Grandmillennial Blog Archives - A Home for Elegance

Christmas at My Home ~ 2025

December 10, 2025/in Home Décor /by mrs.sshockley

Hello Friends,

I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgiving. Doesn’t it feel like everything is a rush right now? I think it could be because Thanksgiving was so late this year. Now I feel as though Christmas is right on my heels! This week I reviewed all of my gifts. We just have a few more gift cards to get then we are finished. I am on the hunt for another turkey. Geez, I hope I can find one. I am also helping with our first grandchild’s baby shower! We are having that in January and that is coming together nicely. My Christmas decor in my home is ever evolving. This year the family tree looks a little different and I am exploring with ways on how to insert ribbon inside of my trees. Let me know what you think!

photos via: Mrs. Shockley

This year I decided to add some red and burgundy to our family tree and I do love it. I purchased the ribbon and ornaments years ago. I knew that I would have a moment when I wanted red and this year was the year. I filled the bottom of the tree with white poinsettias. I loved the way it looked. I also added some green velvet as well. I am trying to learn how to tuck in ribbon in my tree. It’s an art form for sure.

I love my blue and white tree this year. I need to take another photo of it in the front. I used ribbon in this as well. I also got a new star topper. One cannot forget the ginger jar ornaments from The Enchanted Home. They are just so pretty and always look so elegant. In the second photo is my new tortoise shell hurricane vase from the At Home store. I added faux peonies to it. I think it’s a perfect fit.

Decorating the entryway is always a challenge for me. We have very limited space, so I try to work with what I have. Of course, my dream is to have a large entryway but maybe later. For now, I decorated the stair rails with this beautiful blue ribbon and some garland. I added these small wreaths on the secretary with blue ribbon. I think it ties in my ginger jar perfectly. Maybe I should have added a bow to that!

Now I love my Barbie tree. You all have seen this multiple times. I added the nutcrackers to the bottom of the tree, and I think they are better suited for this. I love the way everything looks. I have been buying vintage Barbie ornaments from Poshmark. I love the vintage ornaments from the 90s and early 2000s.

photos via Mrs. Shockley

OMG! Yes, you are seeing the green version of my pink Mrs. Alice chinoiserie urn! I could not resist. I got an email during the cyber-Monday sales and I was able to buy this $150 less! This was on my radar to purchase next year because I think it may be going into my new office downtown. We will see. But I have it placed here on my new black chinoiserie secretary next to my 2024 Christian Dior Advent calendar and my new ginger jar vase.

I have also shared how much I love the giant poinsettias at Costco. This year they had the white ones and so I purchased a red and white. I kept thinking if I had a planter to place my poinsettia in, so I pulled my Asian planter from the guest bedroom, and it was a PERFECT fit! I adore it. I think poinsettias will be going in this planter yearly now!

I added a little bit of Christmas decor in our bedroom. Here is our vintage chest in front of our T.V. I picked up some small red poinsettias from the grocery store and placed them in some of my ginger jar vases. It looks lovely in our bedroom. And lastly, I had a stupendous shopping haul from HomeGoods that I will share in an upcoming reel soon. In that haul was this gorgeous pine scented candle. Just look at this sophisticated emerald green and gold candle holder. The scent is wonderful, and I will definitely be keeping this container and tassel. I need to go back and get a few more!

Well friends this is the decor in my home this year. There are a few more items around but most of it you have seen before. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and let’s try to remind ourselves to be grateful. I am saying that to myself and much as to you.

A New Toile Collection

September 10, 2025/in Home Décor /by mrs.sshockley

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”?

September 5, 2025/2 Comments/in Inspiring Posts /by mrs.sshockley

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!

