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Travel with Elegance

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Good Morning Everyone,

Thank you again to those of you who have taken the time to respond to the survey. Your feedback truly helps me, and it lets me know who is reading the blog and following along on this journey.

At times, social media can feel like a lot of effort with little return, so hearing from those of you who are engaged and finding value in my content means more than you know.

I received a lot of views on my recent Instagram Reel featuring my travel cleaning kit. Since there was so much interest, I thought I would use this week’s post to share more about what I use and provide links to my favorite items so they’re easy to find.

I did want to share these thoughts on travel: 

Travel with Elegance

Travel is more than reaching a destination — it is an experience, a reflection of style, grace, and the art of living beautifully. In a fast-moving world filled with rushed itineraries and crowded schedules, traveling with elegance means embracing the journey with sophistication, comfort, and intention.

The Essence of Elegant Travel

Elegant travel is not defined by luxury alone. It is about thoughtful choices, timeless style, and creating meaningful moments wherever you go. From the way you pack your suitcase to how you immerse yourself in a new culture, elegance lies in simplicity, confidence, and attention to detail.

An elegant traveler values quality over quantity. Instead of rushing through endless attractions, they savor experiences — a quiet sunrise over the ocean, a candlelit dinner in a hidden café, or a peaceful walk-through historic streets.

Packing with Purpose

True elegance begins before the journey starts. Packing smartly and minimally creates a stress-free travel experience. For me that begins with my travel cleaning kit. Now I was inspired by Operation Nikki on Instagram during the pandemic to start packing a travel cleaning kit. 

 

 

Here is a quick snapshot of mine from the video. In my travel cleaning kit I have the following:

 

Dressing for Elegant Travel:

For me I still like to look like I am headed to the office while traveling. It still amazes me how people dress in the airports. I love to wear a light dress, cardigan or wrap, pearls, travel shoes, my favorite tote at the moment and my carry-on. A carefully curated wardrobe allows you to move effortlessly from airport lounges to city explorations and evening gatherings. Remember, elegance is often found in understated simplicity.

This is an example of what I would wear to travel in. The only thing that would be different would be my shoes. I am wearing these right now. They work well with most of my dresses and are super comfy. 

 

 

Grace in Every Journey

Elegant travelers carry themselves with kindness and respect. They embrace cultural differences, practice patience, and remain open to learning. Whether navigating a busy airport or exploring a large city, grace and humility leave lasting impressions. I recently ran into a man from London and a woman from Germany during my last trip. I asked them about their countries and what they loved most about traveling. Their shared everything and also asked me questions about America. I love those kinds of conversations. They educate you and open your eyes to a bigger world. 

Caring for Yourself While Traveling

In my recent trips I have learned that I get really dry during these travel times and shared on a reel this week what I was adding to my items. 

Travel with elegance is about discovering the world while remaining connected to yourself. It is about moving through life with curiosity, confidence, and appreciation for beauty in all its forms.

Final Thoughts

In the end, elegant travel is a mindset. It is choosing calm over chaos, quality over excess, and experiences over possessions. Whether you are boarding a plane to a distant country or taking a weekend escape nearby, travel beautifully, travel mindfully, and most importantly — travel with elegance.

 

Last few items that I cannot travel without:

 

affiliate links attached 

Gucci Flora ~ A Grace Kelly Story

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Hello Friends,

Here we are in June already—we’re officially six months into the year! Let that sink in for a moment.

Lately, I feel like I’ve been playing catch-up, but that’s okay. I have a work trip coming up this month, and thankfully I feel much more prepared than I did last month. I’ll also be sharing some travel essentials reels here soon, so stay tuned for those.

As for today’s post… sigh.

This item has been on my wish list since 2014. I vividly remember reading a post over 10 years ago featuring influencer Rosie at the Chelsea Flower Show in the UK, where she visited the Gucci floral display. The moment I saw that scarf, I was completely smitten.

From that day on, I knew I had to have it. Well, recently I finally gave in and decided to buy it. Of course, I turned to Poshmark. I didn’t mind purchasing a gently used one—especially when I could get it for nearly half the original price!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I was so excited when my new scarf arrived! Poshmark and eBay are great places to find these pieces at much more affordable prices. My scarf looks very similar to this one, and when it arrived, I just sat there staring at it. It was every bit as beautiful as I had imagined all those years ago.

Then the hunt began for the tote.

