Alternative Title : If all else fails, I’ve still got my Nails.
It’s time for me to complete another of Lottie’s challenges for her fabulous Finishing School. (It’s never too late to join up). This time N is for Nails! Lottie set the following challenge.
Make time to give yourself a manicure and pedicure. At the very least tidy your nails and the nail bed and add a clear coat of polish, even complete novices with no nail care skills can manage this. If you need help don’t forget there are lots of great tutorials on You Tube to help you through. Alternatively, finally get round to booking an appointment in the local nail bar.
This is something I have been doing on a fairly regular basis lately. And Grace is painting her nails too. OK so it’s a different color every day… despite it not being part of school uniform!… but it’s a girl thing so I’m not going to begrudge her.
Here is a pic of one of her colors I tried a little while back. It’s actually sapphire and you can see the hints of blue in real life. Grace neglected to tell me what a bugger it was to remove though. I may try to find a bottle similar to this in a better quality.
Lately I have been sticking to the more serviceable clear polish, using color on “special occasions”. I do really like this one though. So different from my beige and brown.
It’s time for me to complete another of Lottie’s challenges for her fabulous Finishing School. (It’s never too late to join up). This week M is for Moisturise! The challenge is to moisturise my face every morning and night. This isn’t too hard as it’s something I do anyway (most of the time).
However, over the last couple of weeks I’ve been thinking long and hard about the moisturiser I have been using. I don’t believe in spending a gazillion dollars on facial products. I believe you can get just a good a result in some of the cheaper brands. But where are all of these products made and under what conditions? What testing, if any, do they do on animals? Who owns these companies?
I found that the iPhone has an app that can help (naturally). It’s called Shop Ethical!. The moisturiser I was using did not score well, in fact it had a bid red X.
So I went shopping for a new one (as I needed a new one anyway) and found Natio. Not only was it easily available in my local chemist, cheap (under $20), had the big green tick of approval from the Shop Ethical! app, but it’s also lovely to put on. It’s so nice I want to use it more than just morning and night (but I don’t).
As you apply it there is the beautiful aromatherapy scent of ylang ylang, orange and lavender that instantly calms you just for those moments it’s absorbed into your skin. And mine is SPF15 which I really need for my fair complexion. I loved it so much I went back and bought their hand cream too.
By the way, this is not a sponsored post, I just love it.
There are a few things I’ve let slip lately, especially after that episode. I’m slowly getting my blog mojo back…. the upcoming Nuffnang Blogopolis Conference in Melbourne this weekend has certainly got me excited about blogging again.
Something else I’ve let slip is my Finishing School classes which I realize was a HUGE mistake (Lottie will be so disappointed in me). These classes gave me the confidence I hadn’t felt in years. As I haven’t been playing lately my confidence has plummeted. You can find me working in my PJ’s on most days, and heaven help me if the doorbell rings (like it did just then!). I am ashamed. Since I’ve got to leave the house soon I thought it’s time to get back into it. I’m going to review my posts from A-K to remind me how good I can feel and start putting these back into practice again. And as I haven’t looked at Finishing School for months I have a bit of catching up to do! So, for today, here is the letter L.
The challenge set by Lottie is to give a little thought to being ladylike.
Hmmmm ladylike. Me? I think not. This prompt reminded me of a photo my mother took of me when I was a kid. I was tired after a long day at school and fell asleep in the chair in a rather unladylike pose. She even wrote “very ladylike” as the comment in the photo album. So in a self fulfilling prophecy kind of way I guess ladylike is one thing I’m not.
Oh I know how to put on the appearance of being “all proper like” when I’m around such company. I guess it’s one of the advantages of being shy. You can suss out the situation and adjust accordingly. The only problem is, that can all quickly go out the window after one too many. I went to a party last year with VIPP’s – very important posh people. I think it was nerves, (also I think my drink was spiked…that’s another tale) and I did have a couple of wines. At the beginning I was trying to put on the airs and graces, engaging in polite conversation. By the end of the night I was being called a bogan. This I found to be both humiliating and insulting (even though I admit there is a bit of bogan in me… and everyone else too!). So yes, being a lady can definitely get you more respect.
My language is one thing I always have to work hard at controlling when I’m around company. I am myself around Hub’s family but I do not swear in front of them. This is from a lesson I learned very early on when I accidentally let slip the F word when I saw a spider and was caught out by my MIL. She was not happy. I learned my lesson. Do not swear in front of her.
My posture is another area that is lacking in the being ladylike department. When I’m wearing heels I do walk a little taller (after all, I’m only 5 foot ) but I am definitely a sloucher when I sit….. at least I no longer sit as I did in that photo!
So all that practice I did as a child walking up and down the hall with a book on my head and saying “How now brown cow” hasn’t really paid off has it. The following scene, from one of my all time favorite movies, may also pose a question… which is more fun?
Be sure to check out Lottie’s blog for all the Finishing School details and for some fabulous vintage fashion ideas.
Lately I have been sticking to the more serviceable clear polish, using color on “special occasions”. I do really like this one though. So different from my beige and brown.
) but I am definitely a sloucher when I sit….. at least I no longer sit as I did in that photo!
