Frugal Frump to Fab - 2015

indiepanda

Congratulations on the job offer Ellsbel, fingers crossed on the background checks.

maddiemay

Ellsbel, great news, I hope that it all comes together for you.

lessonlearned

Congratulations on the job offer Ellsbel, hope all goes well. Chanie - hope you feel better doon, summer colds are horrid.

Maman - had to smile at your description of autumn trends. It's funny isn't it how what is essentially a very similar outfit can look completely different on different people.

I have plenty of trousers for the autumn, and am ok for jackets/big cardigans/ponchos etc but I do,need some fine gauge long sleeve knits or tops. I have several pashminas and DIL bought me another two from Barcelona. I wore one on Tuesday when it dropped chilly whilst we were in the Peak.

Talking of chilly, it's been really cold here - hope that's not it., summer wise. It's too early for autumn chills although i did see a large skein of Canadian geese fly over yesterday.....a bit early, not a good sign.

Decorating finished......yay - for now. Although I'm going yo,shabby chic some of the furniture, it's mainly Mexican pine -DS2s choice but he's realised its a bit too masculine and heavy so I offered to paint it For him. So probably a french grey.

Going to have a day off tomorrow, a little light shopping and somewhere nice to eat so will get fabbed up.....

Sezzagirl

Delurking again (this is getting to be a habit) to ask if anyone else thinks about 80's perms when they think about the current trend for having lots of tattoos?


Just think, if 80's perms were as permanent as tattoos, we'd all still have them!!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek:


Truly a Hair Raising Thought!!

Ellsbel

Thanks for the good wishes everyone:)
School run done, dog has had his walk and I'm just having a coffee. I put the heating on for a bit this morning as it was so chilly but it's brightened up now.
Autumn dressing is a tricky one isn't it? I love the comfort of fleeces but I think I'm one of those who tends to look frumpy in them! I've phased mine out in favour of sweatshirts for if I want something warm and comfy as they're not quite so bulky on me:)
I need to pick up a few smart jumpers for the cooler weather - some of mine have more than served their purpose now:)
Did a meal plan last night, then an online shop - I seemed to pick a lot of expensive meals though:D I need to find some quick and easy, straight from freezer favourites like you, maman. I sorted a cupboard out after I'd ordered my shopping and found my Hairy Dieters cookbook, that I'd forgotten about! Going to see if I can get some ideas from that for next time, although to be honest I do tend to cook fairly healthy meals - it's the snacking in between that's been my downfall, and needs to stop!
Not much planned today - I've a chilli in the slow cooker for later and most of the housework is done so just some ironing and then a bit of me time, I think, before picking up youngest from school.
ETA: sezzagirl I shudder at the thought!! I'm currently working very hard at dissuading my eldest from having a tattoo - I'm ashamed to admit that I've resorted to bribery!!
It's his choice of course, but I find the permanence of them quite scary!

maman

Sezzagirl wrote: »

Delurking again (this is getting to be a habit) to ask if anyone else thinks about 80's perms when they think about the current trend for having lots of tattoos?


Just think, if 80's perms were as permanent as tattoos, we'd all still have them!!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek:


Truly a Hair Raising Thought!!

OMG!! What a thought. I'm afraid I'm very old fashioned when it comes to tattoos in that I really don't like them and can't get out of a mindset that they belong on the arms of sailors like Popeye! :rotfl:


Thinking about the strapless dresses indie was talking about. I've been to a number of recent weddings and black tie events where women have had tattoos on show because of such dresses and they look dreadful IMO.


ellsbel, you've got your solution to freezer meals in your post. What I have on standby is things like HM chilli, Bolognese, savoury mince frozen in portions. I do have the odd shop bought thing (Sainsbury's BGTY burgers are very low fat and easier than making my own and some frozen fish) but it's mostly HM stuff.


Sofas are now assembled and I'm very pleased with them so far. I'm pleased I bought 'small' ones as they're big enough for three people to sit on. Cover is on one and DH is off later to see if he can get another cover quickly. I'm now not 100% sure the carpet doesn't need changing:(. I now have an armcover I can take with me to look for lampshades and curtains so can start to make progress.


