I knew I wasn’t feeling like myself, but for a long time I was just putting it down to being tired with work and juggling family life. So many woman are already shattered from looking after kids and trying to be all things to all people, that it’s hard to know what’s ‘normal tired’ and what’s something more. The more articles I read on perimenopause and conversations I had with friends, the more I started to wonder if this is what it was.

I was feeling exhausted physically and emotionally, my cycle was all over the place, my skin, hair and nails had all changed. My skin had become dry, my hair was also dry and brittle and I was losing more than usual. My nails had been incredibly flaky and I could no longer grow them without them splitting. I was waking in the morning to a feeling in my fingers that felt thick and almost swollen, although they looked fine. I couldn’t clench my fist properly.

I also had a weird sensation where it felt like I had burnt my tongue. I now know that this ‘burning mouth’ feeling is quite a common symptom!

In the evenings I could barely keep my eyes open and my anxiety was through the roof! I was also gaining weight, particularly on my tummy and at quite an alarming rate, and it was really starting to get me down.

Keeping track

My cycle was going from anywhere from every two weeks to a window of six weeks, so I was trying to keep a note of it so that when I spoke to a doctor I could give them a clear pattern, or lack of pattern more to the point.

When I called my surgery I was fortunate to get a very understanding GP. She listened and didn’t dismiss me at all, even though I was, in a text book scenario, ‘younger than expected’. (I’m 43, most information suggests 45 as the window to start at). I hadn’t ruled out other causes though, and said we had a history of thyroid issues on my mum’s side. She also agreed that symptoms for this can cross over, so we did blood tests to rule out a thyroid issue.

As most people know, there is no clear test for perimenopause, but they can check FSH levels with a blood test, which is to do with your fertility. Mine came back showing a number not expected for my age. My doctor wanted to re-do the test a few weeks later, to see if it was consistent as they can be so changeable. The results were the same. That, along with the growing list of symptoms I was experiencing was enough for my doctor to prescribe HRT.

Looking back, I think a number of my symptoms have been there for quite a long time and I just ignored them. We are all very different and will have varying journeys but I wouldn’t be surprised if in the future they widen the age bracket for when peri menopause is likely to start.

Starting conversations

I’ve talked about it at length with many of my friends, as I think it’s incredibly important to discuss things like this. Sometimes it’s someone else’s story that can also be a lightbulb moment for you, and can help you to connect the dots. I realised I had more symptoms than I thought after talking to other women about this, things I didn’t even know were part of it. This subject is no longer taboo, it doesn’t have to be a secret.

Your friends and family may also have some brilliant tips for things that have helped them, like supplements or different types of HRT – or even alternatives to HRT. Not everyone wants to go down the same route, so it’s important to discuss and research what’s right for you.

Tips for navigating this life stage

I would say to start with your GP, this is easier said than done in some areas I know. But keep pushing and be clear about how you are feeling. Make notes so you don’t forget anything, that first ten minute appointment is gold so make sure you say everything you need to.

Do the research, read as much as you can to start understanding what is happening to you and your body.

Look at your health in all areas, what is your diet and lifestyle like. What sort of exercise are you doing, do you need to change it up? I have started to eat dinner earlier, go to bed earlier, eat more whole foods and avoid processed foods. Drink less alcohol. Prioritising sleep is a lot more important to me now. Rest when you need to, free time doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time you need to fill or give to someone else. Use it to refuel and refill that cup.

Talk about it with the people you trust. This is also important if you do decide to go down the HRT route, as it may change how you are feeling emotionally for example while your hormones adjust so your friends or family should be aware so they can flag any changes in you.

The QVC products I’ve been enjoying

I’ve been using the Mighty Green CBD Drops 2000mg, they help me a lot when I’m feeling anxious. I love Elasticizer from Philip Kingsley and it’s an absolute must-have. Previously I would occasionally use it, but now it’s a weekly treatment to help maintain the look and feel of my hair.

For multi-vitamins, I take Prime Fifty Multi-Nutrients and I also take Philip Kingsley PK4 Soya Protein Boost Supplements for my hair.

When it comes to body moisturiser I want something quick and easy, so Korres Hyaluronic Plumping Body Serum is great.

For my face I always turn to Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, but I recommend upgrading to the Ultra Rich formula if you need an extra moisture boost.

For more stories, advice and interviews, head to the Menopause Your Way Stories hub. To browse and shop a curated edit of menopause products, visit the Menopause Your Way page on QVC.

The content of the QVC website is for information only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the QVC website.