I first saw the Gucci Flora tote a few years ago. It was released in 2019, and I immediately knew it was something I wanted to own someday. Eventually, I found one at a great price on Poshmark and added it to my “watch” list. For more than six months, I kept an eye on it as the seller gradually lowered the price. It went from $800 all the way down to $380!

Looking back, I probably should have bought it then, but I still wasn’t completely sure.

Then one evening, while scrolling through YouTube, a video titled “20 Items Grace Kelly Loved That You Can Still Buy Today” appeared in my feed. I clicked on it, and the eighth item mentioned completely stopped me in my tracks.

It was the story behind the Gucci Flora print.

As I watched, I learned about the history of the iconic design and its connection to Grace Kelly. Suddenly, my admiration for the scarf and tote wasn’t just about the beautiful floral pattern—it was about the legacy and story behind it. From that moment on, I knew I had to find the tote.

 

 

The story goes that Grace Kelly walked into the Gucci store in Milan in 1966 looking for a silk scarf. Rodolfo Gucci happened to be in the store that day and knew this wasn’t an occasion to simply hand her something off the shelf. Instead, he asked his friend and artist, Vittorio Accornero, to create something special just for her.

That request led to the creation of the now-iconic Flora print.

The moment I heard that story, everything clicked. I knew there was a reason I had been so drawn to this print all those years ago. For more than 12 years, I admired it without knowing its history, and now I love it even more.

After watching that video, I went back to the seller and submitted another offer on the tote. To my surprise, it was accepted!

I’ve only had my tote for about a month, but it turns heads everywhere I carry it. It is truly stunning, and I love sharing the history of the Flora print with anyone willing to listen. Knowing the story behind it makes it feel even more special.

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of fashion history. If you have a few minutes, be sure to watch the video. Lately, I’ve also been on the hunt for Grace Kelly’s signature fragrance, Fleurissimo by Creed. I’ve been trying to find a sample but haven’t had any luck yet.

If you watch the video, let me know in the comments—which item from Grace Kelly’s list is your favorite?

 

 

Affiliate links attached.

May Favorites ~ 2026

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Well Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone has been well. I had a work trip last week and had a trip two weeks before that. It’s been busy. I still have a few more trips, there are lots of things going on at the office, and I am still trying to figure out what to do with the boutique. 

I will say this I have loved my work trips. The exposure and experiences that come with them are priceless. My next newsletter will be hitting your inboxes soon. I hope you all are having a lovely spring. Now here are my May favorites. There are quite a few.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

First is my “beauty book”. Every Friday morning, I have my devotional in my office then I go to my sitting room, light a candle, and read my beauty book. It is a wonderful way to start my Fridays. I don’t usually work out on Fridays. I like to take my Friday mornings easy. This month my beauty book is Flower Couture by Cordelia de Castellane. Cordelia is the artistic director for Dior and is a tastemaker in Paris. 

Next up are these gorgeous garden heels from DSW. They are from their Kelly and Katie shoe line. The heel height is perfect and so is this gorgeous print. There are several more on my favorites page. 

 

 

Third is this gorgeous ceramic rope vase from Crate and Barrel — now completely sold out. I had been watching it for over a year, and when it finally went on sale from $399 to $179, I knew I had to get it before it disappeared.

On the right is a tulip brooch I’m considering for the boutique, inspired by a design created by Carolina Herrera. I love pieces that feel elegant, timeless, and feminine. Let me know your thoughts below.

 

 

 

Now this favorite is incredible! One of our designers from the show house shared this with me. It was in his room at the show house. Now of course it is not a real one, but it sure does look like one. It’s from a company called Bagvard. It is such great quality and comes in other colors. I will be ordering a second one! 

 

 

With so much upcoming travel, I realized it was finally time to invest in luggage I truly loved. I chose a silver hardcase set from Delsey Paris — including a carry-on with a protected laptop compartment that’s perfect for travel days. I’ve never owned matching suitcases before, and somehow it makes the entire experience feel more elegant and intentional. Beautiful pieces that travel well and function well are always worth it. 

 

 

I recently discovered a new Instagram account called Soulfedhome and I am completely smitten with her white vintage vase. Her finds are so carefully curated — classic, timeless, and full of quality. I’m hoping to find something similar for my own home.

I’ve also been focusing more on hand care lately, especially with all of my recent travel. Flying leaves my skin so dry after landing, so I decided to start using the same creams I use on my face for my hands and nails. Right now, I’m loving my L’Oréal Paris collagen cream paired with sweet almond cuticle oil.

