Posts

A Walk-Through History

/0 Comments/in , /by

 

 

Good Morning Friends,

Do you have any blooms in your neck of the woods? I certainly do! I love it when my trees begin to bloom. It certainly helps with my morning walks. It makes them so pleasant and beautiful. My tulips did okay in my greenhouse this year. When we install my raised beds, I will be sure to move those to the outside. But I am also trying to give myself some grace because this is the first year of me trying to grow tulips in my greenhouse. 

Remember my elegant adventures that I mentioned? Well, I just had one this past weekend. The organization that I volunteer for just had a run/walk marathon through our historical home district and it was phenomenal! This was the 3rd annual Dash by the Past, and it was my first time. It was so nice walking through that area with friends and seeing the gorgeous homes that I have loved since I was a kid. 

 

 

A photo of me not being dressed up is rare! But here I am in my sun hat that I wear on my morning walks, my black cape, workout sweater, workout leggings, and walking shoes. I was comfy and layered up because it was cold. I still wore a pair of pearls and some big sunglasses. 

 

 

It was such a beautiful day and a fun walk. We walked about 3 miles and got to look at all the homes in the historical district. There were about 300 people who signed up. 

 

 

Our Guild group put out all of the Past Decorators Show House post. It was so fun to see each past show house. I have only been in the Guild for 3 years and have learned a lot, had fun, and made friends. 

 

 

 

If you live in the area, I hope that you would consider joining us next year. All of the proceeds benefit Eskenazi Health and go toward helping us with our mission to support mental health. Cheers to home beauty and supporting the community!

 

 

 

  • Afflialte links attached – photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

 

 

Scheduling Elegant Adventures

/0 Comments/in , /by

 

 

Well friends, how is everyone? Are we ready for spring? The trees in our neighborhood are starting to bloom and my peonies are perking up through the ground. We are waiting a few more weeks before we install my raised beds, and I am ready to have some warmer walking mornings.

Oh goodness… my title. I tell you I have been having some deep life thoughts lately. Especially around how I want to live. There are so many ugly things going on in this world. I try to limit my news watching and doom scrolling. I am also trying to monitor my stress at work. That has been really hard with all of the changes that we have been having.

I came up with this idea “scheduling elegant adventures” when I was meeting with my doctor and therapist. Yes, I have a therapist, and it has been the best thing ever! I have been going for almost a year, and I believe it was one of the best decisions that I have made so far. I was discussing with her my idea about elegant adventures, and she loved it!

I was also discussing it with my dietitian as we talked about my stress management and weight. I mentioned to some of the girls in my Pilates class and everyone took it in like “wait a minute maybe I should try this”. What I realized is that taking a vacation once a year for one week is not enough for me. Not anymore. I need more beauty, more time alone, and more adventures.

So on my elegant adventures list, at least once a month, I go to dinner with my “Guild Girls” and last month we went duckpin bowling.

 

 

We had the best time! I had a blast. I really did. It forced me to slow down, play a game, and enjoy the moment. We went to dinner right after that and it was a wonderful adventure! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

I tried a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri. It was so good! We also walked around the Bottleworks hotel which was very beautiful. This past weekend I decided to have another elegant adventure. 

 

 

I have been wanting to go and see Swan Lake at the ballet for years now and I got a ticket and went. It was a beautiful ballet, and I am so glad that I went. I sat in the balcony. I sat with two couples. I went alone and had no regrets. The couples were so nice and funny. We all had a great time! Honestly, I have never read the story about Swan Lake and read it in the program. It is VERY interesting. I thought the Indianapolis Ballet did a great job. They are the same production that puts on the Nutcracker each year and the Indianapolis Symphony orchestra played the entire time. Talk about “seeking the arts”. 

For the month of April, I plan on going to Nordstrom Rack. I rarely get to go to that store. I also want to go to Consign by Design again, and this has just been added to my radar for this year. Isn’t this hotel GORGEOUS? This is about an hour and 45 minutes away from me and my supervisor told me all about it. I want to go and stay for a few days, tour the hotel, and have a spa day.  Now how wonderful would that be? My goal is to go and do something that I love each month and take that time to get away and just breathe. Stress and high cortisol levels are a real thing, and I just don’t want them to rule me anymore. Elegant adventures each month for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

March Favorites ~ 2025

/5 Comments/in , /by

 

Good Morning,

It has gotten chilly here again which is not fun because I just swapped over my closet to use my spring and summer accessories. Cleaning my closet every few months is so fun and important to me. It forces me to review my clothes and ask myself “are you wearing this”. It’s really good for keeping down the clutter. 

