Hello, Friends!

When you think of pears and apples and pomegranates, you probably think “ripe.” Or “juicy.” Or “delicious.” You probably don’t think “glowing.” Well, not unless your farmer’s market is next to a nuclear power plant. (And, if it is, I highly recommend shopping for produce somewhere else.)

But, anyway… this Set of 3 Fruit Luminaries from myED On Air collection is going to change the way you think about fruit. These luminaries are made out of a glazed ceramic material that’s neither “ripe” nor “juicy” nor “delicious.” However, it does let the ambient light of an LED shine through, creating a subtle, warm glow. Beautiful!

They run on button-cell batteries, which are included, and last 240 hours each. And, since I hate running out of battery power, I insisted that we include an extra button-cell for each luminary. So, that gives you a total glow time of, um… well, you do the math.

I love to group the three of them together as a centerpiece. But, the last time I was chatting with my friend Taniya, she suggested splitting them up and using them as decorative accents in different rooms. She’s full of clever ideas like that. If you don’t believe me, just watch her video blog for this week.

That’s all for now. Have a great week—

Ellen

I found the inspiration for this dish on Pinterest.  I tweaked it a little. I pounded the chicken breasts so they would cook a little faster and made the spinach/cream cheese & mushrooms topping in a skillet.  Moist tender chicken with a light cheesy spinach sauce.  It was delish.  I hope you like it. 

 PS: Don’t judge my cell phone pic. It tastes really good!  

Smothered Chicken with Spinach & Mushrooms

4-5 boneless chicken breasts, pound to ¼” thick

8 oz package of mushrooms, sliced

1 lg bag of spinach leaves

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

8-10 slices Mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/8 inch slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. garlic powder

3 tbsp. onion, minced

1 tbsp. seasoned salt, like Lawry's

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle the garlic powder, seasoned salt, and pepper on both sides of the chicken.  Bake for 16 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the creamed spinach.  Over medium-high heat, 2 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet.  Add in the onions and sauté 2-3 minutes.  Add in the spinach, mushrooms and garlic.  When it's cooked through, stir in the cream cheese and parmesan cheese.  Continue cooking and stirring until the cream cheese is melted. Add the wine.  Cook until most of the wine is cooked out.

Flip the chicken pieces over.  Pour spinach and mushrooms over the top of each breast.  Lay two slices of cheese over each piece of chicken.  Cook another 12-14 minutes or until cheese is browned and chicken is done.

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For The Quacker Factory’s 20^th anniversary year at QVC, our team will be writing some blogs that discuss how we first were introduced to Jeanne & The Quacker Factory!  Here is my story……. 

Back in 2005, while I was modelling at QVC.  Jeanne Bice & the Quacker Factory were one of the clients I modeled for on the air.  Jeanne & I would chat before the shows, and sometimes on set.  She was always funny & had so much great advice.

After one show, all of the models received an invitiation to The Quaker Factory’s 10^th Anniversary Party in Florida.  The dressing room was all abuzz with the thought of being invited!!  Yet no one seemed to be able to attend.  I decided that I did not want to miss any of the fun, and I would cetainly be on that boat!!!  I convinced my sister Vickie to join me, and off we went!!  Now ten years ago it was much easier to get her to come with me she was not married and did not have kids at the time!! 

Jeanne threw a party like no one I had ever met!  On this boat, were members of the QVC team, members of our manufacturing team & of course the design team!!    What a gorgeous day for a ride along the inter coastal!! 

{Vickie & I}

{Lee Bice, Lori & I!} 

{Sue, Myself & Annette}

{Our gracious host- Jeanne!}

{Vickie still has this photo in a frame in her home!!}

While on the ship, we enjoyed lots of great food, cocktails & live music!!  Jeanne wanted everyone to have an incredible time & boy did we ever!!!

After the boat docked, and everyone was back on dry land, a group of us made our way to downtown Delray Beach for more fun dancing the night away!!

{Myself, Tiago & Vickie}

The next day, Jeanne called me & invited us to come to her home.  This was the VERY first time I ever saw Jeanne without her famous headband!!  I felt like I belonged to a very private, secret club!!! 

She welcomed us into her home with open arms & I will never ever forget that day!

After this celebration, things changed between Jeanne & me.  We talked more often; we became friends—not just work colleagues.  She would invite me to dinner when she was in town for work & she even began to invite me to come & stay with her at her home in Florida. 

Eventually Jeanne asked me to be her makeup artist before shows at QVC, and to top it all off, she offered me a job with her design team when I had mentioned to her that I had lost a part time job.

