QGossip

Pipa: Two trips to A&E in a week!

2008-11-18T15:55:18+00:00

Just to give you an update on the dramas in my home at the moment. In one week, two of us from a family of four have been to A&E!

My knocked nose on Tuesday began to swell quite alarmingly and by Wednesday, when I should have been preparing to come on air, I was watching my nose go rather purple instead. Good timing I figured! So off I went to A&E, thinking it may have been broken after all, only to discover the cut had got infected (nice!!).

“We’re just on our way to A&E," my husband called to tell me on Saturday, just half an hour before going on air! Oh joy of joys, just what I wanted to hear when I wasn't going home for another 7 hours or so!! Myles had been balancing on a basket and then fallen, right on the corner of the coffee table and cut his eye open. Thankfully he's OK now.

I hope that's the last of our A&E trips!

Love Pipa x

Charlie: Keeping warm in the winter

2008-11-18T15:38:42+00:00

Hi guys,

How's the chilly weather treating you? I've always been proud of the fact that I cope well with the cold weather... or so I thought!

I was lucky enough to take my family to Lapland to see Father Christmas a few years ago. It was an amazing experience and I even caught a glimpse of the magical Northern Lights! It was just amazing - there are no words to describe it.

Being very cold in Lapland, we invested in some thermals. And these thermals made an appearance again for the first time in two years at a fireworks display!

They're probably not the most attractive of attire to wear under your clothes, but boy, they really make a difference. I think it's fair to say that winter is here!

See you soon, and stay warm!

Charlie x

Julia on pilates and guest Marjoleine Brugman

2008-11-18T11:19:23+00:00

It was great to be on air with pilates expert Marjoleine Brugman the other night - I was helping her to celebrate 10 years at QVC with her pilates equipment. She really has been an inspiration to me and she is such a kind person.

She even bought me flowers because I was her first ever host in the UK!! It was her 10th anniversary, shouldn't it have been the other way round?!

She also sent me a lovely email for my 15th anniversary show because she wasn't able to be here herself.

Pilates has really helped me stay strong and supple over the last ten years. For the show we brought in my son, Daniel, as the 'expert'. He has just qualified as a personal trainer and has now agreed to train me - let's hope the waist, that has thickened a little of late, will reappear soon.

Watch this space and I'll keep you updated on my progress!

Love Julia x

Jilly: My most embarrassing QVC moment

2008-11-18T09:52:44+00:00

Hi everyone,

I hate to say it but I burped live on air! It just popped out and was so loud that all the camera men fell about laughing. My producer was giggling in my ear and asking, "Oh my God, you just burped didn't you?"

I tried to compose myself and addressed the audience by saying, "Do excuse me, I just hiccupped". I couldn't even bring myself to say the word burp on air.

It's only happened once in 15 years, and it was a long time ago, but I'm still embarrassed!

Hope that's put a smile on your face.

Love Jilly

X

Glen chats to Lulu Guinness and Charlotte Tarantola

2008-11-17T15:22:37+00:00

Hi everyone, Glen here.

As it's Designer Day tomorrow, I thought I'd give you a little insider info about the event in my new Style File.

I had a chat with Lulu Guinness about her new collection and I've also got you a sneak preview of the brand-new Charlotte Tarantola knitwear range we're launching!

Both Lulu and Charlotte's shows are set to be very popular, so make sure you get ahead by checking out the interviews.

Love Glen x

Claire Sutton: My mummy's birthday

2008-11-17T12:15:17+00:00

I had the most wonderful experience last week and thought I'd share it with you.

It was my mummy's birthday and she came to stay, bringing with her a special present from my brother Neil. Neil had taken a small piece of cine footage and had it converted onto DVD!

It dated back from… well, let's just say we worked out I was 6, Neil was 8 and my eldest brother Mark was 10. So a little while ago!

It was fabulous to see my mummy younger then than I am now, flirting outrageously with the camera and looking amazing in a bikini.

Plus, the utter joy of seeing my Daddy 'come to life' was incredible. He died when I was 13-years-old so it was emotional but incredible! To see his moving image, his face, mouth and eyes so like mine, and to be able to share him with my own children was so very, very special.

We can't wait to transfer all the other footage. I just wish there was sound, but hey, you can't always have it all. I was just grateful to have that!

