Posts

The Dream Secretary

/in /by

 

 

Good Morning Friends,

Oh I am so happy to have the hour back. It means a lot in the mornings and really does help with getting things done throughout the day. This past weekend was nice. I did my usual errand runs and did a few things around the home. 

But friends I will be honest, this past month has been really frustrating especially these last two weeks. As a federal worker, I will say that it is hard. Lots of people think that we are sitting at home still collecting a paycheck but what people don’t understand is that we really are not. This week could be the second paycheck that we miss, and I tell you it is hard on families. I shared this back in 2019 (Living During a Shutdown), and I am still living this way but with a lot of frustration. 

I am still praying for clarity, peace, and understanding. Now onto my glorious FBMP find!

 

 

I still cannot believe that I actually purchased my dream secretary. I mentioned that I wanted this desk back in 2020. It is so funny how sometimes you can mention something, share it, post it, or put it on your vision board and watch it come into fruition. I must admit sometimes it is a bit scary. I shared this office in a blog post in 2019, so this desk has been on my mind for a long time. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

Now how did I found this beautiful piece you may ask? Well my one of our interior designers from the show house, Blake Richardson, sent me the FBMP post. I told him that I was on the hunt for one and he mentioned that he saw this piece on marketplace. I looked at it and immediately fell in love the only problem was it looked humongous on marketplace! I went home and pulled out my measuring tape and measured it out. Then I reached out to the seller to get more info. I spoke with my husband, and he said that it would just be too big. I then convinced myself that it would be too be for my space and tried to let it go. But I could not. I mean do you see the details of this beautiful thing! 

 

 

So a week goes by and it does not sell on FBMP. I cannot shake it. I kept thinking about it and you know what the price was? Only $330! Unbelievable! The cheapest I could find one was on Charish for $1,400 so I was completely aware that this was cheap, and I needed to see it in person. So I reached out to the seller to make arrangements to see it. Once I walked up to her door I knew. She was a beautiful older lady with fantastic taste. As soon as I stepped inside the house, I looked to my left and saw more Asian inspired furniture and the biggest smile on her face. It was as if she knew. One thing she did mentioned when I messaged her was that “only certain people can appreciate a piece like this”. I knew that that person was me. 

We sat and talked for over an hour! We talked about work, and beautiful homes. It was like she was my long-lost friend. The connection was truly incredible! 

 

 

She told me that this piece was over 40 years old and was purchased from an estate sale. She believed that it was originally from Spain but could not recall. I told her that it was beautiful and could not believe that she was selling it! She said that her and her husband were downsizing and that it would not fit in her new home. I then asked about the price of $330. She said that it was her favorite number. Look at all of the beautiful storage. I told her and her sweet husband that it was going to be placed in my new office in February downtown and that I promise to take care of it for the next 40 years. 

I am so happy to have this piece in my life. This was truly a surprise, and I am very grateful to God for having Blake send me the listing and for letting me have a wonderful encounter with Mrs. Ragland! Have a great weekend! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My First Hydro-Facial

/2 Comments/in /by

 

 

Whew, another short week for me. I am loving these! Actually, this week has been hectic so far. The Indiana Conference for Women is happening this week, and I am on staff! We have some great speakers like Hoda Kotb and Tina Knowles! It should be really exciting, and I am looking forward to it. 

I am still on my self-care exploring journey and in today’s post I want to share my first hydro-facial that I got a few weeks ago. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

When I walked into Restore Skin Therapy I was greeted by the lovely receptionist and the staff. They had soft music playing and made sure that I was comfortable. They had lots of their own products. I loved their lip balm and their Renew Immune Serum. I have been using both while at home. After I spoke with Erin, I got all comfortable for my hydro-facial. She warmed the bed for me and explained the process of how it worked. 

 

 

It was so relaxing. The first thing that she did was massage my face and shoulders which was so needed. She then prepared my face for the machine. I will say I loved seeing it at work sucking all of the dirt out of my face and pores. The mask felt like heaven so did the aromatherapy oils that I smelled. We talked about my skin, skin tags, moisturizing routines, and hormones. 

