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Being Elegant in Public…

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Ready to celebrate the new year? Me…. I am not sure yet. With each new year I know that there should be excitement but for me I am always apprehensive. I never know what to expect for the upcoming year.

I do need to figure out my word for the year and I do know that organizing is at the top of my list this year along with getting my greenhouse installed! I have been on the hunt for small organizational tools and will be sure to share what I order and end up using from Amazon. 

I really want to get my schedule under control. I hope that some recent changes at work will help with that. I also want to get the carpet replaced upstairs this year. Some many home to-dos. 

Continuing with my elegant appearance as best as I can is always number one and the photo below is one of the number reasons why I dress my best every day. 

 

 

Yes, this is a photo of me. So about two years back my family and I were at an ice-skating event, and they had some news anchors there. What I did not know was they were filming the event for their recent news story. 

I was caught in some of the footage, and they have been using it ever since. So, every year now for the last two years people text me and my husband saying that “I was on the news”!  But no one has been able to send me a snapshot until this year. 

When I got this photo I thought, “okay I look put together” because honestly you just never know how you might be caught on camera. I then looked at my husband and said, “You see this is exactly why you should always try to look your best”. You never know who or what is around you. I have said this so many times on my blog. Always look your best. If you need any ideas for a new year resolution, let this be one. Have a great weekend and Happy New Year!

 

 

 

Christmas Happenings…

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It’s the end of the year already and here shortly I will be sharing the top posts for this year. But I just wanted to say thank you! Thank you to all of you who are STILL reading the blog. My 10-year anniversary for the blog will be coming up soon and honestly, I am surprised every year that I am still blogging.

My blog and/or website has truly been a blessing for me. I really needed something other than my job and this blog has given me new friends, and new opportunities! I do love it and hope that you still enjoy reading it and being inspired. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

I really enjoyed the Christmas decor around my home. I look forward to going out in about a week and looking for decor that might be on sale. Especially at the antique stores.

 

We had our Guild luncheon and it was a lot of fun! I love seeing the Woodstock Country Club all decorated and festive. It is truly a beautiful place. 

 

 

I had to sneak in a “bathroom selfie”. The wallpaper in this room….. I just love it! We had a speaker at our luncheon this year and I will be sure to share her in another blog post. 

 

 

 

I was on the decorating team this year and it was a lot of fun being there early to help set up the dining room for our luncheon. This year we kept things simple and added poinsettias, velvet fabric, glitter ornaments, and vines. I will tell you this, I learned a lot working with these ladies about affordable decor options. Our favors this year were these cute compact mirrors that we ordered from Amazon. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

After the luncheon I decided to go on over to the Lily House and tour it again. Truth be told this is my dream home and I have it saved to my wish list gallery on my phone. I can’t get enough of the chinoiserie walls and beautiful fabrics. 

 

 

This hall is always fun to walk down. The beautiful lanterns are the perfect pop of color in this area. And the floors don’t disappoint. 

 

 

This is the dining room in the Lily home. If you missed my tour of the Lily house you may read it here. This past weekend Lauren and I went to see the Nutcracker as well. My husband and I went and toured the new RH Indianapolis gallery and a good friend of mine took me to tour the Columbia Club downtown. I will be sure to share these elegant adventures in the days to come. Until then have a Merry Christmas and don’t forget to shop the boutique. The BLKFRIDAY23 code is still available, and you get 20% off the entire boutique when you use it! Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victoria Magazine’s New Journal

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Good Morning Everyone!

We are almost in the home stretch! I have one more holiday luncheon for this season and one more party to attend. I am looking forward to being done! I know that sounds bad, but I have been the lead for two of these parties and I tell you it is a lot of work! Today I am working from home. Rick and I will be going to the new Restoration Hardware Gallery and restaurant that just opened in my city later this afternoon! It is located in the Christal DeHaan estate. It is gorgeous! I hope to share photos soon. 

Today I wanted to share a beautiful new journal that I purchased from Victoria Magazine. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

If you follow Jennifer L. Scott on the Daily Connoisseur, then you would have seen this beautiful journal on her Christmas holiday gift guide video. I knew as soon as I saw it I wanted it!

 

 

Just look at the inside. The journal is well made and has lots of beautiful photos from the magazine. I love that feature. I think that when you write an entry and have a beautiful photo next to your entry it could provide so much inspiration, hope, and beauty. I think adding this to their journal was brilliant.

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

The French blue cover with gold letters truly beckons your heart to write. It also has gilded page edges and a satin bookmark. It truly is a timeless journal. I am not sponsored but I would really consider ordering one especially if you journal like me. It will be a great addition to your collection. I love to journal and my blog entry from 2016 explains why. I hope it inspires you to journal as well! 

 

 

My First Signature Drink

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Good Morning Everyone!

Let my busy first week in December begin. Today is our office luncheon and I just hope that it all goes well. On Friday I will be attending the luncheon for the Guild and helping with set-up. I will try to take photos if I can. 

This past weekend I had a few packages arrive. Things that I have been on my wish list for quite some time were on sale for Cyber Monday and I was extremely excited. I will try to remember to share those in my December favorites. 

With Christmas closing in, I am trying to make sure that I have everything I need to cook and prepare. One thing that was a hit for Thanksgiving was my new signature drink!

 

 

A few weeks ago, one of our Guild members had a small party at her house and she gave us all this time. Well I loved it and wanted the recipe asap!

So it’s a glass of half Prosecco (white wine Moscato), half cranberry wine (of your choice), some fresh cranberries, and a cinnamon stick. So easy right? 

 

 

It was so delicious and was a hit with our family. I am so excited about this drink. I have never served a drink before so this was quite exciting to make and try. 

Let me know in the comments below what your signature drink is! 