I'll be in touch soon.

Love Claire
X

Alison Keenan: My winter memories

2008-11-15T14:21:00+00:00

Hi everyone, Alison here,

We didn't have much of a summer so let's pray for snow this winter!

One of my favourite things to do, if there's been a snowfall, is to get up really early and walk in the newly fallen snow before anyone else has touched it. I love the crunching sound it makes and the stillness in the air.

When the children were younger we'd get up first thing and attempt to make a snowman, and then go sledging in the field nearby. We didn't always have a sledge but tin trays were just as good!

I also love sitting in front of a roaring fire listening to music or reading a good book, with a glass of mulled wine in my hand.

How do you make the most of the colder months?

Love Alison
X

Catherine Huntley on QVC's first Designer Day

2008-11-14T15:27:48+00:00

Hi everyone,

I'm tickled pink to be launching a brand new jewellery range that's gorgeous and made just for us on Designer Day at midnight on Tuesday 18th November.

It's called Tacori for Epiphany and is breathtakingly beautiful. Tacori is a family-run jewellers who are highly acclaimed for their diamond and platinum treasures, which I think possess an heirloom elegance with a modern touch. I can't wait to show it to you!

The whole day is dedicated to fabulous designer style. Lulu Guinness is a firm fave of mine. I'm thrilled to be launching her jewellery range at 2pm - I've had a sneak peek and it's all fabulously distinctive, sooo Lulu Guinness. We also have an hour of her bags at 7pm. Yay!

As a girl who loves all things sparkly and shiny I am chuffed to bits to have Simon Wilson's company for an hour at 9pm for Butler & Wilson jewellery. I'm hoping for lots of colour and some cute quirky characters like his dogs and cats.

Excited?

Let me know what you're looking forward to.

Love Catherine x

P.S. Check out Glen's Style File for Lulu Guinness' interview about her new collection.

Charlie Brook: If I wasn't a presenter…

2008-11-14T14:11:34+00:00

...I'd like to be a professional tennis player! No, not really. Maybe a harbour master or a fisherman.

I’ve always had a special connection with the sea. It goes back to my childhood holidays spent on the Isle of Wight. We stayed in a rumble tumble-down cottage a stone’s throw from the sea.

I spent my days fishing and rowing with my dad. We didn’t have the luxury of a motor cruiser, but our beloved rowing boat served us well.

When I was a teenager I was exploring in the shed and found an outboard motor. I helped restore the trusty rowing boat with the motor, and then we had the power!

Did anyone else spend their holidays on the Isle of Wight?

Love Charlie

Jill Franks on moving home

2008-11-14T10:41:44+00:00

Hi QGossipers,

I'm exhausted - just moved in to a new house and spending most evenings unpacking boxes and making sure we've got everything we need in our new home.

We've had the removal men doing most of the hard work unpacking and they asked for a list of priorities. Most women would say the kitchen stuff and things for the bedrooms. Not me - mine were the tread machine and my wardrobe with my cherished handbags, shoes and outfits!

It's been a great opportunity to update some of my classic QVC purchases too. I've had this egg poacher so long and I love it, so I thought I'd spoil my self and get a new one. Also for the kitchen, I've been using this pan set from crème de la crème Technique II for years so I thought I'd get a new one. They look great in my new kitchen.

I thought of my kitchen, when I was watching the new Sex In The City film the other week. I laughed when Carrie said, 'I only use my oven for storage'. That's what I've always said on air - I like to think they heard me say it first!

Look out for me next week on Monday 17^th November at 3pm. I'll be getting a complete make-over before the Mario De Luigi show. Then at 5pm, I'll be presenting Kim & Co's 11^th Anniversary too. Keep an eye out for anniversary offers.

Have a good weekend,

Jill

Claudia: What a week!

2008-11-13T15:07:00+00:00

I have had such a hectic week! My little boy Blake has had an ear infection and has not been sleeping very well. So, Steven and I have been taking it in turns each night trying to pacify him.

It really breaks my heart to see him suffering because as a child I had terrible ear problems. It actually resulted in me losing my hearing in one ear, although a lot of that was to do with too many horse riding accidents.

With a lot of TLC he’s on the mend and chatting away to us about his beloved Spider-Man.

