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October Favorites ~ 2025

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Good Morning Friends,

Ohhh, my girlfriends and I were going to have tea at the Inn at Irwin Gardens, and it got cancelled! It was not our fault, but they did not have enough ticket sales. I am so sad but we are now going to their Christmas tea event in early December so that is something to look forward to.

I can’t believe it is the end of October already. I just got mums last week and they are looking so good. I have stopped buying mums so early because it is still warm here in October, so I now wait until end of the month to get mums and pumpkins. So far it is working out! 

The Indiana Conference for Women was so much fun this year. I was not expecting to meet Tina Knowles and get my book signed! Oh my gosh. I shared photos of it on my Instagram page. There are so many things that I love about being on staff for the conference. The perks far out weight the work that is for sure! 

Now onto to my favorites for October!

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

First on my list is my new Ralph Lauren coffee cup and saucer. I have been wanting one of these for a while now and my husband and I went to the outlet mall in Cincinnati, and their Ralph Lauren store had a few sets in stock! So I was able to see it in person. As of right now they are in stock online so if you want a set get it now! 

Second is my Mahjong practice area. I set this up a few weeks ago so that I could practice Mahjong. I will be attending my second class (Mahjong 102) this week and I am looking forward to it. So far I have two women who are wanting to play with me. I only need ONE more person to start my very own Mahj squad! I want to have game nights at least once a month of everyone other month. We will see! 

 

 

 

My vintage Louis Vuitton, of course, is on my list! I have had it a few weeks and I do adore it. I share the details about it on my YouTube channel. It is from the 1986 collection and does not have a lot of damage. The condition of the bag is extraordinarily good! I still can’t believe that I found a version in good shape. I am so grateful and happy! 

 

 

Next up are these hanging closet sachets. I decided to try the jasmine scent and oh my goodness! I do love them! They smell so good and are such a treat when I walk into my closet. I think they are such an elegant luxury and don’t cost much. I also have one in my car. You should try them. They are quite lovely. 

I know, I know. It is autumn and here I am sharing some white shoes. I saw these in Nordstrom recently and I do want to get more flats into my wardrobe. They are on sale for only $46 and I could not resist. They will be perfect for the upcoming spring/summer season. 

 

 

I could not pass up sharing my new secretary desk! I will go into more detail in another blog post because I think this deserves its own post. But I am so happy with her. 

 

 

And my last items are my blue light blocking nerd glasses from Amazon. These are so good! I saw Lydia Millen wearing them and decided to give them a try. I am thinking about ordering another pair to have my prescription lenses put into. The frame is great! Now how cute are these brooches from Chico’s! I had to get the Winter Lady Brooch. Isn’t she fancy? Then I could not get the bumble bee ornament. Now I don’t intend on using this as an ornament but a purse charm. 

I hope you all enjoyed my favorites for the month of October. This was a great month for finds. Especially my new secretary which I will be sharing on the blog here soon. Keep in mind there are only 2 Lux Cardigan Brooches left. These sold like crazy earlier this month. I think everyone is getting their accessories ready for fall. 

I wanted to give a big thank you to Katie from The Modern Classic Life Blog! She recently shared my September favorites on her recent blog post. I loved her The Tenets of Luxury Lifestyle Blog post! You all should read it. It is exactly what we believe here on my blog. 

Have a great week and Happy Halloween!

 

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Becoming A Better Life Curator

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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!

 

 

 

Brow Lamination

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Good Morning Friends,

Still warm where you are? It is here, goodness! I am so ready for cooler temps. This past weekend Lauren came home for fall break. She only gets two extra days. She wanted to go to Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, so we took her. There were a lot of people and a lot of things to look at! Oh my goodness! I really wanted to get some seasonings, and we picked up a few. Overall, it was a great experience. Lauren loved it and it was a great way for me to hit the outlet mall. I must say, I am not sure if outlet malls are for me anymore. I can’t find much there anymore. I look for specific things now and my taste must be too old fashion. Oh well…. 

I am still having my self-care appointments despite the shutdown. I shared on my blog a while back how I try to live during these times. It is always hard, but I try to wait and trust in the Lord. The good thing about my upcoming appointments is that most were birthday presents so they are already paid for! A few weeks ago, I did go and have my very first brow lamination appointment. 

