Thrifty Tips for Christmas

Hello! Since it's Christmas Eve (eek!), I wanted to put together some last minute tips for those of you who aren't quite organised yet. Every year, my family and I make use of some simple tips and tricks to save money and make Christmas run a little smoother:

1. Use old Christmas cards as labels
One way to stop myself hoarding Christmas cards is to use last year's cards as labels. It's a great tip when you end up spending Christmas Eve wrapping only to realise you didn't buy any labels for your gifts. I cut the picture from the front of the card out, write my message on the back, hole punch a hole and thread a ribbon through. I can then add this to my present as a thrifty label which is personal and Christmassy!

2. Keep the drains fat free!
It may be a slightly odd topic, but keeping your drains free of fat can really make a difference over Christmas. We have always poured our fat into a separate beaker to ensure that our drains don't get clogged up and nasty - the end result isn't an attractive photo as you can see above, but it works! Yorkshire Water have released a much easier way of doing this and importantly it's free! You can pick up an EkoFunnel from local Sainsburys or a Fat Trap from Waitrose if you're lucky enough to live in Yorkshire. Richard Flint* points out that "it only takes a couple of extra seconds to get rid of products like fat by putting it in the bin" but will save Yorkshire Water millions - and yourself a few quid too!

3. Create a Christmas wreath
A few years ago, I visited Wicken Fen, where I created a wreath base out of wicker - you can make these yourself or even buy the base. Then, every year, all I need to do is add some decorations using fresh plants, fruit and berries. This year, I used offcuts from our Christmas tree, oranges, berries and chillies. It's completely eco friendly, gives you the chance to be creative and doesn't cost a penny!

4. Add scratchcards to cheap crackers
Everyone knows that the inside of crackers are normally full of rubbish. Rather than another plastic toy which will end up in the bin by the end of night, my Mum adds a scratchcard to each cracker. Normally at least one person will win some money and it's certainly more exciting as we all race to see if we have won a million - now, wouldn't that be a lovely Christmas present?

What thrifty tips do you use this Christmas? Will you be using any of my tips today?

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Afternoon Tea at Ox Pasture Hall

Hello! After a brief break with an outfit post, I have one final part of my stay at Ox Pasture Hall* to share with you all - the Afternoon Tea. If you can't afford the time or funds to stay the night at Ox Pasture Hall, the afternoon tea is a delicious way to experience the location and food here on the outskirts of Scarborough:

Our Afternoon Tea was served in the lounge area in front of a crackling open fire. It was toasty and cosy; the perfect setting for tea, sandwiches and cake. We poured ourselves some Taylors of Harrogate tea and dived into the sandwiches. We were particularly impressed by the selection and quality - the savory element to an afternoon tea is often overlooked and these were excellent. There was beef and horseradish, smoked salmon and finally cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches cut into perfect triangles. The bread was tasty and the fillings were well balanced; one meat, one fish and one vegetable option meant that there was something for almost all tastes.

Next, we moved onto the scones. Yorkshire is my favourite place for a generously sized and well baked scone and these did not disappoint. The clotted cream was perfect, and served in an adorable tiny teacup, and the tiny jars of jam were very cute. Finally, it was time for the cakes. I always regret leaving my favourite part of afternoon tea til the end, as I am normally getting full by this point! The sweet selection of our meal included a shortbread biscuit, which was buttery, crumbly and perfect with our tea. It also comprised of two cakes; one sponge, covered in buttercream and dried raspberry, which was as tasty as it was pretty, and another lemon cheesecake, which is one of my favourite cakes. Finally, my favourite cake was actually the teeny tiny raspberry 'pastry cup,' which was filled with tart jam and a sweet soft meringue topping. It was the perfect balance of sweet and tartness and something which I haven't tried at an afternoon tea before. The cakes change daily, so no two afternoon teas are the same, but the selection was so varied and carefully thought through, it is certain to appeal to all afternoon tea lovers!

All in all, the Ox Pasture Hall afternoon tea is a wonderful experience (and a hundred times better than the disappointing Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea from the Cedar Court Grand which I reviewed a few weeks earlier). It's a great way to visit the hotel either as part of a luxury weekend away or to escape daily life for a few hours and enjoy some Yorkshire tea and delicious food in beautiful surroundings.

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

OOTD: Mist on the Moors

Today I wanted to break up my recent spate of lifestyle posts by sharing an outfit post (particularly because there are more travel posts coming!) I snapped up this cami dress in the Topshop sale and love these atmospheric misty shots taken at Ox Pasture Hall:

Dress: Topshop. Necklace: New Look. Cardigan: Vintage (York Does Vintage). Boots: Asos.

Fur collar: Primark.

I love this scenery - if only I could take outfit posts in such fantastic locations every day! As soon as I spotted this loose fitted cami dress in the Topshop Summer sale, it headed straight for my basket. Although I wasn't too sold on the shape of it, I adored the William Morris style print and luckily I now love the fit too. It's a sort of swing style, but isn't too unflattering thanks to its delicate straps and neckline. The button detail on the top part of the dress is really cute and the length ensures that the looser shape round the waist looks fashionable rather than unflattering.

