A bit of a milestone: 300 posts!

Today feels right to just sit down and have a bit of a chat because that's not something I've really done in quite a long time. It's been a gloomy, windy and rainy day here so I've been sat with a mug of hot chocolate and my cosiest pair of slippers! I know I've not been as present in the blogging community lately which I can only apologise for and I wish I could devote more time to reading other blogs and most importantly commenting on other blogs. When I first started Sailboat I had just dropped out of University and was struggling to find a job in the height of a recession. I had a lot of time on my hands and I was so eager to do something productive and not just fall into a life of daytime telly and junk food.

Since relocating to a different county, finding a part time job & starting an English degree with The Open University I've had less spare time to spend in blogger land. I miss it, I really do miss it so much and hopefully with better planning of my time I'll be able to devote more time to it again. I've set myself a little goal of commenting on every single blog post I read, I've not quite managed it just yet, but I'm getting a lot better. So I apologise for being a bit absent and not being such a regular contributor to the community, I hope you understand & you haven't all forgotten me just yet.

Some of you may know that I recently started making YouTube videos and I've been wanting to improve the quality of my videos over the last week. I invested in a new camcorder but it just doesn't give me the results I had hoped that it would so I've decided to return it and invest in a new DSLR. When I was at University I studied photography and it's probably the one thing that I'm good at. I believe that everyone has at least one talent, one ability that just comes naturally, sometimes it's hard to find what that one thing is but photography is mine and I'm kicking myself for just giving up on it. My current DSLR, a Nikon D50, is something I've had for many years and it's getting to the stage where it's unable to achieve the results that I'd like it to. I'm looking at a couple of different options at the moment but mostly the Canon 550D and the Canon 600D. Now I am a Nikon girl at heart, they just feel better in my hands than a Canon does however my boyfriend already has a Canon 50mm 1.8 lens so it seems silly not to take advantage of that. Do you have a DSLR, if so which one do you have?

I also wanted to take the time today to say a huge thank you to anyone that has purchased an item from my little online jewellery store; Sailboat, Ahoy! I'm so happy with how things are going and I'm so grateful to every single one of you that has sent well wishes and good luck. I just popped up two new necklaces that I'm incredibly proud of. They're simple but cute and a good reflection of the things that I really love right now.

Lastly I'd just like to say thank you for all the support over the last couple of years. Sailboat wouldn't be what it is today without every single one of you and I honestly can't express how happy you've made me. I'm working on a 2000 reader giveaway that should be up really soon, and although I'm not quite at 2000 just yet, I'm hoping to get there before Christmas! I can't believe this is my 300th post, it felt right to just make it into a little chat post since it's quite a milestone and I'm beyond proud!

Thank you so much for sticking with me. I appreciate it more than you could ever possibly know! 

With Love, 

Jennie May & Ralphie! 

xoxo

Monday Lust List 013.

1. How perfect is this White Bunny Rabbit Necklace from Love Hearts & Crosses? I think she's absolutely adorable from her cute whiskers to her pretty pink bow. I love her so much!

2. I've got quite a few MAC blushers on my wishlist at the moment but top of the pile has to be Ladyblush Cremeblend Blush! It looks like the perfect neutral cream blusher that would go with any make up look and I really love the formulation of this range!

3. As I keep saying, Matalan have some absolutely stunning pieces in this season which I wasn't expecting but I am absolutely loving it! The Be Beau Angel Sleeve Lace Dress is a new addition to the website and I am in love with it! I'm still completely in love with lace and the sleeves on this dress are just stunning!

4. Laurenella tweeted me a link to this Anchor Tank from Topshop and I think it's amazing for obvious reasons! I would make a sneaky online purchase but sadly it's only available in a size 8 online and I am far from a size 8. I think I would feel a little strange walking around in a top that's pretty much identical to my most used online background but a part of me would love it too!

5 & 6. I've been lusting over the YSL Rouge Volupte & Volupte Sheer Candy lipsticks for absolutely ages, I think ever since I first saw someone talking about them on YouTube. The packaging is undeniably gorgeous and I'd feel extra special pulling one of these out of my make up bag to touch up with during the day! I have no idea which colour I'd pick if I were to get one, I imagine it would take me hours to choose because they're all bloomin' beautiful!