We understand there’s a lot of information out there on the menopause. You can read through the NICE guidance on menopause management, as well as the NHS overview on the menopause.

The post All about my perimenopause journey appeared first on Stories.

Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Time is precious as we all know, and at the moment every minute seems to be filled. This year the juggle of both my daughters schools has reached peak chocka! I’ve never known it to be so filled with things. It’s for good reason though. Ivy moves on to the same school as Tilda this September so on top of the usual things we now have transition days, information evenings, leavers hoodies to order, school leavers disco’s and a million other things to sort on top of the usual summer term extras, like school fetes etc. We then have to make school choices this year for Tilda to move onto secondary school so we are also sandwiching in open evenings, grammar school exams and extra lessons for that and it’s all just, well a lot. All part and parcel of parenting, obviously, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a lot to juggle. It’s also exciting as the girls take their next steps in life, ‘time flies’ as they say. I think that may be an understatement. I can see the teenage years coming at us very quickly. I have been nostalgically looking through pictures and videos of when they were little and it’s hard to believe that those little squidgy faces and tiny hands are getting so big and grown up now.

While term time is still in full swing for us I am still trying to squeeze in my me time. I’ve spoken about this before, it’s important for us all to get that head space but it’s not always that easy to do so. I am lucky that I get some days off during the week which means that when the kids are at school I can go for a walk and have a little space. It’s time for me to get some exercise, get some fresh air and see the sea. It’s an hour that is invaluable to me physically and mentally. The beach is lovely and quiet first thing during the week so it’s extra lovely. In the midst of all the other things to get done it’s even more important too.

What’s Coming up – Today’s Special Value  – Homeworx Set of 3 Home Sanctuary 3 Wick Candles

This offer launches Wednesday 6th at 9pm and throughout Thursday 7th while stocks last. It includes Blue Highlands with notes of apple blossom, jasmine and vetiver. Pink Country Garden with notes of pink freesia, white peony and apricot. Lastly Peach Basiltini, my favourite with notes of peach, green basil, squeezed lemon and iced vodka! Perfect to stock up on your own candle collection or to split into lovely summer gifts.

Today’s Special Value – Liz Earle smooth and firm 4 Piece Superskin Collection

This launches on air Saturday 9th into Sunday but the pre launch will go live online from this Thursday. So you can get ahead of the game before the live shows or you can wait to hear more from Caroline when she talks us all through the kit. This includes  some firm favourites with cleanse and polish and superskin but it’s teh new launch which I really love. The new microdermabrasion polish. I am a fan of every day exfoliators like fruit acids but sometimes I like to feel and see that instant result from properly polishing the dead skin cells away with fine pumice crystals. This new treat has BOTH! What a win. It feels very satisfying and your skin is glowing after use. It’s a must try for Liz Earle fans.

• 1 x Cleanse & Polish (100ml) – this rich, indulgent cream deeply cleanses to instantly remove daily impurities and make-up to leave skin feeling smooth, balanced and exceptionally clean. Used with the pure cotton cloth, it gently exfoliates, lifting away dead skin cells to reveal a glowing complexion. Formulated with rosemary, eucalyptus, hops and chamomile extracts, plus cocoa butter and beeswax. Suitable for all skin types

• 1 x Instant Boost Skin Tonic (200ml) – a floral-scented, non-drying toner that works to instantly refresh, soothe and brighten the appearance of your skin, while adding a layer of lightweight moisture. Contains naturally derived ingredients such as aloe vera, calendula, chamomile, cucumber and vitamin E, and a fragrant blend of pure essential oils, including rose-scented geranium, lavender and sweet orange

• 1 x Superskin Microdermabrasion Polish (75ml) – an exciting new addition to the Liz Earle range, combining brightening fruit AHAs with gently refining particles of natural pumice to give you smoother, softer-looking skin. Suitable for all skin types.

• 1 x Superskin Moisturiser (50ml) – this rich, indulgent cream helps to smooth the appearance of your skin for a healthy and revitalised-looking complexion. Ideal for promoting the look of luminosity and softness in more mature skin types, it can be used either on its own or as a fantastic base for make-up. Contains pomegranate flower extract, cranberry, rosehip and borage seed oils, plus vitamin E and shea butter
• 1 x vanity bag
• 2 x pure cotton cloths – these kind-to-skin cloths provide a gentle and luxurious way to exfoliate skin and enhance daily cleansing, working to lift away dead skin cells and impurities to help leave your complexion feeling smooth, cleansed and refreshed. Made from double-woven pure cotton designed to get softer and softer with every wash.