November Favorites ~ 2023

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Hello!

Happy Friday! I don’t have much planned this weekend and I am happy about that! Yesterday my team and I went to the Ayres Tea Room for lunch. It was so good and we really enjoyed ourselves. The temperatures are dropping, and it is starting to feel like Christmas. I have 3 more luncheons to attend and then it will be time to go and see the Nutcracker with Lauren. I am looking forward to it this year.

And now here we are with my November favorites. It’s actually December! So crazy but anyway here are the things that I loved this month…

 

 

First on my favorites for November is my white mum. This was the biggest mum that I have ever had, and I still have it! It looked absolutely beautiful on my blue and white garden stool this fall. 

 

 

Second was my floral arrangement session at Random Acts of Flowers. I try to make sure that I volunteer at least once a month. This was so fun! I met a lot of women and I felt like I was creating something beautiful and meaningful for someone else. #Volunteeringrocks

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Third was the new showhouse! I am so excited to see what the designers are going to do at this year’s showhouse. Did I mention that there is a vintage greenhouse attached to this home? 

 

Fourth has been my Christmas decor for this year. I posted a video on my YouTube channel if you missed it!

 

 

 

Fifth has been this merlot vintage Micheal Kors bag from Poshmark. I was on the hunt for a red or burgundy tote, and this come up in my search! I could not believe it and the color was perfect along with the gold hardware. I got it for a steal!

 

 

 

The sixth is the Barbie Dreamhouse ornament from 1999! My mother-in-law purchased this when it debuted in 1999 and I have wanted it for my tree for years. I found it on Poshmark as well! I made an offer, she countered me and then I accepted! Yay! 

 

 

And last on my list are the gorgeous gift bags from Aerin Lauder. So I went to Von Maur to get some more moisturizer for my face, and I always ask the Estee Lauder counter girls if I could have certain gift bags. I have only been turned down once and was so happy that she gave me two! Aren’t they wonderful? 

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend! The boutique’s sale is still going on. Use code BlkFriday23 for 20% off your entire order. New arrivals included! Have a great weekend! 

 

 

My Christmas Decor Inspiration

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Good Morning,

Thanksgiving is next week… all I can say is wow! So far I am ready. I have a few more things to get for dinner but other than that we are ready. My house is completed decorated for the holidays. I am going to try to go and get more velvet ribbon and vintage ornaments so stay tuned.

My inspiration for this year is the photo below. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I saw this photo in the Victoria Magazine 2023 calendar. Once I saw it, I knew that I wanted to incorporate some of the details of this photo into my own Christmas decor. Then I found the vintage ornaments that you see in the corner of the photo at the antique store and knew that they were a perfect fit for our tree.

 

 

I love how our family tree turned out.  I am so glad that I got these vintage ribbons last year. It makes me want more of them so the hunt continues. You can see our Mouse King from the Nutcracker and many other vintage ornaments that I have found over the years.

 

 

I am so pleased with my white tree this year. I scaled it back a lot. I threw out a lot of ornaments that just didn’t suite it well nor me. I tied velvet ribbon on some of the branches and added my ornaments from the Enchanted Home. My tree urn is so wonderful! I am so glad that I ordered it. I loved gathering some of my blue and white vases along with my Santa and nutcrackers from the At Home Store. I think it looks lovely. 

 

 

This is something new. I moved this photo here because I felt like this spot needed something more. I also liked the fact that my bar cart was under it, so I decided to decorate everything on the cart this year. I loved the way it turned out. I added some champagne buckets and filled them with faux poinsettias, pine, pink roses, and green hydrangeas. Adding the garland around the artwork was a nice touch I believe. Seeing my sitting room in the distance made me smile. 

I hope this provided some inspiration for you. I hope you all enjoy your weekend! 

 

My 1911 Watercolor Painting

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Good Morning,

I really enjoyed this past weekend. I got A LOT done at home, but my list is still long. My Christmas shopping is just about done, and I got my turkeys for both Thanksgiving and Christmas! I feel a little complete. I am now gearing up for Black Friday for the boutique. It will be having a sale on all items, so I hope you order something that you like. I have some meetings this week and a lot of work to do!

I had a Zoom call with a rep. from Pinterest last week. It was very interesting learning the business side of that wonderful inspirational website. I have so many things that I would like to do with A Home for Elegance, but we will see.

I did just purchase a wonderful antique item recently. I think I shared that I was going antiquing in Franklin. It was wonderful as usual, but I wanted to share what I purchased while I was there.

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

I went to 2 different antique stores. I went to Vintage Whimsy and Fren Chic. I purchased some antique ornaments, giant floral pitcher on the table, and the gilded white trim mirror from Fren Chic. I am on the hunt for more vintage ornaments for my trees. While I was there, I did pick up some Harney & Sons Vanilla Comoro tea (which is delicious). I love it with a spoon full of honey. 

 

 

I then went to Vintage Whimsy. I wasn’t going to, but I could not resist. Now I see why. I walked around the entire store and then this painting caught my eye. I walked away and then came back. Something about it just called to me. Then I saw that it was on sale. I asked the owner if I could get a little more off the price but then I heard the owner say, “I can’t”. She then came up front and told me that it was an original watercolor painting from 1911. My heart said SOLD!

 

 

Now I did try to “google” the artist but I did not find anything. I believe it is Elizabeth M.K. Connor. That’s what it looks like to me. 

 

 

It looks wonderful in my dining room area. It was the perfect addition to my Christmas decor this year. I wanted an elegant, vintage inspired Christmas this year. I will be sharing my inspiration soon for that. Let me know in the comments below if you have an original work of art. I would love to know!

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I have to share this, but FrenChic has a space in the back that you can rent to have parties! Now wouldn’t this be wonderful for a bridal shower or tea party with friends?