Frump to Fab 2019 - Here We Go Again

lessonlearned

SUgarbaby.....it's nice when our kids first start taking an interest in clothes isn't it. My youngest son was a shocker when he was a teenager........he looked like a tramp and he would smell like it too if I didn't nag him. Multiple facial piercings the lot. :eek:

Now he is a grown up he is a very snazzy dresser. He loves clothes and has a real eye. He doesn't spend a lot, he's a canny shopper. Quite conservative, he goes for quality. He loves a good suit and smart leather shoes, a plain unobtrusive watch - there's a distinct whiff of the James Bond about him. I think it helps that he is tall and slender (although muscular) so clothes hang well. He's really cracked smart casual. I think that can be quite a hard one for guys to pull off but he does it very well.

The elder one can do very smart when the occasion demands but prefers to slop around in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops. I think he must have hot blood. He wears smart casual for work but his clothes are a bit pedestrian really, not very stylish, he's just not interested.

Wednesday....I love the way you dye things and customise them. Very clever. Both MSE and creative.

Just had a nice compliment from the chimney sweep. :rotfl: He first came last year just after I had moved in. I didn't think he would remember me but he did. He had a good look round and said "I like what you have done with the place, what a difference, it looks terrific".

maman

lessonlearned wrote: »

Just had a nice compliment from the chimney sweep. :rotfl: He first came last year just after I had moved in. I didn't think he would remember me but he did. He had a good look round and said "I like what you have done with the place, what a difference, it looks terrific".

It's good when someone confirms your good taste!:D Especially as he must visit loads of houses.:)

It's strange but on the subject of clothes and children: My DDs couldn't be more different. Both were brought up the same but have changed as they've grown up. DD1 is smart but quite classic in her dress. She doesn't buy a huge amount, takes ages to choose what's going to be just right and she's willing to pay for quality. DD2 used to be a bit like that but as she's got older she seems to go for more retail therapy and disposable fashion. She's always buying stuff from Primark and I rarely see anything twice. It's the same with beauty treatments too. DD1 goes to a good hairdresser regularly for highlights and a decent cut and she has her nails done. DD2 bites her nails:( and just grows her hair, colours it herself and ties it up most of the time. Ironically it's DD2 that has the greater household income as although her own job is poorly paid (from choice) they have her DH's income too. DD1 has a far better salary but she's the sole earner.

I picked up the bits I wanted this afternoon including a wreath for the front door. It'll stay there until January 6th but I really think I should buy an artificial one as they're everlasting.

lessonlearned

Good afternoon lovely ladies.....

"My" daughters are chalk and cheese too. One a curvaceous fiery Latino who adores bright colours, rich fabrics and big chunky ethic Jewellery, the other a slender English Rose who likes soft colours, and pretty delicate jewellery. They couldn't be more different. The only thing they have in common is they both are just over 5ft tall and my sons are both tall (one 6ft3in) so they both wear very high heels, although I've noticed that they both often take along something more comfortable to, change into.

Decorator coming tomorrow for the hall. I had a change of heart about the colour so nipped out this morning to get the paint. Popped into Sainsbury's and picked up a few last minute gifts. That's me done now. Just one final food shop.

I noticed that there was a lot of half priced Tu clothing, some nice knitwear. I wasn't tempted though, I've more than enough to be going in with.

I will save my pennies for my spring/summer collection. :rotfl:

lessonlearned

Just had to share.......

Losing weight has really paid dividends. Checked my blood sugar levels this morning. The meter has a function which give averages over time. I have been in the safe range for over 6 months now, wahoo.

Miserable day here.

I have got an unexpected free day. It's DILs birthday but she isn't very well so the celebrations have been postponed till the weekend.

I'll have a cooking day and wrap the presents.

.

maman

That's great news about your blood sugars LL.:T

It's what we'd call a NSV (Non Scale Victory) at SW. Although I have to admit that it's vanity that spurred me to lose weight (I just loathed being fat:() it's a good feeling that we're eating healthily and all the benefits that go with it. My best result is that when I'm dancing I (literally) feel lighter on my feet.

I'm keeping up with the fabbing. I had my feet and eyebrows done yesterday. The eyebrows make such a difference, money well spent IMO.:)

I've put up the Christmas decorations, door wreath and tree today. It was surprisingly simple. Last year I did some culling of decorations that I didn't really love and then managed to get all the rest into our under stairs cupboard. This means we don't have to go clambering into the loft. I always buy a basic holly wreath, remove the garish gift ribbons that come with it, add my own big tartan bow and bell and it's good to go.:)

We also bought an artificial tree for the first time last year. I love real ones but having tried many types we always ended up with needles everywhere.:( It's not the most brilliant tree. I've seen others that are more realistic but they're huge. It looks fine now it's covered in lights and decorations. I don't do tasteful themes or colours, just pile on a load of ornaments that mainly have sentimental value. At the moment it just has a stand holding it up but I think it would look better in a pot. I might look one out tomorrow as I think that would be an improvement.

