Frump to Fab - A Whole New World.

sugarbaby125

Hello Ladies,

I am really loving the warm Autumn days. Yesterday I went to the 1st day of a local creative writing course. It was so much fun. It was great to talk with like minded people even though we were only a group of 3 women and our male facilitator. It sparks my creativity, so I did 2 more pieces of writing. I am looking forward to the next 3 Thursdays of the creative writing course. I hope more people join us though over the coming weeks. 

Wednesday2000

sugarbaby125 said:

Hello Ladies,

I am really loving the warm Autumn days. Yesterday I went to the 1st day of a local creative writing course. It was so much fun. It was great to talk with like minded people even though we were only a group of 3 women and our male facilitator. It sparks my creativity, so I did 2 more pieces of writing. I am looking forward to the next 3 Thursdays of the creative writing course. I hope more people join us though over the coming weeks. 

That is one of the things I want to do after we move house to a new area.

I just found out I have to self-isolate for 3 days as well as my husband as he has to have a swab test today as he has his cancer check-up next week. Neither of us have any symptoms obviously but I suppose it is just a precaution.

maman

Still fabbing and still here Wednesday. I've been reading but not posting. I'll definitely get on here over the weekend when I should have more time. 😊

helensbiggestfan

chanie said:

Helen what products are you using in your skincare.
I'm still using The Ordinary and am happy with the results.  I've heard good things about Retinol and its something I eventually want to introduce into my routine.  Both my Mum and sister said that my skin was looking good recently, so I guess my routine is working.

After I dropped the children to school, I did a cheeky trip to Sainsburys before I started working from home to check out the TU clothing event.  I picked some some jogging bottoms for DS and some treggings for DD, saving £5 on both. 

Good morning lovely ladies....

chanie....... currently using 

Viola Skin retinol at njght
Viola Skin Vit C serum in the mornings.  

I have used these before and love them.  Tried to economise by buying cheaper versions but definitely not as good.  Luckily they were around 20% off in the Prime Sale.  

My new tries are......L'Oréal Age Perfect Golden Age - Rosy Re-Fortifying Day Cream. I really like it, it is a funny colour In the pot (a sort of salmon pink) but it does exactly what it says - it gives a nice rosy glow.  A bit like Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (which I love) but it's a lot cheaper.   I can look very pale and washed out in winter but both the Clarins Balm and the L'Oreal Rosy cream really do perk up my complexion and disguise my winter pallor.   It was half price on Amazon so I thInk around £6 for 50ml. 

My other try is StriVectin anti-wrinkle line blurfecfor.  It's not cheap usually around £24 but again it was on offer - around £16 so cheaper than my usual Kiko blur cream.  I like it very much.  I am a fan of blur type primers.  They really do work.  My DIL can usually tell when I'm using a blur cream, she will comment that my skin looks nice.  They make your skin feel really soft to touch and they do soften fine lines and camaflauge minor Imperfections.  Great if you have large open pores. 

I am also currently giving myself a mild skin peel treatment twice a week.  (Did one this Mornjng). It's a boots kit, rrp around £25 but I got my last one from eBay for £15. The kits contain 8 vials of hyraulonic  acid, so usually enough for between 16 to 20 treatments so even at full price it's not an expensive treatment. A mild to moderate skin peel in a salon could set you back around £100. Obviously home kits use a very mild acid, although you can buy stronger solutions online.  However, I wouldn't recommend that non professionals use stronger acids, you do need to know what you are doing.  If you want a stronger version please get it done in a salon.

The Boots Kits are perfectly safe if you use them properly. I would add one proviso about the timings.  The instructions say leave on for no longer than 10 minutes.  I would suggest you don't dive in straight away at 10 minutes.  It's best to start with 5 minutes to see how your skin reacts and then build up to 10 minutes over say 4 treatments if your skin is happy.  At all costs do not leave on for more than 10 minutes and be sure to remove all traces using the neutralising fluid provided in the kit.  A bit like getting a perm....😂.  You must use proper neutralisers.  

 As I said a couple of weeks ago I wanted to up my skin care routines, and I'm pleased to say it's definitely working.  My skin looks and feels good.  I have that nice "rested and glowing" look you get from being on holiday.  Not younger, just better.  😉

I'm happy with that.  

helensbiggestfan

SUgarbaby......the creative writing sounds great.  I would love to do a course like that.  I know I could do one online but I think a RL one will be much better, more fun and of course it's great to connect with like minded people and bounce ideas around.  Once I'm out of my self imposed lockdown.....maybe after Christmas. 

