Nighttime Niceties

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There is nothing like coming home and relaxing in your bed. Especially after a long work week! I love buying beautiful sheets, pillows & throws for our bed.

I love walking by our bed and eyeing the beautiful neutral colors and soft palettes. Recently, I found these luxurious faux fur pillows at T.J. Maxx. I kept going to them every day! I finally decided, “okay I can’t seem to leave these alone, I must buy them”!!

I have not regretted this purchase. I love them on our bed. They add great warmth and texture. My daughter has been trying to “borrow” one every night. It’s funny. I am glad she enjoys her mother’s taste.

Our bed, please excuse my wrinkled pillow cases. 

The Domain Faux Fur Pillow
Relaxing in my bed, see the cozy blanket
Ahhh nighttime niceties 
I was watching Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic on dvd. 
(photos via AHFE)

An Inspiring Closet

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My recent love for blue and white has really surprised me. I am not sure how it happened but I am really loving the change!

Inspiration has been everywhere including this gorgeous oyster blue closet by designer Gray Walker. This amazing closet shows great beauty and function. Be inspired…

photos via Dustin Peck

The French Way of Eating

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I always wondered how the French manage to keep their gorgeous figures and still enjoy life. I know here in America overeating is a severe problem. I have to constantly tell myself, “Listen, you don’t have to eat all this food that they are putting on your plate”. The restaurant portion sizes are just out of control! And I have heard some people say that they think they are too small!!!

Well, I refuse to let food conquer me! I want to enjoy beautiful meals but I am not going to let food control me. I was reading French Essence and Vicki wrote about The French Way.


She talked about how she went to her aesthetician and discussed how the French eat.  Her aesthetician had some excellent advise….

Nothing changed in that she stressed the word moderation over and over. Her way is not about denial but the timing, quantities and combinations of how we eat. 


If we feel the desire to consume less than the ideal, eat it early and not too often. Depriving ourselves can make a diet difficult to maintain. Eating in a healthy way, maintaining our weight and setting up eating practices for the future are the way this French woman thinks. 

You must finish reading the article. It is an absolute eye opener.


Home Tour ~Dennis Basso’s Blue & White Haven

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For those of us who are QVC fans we all know who Dennis Basso is! He is the bright, funny man with great style. I love his faux furs on QVC as well as his throws.

Dennis has an eye for glamour so I was not at all surprised by his gorgeous home tour in the Hamptons. Talk about blue and white inspiration……

(all photos via Traditional Home)

My Visit to the Butterfly Floral Garden

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Having a whimsical garden has always been my dream. My husband and I have planted quite a bit this spring. We planted some lilac, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, peonies, lilies, gladiolus and dahlias. I have really enjoyed my garden this spring and summer. But it was nothing like the flower garden at the Butterfly Gardens here at our zoo.

Our friends were in town from New York and my husband and I decided to take them around our city. Of course Indianapolis is nothing like New York but we knew there were some excellent places to visit.

This was my first visit and I did not expect to see this gorgeous garden when we entered the courtyard. I was completely stunned! It was breathtaking to me…

The entryway….

The weeping willows were so majestic….

Yes, they were growing real pineapples!

This was one of my favorite spots.
The lily pads 

Me enjoying the garden







(all photos via Mrs. Shockley)

The Butterfly Garden

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Our friends came in from New York so we decided to take a trip to the zoo. We spent the whole day looking at animals and catching up on each other’s lives. But once we were finished with the zoo we decided to visit the Butterfly Garden.

I have never been here before so it was a nice surprise when we entered the giant greenhouse….

This was a giant butterfly covered in flowers.

The butterflies were flying everywhere. 

This butterfly was huge

A butterfly mural 



(all photos via Mrs. Shockley)

What the French Envy about the Americans

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As I mentioned a few weeks ago I am devouring the new book called The French Beauty Solution. I said that I would continue to share some of the information in the chapters that the author Mathilde Thomas discussed.



She wrote a section called, “What the French Envy about the Americans“. I found this list very fascinating….



* Your sparkling white, straight teeth, thanks to years of fluoride-rich water and good dentistry and orthodontia. 


* Your strong muscles and bones. Perhaps it’s the milk and meat and corn, you tend to eat as part of your regular diet when growing, but American women tend to look so much more fit and healthy than the French. Super- sporty cheerleaders and runners and gym-goers are always a source of awe.

* Your discipline when it comes to bad habits. Frenchwomen tend to smoke way too much. They know it’s a terrible, life threatening habit, and they don’t beat themselves up about it- when they should. Americans can go to the other extreme of “Oh my god, I’m going to get cancer if I have one cigarette”, or “I’m an alcoholic if I have one glass of wine”. That attitude will automatically make us want to light up and then order a bottle of Champagne.

* Your boundless energy. We just love America, and especially New York. Even though the city has been cleaned up in recent years, forcing out many of the artists and creative talent that gave New York its edge, there is still a special vibe and it is full of creative and ambitious people doing things to change the world. And, of course, Americans all over the country continually impress me with their innovation, ambition, gumption, and smarts, too.

These are just a few of the items on the list. I would encourage any one to buy this book. It has been a wonderful read.