Summer Solstice Sensation

cave_2

I know this probably makes me sound like an old dinosaur but I find our High Street shops very depressing. It doesn't matter which town or city I visit the shops are all the same - likewise the clothes, racks and racks of the same old dreary, cheap and tatty looking merchandise, horrible fabrics, dreadful garish colours. Only of course they aren't cheap at all. Expensive tat mostly. Yes there are the lovely high end boutiques but I simply cannot afford their prices.

Nope, not dinosaur-ish at all. I'm 23 and I can't be bothered shopping because somewhere (who know's where, since I've dressed out of charity shops most of my life!) I've picked up a taste for nice fabric - or at least a loathing for polyester. Even the mid-expensive shops are awful. I tried on an £160 quid (sale!) dress in Phase Eight and was really disappointed at the awful seam finishes and cheap polyester fabric and netting. I cant think of any shops that do clothes that will last - either the horrible tatty sequins fall off, they stretch or the seams unravel, apart from maybe East... which is way out my price range, and mostly too old for me anyway. /rant

I would love to be able to make my own clothes... I have two sewing machines but no talent :rotfl:

shegirl

cave wrote: »

Nope, not dinosaur-ish at all. I'm 23 and I can't be bothered shopping because somewhere (who know's where, since I've dressed out of charity shops most of my life!) I've picked up a taste for nice fabric - or at least a loathing for polyester. Even the mid-expensive shops are awful. I tried on an £160 quid (sale!) dress in Phase Eight and was really disappointed at the awful seam finishes and cheap polyester fabric and netting. I cant think of any shops that do clothes that will last - either the horrible tatty sequins fall off, they stretch or the seams unravel, apart from maybe East... which is way out my price range, and mostly too old for me anyway. /rant

I would love to be able to make my own clothes... I have two sewing machines but no talent :rotfl:

Some of the clothes around at the moment are awful aren't they! I'm 28 and feel the same!!!

Everything is too baggy or too 'funky' or too sequiny etc etc I'm starting to like some of the floral stuff (only a few bits mind) and I like some vintagey stuff but why is it all made for a certain type of figure?I can't wear baggy,I can't wear high cut and I can't wear shapeless.Most floral stuff would probably look frumpy on me.

And skirts?Why are they all super short and frilly or tight or full length and frilly?

Where have all the nice patterns,cuts and colours gone? :-( And why is almost everything desgined to be worn with bloody leggings and jeggings?!

maman

That's set me thinking: I haven't bought any decent new clothes for ages. I lost interest when I started putting on weight so I've bought a few cheap bits in places like Matalan or charity shops and that plus my old stuff has seen me through. Now I'm enjoying the clothes I've got more because they fit better BUT soon they will be so big (I hope) that I'll have to buy new. But what will I buy??? Agree there's lots of expensive carp in many shops and I also like natural fabrics when possible.

My plan is to fit into nice clothes ready for the late spring summer so I should be able to buy a few nice bits then and then plan ahead for next autumn/winter.

I've 'spring' cleaned the sitting room today so I'm doing fine on my one room a week of proper cleaning although DH wanted to know if it was displacement activities to avoid tax return:rotfl:. I'm sticking with my healthy eating quite well although carvery last night with a glass of wine was a bit more than I should have had. I did eat sensibly (almost all veg and lean meat) but the gravy, wine and horseradish should be kept for weekend treats. Still reading Larkrise. I'm determined not to give up although endless description with little action is so different from modern books!

I have read the midwife book. I enjoyed it and when I googled I see it's one of a trilogy so maybe I'll read the other two when I've got through the books that are waiting for me.

Still doing my knitting in the evening which I'm enjoying. I can sew but all I seem to do these days is the odd costume for dressing up days at school. I used to make clothes for me and the DDs but that was a long time ago.