Where can I get some great Spider-Man goodies for Blake this Christmas? Spider-Man’s not that popular at the moment but Blake is obsessed.

If you know of anything, do let me know.

I'll be in touch soon.

Love Claudia x

Simon on gardening, cameras and early starts

2008-11-13T14:30:55+00:00

With half term over, together with a nasty sick bug that brought down the whole family, it’s nice to be back into the early morning routine! But having turned the clocks back, those early five o’clock starts do seem awfully dark and lonely.

It’s been nice to work with Kathy on a regular basis and have a bit of a catch up before The Morning Show starts. But I think my unshaven, un-showered, pre-show appearance has taken her aback a bit!

My Gardening Gifts show

Apart from The Morning Show, I've been looking forward to my Gardening Gifts for Christmas show on Saturday 15th November at 9am. Gardening is something I love and, having recently dug up almost all my plants and taken Richard Jackson’s advice, I'm hoping for amazing things in 2009!

Exciting computer Today's Special Value coming up

On that Saturday we've also got a very interesting HP computer Today's Special Value, which I'm fascinated by. I'm looking forward to finding out about it from Danny Keeie, our special guest from HP. I haven’t seen a sample yet as it's very new, but having watched a video demonstration of it, it’s like having a computer screen that behaves like a giant iPod… very cool!

Shopping for a new camera

I need to buy a new compact digital camera. Even though we talk to guests about that sort of thing all the time, when it comes around to actually buying a camera there seem to be so many to choose from and so many questions to ask. Luckily, I'll be able to corner our guests at some stage over the next few weeks and get some answers.

I need a new camera for lots of reasons, but more of that later.

Have a good weekend,

Simon x

Jilly: My birthday weekend

2008-11-13T12:00:12+00:00

Hi everyone,

Last weekend was my birthday, and I had a great time. It was on the Saturday and there I was at midnight with the crew singing 'Happy Birthday' when I had no make-up on!

We were about to launch the ybf Today's Special Value, and my 'before' shot was awful - I looked about 100! Whoever invented make-up is my saviour!

I hope you managed to get your hands on the Today's Special Value, it was such a fabulous collection and Stacey from ybf always puts her kits together beautifully.

Thank you so much for all your birthday cards and text messages - it was a lovely start to my birthday.

I ended up going to the theatre to see 'Never Forget', the Take That musical. It was fantastic, everyone was up dancing and the children really enjoyed it too.

Before the show we took the children for dinner at Smollensky's. The waiters were great with the kids, it can be so hard to find child-friendly restaurants in London. If you know of any others please let me know!

See you soon,

Love Jilly x

Craig Rowe: Gearing up for Christmas!

2008-11-12T16:13:35+00:00

Hello!

Hope you're well and enjoying the build-up to Christmas. Before I was at QVC I couldn't have imagined getting into the Christmas spirit so soon but I have to say I'm really enjoying it - the new studio, the new shows and I'm having loads of fun - hope you are too!

Over the last few weeks there's been lots going on and a few 'firsts' for me. I had my first Lime Tree Pantry show and loved every second of it! Harry and Marjorie are lovely and everything they bake is so scrummy - I only wish it could have been a 2-hour show so I could have had some more cakes! I'm still dying to try one of Marjorie's millionaire shortbreads. One? Who am I kidding? More like five!!

I also did my first fashion show, Modern Soul, which I absolutely loved. It was good to have Glen there too, I hope you enjoyed it if you tuned in.

Other than that, it's been great to get stuck into the Christmas shows especially as it means I get to see lots more of the gorgeous guests such as Anne, Beverley and Gill!

This weekend I went to see French & Saunders at the Drury Lane Theatre in London which was so much fun - they are brilliant. And on Sunday I went to Colombia Road Flower Market for the first time; it's a great place, a really buzzing atmosphere and loads of great little shops and cafes. I bought my first orchid so any tips on the best way to look after it would be much appreciated!

Whilst at the market I did some filming using the Today's Special Value item that I launched last Sunday morning (9th November). I definitely want to buy one myself to capture all those special moments over Christmas and the New Year.

Thanks for reading, have a good few days and I'll see you over the weekend.

