Frump to Fab - Onwards and Upwards

maman

Just wanted to say that there's no problem opting out of festivities this year LL. On reflection, although there are particular issues for you, I think many of us are getting fed up with all the commercialism. Maybe the austerity has heightened it but I know I'm really disillusioned with the encouragement to spend on 'stuff' when many people have so little.


I'm focussing on time spent with close family. I'll decorate the house (sometime) so it looks festive but not OTT. I'll go out for a few meals with friends. What I won't be doing is going OTT with buying rubbishy presents that people don't want or need.


Pleased I got fabbed up today, in fact most days this week. I'm using a BB cream from Aldi as I'm running low on my (preferred) Benefit tinted moisturiser. Would welcome a recommendation for a bronzer/blusher. I've used an excellent one from Benefit but it's been discontinued:( and (many moons ago) some pearls/balls from Body Shop. Any ideas?


Healthy eating is balanced on a knife edge at the moment. I'm eating out a lot and part of me wants to get to 2015 and have a straight run of eating HM food and being more in control. I've probably gained a couple of pounds (I don't weigh just gauge from my clothes) but I'll sort it out soon.


It's got a bit milder here this week so haven't needed the thermals since Monday.:D

Bitsy_Beans

Absolutely zero fabbing this week. Tonsillitis has pretty much written off my week :mad: been lurching between looking like death warmed up and sleeping. Hoping next week fares better.

Not replying to individual posts but have been reading all your news.

Hugs and high fives all round

alec_eiffel

I agree, scaling back the festivities can be a very healthy thing. Pick the things you can be bothered with and forget the things you don't want to do this time round.

We've decided to not have a tree this year. Things were starting to get on top of me, so we've had a big clear out instead. I feel much lighter this morning.

lessonlearned

Good morning all

BITSY - hope you feel better soon. Tonsillitis is just so awful. I used to get it every 3 weeks or so and just felt so ill. Eventually, when I was 39, I had them out. It was dreadfully painful and I was ill for several weeks after the op, but eventually I got better and I've never looked back.

Maman - I used to use the body shop bronzing pearls, they were the best ive ever tried and I still haven't found a good replacement for them, so I shall be watching the replies with interest. I have a bronzing powder but it's just not the same. The colour is too bronze ifyswim so I don't use it. In fact I need to rethink my make up, after Christmas when the shops are quieter........

Well the house is looking great which is more than can be said for me..I did the mirror test .......Oh dear. I e really fallen off the wagon.

So as part of my campaign for a new and improved me in the new year I have bought some ingredients to,start making my own beauty products again.

I need to go back to basics with skin care and health and well being, so I have stocked up with powders to make face masks, some essential oils for both medicinal properties and some gorgeous smells, as a base for facial and body oils, some vitamins and potions etc

Ive been thinking about what happens next.

i have promised myself a couple of months off all major projects in the new year. I shall confine myself to a bit of sewing and a couple of small pieces of furniture to upcycle and that's it.

The one thing I am resolved to do is to get my pinny on and start making some home made beauty lotions and potions, all natural with no nasties.

Same with cooking.

I've unpacke all my recipe books, herbal guides and beauty books in readiness.

It's time to unleash my inner domestic goddess...

newthrift

LL – I don’t blame you, no point false-ing your way through the festive period if you don’t want to and anyone who is of importance will fully understand and be accepting of not having gotten a card! And for anyone who gets mardy well cross them off next years list Devoting time for yourself sounds good and I look forward to hearing ‘reading’ what you get up to with your projects next year.
Maman – I do like a Mac one I picked up a while ago (bronzer) not the cheapest but lasts really well. You could always try Bare Minerals one? I like it but you only need a little bit otherwise you glow rather bright
Bitsybeans – hope the tonsillitis goes soon!!

Not much fabbing has gone on over here I am afraid, I had a cold and chesty cough last week and then gave it to OH so we cancelled the weekend plans of seeing friends and just stopped in on the sofa, which TBH was quite nice. We will catch up with the friends we missed before the new year though (one has a 2 year old and we really didn't want to pass our colds on to him for his first christmas that he will have an idea what is going on!)
We have also been doing one of the houses up ready to be rented out again, will be glad when it's finished, all being well this week, as that takes every Sunday up. I did manage to colour my hair at last!! and I got it trimmed and a slightly heavier/thicker fringe cut in which I am happy with.