Here is the four-step process that I went through:

HYDRO-FACIAL: A FOUR STEP PROCESS

  1. Cleanse – A deep cleanse with product formulated to each client’s skin.

  2. Exfoliation – The Hydro-Facial uncovers a new layer of skin with gentle exfoliation and relaxing resurfacing. The enzyme removes dead skin cells to reveal healthy skin.

  3. Extraction – The wand cleans out pores with painless vacuum suction. Blackheads, whiteheads, and impurities are removed instantly.

  4. Hydrate/infuse/protect – The Hydro-Facial saturates the skin with antioxidants and peptides to maximize your glow. Targeted skin solutions are delivered to address specific skin concerns. The skin is washed with a solution rich in antioxidants and highly moisturizing hyaluronic acid.

 

You can surely see my hydro-facial glow in my photo above. That was right after my session. 

 

 

This was the day after. I was still glowing! I did not have on any makeup, just lipstick. It felt as if my face had a reset. It certainly needed. I would highly recommend getting one if you can. If not I did find some great at home tools that you could use. The BeautyBio GLOfacial tool was highly recommended. This serum came recommended for the BeautyBio. There is also the blackhead remover, and the facial pore blackhead remover. I also found this face steamer. Oh, my I think I may have to order it. 

Let me know in the comments below if you have every had a professional hydro-facial. I would love to know!

 

  • This post is not sponsored. Affiliate links attached. 

 

 

Becoming A Better Life Curator

/2 Comments/in , /by

 

Good Morning Friends,

It is the middle of October already! I have printed off my Christmas shopping list and started thinking about my Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and decor. It just seems to be creeping up on us! Last week I had a fantastic hydro-facial at Restore Skin Therapy. I will be sure to share that next week. Now let’s discuss my topic… becoming a better life curator.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I have been thinking about this phrase for a while, and it popped in my head while driving to work one day. I was thinking about how I wanted to live. How I wanted my home to be, how I wanted to travel, where I wanted to travel, what I want to wear, and how I want to spend my time. I said the words “curate” and then it just came to me. How do I better curate my life? 

 

My new Asian Chinoiserie secretary desk from FBMP

 

To curate means to select, organize, and look after the items in a collection or exhibition. I know recently (maybe in the last year), I have been trying to get better at selecting. When I am out shopping, no matter the price, if it is not a heck yes when I see it then I don’t buy it. My husband and I just went to the Cincinnati outlet mall, and we were in the Ralph Lauren store. He kept picking up things and I just looked at him and said, “is that a heck yes”? He got a little frustrated with me at one point, but I really wanted him to think. I did the same thing looking at a sweater that they had and necklace. I ended up buying only ONE thing in the whole outlet because I was asking myself that question. I want to do better at selecting when I shop. The first step to being a better curator.

Next up is organize. I have set my sights back on my closet. In July, I shared that I had a consultant come from California Closets to give me a closet design. I still love this design and want to do it but for now I have other home projects on my list. That does not mean that my current closet needs to stay the way it is, so I have another option in mind that I want to try. I will update you all of course. 

Third is to look after items in a collection. The photo above is a recently FBMP purchase. One of our interior designers, Blake Richardson, sent the link to me after I told him that I was on the hunt for an Asian Chinoiserie secretary. This desk is literally a dream desk for me. I spoke with my husband about it and looked at the measures. I thought it might be too big for my new office but four days later I could not stop thinking about it. That’s when I knew that this piece was for me and I only had a limited amount of time to get it. So I reached out to the seller. Turns out it’s over 40 years old; she and her husband traveled a lot and believe that it is from Spain. I told her that I would take care of it the next 40 years. I intend to look after this item. 

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

I believe that being a curator of your life includes everything. It includes what you read and watch to what you eat. All things need to be carefully curated. It goes along with “building your life team”, to seeking life seasons, to etiquette, and past choices. I am currently trying to curate my vacation for next year. I want to go back to New York and have Lily of the Valley Afternoon Tea at the Lowell Hotel! I would like to see the Belizaire painting which is currently housed at the MET in New York and dine at La Mercerie. Of course, the Ralph Lauren store and an antique store are on the radar. But I am carefully curating it. We will see what we do. 