Oh my goodness, there has been so much going on. Next week I will be conducting my virtual training online. We are turning in our PowerPoint presentations this week and doing sound and edit checks as well. My nerves are starting to kick in, but it is exciting! 

Okay, now I have had a lot of beautiful finds this month and hope that you all enjoy them. 

First on my list is the beautiful Stoneware Cabbage Tea Pot, teacup and saucer set from Target. This sold out as fast as I could post it! They restocked it, then it sold out again! Keep it in your cart. They just might restock it.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

 

 

Next are my recent Facebook Marketplace finds! I found these vintage nesting tables. The seller said that they belonged to his grandmother and then his mother. He sold them to me for only $20! I decided to move it to my office, and I love them so far. My second is the Bombay drawer chest. The seller actually has a store near me, and it is the same seller from my green chinoiserie inspired cabinet. It is so lovely. I love the shape, the color and all of the storage. I plan to move it to our future guest bedroom. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The FBMP finds continue. March was a big month for finds. In addition, to the two above I found this gorgeous round vintage table. I only paid $150 and again the owner told me that it belonged to her grandmother, and she had it for over 50 years. I told her that I would take good care of it. My family really loves this table. 

 

 

 

 

This next find has changed my grocery store shopping for me. I saw this on Instagram and knew that I had to get one. This magnetic phone holder can be used on shopping carts, strollers, and fitness bikes. I took it to the grocery store a few weeks ago and was so happy with it. I could keep my grocery list app opened while I shopped and checked off items. It was excellent!

 

 

 

 

Now let’s talk bags. I don’t know if I have mentioned that I have gotten a few new bags this month. I think that I mentioned the Coach Empire 48 bags that I got. I was not even looking for these because I knew that they were sold out, but my local Coach store had the black one in stock (it was the last one) then they called me to show me the maple and I could not resist. 

 

 

But my heart still wanted the Kisslock Frame Bag. When I saw Carrie from Sex in the City carrying it I just knew that I had to have it! The classic shape, gold hardware, and soft leather was the draw. I told my new Coach SA to call me if one surfaces. A few weeks later she did! A woman who I was talking to while I was getting the maple Empire 48 had both the black and dark brown Kisslock. Little did I know that she was thinking about returning them and she did! Katy called me immediately asking me if I wanted it and I said YES!! I am so happy and love it so much! I still want the black one and the honey Empire 48. If you are interested in my swan keychain you may find it here along with my Coach chain. 

 

 

Now if the Coach Kisslock is out of budget for you I did find this lovely tote from Caroline Hill. I have been on the hunt for a cream-colored tote and this hit the mark. I have gotten a lot of compliments on it. It has lots of room and the quality is pretty good. She has several more in different colors. 

 

 

 

Flowers are always a favorite. My husband got me these white roses for our 21st anniversary in February along with a copy of Aerin Lauder’s New Book Living with Flowers. This book is stunning of course, and I have just started to read it. I love Aerin Lauder’s esthetic and find inspiration in all of the pages. 

 

 

 

Target has been on point with their slingbacks. This is my third pair from them. These gorgeous slingbacks are perfect for spring and summer. I love the raffia design, in sole cushion and two-inch heel. The price is not bad as well. Order while you can. Target just keeps selling out of things. 

 

 

 

And my last favorite has been a new YouTube channel! I found Heather from Oh So Lovingly a few months ago and really enjoy her energy and the fact that she enjoys being herself. She has a cute home and has good taste. I am loving her antique adventures around Buckhead, Atlanta. You will enjoy her content, trust me! 

Well, that is it for March my friends. I hope that you found some wonderful inspiration this month and let me know in the comments below how you are doing. Have a great week! 

 

  • Affiliate links attached 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Growing Your Equity?

/2 Comments/in , /by

 

Hello Everyone!

I tell you I have been breathing a lot heavier these days. There is so much going on from extra duties at work, to changing homeowners’ insurance and car insurance, to doctor appointments, keeping up the home, exercising, planning trips, and even planting seeds in the greenhouse. My planner is full every day. I am trying to give myself a day where I don’t look at my phone, planner, or t.v. Geez. 

One thing I am starting to focus on is building my career equity. I have not told you all yet but I am reading Career Forward by Grace Puma and Christiana Smith Shi. I got to hear both of these women speak at the Indiana Women’s Conference in November. Once I heard them speak, I knew that I wanted their book. 

