Frump to Fab - Summer Solstice Sizzler

podperson

Hi all,

Sparkles - yay on signing up for the half marathon :jwe all know you can do it!

Callisto - how annoying of your sister! I guess she must be stressed coming up to the big day but no cause to be rude.

I do find the 'benefit trap' so irritating. I hate being on benefits and have resented every time I had to sign on - always been nothing but trouble. Years ago OH signed on and I had to go on the claim as we were living together, because I was working part time in a pub that money was taken off the claim - I even had 2 advisors tell me I might as well give up the job as I was only losing money by doing it.
Then when we moved up here I struggled to get a job for a while, I put a claim in for jobseekers - it took them 11 weeks to process it! :eek: While I was apparently meant to live on thin air in the meantime and then they came back and said that because OH got a student loan they would be taking that off it and I would get about £11 a week :mad: Only reason I didn't tell them to stuff it there and then was because it meant I could get housing benefit easier.

Speaking of jobs I am debating whether to apply for a part time one advertised at a video store. I have worked at a few stores before and worked for the same company at a different location for 2 years so would like to think I could at least get an interview (though nothing guaranteed these days, the last job I applied for like that the guy told me he'd received over 250 applications in 3 days for a part time min wage job!!) but am not sure whether I will end up getting stressed losing at least 2 nights a week and possibly weekends as well. I have done it before but didn't have as much on then - so am wondering whether I should go for the 'easy min wage' extra or try and work more on getting my own streams of income.

Anyway, have been trying to stay organised, had my clothes for today put out last night, my lunch packed etc. Not enjoying being back at work I must admit - the 7.30am start again nearly killed me this morning! Plus my part time helper has called in sick so am just stuck trying to catch up today I think and hopefully he will be back tomorrow so I can get something done! Have a meal out tonight though on a mystery shop so at least I don't need to cook when I get home

Joan49

Wow,15 pages and I've only been away a few days, had hoped to keep up but far too much going on. I don't feel I've actually got started yet. Have had a quick look through all the posts and have decided to copy all the advice into a word document for reference.
When I got back there was an email from an old school friend about a reunion in 6 weeks time ( can I do fabulous in that time!!!) so I've got my work cut out. I have been keeping to a simple skin care routine, wearing perfume and a few bits of jewellry so I shall try to continue with this even around the house.
LL I love the inspiration and love the idea of going through the basics. Sorry to hear about all the hassle you're getting.
Have notice a few of you suffer with your joints so I thought I'd share my experience with you. I've been suffereing arthritis symptoms since my early 30's. Thought it was an inherited condition and have been on anti-inflamatories for years. About four years ago my joints got worse, I had blood pressure problems, leg pains and I was constantly exhausted. The doctor I was seeing (male) kept on telling me it was my age / menopause etc. I decided to see another doctor, an older female and she finally did some blood tests. Turned out i had a low potassium level. I'm now taking 1200mg of slow K a day (has to be on a prescription) and my joints are ten times better. One of her comments was " there's not much research into nutrient deficiencies as the drug companies can't make money out of it" I was quite shocked. It may not help but there can be no harm in asking for a blood test.

acquamarine

Hello everyone.

LL Glad you've managed to get something sorted with the DWP but it's terrible that they make you feel like you have to jump through hoops to get something you are entitled to, it's an added pressure that you can do without. Like the sound of your charity shop finds. I really must start looking in them. I have friends who find fantastic items in them.

LW Hope you're feeling better soon, it must be very tough for you.

As one of my aims is to apply makeup better, I'm thinking of buying some new makeup brushes. Just wondering, does anyone use a foundation brush to apply their foundation? I've seen a No 7 one and I have a £5 voucher but wondering if No 7 brushes are any good? Might also get an eye shadow one.

adelight

I like the sound of these unique weddings. I love going to weddings but could never have one myself, I can't cope with attention when I don't feel I've done anything to warrant it (like birthdays, not had a party since i was 7). Me and OH have decided we'll get married on a lunch break for legal reasons- tax, inheritence and blah.
I'm really struggling to motivate myself. I got in from work and climbed into bed, I'm sitting here surrounded by washing and shopping that needs to go away, breakfast plates to be washed up and need to exercise and do uni work. I'm putting together a workout using all new moves to motivate myself.


acquamarine No 7 brushes are great and foundation goes on so much better and lasts longer with a brush. I have some foundations that look !!!!!! with fingers but brill with a brush.

lw ((hugs)) hope your medicine start working soon.

lessonlearned

evilsquid1603 wrote: »

mine was a purple corset (lined with black) with a purple prom style skirt lined with black netting. had it custom made and it was still £400 cheaper than the bridal shops were asking for bog standard dresses!

QUOTE]

Sounds gorgeous and so original.

Alikay

Hi all - please can I join?

I'm not a hopeless case: 51, about a stone overweight, nice skin, but, by heck, you should see the everyday clothes I choose to wear! I seem to have fallen into this trap of saving stuff "for best", and wearing baggy scruff stuff instead. Inevitably I don't find many occasions when I choose to wear my newer nicer stuff so it languishes in the wardrobe until it is horribly outdated, then I start wearing it. Why do I do that? Why?

I've just gone up and squirted some perfume on, and chosen a nice newish top for tomorrow. I will also put on mascara and lipstick even if I'm only going to Asda!

