Spring is around the corner and so is Mother’s Day!

Well the year is marching along at a pace. Unfortunately I don’t seem to be marching along with it. All my plans for fitness, like getting back to the gym or my target of 100 days of walking, all seem to have fallen by the wayside. My health continues to have ups and downs, so it is mostly one step forward and two steps back. That said I am still determined to keep at it.

The weather has been an excuse to not get outside and exercise too, but have you noticed the stretch in the evenings already? It’s bright until nearly 6 p.m. It’ll be the height of summer before we know it! Well, maybe not quite, but Easter won’t be far away. (Believe it or not it’s Meteorological spring at the end of this week).

Anyone giving anything up for Lent? Asking that is an ingrained habit from my Irish Catholic childhood. It was mostly sugar and sweets that I would forgo as a form of penance and, oddly, as an adult it is still the ‘go to’ option, except, as an adult it’s more to do with my waistline and less to do with my need to experience abstinence as a penance.

Before Easter though, we have Mothering Sunday coming up (22nd March). Anybody got any ideas what they are getting for their mums? Or perhaps, as a mum, you have some ideas about what you’d like to receive?

I was on-air with Melissa Hardy the other day (I love working with her) and we were looking at the Radley ‘Have a Sparkly Day’ tote. It comes in lots of gorgeous colours and is currently on 3 Easy Pay interest-free instalments on our website, so have a look. There’s also a ‘Be Yourself’ option with oversized polka dots on it that’s really fun and stylish. I also love that they both have a sentiment on them that’s really perfect for any mum out there.

Speaking of fabulous women that I enjoy working with, I finally got to work with Ruth Langsford the other day. It’s only taking me over three years to get on-air with her! How did that happen? We were on QVC Style and the whole hour was dedicated to pieces solely from the Ruth Langsford range.

One of the most versatile pieces we had was Ruth’s suedette biker jacket (she also has one in a faux leather), which is perfect if you are looking for a transition jacket (or your mum is!) to take you out of winter into spring and beyond, through the summer and into the autumn. I honestly think you’ll get so much wear out if it, whether it’s layered over a Kim & Co jumpsuit or an Onjenu or J by Jolie Moi maxi dress, or even worn with a mid-weight knit and a pair of Ruth’s trousers!

BTW, we have some great Big Deals coming up this week!

From Phase Eight, we have the popular overlay top, perfect for spring and the upcoming Easter season.

L’Occitane are bringing us a supersize trio of Eco Refills of their Shower Oil, available in four Easy Pay interest-free instalments – another great idea for Mother’s Day if you know she is a fan of her skincare or L’Occitane as a brand.

If cooking is your mum’s thing, then only the best will do and there is no better name when it come to kitchenware than Le Creuset. We have a Big Deal from them this week in the form of a set of two toughened non-stick pans.

Whether we like it or not (I’m assuming most of us like it!), spring is coming and with it, all the celebrations of spring like Mother’s Day and Easter, so it’s always best to get ready early. Speaking of which, because it’s a Leap Year, we have a little something happening this week that could help with that.

There is a special Leap Year voucher that will allow you to spread the cost of your shopping and it’s simple and easy to use.

• Step 1: Shop our selection of top brands and spread the cost over four interest-free monthly instalments.
• Step 2: Add code LEAP4Z at checkout and your instalment deal offer will be automatically applied.
• Step 3: Use the voucher as many times as you like until it expires.

‘Simples’, as a couple of little meerkats we all know might say!

Until next time, happy shopping!

Miceal