So that's one more job done in terms of Christmas preparations. Next is to make breadcrumbs for my turkey stuffing. I always make a very basic breadcrumb and thyme stuffing that my mother made and we like it fine, so no chestnuts here.;)

More dancing here tonight. That'll be 3 times in 5 days so I'm getting plenty of exercise in.:D As it's Christmas I plan to wear a long black skirt with my only new party purchase...my sparkly vest!:rotfl:

It's been a bright day here but now the rain has set in....again:(

silvasava

Maman - my DH drilled a hole in a large log to hold our Christmas tree. It looks really nice and it's very stable. I also drape a few fake poinsettia around the base to help cover the cable to the lights.
I do wear something smart on Christmas day and DH has a nice red tartan shirt or a waistcoat. DS1 is doing Christmas Dinner this year but I've been asked to make a big dish of stuffing. I do it with sausage meat, mushrooms and cranberries.

sugarbaby125

Hello Ladies,

LL, great news about your stable blood sugars. I will be dressed up for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I will no doubt only be able to persuade my 2 adult children to dress up for Christmas Day.

I have been so busy, that I am aching all over. We had to move a lot of things around to make sure my bedroom and my son's bedroom were cleared to have the old bed removed from my room and the base of my son's bed removed. I also had to clear the stairs and the top of the stairs. I had previously warned my younger son about what had to be done and so he did the bulk of it and left the easier things for me to tackle. :cool:

The 2 men from Fantastic Services were great. :j They arrived on time and they got on with what needed to be done. Once they had removed my old bed and the base of my son's bed, I directed them to assemble my bed with the matching trundle 1st. I was so excited when they were assembled. I unpacked the new memory foam topped mattress I had bought for myself and I laid it on my new bed.

I had my 1st night's sleep on my new mattress and it made me realise that I had foolishly put the mattress on my new bed upside down. :rotfl: I flipped it over this morning and remade my bed, so tonight I will find out if the memory foam top of my new mattress makes a real difference to the quality of my night's sleep. I expect it to.

Once they had assembled my son's bed frame, my son and I could put his mattress on his new bed frame. My son really likes it, it suits his adult body and has helped to streamline his room.

I did not go to the Christmas party in the wine bar in Herne Hill on Tuesday evening. I had too much to do and I am bone tired, so I needed to rest. I still have not put up my Christmas tree or decorations yet, because my tiredness is forcing me to have plenty of rest. :cool: One of the downsides of having 3 types of Arthritis is that I inevitably suffer from a lot of fatigue.

Wednesday2000

I am trying to budget as I'm thinking about my husband retiring but I have 6 fabric dye pods to use up so I got some clothes to dye today from the charity shops. I set myself a strict budget of £20.

The £1 shop was quite good today, maybe people have been donating more before Christmas.

I got:

A black and white Warehouse blouse.
A white H & M fitted shirt.
A cream long sleeved Papaya top, I think that is Matalan.
A men's dress shirt from John Lewis which is white with lilac stripes.
A white sleeveless blouse with ruffles down the front.

I am going to dye them all Passion Pink today.

I also got 2 denim items and a blouse from another shop. One a denim shirt and one a denim shirt dress. I will dye them a deeper shade of blue at a later date. I also got a Dorothy Perkins bright purple blouse from there.

I came home with over £5.50 change!:T

maman

You did really well Wednesday , especially as you'd been hoping to pick up a dress shirt. Do let us know how it all turns out.

I took some stuff to the CS earlier, need to clear the guest room before Christmas. I was good though and only bought one book. Reading more was one of my resolutions this year. I did well up to the summer and then fell away.

It's hard when you've got so much to do but your body isn't cooperating sugarbaby but I think that turning the mattress was a killer. I'd like to know how you get on with the memory foam. I'd thought of buying a topper but our mattress is years old so could probably be replaced.

The log is a good idea silva . Thanks for that.

We went on our health walk this morning for the first time in a few weeks. It was good to get out in the fresh air and we managed to dodge the showers.

I bought the turkey this morning. I've always been happy with a frozen one as I'm sure that by the time I add bacon and stuffing it'd be hard to tell from fresh. and it's a fraction of the price. :money:

lessonlearned

Good afternoon lovely ladies

SUgarbaby - Sorry to hear you are still struggling with your arthritis but you are doing so well with your bedroom move round, it will all be worth it when everything is done.

Painter here today.......I'm loving the hall. Before it was beige and red, with a beige and red sponge effect wallpapered ceiling :eek: so dark and depressing. Now it's white and Deluxe a sort of sage green/grey. When it's dressed with my big mirror and some colourful artwork it will look quite stunning,

I need to get a nice console table at some point but I'll look out for that after Christmas.

Picked up some extra Christmas decorations in Asda - there were selling them off half price.