Posts

May Favorites ~ 2024

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Good Morning Everyone,

Well, I had a wonderful few days off. It was so nice to be home and to be able to get some housework done and read a little. I also had resting on my list. I wanted a few moments just sitting on my porch resting and reading. 

I have a few days in the month of June where I don’t have things scheduled so I am hoping to take advantage of that before my work trip in July. I do have some news… MY GREENHOUSE HAS BEEN INSTALLED! I am so excited and honestly in love with it. My husband has been watching lots of reviews on YouTube and we have seen nothing but good things. I will be sure to share it very soon!

Now I have some wonderful May favorites to share with you this month if I do say so myself.

 

 

First on my list are new beauty products that I have been trying (for a year) for the summer. So far this has been the best anti-chafe stick that I have ever had! If you are a plus size gal like me then chaffing legs is your worst nightmare during the summer. I mean my legs have blistered because of chaffing. I have used this stick for over a year and love it!

 

 

The second beauty product is this Dove Melanin Even Tone bodywash. I saw that it was co-created with dermatologist of color and thought I would give it a try. I have been using it for several months now and can say that my armpits are a little “lighter” in color. They had some dark spots in them, but those spots are now gone! I will continue with using it in other areas. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Third is the Decorators’ Show House & Gardens candle. I co-created this with some of my fellow Guild members. I shared this on the blog back in February and this was such a fun project. We sold several at the show house this year and I hope to make another for next year’s home. My team at the office loved this and want to have a “team building” session making one this year. I hope to do this in August with them. 

 

 

My organizational projects continue. Fifth on my list is the registration and insurance card holder for your vehicle. I will admit my registration and other car info were just thrown into my glove compartment and I have been looking into finding something and saw this. It is wonderful and comes in many other colors. You will love it. I promise you. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sixth was finding something to hold my EarPods and charger. I would just place this in my bag and have the charger hanging from it. It was really bothering me, so I ordered this hard case to carry both in. It works wonderfully!

 

 

With spring arriving, I was on the hunt for some new faux florals to have in my home. With all of the recent Homeworthy home tours I was so inspired to try some new arrangements. I found these gorgeous faux lilac bushes at Michaels for a steal! If they don’t have them in store order them online. 

 

 

I simply could not pass this up! I saw this on an influencer’s reel and had to order it! I wear glasses in the evenings, and I am always looking for a “safe place” to put them at night. This has been perfect! It comes in several different colors!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Now this find here has been a TREASURE! I saw this on another influencer’s reel and had to have it. My goodness if you work from home and use a laptop this is a hidden gem! I ordered this screen extender and I now I cannot go back to just working on one screen. I have two screens at my office downtown and I honestly dread working from home because of the small laptop screen. This has truly made my life so much easier, and I now love working from home again! 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

And lastly is Winston. I have been wanting this faux golden doddle since December and my husband got him for me for Mother’s Day. I just love him. I was inspired by Nicola’s antique sheep that she had in her home. Once I saw those I knew that I could have Winston in the office with me. I changed his collar to this beautiful emerald green and I think it suites him.

 

 

I hope you all enjoyed this month’s favorites. I have several more but I am going to wait until June to share those. Please don’t forget about the beautiful new boutique arrival. I now have two chinoiserie silk scarfs available and they are stunning! Order both for your neck and handbag. 

 

 

  • Affiliate links attached 

 

Working with My Second Brand!

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Good Morning Everyone,

I hope all of you had a wonderful Mother’s Day and I do extend my heart to those of you who no longer have your mothers. I am sure that this day can be quite hard around this time. I stayed home for Mother’s Day and quite enjoyed it. We went to dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant. I love salmon tacos! They are so good! I also tried some fried ice cream. What a treat! 

I just puttered around the house trying to get some home chores done. I worked in my yard a bit and went to a new nursery! It was called Allisonville Gardens and it was such a delight. I really loved the nursey. They had lots of flowers, supplies, a coffee shop, restaurant, and they had a wonderful gift shop. It was really nice. 

It got some wonderful Mother’s Day gifts that I will share in my May favorites blog post!

In current AHFE news, I have begun my work with a second brand. I have shared their products before and have wanted to work with them for quite some time, so I was really excited to receive an email about their new brand affiliate program. The company that I referring to is NOTIQ! 