Last Week’s ‘Morning Style with Katy’ was a fun show. I loved the line up and we had some really great pieces. It was extra special as I got to wear the Onjenu dress that I had a say in picking. Our buyers sent me three different patterns and a choice of all the favourite dress shapes and jumpsuits designed by Mena and the team at Onjenu. I had summer weddings in mind and also the explosion of colour that we have seen post lock down on the cat walks. So I chose the Gabriella Dress in this rather fabulous floral and animal print in a rainbow of colour. I know it’s quite a strong look but I say go big or go home! Lots of you seemed to agree wit ha number of sizes selling out but there are still a few left in 8, 10 and 12. Click here to see the whole of last weeks line up including the dress. 

That’s it from me for another week, but I leave you with a happy smiley picture of some of my fabulous presenting colleagues. I will always count myself very lucky to get to work with such a fanatastic bunch of women.

Lots of Love Katy xx

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FASHION

We’ve had some great fashion in recently so I wanted to share a few favourites. Firstly I ordered my first piece from Masai Copenhagen. I’ve had my eye on a few pieces but this is the one that made me order. It’s the Nyx Printed Shirt dress and I spotted it on one of our models during a hand bag show recently and instantly loved it. I love the lose over sized sleeves that creates a very cool and different shape. it can be worn with or without the belt, which also means you can add your own belt too. It would look great with a wide brown/tan leather one. I would also team it with hot pink shoes and bag for parties. I am wearing a Medium.

The next two pieces both featured in Morning Style with Katy this week. It was one of my favourite line ups for a while, featuring this gorgeous orange and pink Helene Berman tiered dress and two fabulous Onjenu pieces including this jumpsuit which I LOVED. Yes I’ve ordered it! I ordered the size 14. I vary between a 12 and a 14 depending on the brand. In this case I wanted to make sure I had the length in the body so I went for the 14. I’m glad I did as the 12 would have been too small all over. Don’t forget that you can see the full line up each week on the Morning Style with Katy page, click here to view the jumpsuit and dress. 

SEALY TODAY’S SPECIAL VALUE

If you are looking for a new bed or mattress then look no further. The Sealy bed Today’s Special Value is here and online already! It will launch on Friday at 9pm and be available all day Saturday, while stocks last. Single through to Superking with full divan and savings of £1000’s depending on which size!!!! It’s available with divan or if you just want the mattress then you can have that too with an offer price. Gel memory pillotop bed of dreams! Click here for the Divan and here for the mattress on it’s own.

That’s it from me for another week but If you want to keep up with what I get up to outside of QVC and also behind the scenes on the channel then come and follow me and say hi on my Instagram. 

Lots of love Katy xxx

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Our local area had a fantastic street party and all the pubs and cafes all joined together to take it in turns to put on entertainment. There were DJs and bands and hog roasts, ice cream and face painting and everyone was up for a good time. The girls wore their corgi T-shirts and Ivy went full-on jubilee with red, white and blue hair spray and tiara along with a frilly red net skirt to set it all off. She even had a plastic sceptre! It was a great day and really brought our local community out and together.

One of the bands played from the balcony which was definitely the main event. Whatever anyone’s feelings are on events like this, I don’t think you can disagree that there’s nothing quite like community coming together. I know QVC went all-out with a great weekend of offers too, I hope you enjoyed all the lovely shows and fun!

Today’s Special Value – White Stuff linen Lottie tunic

Available now! This 100% linen tunic is ideal for summer as the weight and fabric is so breathable. Its loose fit and 3/4 length sleeves make it a great everyday styling piece for BBQs and sunny days out and about. It also has pockets! I have the green option on here, but it also comes in Blue, Navy, Pink and Chartreuse. This style has been designed for us at QVC and currently only available here.

Todays Special Value – Laura Geller

The Laura Geller 5-Piece Collection launches this Friday 10th June as our Today’s Special Value. Here’s me with a full-face look using this kit, the only thing I added was mascara. It’s incredibly easy to use, you don’t have to be a make up artist, I’m certainly not!

It includes the always popular Balance N Brighten in shades Porcelain through to Deep (I’m wearing Medium), Blush N Bronze, Kajal Longwear Eyeliner in Burnt Cocoa Kohl, Italian Marble Lipstick in Bellisima and Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer in Bronze.

It launches on air this Friday 9pm but is already available online on pre-sell. If you want to see the video of me creating this look then you can watch on my Instagram by clicking here.