7. Meet Peaches the Poodle! I love her, I think I'd have to change her name from Peaches though, and I know she's for children but I don't care! I love poodles!

8. Last but definitely not least, I just had to mention Herbert the Hedgehog from Temporary:Secretary again because even though I've included him before he wasn't available then. He is on the website now & I know a lot of you really loved him when I talked about him before so if you want to give a Herbert a home, now's the time to go and snap him up!

What are you lusting over at the moment?
xoxo

November GlossyBox.

This month the November GlossyBox♦ was delivered by my postman at the most perfect time. I've just caught yet another cold, (seriously, if there's an illness going around I'll end up catching it - what's up with that immune system?!) and this month's contents have been perfect for giving myself a little pamper session which has been a much needed pick me up!

The star product for me is the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, it's something I've wanted to try for a little while and I wasn't disappointed! The Dead Sea Spa Magik bath salts are lovely and left my skin feeling amazing which is always good when you're feeling less than your best. The Arbonne FC5 Ultra Hydrating Hand Creme is another lovely product, I'm always on the look out for a nice hand cream now that my hands seem to get so grubby and horrible at work!

The perfume samples aren't my thing at all, I stand by my previous comments about perfume samples and I really don't think I'll ever like receiving them. I'm extremely picky when it comes to scents, I have two that I absolutely love and nothing else ever seems to come close to those. The Nail Rock nail wraps are an interesting addition, I've not tried them yet but I think I'll pop them on my toes this weekend. I'm never usually very good at applying things like this but I'll give it a go!

Do you subscribe to GlossyBox? What did you think of the November box?
xoxo

What I Wore: Date Night.

It had been way too long since my boyfriend and I both had an evening off work together so we decided to make the most of it last night and go out for dinner! We had super yummy yorkshire puddings, veggies & gravy and we left our local pub extra happy and with very full tummies! It wasn't really a dressing up sort of occasion but I decided to make a little extra effort anyway, just because! I'm a serial over-dresser anyway, the only places I ever look super 'meh' is at work because my uniform sucks & when I'm having duvet days at home! 

Vest Top: Primark.

Cardigan: H&M.

Skirt: Primark. 

Tights: Matalan. 

Shoes: Very.co.uk
Ring: Scape Jewellery.

Necklace: Sailboat, Ahoy!

Bracelet: Sailboat, Ahoy!

This skirt is from good ol' Primarni absolutely yonks ago & I hardly ever wear it because although I absolutely adore it, it's not the most flattering piece of clothing for my hips! I decided to pair it with an all black outfit and I actually really quite liked the way it looked. Granted it's still not super flattering but I liked it and that's all that matters!  I've had all of these items for a little while so I'm really sorry that I haven't been able to find direct links for them all! The cardigan is one of my favourite versatile pieces, it's just a H&M basic but I wear it all the time & it's lasted and washed really well!

The little acorn & owl necklace will be up in my shop, Sailboat, Ahoy! (if it's not there already) really soon. It's the latest little design I've come up with and I really love the little acorn charms, they're actually quite heavy so they're super good quality! I've just popped up this Rocking Horse Charm Bracelet in my shop and I only have a couple so they're super limited edition. I couldn't resist keeping one for myself, well, I seem to be keeping one of everything for myself which I told myself I wouldn't - oopsie!

xoxo

Monday Lust List 012.

1. It's been a little while since I've lusted over a make up item this much, I guess I've just been pretty happy with the stuff I have, but the NARS Danmari All About Cheeks Palette has really caught my eye! It's got 6 of the best selling powder blushers from NARS and at only £45 I think that's quite a good deal!

2. I'm not a huge shirt person, they often remind me of work or school but I really adore the print on this Long Sleeve Contrast Collar Deer Print Blouse from Matalan. I think it would look really cute tucked into a grey high waisted skirt with a woolly cardigan over the top!

