My Dream Desk ~ The Chinoiserie Secretary

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Good Friday Morning,


Already February is upon us! Wow! 2020 is on a role. My husband asked me recently if I wanted to get any new pieces of furniture. Now why my husband would ask me that is crazy. He knows how much I love to look at furniture. 


My eyebrows raised when he asked me. I said, “Well I would like a chinoiserie desk”. Of course, he has no idea what that is. So I tried to explain it but he still did not get it. 


So that had me thinking. What kind of desk would I like to have if I could purchase one?  There is no great inspiring website than Pinterest.


So below are the chinoiserie desks that I would love to have…




This is still one of my favorites. Remember I shared this office in June of 2019.

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I think I am loving the secretary look. It seems so sophisticated and whimsical. This desk is from the Ralph Lauren collection. I should have known. 






Bookcase Photos

I would love to have a little pink in it. Especially some cherry blossoms. Now wouldn’t that be wonderful?



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Oh my gosh, you guys. I found a blue and white secretary desk! ADORE! Pinterest is so dangerous!

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There are so many beautiful options. But I do hope that sometime in the near future I can find one. I did see a chinoiserie desk at my local antique store but the price was about $795! Not something I was willing to pay at the time. Even right now I don’t think I would like to pay that. 


I do hope that you enjoyed this post and that it provided some inspiration for you. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your time with family. 






(photos via Pinterest)





January Favorites~ 2020

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Good Morning,


It’s been a week. Horrible news… I know many of you have heard about the news of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year daughter, and the other passengers on the helicopter. All I kept thinking of was his wife Vanessa. I can’t imagine what she is going through right now.  My family and I said prayers for them… it is truly heartbreaking.


Well, let us move on into my favorites for January before I get sad all over again. 




I’ll start off with my new Day Designer that I found at Target. Now I did not find this online. I found it inside my local Target. 

My new one is the black and gold one. I love it! I have more room to write, I love the tabs and extra stickers. It was a great purchase for $18! I can’t seem to function without my Day Designer. I open it every day. Sometimes before I even touch my phone!
My second favorite was Alena Pettitt’s interview on the BBC Network regarding “trad wives”. I thought she did a lovely job standing up for femininity and embracing being a stay at home mom.  Way to go Alena!


My third favorite has been my toile inspired bangle bracelet from Talbots. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Fourth on my favorite’s list are these beautiful Coach Wren Pumps from Von Maur. I have not worn them yet but they fit well and I am looking forward to wearing them this spring and summer. 


Fifth on my list has been my long lost love fragrance…. night-blooming jasmine.

It is still sold out online. I have had numerous women stop me left and right and ask me what I am wearing. I love this scent! I have already emailed the customer service staff at Bath and Body Works asking them to please return it on a permanent basis. We shall see!

Sixth on my list has been baby’s breath. I don’t know why but that has been the only floral bouquet that I have been buying at the store. It gives such a light soft scent in my office and home. It has been really enjoyable. 



I also love my black cape and faux fur gloves that have been my winter gear for this season. I forgot to take a photo of them. Maybe I will share it in a video. 


I hope you all have a great day and we will chat soon!






(photos via Mrs. Shockley)







Grand-Millennial ~ Are You One?

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It’s Friday and already time for the weekend. I had a great breakfast meeting with some lovely ladies this week, tried lunch at a new spot (loved the turkey burger and fresh fruit) and de-cluttered my office. 


So it was a good week. My supervisor texted me an interesting article recently about “grand-millennials”. Has anyone heard this term? I know that because of my age (37) I am considered a millennial but I don’t act like one. 


My interests are completely different and I don’t mind it. But when I read this article about grand-millenials I was so intrigued and relieved. I am not alone!


Definition:
Grand-Milliennial- Ranging in age from mid-20s to late-30s, grandmillennials have an affinity for design trends considered by mainstream culture to be “stuffy” or “outdated”—Laura Ashley prints, ruffles, embroidered linens. Unlike that of the late-aughts hipster, their taste for the antiquated isn’t ironic; it’s less twee than timeless. And although there’s a good bit of shared DNA with prep culture, the two terms aren’t entirely interchangeable; the grandmillennial is less Lilly Pulitzer, more faded D. Porthault.




Mix and Chic: Inside a bright and breezy Southern Mississippi home with a modern twist!


(Emma Bazilian- House Beautiful Magazine)






You’d probably never in a million years guess that this shot is of Aerin’s office, since it’s not, as she says, the “typical” office environment. Our favorites in this room include the green-velvet couch, the way its pattern riffs off that vibrant throw pillow, and how her art and photographs are so casually leaned up against the wall.





photo credit Aerin Lauder 



I know and believe in my heart that I am a grand-milliennial. I have a love and appreciation for things of the past. 