 Caesarian booked for Tuesday.  Poor DIL is huge, I don't think I have ever seen such a large baby bump without it being twins.  And as she is only around 5ft she just isn't big enough to carry such a huge bump. And it's all at the front, from the back you wouldn't guess she is pregnant. She's really struggling now, she is so uncomfortable.  Thankfully not long now.  I am doing all I can to help out, spending lots of time over there and having DS and GS here so she can rest.  She managed to work until week 39 so has done really well.  At least working from home during Covid has had some positives. if she had been commuting every day she just couldn't have done it.  

Wednesday......thanks for the book recommendation.  Read the reviews and I'm going to order it.  Sounds great.  Many years I read the Andy McNab book (SAS guy).  I found that one really inspirational. 

Actually reading the reviews reminded me of a book I read years ago called "The Sixth Winter".  A work of fiction about severe and sudden climate change similar to "Day After Tomorrow". But I think "The Sixth Winter" probably isn't really filmable because whereas DAT is more like an action movie, TSW goes into more detail about the psychology involved in what it takes to be a survivor and is a great study of human resilience and how to change and adapt to overcome adversity. It's out of print now but I've managed to track down a second hand copy in Amazon so I have ordered that too.  

I Have been doing a lot of reading recently and "digging deep" into my own psyche......Ooh get me 😂. Journalling, thinking, flexing the grey matter - exercising my brain as well as my body.  

I really enjoyed (if that's the right word) your recommendation of "Just F...... Do It". Now that really does make you stop and think.  I have only read it through fairly quickly. I am going to set some time aside in the new year to read it again and do the suggested exercises.  

I think It's a book that requires work and effort from the reader to really do it justice and I think you have to be prepared to deal with any psychological issues it helps you uncover so I am going to set that task aside for now.  And even then I might just skim the surface of some areas........   I dealt with a lot of issues pertaining to my father around the time of Sistergate so I don't feel I need revisit that area. 

One thing I have worked on recently is my feelings of "not being enough".   I have done a lot of thinking around this and I finally realise That I am actually far more competent and far more successful than I gave myself credit for.  Hope that doesn't sound horribly smug and conceited but I can look back on areas where I have always felt I that i had "failed" or not reached my full potential and think to myself "hey you know what, you did a pretty good job". 😂🤣. 

It sounds like hard work and it in many ways it is.....but I'm using the time afforded by Covid to really take stock and asses my life.  It has been difficult and painful at times to revisit some areas but it's been a worthwhile task.  I can feel it has unblocked a lot of thoughts, feelings and emotions I have been bottling up for a very long time.  

I feel more energy, more creativity and more light coming into my life as a result of all this thinking and the work I'm putting into it.  They say every cloud has a silver lining and for me my enforced isolation during covid has given me the opportunity to actually take time out to think and to reassess things.  I shall certainly act on what I've learnt and I will be making huge changes in my life in the next couple of years. I'm looking forward with hope and anticipation.   

The best is yet to come. 😂🤣

Maisie_Moo

Good afternoon everyone, haven't posted for a while as while I haven't been fabbing with myself very much I have been fabbing mentally as we have just come back from a weeks holiday in Norfolk with my daughter and family.
I didn't want to jinx things by saying how excited I was and then get locked down, thankfully as we are both in Tier 1 we could go the cottage in Norfolk that I had booked in October 2019. There were 6 of us and the dog ! had a wonderful week walking on the beach, playing with the grandchildren 4 & 7 .
We didn't intend on going to any restaurants or pubs as our SIL is a fabulous cook and really enjoys it, so we walked every day and had some great family time together which has done us all the world of good.
LL - I was expecting news of your latest grandchild so at least your DIL hasn't got long to go now hope all goes well .
My DD and I were talking while we were away and agreed that we really didn't care if we couldn't book a holiday abroad and while I missed my sunshine fix I'm more than happy to stay in the UK.
Creative writing course sounds good sugarbaby, something to keep you occupied over the winter.
One thing I enjoyed about the holiday was that due to the children we didn't watch the news once and I didn't even take my laptop with me. Just checked emails on my phone and that was it, what on earth did we do before social media ?
Have a great weekend everyone, I think I will be on a healthy eating regime next week after my SIL's delicious meals !

Wednesday2000

helensbiggestfan said:

Wednesday......thanks for the book recommendation.  Read the reviews and I'm going to order it.  Sounds great.  Many years I read the Andy McNab book (SAS guy).  I found that one really inspirational. 

I really enjoyed (if that's the right word) your recommendation of "Just F...... Do It". Now that really does make you stop and think.  I have only read it through fairly quickly. I am going to set some time aside in the new year to read it again and do the suggested exercises.  