3. Glitter nail polishes are my absolute favourites, I really really hate that I'm not allowed to wear nail polish to work because I just want to have glitter on my nails at all times! This Pop Nail Glam Trio has the perfect shades for the festive season!

4. This Pearl Lowe Lace Panel Dress from Peacocks is my absolute favourite from the collection and I'm super sad that it's sold out! Everything about this screams elegance and I love all the subtle details so much! I wish I'd purchased this when I had the chance, silly me!

5. I am absolutely loving anything lace right now and this River Island Lace Shift Dress is no exception! The collar detail is super lovely and although I know it would be way too short for me I'll keep lusting over it until I get to try it on.

6. Every time I peruse the make up section on ASOS I find myself looking at the Jemma Kidd Classic Couture Lip Colour but for some reason I've never purchased one before. I really love the look of all of the shades but I think that Minx looks especially pretty and really wearable.

7 & 8. Continuing with the 'omgzzz I love glitter' theme I am majorly lusting over Gone Gonzo & Rainbow Connection from the O.P.I Christmas Glitter Collection. These are going straight on my Christmas list & I hope they don't sell out super quickly!

9 & 10. I've never really experimented with false lashes before but I'm especially lusting over the Eylure Girls Aloud Nicola lashes & the Eylure Upper & Lower Lash Set. I have no idea if they'll suit me but I would love my lashes to be super fluttery and pretty sometimes and my natural lashes are a bit rubbishy!

Are you lusting over anything at the moment?
xoxo

Instagram Snapshot 004.

One & Two. 

Ralphie's new favourite place to sit is in the dustpan. I have no idea why, but it seems to be the perfect size for him. The only thing that tempts him out is a seed bar, om nom nom! 

Three, Four, Five & Six.

My boyfriend and I went on a trip to Matalan to get some super cute home things for his house. We found lots of lovely things for the bathroom including a little boat and some adorable shell pictures! 

Seven. 

After much searching, we finally came across the big clock that we wanted for our new dining room. We found this beauty at a garden centre, and although I think it's technically an outside clock, it looks really lovely on our purple wall. 

Eight.

I finally got my hands on the River Island bunny jumper and I love it every bit as much as I thought I would. It would be perfect if it wasn't green, but the bunny more than makes up for that and the moustache is perfect for movember!

Nine. 

I've been gathering together prizes for my upcoming 2000 reader giveaway and some wonderful companies have been really generous with the prizes they have donated. I'm excited to launch the giveaway already even though I'm not quite at 2000 readers yet. 

Ten. 

I've been packaging up some orders I've received for my shop, and I'd like to say a huge thank you to anyone that's purchased anything already! I didn't expect to sell anything at all just yet so I really am over the moon! Thank you so much! 

Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen & Fourteen.

I've been a busy bee making some new pieces for the shop (http://www.sailboatahoy.bigcartel.com/), the little birdie pendant with the blue beads is my absolute favourite I think although I'm also especially happy with the rocking horse bracelets! I hope you love them as much as I do!

Fifteen & Sixteen. 

For some reason there are always pictures of my face in these posts! I've been really loving two lip combinations this week, the first is Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick & ELF Daring Mineral Lipgloss and the second is Topshop Pillow Talk Lipstick and Revlon Wild About Violet Lipgloss!

How are you lovelies? Have you had a nice weekend?
xoxo

Five Things I Love Friday & Five Blogs I Love Friday 026.

One. The John Lewis Christmas Advert. 

John Lewis have done it again. They're known for their beautiful Christmas adverts, every year they seem to go one better and this year is no exception. Every time I see it I get a little teary eyed, I know some people are with me on that and I know that others don't understand why I get so emotional at it. It's just lovely and I hope that one day my future child is even more excited about giving gifts than they are at receiving gifts.

Two. Pearl Lowe Christmas Collection at Peacocks. 

One. Two. 

I'm absolutely loving the dresses from the new Pearl Lowe Christmas Collection at Peacocks! The first Lace Panel Dress is my absolute favourite, it looks so flattering and beautiful with a little edge of sexiness. Love! ♥

Three. My New Video Camera. 