I know this living with beautiful things is a risk that I take daily. I risk it being stolen, broken, or lost. But I would have rather had it then not at all. And I truly believe that. Let me know your thoughts below. 

Have a great week!

 

 

 

September Favorites- 2025

/5 Comments/in /by

 

Good Morning Friends,

Well I turned 43 yesterday. I had my yearly birthday dinner at the Cake Bake Shop and decided to do a little antiquing.

 

 

I found this beautiful emerald green brooch, peacock hair pin, pearl earrings and Wedgewood dish. I also found this huge vintage swan. The biggest prize was my blue and white Wedgwood lamp! So happy and I only paid $60 for it!

I feel like I am a little behind on my September favorites but it’s fine so here we go. There may be a lot for this month. First is a new shopping website that I learned about called Over the Moon. 

 

photo credit: Over the Moon.com 

 

 

This website has a lot of elegant designers and carries clothes to homeware. It is absolutely beautiful, and everything is high quality. You should look around the website just to “window shop”.

Now this bag went viral on TikTok and I did order it. I was a bit afraid because I don’t trust a lot of the viral ads but this I had to at least try it. I ordered the Velantra Weekender. Now it has not arrived yet and rumor has it that it can take up to two months (which is nuts)! Once it arrives, I will share if it is good or bad. 

The next item was the orange marmalade jam from As Ever. We all know that this is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex brand and I have to say that it is delicious! It’s sold out of course but I would recommend it if you can get your hands on it! 

 

 

Next up is this garden tea party body scrub from Dove. OMG! I usually don’t use body scrubs because they irritate my skin, but this is so good and smells like a floral garden. I enjoy using this for a beautiful bubble bath on a self-care day. It comes in a variety of scents and did not disappoint. 

A few weeks ago I was shopping in T.J. Maxx and decided to go over to the jewelry counter. I normally don’t see anything that I want until I saw this bird cocktail ring. I could not resist. It had chinoiserie vibes to it and was only $14.99! I looked this up and it is actually $60. I ended up finding it here for a much cheaper price. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Oh Chico’s! I never shop here but for some reason this  Jaguar Brooch popped up in my feed. Once I saw it, I knew that I had to have it. Look how beautiful this is and chic! I know it will take a little confidence wearing this but don’t be afraid. Wear beautiful things. I loved wearing this and will be wearing it more now that cardigan and coat season have arrived. 

 

 

I got something fun! I have not had a coloring book in decades and have always known about adult coloring books. I have seen them but never wanted one until I saw this on Amazon. Again this popped up in my feed. I don’t know how. This book is called Le Bouquet Coloring Book of Classic Illustrations. It is full of beautifully illustrated floral bouquets and is so pleasing to the eye. I have really enjoyed coloring in it. It’s only $10. Enjoy! 

 

 

Now this beauty has been on my wish list for months! I have been following this brand for a few years now and this was my first order. This is the Mrs. Alice pink chinoiserie tole urn and it is massive. I posted a reel of me unboxing it on Instagram. It is absolutely stunning, and I must have it in green for my downtown office. Since we are moving spaces, I have some new ideas for my new office. I really want a vintage secretary in it with the green Mrs. Alice urn sitting on it with some gorgeous flowers. Oh, my goodness, I can see it now. 

 

 

And lastly is a new FBMP purchase. This beauty showed up in my feed and when I went to find out who the seller was it turns out it was one of our show house designers! Blake Richardson has fabulous taste so when I saw that it was him, I was thrilled. I went over and picked it up and got to see his wonderful vintage home. What I also found out was that buttercream yellow is the color of 2025! Who knew! Now should I reupholster it or not? 

It is currently sitting in my home office, and I do enjoy looking at it from my desk. I hope everyone has enjoyed this month’s favorites. The newsletter should be hitting your inboxes soon. Have a great week! 

