Sunny sunflowers

I love sunflowers and as June was quite a hectic month for me, my husband, Chris, treated me to these to keep me smiling. They symbolise happiness, loyalty and growth so they were a perfect choice.

On the subject of loyalty, I want to thank all of you who read and comment on my QVC blog on a regular basis. The presenter blogs (all of them, not just mine) will be taking a break for the summer so this will be my last one until September. If you do social media, I’ll still be keeping you updated on my Twitter @JuliaRobertsTV and I’ll be doing stories and posts on my Instagram at juliagroberts. I’m also planning on getting my head around ‘reels’, so watch that space! However, if you prefer to read a blog, I’ll still be writing a monthly blog about what is going on in my life on my author website, but it doesn’t very often include anything related to QVC, apart from some of the clothes I wear in the photos!

Speaking of which, I wore this Kim & Co dress, one of my favourites from her range to my publisher, Bookouture’s, summer party on Monday. I signed with them in October 2018 and am currently working on my sixth book for them. I usually take plenty of photos at these get togethers, but I was so busy chatting that I completely forgot to take any, apart from one of the 10th anniversary cake!

I also missed out on a slice of cake, but I’m trying to be good in that department to help keep the weight that I’ve lost off.

Another fashion love that I’ve bought recently are these Moda in Pelle shoes and it’s largely thanks to fashion guest, Katie Pemberton. She sent me a text message prior to a show she was co-presenting because she remembered that I liked them, and they’d previously been sold out in my size. They’re fairly similar to the Clarks ones I wear but a tiny bit higher in the heel and are nice and supportive for my left ankle post the surgery I had in January 2020. That all seems such a long time ago but thanks to a brilliant surgeon and the hours I spend each week on physiotherapy/exercise, my ankle is stronger now than it’s been since I was teaching fitness classes in the 1980s.

And while talking about my health, that was part of the reason that June was such a busy month for me. I had quite a few follow-up appointments on my medical issues from last year, starting with blood tests to check the function of my pituitary gland after the surgery last October. My endocrinologist was pleased to report that everything is functioning normally again now, so he doesn’t need to see me for a year.

The same is also true of my neurosurgeon who I saw after a brain scan last week. It showed no sign of any residual tumour, and all the post-surgery swelling has now gone which is a massive relief. Lastly, I paid a visit to the eye surgeon who performed my replacement lens surgeries last year following OCT scans and visual field tests on both eyes. Again, everything is looking really good. After all the worry of last year when I averaged more than one medical appointment per week this truly was GREAT news! Even my three yearly mammogram results came back clear. I can honestly say a weight has lifted from my shoulders, although I do still have to have my blood tested every two months to check on chronic myeloid leukaemia levels.

So, it was a very busy June with all these medical appointments alongside my full-time job at QVC and finishing the second draft of my next book, which is due out in October. I won’t now be able to share the cover and title on here when it goes on pre-order but of course it will be on my social media platforms, including my Facebook page @JuliaRobertsTV and you’ll be notified if you’re signed up to the newsletter on my author website.

Speaking of my latest book, the latest draft is now with my editor, and I have a few days off before the editing stage starts, which fortunately coincides with the two weeks’ holiday from QVC that starts tomorrow. We’ve rented a villa in Javea, Spain where we used to have a holiday home and where part of The Woman on the Beach, my most recently published book is set. Incidentally, that book has been selected for a reduced-price deal on the Kindle version for the whole of July if you’re after a summer read.

Back to the holiday, though. We’d planned to holiday in Javea together as a family two years ago. Everything was booked and then cancelled due to the pandemic and last year it wasn’t possible to go anywhere much, so we’re all really looking forward to introducing Katie, my son Dan’s fiancée, to Javea as it will always have a special place in our hearts… I’ll be posting some pictures on Instagram of me in some of my fave QVC outfits.

So, I’ll be off your screens for a couple of weeks which means that I’ll be missing some great offers including the Liz Earle Today’s Special Value, which launches on air tomorrow night but is already on presell. It’s the Superskin Smooth and Firm Collection, which along with old favourites like Cleanse & Polish and Instant Boost Skin Tonic (back to the original formula, thanks to customer demand), includes your choice of Superskin moisturiser and the new Superskin Microdermabrasion Polish for smoother, softer skin. Bought individually from us, it would be £107.50 plus all the individual P&Ps so at £46.96 it’s less than half price and a great way to stock up if you’re already a fan, or an affordable way to discover the brand with the confidence of the 60 day moneyback guarantee.

And if you’re a fan of beauty products, there is also an Estee Lauder Today’s Special Value on prelaunch on our website, which includes the Bronze Goddess fragrance.

Just before I sign off for the summer, I promised you a photo of my little vegetable patch, which is coming on nicely thanks to Richard Jackson and his fab range of gardening products.

We’ve had lots of lettuce already, one radish (quality over quantity on that one) and as you can see, the tomatoes and runner beans are coming on really well and should be about ready to start harvesting when we get back from Spain.

I’ll be protecting my skin out there with Ultrasun and as it’s going to be very hot here – I hope you’re well stocked up on it too.

Have a lovely summer and speak to you on here in the autumn!
Much love,
Julia xx