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April Favorites ~ 2024

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Good Morning Everyone!

Whew! Busy, busy! I have had no time to do anything related to AHFE. I hope that you all have been doing well. You all saw my post from last week. That collaboration meant everything to me and to be ASKED instead of asking was huge! I have made some new wonderful friends in the interior decorating world and hope that this will open more doors for my brand. 

The Showhouse has started, and the home looks wonderful! I do have my favorites and will be sharing those soon. Our candle is doing well and is selling! I wish you all could smell it. I am very proud to be included in this special project. Now onto my favorites for the month of April. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The first is this beautiful bouquet that I created from grocery store flowers! I love greenery and always love to have lots of it in my bouquets. This was colorful stock, scented baby’s breathe, and Queen Anne’s lace. Just marvelous!

 

 

Second are my new house slippers from Amazon. These memory foam, velvet house slippers are so fun to wear and look lovely. I will definitely be ordering more pairs. I really want a green pair, red, and black!

 

 

Third is a new book that I ordered. Jennifer L. Scott mentioned this book in one of her videos and I tell you I am so glad that she did! This book is wonderful! I just started and cannot wait to continue it. It’s so informative and will really shed light on your life!

 

 

The fourth is my new spring/summer pink nail polish color. Now this is a dip nail polish that I get at my local salon, so I have no idea what the name is. It has taken me 2 summers to find it! Once I like a nail color, I take a picture of the number and save it to my nail polish gallery. I now have my winter colors, spring colors, summer colors, and autumn colors! Yay!

 

photo credit: Williams Sonoma

 

The new season of Bridgerton is about to begin and everyone is taking part in it. I will say that I am loving some of the items that have launched. Especially, these new Bridgerton plate sets from Williams Sonoma. Aren’t they lovely? Perfect for a beautiful spring tablescape. 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Alice.com

 

Last on my list is an item that I recently added to my wish list. I want to add this beautiful chinoiserie tole tray to my tea-time in the mornings. I mean this is an absolute showstopper. It is a perfect soft green color, pops of orange and a gold border. Just stunning!

 

Oh wait a minute. There is one more discovery for this month….

 

 

I found another delightful YouTube channel! This video was suggested to me earlier this month and I have watched it 3 times already! I love her decor and I think you will too! 

I hope you all enjoy my April favorites. Sorry it is posted late but the showhouse calls! I am almost done with my docent shifts, and I cannot wait to share my favorite rooms. I also hope to post a video soon of the home. 

 

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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

 

 

I Think of Beauty…

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Good Morning Everyone,

My husband and I had a very quiet Easter weekend. It was our first Easter without the kids home. It felt very different this year, but we rested. I made a pot roast with carrots, potatoes and mashed potatoes. I puttered around the house and got ready for the work week. 

I don’t know about you, but I am a fan of James Clear. Have any of you read his book Atomic Habits? I haven’t but I have heard him on a few podcasts, and I enjoy listening to him. I get his newsletters every week and they are so good! I have shared them with my team. In one of his most recent newsletters, he shared a quote about beauty….

 

photo via Newfields.com

“I think of beauty as an absolute necessity. I don’t think it’s a privilege or an indulgence, it’s not even a quest. I think it’s almost like knowledge, which is to say, it’s what we were born for. I think finding, incorporating and then representing beauty is what humans do. With or without authorities, telling us what it is, I think it would exist in any case. 

That startle and the wonder of being in this place. This overwhelming beauty- some of it is natural, some of it is man-made, some of it is casual, some of it is a mere-glance is an absolute necessity. I don’t think we can do without it any more than we can do without dreams or oxygen.”  ~ Novelist Toni Morrison 

WELL SAID!

 

photo via: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I have always believed that beauty was a necessity for me. Beauty has never been an indulgence for me either. I have to have it just like water, and air. What about you? Do you need beauty?

 

 

Current Favorite Beauty Products

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Good Morning,

We had snow earlier this week! SNOW! Goodness, it happens every year. I don’t know why I think we are out of the danger zone when March gets here. I really doesn’t matter. We always get snow!

I don’t have much planned this weekend which makes me happy. I will be doing a house review and try to do some website work. I also want to go to Whole Foods so I hope that I can fit that in.

Today I am sharing my beauty regimen favorites. I try to update my creams and try new things, but I am such a creature of habit. The first thing that I want to share are my facial cleaners. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I am still using the Purity by Philosophy. It has been a constant in my facial cleaning regimen. I recently tried Estee Lauder’s Soft Clean facial cleanser and I like it very much. My Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Rapid Brightening serum is perfect for my dark spots and scaring that I have on my face. It clears them right up in a few weeks. 

