{"id":106639,"date":"2021-06-04T16:00:06","date_gmt":"2021-06-04T15:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/?p=106639"},"modified":"2021-06-08T14:45:27","modified_gmt":"2021-06-08T13:45:27","slug":"the-lion-the-blake-and-the-wardrobe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/presenters\/debbie-flint\/the-lion-the-blake-and-the-wardrobe\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lion, the Blake and the Wardrobe"},"content":{"rendered":"
Yes, it\u2019s true. My three and a half-year-old granddaughter is obsessed with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Have any of you not seen it already? She loves the film and even \u2018drew\u2019 what she said were pictures of the characters in the card for my birthday. So when cousin Evie came to stay at the weekend with my lovely little Blake, we whisked them straight off to the nearby Banstead Woods where there is a nature trail incorporating wooden sculptures of three of the characters. The witch is opposite the wardrobe, I\u2019ve mentioned it before, but this was such a lovely shot, I thought I would feature it this week. Plus, after watering the flower beds, bathtime and a play on the balcony, we watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks as well!<\/p>\n\n
We had such a lovely time, I was absolutely shattered by Sunday when it was time to take them home – as you can imagine! Wonderful memories to look back on when she is grown, though. Looking forward to next time, which should be 12th.<\/p>\n
Scentered<\/strong><\/p>\n No wonder I needed this after that hectic weekend! A lovely brand of candles et cetera, using powerful ingredients and distinctive, gorgeous aromatherapy fragrances. I have gone for the Wellbeing Ritual Aromatherapy Balm called Love, which reminds me of a fragrance I used to use when I was in my late teens\/early 20s, called \u2018Cinnabar\u2019. Remember that one? Anyway, I rub it on my pulse points and it smells amazing. Great ideas for gifts so check out the range here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other highlights this week – look out for the new Dyson<\/strong> vacuum cleaner, we are the first to have it! See below. Plus a new product from Gatineau<\/strong> this coming weekend, and the most incredible new Tili<\/strong> set on Monday!<\/p>\n Snippets<\/strong><\/p>\n Shyama\u2019s book club<\/strong><\/p>\n\n I\u2019ve mentioned the books we have been reading over the past few months, but so far it\u2019s all been on Zoom and we haven\u2019t met up. Well, we put that right this week when I visited pal Shyama and a few of the other girls. A lovely buffet lunch plus some good chat and a review of another \u2018thin\u2019 book, called We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I\u2019m going to finish reading it, as I didn\u2019t do my “homework” in time for the get together, (!) and while some people loved it, some people absolutely didn\u2019t. Same as normal then, really. \ud83d\ude42 But apparently it\u2019s got a fabulous twist in it!<\/p>\n Two doggies were there, including this cute apricot one called Tuppence (half poodle!) having a cuddle with my friend. I even got the group to agree to make the next month\u2019s book choice Joanna Cannon\u2019s Breaking and Mending! \u00a0Lovely see my old friend. I have known Shyama since 1990, so that\u2019s some long friendship! Hope to see each other again soon and not leave it so long this time!<\/p>\n Rapeseed oil intolerant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n We had some lovely food at book group, most of it quite simple, which is quite handy really, because of what happened this week – I had a recurrence of something that happened to me last summer. So I now have to look even more carefully at the ingredients when I choose food, it seems! Had a really bad bout of jippy tummy again, just like I had last August, when I was drinking lots of a barista oat milk, which I realised has tons of rapeseed oil in it. Having researched how bad it can be for your gut, I immediately began to feel back to normal. Swapped to milk that has just oats and water, and the upset went away… until this week. Turns out the offending ingredient was also in the egg mayonnaise that I\u2019d been I gobbling up this week! It\u2019s everywhere! Certain salad creams and sauces also contain it, and it\u2019s a well-known ingredient in some vegan recipes, which I like. I will be more vigilant in future. Just watch in years to come, when they suddenly announce people should stop eating it. I\u2019d bet money on it.