It always amazes me how I ended up where I am today.  Jeanne saw something in me, she wanted to talk to me & see how my life was going.  She supported me when my mother passed away.  She gave me a job when I needed one!!   I can never, ever thank her enough for believing in me & welcoming me into her world with open arms!!  Because of her, I have met some of the most amazing people—Quackers and her team & her family.  Jeanne will forever & always be my Fairy Godmother! 

Thank you Jeanne—with much love & respect!

Angel

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Great news QVC readers! We are in the home stretch of winter, spring is just a week away! You will especially relate to how excited I am if you live on the East Coast, or anywhere cold!  I feel like a child on the last day of school.  My Mom, who lives in sunny California, called me this week to say she's so happy it's finally warming up there, well I'm excited its above 30 degrees here! So, for all of you spring breakers, I thought this was the perfect time to share some of my favorite beach and beauty products!

Last weekend I was on a job in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.  The location was a dream! The only problem was that I hadn't been in the sun for months and the client wanted me to have a light tan.  My favorite way to fake a tan is using this St Tropez Bronzing Spray.  Many makeup artists I work with use this product because of how natural the tan looks- not a trace of orange!

I have quite the collection of bikinis, but my favorite ones are always Eres Paris.  They're so classic and the quality is impeccable, they last for years.  My go-to sunglasses are Toms. They have so many cool vintage-inspired styles. I not only love the print on these frames, I love that with each purchase Toms helps give sight to a person in need.  

As a rule, I never tan my face. I have had melasma, also called the "mask of pregnancy", for years- but I'm not pregnant. It's a very stubborn skin issue. Even if I'm in the sun for 5 minutes, my skin starts to turn brown in certain spots.  If you have it, I'm sure you understand my frustration!  I use a highly protective sunscreen from my dermatologist called Elta MD. It's SPF 46 and made for skin types prone to acne, rosacea and hyperpigmentation.  To match my face to my body's skin tone, I like to use Wander Beauty's subtle liquid bronzer (coming soon!) on the spots of my face where the sun would naturally hit.

As a Wen girl, I never leave home without my Wen travel packets! They're perfect for me since I never check a bag.  Here's a tip- when on vacation, leave the cleansing conditioner on the ends of your hair all day. This will give your hair an extra boost of hydration and help to repair any damaged ends.  

The food in Mexico was so fresh! Every afternoon we enjoyed a healthy smoothie or slushy.  This was my favorite, the perfect beach refresher- just blend ice, lime, basil and raw sugar into a slushy consistency and enjoy!

I bought this small cross body fringe bag a couple years ago while on a trip for Victoria's Secret in Aspen.  It's handmade and one of a kind. I use it anytime I travel somewhere warm.  It's great to throw on for dinners or a night out and it is so on trend right now!

I love these Tatcha blotting papers, they're especially great when I'm modeling in hot, humid weather.  They don't disturb the makeup I'm wearing and save me from having layers of powder applied to my face, which can end up looking cakey.

What are your favorite spring break beauty products? Are you planning a getaway? Wherever you live, I wish you a very happy spring and thank you for reading!

xo,

Lindsay

I have great love for Ireland, my wife Noreen is of Irish descent and many of her family members are still in Ireland. We have been fortunate enough to visit regularly and get to know the people and the land. We spend a lot of our time in County Meath and County Galway, home to Noreen’s grandmothers, and which have come to feel like another home for us. I never get tired of the endless green and was fascinated by the stark contrast of the black fields known as bogs or moors.

pic 1

For generations, Noreen’s family always spoke of the natural wonders of the bog. The anti-aging benefits of this bog is so respected that some consider it their fountain of youth so of course I had to make a mask with it, not to mention the healing benefits so often spoken about and passed on from generation to generation. We harvested this 9,000-year-old beauty secret just a stone’s throw away from the backyard of Noreen’s family and brought it back to share with my QVC friends!

Noreen and I recently visited the farmer who harvests the miracle bog I use for Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask.  The trip surprised us because we were hoping to enjoy the green fields, but instead we went from a NY snowstorm to an Irish blizzard, a much rarer occurrence in Ireland.  

We brought our wellies from America (but we should have brought our snow boots) so that we could jump right in, dig in and start harvesting!  This moor has been in the farmer’s family for ages. He shared a story of badly burning his hand when he was just 7 years old. Rather than rushing him to the doctor, his mother took him out to the bog and had him put his arm deep into the mud. Days later he was healed.