I invested in a new video camera because I've really been loving making YouTube videos and I wanted to be able to make them more easily by myself rather than relying on my boyfriend for his camera and editing skills! I just popped up my Skincare Routine Video and I used my new camera & edited it all by myself *proud face*! Even though I shouldn't be proud because I didn't export it at the right settings so it's not available in full HD - huge fail! But now I know how to do it properly you should see a huge difference in quality - I hope! It was super dark the day I filmed it but the quality is still much better than my old videos and it focuses when I hold something up to the lens - yay!  

Four. My New Shop Sailboat, Ahoy! opening!

My little online shop opened officially this week and I'd like to say a huge thank you to anyone that's popped by to have a look & anyone that's purchased something. I wasn't expecting to sell anything in the first few weeks at all, so I'm over the moon that I've had to make a couple of post office trips already! If you'd like to come and have a look you can find me over here at sailboatahoy.bigcartel.com.

Five. River Island Bunny Jumper.

I saw this bunny jumper a couple of weeks ago on the River Island website (I'm sorry I can't seem to see it there anymore!) but I waited it out and hoped that it would pop on on ASOS because they offer student discount & free delivery - what can I say, I'm a cheapskate! My eyes lit up when I saw the words River Island Moustache Rabbit Top & a picture of the jumper on ASOS and I immediately snapped it up. For £18 I'm so happy with it, I'd love it more if it wasn't a green colour, but the bunny more than makes up for it! For reference, I went a size up because I wanted it to fit a little loosely and I adore it!

One. Lips So Facto. Two. Bubby and Bean. Three. Essie Button.

Four. A Little Ones Adventures. Five. VIPXO.

Please pop over the the 5 blogs above, they're all amazing in their own way! And go and say hi to Victoria over at VIPXO because she's ridiculously close to reaching 3000 google friend connect readers and that's an amazing milestone!

How are you all? I hope you've had a lovely week! Have you got any exciting weekend plans? 

xoxo

Sailboat, Ahoy!

Opening a little online shop has been a dream of mine for probably a little over a year now and I've had a lot of fun planning and figuring out which direction I'd like to go in. Like my blog, I hope that in time my shop will become a little mish-mash of everything - at the moment I have some jewellery pieces up but my next big dream is to make some greetings cards and perhaps some other things from my photographs. Photography will always be my first love and it would mean the world to me to actually be able to do something with it. Sailboat, Ahoy! is born! ♥

I know there are a lot of online shops stocking these rings and for that reason, I won't be restocking mine when they're gone. It's not my intention at all to step on anyone's toes, so I really hope no one takes it like that. I've had these sitting in my little craft case for a few months now and I'd like to see them go to people that will wear them because they are really lovely!

The latest additions to my shop are two autumn/winter inspired necklaces. I found these beautiful charms and knew I just had to make something with them. As soon as I saw the little bird pendant I thought some tiny blue beads would look super cute and I'm really pleased with the outcome. I know these pieces won't be to everyone's taste and that's okay, life is all about diversity!

Thank you so much for all the support over the last couple of years, and especially over the last few months. I really appreciate it and I never ever take it for granted!

If you'd like to pop over to my shop and have a look you can find it here: Sailboat, Ahoy!
xoxo

What I Wore: Party Season Style!

Okay so this isn't my outfit of today, in fact what I'm wearing now (my boyfriend's hoodie, fluffy pyjama bottoms with bears all over them & slipper boots with my hair resembling a pineapple) is a far cry from the outfit I'm wearing in these photographs! Sadly after I've written this I have to go and attempt to write an English Lit essay on a topic I don't understand so I've opted for comfy clothes!

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by Matalan if I'd like to take part in one of their Monthly Style Projects and I absolutely jumped at the chance because it sounded like so much fun. This months theme was Party Season Style & I was given a £50 gift voucher with which I had to pick out an entire outfit and this is what I chose!

Be Beau Jade & Black Lace Butterfly Bow Dress - £22. 

200 Denier Black Thermal Tights - £5. 

Dome Shaped Ring - £3. 

Metal Detail Platform Shoes - £20.