Craig x

Jill Franks reveals her most embarrassing moment

2008-11-12T14:54:09+00:00

I was presenting a Today's Special Value for Remington hair clippers and had spent three days in a salon training prior to the launch show. After my training I was confident enough to cut someone's hair live on air.

Judgement day came and I was introduced to a gorgeous male model whose hair I was about to cut - no one had told him I wasn't a professional hairdresser!

Everything went smoothly and I gave him a pretty good haircut, if I do say so myself. However, towards the end of the show I was demonstrating the variety of blades and left the safety guard off and shaved a chunk of his hair off!

I couldn't believe what I had done and started giggling. It didn't help that the producers where laughing uncontrollably in my ear as well.

It was only after we had come off air that the model knew about his new haircut! He eventually found the funny side to it.

I don't think I'll be let loose with clippers again. Oops!

Love Jill X

Arran Aromatics founder Janet Russell shares her top tips

2008-11-11T16:34:30+00:00

We caught up with Janet Russell, founder of QVC's new brand Arran Aromatics, who spoke to us about the magic behind this range and revealed some of her top tips for feeling good...

Tell us about the story behind Arran Aromatics

For five generations the magical Isle of Arran has been our home and inspiration. With its rugged Highland hills and the warm waters of the Gulf stream it gives us the perfect environment from which naturally stems an abundance of pure ingredients.

Give your top tips for the perfect night in with Arran Aromatics

Relax before you start - don't rush, this is your time - and run a warm bubble bath.
Light some candles around the room for a relaxing atmosphere and pour yourself a glass of wine - this is serious work after all!
After your scented bath, wrap yourself in a big warm bath towel and smooth on a generous amount of shea butter moisturising cream (oh, remember to put down the glass of wine before you get out of the bath!)
Follow with a restful night's sleep and you're ready to face the day ahead.

What makes Arran Aromatics stand out from other luxury brands?

Nowadays it's so hard to be sure that the products in your bathroom aren't shipped from all over the place but with Arran Aromatics we are proud to say that they are all made in the UK.

Plus, so many ingredients used in the products are sourced from natural resources on the island, particularly thriving on the water from the Gulf stream.

What makes you feel good during the winter months?

I think it's so important to get out in the fresh air as much as possible. I like to walk for at least one hour a day - sometimes it's an effort to motivate myself, but I always feel so good afterwards.

At least once a week I have some real pampering time in the bathroom. I'll light candles and soak in a warm foamy bath. I make sure I exfoliate my skin regularly with an oil salt scrub and then I'll add a light application of instant bronzer to give me a healthy glow for a real boost. I've also discovered that wearing a good scent never fails to raise my spirits.

I drink a lot of tea and I particularly like peppermint tea at night before sleeping. I try to eat plenty of fruit and salads and I never deny myself chocolate!

Finally, watching some classic comedy really cheers me up - I find that laughter promotes such a feeling of wellbeing.

Check out QVC's Arran Aromatics range

Glen answers your winter fashion questions

2008-11-11T16:10:43+00:00

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your winter style questions. I've answered them all on my new blog - Glen's Style File. If you can't find your question today, don't panic, I'm popping more answers up tomorrow.

Oh, and keep an eye on the Style File for my top winter fashion tips coming soon. You'll find advice on coats, colours and more!

Love Glen x

Pipa: Thank goodness for Arnica

2008-11-11T13:52:10+00:00

Earlier in the week in my hurry to do the school run, I slammed the boot of the car whilst forgetting to lean back and, yes you guessed it, the big heavy boot of the car came crashing down on the bridge of my nose!

It was a pure Tom and Jerry moment (although at that moment I didn’t find it funny)! I am convinced there really were stars floating around my head as the whole world went dark and I thought my nose had been spread from ear to ear.

With what must have been a surge of adrenalin, I managed to pick up the children, get home, struggle through the front door, get to my bathroom and find my SBC Arnica. This I liberally and VERY tenderly applied!

Afterwards I sat there feeling very bruised and sorry for myself – but now all you can see is the cut. All I can say is thank goodness for Arnica!

Love Pipa x

Debbie: The temptations of presenting Thorntons chocolate

2008-11-11T10:47:35+00:00

As a self-confessed chocoholic, I had a ball on Sunday in our Thorntons show. Our guest, Amanda Stearn, had to almost physically restrain me from scoffing the entire day's stock! Thorntons chocs definitely fall into the irresistible category.