 

 

 

 

  • Affiliate links attached. 

My First Mahjong Class

/2 Comments/in , /by

 

Hello Everyone,

Boy has it been a heavy week. I don’t want to repeat or talk about everything in the news but Lord you know our hearts and hear our prayers for EVERYONE!

Last week was a busy one for me and this past weekend was busy as well. We had our annual neighborhood HOA sale and a LOT of the boutique items sold! When you visit the page, you will see a lot of items gone and some marked down items as well. I hope to have a new arrival coming soon. 

But today friends I wanted to share how my first Mahjong Class went! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I found a company called Meet at Mahj and decided to sign up for their Mahj 101 class.  This group is run by a woman named Jamie and she was so nice and knowledgeable. She had a great team of women with her, and they were knowledgeable themselves and fun! They have a new studio in Zionsville, Indiana and offer lots of services. In my first class she explained the history of Mahjong which I appreciated and went to explain the rules. There is a LOT to learn. There were terms that I had never heard of in a game. 

We were taught how to plan American Mahjong. There is also Chinese Mahjong which I believe is a little more complicated. Each table had its own Mahjong tiles set and were so beautiful. I loved how she and her team decorated each table in its own theme. We sat down in groups of four and my group did not know each other which honestly, I like. I am in a chapter in my life where I don’t mind meeting new people. 

After she explained the history we went over what the tiles meant and each team member was assigned to a table to made sure that we all understood and could ask questions if we needed to. We were taught how to “wash the tiles”, the Charleston, how to deal, and how to pass which was interesting as well. We were taught how to push out our tiles and to make sure that the “dragon tail” faced a certain way. There was so much to learn during this class!

 

 

 

Once we went through the rules we started a game. I was not in a hurry to win or even understand it. I wanted to take my time and learn it. I wanted to enjoy the moment. I also wanted to be sensitive to the women in the room and not take a bunch of photos or videos. Some people may not want to be on camera, and I try to be mindful of that. 

Mahjong is a mental game I will say that. Each year a card comes out on how you should “create your hand” and I found that to be interesting! My table and I played our game and it took us a while, but we really enjoyed each other’s company and helped each other. I also brought my chinoiserie Mahjong set which the host of the game loved! She will be adding a Mahjong boutique to her game room which I loved that idea. Unfortunately, I did not win the game. My tiles were bad, words right from the teacher. I kept drawing tiles that were not helpful to my hand that I was trying to build but nevertheless I really enjoyed myself. 

The studio was decorated beautifully. I loved all of the pink, the wallpaper frames, chinoiserie fabrics, and tile sets. It was a great time! 

 

 

My Mahjong Set from Etsy

 

 

I will be returning to take Mahjong 102 and will be going to some of her open game courses. There is also a membership if you wanted to join and play all the time. I think that I am going to really enjoy this and look forward to meeting new women. Lord I need some Mahjong women in my life and hosting game nights at my home. I am speaking that into existence! 

Here is my set above. I adore it. I have my mat (mine is sold out here is one similar), tiles, tile racks, tile bag, and Mahjong bag. 

 

 

 

Let me know in the comments below if you have heard of Mahjong, play it or have played it. I am also interested to know if any of you have a girl’s game night! Have a great weekend! 

 

  • Affiliate links attached 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A New Toile Collection

/in /by

 

 

Hello Friends,

I had a really nice weekend this past Saturday. I received a message on TikTok (@Mrs..Shockley) regarding an antique store in Noblesville called The Annex by Thistle & Thyme and I went to visit this weekend. It was so lovely. I am in a point in my life where I only want to visit antique stores that are carefully curated. I don’t want to go to flea markets or antique stores full of junk. I have visited a few recently where I walked half of the store and just walked out. They were just full of junk and I have no interest nor time. 

I had a thought recently. I was repeating my morning affirmations while heading into work and I began to think about the word curate. I will explain it in another post. I promise. Last week I went to my first Indy Chamber meeting. The Indy Chamber is a non-profit organization that helps small business owners. They also have a Women’s Business Center and last week I attended my first event called Women and Wealth. It was a great opportunity to network and learn more about the organization. 