 

 

For day cream I have been trying the L’Oreal Age Perfect cream. I absolutely love this! It’s a beautiful blush color and gives your skin a lovely hint of color. The Fresh Floral Recovery Calming mask is great in the evening. The Estee Lauder Nightwear Plus is still my evening go-to as well as the Revitalizing Supreme Night cream. Advanced Night Repair is an influencer favorite, and the Clarins Double Serum is life changing! 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

New products that I have been trying are the Elizabeth Arden 8-hour mist. This is such an affordable luxury. I think trying and owning a facial mist is such a treat. I saw the Estee Lauder Swiss Performing Extract serum at Von Maur. I could not help myself. I put this on at night and the smell is HEAVENLY! It’s a great moisturizer and helps with tone and elasticity. 

 

 

For those pesky blemishes, I use the Neutrogena Cleanser Mask. Now this is very STRONG. It has benzoyl peroxide in it. I only put some on my pimple, I let it sit then wash it off. It gets rid of them pretty quickly. 

 

 

Now let’s get into some makeup. For my eye shadow I love my Gucci eyeshadow palette. It is currently sold out, but this Laura Geller palette has some similar colors. I also have the Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy palette, but the Mary Kay eye shadow is another good option. If you are looking for a Mary Kay consultant reach out to Rosenda. She is my Mary Kay consultant and would be happy to assist you! If you do reach out, please tell her that you are an A Home for Elegance follower. In regard to my eyebrows, I have been using the Anatasia Beverly brow dip for years. I also just found this brow pencil from Amazon. I am quite intrigued by it. For my blush I am using the Laura Mercier face illuminator, but this looks promising, and I may have to try it. Let’s not forget the Laura Mercier Kabuki brush! 

 

 

Lastly are my lips. I keep it very simple when it comes to my lips. I ABSOLUTELY adore a Clinique chubby stick, but I did find this similar item on Amazon. I am still carrying the L’oreal Paris lip balm in my bag. I did splurge on our trip in Atlanta, and I purchased the Hermes lip oil. I have no regrets. It’s wonderful and as you can see almost gone! For Mary Kay please contact my friend mentioned above. 

I hope that you all loved these beauty products. Let me know in the comments section if you plan to purchase any or if you already use some of them. 

SPECIAL SALE!

Have any of you heard about the Sarah Flint Archive Sale?  It is huge! Just an example, I got the Sarah Flint Gracie’s for only $199! There are some shoes on there that are only $80! Move quickly this sale will not last long. Click on my link above and then click on archive sale to shop! Use my code: SARAHFLINT-CCMRSSHOCKLEY. Enjoy!

 

  • This post is not sponsored. Affiliate links attached. 

Shall We Return to Refinement?

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Good Morning,

We had a very quiet weekend. I did a little antique shopping. I found a birdcage that was absolutely beautiful! 

 

Now I don’t intend on getting a bird, but I love bird cages. I want this just for home decor. I know that may sound weird, but I do love it. I am hoping to get the price dropped. The owner has it marked for $220. I want to maybe pay half of that, but we will see. 

It’s been a while since I have shared an article that intrigued me. An interior designer that I follow shared some info from this article called “We’re Ready for a Return to Refinement”. Reading this title captured me immediately. Now that we are post Covid, it just seems as though the world cannot pull it together. Maybe it’s me but every time we go to a restaurant all I see is sloppiness. For a period of time, it was driving me nuts, but I am trying to settle into the thought process that I cannot control everything.

In the article, it starts off reminding us that “sofas that make you sit up a little straighter, and heeled pumps that give you a more graceful gait are unabashedly elegant essentials” necessary for your beautiful life.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley (Ralph Lauren Store, Manhattan)

 

The article goes on to discuss setting your table for dinner, decorating your home, and shopping. Now with inflation out of control, living your best life on a budget has become a motto for most of us. I have been trying to very best to find affordable pieces on Amazon to organize my home and to live in a lovely manner. Don’t get me wrong I love Amazon but having some substantial pieces in my life to balance out those Amazon purchases is how I want to live. I have an affirmation that I have been saying almost daily for over 10 years. “Lord help me to buy quality, not quantity”.

One thing that I have learned these last few years is that our time is very short. I want to live my life in beautiful ways as much as possible. 

 

 

 

Experiment with your Home

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Hello!