 

photo credit: Notiq.com

 

I discovered Notiq during the pandemic. I was looking for organizational items for my life especially the workplace and I stumbled on this brand on Instagram. I loved how elegant the planners were and how sophisticated the totes looked. But what I loved even more was the founder’s, V.J. story. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I loved V.J.’s tenacity and bravery in pursing her dreams. I connected well with her story and found tidbits of myself in it. My very first purchase was the I Am Becoming Affirmation water bottle. I cannot tell you how many people have stopped me and asked me about my water bottle. Everyone loves the color and the affirmations. I was in a meeting with our second person in command in my office and he said, “Can you turn your bottle around? I want to know what you are becoming!” Now how fabulous was that! I have TWO of these!

 

 

Next on my list was the Saffanio Structure Tote bag. I have it in the blush. I love this tote. It holds EVERYTHING! There is a card and phone holder on the inside and a clasp to keep the bag closed. If you are thinking of ordering this, you may want to soon. This bag will be retiring shortly. Inside my tote is another organizational item and it is my pen case. My pen case is in every tote that I carry. I DON’T leave home without it. I no longer have to dig in my purse or tote to find a pen. They are all there in my feminine pen case. 

 

 

She also has elegant lunch bags! This is the lunch bag/backpack satchel in mauve pebble, and I have had numerous women ask me about this. This is such a lovely lunch bag and holds your containers and small water bottles. There are also the pouch sets as well. The pouches are on final sale so don’t wait too long. Both items come in multiple colors.  There is also the bundle if you want a set.  I think I may get a red one!

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

There is also my card key case. This goes everywhere with me. I carry my government office cards in it. I also use it to store my garage pass card. This is always in my tote and looks lovely when I pull it out to use it. It comes in multiple different colors and textures. 

 

 

I almost forgot that I had this. I ordered this last year. This is the envelope laptop case in leopard. Isn’t it great? If you don’t like the leopard then get it in the other 16 colors available. 

 

 

And lastly are my new Executive leather clipboards. These are a new release on the Notiq website. When I saw these in the reel, I knew that I wanted one especially for my meetings and for traveling! They are so well made and so excellent. I want to order more! 

I am so happy to be working with this brand and honored. I think V.J. and her team do an excellent job with executing the vision of the brand, they provide excellent customer service, and seek to help the planet. Here is my original blog post if you wish to read it. If you want to see my reels about the products you may watch them here. 

Let me know in the comments section below if you have already purchased a Notiq item!

 

  • This post is sponsored and has affiliate links attached. 

My First Elegant Tag Sale

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Hello!

We had a very busy weekend. We had to move Lauren out of her dorm room and then move my step-son out of his college apartment. Busy, busy! Then we had to go back to campus and attend his graduation which was a wonderful thing! I still can’t believe that he has graduated, and our daughter has finished her first year of college already. The time, the time….

The show house will be wrapping up here soon. There is always a lot to do and a lot of parties. This week I had to attend a private party from one of the interior designers and I finished my last show house shift! Rick had to help me because there were a lot of shifts this year.

One of the perks of being in the Guild has been meeting some of our local interior designers. This is my second year with the Guild and this year I got to meet several designers. With that came invites and one of the invites that I got was to a private tag sale!

I have never gone to a tag sale, so I was so excited to get this invite!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The tag sale was at Jenni Egger’s Interior Design office. I love that fact that her location is in a historical home near downtown. How great is that?

 

 

 

Now Jenni had two tag sales going on. She has two design studios, but both were in these gorgeous historical homes. On the invite it told you which sale had what. There was a tag sale for the grandmillennial and then a tag sale for the minimalist people! Loved the idea. So of course I went to the grandmillennial sale. 

As soon as you walked in you saw this beautiful emerald green vintage inspired couch, artwork, gorgeous chandelier, and rugs. 

 

 

This was one of the sets of chairs that I was eyeballing. I did think about purchasing a chair for my home office, but I left it alone. Needlepoint chairs with caning…. lovely!

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

There was lots of porcelain, china, pillows, and silver. There was something in every corner of the home. I had to walk around a few times to take everything in. 

 

 

I did spot this unique and chic ginger jar. It was blue and white, but I loved the florals on it and knew I had to take it home. For only $20, of course!

 

 

There were also linens, and pillow covers. I found this pillow cover and thought it would be perfect for my bedroom. I paid under $20 for it.  A steal!

I had such a great time at the tag sale and hope to be invited to more. These events have been so wonderful to attend and to experience. Life has truly taken on a different form this season in my life and I am here for it! Elegant adventures continue!

Also the boutique is having a sale! Use code MTDY20 for 20% off your entire order. I sold a lot of dresses recently, so my inventory is low! There are only 3 of the Belle Rose Maxis left! 