 

 

These are photos of my eyebrows before. They have been thinning out for years now because I used to shape them with a brow razor. I have been trying to slow down to allow growth, but I think I may need a little assistance. Plus, I am tired of filling in my eyebrows every morning. As you can see in the photos, they are very light, and I don’t have very long eyelashes either. 

I started my hunt a few months ago and found Meraki Artistry.  She has so many brow services. I was thinking about getting the nano brows but was not ready to make a commitment so soon. I reached out to her, and she was so nice and so knowledgeable. She is also a nurse! She explained the process and payment options. 

 

 

But then I spotted the brow lamination service, and she explained how this will give you the nano brow look without it being permanent and a little more affordable. It gives you the opportunity to see how they would look if you wanted to go permanent. Above are my eyebrows after the treatment! WOW!

 

 

Honestly, they don’t even look the same. I have had them for about 3 weeks, and I still love them. Now Char puts a perm-like coating on your eyebrows. This trains them to lay down and brush in the direction that you want. I could not wash my eyebrows for 2 days but that is okay. For upkeep, I have a few small eyebrow brushes, and I lightly brush them with organic castor oil. Castor oil has been known for helping with eyebrow and eyelash growth. 

I will be going back in November for a second treatment and will continue until I see the results that I am seeking. I am enjoying being in this pocket of life. I love trying new things (that are in my arena) and having time to explore. I will update you all in the future regarding my eyebrow and eyelash journey. 

Take care! 

 

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Perimenopause the Journey Continues…

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Hello Friends,

How is everyone doing? This past weekend was nice. I took it easy and went to a friend’s daughter’s wedding. I had a great time with my Guild Girls and my hubby. We ate, drank, and laughed. On Sunday, I went and did something. So I have been working on “building my life team” and I started looking for someone to help me with my eyebrows. I went on a search for someone and found Meraki Artistry. I will be sharing my eyebrow lamination experience soon!  

I wanted to give you all an update on my perimenopause journey. I wrote my first blog post about it last year in July and the journey is continuing. Here I am a year later, a little smarter, and a little more patient. So what has been going on this last year?

Well, I stopped the hormone pills, and I did go to the dietitian for almost a year.  For a year I was working with my dietitian, and I recently decided to take a break. I learned a lot about what foods would work for me in this time of my life and protein. I took lots of blood tests this year and learned that my protein was too high! Oh great another worry. Also, I loved my dietitian, but a lot of these weight loss companies are really pushing these weight loss medicines. I think they are great, but I just keep thinking, “I can’t stay on these all my life and the weight will come back eventually”. So far now I am working on keeping my carbs low and trying to focus more on eating protein whenever I do eat. My dietitian was wonderful and hope to go back to her soon. She is still a part of my life team. I am not on any diet medicines at this time. 

I have added strength training to my workouts, and I am still walking. I love my morning walks and cannot live without them. I am taking more strength training classes at my Pilates studio, and I am really enjoying them. What I am also working on is eating less at dinner. I must admit, I can eat more at dinner and it’s not good. So that has been my focus lately. 

 

Me in Washington, D.C. a few years ago. 

 

Have any of you heard of Midi? My dietitian mentioned them to me earlier this year and I do remember Jennifer L. Scott discussing them in one of her videos. At first, they did not take my insurance, so I decided to wait. But then I got an email that they did so I called and made an appointment with one of their perimenopause doctors. I took some blood tests and discussed my hormones, weight gain, hot flashes, headaches, sleep, and mood swings with the doctor. Of course, she said that I am in full blown perimenopause! I knew that! We decided that I would try birth control pills again and those made me feel worse! So I got off of those quick! I then decided to try HRT. I am now using an estradiol patch and taking progesterone at night. I feel a whole lot better I tell you and I am sleeping! I will be meeting with my doctor from Midi in a few weeks (this will be my third appointment) to discuss some more things from my blood test, but my protein has dropped! So that was happy news. 

 

 

Photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Life has become a journey for sure. Other items that I am focusing on are my thoughts. I heard a comment recently from Joyce Meyer’s Podcast called Talk it Out. She recently had a doctor on her show called Dr. Axe and he said some things in the first 5 minutes of this podcast that I just have to share!