The Thorntons show reminded me of a series I presented years ago for the BBC with Tom O'Connor (lovely man). We toured all over the country and I presented the out and about travelogue part of the show.

Imagine my delight when we spent a day filming in the Thorntons factory in Belper, Derbyshire. I could hardly resist diving into the vats of melted chocolate. The mascots for the show were hedgehogs and, after an exhausting day, the staff presented me with two hedgehogs - made from solid Thorntons chocolate!!!

The scrumptious mascots weighed a tonne and I couldn't wait to get my teeth into them... funny though, one of my production team took them away for safekeeping and they were never seen again!!

Never believe it when people tell you that chocolate is naughty. Think about it… chocolate is made from cocoa beans. Beans are pulses. Pulses are health food!

Enjoy yourself!

Love Debbie x

View our full Thorntons range

Vote in The 2008 Craft Awards

2008-11-10T16:31:09+00:00

Calling all crafters!

Love QVC craft? Have your say and vote for QVC in the 2008 Craft Awards - you could even win some fabulous prizes!

Dawn Bibby and Leonie Pujol are also up for awards in the categories of Best Overall Card Designer and Best Craft Book respectively!

Find out more in our sister blog Craft Etc.

Kathy Tayler: If I wasn't a presenter...

2008-11-10T16:21:40+00:00

... I'd love to be involved in medicine. It's a walk of life I've always been fascinated in, and I nearly studied to be a doctor at university. It's funny to think how things might have turned out, don't you think?

At the time I was competing in modern pentathlon at international level, and I wanted time to continue my athletics. That's why in the end I decided not to study medicine. Instead I chose to study physiology and biochemistry.

I still read all the medical articles in the press, and now my 17 year-old daughter, who's taking her A Levels this summer, is applying to read medicine next September. So there may still be a doctor in the family!

Dr. Olley has a nice ring to it, wouldn't you say?

Love Kathy x

L'Occitane expert Alexis answers your beauty questions

2008-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

Hi everyone, Alexis here,

I want to say a big thank you to all of you who sent in your questions to me. I'm going to be on QVC on Sunday 7th November so be sure to tune in for some more of my top beauty tips.

For now, I have selected some of your questions to answer which you will see in QGossip throughout the week. Here are the first few...

Do you have a facial regime within the L'Occitane range that uses exfoliators and rich creams for dry and mature skin? Jody

Dear Jody, we have a wide skincare range for all skin types and needs. Immortelle Skincare is our anti ageing range. It offers a slightly richer day cream moisturiser, called Immortelle Precious Cream. In this range we also have a fantastic Immortelle Cream mask which is rich and luxurious and can be used twice a week.

Our Shea Butter skincare range also features rich moisturisers, but if you want to tackle the signs of ageing too then I believe that Immortelle Skincare would be the best option for you.

Our boutiques have qualified skincare consultants who can help you to find your perfect moisturiser, so please do not hesitate to come and visit us in your nearest L’Occitane boutique. Kind regards, Alexis.

Hi Alexis, could you please give me some advice. I am due to finish my radiotherapy tomorrow (3/11/08) and my skin is rather red and sore (breast cancer). I absolutely adore L'Occitane bath and body products and I bought the large Shea Milk Collection especially for when my treatment finishes. I am wondering when it will be ok to start using them, as I really need to get my skin back in good condition. Many thanks and a very merry xmas and happy new year to you, Cheryl.

Dear Cheryl, I hope your radiotherapy went well and that you will get better soon. I would first talk with your doctor and see what is advised for you.

I would wait with hot baths because they can aggravate your skin, especially if your skin is already red and sore. You can moisturise daily to calm the redness and cleanse your skin with gentle shower gels like in our Rose & Lavender Collection. Let me know how it all goes. I wish you a wonderful Christmas also and all the best for the New Year. Warmest regards, Alexis.

Hi, I am in need of some advice please. As Christmas is approaching I would like to buy my mum a lovely pampering gift. She is in her late 40s and doesn't get much time to look after her skin. Can you give me some advice on what sort of treatment or products would be good for her? Thank you, Joanne.

