A little pearl of wisdom…

…by the legendary Estee Lauder.

“Beauty is an attitude. There’s no secret. Why are all brides beautiful? Because on their wedding day they care about how they look. There are no ugly women – only women who don’t care or who don’t believe they’re attractive.”

 

And a few Lauderisms:

 

Create your own style
Don’t be afraid of the trial and error approach
When you’re angry, never put it in writing
You get more bees with honey
Keep your own image straight in your mind
Learn to say no
Divide and rule
Keep an eye on the competition
Acknowledge your mistakes
Act tough
Trust your instincts
Write things down
Break down barriers
Give credit where credit is due

 

 

 

Source: http://www.evancarmichael.com/Famous-Entrepreneurs/626/Estee-Lauder-Quotes.html

NOVEMBER goals

I can’t believe it’s November already! Where has this year gone? Before we know it, we’ll all be eating mince pies and opening glittery pressies under dazzling Christmas lights. I can’t wait!

But, until then… it’s that time of the month again. And this time (yes, as opposed to all the other half-hearted attempts), I’m actually going to REMEMBER that I’ve set  monthly goals and *really* try to stick to them.

So, here goes…

1. Swear less. Need I say more? All my close friends (and my boyfriend in particular) know that I’m incredibly foul-mouthed at the best of times, so this is really something I need to work on.

2. Eat breakfast EVERY morning. I’ve been feeling really drained and listless lately, and I decided that it could all be down to something as simple as my eating habits. I’m not a regular eater; in fact, most days I go the whole day without eating, with my first decent meal being dinner. Considering I have low iron, this is NOT good. For the past few days, I’ve been eating muesli with yoghurt at work each morning, and I plan on sticking to this.

3. Less coffee, more water.

4. Save AT LEAST R500 for my Christmas fund this month and next month. I’ve already bought my mom’s gift, half of my BFF’s pressie… all I need now is gifts for my man (it’s going to be an expensive one…EEK!), his mom, dad and sister, my brothers (that’s four brothers!) and my dad. Everyone else important in my life will just have to wait until I’m wealthy someday in the future.

5. Pay at least R200 extra into my credit card.  This baby needs to be paid off soon!

6. Stick to No Spend Tuesdays. (See http://cupcakesandchampers.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/no-spend-tuesdays/)

Now for some FUN goals…

* Make more time for reading. Considering I majored in English Literature and used to spend the majority of my time reading, it’s quite sad that I haven’t read a book in its entirety all year! This month, I strive to finish the book my fab friend, Dianne, bought me – The Mercy of Thin Air – and to get at least half way through The Original Beauty Bible (homework for my new job…more details later!)

* Do regular pampering sessions. Since it’s literally my job, I need to take more care of myself. That means exfoliating once a week, a weekly manicure and pedicure, daily all-over moisturising sessions, etc, etc.

* Go in search for ONE perfect item for my new wardrobe. I’ll need to look pampered and groomed 24/7 for my new job, so I’m allowing myself one wardrobe treat each month, on one condition – that it’s a really, really, REALLY good buy. I’m in search for the ideal LBD for work, a few glam accessories, one or two fabulous tops to go with my pencil skirt and a new handbag. I’ve set aside R500 each month, so if I spend less than R500 on one item, I can buy an extra piece, then put the rest into my credit card. Sounds like the perfect plan!

That’s all for now… what are your November goals?

October goals: revisited

1. Stick to my new ‘envelope’ budgeting system. So-so. Financially, I was way more savvy than I usually am during October, and at one point, it even looked like I’d have extra left over at the end of the month. But as soon as I figured out that I’d have extra left over, I went haywire and ended up with maybe R1 left over at the end of the month! *Sigh* Oh well. I’m getting better and better each month!

2. STOP swearing. Complete and utter FAIL! One day I’ll get this right.

3. Wake up at 7am every morning. So-so. I was actually much better at waking up early and getting to work on time this month, and things can only get better!

 

So, how did you guys fare on your October goals?

Lipbalm + Vodka = One Hot Combo

Not only do these gorgeous lipbalms looks absolutely delicious, they probably taste yummy too! Another Etsy find, Prick Teaser Lip Pleaser comes in caramel apple martini flavour and is made using only natural ingredients and one vital extra: SKYY Vodka.

The name worries me a bit, but at only $4 a pop, I’m considering ordering one (or three). I might just try my hand at making my own… anyone have any lipbalm recipes?

Source: ColdKickerLipSlicker

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30527965&ref=sc_3

Monday Blues?

When things are Really TOUGH and you feel like giving up, remember to breathe and:

Source: NLaytonPhotography

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31043999

Monday’s *WISH LIST*

Bloggers in the US are OBSESSED with Etsy – a fabulous little website where you can list your own on-line store and sell your home-made (or found) goodies to other net-addicts.

I just had a look at the site for the first time, and I really wish we had something similar in SA. Here are a few of my favourite finds…

This GORGEOUS Secret Garden Ring featuring a labradorite stone in the centre and the most beautiful engravings on the inside – this would look SO FAB with my freshly-painted dark nails. [By DownToTheWireDesigns]

This antique glass button blue and sterling cocktail ring [by Anne Holman] is also really pretty – perfect to dress up the otherwise dull combo of jeans and a black tee.

I’m on the lookout for a new handbag, and this Choe-style bag [by lovejanice] is perfect!

And I’m ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE with this stunning, whimsical Powdered Sugar Dress [by Sarah Seven]… this would look SO hot teamed with my Nine West killer heels, black nails and dramatic eye make-up. I WANT IT!

Go see for yourself – hours of browsing pleasure just waiting for you! www.etsy.com

On an entirely different note, it’s just started raining and I hope this continues… I can think of nothing better than a quiet night in, cuddling up in bed with my cats, watching Gossip Girl re-runs while eating left-over Spaghetti Bolognese (I made a killer, slow-cooked version for Sunday lunch yesterday… I cooked the sauce for over two and a half hours, and left it on low heat while we were having lunch. I stole my sexy Italian man’s killer recipe… I can’t get it quite as right as he does, but I think it’s pretty darn good for an Afrikaans meisie!)

What are your plans for this fabulous Monday eve?

No Spend Tuesdays

Ok, so it’s not Tuesday yet, but I’ve decided that from now on, Tuesdays will be NO SPEND TUESDAYS.

Yes, lovelies – that means that on every single Tuesday from now on, I won’t spend a single cent… not on coffee, lunch, chips from the vending machine, cat food, NOTHING!

And to celebrate the first ever No Spend Tuesday, this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will now be dubbed – No Spend Wednesday, No Spend Thursday and No Spend Friday.

All in all? A week of not spending.
My purse seems fatter already…

On a budget? Want to save more money? Feel free to join me for some moral support. Comment below to let me know that you’re in, and we’ll chart our progress together every No Spend Tuesday!