/Kings Island~ 2020

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Good Morning Everyone,

It’s the last day of July and we are expecting some cooler temps next week! Yay! It’s been hot. It has taken me a while to get this post together from our trip. I can’t believe that 2 weeks have passed already!

So let’s get into our recent vacation to the Biltmore and Kings Island.

This is the view when you enter the park. We only spent one day here (thank goodness). It was so hot and wearing a mask was not the best thing. 

This was the first rollercoaster that Lauren got on. Now she and my step-son had a great time at the park but we did have a few issues.

On one of the rollercoaster rides Lauren’s face mask fell down and once the ride was over we wanted to purchase the photo. The staff would not let us because her mask fell down. Now I get it, they don’t want us posting that to Facebook and people thinking that they don’t have to wear a mask but come on now. Wearing a mask on a rollercoaster was a bit much to me. Now if you are walking around and standing in line, okay wear your mask but while riding that’s a bit much to me (they did space everyone at least two seats apart). 

The second issue was with me and my husband. We wanted to take a “break” so we found an area in the park (it was not crowded) where we can sit and take off our masks. No one was around us but a security guard came up and told us to put them on. Really?!!! No one is around us. Now they had these “break areas” where you could go and take off your mask and they want you to do it there. But what’s over there? You guessed it more people!! It made no sense to us! Just nuts!!!!

Oh and if you had one of their $20 fountain drinks in your mouth they would not tell you to wear your mask as long as you were spending money. 

I was so happy to leave Kings Island and head to Asheville. Arriving at the Biltmore was a breath of fresh air!!!

Now you did have to wear a mask while touring the home but we understood that and most people stood over 6ft apart. People were quiet and absorbing the home. It was a much better tour this time. This is the garden room. I spy blue and white!!!

The gorgeous dining room. I didn’t take as many pictures this time. I wanted to enjoy the home and not have a camera in my hand the entire time. 

I completely missed this the last time we were here. I spy blue and white again! Beautiful details!

I loved the furniture in this room. The contrast between the floors, rug, and furniture is so elegant to me. 

Mrs. Vandebilt’s room, always a favorite. 



Mr. Vandebilt’s study



After the tour, we headed to the gift shop which I did not get to visit the last time. Alas, blue and white. So pretty!
My husband and I also did some wine tasting in this room and purchased 4 bottles of the Biltmore wine. We then headed outside to the gardens. 

Lavender

The conservatory is a work of art itself.

I also didn’t snap any food photos this time. I really wanted to just enjoy my vacation and not take pictures the whole time. But I did have to get a photo of this dessert that my step-son ordered. It was a little too tart for me but visually beautiful. 

Despite the heat, and the mask frustration, overall it was a really good trip. Considering we are in a global pandemic this was a low-key, simple vacation and we enjoyed it. My husband and I tried to keep things in perspective and remind ourselves that we don’t have too many more of these left with our kids. And the Lord has provided all of our needs and our “greeds” during this whole Covid scare. 

Thank you Lord and forgive us for being silly sometimes. I hope you all enjoyed this post and have a wonderful weekend. 
(photos via Mrs. Shockley)


Downton Abbey Exhibit ~ Biltmore Vacation

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Hello Everyone!
Okay, I know, I know… most of you probably have watched my video where I discuss how I have not watched the Downton Abbey series. It’s okay, I plan on watching it soon. I can only watch one series at a time. I can’t do multiples. It’s just too much for me. 

I did, however, want to share one of the exhibits that I got to visit while at the Biltmore.

The one thing that I learned about the show is that it is set during the 1912 sinking of the Titanic and left the future of their leadership in jeopardy. I found that part so interesting. Now I know I need to watch the series!

This particular exhibit was much smaller and located by the winery. 




This is some of the “daywear” worn by Lady Mary. 
These are some of the evening dresses worn by Lady Edith. The original dress of lemon sorbet silk crepe with scalloped hem heavily decorated with seed beading, sequin, and metallic embroidery, layered over a tiered silk and chiffon scallop hemmed slip. 


Evening and daywear collections

This is jewelry belonging to the Crawley family. Wealthy aristocratic women could afford jewelry made from precious metal, real pearls, and beautiful gemstones. 

My favorite is this exquisite brooch. I could not get the details for it. We had a line of people behind us. I would love to recreate this or find one similar. 

Wedding dresses, one was worn by Lady Edith. Again I could not get all of the details but I am loving the blue one. 

Bridal and wedding accessories worn by Lady Mary & Lady Edith

Wedding suit worn by Mr. Carson and a wedding dress worn by Mrs. Hughs (I think). Both are very lovely. 

The last photo that I was able to take on the tour were these various hats worn by the Downton Abbey residents. When you take a step back and look at these clothes it just makes you wonder about where we are today. You can barely get people to put clothes on let alone look nice. 

My heart somewhat grieves when I see items like this because I know we will never look like this ever again. But thank goodness for shows like this. They are great reminders and wonderful breaks for the soul. 

Thank you for reading!!
(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

Pending Plans

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Good Morning,




Sighing….. I have become antsy these last several weeks. Being quarantine has not been fun but I know it has been necessary and with Covid still spreading I feel like wanting to leave my state is a crime. 


At first, my husband and I decided that we were not going to go anywhere for vacation. He does not want to wear a mask and I don’t want to worry. But then I remember how our daughter has never been to an amusement park. 


We took her to Disney in 2013 but she has never been to Kings Island or Kentucky Kingdom. She has never been on a roller coaster and has been craving to experience one for a while now. 

So we began making plans to take her to Kings Island. We planned on arriving early, spending the day there, and then getting a room for the night at a nearby hotel. In the morning we were going to get up and head to the nearby outlet mall. 



























Now I do not intend on riding any roller coasters. Been there done that, no interest. It’s about Lauren getting her experience. I hate roller coasters!


That was going to be the extent of our trip. Well, then my step-son mentioned the Biltmore. He really enjoyed it and wanted to revisit! Shocker to me! I would have never thought he would have liked that place. Too old and stuffy, quite not. Since he is starting his second year in college and is studying architecture he has become enamored with structures. 



So here we are adding the Biltmore to our trip! We went to the Biltmore in 2016, see here, here, and here. I loved it and certainly didn’t think we would be back so soon. 

Also, I also planned on visiting this place again for antiquing. I absolutely loved it. 

This place has been added to our list. It’s called Looking Glass Falls. It’s a huge waterfall that you can walk up to and swim in. I don’t plan on swimming but hope to find a rock nearby and just take in the scenery. 

Apparently, North Carolina has about 60 waterfalls around. That’s quite a bit. I also looked into taking a tour in a hot air balloon! But after seeing those prices….. no thanks.





























Well, these are our plans so far. We will see how things go. I don’t know if the world is going to fall apart again so I am being very open to that. I hope a second quarantine doesn’t happen but you never know. 

Enjoy your day! Also, let me know if you have any summer plans. 



(photos via Mrs. Shockley)