I need and adore things that are well-made and built to last. I agree with the article. As you scroll through Instagram or Facebook everyone’s home does start to look alike. Everyone has that stark white house and boxy looking furniture from Ikea. No disrespect to Ikea but I love an antique style buffet with a few dings and scratches on it. 


Charles Faudree


So what do you think? How do you feel about this new term? Are you a grand-milliennial? 


Let me know in the comment section below. Have a great weekend!





(photos via Pinterest)


Fresh Candles

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Good Wednesday Morning Everyone,


I am back in the office and trying to get into the swing of things. This weekend we went out for dinner and while we were waiting for a table we decided to go next door to the bookstore. 


I picked up a Good Housekeeping magazine and came across the beautiful Highgrove Tea Set for One pictured above. Isn’t it gorgeous? Oh I wanted it so bad so when I see things in a magazine and I know I don’t want to buy it, I take a photo of the article with my phone and look it up later. 


So when I looked up this set I realized that after shipping it would be $100! That’s disappointing but maybe next time.


I did go candle shopping. Bath and Body Works was having a sale on their 3-wick candles. Their candles are the best. I did pick up the new fresh orange scent.


My husband loves and could not put it down. He keeps smelling it. It burns very nicely and has notes of grated orange zest and citrus. 



The second candle that I picked up is my all-time favorite perfect spring. This has notes of fresh grass and apple blossom. It may be a little strong for some people but I love it. 

I forgot to get my other favorite fresh cut lilacs so I am hoping to pick that up soon. Please let me know what your favorite spring candles are. I would love to know!


Enjoy your day!








(photos via Mrs. Shockley)





Unknown Thoughts of 2020

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Good Morning Everyone,


We are already in the third week of January and normally I would have some thoughts of what I would like this year to be like and for the first time…. I don’t have any. 


This has never happen to me before. I am on unknown territory. I recently had an office issue. I don’t want to really get into the details about it but it made me re-think a lot of things. 


Because of the recent issue, I have become more open to looking into different opportunities. What it also taught me was people will surprise you in more ways than one. 


























photo credit Marchioness Instagram




You want to always believe the best about people but sometimes you just have to face the facts that some people are all about themselves. Now they may not mean to hurt you or be disrespectful. I just believe that some people are so focused on themselves that they don’t think about anyone else. 


It’s all about their goals and dreams. But as Maya Angelou said, “When someone shows who they really are the first time, believe them”. 


I now believe some people. 


































But I know one thing that is always with me and that is my faith. I have been praying for direction for this situation and my future. It is so hard staying in a situation that you know is not good for you and wait on the Lord. But I want God’s best and to me I know it is worth the wait. I just need the strength to still be gracious, professional, and elegant while I wait. So Father help me. 


I think that we all have had life experiences that have forced us to become confused and lost. One thing I am grateful for is that my home life is well and that helps me to stay in the game.

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday and remember to keep things in perspective. The Lord is working always. ~










A New Scent ~ Tiffany

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It’s Friday and we have a holiday on Monday. I am always grateful for these small breaks. Having moments away from the office is good for the soul. 


I was talking with a friend recently and we were discussing scents. That’s when I realized that I had completely forgotten to share my new Tiffany Perfume that I received for Christmas.

Now I will be honest, I am not in love with it. I actually liked the Tiffany & Love scent better. I think it’s the black currant and grapefruit notes in it. 

It’s still a beautiful scent and maybe it will grow on me. I don’t know. It has happened before. I kept a scent and a few years later I loved it. I think it’s all about growing older. 

I hope you all enjoy your long weekend if you get one and if so can you share some of your weekend plans. Anyone doing anything fun?

Share below!
(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

A Favorite has Returned….

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A Glorious Day….


Good Morning Everyone! I don’t know if many of you remember this scent from the early 2000’s but I do. I wore this scent in 2002 until they discontinued it in 2009 or maybe even earlier. 


I LOVE Night Blooming Jasmine from Bath & Body Works. I have been emailing that company for years requesting that they bring this back. I was so surprised when I received my semi-annual postcard in the mail that it listed it on the card!


I could not believe it and hopped on the site immediately. Of course it was not available until the day of the sale but I wanted to see it. Now it has sold out already! I am not surprised. I will be emailing and asking if they will be bringing it back permanently. 

Now I know this looks bad but I could not resist it. I got about 20 bottles from two different stores. At $3.95 each how could I refuse?


I have stored them in my closet cabinet and will be enjoying them all year. I have had numerous co-workers and family stop me about this scent. It’s light and beautiful. 

It’s the simple things in life that make it worthwhile. Even having a special scent return is a wonderful event for me. I hope that you all go and check out the scent if it is available in your local store. You may like it you may not but to each his own. 


Enjoy your day!


(photos via Mrs. Shockley)