Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

helensbiggestfan

balabooberlies said:

Has anyone 'seen' Mrs Sugarbaby.  Hope she's okay.

Hope SUgarbaby doesn't mind me telling you this on her behalf but she's had a family bereavement. Hopefully she will be back with us at some point.   

helensbiggestfan

mrs_slapshot said:

Morning all - just written a long post which was lost when I clicked on preview.....

I’ve moved! It was stressful, exhausting and overwhelming but we’re in. Lots and lots to do, have unpacked the kitchen and most of the living room and two main bedrooms so we’re functional. Back at work tomorrow for a couple of days then off until the new year so plenty of time to unpack some more boxes. Looking forward to keeping you all
updated on my renovation plans and champagne moments along the way!!

First step on the path to financial freedom 🥂

Edited to add how excited I am at LL’s news!!! What an amazing adventure that will be!!

Congratulations.    💐🥂.  Hope you have a wonderful first Christmas in your new home and many happy years to come.  And of course, lots of chamoagne moments.   

Re the business.....it will only be a little hobby business. I'm not expecting it to become a big clothing empire.  It will  (hopefully) be a nice way to earn a bit of extra income....doing something I enjoy. Indulging my passion for fashion and helping save the planet - one frock at a time.  😂

balabooberlies

Thanks LL

Sugarbaby, if you pop in, my sincere condolences.

bala

x

helensbiggestfan

Happy Winter Solstice My Lovely Friends.  

Looking forward to seeing the days gradually lengthen, yes today is the shortest day but I love it because it means that spring is on its way.   It might not always seem that way but only a couple of days ago I noticed that all the bulbs I planted a few weeks ago are peeking through.  Mother Nature might be resting but it won't be so very long before the first spring flowers start to bloom.  I always love to see the first snowdrops and wild primroses.  Such brave little flowers. 

My champagne moments today will be wrapping the Christmas presents by an open fire whilst listening to music.  Then, tonight a mince pie or two, whilst watching a Christmas movie. 

Had a lovely day yesterday, nice long telephone calls with my boys and then a mooch round a couple of charity shops.  Bought some amazing clothes, some for me and some for resale. 

Despite all the doom and gloom in the news, I am happy and content.  As the year draws to a close I'm looking forward to better times ahead.  It's been a rough year for so many people and I'm guessing January and February will bring further lockdowns and restrictions but, with a bit of patience and fortitude, we will come out the other side.  

Stay well and safe my friends, and enjoy the festive season as best as you can.  

balabooberlies

LL.............. I think I love you............tee-hee.................blush, blush........... 

bala

X

phoebe1989seb

Sugarbaby, if you get a chance to read this, my sincere condolences on your bereavement........

**********************************

Mrs_s, that's brilliant! I'm so very pleased you made it into your new home before Christmas 

Back in 2014 we completed on the sale of our previous and purchase of our next home on 16th Dec....it was hectic and thrilling in equal measure, so I'm really excited for you!

LL, exciting times for you too! I do sometimes miss our online business, although ultimately the packing/sending of 100+ parcels often daily overtook our lives and became too much..... I presume your venture will be on a smaller, more manageable scale?!? As a fashion graduate - albeit one who hasn't worked in the field since closing my bricks and mortar fashion design business when DS was seven 🙄 - I appreciate your interest in vintage fashion and I wish you every success!

As always life has been pretty fast paced here, lol! 

On Thursday we picked up our Christmas meat, including the only chateaubriand in M&S! The disappointment was that after waiting more than a year, the delivery/fitting of two of our windows was postponed due to horrendous stormy weather 

On Friday, after dropping off our dogs at kennels the previous evening, we headed into a manic weekend with a long journey to see family ahead of the holidays. We were already settled in Brighton when the news hit regarding Wales entering Tier 4 restrictions from midnight on Saturday 

At that point - and after much soul searching - we decided there was nothing we could do except enjoy the rest of our weekend and despite everything we had a wonderful - if socially distanced - time! We let DGD ❤️ open one present early - a fab crocheted red dragon to remind her of her grandparents in Wales, lol!

However, we did make the judgement call to cancel our planned visit to DH's twin sister whom he's not seen for eighteen months, coming home a little earlier than intended.

Driving back laden with gifts we were slightly apprehensive that there would be police at the border, but all was fine. There was even time to do a spot of last minute shopping in England, stopping off at a couple of our old haunts as we took the scenic route home because we'd encountered issues on the M4 when outward bound. I was delighted to find a massive copper preserving pan (similar to the one we'd bought DS for his birthday), a pair of pics for our yet-to-be-built cloakroom and two beautiful amaryllis to bring more festive joy to the cottage    

DH got really excited when our journey took us through his *spiritual home*, the New Forest! The sun even came out!