We were also surprised to find that never having been commercially harvested, this moor was actually a Garden of Eden.  The bog has thousands of different varieties of plants and flowers growing on it; even in the dead of winter you can still see flowers, hear birds chirping and watch large frogs frolicking. The environment is serene and quiet.  The mud is as black as a pint of Guinness with the highest level of organic content in the world, 9,000-year-old black moor mud is rich in nutrients, essential minerals, and potent antioxidants which help protect against skin damage.

I’m not known to rest on good, I want all my products to be great, so to get more out of Moor Mud, I’ve enhanced it with Hijiki Seaweed which provides vital nutrition and hydration as Volcanic Ash helps revitalize and detoxify skin and Activated Charcoal (probably the ingredient with the coolest sounding job) has a magnetic effect that draws impurities and toxins from congested pores. This youth boosting, purifying mask will transform the driest skin, it is super moisturizing, stays moist on your face – it absolutely will not dry out and washes away completely without a trace of black residue. So here’s to mud not in your eye but to on your skin.

-Peter

Hello, foodies…

It was truly my pleasure to attend the Philadelphia Flower Show again this year. The 2015 theme was "Celebrate the Movies" and films from Disney and Pixar were featured like...TheNightmare Before Christmas and one of my all-time favorite movies, Ratatouille, because I love the theme of the movie...anyone (even rats!) can cook.

It just so happened that the Garden to table Studio (where I did my presentation) was right next to the Ratatouille exhibit and one of the recipes I made in my demonstration was my Ratatouille Soup.

I also made two other recipes…Garden Veggie Dip in a Bread Bowl and a Fruit Salad Parfait.

All three recipes are light, bright, and best of all…open to interpretation. You can use virtually any vegetable—or type of bread—in my dip. We used tropical fruits in my Fruit Salad Parfait, but you can berries, melons, or a combination therein. And, you can top it with my Cranberry Honey Nut Granola, if you like. Other root veggies only enhance the flavor of my Ratatouille Soup. And, that recipe freezes well so you can double the batch and freeze half for later.

The whole In the Kitchen with David team accompanied me to the show…including Chef Andrea and our girl Mary.

And a special guest popped by at the end of my presentation just before her own demonstration…recognize her?

We had such a wonderful experience that I bet we’ll be back there again next year. Keep your calendar open in early March! I’ll blog with you again tomorrow, as usual, and I'll see you Sunday for In the Kitchen with David at Noon ET.

Keep it flavorful!
—David

I was honored again this year to be asked to speak at the Philadelphia Flower show. For those of you too far away to travel, I thought I’d give you a private tour! The theme was all about the movies, featuring Disney and Pixar films. Isn’t amazing what these designers can do?

Who knew you could use under the hood of a car to plant and display! I’m surprised they didn’t feature to-maters in TOW MATER!

With the much anticipated movie Cinderella, this gorgeous display that depicted a banquet in honor of the glass slipper was one of the talks of the show. I think a lot of brides to be were probably inspired by all of the sparkle and color.

And of course Frozen made its presence known with this staircase make of flowers. Children attending the show all loved this display!

I was really taken with this display…reminded me of Uncle Remus. The natural look of the flowers and that front porch made me want to just sit back and relax.

I really loved the Aladdin display…the colors were enchanting and I could just imagine an amazing party at this setting under a clear night sky. Hmmm, I might need to get to work on that one!

My talk this year was about family fun gardening, which also means easy gardening ideas! I talked about all the uses for sedum (thank you Cottage Farms!), creative ideas for fairy gardens, and the basics for a terrarium. I also shared some different ways to use flower pots and encouraged the audience to think outside of the box for container gardens. Even Trevor helped out, inviting kids in the audience to paint garden rocks with him.

One of the last things I did at the flower show was to take the kids through the butterfly experience. Trevor and Kylie were so captivated, I think it was the highlight of their day. Can you believe this large butterfly just landed on Trevor’s head and stayed there while we walked around? Guess it’s all that sweetness. :)

I hope you enjoyed your Philadelphia Flower show tour! I know I’m ready to start creating some floral beauty of my own after seeing these displays…now if we could just get the weather to cooperate, right?

Happy gardening, whenever it may start for you!

From my garden to yours,
--Jill

When life throws us lemons, we're told to make lemonade. So, when your bananas go "bad", make yummy banana bread! 