I completely forgot to tell you all that last Saturday my family and I went to Cincinnati, Ohio to do a little shopping. I found out that Frontgate, Ballard Designs and Grandinroad had an outlet store! I have always wanted to visit Ballard Design so when I called and got their location they told me about the other two stores. We also stopped by the Cincinnati outlet mall as well. I will be honest, I wasn’t a fan of the stores, but it was nice to see the quality of the inventory up front. What scared me away was the prices. Everything was still too high! I feel like you mind as well order online. But that is just my opinion you can check it out on your own. 

Home decor has been on my mind a lot lately. I am always looking for inspiration. I was at the showhouse recently and saw some of the rooms. I cannot wait to share the beautiful rooms with you here on the blog soon. 

I also read this recent magazine article in Victoria from Courtney Davey at Tuft and Trim. 

 

photo credit: Tuft & Trim

 

Courtney Davey’s Instagram content and blog is one of my favorites. I love the floral print couch in the photo above. That is my inspiration for my new FBMP find. One part of the article that I loved was the encouragement to experiment with your home. She said…

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

Trying something new with your home décor doesn’t have to be daunting. “If you don’t love it, change it,” says Courtney. Move furniture around, hang things on the walls, try a new paint color and see how it looks. Sometimes you have to put a style choice to the test to discover whether it works in your space. “I always have a wall repair patch kit and spare paint on hand for an easy fix,” the designer continues. “I think there’s so much pressure on getting it right that it holds people back, but if you just go for it and keep a flexible mindset, it’s amazing what you can create!”

I could not agree more. There are a lot of new ideas that I have for my home and reading this passage has inspired me to move forward in my home decor ideas. 

 

 

photo credit: Tuft & Trim

 

I hope this post has inspired you to give your home ideas a try. We are only going to make this journey once. Enjoy your home and your space. Stop decorating your homes to sell them. Add color and beauty! Have a great weekend. 

Easter is fast approaching! The Belle Rose Maxi and Gatsby Pearl Necklace are on sale! Get both for only $40 (plus shipping)!

 

 

 

How I Romanticize my Life Daily

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Good Morning Everyone!

Busy, busy I have been. Lauren is home this week for spring break and we are just trying to keep things simple. I have been trying to pay attention to my daily life and look at what is working for me and what is not. Organizing my home and life has not been easy. Lots of things are being purged and lots of small changes have happened. In the mist of these changes, I have been also trying to keep things beautiful in my life. 

I was recently inspired by a video that I watched. There have been a few influencers who recently shared ways that they are romanticize their daily lives and I thought I would share my list as well.

First are my morning walks. I can’t tell you how these have become so important to me. I started these walks in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. I felt a need to get out and get fresh air and try to capture my emotions and put things into perspective. I am still doing that and need these walks to listen to podcasts, talk with God, and lay out my dreams. It also gives me the opportunity to see flowers, and watch the sun rise. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

The second is pouring myself a vanilla latte at the office every morning, and using my fine china. I LOVE doing this! I had a co-worker who came in after my oatmilk finished in my frother and she saw me pour this into my china cup and she said, “you treat yourself so well”. Now that comment struck me. I thought, “this is treating myself well”? Really, this is something that I do every day and I don’t give it any thought, but she did and at that moment I knew that I was blessed. 

 

 

Third is making my bed. I cannot leave my house without doing this. Having a well-made bed speaks volumes to me when I come home. After a long day at the office, I head upstairs to my bedroom to drop things off and seeing my bed made and waiting for me is a beautiful way and relaxing way to end my day. 

 

 

Along with seeing my well-made bed, making myself a pitcher of lemon and cucumber water has been another way of romanticizing myself. It is so refreshing and delicious. I have had a glass almost every night while watching Designing Women from 1986!

 

 

Fifth is setting a beautiful yet simple tablescape. I love seeing a beautiful set table every day. Having this brings beauty into my life and gives me the opportunity to use my best. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Sixth is and you should not be a shock but fresh flowers. I have shared multiple bouquets on my website. I don’t think that I need to explain how buying yourself a bouquet (even if it’s from the grocery store) is a beautiful way to romanticize your life! Please try it. You will not regret it. 

 

 

Seventh are candles. Lighting candles in the evenings or in the mornings when I have teatime brings me such solace. I loving smelling my favorite candles while reading a book, writing in my journal, or sipping a cup of hot tea. 

 

 

And the last items are art museums, ballets, and classical music. I always try to schedule beautiful events in my life to romanticize myself. There is an upcoming event called Art in Bloom that I want to go and see. I also calendar the ballets and other events to make sure that I can schedule a time to seek the arts. I also set my alarm to classical music. It makes me smile when I hear it in the mornings. 

I hope that you have gained some inspiration from this post. Add small things in your life that fit with your character to bring about beauty. Life is so very short. Enjoy your best!

 

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