As the theme was party season style I knew instantly that I wanted to pick out a dress and as soon as I tried the Jade & Black Lace Butterfly Bow Dress on I absolutely fell in love with it! It is quite short on me, I'm around 5'9 & in an ideal world I would have preferred this dress to be a couple of inches longer as I'm the first to admit that my thighs aren't my best feature! Because of that & I wouldn't want to be freezing cold at a Christmas party I opted for a pair of thermal tights & these are incredible. They're wonderfully thick & they keep you super warm so I'm planning on investing in a couple more pairs of these for sure!

I didn't want to go overboard with the accessories because I wanted to keep the dress as the statement of this outfit but I saw the ring in the sale section (I'm sorry I can't seem to find it online anymore!) and thought it would be a nice little extra touch.

Finally, it wouldn't have been a party outfit without a pair of beautiful heels and as soon as I saw the Metal Detail Platform Shoes I knew they would be perfect with the dress. These heels are SO high, I must be about 6'4 or something when I'm wearing them & honestly, I can't walk in them at all - actually I can only just about stand in one place with them on! I have no idea how you beautiful ladies walk in heels this high, I have a new found admiration for you! So even though I'll probably never wear these shoes again, I'm going to keep them in my wardrobe and look at them fondly every now and again because they really are beautiful! And I'll probably sneakily wear them around the house because they're too pretty not to be loved!

You can vote for your favourite outfit in this months Matalan Style Project over on the Matalan Blog here. If you would like to vote for me that would be absolutely amazing & it would make my day! All you have to do is leave a comment over on the Matalan blog here saying 'Sailor Jennie'. Super duper easy, but of course vote for your favourite outfit & if your favourite isn't mine then that's totally fine! 

Have you got your party season outfit all picked out yet? I'd love to know what you're going to be wearing to your Christmas parties! Let me know in the comments below! ♥
xoxo

October GlossyBox.

October’s GlossyBox marked 6 months since it’s launch & and because of that they wanted to make it extra special. I don’t think this box is super duper amazing but I do really like it & I prefer it to the September box. As always a pretty pink box is delivered by the postman & the black tissue paper and pink ribbon inside makes it feel like a little box of luxury.

The Robert Piguet perfume samples were not to my taste at all & honestly, I’m still not a fan of those little vials inside a piece of folded cardboard. I’m incredibly fussy with my fragrance choices though, so I image people more open to trying different scents would really like receiving something different like this. The Stila eyeliner, although a lovely product, was again not what I would have chosen for myself. I’m not the biggest eyeliner person so I probably don’t appreciate how lovely this is to receive in a box. The shade is called Moray which is a really unusual olive gold taupe colour. The Leighton Denny nail polish in the shade Sex Kitten is a really beautiful icy metallic blue that takes about 2 coats to achieve the colour in the bottle. It dries really quickly and doesn’t chip easily which I absolutely love. I had never tried a Leighton Denny polish until now and I have to say I’m really impressed.

The last three products are my absolute favourites & they’re the reason I’m so happy with this box. If you’re not really into skincare products then I can totally see why you wouldn’t be all that impressed. The Dermalogica multivitamin thermafoliant is brilliant even if the scent in the tube does remind me slightly of the dentist. It’s not overly abrasive but it does enough that I really notice a positive difference in the texture of my skin after. The Dermalogica multivitamin power recovery masque is another fabulous product that I’ve fallen a little bit in love with. This leaves my skin feeling nourished, hydrated and beautifully soft. I’m making the most of this little tube because the full size is eye wateringly expensive! The final Dermalogica is a super mini sample of the Renewal Lip Complex and this really reminds me of strawberry jam for some reason. It’s quite thick and a little bit sticky but this leaves my lips feeling absolutely amazing. Again the full size of this is pretty pricey but I’m currently debating whether to purchase one!

Overall I think this was a really lovely box if you’re quite interested in skincare & wanted to try some products from Dermalogica. The Stila eyeliner is a nice addition if you like wearing unusual liner shades & the Leighton Denny nail polish is a welcome addition to my collection.

Did you receive the October GlossyBox? What were your thoughts on it?
xoxo

P.S. If you’d like to see my October Glossy Box video you can do so here!

