Being Gracious at Work

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I love my job. Ever since I was in high school I knew I wanted to be a paralegal. I enjoy the work I do and the office I work for.

But every office has those “bad apples” and I try my very best not to be in that bunch. Every office has them. Those “mean spirited” rude people. I just steer clear of them and rise above it.

I am finishing up Jennifer L. Scott’s third book Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic. I recently read her section called “Poise at Work”. I think that poise and excellence at work is so important but as I said before you will always have these nasty individuals that just make your day hard. Jennifer gave 17 reminders on how to have great poise at work. Here are just a few snippets.

1) Always act with integrity and dignity. Honesty is one of the most important traits you can have at work. Always be truthful whether you are clocking in your hours or listing your accomplishments in the interview.

2) First impressions are important. Whether it’s a new client or a new district manager, always STAND when you’re being introduced to someone.


photo credit Aerin Lauder from Instagram

3) Be a good listener. Let’s say you are receiving a performance review from your boss and he or she gives you a few areas you could improve upon. This hurts your pride. You might feel defensive, annoyed, and even upset. But it’s a good idea to place you pride on the back burner and genuinely listen to your boss’s analysis. Get truthful with yourself.

4) Look alert. I know you’re tired and this Monday-morning meeting is such a complete and total drag, but perk up, sit straight, and look alert. You can raise the energy level and productivity of your team.

5) Always dress appropriately. It is best to err on the side of conservative dress. Never wear clothing that is too revealing, either too short or showing too much cleavage. Dress for the job you want, not the job that you have. Aim to look presentable always.

6) No visible tattoos or body piercings. If you work in a conservative environment, it is best to cover them up. Whether you like it or not, people will judge you for them.

7) Treat everyone with kindness and courtesy, from the janitor to the CEO. Do this not to get ahead, but to show respect for everyone in the workplace. Treating everyone with equal reverence creates a positive team environment.




























8) Be diplomatic in how you communicate. Avoid pointing, as it looks aggressive. If you must point, keep two fingers together. Think politician. Also, think (and pause) before you speak. Maintain your calm and poise even in the wake of their angry tirades. You are the face of the company……

9) Watch your language. It doesn’t matter how friendly you are with your coworkers, watch your language lest the boss or, even worse, a customer, hears you swear.

10) Show respect for the common areas like the kitchen or tea area. Clean up after yourself. Never take any food that isn’t yours. Avoid taking personal calls in these areas, so as not to disturb others who are resting.

11) Keep your work area tidy. Doing so showcases a good work ethic and shows you respect the job. Treat your workspace as you would the big corner office with the view, even if you are just in a cubicle for now.

12) Always be punctual for meetings. You do not want to step into that boardroom with twelve sets of annoyed glances looking your way.

13) Never gossip. If others are participating in office gossip, stand up for the person being gossiped by pointing out that that person is not there to defend him- or herself, or simply remove yourself from the situation.

14) Take responsibility if you have acted in error. It shows tremendous courage to own up to your mistakes. Stepping up with integrity will most likely erase much of the damage done by the mistake in the first place.

15) Don’t order extravagantly at business dinners. I know the lobster looks good and so does that bottle of champagne, but employ restraint when ordering at business meals, to show respect for the hosts.












Photo by Kadarius Seegars on Unsplash


16) Never order a takeaway bag from a business dinner. It just looks bad. And then you have to carry it out of the restaurant. Awkward.


17) Be Yourself. From the initial interview to every day thereafter, strive to be yourself. There’s a reason you got this job in the first place.


I hope you enjoyed these reminders from Jennifer L. Scott and I would recommend you pick up her book Polish your Poise. It’s a wonderful read!


(text via Jennifer L. Scott)

Caring for Roses

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My husband picked up a copy of Victoria Classics Gardens of Bliss for me! I was so happy and grateful that he did. It had a lot of information in it about flowers which of course is my favorite thing.

One article that caught my eye was the two page spread about caring for roses. It is so great that I knew I needed to share this on the blog.

photo credit Brigitte Tohm

* Choose sturdy, proven rose varieties. You’ll find plenty of versatile and resilient shrubs appropriate for your climate, as well as for the conditions in your garden.


* When adding a rosebush to your garden, give it plenty of room to grow and reach mature size.

photo credit Dan Dumitriu


* Plant roses where they will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. All-day sun is best.


* Dig a planting hole twice as wide and just as deep as the nursery pot or root mass of your new plant.


* Roses thrive in enriched soil. Improve soil before or after planting with several shovelfuls of composted manure worked into the area around the plant.


* Feed plants monthly with rose fertilizer during the growing season. Stop feeding by late summer to avoid promoting tender new growth that could be damaged by freezing weather.

* Water roses weekly if nature doesn’t provide soaking rains. Always water after fertilizing. Preserve soil moisture by spreading a 2-inch layer of mulch (compost, shredded leaves, and chopped bark) on the ground around the base of the plant.


* Keeping plants healthy helps prevent pests and diseases. Stopping to enjoy your roses enables you to spot the first signs of problems. Take a non-chemical approach to troubleshooting; A blast with the garden hose often eliminates insect pests. Cleaning up leaf litter minimizes diseases.


* Snipping off spent flowers keeps roses growing strong. Stop cutting by late summer and help plants slow their growth and prepare for winter. In late winter or early spring, trim off any damaged canes (stems). Remove brown canes and show no signs of life when the rest of the bush appears green.



* If you live in a cold climate, help your roses survive by covering the base of each plant with compost heaped to 12 inches. In spring, uncover the plant when it begins to show new growth. 


