Southern Yacht: Asda

Sunday, 11 November 2018

Supermarket sweep - the jumper edition

Is there anything more tempting than those hidden clothing sections in the supermarkets? Especially when you're trying to count pennies before Christmas. Surely a couple of jumpers popped into the trolley along with the Quality Sweet isn't going to break the bank - is it?

Disclaimer - yes it can! But as long as you shop wisely and remember budgets, there are some gems to be found in our supermarkets. Here's a couple of jumpers I picked up recently at Tesco and Asda.

This first striped number is from George at Asda. I picked my normal size 20/22 and there's plenty of room so maybe size down if you want it more fitted.

The second jumper is from F&F at Tesco. I have a bit of a love/hate thing with F&F clothing. I don't always think they're that cheap for supermarket clothing, their sizing is a bit hit and miss and you can't order their clothing online anymore. But even after all that, this was a love at first sight jumper.

I'm wearing a 22 here and I think it's pretty true to size. Both jumpers are soft and snuggly and very comfortable - which at the end of the day is pretty much my number one priority!

Can I also mention my coat? This was also a purchase from George at Asda and is nearly 5 years old. There's so much 'fast fashion' around nowadays (and as a blogger I know there are times when we add to the problem with monthly hauls, purchases etc). It still fits, makes me feel good so why replace it? Even if it is tempting to buy a new coat every season, anything we can do to re-use and recycle has to be good for the environment and our purses.

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx

Jumping into Winter

Hello there,

I'm not quite sure where I am with the weather at the moment - it got cold - I bought a few new jumpers and hats - now it's warm again. Grr!

Anyway, despite the unseasonably warm weather, I have a new selection of knitwear to show you. Which is just as well really as I got a bit too enthusiastic sorting out clothes for charity and gave away loads - does anyone else do that?

First up hats. I have a problem with hats - I love them. I seem to have hats in every colour and shape. These ones are all from Primark and at £2 - £3.50 each, it doesn't feel like too much of a bad obsession....

Then the jumpers, first up is a daisy print one from George at Asda. Not especially seasonal but oh so comfy! It's quite lightweight so will be a good one for early Spring wear as well.

The next jumper - I have to admit was bought months ago in the Marks & Spencer sale. I had almost forgotten about it. Very warm - but a bit awkward when eating (those cuffs!).

I love stars, I seem to have a ridiculous amount of tops with stars on, so why not get one more? This one is from Simply Be.

Finally in the this mega jumper haul, two goodies from Primark. I saw this jumper in grey first and then a few weeks later in a plum colour. It seemed a shame not to have both.

There you have it, new jumpers for Winter.

And remember - everything looks better with a hat on!

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx

What I wore in August

Hello there,

I might have mentioned this before, but I am really forgetful when it comes to taking OOTD piccies. I wear something that makes me feel fab, then get to the end of the day and think 'photo!'. By which time I'm looking pretty knackered and my in-house photographer (ie the other half) has gone on strike.

So I'm trying something a bit different this time - a round up of outfits from the last month all in one post. To be honest, as I work from home, a lot of what I wear is pretty much the same (gotta love jeans and a t-shirt) so this is hopefully the best way to get some outfit pics on the blog! I'll add details such as sizes because for me personally, I love seeing that on other blogs. It really helps me get an idea of what's available and what could work for me.

Sleeveless cardigan - George at Asda (18)

Striped top - Primark (20)

Denim skirt - M&S,old (22)

Shoes - Primark, old

Bag & sunglasses - charity shop

Mickey t-shirt - Primark, old (20)

Sleeveless cardigan - George at Asda (18)

Jeans - M&S (22)

Shoes - Primark, old

Vest top - M&S (20)

Jeans - M&S (22)

Kimono - charity shop

Shoes - M&S, old

Necklace - Evans

Top - Evans (22)

Jeans - M&S (22)

Shoes - M&S

Unicorn phone case - Ebay

Top - M&S outlet (20)

Denim skirt - M&S, old (22)

Shoes - Primark, old

Necklace - birthday gift (possibly M&S?)