Mom's Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening (I generally use Crisco)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/3 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 cup mashed bananas

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup sour milk (To make sour milk, add 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice per one cup of milk)

Cream together the shortening, vanilla and sugar. Add eggs and beat completely. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the sour milk and the mashed bananas. Mix until smooth. Stir in nuts.

Pour into two greased bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.

I added one cup of chocolate chip morsels to this batch along with the nuts. Yum!!

Enjoy!

Counting our blessings,

Mary Beth Roe

Ok ... so pork roast is not the most healthy meal to have, but sometimes, I have to give a nod to my Scotch Irish roots - and go for it!  Besides, all those roasted veggies are good for us!  

My family really loves to celebrate our heritage and the "Littles" love this - and they can eat if for days as left-overs ... that's a WIN/WIN in my book!

Anyway, the recipe is easy, quick and delish - so I hope you will give it a try!

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 pound pork roast

1 Tbls salt

1 Tbls Lawry's seasoned salt

1/2 Tbls pepper

8 oz amber ale

4 oz water

4 small apples, cut into halves or quarters

2 large onions, cut into halves or quarters

Herbs of choice:  I used fresh Italian parsley.

3 cloves of garlic, cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

Mix salts and pepper together.  Rub into meat.

Place meat into your crock pot or your Ninja

Wedge apples and onions around meat.

Place garlic on and around meat.

Top meat with herbs.

Pour ale and water into crock.  Avoid washing off seasonings on the meat.

Cook on high for 6 hours.

SIDES:

Roasted veggies.

Carrots

Potatoes

Cabbage

Mince 2 cloves of garlic.

Put garlic into 3 Tbls. Olive oil and let sit for 30 minutes.

Then, brush veggies with garlic oil.

Place in a 450 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with the roast, apples and onions... YUMMY!  

Happy Early St Patrick's Day!  Erin Go Braugh!!!

Albany

We all fear something.  For some it is snakes or spiders for me it is a gut wrenching fear....of heights.  I have tried to overcome it but it is part of my DNA.  Rather ironic when living on a farm requires me to climb a ladder every day to get to the hay loft of the barn.  My mother told me when I was younger that it was falling out of the top bunk of the bunk beds that made me that way.  I don't remember that ever happening but the fear has been with me as long as I can look back on. 

I used to drive race cars and never once felt those pains of terror while behind the wheel, even at close to 200 mph.  Ask my wife what it is like when I have to drive over a tall bridge though?  My knuckles go white on the wheel.  I can't help it.    I scuba dive for pleasure and although I will admit my own swimming skills are less than Olympic the water has not bothered me.  But heights are a different beast. 

I look at window washers and linemen with absolutely no idea of how they can do what they do.  The bravery that impresses me most about firefighters is not so much the flames they battle but how they can climb ladders so easily and without trepidation.  If it were left up to me the tallest sky scrapers would only be two stories tall and I would have complained even then.

On our honeymoon my lovely wife thought cliff diving in Jamaica might be fun...... I almost called off the wedding.  You will never hear of me skydiving. If I  ever run away to join the circus it won't be to become the tightrope walker, and if you ever see me in the front row at a Eagles or Sixers’ game it is not out of ego...I don't like all the steps to the cheaper seats.

Ok, so I confessed.  I am still an independent guy and I love putting up Christmas lights during the holidays.  The gutters are not going to clean themselves and livestock tends to want to eat hay every day.  In hindsight I should have built a barn with a basement instead of a hay loft.  So what can you do?

Step one...buy a GOOD ladder.  One engineered for safety first and foremost.  Wide flared legs with rubber tips instead of plastic.  Rubber grips, plastic slips.  Get one that conforms to the ground it rests on instead of us trying to make do with a ladder that can't be configured to the landscape.  Light weight but sturdy, welded rungs not pop riveted, those are the things I look for.   These are features that make the Little Giant Ladder unique in the market place.

I tell people that God must like me, because he knows my fear of heights.....that's why he made me so short just to make me feel better.    I won't take chances when it comes to my own safety and I hope you won't either.  Take a look at the Little Giant ladder.  It's what I use every day, I recommend it to anyone.   If I have to use a ladder it is by my choice to use a Little Giant...

Thanks

Dan Hughes

You can find me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/DanHughesQVC

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Hello, foodies…

I’m a teensy bit Irish on my mother’s side. And I mean a teensy, weensy bit. But aren’t we all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day? Thought so! Today’s post is a celebration of Irish and Irish-American classics. First up, your main course: St. Patty’s Day Corned Beef and Cabbage.

And for dessert, how about a St. Patty’s Day Milk Shake!

