Later in today’s blog, I’ll be sharing a video I shot yesterday using the Dyson Airwrap for the very first time, but I thought I would start by thanking those of you who attended my ‘virtual’ book launch party on my JuliaRobertsTV Facebook page last Friday. I can hardly believe that was only a week ago, as so much has happened in the interim – mind you, the whole of my 64th year on this planet has been a bit like that, as I will detail in next week’s blog.
It was lovely to share the evening with you and as you can see, I was a very lucky girl being treated to champagne, flowers and cake…. what more could a girl wish for? The video is available to view if you wanted to have a quick peek, along with the videos of the three iQVC quizzes I have done so far.
We are approaching week four of the quiz, Monday night at 8 p.m. if you fancy joining in live, and it really will be down to you whether or not we continue weekly, so do let me have your thoughts on my Facebook page. To whet your appetite, I do a picture round, which always includes QVC presenters as babies… Who do you think this is? You can find out if you were right on my page on Monday, or on here next week!
So, for weeks now I have been trying to capture video of Wilfie the cat playing football, but he has been a bit coy, however I thought you might enjoy this clip of him and his ball – do we think it’s his attempt at basketball?
Funnily enough, it is actually a basketball stress ball, which my son and I bought when we visited New York eighteen months ago, which, by the way, seems like years ago… how the time flies!
I also snapped this photo of Wilfie posing as ‘cat on a post’ and tweeted it earlier in the week in response to comedienne Dawn French’s tweet of ‘dog on a log’ – I have to say her backdrop of the Cornish coast was rather appealing, although I can’t complain at my garden.
The poppies from a couple of weeks ago are all but over, but the hypericum is in full flower and these petunias have gone crazy in all the glorious sunshine we had in May. It’s not been so clever so far in June, but boy did the garden need the sprinkling of rain we’ve received, particularly the lawn.
I’ve missed a couple of weeks for the tree fern, so here it is in all its glory, although still more growth to come I expect.
Next week I’ll update you on this year’s lilies, courtesy of Richard Jackson, and I think the red lilies from our presenter competition seven years ago will be in flower by then too. There has been another addition to the garden this week as well – this time it’s faux, but how ‘real’ does this look?
I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that I finally got my hands on a Dyson Airwrap to style my hair with yesterday. Genuinely, this is the first time I have ever used it and after a couple of false starts, while I got to grips with the technique, I found it very easy to use and it delivered lovely bouncy curls as lots of you remarked on after my appearances on air yesterday.
It is the Today’s Special Value launching on air tonight at 9 p.m., but it has already been selling so well on presell, I’m not sure how far into the day it will last – hopefully for my 11 a.m. show!
My hair was virtually dry but dampened with a heat protection spray and my technique was to hold the segment of hair around the attachment until you felt the ‘grab’ before moving it towards my head, no wrist twisting required. By the way, if you noticed me glancing up at the clock in the video, it’s because I was live on air at 3 p.m. – note the time on the clock, I really am a last-minute Lulu, something which drives my husband, Chris, crazy!
Take tonight for example; I finish on air at 7 p.m. and my Facebook Live short story reading starts at 8 p.m. – we live a thirty/thirty-five-minute drive from the QVC studios and I will need a bite of dinner before I start. I’ll probably sit down in front of the camera at about a minute to eight! Tonight, I will be reading the first part of a short story I wrote about three years ago called, Time for a Short Story! Can I just promise you that the story is better than the title… I’ve always regretted not calling it ‘The Primrose Pantry.’ Actually, I’m thinking of removing it from sale as a short story and converting it into a longer book with more background on the three main characters – I think it would make a lovely story, loosely based on my own mum, Josephine.
Speaking of who, Mum is currently reading Why She Died, as is my mum-in-law, Audrey, and one of my nieces, Becky, who texted me this morning to say it is her favourite book of mine so far. My son, Dan, and his girlfriend, Katie, read it in tandem and have both finished it now – I’m relieved to say that neither of them guessed ‘who did it’. It’s wonderful to have such a supportive family when it comes to my writing, but there have also been twenty-eight reviews in the first week, all but two of which are four or five stars, for which I am very grateful.
Speaking of being grateful, thanks so much for all your contributions to our Giving Back Initiative. With your help, QVC have been able to raise £187,457 to donate to the National Emergency Trust to help people who are really struggling in these difficult times – again, thanks for your generosity. And I also wanted to mention Abi Cleeve (Ultrasun and Skinsense) who combined with QVC to put together 10,000 care packs to be given to hospital staff in the areas where QVC operates – great effort, Abi.
Well, that’s it for now – when I write my blog next week, I will be officially a year older and such a year of momentous things to look back on. See you later for Fashion on Friday, Cuddl Duds at 5 p.m. and Clarks shoes at 6 p.m. and I’m with you all this weekend, including the Gatineau Today’s Special Value on Sunday morning at 11 a.m.
Let’s hope the sun returns and lockdown continues to ease safely,
Much love,
Julia x
20 Responses
Hope you have a very Happy Birthday Julia. Love your books. Much love Karen x
Hi Karen
Thanks for the birthday wishes and so pleased to hear you enjoy my books. If you ever feel like writing a short Amazon review I’d be most grateful
Love
Julia x
That Baby must be Dale!