“When I look at medical conditions for today, I think about half of it is diet or food related. That’s a big piece but I actually think that stress, spiritual, and mental health is equally if not slightly more impactful to our physical health and that’s very true of specific conditions. I’ll give you an example of how this cascade works with hormones. Like the hormone that most affects other hormones in the body is cortisol. And so, if you are stressed and living in a state of fear and worry and you don’t believe that God is a good father and that he’s going to be there for you and protect you; then you’re living in a constant state of insecurity, and your cortisol is higher. When cortisol is high that causes insulin to go high. Now your blood sugar when it is high that imbalances estrogen. And then the other thing that imbalances is then your thyroid hormones, T3 & T4. So having stress can be very disturbing to women’s health.”

WOW! You all should watch that podcast. It was very impactful, and I learned a LOT. I am one of those women who struggles with believing that God will take care of me. I will be honest. I am. So, this is something that I am working on and started with my Christian therapist last year. 

Another comment that Dr. Axe made was when your doctor tells you to stop stressing but they NEVER tell you how to stop stressing. He mentioned building things in your life that make you happy. That is how you combat stress, and he is right. That is another reason why I started going on and creating “elegant adventures” and started building my life team. If you need more life inspiration my blog post Tips for a Balanced Life may help and my How I Romanticize my Life Daily is other. 

Let me know in the comments below how you are doing on your perimenopause or menopause journey. I feel a little better this year than last and just hope that it keeps getting better. 

 

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A New Toile Collection

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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”?

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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!

 

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August Favorites ~ 2025

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Oh come on cooler weather! I really want cooler temperatures. This past weekend I was doing a few chores and felt myself sweat a little. I am trying not to rush the season, but it is so hard when you are burning up! I hope everyone is doing well. My husband and I went to another new restaurant for us. It was called Traders Point Creamery. The scenery was beautiful, and it was a very quiet and delicious dinner. I will share it on Instagram soon. Okay, now time for the most popular post on my blog, my monthly favorites!

 

 

I went antiquing recently in Franklin, Indiana and found a few beautiful items. I shared this on Instagram recently. The first is this large but outstanding bust that I found! I went down on a Saturday to shop then that evening I began to stew about this large bust that I saw. I could not resist. I had to go back and get her. Do you blame me? I found her at Fren Chic. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

 

I also purchased these vintage replica pearl clip earrings from 1992 from Fren Chic. Then I popped on over to the Salvage Sisters which was down the street. As soon as I walked in, I saw this beautiful vintage chinoiserie table. They only wanted about $30 for it. I have placed it in my office and will use it around the house for whatever task I need. Then I walked around and saw this stunning red toile teapot. Pictured below. 

 

 

This cost me around $70. I was not happy about the price, but the size and color were marvelous, and I simply could not leave it there. I just couldn’t. Next up are my splendid Ralph Lauren Adrienne Wingtip pumps. These are practically sold out everywhere! I tried these on while in Orlando in June, but they were the higher heels, and I wanted a kitten heel. I found a pair at Macy’s, but I think Dillard’s is the last store to have the kitten heel version. I saw Lydia Millen trying on a pair in a recent video and I thought, oh well I am on trend! 

 

 

 

Next up is my new Estate Planner from Nikki Boyd. I also shared a reel of this on my Instagram. I cannot express how beautifully done this book is. I have always wanted a binder of some sort that explains in detail my wishes and provides my daughter everything she may need to plan my affairs. Get this as a gift for a loved one to begin that difficult conversation because trust me you should. After going through and dealing with my father’s affairs…. I just can’t express enough how important it is. 

Then my monthly dinners with my girlfriends is everything! Earlier this month we went to a Turkish restaurant here in my city and it was so delicious. I think I am in love with the appetizer tray. It had Hummus, Tabouli, Babaganush, Eggplant Salsa, Dolma and Ezme. It was a dream and so good! 

 

 

 

Flowers are still a monthly favorite of mine. Although I have not had a good selection in my stores lately this gorgeous bouquet of white garden roses came from Trader Joes. It was so needed and enjoyed in my bedroom! 

Then my team and I decided to have lunch at the small Cake Bake Shop in Broad Ripple. We all enjoyed it and had a wonderful time. I have not been to this location in years. Love the Eiffel Tower Ferris wheel in the window. 

 

 

 

Then lastly, I found a chinoiserie scarf from Amazon. I had to share it. It’s very elegant and the colors are perfect for the upcoming autumn season. Well farewell to August and happy September to everyone! I love September! The weather is perfect; it’s my birthday month and well it’s just a great time of the year. Have a great week!

 

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