Again I have missed a week, so I’m playing catch up a little.
I have had a reasonable excuse, though I’ve been going through a hefty HR process with work for nearly two years and had my final meeting on Monday so I have spent the last few weeks focussing on non-sewing matters (and boy, oh boy – how I have missed this!). So please cross your fingers and toes for me.
Week 8: Hair, Make-Up & Beauty
Hair
As a bit of a coincidence I’d also had my hair cut that weekend, into a bob. I am currently in the process of growing out the red hair I’ve had for years now, mainly due to the fact that there’s a whole rainbow of colours out there and I have had a hankering to dye my hair royal blue for some time. Even through my hair grows very quickly this has still become a pain in the proverbial.
At the moment I’m styling out the two tone and covering my greys with a close to natural brown which eventually washes out and the red shows through (as a side note my husband constantly tells me to grow out the grey, I think he thinks I’ve got some kid of awesome Rouge streak going on, when in fact I’ve been salt and pepper since I was 22).
So off went a big chunk and here I am with a short bob and a side swept fringe, because I like to sport a beehive much of the time and I also like to pin curl it if I was a more glam style for an evening out.
I don’t know if it’s a mix of getting that little but older and not wanting to be all Susan Kennedy (neighbour’s fans from the 80s will know what I’m taking about) but long hair is not for me any longer. I had years of the cyclical grow it long, get frustrated, cut it short, wish I hadn’t, grow it long etc. I am happily settled with a bob now and since losing weight I think it suits me much more.
Make Up
I’m an everyday make up gal. On a rare Sunday I’ll be make-up free “to give my skin a break” or more like “I know I’m not leaving the house and all I want to do is slob about in my pjs, watch films and eat popcorn and chocolate” also referred to as PMT.
My weekday workface:
foundation, concealer, powder, blusher, eyebrow mascara, mascara.
Weekend day:
the same as the above with a winged/cat eye eyeliner going on.
Going out/special occasion:
the above plus eye-shadow, highlighting powder on the cheekbones and brow bones, lipstick (of course ensuring the rules of eyes or lips are already in place).
Being an English Rose I have found it very difficult to find a foundation that’s perfect for me, but after years of finding things too dark I found Maybelline 24H Super Stay in Light Beige and it made me so ridiculously happy I could have cried, and we have been firm friends ever since. I stick with No7 translucent pressed power and No7 classic concealer (which they have stopped doing now, so I’m going to have to so in store and do their match made thing, has anyone done this?).
As far as colours go with eye-shadow, I love them ALL. Nothing puts me off and I’ll try anything, I particularly like deep red and purple shades at the moment. With lipstick I’m not so adventurous, I still with reds usually but recently my make-up artist friend did me up for a shoot and she put an orangey tone on my lips and I loved it so I am trying to think outside the box a little.
Beauty
I have become a Lush addict. I don’t have much beauty stuff that isn’t from Lush.
I usually have on the go in a month:
- Soap for my body and face (I alternate which one I use each time but I love Honey I Washed the Kids)
- Buffy bar and a sugar scrub
- A bath bomb and a bubble bar
- A couple of toner tabs
- A fresh face mask
- Body Lotion (Sympathy for the Skin currently – smells like banana custard)
The reason I decided to buy most of my beauty products from Lush is because I agree with their values and I have been really off put by rubbing anything massively chemically into my skin (and now approaching my mid-30s I really think it’s important to nourish it as much as possible with goodness). They may be a little more expensive than other products out there but I really do think you’re paying for quality.
While my regime in the morning is quick (shower, soap, body lotion) once a week I’ll run a hot bath add a bomb or bubble bar, whack a face mask on and stick some sci-fi on the laptop to watch while I relax. I think it’s very important to have a little time for yourself, especially if, like me, you’re super busy at work and can’t sit still when you’re at home.
Week 9: The Capsule Wardrobe
Can I make all of the things? Stick with all of the silhouettes I created in earlier weeks?
I have a plan with sewing for Vegas where am promising myself that I will make things that can be mixed and matched, especially for day wear. Does this count as a holiday capsule wardrobe?
Maybe I can’t focus on anything past Vegas at the moment (which I’m not complaining about at all, honest!).
Taking into consideration my previous silhouettes, I think setting myself goals on a few core items to make (when I get back from Vegas) might be the best idea, so on that note:
- A line skirts; with maybe a large box pleat at the front on one
- Shirts; I really like how my green shirt turned out and I can make it with or without the sleeves which would be perfect for all season wear
- Pair of black trousers
- Tailored jackets
- A couple of knee length dresses
- I may even get the knitting machine out and make a couple of jumpers or cardigans that I can mix or match.
I think the colour issue will be interesting as I tend to go for strong block colours, so we’ll see where this leads, I must remember to take the mix and match into consideration and not get carried away! I am certainly going to spend some time riffling through my pattern boxes this weekend and seeing what I can dig up that fits in.
Stacey Stitch 