I threw on some clothes to help with sofas but I will do fab Friday and put make up on later even if it's just to go to Aldi!;)

Sezzagirl

Ellsbel Some wise advise I saw offered to a parent of someone wanting a tattoo was to get the wannabe tattooee to agree to wait 1 year before going through with it. That tat's going to be there for the rest of their life. Considering it for a year is reasonable

indiepanda

I had a successful personal shopping trip at Debenhams this morning, would definitely recommend. One of the first things they said was that they didn't want me to feel any pressure to buy, they'd far rather I left with nothing if I couldn't find anything I liked.

As it happens, I was under pressure to buy as I am off on holiday tomorrow for a week, the event is less than a week after I get back, and as all long dresses seem to be too long for me, I had to allow time to take up, so it was going to be pushing my luck to leave till after the holidays.

Anyway, I was very happy with the dress I found - I was determined not to be talked into black as it really doesn't suit me, and resigned to the fact brown is not fashionable for evening wear at the moment, so there would be some compromise needed. I was thinking navy was probably the best option, and that's what I ended up with.

It's this dress:-
http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_008010520143_-1

I would never have picked out for myself as it's not got a full skirt and I would have expected it to cling, but it's actually really flattering on, and I love the fact it's got sleeves. That will hid the fact my upper arms are quite white and the lower arms tanned from hiking, and makes my upper arms look slimmer too. The slit doesn't show unless you are moving. Oh and being a silky jersey it shouldn't crumple too badly either which will be good as I'll be going out from work so will need to get it to the office in the morning on public transport. It was also one of the cheaper ones I tried on - result!

I also got a new suit for my return to work which I'd spotted earlier in the week and not tried on, and a dress which I can wear for work, but I think I might be able to wear for a wedding I have coming up too - be interested in your thoughts. It's a church blessing (I think they already did the registry office wedding) followed by a chinese banquet so not a really formal do.

This is the suit:-
http://www.precis.co.uk/precis/boucle-jack-et/040039820.html?cgid=pr_NewArrivals&dwvar_040039820_color=0252

And this is the dress:-
http://www.precis.co.uk/precis/floral-print-jersey-dress/040039859.html?cgid=pr_NewArrivals&dwvar_040039859_color=0243

I also treated myself to a couple of new eyeliners from Urban Decay - a deep petrol blue and a a shimmery deep greeny blue colour. I love their eyeliners - they go on easily and stay on well. I don't suppose I really needed them - but the petrol one will work with the evening dress so at least one of them will get used soon.

maddiemay

Indiepanda - Loving the results of your shopping trip, gorgeous clothes classic and chic, but not at all frumpy IMO:D

Today was the day for meeting up with my friend (best friends for over 40 years, but lived a long way apart for 30 of those years), we meet halfway in a lovely wee town, have a drink and snack and talk solidly for just over 2 hours:D:D

I wore dark navy skinnies, blue & white striped top and my Lands End pink quilted jacket, I managed first home style of my newly cut hair OK and spent some time making up my eyes, happy with my efforts.

lessonlearned

Hi everyone

Indie - loved the clothes. The Short dress would be great for the wedding, and the evening dress is gorjuss !! Classy and flirty. Perfick....

Maddie - love the idea of a pink jacket.

I went to Sainsbugs today, bought some white cut offs and some white Classic jeans in the sale for my holibob, noticed they've got lots of burnt orange, bright mustards, luscious limes. I might have to indulge in a few fun pieces in bright zingy colours.

I did buy some bed linen. I love pure white linen so I always buy some if I some nice linen in the sale. So I bought a Duvet set and a quilt both in white, plus a wollen checked throw - not necessarily for a bed, a silver metal string of lights and a mirrored picture frame, all half price.

Decorating all done and everythwere put back to rights. Will blitz kitchen tomorrow, too tired now.

Time for a nice film.....