Frugal Frump to Fab - 2015

sweetcheeks33

LL hugs... Can't believe it's a year already. It much be difficult and I'm glad you have family close. Be gentle with yourself and take things easy..

greenbee

Rummer wrote: »

Do you have to mix the MAC foundation or can you just get one to suit your skin? I am dreadful at applying makeup and having to mix foundation would be too much for me :rotfl:

You don't have to mix it - I just have two different ones so that I can blend it as I tan... and to allow for stage lighting and video (and they promised it won't turn me orange :cool:)

indiepanda

lessonlearned wrote: »

Hello ladies

Well it's been a funny old week. That anniversary really is casting a long shadow, some times im fine, sometimes I'm in pieces. I'm just riding the wave......it feels very surreal at times, and rather bitter sweet in a strange way.

Grief is a funny thing, I guess we all have to deal with it in our own way. I still feel in limbo sometimes, perhaps I'll feel more settled when that 1 year mark has passed.

DS2 is off at the moment and we've been decorating. Kitchen now done, I did give it a good declutter a few weeks ago but I think i will reorganise the cupboards again as I put things back.

We are working on the lounge now and I have removed one of the bookcases. It looks much better without it, More spacious. I shall rehome some stuff into the study but I shall be thinning Out quite a bit. A lot can go now. We dismantled the bookcase and have stored it out of the way, I shall keep it for now because I will probably rehouse it when I move.

Re the Kon Marie method. Perhaps I too am more organised than most of Marie's clients but I didn't feel the need to empty out everything and pile it all together. I just do,it my own way, in my own time. Ive found it remarkably easy to,let go of things. Maybe it's all about timing.

I think maybe i was just ready to just let go of stuff. I think that losing my husband was the catalyst for me, even before he died I lost all interest in material goods. I would have given everything I possessed to make him well, "stuff" just became utterly meaningless. It certainly won't bring him back and I did feel it weighed heavily on my shoulders - but then we did have rather a lot of stuff.

Then of course I have had to deal with mums possessions. My sister has found it incredibly hard to let go whilst again I have no real attachment to anything, ive just let my sister keep anything and everything she wants. Ive got a few bits of mums jewellery and a couple of pieces of China and that's plenty.

My SIL is in a similar situation, having to sort through FIL and MILs things. She is a bit if a hoarder herself and is struggling to even make a start so I gave her my copy of the book. She says she's found it helpful but I dont know whether she has put it into practice yet.

I think it helps if you use the psychology behind it but I don't think you have to follow the method to the letter. I understand that starting with clothes is probably the easiest place to begin and that photos and memorabilia should be left till last. I still find it hard to look at photos so I did a quick sweep and just got rid of the obvious no keepers. I'll do them properly when I'm ready.

My own tuppence worth is to turn the notion of Decluttering on its head. Instead of worrying about what to discard, perhaps its easier to think in terms of what you actually want to,keep. That way it doesn't have go be something you use or wear, it could be something you just love, either for its beauty, or for the memories it holds, or just because.......

I bought a lovely dress yesterday, a floor length evening dress, Air Force blue, a colour ive really come to like. I cant wear black or navy but Now that my hair is white ive found that i can wear charcoal grey, mid blues and those grey/blue or grey/green shades.

DS1 has just come back from Barcelona and has bought me two beautiful shawls, gorgeous rich colours, one lightweight for summer and a heavy one for winter. They will brighten up.plain outfits.

I must admit that although I was ruthless when I weeded out my wardrobe I did keep most of my scarves, shawls and coloured leather gloves. I think they are a great way to ring the changes.

I have adopted the Kondo way of folding. I even did DS2s things he likes it too. It certainly frees up lots of space.

I Kondo fold t shirts, vests, knickers, jeans, nightwear, bras I roll socks and tights. I still hang cardigans, shirts, dresses, skirts I also hang "proper" trousers and tops that are floaty or made from fine cottons because i think they would crease. When I fold t shirts etc they dont get creased because I smooth out the fabric as I fold. I fold bulky sweaters "Benetton" style because I find Kondo style doesn't really work on thicker garments.