I also have lots of fun things going on this week. On Tuesday, I will be attending our Guild Luncheon to start off our next designer showhouse. I was recently added to our Supervisory Working Group for the Department of Justice which is a huge honor because it is so competitive. So that means my first meeting is this week. I have a Guild Director meeting, and my first Mahjong class is on Thursday. I am so excited! 

On Friday, our neighborhood is having its yearly fall HOA yard sale and then after that I am attending an interior designer workshop for Judy Bates Designs! It’s a fun and busy week. Speaking of interior design have any of you seen the new toile collection by Brandon Maxwell at Pottery Barn?

 

photos via Pottery Barn 

 

 

Can we say gorgeous? This showed up in my feed on Facebook and I just had to take a look at it. There are a lot of toile prints out there some are good and some (I think are really bad). I love toile with animals and nature. I believe that could go with your decor more.  This upholstered dining room set is stunning! 

 

photos via Pottery Barn 

 

I love this table skirt and reversible throw. The table skirt is not available on the website yet. I don’t know if it ever will be. If someone finds out, please let me know! Of course, the collection would not be complete with dinnerware and utensils. 

 

 

Ceramic pumpkins and vases are included in this beautiful collection as well. I love the combination of the toile and stripes. I think they flow together so well. I must admit the pumpkins were very tempting. I even love the doggie bed! Oh my goodness, so cute and chic. 

Let me know in the comments below are you a toile lover or not. Have a great weekend! 

 

 

  • Affiliate links attached; this post is not sponsored. 

 

What is “Hostingcore”?

/2 Comments/in /by

 

 

Well hello September!

My favorite month of the year! Not because it is my birthday month but because of all of the wonderful things that come with it. September always whispers autumn to me. I am trying my best not to rush this season but to actually pay attention to the days ahead. It is so hard with busy schedules, and work but I really want to make an effort. When our daughter was home for the summer, I was talking about something, and I can’t remember what it was. She then said, “be present”. Which of course is my phrase of the year. Being in this new season of life is requiring a lot of that. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful 3- day weekend. Goodness those go by so fast. I always want to get a lot done but I actually ended up watching the first Downtown Abbey movie from 2019. I really enjoyed it. Now I have not watched the series, but I intend on watching the movies. Looking at all of the decor and clothes always puts a smile on my face. Which made me think of a recent trend that I stumbled on months ago. Have any of you heard of “hostingcore”? 

 

 

My sitting room 

 

 

 

An article by Kate Lickert from Veranda Magazine described it as follows:

“With looming financial uncertainties and a growing desire to foster deeper connections, we’re entering a new era of entertaining at home. One of TikTok’s latest trends, hostingcore, embodies this design and lifestyle movement by encouraging you to transform every corner of your home into an open invitation. It’s not about hosting flawless soirées (who has the time or patience for that?). Instead, it’s about curating a space so warm and considered that guests feel at ease the moment they step inside.” 

Okay, now I like the sound of that and honestly try to embody that every time we have guests. I think the older I get the less fuss that I want in my life. 

 

My Thanksgiving tablescape from 2024

 

 

The article goes on to say:

“The hostingcore trend is casual in nature, but still inspires you to romanticize your gatherings (think: the kitchens and parties in Nancy Meyers movies). For example, the “good dishes” are meant for everyday use, the playlist is always queued up, and there’s always a chilled bottle of wine in the fridge. Hostingcore isn’t about being the perfect host; it’s about creating a thoughtful atmosphere and turning everyday moments into special occasions.” 

I would add that hostingcore is not only about preparing for these events but about everyday life. If you live this way with these items, then it’s no longer hostingcore but you will be living beautifully at your core. I think most of us who are in this space try to live this way every day. I love that this trend is happening and of course hope that it continues. If you want read the rest of the list click here. I also have a few elegant items on my Amazon list. You can shop it here. 

Have a great week!

 

  • Affiliate links attached