Dear Joanne, I recommend our six-piece Provence collections, items 225104 or 223405. These are both excellent value and are full of wonderfully indulgent products.They are real bathtime treats, which I think will be something that she will really appreciate! I hope you have a lovely Christmas, Alexis.

Try on Glen's new Style File blog for size!

2008-11-07T17:47:27+00:00

Hi, Glen here,

I wanted you QGossip folk to be the first to try out my new fashion blog.

It's called Style File and it's basically me talking fashion with other presenters, and keeping you up to date with fashion looks and trends.

Why not comment and tell me what you think? If you've got any ideas for the blog or fashion questions, I'd love to hear them.

Love,

Glen xx

Dale's top tip for preparing for Christmas

2008-11-07T17:15:53+00:00

Hi everyone, Dale here,

How are your Christmas preparations coming along? We are in full Christmas swing here at QVC towers with many of the shows already presenting a wide range of gifts - there's something for everyone.

But don't stress too much about choosing the perfect gift because QVC have extended there 30-day money-back guarantee. You can now return products until 25th January, so it's great for anyone who wants to plan ahead.

This extension really enables you to make a purchase ahead of time and in the comfortable knowledge that a swap or refund will not be an issue when you buy from QVC.

I'd better go, I'm just popping out now to take some footage of the Thames with Sunday's TSV - make sure you tune in.

Happy Christmas shopping!

Love, Dale x

Anna Griffin speaks to Craft Etc.

2008-11-04T17:31:00+00:00

Do you want to know what makes craft designer Anna Griffin tick? Don't miss her interview in our crafting blog, Catherine Huntley's Craft Etc. to find out her craft tips, favourite products and what inspires her.

You can also check out Anna's range of craft products here.

Enjoy!

Jilly's Halloween fun and games

2008-10-31T11:07:31+00:00

Hi everyone!

I love Halloween as it's a chance to have parties for the kids and dress up. We usually have some of the children's friends round and play party games. We've even been out for dinner with all of the kids dressed up in their costumes! Here's a snap of my children dressed up for Halloween, ready for trick or treating.

My favourite game is getting the kids into pairs, giving them two toilet rolls and it's the first pair to wrap each other up as Egyptian mummies that win! It's great fun.

We only trick or treat people we know, and last year we rang my sister's doorbell and she opened the door with a werewolf mask on! Everyone screamed (including me!), as we weren't expecting it!

What spooky fun do you get up to at Halloween? I'd love to hear all about it! Just leave me a comment below.

Love Jilly x

Dale's spooky story for Halloween

2008-10-30T17:18:04+00:00

Hi everyone, since it's Halloween I thought I would share my spookiest story with you.

It happened way back in the '80s when I was an estate agent. I went round to value a beautiful old coach house and was welcomed in by a mum and her young son.

Over a cuppa I said how lucky they were to live in such a quirky old house. The little boy looked up from his sandwich and said, "Yeah it's great, except the ghost really annoys me!"

His mum looked embarrassed and told me that they had experienced something spooky in the house, but didn't talk about it for fear of people thinking they were strange. She went on to tell me about the time the kitchen stool moved of its own accord across the kitchen. I must admit, it gave me goose bumps!

She began showing me around the house, and we went into the bathroom. There was a lovely antique mirror on the wall above the bath. She told me that one night she was lifting her daughter out of the bath, when she saw the reflection of a man in a rain mac in the mirror! She froze in fear as she thought someone had broken in. She turned around to face the intruder, but when she did there was no one there...

She saw the man appear more frequently over the next few months and eventually got used to him being there. She said she realised he didn't mean any harm to her family. I was genuinely chilled by this point! The woman and her husband became friends with another young couple who lived in the other part of the converted coach house.

One night they went over to the couple's house for dinner. The night went well and during the evening the woman needed to visit the bathroom. As she walked along the landing she noticed an old painting on the wall. It was a portrait of a man that looked strangely familiar, and as she looked closer she realised it was the man she'd been seeing around her house!

She asked the couple about the painting and the man explained that it was a portrait of his great great grandfather who had died in an accident whilst driving a horse and carriage, and that he had lived in the coach house many years before!! Spooky ey?

Have you got any spooky tales? I'd love to hear them, let me know by leaving a comment.

Love Dale x