Tired now, hope I sleep well. Take care all.

lessonlearned

Maman - is that tax return done yet;)

Know what you mean though - I have a pile of paperwork and phone calls - but just cant seem to face them at the moment.

Today has been a bit so-so - hospital (again!!) - this time for OH to see the phsyio. He's not doing too well at the moment - he's had a couple of near falls. I have to steady him and today I hurt my back so I've had to rest on the sofa most of the afternoon.

Exercise taken a bit of a hit - managed 2.5 kms on bike and a few stretches (to ease backache). Never mind.

Cave - have you thought about sewing classes - although to be honest if you stick to simple patterns sewing is actually very easy. I find the hardest part is getting the sewing machine to do what I want - I always have trouble with the tension. The actual designing, constructing and making up the garment is a doddle by comparison with faffing around with the damn sewing machine. (I need a new one).

This time I'm going to buy one from a proper sewing machine shop and get them to give me some lessons about the machine - a bit dearer that way perhaps, but my last big machine was a nightmare and I gave it away in the end. Just got a little battery operated one at the moment which is only any good for minor repairs or cushion covers etc.

Fabwise - I'm looking at my hair and trying to decide what to do with it. I'm ready for a change soon - maybe short for the spring - not sure yet. At the moment it's an inbetween length and the colour is not right - I had a few blonde highlights and I'm disappointed with them, they are looking rather dingy. I thought if I had them cut off I would just let the silver go au naturel and leave it at that. The silvery white is quite nice, its the blonde bits that look dull and lacklustre.

Has anyone used the silver enhancing shampoo?

lessonlearned

Quick update - pulled myself together and did a full yoga and ball & weight workout. Back feels better after all that stretching. Sometimes it really is worth pushing yourself that bit harder.

Time to slather on the body lotion etc and then bed with my gardening book.

maman

Glad to hear not too much damage done to your back. Well done on fitting in the exercise after all.

Sorry, no, the tax return is not done:o I've done all my other paper work, made phone calls and done emails I was putting off. Soon, soon...

I've been very lazy on the exercise front. Lots at the weekend, dancing Monday but nothing since. Realistically, it'll be a walk Saturday next.

Didn't lose any weight this week:( but didn't put any on either so could be worse. Anyway I am not tempted to give up. I'll stick with my eating plan and hope for next week. The great thing about SW is that to avoid 'bad' foods in any quantity you need to cook from scratch and avoid processed food. So weight loss or not that's got to be a good thing.

Read a chapter of 'the book' again and cleared out a magazine rack that was overflowing:rotfl:plus various bits of food shopping while I was out. Tomorrow we're going to see 'The King's Speech', friends who've been already say it's very good. We aren't regular cinema goers so I'm loooking forward to it.

sleep well.

Carmen

Have lost one of the pounds I had put on...:jFeeling so much better now, just need this nasty cough to go.

Your comments about clothing got me thinking about my body shape:o
Because of my rather ample bosom it is difficult for me to find flattering clothes. If I wear baggy tops they just fall from the boobs and make me look bigger, if I wear fitted tops I am more aware of my boobs and find I myself 'scrunching' my shoulders in! From the hips down I am slimmer (room for improvement) OMG, I have turned into a canary :eek: Walking is going to help tone my lower body but
I need exercises to help my upper body shape (cannot afford a boob reduction) any suggestions? I will get around to having a proper bra fitting but even that will not change the size of them...will it?

I am impressed with those of you that can make clothes. I have never been able to knit (my sis tried to teach me many times) and can only take up hems and sew on buttons I think the interest has to be there to make it a doddle I won't tell you about the time I attempted to make a pair of trousers

Hairdresser's on tuesday, I always look forward to that, love my hair being 'played' with. LL, I had the same problems with highlights, mine always looked drab after the first week or so, so I stopped having them put in. Just silvery/white now and I go for a 'funkier' cut, I just like to wash,shake and go. I have not seen the silver enhancing shampoo please let me know if it helps?