I hope you have some nice plans coming up, the weather is still pretty hit and miss. We had an incredible storm the other night, which was directly above us, the lightening shook the house and scared the life out of the kids, I’ll admit it gave me a fright too.

We lost power and lots of people had surges which fried their electronics. The local church’s cross was struck by lightning and split in half!!! Quite a night, thankfully that’s passed and hopefully there won’t be anything like it again soon.

Here’s hoping for more sunny days.

Lots of love
Katy xx

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I lost my sense of smell for a little while too which was very odd. Luckily, I have it back now, but some things still taste a little odd, like a metallic edge to it. Did anyone else have that, it seems very random to who does and doesn’t have that? So I hope you are all doing ok?

Just before I went down with that we did get a lovely family day out to Corfe Castle, my sister came down to visit and we spent the day chasing the girls around the castle ruins and taking in the incredible view from the castle grounds over the village of Corfe. It’s a special place and feels a little frozen in time, in the best way, as the village has kept it’s quintessential Dorset vibe. Stone cottages and country pubs make it a beautiful chocolate box picturesque place to visit so add it to your list of places to visit if you come down this way.

I wanted to give a shout out to a team of brilliant people down here in Poole this week who were raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The Sandbaggers Touch Rugby team attempted and succeeded in smashing a World Record for the longest continuous game of touch rugby.

A group of rugby friends who have been playing together on the beach, just for fun for years, decided to do this due to one of their players sadly being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. The previous record had been 33 hours and 33 minutes. Two squads took on the challenge to smash it and with the support of many local businesses and 1000s of locals they managed to smash the record and raise an incredible amount for charity, over £100K!!!!

We went down to watch them break the record and support by buying raffle tickets. Massive well done to all involved, it was incredible to watch the team pull together even though they must have been exhausted. The local support was also really wonderful to see.

Today’s Special Value – Innovators Santorini single day bed with footrest

Now this really is an excellent offer for those of you who want to make your garden extra special this summer. The most gorgeous Santorini day bed……SWOON! I love it so much, I may have to order one myself. Can you imagine, laying out in the sun, or under the shade, on a balmy sunny afternoon reading magazines or a good book with a cold drink. Heaven!

Super comfortable with extra scatter cushions and additional footrest so you can stretch out. It’s also a very fashionable style in the world of garden design. It’s available now on Pre-Sell and also on Easy Payments! Could this be the final touch to make your garden the only place you want to be this summer?! It launches on air officially on Friday night and throughout Saturday. I wouldn’t be surprised it this is sold out by lunchtime on Saturday!

That’s it from me, I shall be back soon with more great offers. Do make sure you are following me over on Instagram too though as I share lots of our offers there in between blogs.

Lots of love

Katy xx

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Having a staycation in the truest sense of the word really is a great way to spend some time off. It’s funny isn’t it that we are often so eager to get away? When actually just being in your own home and space can be just as lovely. I got to enjoy our garden and also our local area. We did day trips to the Oceanarium, shopping trips to Southampton, and the all-important Lego store. We even had a day at Go Ape at Moors Valley, where we put on a harness and balanced on treetop rope bridges and flew down zip wires! So we really did pack it in!

During this break we had two Birthdays to celebrate too. Ivy turned 7 and Fred hit 51. Ivy’s, as you can imagine was child-filled chaos at a soft play party, so lots of noise and red faced little sweaty children who were all having the time of their life!!

For Fred’s Birthday, however, we were able to enjoy a bit more of an adult friendly event! We had best friends down to stay and we all headed to one of our all-time favourite restaurants, Shell Bay. It’s a waterside restaurant on the other side of the chain ferry from us at Studland. It’s the simplest of venues, they don’t need to go overboard on decor because the glass walls show an unbeatable view.

The seafood is knockout and the staff are all so so nice. It has a rustic outdoor area if you are just stopping by for simple outdoor food but if you manage to book in the restaurant and love fish then you HAVE to order the seabass it’s just beautiful and I have had it three times in a row! I can’t bear to choose anything else because I know I would get food envy if someone else had it.

The kids are able to run outside and play on the small bit of beach there and we can watch them while having a chilled glass of rose. It’s just perfect and if you’re down this way you should pop over and give it a try.