Ive decided that the garden needs Kondoing. It's looking a bit cluttered so today I made a start on pruning, and removing some unwanted and straggly looking plants. I Think this garden needs to be simpler and "urban" with more evergreens And interesting year round foliage rather than a cottage garden type profusion of summer colour and nothing much in winter.

So today I made a start and planted up some more evergreens and winter flowering plants.

So many good points in here LL, feel somewhat humbled reading your post, sounds like you've had a difficult time and dealt with it very positively.

I think your point about the psychology behind Kondo's method rings true for me. I grew up in a family where though we weren't really poor - the bills always got paid and my parents bought the house we lived in - we didn't have much money either. We didn't have many clothes and what we did have was bought from the market or made by mum from fabric bought in the market, and worn till we grew out of them (and my sister then got mine handed down) and didn't have much in the way of accessories.

I was lucky to live in a time when maintenance grants were available to students from lower income families and pre tuition fees and so I went to university without fear of massive debt, and then did professional exams after university to get a job where though I am not rich like a banker, I can earn rather more than we survived on as a family of 4. However, I shop based on whether I can afford things rather than need (growing up we only really had enough money to afford what we needed so the distinction passed me by) and then feel guilty about getting rid of things I haven't had proper use out of and tend to hoard for "just in case" situations.

I am now trying hard to remember what I already have so I don't just buy something that I like, but I have something similar at home that I could use for every occasion where the new item could be used. I also aim only to go shopping with a particular purpose rather than just on a whim and stop once the purpose is fulfilled.

Instead I am focusing on saving more spending money on things like days out with my boyfriend. I think I am improving a bit - he is very much a "shops when he needs" person, almost to the point where he doesn't shop even when he needs to - and I think what he calls his "scottish tendencies" (no offense meant to the scots - he's proud of his scottish roots and his frugal nature) are gradually rubbing off on me. However, I have this rather large backlog of "stuff" to deal with.

Part of my issue is being a bit like a magpie for pretty things - I have some beautiful high heeled sandals and shoes for example. But living in London we walk more than I used to out of town and as a result they really don't get the wear. 4 inch stilettos just aren't practical - if I wear heels it's more likely to be my Hush Puppies which are more like 2 inches and with a chunky heel or similar ones by Hotter.

It's hard to let go of them though - maybe they represent a more glamorous vision I have of myself that I don't want to admit just isn't me. The truth is I am quite outdoorsy and in between hiking, running and pottering along the seafront with the boyfriend on days out, I really get more use out of trainers and my rather unsexy but practical hotter squishy flats than pretty heels.

I am being very frivolous later and going for a pedicure. I had said to myself I would DIY over the summer as I am not working, but I had been a bit slack and my heels have got rather crusty and the girls at the salon are so good at getting all the hard stuff off - really give them a good scrubbing. Oh well, no point feeling guilty about it, I shall enjoy letting them pamper me and seeing the better result I get from letting the professionals do the job. I do have a habit of getting a bit of polish on my toes - I have some weirdly tiny nails especially on my little toes which are quite hard to do neatly!.

lessonlearned

Good morning ladies

Some great posts on here again. We are a thoughtful and Insightful lot at times......

Indie - yes the last few years have been rough but I'm getting there.

Re the 4 inch stilettos, if you love them, keep them. Even if you just wear them in the bedroom on date nights........:rotfl:

I have several pairs of what I call "taxi" shoes - definitely not made for walking but ok for tottering into a taxi and then into a restaurant. I won't part with them even if I only wear them once in a blue moon.