St. Patty's Day Milk Shake
Serves 2–4

This recipe is prepared with the Vitamix Creations GC 48-oz 13-in-1 Variable Speed Blender (K41984).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp mint extract
• 1/2 tsp green food coloring
• Whipped topping (optional garnish)
• Chocolate syrup (optional garnish)
• Green sprinkles or sugar (optional garnish)

Preparation:

1. Place the milk, ice cream, sugar, mint extract, and food coloring in a blender. Place the lid onto the blender and mix on high until smooth. Pour into glasses, top with optional garnishes. Serve immediately.

Unlike that shake you can get at the drive-thru (you know, at that popular fast-food restaurant), you know exactly what’s in this green treat and you can have it any time you like…now, this summer, around the holidays, or beyond. Change the food coloring—or omit it entirely—for the season at hand.

If you’re not a dessert fan (yes, I know…there ARE people who don’t care for dessert), why not indulge in an Irish Coffee?

Irish Coffee

Ingredients:
Coffee:

• 6 oz of your favorite coffee, brewed
• 1 oz Irish cream liquor (like Bailey's)
• 1 oz Irish whiskey
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Whipped Topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar

Preparation:

1. To prepare the whipped topping, pour the heavy cream into a medium-sized bowl and whip it with a hand mixer until thick. Add the confectioners sugar and blend until incorporated. Set aside.
2. To prepare the coffee, warm a coffee mug by running it under hot water. Dry the mug thoroughly, then pour in the coffee, whiskey, liquor, and brown sugar.
3. To garnish the coffee, warm a spoon, scoop a dollop of whipped topping from the bowl, and allow it to run down the back of the spoon into the coffee. Do not let the topping ''break'' the surface of the coffee, otherwise it will sink and begin to melt. Serve immediately.
4. Cover and refrigerate any leftover whipped cream. Use within two days.

What kind of coffee would I recommend? Peet’s French Roast. It’s my favorite blend and it’s actually available with QVC’s new Keurig 2.0 K450 Coffee Maker. You haven’t seen that particular Keurig and the included assortment on air…we wanted to give you sneak peek here in my blog.

Foodies, your blog question today is what’s your favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipe? Corned beef? Colcannon? Irish Soda Bread? I just so happen to have recipes for all three of those dishes—and a few others—are in a St. Patty’s Day collection on QVC.com. Check them out!

Keep it flavorful!
—David

It was another Fun week here on QVC Plus! As always, our Seven for Sunday blog is here to recap some of the best moments of the week, let you know what’s coming up on QVC Plus (hint: there’s a party this week, and you’re invited!) and give you a peek into our world backstage. Also, we've included some links to some of our favorite products from the week and a few extra recommendations (because honestly, we'll take any chance we can to do a little online window shopping!) 

There were so many great moments this week, but here are our seven favorites:

7. LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

Life moves pretty fast when you’re Susan Graver and Sandra Bennett. It moves even faster  on our QVC Golf Cart. Susan and Sandra both got an exciting ride between shows on Sunday night. Before their 9:00 show on QVC Plus could even finish, the two were chauffeured away on our QVC Golf cart to prepare for their 10:00 Show on QVC.

Coastal Comfort Ankle Pants: http://qvc.co/SG_AnklePants12

6. GIRL TALK WITH TOVA

The glamorous Tova Borgnine stopped by on Tuesday night for an hour of fragrance and fun.  Courtney was lucky enough to sit down with the legend for an hour and have some serious girl talk. The two dished on everything and anything.

Timeless Classic that is Tova Signature: http://qvc.co/TOVA_1

5. ST. PATRICK’S DAY AFTER PARTY

You are cordially invited to the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration after party on Tuesday March 17th! After QVC wraps up their celebration, join us at 7:00 PM on QVC Plus for two additional hours of your favorite Irish products and guests.

Traditional Meets Spectacular with this Drusy Claddagh Ring: http://qvc.co/QPLUS_CLADDAHRING

4. #QVCPLUSSTYLE

Here at QVC Plus, our producers are just as obsessed with Style as you guys are.  In fact, it’s not uncommon to see  us posting  selfies with the hashtag #qvcplusstyle.  Last week our senior Associate Producer Tony set the backstage fashion world on fire when he wore a bold colored pant in mint green. It was a fashion risk, that left all the hosts and crew raving.