Today’s Special Value – Clinique Moisture Surge Replenishing Hydrating 4-Piece Collection

This is a fantastic opportunity to get one of the biggest brands in skincare at a brilliant price. Flood your skin with hydration with the Moisture Surge Overnight Mask. Use the gel formula Moisture Surge 100 Hour Auto Replenishing Hydrator to keep your skin supple all day. Target eyes with fragrance free cream/gel All About Eyes including mulberry root, wheat, olive and green tea. Then your lips aren’t left out either with the Moisture Surge Lip Hydro Plump Treatment.

This collection would normally cost you £99.70 bought separately from Clinique and our offer will save you £55.98 off that price!!

As someone who has a naturally dehydrated skin type I just love a collection like this that will give me the hydration it craves and in turn plump those fine lines and wrinkles. The mask is dreamy, it’s also the UK’s Number 1 Prestige Mask. It launches this Saturday night at 9pm and then all day Sunday, while stocks last. BUT it’s already available on pre-sell! So get yours now ahead of the shows, or wait to find out more during the live shows.

Today’s Special Value – My Garden Stories Oslo Padded Large Garden Rocking Chair AVAILABLE NOW

I am so excited about this offer as I know how relaxing and comfortable this chair really is. I got to test one out and have some fun styling it up with some other fabulous QVC outdoor items. I think this chair is one of the coolest looking garden chairs ever. It could equally be fantastic in your home, particularly if you have a conservatory or large open kitchen living area. We have it in Pebble and Graphite (I have the pebble pictured here).

It’s made from a powder coated steel frame and a fat padded cushion which you won’t want to get up from!

Styled here with the pebble water feature

Fringed planter 

Solar lantern 

My Home Stories rug

BundleBerry galvanised trunks, perfect for my garden tools! All perfectly pulled together with a cup of tea in a BundleBerry mug!

I think we finally have a contender to the egg chair for favourite garden item of the year!! It will launch tonight at 9pm and on-air all day Saturday while stocks last. It is also already on pre-sell though so you can get yours now. Why wait?! If you would like to see the video of the styling transformation of my garden you can watch it here on my Instagram. The lovely summer gingham dress I am wearing here is from Monsoon.

This weekend we will have a lot of fun things happening on air with our gardening event too, so make sure to tune in. It will be very interactive, and I will be manning the QVC Facebook page at 10am on Saturday to chat with you guys and help answer any questions. So I hope that’s a few lovely treats that you might consider. If not, there are so many exciting things coming to QVC so watch this space.

I shall be back with another blog soon but until then you’ll find me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Love from Katy xx

The post A wonderful Easter break appeared first on Stories.

So, our first springtime adventure this year was getting over to Brownsea Island. It has only just re-opened for the year and we got over there the moment we could. Brownsea Island is a National Trust property and it’s quite magical. Baden Powell formed the Boy Scouts here and it’s also one of the few places in the UK that you can find the red squirrel. It’s an incredible nature reserve and has a number of different birds, like Avocets, Kingfishers and Godwits and it’s busting with wildlife.

You can follow adventure trails which is brilliant for the kids to keep them going on the walks. Tilda and Ivy’s favourite thing to see is the peacocks that roam around freely and are very curious of all the visitors.

They really are beautiful, we weren’t lucky enough this time to see one of the boys show its full tail display but we did see one come running down the hill with its tail flowing behind him like he was in a ball gown! We tried our best to spot a red squirrel too but we didn’t see any this time, we have seen them before though so we know they are there!

It’s really worth adding to your list of places to visit if you are ever down in Dorset. You get the boat from Poole Quay which takes about 20 minutes. There used to be a boat from Sandbanks which was quicker but the jetty needs repairs, so it’s closed for this year. Once you are there you can join one of the talks or you can just roam freely and choose your own routes, which is what we do. You can get down onto the beaches too which are wild and unspoilt.

There are spots for refreshments around the Island but plenty of space to have picnics. You can get afternoon tea and pasties in the cafe if you don’t want to have to bring things over with you as it’s a lot of walking so you may not want to carry things. It’s one of our favourite places to go and a great way for us to make use of our National Trust membership. We also have Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy nearby so it’s worth the membership for us.

I’ve done a video over on my Instagram if you would like to see more of the Island.

What I’ve been wearing

Springtime dressing in the UK is a nightmare isn’t it? One minute you’re ready to pack away all the winter jumpers and get the Ultrasun out and the next you’re digging them all out again because it’s started to snow?! So, a good spring coat that works across this awkward time is, for me, a really good trench coat. They can be worn just over a t-shirt or a jumper or both and you don’t end up being too hot or two cold.