My skin is looking/feeling much better, not so dry since I started to oil daily.

LL, take it easy a bad back is no fun!
Maman, TAX RETURN!
Shegirl, Tango class tonight?
Cave, keep up the good work.


Carmen x

lessonlearned

Having a productive day. Carer here this morning so managed to clean out the garage and take a load of stuff to the tip/recycling depot. Also managed to blitz the study/spare bedroom, got to make room for my keyboard and new sewing machine (when I get it). DS2 has a long weekend off so hoping he'll set up said keyboard and I can start plinking away.;)

Filled a big bag of unwanted books/household bits to take to the YMCA next week. Lovely springlike day here - even managed to do a bit of pruning and tidying in the front garden.

After all that I'm decidedly grubby and my hands are a disgrace - so tonight's treatment - a long soak in the bath and a manicure.

Carmen - well done on the weight loss, steady as she goes. I've a tendency to being a bit "top heavy", so know what problems you have. Button through blouses and shirts are a nightmare - I often prefer men's sweaters because they seem to fit me better or at least I feel less self-conscious in them. I've seen minimizer bras but not tried them yet.

Don't know if any one else has excema type problems but thought someone might find this tip useful. I've had dry scaly excema patches on my knees for ages - very sore and itchy at times - usually have to resort to hidrocortisone but even then that's a bit hit and miss. Anyway have been using good old fashioned Sudocrem for about a week now and it's brilliant. Knees healed up nicely.


She-girl - good luck with the Tango classes, should be fun.

Have a lovely weekend everyone, Maman - after you've done the Tax Form. :rotfl:

Off to do some exercise, clean the kitchen, cook dinner etc

P.S. Just looked up and it's raining cats and dogs now.

lessonlearned

Another good productive day - have started a major declutter and deep clean of my health hazard of a kitchen - no I'm not joking. If it was a restaurant kitchen it would be shut down:eek:

Anyway about half way there so hopefully will complete tomorrow. I really need new units etc but totally out of the question. Am collecting bargain bits and pieces to do a bit of revamp - sort of shabby chic/shaker is the look I'm aiming for.

So far I've picked up eight base unit doors and four top cupboard doors, solid pine - a fiver for the lot from the YMCA. Also 6 light oak dining chairs (two of which are carvers) £10 the lot, again from the YMCA. I will paint them all a nice country cream, but that will be a summer project when I can do the painting outside. Already done a Welsh dresser £25 - yes the YMCA. They all know me in there now and they often put things on one side in case I'm interested. It works both ways though because I give them a lot of stuff. Good karma.

Anyway - in the meantime just a good scrub and serious declutter.

What's this to do with fabness? Nothing really but I love interior design and doing up my house. Furniture restoration is a bit of a hobby and I do love rescuing interesting bits and bobs. I like everything to be ship-shape and can get quite "anxious" when I'm surrounded by dirt, mess and clutter. Beauty is good for the soul!! And for some reason, I seem to have a lot more energy now for getting on with projects. A few weeks ago I just couldn't summon up any energy or enthusiasm for anything much. Must be doing something right.

Anyway off to cook a nice curry and put my feet up.

Tonights treatment - quick eyebrow tidy.

Hope you are all keeping well.

Carmen

What a beautiful sunny day:) The spring bulbs are starting to shoot amongst the winter pansies.

Had a very long walk today,felt good. This was a daily thing when I had a dog.

Managed to get some ironing done (at last) before I had a long foot soak, heaven. Need to get feet looking better for the summer as I always wear sandles/open toes and like to have my toe's painted. I will treat myself to a proper pedicure and manicure about June. Will need to exfoliate legs also, they have been in trousers since November!

I made the Jamie Oliver pan fried trout with horseradish for supper, empty plates so they must have enjoyed it

Shabby chic sounds lovely LL. YMCA sell furniture??

I hope you are all Ab Fab.

Carmen x