T-shirt - Primark (20)

Kimono - Dorothy Perkins (XL)

Jeans - M&S (22)

Shoes - Primark, old

Bag - charity shop

Sunglasses - Claire's Accessories

Bucket - Brightlingsea's best!

T-shirt - Primark (20)

Skirt - TU @ Sainsburys, old (22)
Shoes - Primark, old
Sunglasses - a magazine freebie

So there you have it, some of the outfits I wore in August. The plan is to try to keep this going as a monthly round-up - it seems to be less stressful than that 'arghh' moment at the end of the day when you remember you've not taken a single photo....

Thanks for reading

Cathy

Empties post - January & February

Hello there,

I wasn't sure about doing this as I didn't think I'd have enough to talk about. But I know I love reading these sort of posts and for me personally it gives me ideas of new products to buy and if I'm undecided about something, it can often be the tipping point on whether I buy it or not. So I collected empties for a few weeks, and here we are!

(and yes - I meant to post this earlier but the dreaded lurgy put pay to that!)

First up - and the type of product I get through the most - conditioners and shampoos.

Herbal Essenses - Hello Hydration conditioner

There's going to be a bit theme in this post, so I might as well start with it straight away - I really didn't like the smell of this at all. It wasn't a bad product at all and made my hair feel soft, but it wasn't enough of a 'wow' to make me buy it again.

Garnier Ultimate Blends conditioner - strength restorer

This was an ok product, but just that - ok and nothing more. Alarmingly, it made my hair really fluffy, which sounds nice but isn't always the look you're going for and it's not something I'd be buying again. On the plus side though, it smelt lovely.

Aussie Friss Miracle conditioner

This was a huge disappointment for me - not only was the smell overpowering (am I the only one who doesn't like the smell of Aussie Hair products?) but it really didn't help with frizz control at all. I was finding a cheap basic conditioner was doing a better job of keeping the frizz under control.

Aussie Repair Miracle conditioner

I bought this the same time as the Frizz Miracle conditioner as there was a 2 for £7 offer in Tesco. For me, this was just an ok product and seemed better at controlling frizz than the proper frizz conditioner. At the moment, I'm thinking I wouldn't buy these conditioners again, but I just know in another 6 months or so, there'll be a special offer on and I'll be sucked in again. I still have a couple of Aussie products which I'm using with more success (3 Minute Miracle conditioner and Miracle Hair Insurance) so I'll review those on here soon.

Dove Purely Pampering body wash

I think this is the first ever Dove product I've never finished - again due the smell. I like vanilla but this was just too overpowering. On the plus side, it didn't leave my skin dry after showering.

Colgate Max White One toothpaste

This is seriously the best ever whitening toothpaste I've ever used. It gives instant results so it's not something I use regularly but instead I save it for special occasions. As it's not cheap, it does mean it lasts a lot longer. The paste itself is a grey/blue colour but don't be put off by that - it really works!

Body Shop Peppermint Reviving Leg Gel

I was in two minds whether to buy this or not as peppermint is a smell I really hate. But I'd heard so many good things about this, I took the plunge when I had a voucher code for Body Shop. Yes, it's a really really strong smell which many people will love (I had to hold my breath!) but it's amazing at reducing puffy ankles and feet, due in part to the horse chestnut that's in here. I was suffering from occasional swelling after my ankle op last year so I used this - and it worked. So much so, I even have another bottle for those bad days.

Superdrug Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser

I had heard this was a dupe for the Liz Earle range, so when it was reduced I bought a bottle. Now I have fairly dry skin and I'm in my late forties, so I wasn't sure this would be good match for me. Oh my goodness - I have to say - this is the best face wash I have ever used. I realised the other day that since using this regularly, I've had no major breakouts and I feel sure my skin looks healthier (even if I don't always feel it inside!). I've combined it with the Superdrug Brightening Moisturiser and I feel as if it's the healthiest my skin has felt for years.