And lastly is a new YouTube channel discovery of course. 

 

This channel is so good and I love their honesty. If you don’t know who Mrs. Alice is then you should get to know their website. It is where I purchased my chinoiserie vases. 

Well, that is all my friends for my May favorites. I do hope that you have found some inspiration and enjoyment as always. Take care and be elegant!

 

  • Affiliate links attached 

 

 

A Reflective Post ~ Thoughts on my Youth

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Hello Friends,

I am trying to start my week off in the right direction. I am focusing a lot on planning around my energy and my thoughts. This past Easter weekend was lovely. We had family over and spent time with the new granddaughter.

 

 

I kept the table setting simple this year. Our adult kids wanted baked spaghetti for Easter dinner. It is a family favorite. I also picked up this vanilla cake with whipped icing on the outside and inside. It was so delicious! This cake has been a family favorite for years. 

In today’s post I wanted to revisit a post that I wrote and shared in 2020. I can’t believe it has been six years already, but a lot has changed in me since then. It’s called Thoughts on my Youth, and I wrote it during a time where I was working from home and FINALLY got a chance to breathe and actually sit down and think about what has happened in my life for the last 15 years. 

I went back recently and re-read that post and watched the video of Beyonce making her comment. I sat with it for a moment and what makes me happy is that I wrote that post six years ago and it documented where I was. It also helps me to understand why I made some decisions in the years after. 

 

 

Photo via: Aerin Lauder

 

 

Now I still wish I had studied abroad and visited a few countries, but who is to say that I can’t do it now? There is a comment in that post from a reader named Arabella and she mentioned that maybe this is the time, when I am older, that I am suppose to have my adventure. Perhaps I will appreciate it more now than I would have in my 20s. And you know what, she is absolutely right! Now since I am working on my health and building my life team a lot has changed in the last 6 years. The Lord has given me adventures. They are small, but I think he is building my confidence to have bigger adventures in the future. 

I think at that moment I needed time to sit and rebuild. As most of you know I started therapy two years ago and have started my hormone journey.  I honestly think that time is working out as it should. That post that I wrote was the beginning of me entering my “seeking season”. I shared what I learned about those seasons in this blog post. 

So, with all of this being said I am saying, my time is working out the way it should. I am learning to trust HIS process. It will still be a journey. I am still learning but I want to have my journey with God when I should. 

Have a great week! 

 

Laundry Room Update ~ Part 2

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Hello Friends,

It is finally spring and I am hoping that I can get rid of my coat soon. I have been wearing a coat most of this month and it has not been fun. My tulips are starting to peek out of my flower bed, and I am headed out to my greenhouse soon to do a clean out. We really need to get in the yard and do some cleaning up. I hope to get that done in the next few weeks. There is always something when it comes to home life. 

The latest project has been the laundry room. The last time I reorganized this room was in 2020. I loved what I did then but lately it has gotten worse to me, and I wanted to install some cabinets, so we did. Finally! 

 

 

This is what the room looked like before. I really needed to go through all of my linens and blankets. I needed to look at all of the products that I had. I needed to get rid of extra hangers. There was so much decluttering that needed to happen. 

Once we got everything out of the room, I was able to see the space and figure out how I wanted it to look. I donated bags and bags of old sheets, blankets, and other linens. I threw out old products, swept, and moped the floor. It felt so good getting rid of everything. 

 

Cabinets installed by Mr. Shockley

 

Ahhhh! It felt so good getting these installed! I smiled like a kid! We went to HomeDepot and purchased these beautiful Hampton Bay shaker wall cabinets in the gorgeous dove gray color. I also picked out these handles as well. Everything looks so good! All of our products and cleaning supplies are stored away. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Now does this look familiar? This is my old closet organizer from my 2018 update! I did not want to get rid of these. I knew they would be a perfect fit in the laundry room. It looks so wonderful and provides more storage. I ordered some valet rods to install on the cabinets to use to hang my clothes from. 

I also could not resist adding some blue and white ginger jars. What inspired this was Randi Garrett’s laundry room. Oh my goodness do I LOVE this room! I would also love a dog bath and a separate linen closet. I mean a whole room! I am so happy with the changes and have already loved the difference that this has made. 

Don’t you just love decluttering? Have a great week and be elegant! 

 

 

  • This post is not sponsored. Affiliate links attached. 