I watched the Victoria's Secret show on Wednesday night and then it was on repeat again last night so I watched it again I know they are all slim but some of them are slim with muscle definition and I was sat in awe drinking my water and planning my eating and workout schedule :rotfl:

In the New Year I plan to get to bed slightly earlier and get myself up in the morning by 6am to either workout or do some jobs around the house and take the time to organise. My aim is to keep eating healthy and cut out as much processed food as possible. I haven't thought too much further about what else, if anything else, I would like to aim for other than that.

mousebolyen

Hello all, would it be ok if I join in please? This is my first post on MSE. Have been lurking on and off for the last couple of years but have finally decided I'd really like to make some changes to my life and thought the best way would be to join in.

Weather & CH are playing merry havoc with my skin at the moment so today I bought a new lip salve and some Neutrxgenx body lotion to see if I combat some of the dryness.

Best wishes

Mouse x

maman

mousebolyen wrote: »

Hello all, would it be ok if I join in please? This is my first post on MSE. Have been lurking on and off for the last couple of years but have finally decided I'd really like to make some changes to my life and thought the best way would be to join in.

Weather & CH are playing merry havoc with my skin at the moment so today I bought a new lip salve and some Neutrxgenx body lotion to see if I combat some of the dryness.

Best wishes

Mouse x

You're very welcome mouse. This is probably a good time to start thinking about goals for the new year (although I think getting up at 6.00am to exercise may be a bit extreme for me.:eek:). Perhaps the lovely LL will start us a new thread.


I might take a look at that Mac bronzer as they've recently opened a concession in our local John Lewis. Like LL I think I'll wait until after Christmas when the beauty counters are quiet and maybe they'll demonstrate it for me.


My lips have been dry too. I hadn't connected it to CH but I'm sure you're right, mouse. I tend to just use Vaseline for lips. I'm still on a mission to use up lotions and potions. I have a Nivea firming body lotion on the go at the moment. I won't buy it again as there doesn't seem to be any improvement!;) One of my targets was to slather myself with body lotion after every bath/shower and I've been pretty good at keeping that up. What always seems to get left out is my feet. I must et round to doing them more often. So easy to neglect feet during the winter.


Christmas is just going to happen here. I'm not making massive preparations. I'll do a bit of decorating later in the week. Food is gradually being sorted. There's just 4 of us on Christmas day so that's not much effort and family are always willing to help so I don't feel overworked. I'll enjoy the day and various events are coming and going (party at my dance group tonight) but no big deal.


I'm keeping up with fabbing quite well. Had a meeting earlier so got dressed up quite businesslike in slim dress and opaques with little black cardi. I wore my black, suede heels and I'm always conscious of how much better my posture is than slopping around in flatties.


Back soon.:)

mousebolyen

Hello Maman, many thanks for the welcome, really looking forward to following and joining in.

I also try and use body lotion after every shower and tend to use body butter for extra dry bits like knees, elbows and feet as they seem to need something more heavy duty.

I'm aiming for more minimalist Christmas this year. I'd be quite happy to tuck into pizza on Christmas day just for a change but DH would be horrified.

Will be aiming to be doing an aerobics dvd this afternoon as I've been a bit lax the last few days.

x

lessonlearned

Welcome mouseboylen - nice to meet you.

Good morning lovely ladies.

Well I'm busy washing down the last of the plaster dust from the window frames, cleaning windows, touching up a bit of paintwork.

Whilst my hands are busy my brain is working overtime, scheming and plotting, thinking about what I want to do next year.

I look like a tramp dressed in my decorating gear.:eek:

Will get down to some fabbing later and then make a start wrapping presents......

Rose_Wood

Afternoon Ladies.

I hope everyone is well and the quiet thread due to everyone being busy. I know I have had a busy time just lately and we will be even busier over the next few weeks.

All my exercise classes finish tomorrow until the New Year and my running partner is away on a cruise for 3 weeks. I thought rather than just vegetate I could dig out my old 30 day Shred DVD and do that 5 or 6 times a week for the next 3 weeks. The change in routine will probably help with the weight loss and as it's only 20 minutes and in the house I can still fit it in with all the extra hours I'll be working. I am fed up with my New Year's Resolution every year being to lose weight so I want to start the New Year as light as possible. We will be having a very low key Christmas so it won't be difficult to keep on the straight and narrow (I hope!!)

I treated myself to 2 new sweater dresses this week - from Lidl. One is creamy beige and the other dark wine colour. I'm wearing the darker one today with black leggings and ankle boots and am quite pleased with the effect. It works well with exercise gear underneath - I went to Pilates this morning - and is nice and warm too. My hair is keeping looking good although I still can't blow dry it to look as good as the hairdresser does. One of my friends has recommended a Babyliss rotating hair brush/dryer and I am thinking of using my Christmas money (Mum will be giving me about £40 if other years are anything to go by) and looking for one in the Sales.

Have a good day everyone.

Rose