I am in a season in my life where I am having a lot of change. I am also in a position where it can become stagnant if you let it, and I am a person who refuses to do that. With each job that I have had I sort of “made it my own”. Each person before me in the position did not do much with it. They rarely sought out training and rarely got out of the box. I always wanted to think about my position in a long-term fashion and it has worked for me. 

 

photo credit: A. Bryan 

 

The position that I have now (paralegal supervisor) has been my most challenging position ever. Not only am I assigned to my own attorneys, but I have a team to manage and cover. I am also still responsible for my growth which is where Chapter 3 Growing your Professional Equity comes into play. I know with each year passing by I ask myself “how do I keep growing, how do I stay relevant?” 

Christina and Grace said, “as you start focusing on building professional equity, let’s continue the analogy with this idea: think of yourself as a grow stock”. When I read that I thought, “oh okay. She said, “simply put, a growth stock is a company that is expected to increase in value at a faster than average rate. If you think of that stock as a person, it’s someone who is always looking to grow and develop and expand their career at a level significantly above average.” 

I have started this thought process already. I have been a supervisor for 4 years now and decided to branch out about 2 years ago into another program in the department. It is an extra duty on top of my current ones but provides SO much growth. I get to go to other districts, network with other supervisors on my team, and evaluate other offices. It has been such a rewarding aspect and a growth stock for my career. I recently decided to become an instructor at one of the departments biggest educational agency. At this very moment I am preparing a presentation regarding civil discovery for about 150 participants and will be teaching this presentation with another paralegal live! When I tell you this has challenged me in so many ways, I mean it! This presentation will also be recorded and saved to the department’s educational website. Which means my teaching will be a permanent video for other paralegals and attorneys to review year after year. Umm no pressure!!! I am also scheduled to be on a paralegal supervisory panel in September discussing our careers and ways to develop yourself in person in South Carolina. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley (Washington, D.C.) 

 

Another tip from Grace and Christina is, “when you think of yourself as a growth stock, it helps you get into the right frame of mind for driving professional success in the short and long term. As your stock rises, your company reaps the rewards of your performance. But just as important, you’re likely to experience a host of personal benefits, such as increased compensation, a greater ability to shape your role at the company, enhanced job security, and more opportunities to transition to a desirable role at a different company”. 

Christina and Grace also discuss equity. They said to think of it as value. They mention how to spot the equity players in your job. Equity players are promoted/selected for representation and messaging at company forums and meetings. They are often chosen to lead highly visible strategic company projects. They appear to get CEO, C-Suite, and board exposure. Are sought out behind the scenes by employees and peers for personal and professional opinions. They tend to advance quickly in role and scope; have input that carries weight and drives decisions or actions. Lastly, they are happy, energized and confident. 

If these individuals exist in your work environment, get to know them and how they tick. I hope you all have found these tips helpful. Our careers can shape our lives, but I think we can learn to build equity if we are strategic. 

Have a great week!

 

 

 

 

Tips from: Career Forward; Strategies from Women Who’ve Made it by Grace Puma and Christina Smith Shi- Chapter 3; page 32 

  • Affiliate link attached 

February Favorites ~ 2025

/in /by

 

 

Hello,

Well this felt like the shortest month ever! February always feels this way. We are celebrating our 21-year wedding anniversary this week. Lauren will be 20 next week! Can you believe it? Good gosh! I have a 20-year-old. We are already preparing for her junior year in the fall. It’s crazy how time is flying.

For Valentine’s Day, my husband and I went to St. Elmo’s. It was our first time, and I have to say that the food was really good. I was hoping that it would live up to the hype and it did. He also got me some lavender roses from Grace Rose Farms. Watching these open for the week was truly a treat.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

First on my list is the new Aerin Lauder vanity collection. This collection is inspired by 19th century Italian decor.  I am in LOVE but it is a little pricey. I have it on my wishlist so we will see. 

 

photo credit: Aerin/ Instagram 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My second favorite are these cherry blossom trees from Amazon. I saw Nitra B. share these on her Instagram page and I had to take a risk and order them. They are a DREAM! I love them so much! I ordered two. One for my office and one for home. I love them and I am now on the hunt for some blue and white planters to place them in. 