Tony’s Pick for a Sleek, Sophisticated Statement Watch: http://qvc.co/QPLUS_SKAGEN

3. ITS ALL ABOUT THAT LACE, ‘BOUT THAT LACE (NO TROUBLE!)

One of our must haves for Spring is lace. Luckily enough we have an amazing lace piece in Sunday’s 'What to Wear' show. We have a beautiful Isaac Mizrahi lace tunic.  Achieve a pretty, feminine look by pairing lace pieces with soft neutrals and delicate jewelry.

A Lacey Go-To from Isaac: http://qvc.co/QPLUS_IML_TUNIC

2. IT’S THE WHEEL DEAL

Dan Wheeler joined us on QVC Plus on Thursday for an hour of Patio and Garden. One of our favorite moments from this week was during this show when we saw “Wheels” on Wheels.  Dan and guest Ginger Walt showed us the Vertex Multi-Purpose Rocking & Rolling Seat. A  very handy tool with several uses that looks amazingly fun to use! As Spring gets closer and closer, it’s time to start getting ready to garden!

Let the Good Times Roll: http://qvc.co/QPLUS_VERTEX_SEAT​

1. SEEING DOUBLE

It was double trouble during ‘Styled Out’ on Thursday night! Ever since Stacey Rusch from Susan Graver’s team  started making on-air appearances, both viewers and crew have noticed her uncanny resemblance to our model Stacey.  Finally on Thursday night, both Stacey and Stacey were on-air at the same time. Sandra seized the opportunity to get them together, and we got to see to finally see the “twins” together.

Thanks for joining us on QVC Plus this week, and remember to check back here on QVC.com every Sunday for “Seven For Sunday”.  We will be live with you this week on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights so please join us! If your cable provider does not offer QVC Plus yet, you can always watch on our Live Stream or on your QVC app.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Every St. Patrick’s Day, it is a kind of ‘family reunion’ at QVC, because over the past 25 years, I have come to know and love the Irish guests that have visited QVC year after year, such as Matt Doolan, Stephen Walsh, Sinead Flood, John Cullen, Barbara Campbell, Eve Harbourne, Phillip O’Keefe, etc.…….  I even had the privilege to travel to Ireland with a video crew from QVC three times in my career, and each time was so lovely, but it was work after all.

So a few years ago, Mark and I decided to travel to Ireland for pleasure, along with a couple of our dear friends, John and Debbie.

We spent a week traveling mostly the west coast and southern area of Ireland, and it was breathtaking, hilarious, quaint, frightening and windy. What was breathtaking was the scenery, especially the Cliffs of Moher. 

They are unbelievably high and majestic!  I had never experienced anything like it before or since. It causes you to be respectful, because that’s one place where you don’t want to walk out to the edge and accidentally catch a wind.

What was hilarious were the herds of sheep and cows that would be lolly-gagging down the middle of the road whenever they felt like it, and no one necessarily leading the way! You can’t be in a hurry in Ireland, especially out in the countryside! 

What was quaint were the pubs with the delicious food, the friendly people, and the home-like atmosphere.

What was frightening was the driving on the wrong side of the road and sometimes the road being the same width as the car, and then you would meet another car coming at you! We let John and Deb do the driving. Both Mark and I felt completely inadequate to do that kind of driving.

What was windy were the golf courses Mark and John tackled!  They are both good golfers, and they were ecstatic to be able to golf on Irish courses. It was a dream come true for them!

While they were golfing, Deb and I were getting a little spa treatment along the way.

But one of my favorite parts of the trip was to go to Galway and visit with James Callaghan from Galway Irish Crystal and visit their headquarters. I have loved and collected Galway Irish Crystal for many years at QVC, so that was a true delight. Then James took us on a little day-outing to see one of the places that had been carved into some of the crystal pieces we had sold on QVC.  During that trip, we were able to see the area where Connemara marble is mined, and you could actually see the green rock of the earth in that region.  It was fascinating!

From the mountains to the valleys to the green rolling hills to the harbors where the sailboats sway, it was magical and enchanting.

Every time St. Patrick’s Day comes around each year, I am reminded of this wonderful country, its never-ending hospitable people, and the charm of the characteristics that make Ireland such a spectacular destination for anyone wanting to visit! As the Irish say:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Counting our blessings,

Mary Beth McRoe

We've all arrived at QVC and we are excited to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with you all!  Join us tonight, during our Finale Show, with our dear friend Jane Treacy. Plus, join us right here, for a live Blog Chat, from 5pm-7pm ET!  We would love to hear from all of you!

Talk to you all soon!