Monthly Favourites: October 2011.

I am so excited that it's November already! I just adore that beautiful build up to Christmas; all the decorations that are finding their way into shops on the highstreet, that distinct chill in the air that haves you reaching for your favourite winter coat, visiting endless shops in search of that perfect Christmas gift for a loved one and snuggling up beside a warm fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate are all complete perfection.

My first favourite from October won't be much of a surprise & it's MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation. I was always hesitant to try MAC foundations, sometimes they get glowing reviews, other times they get such negative reviews and my indecisiveness paired with not living close to a MAC counter resulted in me opting for other brands. Last month I just decided to go crazy and order online & I'm so happy I did because I just absolutely adore this foundation. It's the perfect colour, I use NC15, it blends so easily with my Eyes Lips Face Studio Powder Brush & it gives the perfect medium coverage. At £23 it's not the most affordable of foundations but to me, it's worth every single penny.

It's no secret that I, along with many others, am completely head over heels in love with Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer and during October my love only increased. My usual shade is number 1 which is the very lightest but I was lucky enough to win Kim's giveaway recently and included in the prize was this concealer in shade number 2. Now although this is too dark for using on blemishes I have found that it's perfect for correcting my under eye circles before popping a tiny amount of the lighter shade on top. Loving these a lot!

I have talked about the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in the shade Recess so many times before but I just adore it & found myself reaching for it almost every day during October so I had to include it in this post! It's the perfect neutral base for so many different eyeshadow looks & it ensures that they stay in place for a super long time, even on my oily eyelids!

I'm constantly on the search for the perfect pharmacy mascara that lengthens, volumises, doesn't smudge and most importantly, is super affordable. I think that mascaras are slowly getting so expensive that I begrudge purchasing a £12 tube every three months so I've been trying out some of the more inexpensive brands to see what they have to offer in terms of mascara. I've tried and love the Collection 2000 Big Fake Lash mascara so I decided to try their latest offering which is called Pump Up The Volume Loud Lash Mascara. The wand is slightly curved which I quite like & the formulation of this is quite a bit wetter than the Big Fake which again, I also quite like because so far this hasn't dried up as quickly! At only a few pounds I think this is a nice mascara, it's not my absolute favourite in the world but I would repurchase again.

Another thing I was lucky enough to win in Kim's giveaway is the MUA Heaven & Earth eyeshadow palette. This palette is just beautiful, there are 12 really lovely warm toned neutral shadows that you can create a multitude of looks with. The shades are all easy to blend & there are a range of highlights, lid colours & deeper tones for the crease. I can honestly say I will use & love every single one of these shadows which is rare for me because usually there's at least one shade I'll never reach for in a palette. I highly recommend these shadows, they're lovely!

I was in Boots having a little look around, as you do, and I spotted this Revlon Nail Polish in the shade Lilac Pastelle and I just had to have it. It's the perfect baby pink shade with a touch of lilac and although it takes around three coats to achieve full opacity, I think it's worth it!

My next favourite is another product I've mentioned many times before & it's the Collection 2000 Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in the shade Fairy Cake. I have three of the shades and this is my favourite at the moment. It's a lovely bright but wearable pinky coral that smells like vanilla cupcakes. Yummy! I don't find these moisturising at all but with a lot of lip balm on underneath these are really lovely matte lip creams that don't sit in the lines of my lips & they last a really good amount of time.

My two current favourite lipsticks are both by Topshop & they are Pillow Talk and Rumour Has It. They're both from the Autumn/Winter Smoke & Mirrors Collection and they are both beautiful. Rumour Has It is the perfect dusty rose colour that looks so effortless and Pillow Talk is the perfect baby pink that looks lovely with almost anything. Both lipsticks have a lovely sheen to them which makes them so easy to wear. Love them!

My last favourite is my new phone cover and I'm sure you can all tell why I opted for this one! Yep, it's a bunny! My justification was that if I have to have a rubbish blackberry phone that doesn't work, then I'm going to have an obnoxiously cute case for it to live in. I love this so much I think it's my favourite favourite of last month!

What were your favourites during October?
xoxo