Easter renovators! Come one, come all

[HelgatheHairy]

After the brilliant success of our Christmas Countdown Princessing thread I'm starting a new thread to take us to Easter. From 1st Jan it's 108 days so there will be a countdown to this days.

This idea stems from the original princessing threads but has evolved to accommodate all aspects of beautifying, beauty, clothes, diet, exercise etc.

What we like to do is a list of what your planning on doing and working through it.

Links to follow.

ta da
up at 6am (ell, ten past anyway!)
Shredded
Morning routine done
Nice work clothes chosen

to do
makeup
earrings and necklace
perfume

Going to try and increase my water intake today. I was so busy at work yesterday I didn't have time to go to the machine.

Measured DP's waist yesterday for the first time in about 6 months - he's down from 56 inches to 48, and now fits into his 44inch trousers. Result!

52 DAYS TO GO

Went for a walk last night and about to go for one shortly!

Had a Tesco beauty isle moment today. Went for some aspirin for a facemask. I am going to try it, mixed with DD's manuka honey when DH isn't paying attention. Sounds weird though, but I don't know any dermato people to ask. However, I have booked a dermato appointment (private) for my 3 day break, as it happens there's a clinic round the corner from my hotel.

I also bought some face masks, shampoo, some tinted olay cream, more sudocrem and some make up remover cotton pads, new toothbrush, stuff like that.

Off to do my aspirin face cream, will report back.

ta da
Up at 6am
Shredded
Clothes sorted for work
Morning routine done
Started drinking water

to do
Hair
Necklace and earrings
Makeup

Ladies, I have started a longterm countdown of my own - I have 547 days until I am getting married!

Oooh!!! Congratulations Control How exciting!

Not much to report here, basic routines all in place but no exercise barring walking everywhere.

Dilidali I need a beauty aisle moment next week (we should be back on track with money by then)..need to top up on decent shampoo/conditioner/deep conditioner/new pumice stone for feet. And a few little extras of some sort.

Helga how is little dog doing?

Polly are you getting back into the swing of walking now?

Well, day four of half term. So far we haven't done much of anything. We had the dressing up box and face paints out yesterday - dd2 still has a green chin from being a witch . Dd1's Black Beauty costume for World Book Day is sort of half done...could do with a tail from somewhere and am kicking myself for not buying black hairspray from one of the poundshops at Halloween. Think we'll go for a walk today if it doesn't rain again & maybe visit dp's mum for an hour. Might make some salt dough too since we haven't got round to it yet.

Right, off to sort breakfast and get the washer on. Have a good day ladies

51 DAYS TO GO

It's been a miserable day today, lots of rain so it was horrid driving. There were a few sunny intervals, so it could have been worse.

Wished I hadn't bothered styling my hair this morning as I got somewhat damp getting fuel on the way to work, wet getting from the car to the office, yet again when I had to go out to a meeting and yet again from the car to the meeting venue.

We managed a walk again tonight so general exercise is improving. Just need to keep it up and introduce other activity.

Congratulations Control; very exciting!

Congratulations Control lovely news.

Not done an awful lot this week as right on the back of school hols have had 2 DCs off sick and am now down to 1 DC sick, so that's another week gone by and not a pot washed or a baby bathed as the saying goes. But in fairness, have been too ill myself to be unduly worried, am only just starting to feel better myself. So am aiming to be back on track next week, when hopefully everything will be back to normal again.

Hope you are all well, ladies, will check in again tomorrow.

control, massive congratulations!

Hello every one, and good morning!

Today I start a month long intensive care of my feet. Apart from last year, when we had 2 degrees, I've always started wearing flipflops in April. It's normally such a beautiful month, all greener than green and flowers and sun and snow sometimes haha!
So, the plan is to have salt baths, scrub, file and smother in cream. Pedicure weekly as opposed to every 2-3 weeks. I'll only put a bit of clear nail varnish on, push cuticles back, the whole hog.
I must book a haircut for the end of March, got some events at school, mothering Sunday etc.

I need to clean my silver jewellery, I had a pot of something that got lost in the move last year, must look for something else. DD has been pestering for ear piercing and has been busily choosing earrings from my box she is 'looking forward to wear'. Don't think so, lovey, her Dad will have a coronary and MIL will kill me if I say yes. Think she needs to wait a few more years.
Looks beautiful here today, enjoy, it's Friday!

50 DAYS TO GO

49 DAYS TO GO
Happy St David's Day!

style, you're so good keeping the count, thank you!
I started operation feet today :)

I am still terribly excited about my trip, been looking up city break capsule wardrobes on the net. I am challenging myself to 6 pieces, because I hate carrying weight. One of them must be a dress that I can dress up or down. One pair of linen trousers? Maybe. And my navy blazer? And my black skirt. And a cashmere jumper. I am not counting shoes or accessories in those 6 pieces. Or underwear.
I have also eyed a lovely necklace on the Pilgrim site.
I don't intend to do a lot of walking, that's what cabs are for. But I'll take my converses, I am cold on the plane. I could forget the trousers and just pack my cashmere leggings.
I don't know! It's so hard to choose!!!!aaarrgggghhh!

Thank you Dili just wish my princess progress was matching it - still tomorrow's another day, as they say!

Am now feeling better, although still got cough so maybe will be up to starting some gentle exercise soon, but aiming to get back to the princessing next week as am hoping that everyone manages to make it a full week at school - the half term week turned into a two week break, but not a lot of fun when ill!