I ordered this one from Badgley Mischka and I just love it. It’s a slightly different cut to some of the more traditional ones and has some tweaks that make it a little more unusual. The traditional shoulder straps on this one go lower down over the top of the arm and, along with the belt and neckline, are also trimmed with a faux leather. It’s a detail that I think updates the look of the trench and makes it feel more modern. A trench is a classic though so I know that this will be used year after year.

Today’s Special Value – Thompson & Morgan

I’ve been back in the garden again! I am spending so much time out there and it always feels like time well spent. I’ve had more things to pot, including my Richard Jackson lilies which recently arrived. I also go to pot up the Clematis Taiga from Thompson & Morgan ahead of the Today’s Special Value.

It includes two 7cm Clematis plants and a tower pot that it can grow up. The only thing you don’t get is the compost so I made sure to get a delivery of Richard Jackson Peat Free Compost too. This will be wonderful to watch grow as it fills the tower and gradually becomes a beautiful full climber with flowers. I’m not sure how quickly this will fill out so I will be eager to hear more during the live shows. It launches 9pm on the 15th and will be on all day 16th April, while stocks last.

That’s it from me for a few weeks while I get stuck into Easter fun and all the birthdays coming up. Ivy and Fred both have birthdays a few days apart so lots to organise.

I hope you have a lovely, lovely Easter.

Lots of Love Katy xx

The post Adventures on Brownsea Island appeared first on Stories.

I’ve just sanded and re-varnished the wooden garden table and sprayed the plastic wicker table and chairs with a plastic paint spray that had faded with age, I’ve jet washed the patio and everything is looking so good! I’ve planted Dahlias from Hayloft Plants and Peonies from Thompson & Morgan for the first time so I can’t wait to see how they turn out.

My Lily bulbs have just arrived from Richard Jackson so there is still more to plant but I’m running out of space! I think I might be single-handedly keeping the gardening department open. This is the problem presenting so many gardening shows, you end up buying so much of what you are presenting.

I am learning as I go with gardening but I have already learned that it’s not just about the end result of seeing lots of lovely flowers. It’s the things that you can’t really see that can really make the difference to your garden. It’s the prep and what is going on underneath the soil that is really important. As we know, nourishing our bodies is so important and it’s exactly the same for our plants.

This weekend we will be bringing you just what you need to nourish your garden. Richard Jackson’s Today’s Special Value will be a 1.5kg tub of Root Booster along with 2kg of Flower Power to give your plants their best possible start and to keep them so well fed. Root Booster can be added at the time of planting but also you can add it later by digging down the side of your plants root system and adding it in. That’s what I did with the help of my youngest daughter Ivy. She LOVES gardening with me and is a great little helper. If she sees me filling a watering can she immediately shouts are you doing Flower Power? Can I do it?!

So, we got to work retrospectively adding Root Booster to the plants already in our garden and also potting up some new additions. I was given an Azalea for my birthday so that got the Root Booster treatment. This will give your plants the most incredible, strong root system so that your plants can get the best start in life.

After we were done, we filled the watering can and added the right amount of Flower Power and gave all the plants a drink packed with the nutrients they need. It’s made with bio active technology to help plants absorb the nutrients faster. It’s also packed with extra high levels of potash which encourages more flowers and vegetables. We repeated this until everything had been given the Flower Power treatment and then fell into the Cocoon Chair to sit back, relax and admire our hard work.

If you would like to see the video of our hard work (or more Ivy’s) then you can watch it by clicking here to my Instagram.

This Saturday won’t just be about plants though, we will also have lots of other great items for outdoor living. I will be bringing you a BundleBerry show at 9am filled with great furniture and outdoor styling pieces for you too. So even if you aren’t green-fingered there will be lots for you, even if you are simply looking for something colourful for your balcony we’ve got you covered. I hope you’ll tune in and enjoy!

The Richard Jackson Today’s Special Value is already available ahead of the weekend launch so you can get ahead of the game!

Enjoy the gardening event

Love from Katy x

The post Don’t miss our gardening event this weekend! appeared first on Stories.

A local couple to us decided to organise a fundraising walk for Ukraine and this sounded like something we could absolutely contribute to as a family. It was simply three miles from Bournemouth to Sandbanks and in just a few days of organising it created quite a buzz. Local celebrity Harry Redknapp put his platform to good use, as he often does, and shared about the walk on his social media platforms and it helped to bring 100s of people down to join in, along with him and some of his family.