<\/p>\n Patrick Hoy ahoy!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n How delighted was I, when filling in this week for someone who was ill, to find myself on air not only having a fun show with Jenny Blackhurst (doing the stylish Phase Eight<\/strong> Today\u2019s Special Value top), but also with one of my favourite people in the world at both 9 o\u2019clock and midnight – none other than my old friend, Patrick Hoy! We realised it had been absolutely ages since we did a show together, but now that he is doing generic shows too, not just Quacker Factory<\/strong>, we are blessed to have him on more often. He is so knowledgeable. Do watch one of his shows, you\u2019ll see what I mean. He\u2019s on again soon with the wonderful Quacker Factory<\/strong> garments for a special, so check out the TV Guide. We did the rest of the 9pm show and went to have a coffee and a catch-up. An hour of non-stop nattering later, and we had put the world to rights and still have so much more to say. Such a pleasure and such a lovely guy. Check out Quacker Factory<\/strong> here<\/a> and Phase Eight<\/strong> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Plus, do have a look here<\/a> at the wonderful fashion shoots that our talented stylist Stine<\/a> did recently, with fellow presenter Eilidh and with fab fashion guest Katie Pemberton. I always feel too self-conscious when I have to do things like this, \ud83d\ude42 so I\u2019m guessing it will be quite a while before I do any, ha ha.<\/p>\n Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n People have been talking about the Davina menopause program on Channel 4, so I\u2019m determined to see it at some point. (Not sure if I would ever take HRT though.) That may be worth a watch.<\/p>\n Also, lots of people have been recommending The Pact. So I\u2019ve got that on my list. Devious goings-on after a night out mean trouble for women with a secret working in a company when the boss\u2019 son disappears, I think. Looking forward to it!<\/p>\n Podcast<\/strong> – Meg Matthews and all about the menopause this week and some of her super ladies’ products. And don\u2019t forget to check out Alex Kramer\u2018s blog as well, for her own related story. Listen on Monday when Will talks with Dr Esho. You can find all the podcasts here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vlog<\/strong> – this week I want you to go here<\/a>, because Tommy Cross has done some incredibly entertaining, informative, quirky garden videos, including for one of our brands, Greenworks<\/strong>, which I posted about this week. Funny! And check out my post on my page on Monday at 12.09 pm, with a video of a walk in the Narnia woods!<\/p>\n Book of the week<\/strong><\/p>\n Time for Jackie Kabler\u2018s latest book, the follow-up to The Perfect Couple – her bestseller. The Happy Family follows the return of a long lost disappeared mother and the daughter\u2019s attempts to rebuild the relationship as strange things start happening\u2026 Really looking forward to it and have bought the audiobook! Comes out on the 4th!<\/p>\n\n QVC top deals for the next seven days<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday<\/strong> (today) – go here<\/a> to see and buy what\u2019s left of the lovely Lola Rose<\/strong> semi-precious strand necklace called Oscy, it\u2019s 150cm so really long, you can double it easily without needing to undo anything. And it’s in some beautiful colours.<\/p>\n Also depending on the time you get this, you may just about see my 3pm practical ideas with Dyson<\/strong> hour, if not, do have a look online as you will hopefully see my first airing of the new Dyson<\/strong> Micro<\/a>, which is a 1.5 kg new cordless vacuum cleaner. So light, perfect for the car, for lifting up high, and particularly for flat floors, as it has one of the fluffy heads. I can\u2019t wait to show you my experiments with it next week! Assuming it\u2019s still available… it is supposed to be, as we are the first to have it in a special launch with Dyson<\/strong>. Got to love your favourite shopping channel, haven\u2019t you?<\/p>\n By the way, I\u2019ve actually got a really long shift on Friday<\/strong>, including Fashion on Friday at 5pm with Artscapes<\/strong> and the lovely Carla Laszlo, can\u2019t wait! Then later on, I launch this:<\/p>\n