Many months ago Siobain, our buyer, called me into her office to look at the potential Today Special Value sweaters for St. Patrick's Day, 2015.  The candidate at that time was a lovely Aran Craft cape. 

We all thought it was, and is, a beautiful item. But we started brainstorming about spring, the need for a fashionable sweater in the months of changing weather, and how many of you may be looking for a gorgeous new sweater design as a TSV.  So, we called in John Cullen, our Aran Crafts designer from Ireland, and asked him what he thought.  Of course he was filled with ideas. But with spring upon us, he was inspired by his garden and the famous gardens of Ireland, to create one of the most fashionable and joyous designs ever!!  

Here are a few colors of the Aran Craft Irish Ivy Cardigan;

I love the color palette, the fresh cable designs, and the fact that you will feel as fresh as a daisy in this custom sweater.  

And, the don't forget the charming Irish butterfly pin/pendant that matches each color sweater! 

Enjoy your favorite color (or two!) and be sure to join my Irish friends and me for a live studio audience show at 5PM ET!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

-Jane

A very happy St Patrick's Day to all my friends and colleagues at QVC and throughout the USA.  The wonderful 17th of March rolls round again!

Working on this year's TSV has been something of a spiritual journey for me.  Together with colleagues at Aran Crafts and QVC we have and dare I say it designed a beautiful garment with a wonderful story to tell.

Designing a garment with substance and style with unique characteristics can be a challenge. Many a late night idea or concept was consigned to the bin.  However at long last a 'eureka' moment arrived at and the design light was lit.

Let’s design a cardigan in fashionable warm colours with a strong bias to Spring themes.

This cardigan tells a tale (in fabulous merino wool) of the beauty and joy of Spring.

Here in Ireland we have had a late blast of Winter.  Spring is always with us for St Patrick's Day with its longer days and birdsong.

In aran stitches from merino wool we could design make spring vines and climbing rambling roses.  Complex braided patterning will represent rivers and creeks once again flowing freely from Winters icy prison.

My late father Paul was an avid gardener. He prided himself on having his potatoes sown by St Patrick's Day.  As a teenager a lot of the heavy lifting fell to me. Dad doled out instruction and advice while his son dug holes to plant next seasons vegetables.

I very clearly remember Dad's excitement on spotting the first Spring butterfly on its maiden flight.

The angular braided pattern on the pockets is a metaphor of a beautiful butterflys wings as it emerges from its Winter cocoon to new life with Springs warming embrace.  The butterfly is for you Dad.

I am looking forward to meeting all my dear friends on March 17th.  Packing a bag for the US on March 17th is an annual ritual which I eagerly anticipate.  The wonderful welcome we receive in the US is very much appreciated. On St Patrick's Day we are all Irish as we savoir and enjoy a very special day in the USA.

Take care and God Bless,

John

Click here to check out the Aran Craft Merino Wool Irish Spring 3/4 Sleeve Cardigan TSV.

{The whole gang}

{Myself (Stephen) from Connemara Marble , John and Barry from Aran Craft enjoying a little shopping at the QVC outlet in Lancaster PA !  We are looking forward to Tuesday , and see you soon}

{I'm Anita Warren from Killarney Crystal and that's my husband John and my daughter Freya}

{Eve and Joesph from JMH Jewellery}

{John Cullen from Aran Craft}

A extra note from Stephen Walsh:

Last weekend saw ' shirt sleeves ' weather in Ireland , it hit 18 degrees Celsius ( 64 degrees Fahrenheit).

So it was off with the sweater , out with the lawn mower - which started first time - and I gave our lawn the first cut of the year. 

Then it was the task to pack my green shirts - and of course the green hat - and get ready for my trip to the USA . I brought both green ties too!

Finally, a kiss on the cheek from Daisy , our setter and I'm on the way .

Can't wait till Tuesday the 17th!!

See you all soon!!

Stephen 

Happy PAW-Parazzi Monday my friends!

As we get into the season for Spring Cleaning, I wanted to see some pictures of how your furry friends help you "improve" around the house! I couldn't stop laughing at all of your very helpful pets!! Hope you enjoy :)

This is Kisshu helping her mom with the wash!

Rudy's helping helping his dad get ready for tree trimming

 Nani claiming a good spot while "supervising" yard work

Denise shared this picture of her mane coon cat, Scrappy, helping put away groceries!

Sophie the Sheltie welcoming the geckos out of hibernation in Sedona, Arizona!

Another kitty, Kaity Cat, helping her mom put away groceries!