QUOTE=moneylover;68882033]at 68 I have given up thinking anything would ever grow my nails and I now have false ones - short and with a nude varnish. Fabulous. Hands look 20 years younger. And, in spite of lots of facecreams lavished on my face (and suncream!) over the years I have deep forehead wrinkles and vertical lines between eyebrows. So now I have botox. Lastly, my teeth have stuck out all my life in spite of orthodontics as a teenager, so I have a brace which is moving my teeth so fast its awe inspiring! None of this is cheap, but worth every penny. To make it extra worthwhile I get 9 hours sleep now (used to be 7); walk the dog every day and have an exemplary diet except for Saturdays when I have a slug of wine and a big cream cake!![/QUOTE]

Moneylover - good for you.

I'm now at a similar stage. The last few years have really taken their toll and I'm getting to the stage where I feel like I need to bring out the big guns.

I need some dental work, my varicose veins sorting out and I'm seriously thinking about Botox or similar. I'm also monitoring the lop sided effect of my face. I'm waiting until ive lost the excess weight to see what happens.

For those that are new To the thread I had to have facial surgery for skin cancer and although the scars have healed nicely my face does appear slightly lopsided because of the skin that had to,be removed. Most people don't notice, it's only really noticeable in photos. Most of the time I don't even think about it, but I do notice it more when I'm tired or stressed. Weight loss might exacerbate it though.

I'm thinking about caci. Iused to have it years ago and it does lift and tone quite nicely, so that might work.

So yes I need to up my game and maybe splash a bit of cash.

The older I get, the more high maintenance I become.:rotfl:

indiepanda

lessonlearned wrote: »

Re the 4 inch stilettos, if you love them, keep them. Even if you just wear them in the bedroom on date nights........:rotfl:

I have several pairs of what I call "taxi" shoes - definitely not made for walking but ok for tottering into a taxi and then into a restaurant. I won't part with them even if I only wear them once in a blue moon.

Am trying to imagine the look on my boyfriend's face if I tottered round the bedroom in stilettos and my best underwear... he's quite staid, especially considering he's only 37.

I can just imagine the look on his face if I suggested getting a taxi to a restaurant too... not only would he consider it a waste of money, but he'd be very confused that his walking mad girlfriend was choosing to wear something she couldn't walk in. I think in the 20 months we've been together we've got a taxi once, and that was because it was absolutely chucking it down and we were quite a walk away from the bus route home.

I am not making him sound very nice - truth is his frugality balances my most frivolous excesses and encourages me to think before I impulse buy and I like the fact he's always up for a walk - I love exploring places on foot. He could be livened up between the sheets but compared to some of my ex's bad bedroom habits he's quite a sweetie.

Maybe the shoes will get an outing with the girls for a fancy night out - can always buy some of those little twist up ballet pumps to put in my handbag to finish the night in. Has anyone tried those?

I've finally remembered to book myself in for a facial. I have Guinot Hydradermie facials which are the best I've found - deep cleansing and really moisturising too. I can't get the same results at home no matter what exfoliator and masks I use.

maman

lessonlearned wrote: »

The older I get, the more high maintenance I become.:rotfl:

Oooh I've always wanted to be high maintenance!! I'll join you.;)

Definitely keep the shoes indie, and don't feel a pedicure is an indulgence. I think looking after your feet is terribly important especially as you do lots of walking. I've recently veered towards a chiropody treatment rather than just pedicure. It's a little more expensive but they do a good job of cutting my nails. So I'm half and half in that I had my pedicure and then had my toenails painted in French manicure when I was getting my manicure done.


Great news about growing your nails too moneylover. You might find that your own nails grow under the false ones as it can protect them in the short term.


I have what I call 'car to bar' shoes that look great but I couldn't wear them if I had to walk any distance. As DH and I also use buses or walk whenever we can they don't come out that often. I haven't tried those fold up pumps but I have got ballet flats slim enough to put I my (capacious:o) handbag which I've done if we're going to a smart restaurant in the city.