The colours are certainly pinker than the website image, but I always carefully read comments on Topshop's website before I buy and this had warned me of this. For the colder weather, I teemed it with my cosy mustard cardigan - a favourite vintage bargain of mine. The bright colour goes well with a surprising amount of my wardrobe and I think it brings out the colour and pattern of the dress. The material is thick and cosy; I always find vintage clothing much sturdier and warmer and it was perfect for the chilly day.

I couldn't resist adding my most-worn statement necklace from New Look. Since this, I've unfortunately managed to break it so I'm now on the look out for a stunning replacement. I'm lazy with my accessorizing, so this statement necklace really was a must have. However, I've also been loving a new accessory - my fur collar. I unbuttoned it from my red Primark coat and have been wearing it as a scarf almost non-stop. I'm obsessed with fur (fake, of course!) this winter and this stole adds some warmth, glamour and general fluffiness to my daily outfits.

What are you loving this Winter? Do you work your Summer sale items into your Winter wardrobe like I do?

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Evening Meal at Ox Pasture Hall, Scarborough

It's time to review my favourite part of my stay at Ox Pasture Hall in Scarborough - the dinner. If you want to learn a little more about the hotel itself and my wonderful room, then you can catch up with my previous post on my luxury suite and the grounds here. However this post is all about the food!

We excitedly got dressed up for dinner. I wore my favourite Asos jumpsuit, which fits like a dream and is just the perfect length. I couldn't resist getting glammed up for this special dinner, and although it was by no means necessary, I felt that the occasion required it. We headed to the lounge and waited by the toasty fire as we perused the menu with a glass of prosecco.We were then led to the dining room for an amuse bouche of some red pepper and tomato soup. It was very tasty and the cheese and chive bread which accompanied it was honestly fantastic. It definitely fulfilled its purpose and got me excited for the meal ahead.

For my starter, I opted for the duck. It arrived looking like a plate from a Masterchef final and included duck pate, an open duck spring roll, duck salad and some cherry sorbet with freeze dried cherry. I had never tried sorbet for a starter before, but because the rest of the plate was room temperature, it didn't shock my taste buds. In fact, the fruity flavours paired perfectly with the duck and this, accompanied by the duck pate, was my favourite element of the dish.

For my main course, I chose the pork, which comprised of pork belly, pork roulades and black pudding, with potatoes, red onions and Savoy cabbage. The pork belly was tender and melted in the mouth, and the apricot stuffing in the pork roulades added some sweetness to the dish. The black pudding was fantastic and the best I've ever tried. I was therefore very pleased to see it again at breakfast in my full English breakfast! In this evening meal, it tasted great with the pork and there was also enough vegetables on the plate to balance the meaty dish.

Finally, we chose a pudding and cheese board to split between the two of us. The dessert was a Caribbean cocktail, comprising of a coconut panacotta, mango rice pudding and passion fruit sorbet alongside a shot glass of frozen piña colada. The mango rice pudding was particularly tasty, which I wasn't expecting to work but it was vibrant and bursting with flavour. The cheese board featured some tasty local cheeses, along with chutney, crackers and apple. The apple was a fresh and palate cleansing way to end the meal and I always love a good cheeseboard!

Check out the food and drink for yourself on the website, or better yet, go and try it for yourself!

Overnight Luxury Stay at Ox Pasture Hall

Ox Pasture Hall is a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Scarborough, known for its beautiful scenery, quality accommodation and fantastic food. I was incredibly flattered to be invited to review the hotel's luxury suite for the night, as well as an afternoon tea and a three course evening dinner. Today I wanted to talk about the suite and overnight stay and share a few photos of my stay:

We checked in at 2pm and were promptly shown to our room. It was simply the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in; everything had been impeccably thought through, from the huge bed to the notepad and pen by the telephone. The bathroom was modern and spotless; I loved the 'his and hers' basins, the huge walk-in power shower and of course that massive mirror. I wasn't expecting such a spacious living area, with a TV, desk, sofa and coffee tables. Although you may think that two TVs is extortionate, I thought that it was a clever idea, meaning you could watch TV on the sofa and later a film in bed. After all, a weekend away is all about relaxing! My one little niggle was that, due to the rural location, gaining any phone signal or connecting to the hotel's free WiFi was difficult. However, if I hadn't have been there to blog about my stay this wouldn't have bothered me, as it did ensure I felt that I could truly get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy my country stay.

After all, there was plenty to do beyond the internet. The grounds which house Ox Pasture Hall are beautiful; they were stunning surrounded by rolling mist during our stay and are sure to look just as good in the sunshine or snow. We enjoyed exploring the various nooks and crannies around the hotel. Another great bonus to Ox Pasture Hall is that it is pet-friendly. I wish I had been able to bring my dog with me for the stay, but I would have never have got her on a train for four hours! She would have loved walking amongst the fields and then snuggling up in front of the open fire in the lounge area. There were a few other dogs there who I couldn't resist saying hello to and they seemed to be having a lovely holiday with their owners. I am definitely persauding my parents that we need to drive up and visit again with my dog too!