I think It's a book that requires work and effort from the reader to really do it justice and I think you have to be prepared to deal with any psychological issues it helps you uncover so I am going to set that task aside for now.  And even then I might just skim the surface of some areas........   I dealt with a lot of issues pertaining to my father around the time of Sistergate so I don't feel I need revisit that area. 

One thing I have worked on recently is my feelings of "not being enough".   I have done a lot of thinking around this and I finally realise That I am actually far more competent and far more successful than I gave myself credit for.  Hope that doesn't sound horribly smug and conceited but I can look back on areas where I have always felt I that i had "failed" or not reached my full potential and think to myself "hey you know what, you did a pretty good job". 😂🤣. 

It sounds like hard work and it in many ways it is.....but I'm using the time afforded by Covid to really take stock and asses my life.  It has been difficult and painful at times to revisit some areas but it's been a worthwhile task.  I can feel it has unblocked a lot of thoughts, feelings and emotions I have been bottling up for a very long time.  

I haven't actually read that book yet. I thought I would wait to the new year to see what life is like then and if we have resumed some sort of normal.

You are right about the feelings of inadequacy we drag around with us. I always try to remember the quotation The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.

savingfortomorrow

wednesday- that is profound. We race like we are competing with thousands of others when alas we are just following our own path. 
I think we all feel we are not enough- Apparently imposter syndrome is really common-  I just hope we learn to feel that the real us is enough with all our imperfections. It is the imperfections that make life interesting. 

Im on lockdown at the minute it is very strange seeing the empty shops in the run up to Christmas. One day in is a day closer to some level of normality. 

sheilavw

Happy half term for your ladies off with your children, it's been a long half term in difficult circumstances in school.

Sugarbaby well done on your creative writing. I would love to do something like that.

LL hope your Grandson arrives safely and soon! Exciting times for you all!

Feeling low, all my plans cancelled. I was due to go to Cumbria after school yesterday with my Sister and Brother but Hoseasons sent us email to change, or refund because we were coming from a tier 3 area. My Daughter,Son in law and Grandson were coming up too next week for a few days, she doesnt want to risk coming up because of restrictions and the high levels of the virus here.

Just feeling so fed up with it all

maman

It’s tough having all your plans cancelled sheila. We’re still in Tier 1 here but there’s this feeling of impending doom as if every time we do something socially it could be the last for a while.

Although I’ve not got round to posting, I have been reading along. So pleased you’re over your health scare Wednesday. Not long to wait for your DIL now LL. Poor woman being so short and so enormous. Maybe it’s a genetic thing but it doesn’t seem fair. I was tiny when pregnant despite being 5 ft 9ins. I’m another that envies your writing group sugarbaby. It really is good to mix with like minded people. Maybe that’s why we all get on so well on the thread.😊

 

I’ve had a busy week with 2 dancing classes and 2 meals out including a black tie event on Thursday evening. It was a bit odd having to sit on tables of 6 and not mix with anyone else even though we knew them  but it was better than nothing. Very pleasing was that I wore my Phase 8 black dress (CS bargain) from pre Covid and it fitted beautifully.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Very-Pretty-Lace-Party-Black-PHASE-EIGHT-Dress-knee-length-10/312839873760?hash=item48d6b5a4e0:g:nSkAAOSwcBZb1cFJ

 

I’m keeping up with fabbing. Thanks to the thread it’s become second nature. This week I wore foundation for the first time since last winter just to get some colour in my face. I mixed it with moisturiser to get a light, dewy cover and it did make a difference. I’ve also been taking care to make my eyes up as masks seem to draw attention. I’ve used eyebrow wax, mascara and a brow highlighter as I prefer that to eye shadow.

I’ve got a few appointments coming up this week- feet, teeth and eyebrows. My hair is OK for a week or two but I feel perhaps I should make an appointment in case hairdressers shut down again. When I’ve been out and about I have browsed for some long sleeved tops and a new duvet coat but not seen anything that’s any better than what I have.

 

It’s grey and blustery here. I’ve no plans to go anywhere today but will enjoy pottering about doing some batch cooking and listening to the radio. I’ve also become a convert to the BBC Sounds App which is like iPlayer for radio. There are some really good audio books and dramas on there which I’ve enjoyed, some classics and some more contemporary stuff. I do admire your thirst for knowledge and improvement LL and Wednesday but I think I’m more of an escapist. That’s when I’m not winding myself up listening to political news and comment  although sometimes the news from the US is like a comedy.🤣