Affiliate links attached

Antiquing in Florida

August 7, 2025/6 Comments/in Home Décor, Travel /by mrs.sshockley

Hello Friends,

I am back from my work trip to South Carolina, and I really enjoyed myself. I went to a presentation skills class, and it was a great experience. I love being around people who are better than me. I find it to be so inspiring! There is so much that you can glean from someone who is better than you in something. You should not consider them to be an enemy but a teacher. Especially if that person is kind. If they are not, then that’s a different story. There were some great presenters as this training, and I am already looking forward to the next. This course helped us to focus on presenting in front of an audience, instruct classes, lead our teams, and put together PowerPoint presentations. I have already asked to be included as a facilitator in the next courses. I love being in this part of my life. I feel like I can finally participate in things and take risks.

Well let’s finish up my Florida adventures. I did find some boutiques to visit and antique stores. I have to have at least one antique store to visit while I am out of town. It is a must!

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

The first antique store that I visited was called the Antique Center on Alden Road. They don’t have a website so I could not link it, but it was the most beautifully curated store that I have ever seen in Florida!

I had to stop and look at every corner and every detail. It was lovely and the owner was so kind. I wanted everything in the store. It was so good, and the items were such good quality. The prices were a bit high, but you can tell that this store carried quality items.

I circled the store three times. I wanted to make sure that I did not miss anything. The owner did come from around the counter to talk with me. He took me to a space in the back where they had new inventory to price and place inside the store. He showed me this china set. I fell in LOVE with it! It was not priced yet and he had just purchased it from an estate sale from a widow who had recently passed way. Her home was worth $12 million dollars! This was one of her china teacup sets. It was from Tiffany & Company and was called the Audubon Limoges. I quickly looked it up and found this! So beautiful but so expensive!

I purchased a vintage brooch from this store. When I left noticed that this little area had a few shops around it to visit. The next store that I went to was called Bamboo & Foo. It was a really pretty store. Lots of color and beautiful antiques as well. There was a nice couple there assisting and helping out. I purchased some vintage tassels for my ginger jars in my room.

Once I left that area, I found a clothing boutique store called The Primrose. It was a cute little boutique that sold clothing, baby items and home decor. I purchased this blue and white clutch from there.

I had a nice “mom day” shopping around and looking at antiques. I needed a day away from the park. It was just too much for me. It’s amazing. We went to Florida in June, and it is August already. Goodness time is just flying by. Have a great week!

A Bathroom Decor Refresh

July 9, 2025/4 Comments/in Elegant Living, Home Décor /by mrs.sshockley

Good Morning Friends,

I hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th weekend! We just grilled and hung out with the kiddos. I did go to the fabric store to pick up some new fabric for my cane chair that I purchased on FBMP in March of 2024. I hope to be dropping it off soon with the reupholster. I always look forward to his transformations when it comes to my furniture pieces and fabrics. I am trying to plan a day to just stay home. I really need some “stay at home days”. I want to relax and get some things done around my home. I also just want to hang out alone and try to recharge.

I do have some exciting events this week. On Friday, I have a consultation with an organizing specialist from California Closets! She will be coming by the house to look at my closet and hopefully the laundry room. I want to see what designs she can come up with to reconfigure my closet and laundry.

I also have an influencer event. I will be sharing that next week. For the past few weeks, I have been working on a simple decor refresh for my master bathroom. I was inspired by my friend Nicole Blair’s bathroom revamp that she did for a client of hers in May.

photos via: Nicole Blair Instagram

Here are some screenshots of the bathroom refresh that Nicole did. I was so inspired by the wall of beautiful florals and art. I loved the small chandelier that she added in the space. I think it added the right about of elegance and luxury. This space for was an elderly woman and I tell you something changes in you when you update your spaces.

This was a screenshot of the video that Nicole posted. I fell in love with floral valances that she added to the window. I loved them so much that I went on the hunt and tried to find something similar.

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

Sorry I could not get a better photo of my new valances, but I found this blue and white chinoiserie inspired set on Amazon. They look so good in my bathroom. I originally had this green set of curtains up. They have been there since we moved in. I have tried multiple curtains for this space, but nothing seemed to work. It is exciting to have a curtain refresh after 12 years. The photo on the left is the first set of pictures that I purchased. I started building my wall of art in May. In this spot I had a giant print of a flower. I had that print for almost 20 years. I found these at HomeGoods but Amazon had a few here, here and here.