 

Incorporating Timeless Design into Your Style ~ AHFE interviews Sassy Green Interiors

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Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you all have been well. I am excited to finally share my recent collaboration with Maryellen Hodapp and Christy Soldatis of Sassy Green Interiors! This interview was such a wonderful opportunity for me. It occurred in the primary bedroom that they designed for the upcoming Indianapolis Decorators’ Show House & Gardens. I have never had a collaboration like this before, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was also a joy to feature some of my Sarah Flint accessories. It put a smile on my face to see Maryellen and Christy wearing the beautiful silk scarves. It was as if they all belonged in the room together. Now, without further ado, you can read the interview below. Enjoy!

 

photo credit via: Lindsay Martin of Southern Sky Photography

 

1. Could you please tell my readers what your inspiration was? What inspired the beautiful fabrics, colors, and antiques?

We started with the House of Hackney Babylon pattern. We repeated the use of the “willow” fabric and wallpaper in the room design in the alcove, on the lampshades, the nightstands, and the bolster pillow on the bed. We added more fabrics, rugs, and accessories for a complete layered look.

 

photo credit: Whitney Kinkel 

 

2. Do you think one’s interiors could inspire one’s personal style?

Absolutely, yes! We see both interior design and fashion design as an art form. We love and celebrate the arts and encourage our clients to invest in art. We want our clients to pay attention to art, though it is sometimes the last part of what we do in a room; we love for people to consider it essential and leave enough space in their budget for art. A room doesn’t look complete when art is missing, just like a beautiful outfit looks unfinished without the right accessories. You can create a personal style by developing an artistic aesthetic in your fashion selections. 

 

photo credit: Whitney Kinkel 

 

3. Can anyone use one’s love for classic, timeless home interiors to inspire one’s style?

Yes! You can select traditional design styles with well-made, good-quality fabrics. A traditional style is timeless and easily updated. It will last a lifetime. 

 

photo credit: Whitney Kinkel

 

4. Who are your favorite fashion designers? 

Probably Ralph Lauren.…he blends the two, both interior design and personal fashion. He has an incredible eye for design. Whether you see one of his interiors or clothing designs, you immediately know it is Ralph Lauren. He’s a master of design, classic and timeless.

 

photo credit: Whitney Kinkel 

 

We wanted to leave your readers with this thought: good classic design, whether fashion or interior design, will start to build a story of you both in your home and closet. 

 

photo credit: Lindsay Martin of Southern Sky Designs

 

 

Announcements & Sarah Flint Secret Garden Collection!

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Hello Friends!

The weather here in Indy has been fantastic! We have had sunny skies and 80 degrees! It is so nice to be coat free. I have been working on some new things and I have some announcements.

The first is that I am a second ambassador for a new brand, and I will be sharing that soon. The second announcement is that I was asked by an interior design firm here in my city to do a collaboration with them this Friday!!! I am so excited for this new opportunity, and I can’t believe that they asked me to do a collab! This is my first collaboration in this format, and I am really nervous but looking forward to it. Sassy Green Interiors is a local design firm, and their work is so beautiful. They are one of designers in the St. Margaret’s Show House this year and I will be conducting a Q & A with them called “Timeless Classic Living & Quiet Luxury”. I do hope that you all enjoy the photos and the interview! Another tidbit is that I will be bringing some of my Sarah Flint scarfs and shoes to place in their room to take photos! So exciting!

Now speaking of shoes and beautiful things, I wanted to share some of the new Secret Garden Collection at Sarah Flint.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

First off, I have to share that I finally got one of the pairs of Gracie’s that I wanted. Sarah sent out an archive sale link and I was able to get this for only $199! I know that is still a lot of money but compared to the original price of $595, I have to say that this was a good deal. They are still on sale for $299 and they only have a few sizes left. You can still use my code SARAHFLINT-CCMRSSHOCKLEY for %15 off of your first purchase. 

 

 

Just stunning…

 

 

Of course there is a new scarf in this collection. I shared this on my recent YouTube video, and I have seriously not stopped wearing it. I just love it. The Secret Garden Scarf 45 is a stunning piece to have in your wardrobe. It is made of silk and is utterly timeless. I have gotten lots of compliments already. You truly will be able to have this in your wardrobe forever. 

 

 

I normally don’t like flats, but these Mauve Lace Parkers are sensational! Aren’t they adorable? 

 

 

One more item that has just launched on the website are these silk ties. They are originally for the Grear Sandals but can be worn in different ways. I especially love this way. I can’t wait for mine to arrive. I will be using them as purse scarfs and scarfs for my neck. 

Don’t forget to use my code: SARAHFLINT-CCMRSSHOCKLEY for %15 off your first shoe purchase! Let me know in the comments section below if you order anything. I can’t wait to share my collaboration with you all next week as well as my first tag sale that I got to attend! 