Talking of handbags, that's going to be my MK target for today. I've decided that I'm never going to be the sort of person that changes their handbag with every outfit. I've got a good leather bag that I use all the time unless it's a really dressy occasion like a wedding or black tie. My last two 'good leather bags' are in a drawer and as they'd been such good servants I found it really hard to part with them. but I'm going to thank them and let them go:rotfl:.


I've posted a couple of times on the MK thread but I think they may be a bit purist for me. I'm going to keep plodding with my version I think. I did decide to keep most of my recent purchases after trying them on again yesterday. I think they sparked joy because They're the first skinny jeans that I've really liked on myself. I've tried on others and jeggings and rejected them. I think it's because these are stretchy and soft that I like them. I might return the lounge trousers: a bit big if I'm honest. I'm shopping with DD2 tomorrow so I'll see what else is about.


I've done a bit of fabbing today. My usual shower, creaming and hairdo plus I'm getting much better at creaming my feet and I've been putting tea tree around my nails to prevent any return of infection. We've got our first competitive game of the season tonight and I might wear my new black jacket as it'll be cold enough later I'm sure:(.


Have a good day all. It's bright and might reach a balmy 19 degrees here!!:eek:

lessonlearned

Yes I like those fold up ballet shoes, very useful.

I noticed DIL wears them quite a bit, she does the walking but in those and then changes into killer stilettos when she gets to wherever she's going. They fold up small and you can just pop them into your bag.

Right I'm all bathed and fragrant now, so it's off to the little shop on the corner then brunch then get stuck in to that kitchen.

It's looking really fab, cream units, real wood worktops, jasmine white walls and then one lime green feature wall. Have bought a lime green wall clock and just need to get a few bits to dress it. Bought some metal plant pots from ikea and they will go,on the windowsill with all my herbs.

The lounge will be still be basically cream but with the two alcoves done in a deep heathery colour, with matching curtains, rug and cushions. I'm going to splash out and replace our old battered sofas, they are well last their sell by date........:rotfl:

I'm taking photos as I go ready to start my blog at some point.

chanie

Hi everyone,

I'm back from my week of fun in the sun and had a quick catch up of what has been happening on the thread.

Although I weigh more than I ever have, my tankini really made me feel confident as it was very supportive in the boob area. I saw lots of women with ill-fitting swimwear, even those with lovely figures, so I'm a real convert of good fitting swimwear.

I bought myself a few holiday treats - a lovely leather cross body bag and a bottle of perfume, so I'm very pleased.

moneylover

yes, agree wholeheartedly about swimwear and for bras if you can get to a John lewis then it knocks any other shop into a cocked hat for fitting - except for Rigby and Peller - but their bras very expensive

indiepanda

maman wrote: »

Definitely keep the shoes indie, and don't feel a pedicure is an indulgence. I think looking after your feet is terribly important especially as you do lots of walking. I've recently veered towards a chiropody treatment rather than just pedicure. It's a little more expensive but they do a good job of cutting my nails. So I'm half and half in that I had my pedicure and then had my toenails painted in French manicure when I was getting my manicure done.

I have what I call 'car to bar' shoes that look great but I couldn't wear them if I had to walk any distance. As DH and I also use buses or walk whenever we can they don't come out that often. I haven't tried those fold up pumps but I have got ballet flats slim enough to put I my (capacious:o) handbag which I've done if we're going to a smart restaurant in the city.

Well, I had the pedicure and the beautician was very diligent about scrubbing my feet. Unfortunately she got a bit carried away and managed to scrub a little hole in the side of my big toe too, for a tiny thing it smarted rather! Anyway, can't really see it looking down on my feet from the top and no one is going to look side on at my toe. And I now have teal blue toenails to match my favourite sandals (navy covered in teal beads) - just need some sunshine to wear the sandals!

I think I'll have to find some excuses to wear my pretty shoes and travel in flats. It would be a shame to get rid without wearing, will never be able to sell for anything like what they cost. It's all very well living in practical soft flats but I am in danger of becoming a bit of a frump...