Willow92

I use my fingers. I've got that L'oreal Infallible stuff that cost me £10 3 years ago and I've used it loads of times but I don't think it's gone down a bit! Though I don't need to use much, mainly on my nose and chin but sometimes on my cheeks if they're really red.

cleggie

Hi guys.

I cant wait for Monday, its payday and i will be paying for a shower to be installed!!:j
Its time consuming (and expensive:(!!) to have to rely on having baths all the time, so i reckon shaving/washing hair etc will be much easier to keep on top of once i can pop in and out of the shower!!:o

I am having a problem with dry skin on the heels of my feet at the moment, can anyone please recommend a decent moisturiser (or foot care routine) to combat it?

Willow92

cleggie wrote: »

I am having a problem with dry skin on the heels of my feet at the moment, can anyone please recommend a decent moisturiser (or foot care routine) to combat it?

I live with a chiropodist and she usually tells people to file their feet (you can get a foot file for about £1) and she highly recommends this. I think you can get it on prescription coz I think she said that's how her clients get it. Not entirely sure though. You can get it on places like amazon Hope that makes sense.

MrsWoolfe

hello again all!

Phew! Can't beleive how quickly this thread is moving!

a very warm welcome to all of you new joiners- the positive posts and advice are lovely to read!

And a big hug and hello to all my old buddies on this thread! I won't try and mention people individually or we could be here til next solstice lol! but lots of fab vibes to you all!

reading the posts about issues with jobseekers and benefits really did make me cross though- I've only been on JS once and it was a horrible experience , I just don't understand why they seem to want to make people feel so crap! and why can't they make it easier for people to get into good jobs?! it seems to me that the whole system is so automated and regimented that other than tick boxes they have no idea how to handle the issues they are faced with- a crying shame when you think that most people going to them are going through a tough time already:mad:

anyway, onto fabbiness I decided to have a bit of a stock-take recently to compare to how I was this time last year:

last year I'd just had a major health scare (Hypertensive Crisis) and was subsequently diagnosed with diabetes and blood pressure problems. I was obese, unhappy, too weak to do very much at all.

I was still struggling with the loss of my Dad and all the awfulness that came with it.

I looked in the mirror and cringed, I was wearing old, ill fitting clothes and hated shopping because I felt so awful in the changing rooms so stayed in rubbish clothes which made me feel crap.

I looked after my skin but never bothered with make up unless for a big night out.

This year:

I've almost lost 2 1/2 stone since then and together with meds and a much improved lifestyle and diet, the blood pressure is way down - back to normal levels and fingers crossed the diabetes is under control.

I am starting to love my clothes and more importantly colours again, I put outfits together and regularly get compliments now.

I have daytime make-up which is fairly minimal but am far more groomed and tidy than before.

I've still got a long way to go, still more weight to loose etc but I have gone from a size 18/20 to a 14/16 depending on the shop, I have got my waist back and have to say I don't even recognise the girl I was last year...and a huge amount of that is down this thread and the lovely ladies on it, especially you LL!

So to all of you on here a HUGE thank-you!

like I said still a way to go and things have slipped over the last month or so, so here are my plans for this year:

• Pay more attention to low GI eating and planning my meals properly to keep blood sugar regular and avoid bad snacking.
• get back into a more regular routine with exercise- might be hard during Jan as my hours will be a bit all over the place, but plan on trying to fit in 20-30 mins on the bike 4x a week to start with- I know once I start I'll want to do more, it's just getting off my bum in the first place:o
• keep up the day-today fabbing but also one weekend day a month will be MINE for chilling out/pampering/whatever I need- this year I will learn to say NO:D.
• Re-Instate Cocktails and canape's with DH.
• Go to see more shows/stand up/gigs actually make the effort to look out for good deals/cheap tickets we always have such a great time and it really cheers me up.
• My friends and I are starting up a girlie club- the boys are being sent to one house to play xbox/play guitar/examine the intricacies of the hundreds of amps and pedals they own whilst us ladies will be at another house- having a gossip and catch up/watching films/doing some pampering/listening to music- we are lucky in that out closest friends have all bought houses close by, and we have a great munch of people. but as we tend to all socialise together sometimes you don't get much one-on-one/proper catch ups- I count this in fabness as spending time with good friends always makes me feel better and that's what this is all about right?!

right that's enough for now I think, though I'm sure I'll be adding to it as we go along:D

This year for me is the big 3-0 and have been thinking about what I want it to be about for me- I'm lucky and I am actually quite happy with most of my life in a lot of ways, I think I just stuggle to see the good things sometimes and let bad stuff overwhelm me, so my plan is to begin my 30's healthier than I've ever been and feeling great about ME...I get quite sad when I look back on my twenties and know that I spent a lot of it feeling unhappy with myself- especially when I look at pictures and realise I wasn't half bad! ( the weight gain etc has come about with illness that began when I was 25) I almost feel that I've wasted a lot of it being unhappy, and I don't want that for my 30's or 40's or anything beyond!

To fit with the theme DH and I ( our birthdays are really close) have decided to rent out the local church hall and have good Mauritian Style Party like my Dad used to throw- basically a hall, a good selection of music ( plenty to dance to) some nibbles and plenty of drink and some people who like to dance/laugh/have a good time....but we've decided on a theme.....(drum roll)...of SUPERSTARS, we want people to come dressed as rock stars/hollywood icons/favourite characters etc, any excuse for dressing up!

right I really must get back and tackle the scarily full inbox, hope you are all having a fab day!!!

MrsWoolfe