As the weeks went by every time I went to HomeGoods or T.J. Maxx I would check their picture area and see if any new goodies appeared and I found vintage inspired photos and frames bit by bit. It was a process for sure. I wanted to make sure that each photo fit the section and blended well with the other photos. I added this starburst mirror in the middle. I bought that over 10 years ago and it has just been sitting in my decor bin. The landscape photo at the bottom was a T.J. Maxx find from a female artist.

I then thought that a wall plate was needed so I search Etsy for one and found the blue and white platter for only $44! I found a small blue and white ginger jar at HomeGoods. The area was slowly coming together.

Here is the final look. I may change the pink vintage photo. I do like how it ties in with the pink rose photo in the middle. I will be sharing a reel on my Instagram page if you want to take a peek. Honestly, I am glad that I did this. I needed a refresh in this bathroom. I thought about changing the wall color but I don’t know what I want yet so we will see.

I hope this has provided some inspiration to all of you. Keep in mind it does not take much to add beauty to your life. It can come in small doses like this. Enjoy your week!

Affiliate links attached

2025 Decorators’ Show House & Gardens

June 11, 2025/in Home Décor /by mrs.sshockley

Hello Friends,

The weather has been wonderful and I have been in my garden most of this week! My sweet peas are starting to come up as well as my hollyhocks. Fingers crossed that everything comes up beautifully this year. I do have to repurchase my parrot tulip bulbs. I don’t know what happened to them but the seem to vanish in my pot in my greenhouse! I think something ate them or took them out. It is very confusing.

I am a little late posting this, but the show house has ended for this season. I was so busy. I was a director this year, so I barely had time to really enjoy it. There was a lot of running around and I a lot to learn this year. We had a great turnout, and I think everyone really enjoyed it!

photo credit: Haven Media

This year’s house was called the Baxter home and had some incredible history. It is also owned by one of our lovely Guild members. The original Baxter family moved into the house in 1931. I loved the French Norman style design and the stone on the home. It was so pretty!

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

The home was originally 4,400 square feet and now spans approximately 7,000 square feet. The photos above were a few snapshots of the living room that was designed by BWR Home. Designer Blake Richardson is known for his maximalist design and bold blending. I renamed this room the “Ralph Lauren Room” because of all of the equestrian inspiration.

I feel in love with this painting above. It did not make it in the show house, but it was there while I was doing a house-sitting shift. Designer Todd Ottermann, created a beautiful wall of art in the entry way and second floor landing, and this piece is in his inventory. I think it is stunning!

The room in the photo to the right was called the Golden Apple Cafe. It was designed by Greyhunt Interiors. Sallie Lord was there in person discussing the room and I just really enjoyed meeting her and talking about wallpaper. She was trying to “fight for my honor”. My husband was there helping me with a house shift and Sallie was telling him that wallpaper is not all that bad. Thank you Sallie!

This space was called the Hideaway, and it was designed by Catherine Marrano Interiors. What I loved most about this room was well everything! This room was originally the laundry room, but Catherine turned it into a multipurpose space. She added the murphy bed which maximized the space and just look at the color of that wood! I loved the warm wood tones and the beautiful greens. It came together so well.

The last space that I managed to get a photo of while running around was the called the Keeping Room. It was attached to the kitchen which had green colored Viking appliances. I loved the beautiful natural sisal rug and all of the cozy fabrics. I am now on the hunt for a sisal rug for my family room downstairs. I want to layer it with my blue and white rug. Both the keeping room and the kitchen were designed by MW Harris, LLC.

We had lots of awesome sponsors this year and continue to raise money for Eskenazi Health. We also had some new decorators join the show house! This year marked the 64th year and we continue to be the longest running show house in the country. If you are local, I do hope that you will stop by next year and help us continue this tradition. If you want to take the virtual tour you can do so here. Just double click on all of the spaces to move around. Enjoy the tour and let me know what your favorite room was in the comments section.

I am a member of the St. Margaret’s Guild.