Give roses at least three years to become fully established in your garden. If the plant thrives, savor your success. If it doesn’t, replace that rose with a different variety, and try again in another part of the garden. 



Photo by Ksenia French on Unsplash




These are wonderful tips, aren’t they? To read the original article see here.











Beauty on the Go

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Here are more fabulous tips from the French Beauty Solution. These are tips that the author Mathilde Thomas follows while she is traveling. They are really informative.


                    photo credit Nicolas Fairford Instagram account.





* Moisturize your face as well as your entire body before getting on the plane. Really slather it on. In fact, you can use a thin layer of a moisturizing mask instead of your regular cream and keep it on during your entire flight. Don’t forget your lips and hands- use a thick cream on your hands and reapply often.

* Once you get to your seat, change the time on your watch to the time at your destination as you board your flight. This mental trick helps you adjust and minimizes jet lag. 

* I never leave home without my earplugs and sleeping mask.

* Try not to eat while flying, if possible. I know this is tough, especially if you have a long flight, but airplane food tends to be very unhealthy and is often overlooked with sodium and other preservatives that can cause you to store water and become very bloated. (Not to mention that excessive sodium levels are terrible for heart health, as they raise your blood pressure.) If your flight is very long and you know you’ll get hungry, bring food such as apples and bananas, if possible, as they are satiating and easy to digest. 

* Drink plenty of water. Then drink more! As much as I try to avoid bottled water, this is the one time where bringing a large bottle with me is a must. Stay away from anything carbonated, as it can leave you extra-bloated. 

* One glass of red wine at most. I know it is fare more potent at altitude and extremely dehydrating. Still, I love my nightly glass of red wine, so I have one small glass, especially if it’s a night flight, as it helps me sleep. 


These are some great tips and can help you enjoy your flight!

Photo by Mariah Hewines on Unsplash

Gardenia and Rain

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A few weeks ago I went into Bath and Body Works and smelled a candle called White Gardenia. I love it! I am addicted to floral scents and this hit the spot for me! I miss the scent called “Flower Shop” that they had last summer but this is wonderful too!

So that got me thinking that a body care line. I emailed their customer service team and they said that they would share my comment about this. Well, I a few weeks later I was walking by and saw their new body care line called Gardenia and Rain.

I am not saying that they took my idea into consideration but I was very pleased to see that they were already working on it and that my wish was honored! I always purchase the body cream just to see how it “wears” on me. I do love it!






It has a very light floral scent to it. You won’t smell like a walking taffy bar! I hate that! I am not in high school anymore so I have no desire to smell like candy. I believe that most of their scents cater to the younger ladies so this was a nice change. 
Gardenia and Fresh Rain Spring Bouquet Gift Set

Another item that I love is the Rainforest Gardenia. It smells wonderful! Every time I burn my candle I can smell it all over the house! So fragrant!!! I would encourage anyone to go and try out these scents if you love florals. 
(photos Mrs. Shockley)

Rigatoni and Cauliflower Recipe

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I tried another beautiful recipe about two weeks ago. It is called Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno and it was a hit at my house!

My step~son ate the leftovers during the weekend! Fantastic right?

Well if you want to give it a try the recipe is below. It is quite simple. Enjoy!

My dish at home

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound rigatoni or other large pasta shape
  • 1 medium cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds
  •  Extra-virgin olive oil
  •  Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons roughly choppedsage, plus a few sage leaves left whole
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 6 ounces coarsely grated fontina or mozzarella
  • 2 ounces finely grated Romano cheese or other hard pecorino
  • ½ cup coarse dry bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leafparsley, for garnish

PREPARATION


Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente. (If directions call for 12 minutes cooking, cook for 10 instead.) Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices. Break into smaller pieces.

Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer. (Work in batches if necessary.) Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. It’s fine if some pieces don’t brown evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat.

Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish. Top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Dish may be completed to this point up to several hours in advance and kept at room temperature, covered.)

Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.







see original recipe here.

A French Beauty Secret ~ 2

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I am finishing up the last few chapters in The French Beauty Solution and it has been a wonderful book! I have been sharing different tips and educational information from this book for the last several months.

This is a fabulous tip that I read a few weeks ago that I wanted to share.

Take a tip from chic Parisians and spray a cotton handkerchief with your favorite fragrance and keep it in your handbag. Everything will smell divine each time you open your bag. You can also place a scented handkerchief inside your leather gloves to scent them as well. And take another tip from Marilyn Monroe, who famously kept her Chanel No. 5 in the fridge in The Seven Year Itch. Perfume should never be stored in the bathroom or on a shelf near a window, as heat and humidity affect the potency of the scent. ~ Mathilde Thomas 

What a fabulous tip! To read more about this book check out my other blog posts here and here.

My Kate Spade tote, see here if you are interested. I sprayed my Valentino handkerchief with my bottle of Philosophy Amazing Grace. Wonderful!







(photo Mrs. Shockley)

~Updating My Lamps

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Lamps can be a great way to bring in more color, style, and elegance. I follow Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic and I saw her white base lamp with the black shade and I just loved it!





So I took notice and some tips and decided to update my lampshades with a chic black. 


This is my lamp in my sitting room. I love it! This is the before and after.

I love this black and white lampshade that I found at a store called At Home.

I found this lamp there also. It has a creamy color to it and matched it up with this bell-shaped black lamp shade. Magnifique!

And I had this white lamp base for some years now and added this black lamp shade last year. It looks great!




I hope this inspires you to take a second look at black lamp shades!
(photos via Mrs. Shockley)