 

 

My third favorite has been a pleasant surprise. Lydia Millen mentioned these faux collars that she ordered. Now I have seen these before but never thought about trying one. I have a few dresses that I have to use a brooch to close up the chest part because I feel like it is a bit too low. I decided to go ahead and give these a try and all I can say is WOW! They are a perfect fit for my dresses and look so elegant on. 

 

 

 

 

Oh my goodness! I am loving these spring scents from Bath and Body Works. I purchased the springtime greenhouse, backyard honeysuckle, and white cucumber & mint. I am looking forward to using them this spring season. 

 

 

 

I saw these gorgeous floral ginger vases and jars and HomeGoods a few days ago and had to grab one. Check your local store. They may not last long. 

 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

These wonderful yogurt cups have been a wonderful luxury to my life. I add my favorite yogurt, granola, blueberries and pumpkin seeds and I am in heaven. If you love yogurt but want to add your favorite toppings to it, you should definitely try these cups! 

 

 

 

Now it has taken me years and I mean YEARS to find a shelf that would fit in the corner of my garden tub and this one seems to work. I wanted something to store all of my products near the tub and it has been so hard trying to find something. This stackable shelf from Amazon has worked wonderfully and keeps everything where I need it. 

 

 

Now I don’t know about you, but I love a good “What’s in my Bag” video. I recently saw Nicholas with this new bag in one of his vlogs and was dying to know what it was. In this video he finally shares it. I love being inspired to buy quality items and to be expose to beauty and elegance. That is one of the things that I love about vlogs. The exposure that you get from another person’s world. 

I hope you all enjoyed my finds for this month. I have been planning to post a video to my YouTube channel for about a month now, but have not gotten around to filming the intro. I will do that soon. Take care! 

 

  • affiliate links attached 

 

 

Overcoming Hesitations- Living with Quality

/in , /by

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

I have recently been having some “feelings about things”. I have been having this “feeling of quality” or a desire for quality which explains my title for this week’s blog post.

It could be the books that I am reading, the old movies that I am watching, but I am having this desire for beauty and quality. Have you ever had that? You are in a store, and you are looking at something. The price is great, but the quality of the item does not satiate that desire that you have. I have had this feeling multiple times when buying bags, jewelry, furniture, flowers, I mean you name it. It has been happening in some of my current shopping experiences. 

I can’t explain it but while I am out and about I have this feeling of things needing to be better and it could be society that is bringing on these thoughts, but I just want better. I used to be afraid of wanting better but not anymore. That fear is slowly leaving my emotions. 

 

photo credit: Instagram

 

I purchased this book sometime last year. It is an eBook that unfortunately it is not available right now. There was a section in the book that inspired the title of this blog post. The author Miranda stated, “I understand that the thought of using tableware can be a bit dauting. There is often a fear of mishandling or misplacing something so steeped in history and value. But here’s the thing- these pieces were crafted to be admired and used, not just displayed. And you deserve to use them to create extraordinary moments in your life”. 

I don’t care how much something costs or how “fancy” it is use it! 

 

 

That is why I continue to live the way I do. This is my newest FBMP purchase! It is a vintage or antique wardrobe. I believe it is from the 1950s. It is sold and the maker is Hickory Manfacturing Company since 1911. The company is known for their high quality craftmanship and timeless designs. This wardrobe is a solid piece, and I cannot wait to put it to use. I gasped when I saw it on FBMP. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

 

The photo above is my kitchen counter. I recently purchased this bust from HomeGoods and the plate is from an antique store. It is Limoges china. I now know that I have a deep passion for elegant things and elegant living. I can’t seem to separate it from any part of my life. When I styled this counter and stood back and looked at it, I just smiled. I am overcoming hesitations. Why not have antiques in your kitchen!

 

My sitting room currently.

 

Another tidbit that Miranda mentioned in her book in regard to her tableware was, ” Antique tableware is not merely a collection of objects, it is a tapestry with history, art and legacy. These pieces carry an elegance and sophistication that modern items seldom capture. They hold the power to transform a simple meal into a grand affair, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. In a world where everything feels so transient, these antiques offer a tangible connection to the past- a bridge to bygone eras of charm and elegance”. 

I could not agree more. I think that this quote from Miranda can be used in every item in our lives. Our furniture, china, clothes, shoes, accessories. I want my life as a whole to be a tapestry. Everything should be connected to elegance and sophistication. It should be made of quality. I really want to live a life with quality and for my life to be quality. What are your thoughts on quality? Do you seek it as well? 