This kitty approves of mom's new ground cover!

Heather's cat, Bob, helping to install a new bathroom sink last weekend.

Dylan helps around the house by keeping mom and dad warm!

Rudy keeps the kitchen counters crumb free!

Peggy's three-legged rescue Maltese Jasper loves to help his family pack when they travel...he wants to go too!

Nitto Puppy Boy loves the cattle feed!

Dad's ready for flip flop season, and Little G loves guarding them for him to make sure they're safe!

18-month-old Mick, a 3-legged brave boy protects his mom from ATTACK PLANTS!!!

Bella showing his mom Lisa what areas need to be cleaned with her new vacuum!

Pugs feels he does a much better dusting job than his daddy!

Darcey & Levi gather their toys from the snow during our last snowstorm in Jersey so their mom Priscilla can shovel a walkway for them!

Molly watches her little sister while mom vacuums!

Lucy "helping" her mom Mary clean up the yard...

Here's Abby, snoozing as her mom straightens up the living room.

Sweet Pea helps with the dishes!

Hello, foodies…

Happy (early) St. Patrick’s Day to you! If you missed my blog on Friday, I shared some terrific Irish-American recipes you might want to try today or tomorrow, including my St. Paddy’s Day Milk Shake and Corned Beef Cabbage and Potatoes, which we made in a pressure cooker…in an hour!

If you’ve already gotten your fix of corned beef and minty milk shakes, allow me to share our next recipe that supports or Spring & Easter Favorites theme: Citrus-Steamed Shrimp with Orange-Tarragon Aioli.

Citrus-Steamed Shrimp with Orange-Tarragon Aioli
Serves 4–8

This recipe is prepared with the Emeril by All Clad Gourmet Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set (K41905).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

Aioli:

• 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp minced shallot
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped tarragon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp hot pepper sauce

Shrimp:

• 2 lbs (21–25) peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1-1/2 cups white wine
• 1 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• Few orange slices, cut in fourths
• Juice of half a lemon

Preparation:

1. To make the aioli, combine the mayonnaise, shallot, zest, orange and lemon juices, tarragon, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Cover it and refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours.
2. To prepare the shrimp, toss with the coriander and pepper in a bowl. Bring the white wine, water, bay leaves, garlic, mustard seed, orange slices, and lemon juice to a boil in a large pot. Place the shrimp in a steamer basket and place it on top of the pot; cover. Steam the shrimp for 5 minutes, remove the lid, and stir. Steam for an additional 5 minutes and then remove the shrimp from steamer. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve with the aioli.

Shrimp takes minutes to cook, making them perfect for weeknight recipes. That’s why you might pick up a larger bag of frozen shrimp, so you always have it on hand. Don’t be hesitant to buy frozen shrimp, by the way. It’s often fresher than what you get at the seafood counter, because it’s flash frozen right after it’s caught. The “fresh” fish from the counter is often just thawed frozen fish.

Foodies, do you have a favorite shrimp dish? Do you like Fra Diavlo with fresh shrimp? Maybe coconut shrimp? Shrimp on the Barbie? I’m away this Wednesday night but the show will be in the ever-capable hands of the lovely Mary Beth Roe. I’ll see you this Sunday for In the Kitchen with David as usual at Noon ET.

Keep it flavorful!
—David

Hello my LCNY fashionistas! 

Spring is around the corner, hang in there.  I recently took a quick vacation to Florida with my gang.  I needed a little quality time with team Davies and some vitamin D from the sunshine.  We had a wonderful vacation and even better visit.  Time marches on my friend ....It is hard to believe that Kevin has almost completed his freshman year at college.  Wow !!

Since we have been trumped for the next two Wednesday's for other events I decided to bring you the fashions and Item numbers of some of the LCNY favs I took to Florida.  Kinda of like shopping from my suitcase :).  I hope you like the items I packed with all if you in mind.  Enjoy the pics and let me know what you think...if you have not tried our bathing suits a little insider trading they are awesome. 

{Tankini Swimsuit with Skirt and Leather Wedges with Braid Design}   

{Printed Stripe Knit Dress& Mock Neck 4-Pocket Utility Jacket}  

{Marled Mixed Stitch Cardigan w/ Fringe& Jackie Slim Leg Ankle Denim Jeans}

{Striped Tunic w/Knotted Waist Belt Detail}

Also check out the new launch of our spring/summer foot wear.  Wednesday's are not the same without my cup of joe and our girlfriend time .......hang in there until April.

Happy shopping!

Linda