I'm going to save the afternoon tea and dinner for separate posts, as they thoroughly deserve reviews all of their own. With regards to the hotel, I couldn't recommend a stay there enough and I kept commenting on how slow the weekend went. It was certainly a positive thing as after even just one night I left feeling as refreshed and relaxed as if I'd had a week away elsewhere. 

Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea, Cedar Court Grand

A few weekends ago, a group of Yorkshire bloggers and myself travelled to York for a very special afternoon tea. The Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea at the Cedar Court Grand has a waiting list of currently three months and we were so excited to have managed to successfully reserve a table for 9 at this 'ultimate afternoon tea,' costing us each a whopping £33.

The hotel itself is beautiful and luxurious, and I would personally love to stay there. As we entered the room, we were astounded by the extravagant centerpiece, full of cakes, chocolates and crazy teapots. We obviously photographed every last inch (I had a hard time cutting down these photos for the post!) and eventually took our seats, ready to be served.

However, apart from a round of scones and tea, we weren't served. Unexpectedly, we were informed that the centerpiece was our meal for the day, and it was to be a buffet. The website includes a sample menu which does not mention a buffet and we were frankly shocked that the meal was served in this way. For £33, I expect a certain level of service which was lacking throughout the entire day, as the staff really weren't very attentive. In fact, one of our party had a nut allergy and was only told that she couldn't eat two of the cakes after she had sat down with them on her plate. With regards to the buffet, I felt like I was at a children's party and felt pressured into piling my plate high with a little bit of everything before it ran out.

A little bit bewildered, we all sat down to enjoy our food. It looked fantastic but unfortunately this was another disappointment. The sandwiches were stodgy and lacked flavour, nor were we told what they actually contained. The only way I can describe everything else was sweet; in fact it was overwhelmingly so. It was simply too much. I am a huge cake lover and it was far too much even for me, so the more savoury lovers of the group really struggled. It was definitely a case of style over substance, which left me struggling to enjoy any part of the meal except the scones.

Finally, I was handed a torn paper box as a 'doggy bag' but there wasn't a crumb left on the centre table by the time we had been informed we could also take away. By this point, we really didn't want any more of the disappointing food but we were determined to try and get as much for our money as we could thanks to the extortionate price for the day! We all left in a sugar daze, disappointed that such a lovely opportunity to see each other hadn't been quite as enjoyable as we had hoped.

This post is now a little out of date and the Cedar Court Grand did get back in contact with us after some negative posts were published by Simone, Kel and Sammie. As a result, they have offered us a complimentary afternoon tea - of course, I can't afford to travel up to York and attend, but the gesture was nice and the other bloggers are looking forward to it. Perhaps a refund would have been preferable though! However, I didn't want to not publish this post as a result of Ceder Court Grand's response, as I still believe that this review needs to be read before anyone else parts with £33 and regrets it. In my opinion, this afternoon tea needs a complete overhaul regarding both the ingredients and flavours of the food and the way in which they are served. It's a good idea and a theme which I love, but presentation isn't everything and the content needs to reflect the price tag.

Have you tried any themed afternoon teas? What did you think of the experience? I'd love to try somewhere in London next - where would you recommend?

Magic Wire Bra, Triumph

Since moving to Cambridge, I haven't been attending as many events as I was used to in Leeds. After turning down an invite to a Triumph event in York due to my move, I was excited to be consequently invited to the brand's event in Cambridge - blogger events do happen here too, hurrah! At the event, we were treated to some bubbles and introduced to Triumph's new release; the Magic Wire Bra:

The Magic Wire Bra is revolutionary because of one key aspect - it doesn't have a wire. Rather, the bra is supported by a silicon based tube instead of a wire, meaning you get all the support of an underwired bra without that pesky digging in or fear of being stabbed! They've been spreading the word of this new release with a frankly genius campaign - #NiggleFix. Customers have been sending in in their 'niggles' and the best have been chosen to be shared by Triumph in the form of some beautiful illustrations. In response, customers get some solutions to their niggle and a Triumph goody bag. It's a great campaign, which seems to have really captured people's imagination and gives a positive spin on those daily annoyances.

At the Cambridge store, I was also treated to a fitting, which I haven't had done since I was a teenager, so it was a good opportunity to get my bra size checked. The fitter was lovely and made me feel very comfortable, which is always very important. In fact, I discovered that I was actually one cup size bigger than I'd thought - something I'm sure every girl would like to hear!

Finally, it was time to try the Magic Wire bra* for myself. I opted for a black bra, which I knew would go with my current underwear collection - for me, underwear has to match! The nude straps were a clever touch, as they are perfect for everyday wear and don't stand out and detract from your outfit. The added bow and lace detailing makes the bra so much prettier, and all in all it is a 'grown-up,' beautifully designed and ultimately easily wearable bra. I wouldn't hesistate to recommend it if you want something comfortable that won't make you feel dowdy, thanks to its impressively innovative technology and design.

Have you tried the Magic Wire Bra? Which bugbears are you looking for a #NiggleFix to?