The couple who organised it were fortunate enough to be able to match the fundraising by £10K and so the total went well over £20K to be donated to Action Aid.

Tilda and Ivy did really well to walk the three miles without too much complaining and it obviously opened up more questions from them which we have answered as best we can. Ivy in particular has come home from school with some mixed up messages and stories from her school friends. They all hear much more than we realise sometimes so you have to make sure you can untangle what they think they have heard and make sure they understand the basics of what’s happening without making them feel worried.

It goes without saying, all our thoughts are with the innocent people who are suffering right now in Ukraine.

Meanwhile at work we are all powering on and I’m sure you will be pleased to know that QVC are donating $100,000 in support to the United Nations Refugee Agency and also have a fundraising banner on our site for us all to be able to donate with ease.

Gardening Today’s Special Value – Plants2Gardens Fuchsia – 27th March

So what else is happening? Well with Spring and Summer on our minds we have some lovely gardening Today’s Special Values coming your way. Including the Plants2Gardens Fuchsia offer. A collection of 10 mini fuchsias of mixed variety that grow to a height and spread of 30cm each. So, you could have 10 x 30cm containers each with a display of fuchsia or you could split them into groups for bigger displays in bigger pots.

They will be coming out to you the beginning of May ready to go into your garden. I love fuchsias as they remind me of my childhood, my dad used to do the most incredible hanging basket displays each year and we dubbed him the ‘Fuchsia King of Hampton’! So, I may well order these to see if I can replicate some of that magic.

What have I been wearing?

I recently ordered the Helene Berman Double Breasted Green Check Blazer. I can’t resist Helene’s jackets as you probably already know. I love her classy timeless styles and this is no different. Although I think the shade of green houndstooth is a bit more modern. I wore it on air in honour of St. Patrick’s Day but will be wearing it many more times to come. It’s a classic that I will have for years to come.

I often take a 12 with Helene but in this I went for a 14 so it would be a little oversize, to be honest though I wonder if the 12 would have been too neat a fit anyway. I styled it with a Dannii Minogue T-shirt, which we still have in the Petite, and jeans for a more casual look but I would also wear it with more tailored pieces too for smart occasions.

Easter is coming!

To get us all ready for Easter we have a fantastic offer launching today from Hotel Chocolat! It’s an extra thick Easter Egg with a selection of chocolates inside which comes in a beautiful gift tin plus 48-piece ‘bunny selectors’!! It’s worth £60 direct from Hotel Chocolat but we have it all for £39.98 as a Big Deal this week. I wonder how long the stock will last?!

The bunnies come in Caramel, St. Clements, Milk Dizzy, Dark Bianduja and Pistachio. It’s such a treat for any chocolate lover. I will also be giving away two bundles over on my Instagram page. One for the winner and one for their friend! All you have to do is head on over there and tag the friend you want to win in the comments. Good luck!

That’s it from me, I shall be back soon with more news of great springtime offers.

Take care of yourselves and sending lots of love to you all.

Katy xx

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Half term

I have been pleased to be at home for most of this week, as it was half term for us, so I have been able to spend lots of quality time with the girls, and Fred of course! We decided to head to London for the day as Tilda has been begging to go to the Lego store for weeks. So, we planned a day to include that but to also be tourists for the day and head to The Tower of London.

I haven’t been here since I was a kid! It was the most beautiful day in London, the sun was out, the sky was blue and it was buzzing. Really buzzing. I know not everyone is ready for busy cities yet, but I have to admit it made my heart sing. We got to the Tower at 11am and walked straight in without any queues as we had already pre bought our tickets. We wondered around the incredible grounds and investigated tower after tower and read stories of Kings, Queens and prisoners. We saw armour belonging to all the Kings and their horses. Henry VIII is quite a spectacle!

My favourite bit by far was The Crown Jewels, this was the only time that we queued but it was only for about 15 minutes. The gold is the first thing that you see and it’s fairly mind-blowing. Huge cabinet displays of chalices, dishes, jugs. There is a solid gold punch bowl that you could bath a child in! It’s enormous, the ladle that goes with it would need two hands to lift and scoop.

One of my favourite items was ‘The Jewelled Sword of Offering’ which had a handle encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. You weren’t allowed to take pictures in here, but you can look it up. The Crown Jewels themselves really are breath-taking. They have cleverly added moving walkways to this part so that people are always moving along so everyone gets a clear view and doesn’t hog the windows.