February Favorites ~ 2026

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Well, that went by fast. February is over. I honestly didn’t realize until last week that we only had one week left. Geez, I was going to post something else but then realized that I need to do my February Favorites. I have been trying some new things this month so here we go… 

 

 

My first favorite is my Galentine’s Day lunch with my girls! We always have a great time at lunch, and it is so good to catch up with each other and spend time together! We had lunch at Restoration Hardware which is always a treat! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Next up is my new nightgown! Don’t you just love a new nightgown? I purchased this from Amazon and have been wearing it non-stop! It is so elegant and so comfortable! I need it in more colors. Then I decided that I needed a new hairbrush for my downtown office space. I found this leopard one on Amazon as well. It’s functional and chic!

 

 

Okay, don’t make fun of me but I got an email about two weeks ago sharing this Disney Princess castle candleholder from Bath and Body Works. The little girl in me took a gasp! I had to have it! Those of us with VIP access got to shop first so I ordered mine right away. Then it sold it in less than 48 hours! Keep your eye on it. They might restock it. 

 

 

 

Next up are some office beauties. I will be sharing some more photos from my new space soon. I wanted a new sophisticated trinket box for my space and ordered this decorative box from Amazon. It is huge and so elegant! It comes in many different colors. I think I need a second. Then my husband sent me some pink roses my first week in the new office. That were so beautiful and smelled wonderful! He then sent a second bouquet for Valentine’s Day!

 

Speaking of elegance did any of you see Jennifer’s video about Elegant Planning? Oh, I loved it and hope you will enjoy it as well. 

 

And last on my list is a new health product. I have been really interested in collagen and wanted to try some to help with my joints, skin and possibly help me get more protein. I found Quince’s Collagen Peptide Plus and it is sooo good! I have been putting it in my morning lattes for the last month and have really enjoyed the taste. In addition to the collagen, it has 20 grams of protein! I also saw that it is third-party tested which is a huge plus for me.  

 

 

I add some warm frothy oatmilk and it becomes a real treat. Let me know in the comments below what collagen are you using. People have been stopping me saying, “your face is so radiant, and it is glowing”. Hummm I wonder if it is working? 

I hope you enjoyed this month’s favorites. The newsletter should be coming out soon! Have a great week. 

 

  • Affiliate links attached. This post is not sponsored. 

 

 

 

 

Chinoiserie Desk- Another Dream Purchase

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Hello Everyone,

I am trying to start my day in a gracious way. It has been about two weeks since we have moved into our new space, and I do LOVE my new office! I will be sure to share a few photos soon. I have had some really nice outings recently. I attended the Great Gatsby play with some of the Guild members. It was really enjoyable! I love theatre. I had a Galentine’s Day lunch with my friends at Restoration Hardware, and attended our Guild sip and shop event at Midlands. Fun! 

Can I tell you what else has been enjoyable? Walking down my stairs in the morning and seeing this beauty…

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

Can I tell you how smitten I was when I saw this last month at the antique store? I purchased it at Consign by Design . When I walked in the sales rep greeted me with a smile. I smiled back and when my eyes looked around, I saw this in the background and immediately walked past her (sorry) and walked right up to it. I could not help it!!!

 

 

I apologized of course and she just laughed. She saw me foaming at the mouth trying to get to this desk. Now this is how I found it at the store. Just look at those details on the front! You can see the Geishas in the front and that beautiful green color. On the inside of the desk are lots of drawers and lots of options for storage. The chair has lots of details as well. 

 

 

There is a glass covering the Geishas on the inside of the desk. It is truly a piece to stare at. When I asked the salesclerk about the details they could not tell me anything. Just that it came in from a consigner who was going through a divorce. No details about the desk. I really want to find out what year this is. I do know that the Geishas are made of mother of pearl but that is it. 

 

 

 

When I was in the store picking it up a mother and daughter duo came in and immediately went to it. I just sat and watched them circle my desk and say where it could go. I then walked up and said, “sorry ladies, this is sold”. The daughter then looked at me and said no! I just laughed. 

I plan on using this desk to write my pen pal letters and encourage more handwriting notes. This is such a beautiful desk. My daughter even loves it! She said, “mom it is fabulous”! That made me smile from ear to ear! She asked if it would be in her inheritance. I said yes! I am loving this. I love curating a beautiful life. 

Be elegant everyone! 

 

  • I actually found this listing. It is very similar to my desk, but I did not pay that! I got mine for a steal.