Hi Matthew
It’s not Dale 😉 – all will be revealed in the quiz tonight and on here on my next blog
Love
Julia
Hello please could you tell me Julia’s Facebook address to listen to the short story
Thanks
Lisa
Hi Lisa
My Facebook page is @JuliaRobertsTV – it’s where you will also find my iQVC quiz if you like quizzes
Love
Julia x
Hope you have a great birthday mine is the 5 June don’t know where times goes take care x
Hi Heather
Thanks for the birthday wishes – I hope you had a good one?
Love
Julia x
Loved reading your blog Julia and will show my granddaughter Isle Wilfie’s video , she ie excited to be getting her first kitten in a couple of weeks time, just debating on names though it is Amal’s kitten xxx
Hello Jean
So pleased you enjoy my blog. I hope the video of Wilfie makes your granddaughter smile
Love
Julia x
Hi Julia,
Watching Container gardening on Sunday morning..Fabulous .
Can I please ask where you had your Peacock top from ? it is a gorgeous ,so very glam ☺brightening up a rainy day today .
Love you all on QVC and loving the garden shows and enjoying so much all the garden ideas. Thank you for helping us all make the most of and to encourage people to love their outdoor space .
Keep safe , bringing a smile and colourful and stylish ideas in these trying times,
Regards Di Shaw
Hi Di
Thanks for your kind words – we all need to be supporting one another in these trying times I think.
The top is Butler & Wilson World – I like it so much I’m going to wear it for my iQVC quiz tonight
Love
Julia x
Hi Julia,
Many congratulations on your latest book launch and of course happy birthday for next week. Loved the video clip of Wilfie and the photo of him. He is sitting there as if to say ” what a handsome boy am I .” Cats are so different to dogs in that they always have that air of superiority about them!
Well you certainly have the knack for using the Dyson Hair Wrap. I used to have long hair as a little girl and my mother always put it in ringlets. You would never guess I had curly hair as I always keep it quite short. I did try growing it some years ago and had a “bob” but ended up getting it cut as my hair was so curly even after using straighteners. Mind on the plus side it only takes 5 minutes to dry and style. It will be time to get the clippers out soon now I’ve got the hang of it. I did colour my hair and you’ll be pleased to know I used a quite bright reddish /brown colour which I must say I am very pleased with. (Who needs hairdressers?!!! )
Still not a lot of change here in Wales regarding relaxing the lock down although some shops should be re-opening hopefully in a matter of weeks. Good news as I am spending a fortune at QVC. I’ve just received the Lock and Lock TSV from a few days ago so have no excuse now for not sorting out my cupboards and drawers.
Well hope you and your family are keeping ok and it won’t be too much longer before some form of normality comes back.
Take care, best wishes- Tina S. xx
Hi Tina
Thanks for your good wishes both for my birthday and my book launch – it was a very different publication day from the one I had around this time last year when I had an actual party rather than a virtual one – still, hopefully things may start returning to ‘normal’ before too long.
I know what you mean about cats, they have that air of superiority, don’t they. I have another short video of him to post next blog.
Stay safe
Julia x
Hi Julia
Many Happy Returns for Wednesday, my fellow Gemini, 10 June Birthday Girl! Here’s hoping we both have a fabulous day, albeit a slightly different one this year, not being able to see family and friends as we normally would.
It’s my big 50+10 this year, how did that creep up on me? There’s been lots of…don’t come in here, phone calls etc going on and Chris has made me a card this year, so lots of thought put into it, extra special.
My sister has COPD, so although the advice has been to venture outside, like a lot of us, she’s loath to do so. I’ve only been out in the car for a ride when Chris collects my prescription so far, but hopefully we’ll call to see my sister, through the window on Wednesday, hugs will be the hardest thing not being able to do.
Congratulations on you book launch, as you say a very different one this time, but still just as exciting, new reviews to look forward to.
Loved the photos of Poppy and of course Wilfie and his antics, our pets have been a godsend in lock down, as you can imagine with Chris working from home Bailey has become more of a tinker, not as well behaved…I wonder why?
Who’s going to make your Birthday cake this year, you have some very good bakers there with you going by some of the scrumptious looking photos you have shared with us.
Have a lovely Birthday with lots of pressies, cake and wine!
love
Annette x
Hi Annette
I hope you managed to have a lovely birthday with a few surprises! Mine was ‘different’ but good – we saw the family ( at a distance) on the 10th and then had a socially distanced bbq last Saturday – we were lucky with the weather, the rain didn’t arrive until the evening!
So this year Katie and Dan made my birthday cake and it was a proper work of art – I’ll put a picture on this week’s blog.
I’ve already had over forty reviews on the latest book and very pleased to report that all but two are four or five star … phew! A big relief after all the hard work!
Watch out for Wilfie playing football (after a fashion) on this week’s blog.
Welcome to your 60’s…. it’s really not that bad
Love
Julia x
Is the baby Simon ?
No… it was my dressing room ‘roomie’ Katy Pullinger
Love
Julia x
Belated happy birthday to you 🎂🥂 love where wilfie is sitting on a post and seem to enjoy himself can I also ask would QVC consider bringing a Samsung mobile phone as a Tsv again
Hi Linda
Thanks for the birthday wishes – a good time was had by all, socially distanced of course!
I just love everything about Wilfie, and technically he’s not my cat!
I’m not sure if QVC have plans for a Samsung phone TSV – we presenters are always the last to know stuff like that
Love
Julia x