There are 7 sovereign crowns to see and 6 consort plus sceptres and orbs. I’ve obviously seen pictures and saw them as a child but I had forgotten the size of the jewels on the crowns. Some of the diamonds where the size of satsumas!!! Bigger than I ever really realised. When we came out of here the queue had grown massively so it’s worth heading straight to here as soon as possible when you arrive before they get too long.

After the Tower we headed to the Lego shop so Tilda wouldn’t self-combust by waiting any longer, more queues here by the way just to get in the shop! Once in, we let them both get custom-designed Lego characters with their names on, which as you can imagine is a major treat for a Lego fan.

Thankfully it’s not expensive! After that, we went for lunch at Bubba Gump, which is themed around the movie Forest Gump. Big baskets of fried shrimp and movie paraphernalia all around. As busy and buzzy as you would expect but we had booked which is definitely a must in London. Don’t ever leave it to chance to get a table as you will waste lots of time waiting or traipsing from one place to another.

On our way home some friends had recommended we make a pit-stop en route back to Waterloo to go and see the Leake street arches which is a really cool cut through under the station. It’s where graffiti artists can legally create their art and it’s incredible. Back in 2008 Banksy held an event here and it became an approved place for street artists to come and work.

It’s always changing because once someone has ‘tagged’ over a design, the next artist is free to start again and paint over it. The girls thought it was super cool and Ivy even said ‘wow you could dance down here’!!! She was perhaps just a little bit too at home here. I had flash forward visions of her partying the night away down here at club events. I have created a video over on my Instagram if you want to see more by clicking here.

By the way, that’s my Helene Berman coat that I am wearing in the pictures. It’s by far one of the best things I have ever ordered from QVC. I wear it most days.

What’s coming to QVC – Today’s Special Value – Wagner Paint Sprayer with extender and masking kit

I am feeling incredibly cross with myself after having been asked to try out the Wagner Paint Sprayer. As many of you know I have been doing a lot of painting and decorating since we moved into our new house. Why am I cross?! Because I spent hours, HOURS hand painting nearly every room in our house. HOURS!!!!!! I could have done it in less than half the time if I had had the sprayer. Probably a quarter of the time, and I would have used less paint and had a better finish.

Well, you live and learn and from now on, this is the only way I will re-decorate in future. I did however, get to use it for my garage door make-over. I did our front door recently and I have been desperate to get the garage done to match. Obviously I had to wait for the crazy weather to move on. I got my opportunity this week though.

I had a chat with Thomas from Wagner who gave me some good tips on how to use it. Tips included putting the tins of paint into a bowl of warm water so that the paint would spray even more smoothly. Also, practise spraying onto a cardboard box to make sure I was happy with the flow and direction of the spray.

First step was to wash down the garage door and let it dry. I then used the masking kit to tape up around the door and the ground so not to spray anything else. I warmed the metal primer paint first and practised on a box as Thomas suggested and got to it. I was done in about 10 minutes!!!! I honestly thought I would have to do two coats of primer, as I did on my front door, but this sprayed so well and evenly, I didn’t need to.

I left that for an hour or so as it was a quick-dry primer and then I went to do my final colour. It went on like a dream! Again, it was so quick to do and so satisfying. I did make one mistake though. I should have removed the masking sheets and replaced them in between colours because the primer had got onto the sheets and dried and then flakes of that came off and stuck to my top colour!! I had to do a second coat anyway though so I re-masked and took off any flakes that I could and then when I did the top coat the next day it covered any left-over flakes. So that’s my top tip as a result of a rookie mistake.

In between colours, or as soon as you are done, you simply pour out any left-over paint from the reservoir back into the tin and wash it out. You then fill it with clean water and spray it through the sprayer to clean it through so you can use it again and not gunge up the sprayer. Spray into a drain or onto a cardboard box.

If you are considering doing any decorating at all then I can’t recommend this enough. I just wish I had had it sooner. What do you think of my end result?

This Today’s Special Value launches on Friday 4th March at 9pm and all-day Saturday while stocks last.

Some sad news

As I was writing this blog the news came in that one of our most glamorous and sparkling members of our QVC family has passed away. Tova Borgnine has sadly passed away. She was an incredible woman who lived an exciting and interesting life. I loved doing shows with her as you never knew where one of her stories might lead. She left me wide-eyed and speechless a few times, that’s for sure! She was much loved by us all and will be missed. If you get the chance, do listen to her Inside QVC podcast interview with Will Gowing and hear all her colourful stories. May she rest in peace.

I do hope you are doing ok, and I will be back soon with another blog.

Lots of love

Katy

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