NSPA Grapefruit shower and bath gel

The NSPA range (as far as I know) is exclusive to Asda. This grapefruit shower gel smelt heavenly and really helped wake me up in the morning, there's something about grapefruits that always reminds me of holidays. I haven't seen this scent for sale for a while though so I'm hoping it's not discontinued. At the moment I'm using the apple scent which is equally gorgeous.

So that's my empties for the last two months, far more than I expected. I'll try to keep collecting the empties and do another post in a couple of months.

Thanks for reading

Cathy

A day out in The Wallops

Hello there,

Now, chances are unless you live in or know Hampshire, you're probably wondering what on earth The Wallops are.

The Wallops are a group of villages in Hampshire - Middle Wallop, Over Wallop and Nether Wallop. Middle Wallop is home to a British Army Base which houses The Museum of Army Flying.

Now I appreciate this isn't everyone's idea of an exciting day out, but both my hobbies and work deal with military history and aviation so when I saw a 2 for 1 offer on Groupon, it seemed too good an offer to miss.

On the day we went, the weather was glorious, a real crisp sunny winters day. But even if it was wet, it would be an ideal place to visit as most of it is indoors.

They certainly pack a lot in! And for kids (or should I say me) there was plenty of exhibitions where you poke, prod and pull stuff. I love being hands on in a museum and it's such a good way to keep children engaged. They even let you climb on some of the exhibits...

The Groupon voucher we'd bought also included a hot drink and a cake. All the cakes were homemade - and very yummy... and no, these aren't both mine...honest....

The site is a working army base, so from the cafe you can watch planes and helicopters taking off and landing. For a plane spotter, it would be easy to spend a whole day here with an endless supply of cake and tea to hand.

And to finish the day - the obligatory pose in front of a tank shot

As it was chilly day and I knew I'd be clambering around, I opted for a casual look. Jumper is from Evans (22/24), jeans from Marks and Spencer (22, old), coat from George at Asda (22) and boots are from Primark. I've mentioned these boots before, but my goodness! These are the comfiest and warmest footwear I own at the moment - best purchase ever from Primark,

I love days out like this and anything to do with history, esp military really interests me. I would definitely recommend keeping an eye out on any Groupon or similar type offers (this post isn't sponsored by any of them btw). There's a few more museums and days out I have my eye on which helps with my 16 for 16 goal of finding new places to visit.

Thanks for reading and hopefully I might have given a few of you some ideas for a day out.

Cathy
xx

Blogmas 18-20 - Christmas jumper day, a Triangle Christmas and mince pies

Hello there,

It's been a bit of an odd Friday and weekend. One of those weekends where you run around like a headless chicken and then end up wondering what you actually did - you know the ones I mean? So I've decided to round it all up into one Blogmas post.

Friday 18th was apparently Christmas Jumper Day. As I've been wearing them since the beginning of the month (maybe November too - shush!) it wasn't a hard task.

I bought this top from Next (size 22). Foxes seem to be everywhere at the moment and with the red sequin bow and beautiful bottle green colour, I was sold. It's still available on the Next website for £16 but I reckon it will be in the sale soon if any are left.

With so many stores starting their sales early, I found a few more tree decorations to go on the (already overloaded) tree.

Cute Santa's key from Asda

Garden gnomes from Sainsburys (yes - I also have a frog ornament too)

These were all half price and less. It really does pay to hang on until the last possible moment if you need any new decorations.

Saturday - the plan to was go to the local Christmas Fair near to where I live. It's an intersection of three roads and is known locally as the Triangle. I say plan, I did go, but failed spectacularly in taking any photos. There were carol singers, farm animals, snow machines and even Father Christmas himself made an appearance in the grotto. So as I didn't take any pictures, here's a great link to a short video of the day from the local community news site for Bitterne Park

The rest of the weekend was pretty chilled - the first mice pies of the season were made,

Bit wobbly, but very yummy.

The Sephora Advent calendar kept up its tradition of good surprises and a few oddities. The treats this weekend were an eyeliner (yay), travel eye makeup remover wipes (yay) and another patterned tape.