 

*This post is sponsored; affiliate links attached. 

Keeping an Eye on my Posture

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Hello,

Did you all watch the eclipse? Okay, okay, I will admit we were in the path of totality, and I must say seeing the moon completely cover the sun was really cool! I felt like I was on a different planet for a moment. It was quite intriguing. Our whole neighborhood said wow at the same time. It was a moment for sure. 

I have so many health topics and things that I am working on and dealing with. I will be sharing my journey with perimenopause in a later post but today I wanted to share my battle with posture. 

photo via: L. Shockley 

 

I have been trying to pay attention to how I sit and stand. I noticed in a mirror a few weeks ago how my neck looked when I stood naturally, and I did not like it. I had it on my list to try to do some research on sitting and standing better then I (by miracle) received an email with an article from my doctor’s office about tips to help you fix your sitting and standing posture! Funny right!

Here are the tips:

  1. Be mindful of our posture: It might sound simplistic, but being more aware of your posture during your everyday activities can bring about noticeable improvements. Whether you’re carrying grocery bags, lifting boxes in the garage or scrolling on your phone, being mindful of how you are holding, supporting and moving your body can help you make small tweaks to improve your posture and prevent injury.
  2. Stay active: Regular physical activity will help keep your joints, muscles and ligaments moving and prevent stiffness, which can lead to poor posture. Exercises that emphasize body awareness, such as tai chi and yoga, can be especially beneficial in improving posture.
  3. Strengthen your core: can also help ensure the muscles support your back, pelvis, neck and stomach are strong. Exercises such as side planks, hip ups, twists can help build abdominal strength for improved posture support.
  4. Maintain a healthy weight: Carrying excess weight around your midsection can weaken or strain muscles that support your back, pelvis and spine.
  5. Tuck your chin: Want to feel a little bit taller? Stand straight and then slightly tuck your chin, pushing the top of your head to the sky. This decompresses and elongates the neck, helping alleviate neck tightness and ensuring you are reaching your full height potential.
  6. Select Posture-Friendly shoes: Your footwear can have an impact on your posture as well. While sky-high heels might be in vogue, they can wreak havoc on your posture. Shoes with a high heel cause your back to overarch and increase pressure on your knees and back. Save heels for special occasions and instead opt for flats or low-heeled shoes for our day-to-day look.
  7. Evaluate Your Desk Ergonomics: If you spend all day at a desk on a computer, the arrangement and height of your desk, computer, and chair can play a big role in your daily posture. Evaluate your work environment to ensure your computer is at eye level, your feet rest on the floor and your knees and elbows are bent roughly at 90 degrees.
  8. Switch it Up: Neither standing nor sitting for extended periods is ideal for the body, so if you sit for long periods during your day, break up the day by taking walks and changing positions to give your body variety. Then, each time you sit again, you’ll have a new opportunity to reset your posture.

Wow, I am loving these tips. I never thought about the shoe tip but now I can see how your shoes would affect your posture. I never thought about the weight in the midsection either but now I can see that. I hope these tips shed some light for some of you as well. I love a good health checklist and I am happy to add this to my blog.

tips by Kate Bayless from Well U

 

The boutique has a new plus-size arrival! The Garden Maxi Dress is a beautiful floral dress perfect for the upcoming spring and summer season!

 

 

 

A Few French Beauty Ideas…

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Hello!

I don’t know about you, but I am hoping to get to the grocery store quickly this weekend. With the 2024 Eclipse hitting my state entirely on Monday, I have a feeling that people are going to be EVERYWHERE! I know that I should be excited, but I am not. I hate extremely large crowds. I just want to get what I need and then get back home!

So…. let’s move on. How about a little Friday beauty? I hope you all enjoyed my recent post about my beauty favorites. I was excited to update that. It’s been a while since I shared my favorite products. 

While I was finishing up the book Joie, I saw that the author shared her favorite beauty products and what the French women use and wear in France. I wanted to share this list with all of you. You may find it quite interesting…

 

photo via: Madame de la Maison (Author Ajiri Aki) 

 

This is a fabulous list of goodies to try out. Most of these I have never heard of. The only product that I have heard of is Shailmar. Do any of you have this? I have always been curious about it since I heard Sigourney Weaver mention it in Working Girl. I shared other French Beauty secrets on the blog. 

Let me know in the comments section below if you have tried any of these products. Have a great weekend, enjoy the eclipse (if you choose), and we’ll chat soon! Oh a new plus size dress will be on the website soon!

 

 

  • Affiliate links attached