To read more about Miranda here is a blog post about her on Maison Carlyle. Also let me know in the comments below if you purchased her eBook! 

 

Want to hear someone express how important quality is? Just listen to the current owner of Hermes express his thoughts on quality. It’s truly inspiring!

 

 

 

 

 

My Sitting Room Refresh

/in /by

 

 

Good Morning Friends!

How is everyone doing? I am repeating my goals in my mind and I recently read this quote from James Clear…..

“People can sometimes be held hostage by their expectations. They have a dream of something they would like to achieve or a path they intend to follow, but their mindset falls apart when things don’t work out how they had hoped.

The key is to reach for an extremely high bar, but to be adaptable enough to reframe the failures, disappointments, and defeats into fuel for the next thing. Give your best effort, but no matter how it works out, trust that life will be good for you. Focus on how the world is working with you, not against you.

Everything you are given is material for the next move. Everything.”

I just keep asking the Lord to guide me. I get sent this nuggets every time.

Well my FBMP shopping has not slowed down. I am just on this journey where I want to add better furniture pieces to my home and why not. I have been wanting to change things up for so long and I am now unafraid to try things. You all know that I love a good room refresh and this time I decided to change up my sitting room.

 

 

 

The photo on the left is one version of my sitting room. I believe this was taken in 2019 or maybe 2018. I was starting to feel like it looked “too yellow”. I had the cream, fuzzy rug which was suppose to be cream but it looked yellow. I also had “cream” curtains which looked yellow as well. I wanted to add some fresh whites to my sitting room. The photo on the right is what it currently looks like right now since I have refreshed it. 

I purchased the new rug from Amazon. I love the design and color and believe it fits the room perfectly. The rug is from influencer My Texas Home. I have been wanting one of these for some time now. I also got new pillows from HomeGoods. White ones of course to brighten up and freshen up the couch. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

The space look so different and I am here for it! It really updated the “shades” in my sitting room and gave it a clean look. I also got new curtains from HomeGoods. They are white as well and no longer have that yellow look to them. 

 

 

Can you see something else? Well for one thing I got two new lamps instead of one. I had one lamp in this room for 13 years and decided that two lamps would balance the room. 

 

 

I got KING CORBRA lamps! I could not believe it myself. I could not understand why I was attracted to these lamps. My husband and I were walking around HomeGoods when I saw these and I said, “Those are sharp”! My husband then turned and looked at me with astonishment and said, “are you serious”? I then grabbed my mouth because I could not believe that came out of it! 

I looked at him with such confusion because I could not make sense of it but I LOVED them! I then spent the next 45 minutes in anguish trying to figure out why I wanted them. We “googled” the meaning of King Cobra because I was so worried if this meant something about my faith. I had all kinds of crazy thoughts, but do you know what the meaning of King Cobra is? It means transformation, wisdom, royalty, strength, rebirth, and knowing oneself better. WOW! The two meanings that stuck out to me were transformation and rebirth as I am going through a transition in my life and change. Plus, the girl who does my nails just told me that it is the year of the snake! Can you believe that! Wow! Any way I do love my king cobra lamps and no longer have regrets. They did come with a black snakeskin lamp shade but I thought white would look better with my decor and room. 

 

 

I also redid my floral arrangement. This arrangement was on my table next to my couch in a gold old vase and needed to be refresh so I got rid of the gold vase and decided to use my giant blue and white ginger vase, and it looks so much better. 

 

 

A new candle was also added to the space. I normally don’t buy candles at Target, but I think this is becoming one of my favorites. If you love a beautiful floral candle, then this candle by Theshold called sunflower and ivy will certainly please you. I am already going to order more! It’s lovely and comes in this beautiful canister. 

 

 

This was not a part of the sitting room refresh but I purchased this from T.J. Maxx. I needed a new lamp for my dresser in our bedroom and saw this lovely swan lamp there. I could not leave it. It looks stunning on my vanity. 

 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

 

Well, I will be honest. I am feeling much better being in my sitting room and spending time in it. I was not using the room for months because I was just so unhappy with it. Now I look forward to my “rest mornings”.  It’s when I go down to that room grab my At Home in the Garden book and just enjoy the space. It is such a treat in the early mornings. 

FBMP has been such a wonderful tool for me to purchase pieces and curate my home. I now have my search fine tuned and don’t have a problem looking for items. If you want to see my other blog posts regarding my past searches you may read them here. 

Let me know in the comments below what your thoughts are. Have a great week! 

 

  • Affiliate links attached