It was very late when we arrived home, so it was straight to bed as DH intended getting to M&S when they opened at 6am this morning in the search for an elusive lobster starter for Christmas Day. Having been informed by a staff member that they were sold out, he amazingly found one hiding beneath loads of other stuff! Result!

The dogs are now home, exhausted, having had lots of fun in the fields behind the kennels with the other canine guests. DH is working tomorrow and Wednesday, so we're having a relaxing rest of the day.....later we'll watch a couple of old Christmas films (I'm hoping for the Albert Finney in "A Christmas Carol"!) and cook something easy for dinner. All the festive food is bought, decorations done, flowers arranged and I've just got to wrap DH's gifts which I'll do tomorrow when he's out of the way! Phew!

I hope everyone manages to have a peaceful, relaxing and healthy Christmas despite the new restrictions and that 2021 brings better times to the world!

helensbiggestfan

Good morning my lovely friends....

Bala.....stop it, you're making me blush. 😂🤣

Recent and current champagne moments.....Sitting in bed, all warm and cosy,  sipping my first coffee of the day, listening to the rain, browsing t'interweb.  Just idling way.  And why not, it's been a horrible year and I'm just recharging my batteries.  It's the solstice, that time of year designed for sleep, rest, warmth.  If I could hibernate till spring I would, 😂. 

In recent days I  have been having a nice little shopping splurge, being my own Santa.  😂. Online this time.....some amazing bargains. I have been buying new (to me) coats.  I have to confess to having a bit of a coat addiction. Some women have a thing for shoes, but my vice is coats.  I have them in all colours, lengths and styles. I love to ring the changes.  I have bought a classic navy, a burnt orange number, and a gorgeous cream confection with faux fur colour and cuffs. The last two are French.   Ooh la la.  All are 100% wool. Very luxurious and kinder to the planet. I now have three beautiful new to me coats in natural fibres for less than the price of one from the high street.  All part of the champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget ethos. 

 I have always loved clothes, always loved luxury fabrics and have always had a hankering for that glamourous movie star look and feeling.  But I've never been rich, so I had to find a way to afford to be able to wear the kind of high quality, luxurious clothes I love.   I learned that you don't have to spend  a fortune to dress like you have a million in the bank.  

Phoebe.....yes my business will be small scale.  I doubt very much I will be selling in the kind of quantities you were dealing with.  I am going to see how it goes but I think it will be a bit of a  "niche market".   People who love vintage but don't have the time or inclination to trawl round and source it themselves. It can be very time consuming.  I am really looking forward to it..   I have ordered a couple of books about online businesses so hopefully I can pick up a few tips and not make too many mistakes. I will just start small and see how it goes.  I have always joked that I have enough clothes to start a boutique......so that's what I'm going to do. 😉

I studied fashion as part of my degree course, and my final paper was a meditation about vintage clothing.  This was decades before it became fashionable, and when it was almost seen as somehow shameful or degrading to wear second hand clothes.  My tutor was very impressed🤣.  

I have always been interested in clothes. I discovered charity shops when I was just 15. I have been shopping and wearing pre loved clothes ever since, so without being too conceited I think I have a developed a good eye, so hopefully I will make a go of it.  

Well it's a very soggy day....thankfully I don't have to go anywhere.  I did the last few bits of food shopping yesterday - business was brisk but the shelves were well stocked. Mind I only went to the mini Tesco express, I gave the supermarkets a miss.  I decided I couldn't face a big supermarket which would probably be heaving.  

I am going to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas. Hope you have a lovely time, even if you have to spend it alone. Don't despair, the vaccines are on their way. Next year will be better. 

 Relax and maybe Indulge yourselves a little, seek out those champagne moments.  🥂.  

In the immortal words of the chief weasel in the wonderful book "The Wind in  the Willows".......

"The condiments of the season and a preposterous New Year". 😂

❤️❤️

Wednesday2000

Oh wow, Mrs SS you have moved in already. That must be nice to be in the new place for Christmas.

balabooberlies

For tomorrow.........

Wishing you all the best Christmas Day possible in this very difficult time.

Sugarbaby special healing wishes to you.

Thank you all for making this year bearable.

Warmest hugs

bala

X

balabooberlies

LL......will spare you the blushes..........

big kiss

X