Your trip sounds fab - I would struggle with restricting myself to just 6 pieces as I am a 'just in case' packer and would rather take the maximum I could get away with rather than the minimum. Sounds like you need to get out all the clothes that are a possibility and lay them out on the bed and then mix and match until you find a combination of items that suits. Even with my excess packing tendancies, I always do that - and try things on to make sure that they still fit comfortably and that they don't need any repairs or else they end up just coming along for the ride! So if you are only intending to take a few things, each one has to really earn its place as there is no room for error - unless you are looking to buy some new clothing whilst there?

hope everyone else well and back on track as time is ticking away - not long to go now (I have a feeling there will need to be another challenge for me, starting after Easter )..

Yes, I could buy there, got plenty of friends who's wardrobes I can shamelessly raid and I can just go and buy some shoes, but, not sure those clothes would be me iyswim, I'm not an impulse buyer and I need to look put together and self sufficient.
Laying it all on the bed is dangerous , ooooh, I'll just take this one, just in case etc. :) dangerous, I'm telling you!

48 DAYS TO GO

Dili might be a good way to try some new 'looks' if you can borrow clothing from friends, can sometimes find that what you didn't really think was 'you' in terms of a colour or a style can actually be incorporated into your wardrobe and does suit you. At least doing it that way doesn't involve any financial commitment, just a sense of adventure!! If friends are stylish and you trust their judgement, would be interesting to see which items they would pick out for you as they know you and your usual style well.

On reading your post re: laying everything out on the bed - maybe that is where I am going wrong!!! As you say, gives you the opportunity to add rather than subtract from the packing - and I need no encouragement to do just that.

Morning!
style, I made a list with what I am going to do each day (obviously with leeway) and I picturing myself in each of those circumstances. It's not about being someone else for the day, I still want to be me, but: not smelling of BO, cold or hot or with blistered feet. I am such a control freak. Bet you I won't even care when I am there.

My girlfriends are all designer and a bit bling tbh. Very high heel. They look amazing and it suits them, I'd feel what a Christmas tree decorated by a child must feel like. I would rather wear a tesco tshirt than something with chanel or LV logo, I can dress up a plain tshirt, can't dress down bling. A good few years ago, when I was a very very new mum, a few of them took me to London for a complete wardrobe overhaul. It was great fun. They chose a really quirky piece of costume jewellery I have been wearing ever since. But clothes wise they agreed I've got my own style and kept coming with stuff I've always worn. Just in a much bigger size .

I hope you manage to sort out what you require Dilidali. O know what you mean about inappropriate clothing and having to end up wearing the same thing for the bulk of the trip as you've not quite got it right. It sounds like layers may be the way forward, notwithstanding the space you have.

I've still not really cracked this exercise lark fully and the lack of dog walking is now starting to show in terms of putting weight on. If I'm not carefull i will tip over into the next stone, where I've never been before in my life except when pregnant. Which is a sobering thought!

In a reflective state of mind tonight, ladies, as we are now just past the half way point, I was reviewing my progress and there is some good, some bad and some out of my control. Exercise has been pretty much a disaster due to illness and injury, so will need to pick up on that and really kick start my weight loss programme too as I find the two definitely go hand-in-hand.

So far as princessing goes - on the whole good, as am definitely seeing an improvement in my grooming and dress sense as any additional time spent on either is a plus, but it still needs some work.

I am realising that getting older means that it is more effort to maintain the basics that were previously taken for granted - feel a bit like the proverbial swan where on the surface of the water, it looks serene and effortless, but below it is paddling madly!! Youth is definitely wasted on the young!!! In fairness though, some of it is also the time factor because when you don't have a home and family and work to juggle, you can catch up on sleep at the weekend if you need to, you can go and do whichever exercise classes you want because you don't have to find a babysitter nor does it clash with any clubs that the kids do. You can be ill and just look after yourself without having to drag yourself out on the school run for one and look after the other ill ones at home and so life moves on and we girls adapt and juggle but sometimes at our own expense ....... I am learning that I also have to start making time for me too, not just support everyone else.

So, for those that have stayed the course so far (and for the MNers who joined later) - how do you feel you have done and have you learnt any life lessons from this current challenge?

Oh, style are we really half way through already???!!!

As you say, it's a lot more effort the older we get, but it's more than looking pretty, it's looking after ourselves after years of putting others first, isn't it? To just slow down and take stock and rediscover 'me time'

I'm enjoying it, definitely. I haven't lost an ounce, despite doing 5:2, going to classes, swimming, long walks every weekend etc. i think I need to shred. I'm recovering from an injury and I need to wait a bit. God, I hate cardio workouts. But I'll do it, I saw myself in the changing room mirror in a shop today.... Christ!

So far the routine seems to work and I keep at it, I'm really pleased with my 33 items wardrobe, seems to work.

One thing I haven't really done is to go to bed early and moisturise my hands more often :(

But all in all, it's good. It helped keep an eye on things, ad opposed to leave it till it's gone beyond the joke.

polly, nowhere near, I am still tossing and turning :)
But I bought today a pair of sandals that are amazing quality and would work with day and evening wear. Plus, they are light, take hardly any space, so footwear is sorted.

We're just back from camping by the sea.

As you can imagine my hair is a right state, but thanks to the sand and salt water 'facials' I won't need to exfoliate for a while

I'm also covered in bites again so defuzzing will have to take a break for a few days.

47 DAYS TO GO

Good morning ladies

I'm struggling to throw off yesterday's absolute grump so going to immerse myself in a thorough clean of the girls bedroom and sort the kitchen today in the hopes it'll give me some motivation.

I did get up half an hour before everyone else though and get myself sorted in peace so that's good!

Sorry for not staying to name-check, if I don't get my bum in gear I think I'd end up just sitting here whiling away the morning on MN

Have a good Monday everyone