I can’t wait to be back on QVC this week and welcome my favorite season of the year with you. Let’s greet fall together! Join me and my friend Jane Treacy as we dive into the inspiring spirit and beautiful colors of fall this Thursday, August 29 from 4-6 p.m. Eastern Time.

This show is part of QVC’s daylong Sterling Designer Gallery event, which I am always honored to be invited to. You know you’re being treated to the best of the best that QVC has to offer, jewelry designs that are sophisticated and statement-making. I’m incredibly proud that my collection of American-made jewelry will be part of this fabulous day of designer jewelry!

Now let’s talk about fashion! What I've been thinking about since I first saw the fall collections offered at New York Fashion Week back in February was color. Brilliant jewels tones, especially reds, and new ways to wear neutrals, like rich camels and bold romantic grays. And I wanted to create these amazing colors through the finest, highest quality gemstones and with designs that stand out for their elegance and wearability.

I’ve also found the perfect place to experiment with colors, styles and textures: Pinterest. Are all of you pinning yet? We just started our Carolyn Pollack Jewelry Pinterest page a couple months ago and it is so addictive! Visit our brand new Fall Fashion board to explore some of our favorite fall trends and colors, and some of the jewelry to go with it.

Speaking of color, here’s a sneak peek of a new collection that is all about the fabulous bold crimsons of fall. This is a piece that will get you noticed!

I can’t wait to join Jane on QVC this Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. And this two-hour event is really just the kick-off to a fabulous fall event coming up on September 6-8. Stay tuned on Facebook for more details and sneak peeks!

Hi, everyone!

I’m always on the hunt for fun new craft ideas and I seem to find the greatest things on Pinterest, which, if I’m lucky, links me to a DIY blog. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent reading blogs, but I can tell you that entire evenings have run away with me. And, I can also tell you there are some incredibly talented and creative people in this world!

I’m lucky to have developed relationships with a few of my favorite DIY bloggers. And, many of the DIY projects on YHJ this season are inspired by their creations. While today’s project is NOT inspired by a blogger, I asked two of my favorite DIY’ers to let their creativity fly.

First, here’s today’s project—a make-your-own rug kit you can find on QVC.com!

So what did our bloggers do with their rugs? Lauryn, blogger behind The Vintage Mom, is a wife and mother of three, who loves knitting, running (although mostly after her little ones), the color orange, fun accessories, fall, tea, and a clean kitchen floor. She calls herself an old fashioned girl in a modern world, and I just LOVE her ideas.

She did a complete how-to-make-a-rug tutorial in her blog and here’s her finished design. Amazing, right?

"I created a rug that will be the centerpiece of our front entryway and hallway. I loved including the "B" on it for our last name, a fun way to personalize it a bit! The colors of a deep orange and green will work perfectly with our color scheme. I can't wait to see all of the little shoes lined up on it when they are welcomed at the front door!" --Lauryn

And, here’s Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty. Tristin and her partner in crime, Sharon, are friends who share a love for crafting and they’ve been churning out blogs about their creations for four years. Tristin is a wife, mom, and a creative homemaker, and says she’s trying her best to “live a simple, purposeful, and meaningful life.” I can totally identify with her. Like Lauryn, Tristin, too, put a tutorial in her blog and it looks like her finished design is already pet-approved. :)

"One DIY I've never done is a rug, and I really enjoyed customizing my own rug even more than I imagined I would. The directions were so clear and simple and the possibilities were endless! Settling on a design proved difficult for me, and I ended up using the provided ruler to create a border and added my own monogram in the lovely pea green color--it's totally one-of-a-kind and it's totally 'me'!"--Tristin

Lauryn, Tristin, amazing! Thanks so much for your help! More to come on this project tomorrow night at 7pm ET. In the meantime, tell me what you think of this kit. If you were to design a rug, what might it look like?

From my home to yours,
—Jill

P.S. Here’s another sneak peek of what you’ll see tomorrow…how-to fold a fitted sheet. It’s NOT impossible after all! Who knew!

Fall is the best season for fashion, isn't it? You get to play with layers, experiment with textures, and explore embellishments. It truly is the best season to be a Wardrobe Warrior™. In addition to mixing and matching, you can now do mixing and layering. This is how you can create a fashionable fall season for yourself. The key to mixing and layering is having the right pieces, and my Women with Control® featuring Attitudes by Renée® show today, August 27^th, at 4PM ET is full of them.

This show will feature the debut of my Women with Control® Tummy Control Boot Cut Pants with Waist Detail (A240789). This is a style that many of you have been asking for, and it is the perfect addition to the Tummy Control family. It is so easy to style and works for nearly every occasion.

Tune in to today’s show for my newest Tummy Control design and see some great ways to style it. In the meantime, here are a few ideas for you Wardrobe Warriors out there:

Leave your thoughts in the comments section. I love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to like me on Facebookand follow me on Twitter.

Also, you can shop the entire Women with Control® and ATTITUDES by Renee®collections anytime on QVC.com.

With Attitude,

Renée

You can thank my lovely wife, Amy for this Recipe. She made me share! : ) 

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces room temperature butter, unsalted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 8 ounces butterscotch chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer                                      (We are a KitchenAid mixer family
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix for 3 minutes
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda
• Gradually mix in flour combination, but only mix until just combined (don't over mix!)
• Fold in both kinds of chips
• Roll into balls, about tablespoon-ish size and bake 10-12 minutes on a cookie sheet. They should be light in color with just a touch of brown starting on the edges, this way they will be nice and soft
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Enjoy!!!
The Domeiers 

I start getting excited about holiday decorating at this time every year! Sure it might seem early to some of you, but the key to making your outdoor decorating display fabulous and less frustrating is the pre-planning. 

I start by sitting down at the kitchen table and sketching the outline of the house on a piece of paper.  I'm no artist and you don't have to be.  Just draw in the roof lines, gutter runs, windows and doors.  It doesn't have to be to scale; it doesn't even have to be neat. 

Be sure to mark on your sketch where the outside electrical receptacles are located, that way you will have a good idea of where you can run your power from.  Now, on the scale that we do things here on the farm it is a little more involved and we have taken the time to have multiple electrical outlets installed in key locations so it makes it easy to run the miles of lighting we put up each year.  You don't have to go crazy but keep in mind just what the power loads are for that outlet and keep to those ratings. 

Overloading circuits is dangerous and flipping breakers every night is a good way to anger you spouse when the house goes dark every time she plugs in a hair dryer.  I sketch out where I want things to go and write a list of any tools or accessories I will need.  Then I don't have to be running back and forth from the garage while setting up just to go get something I forgot.  I put all those tools in a bucket and when the time comes, everything is at hand and ready to go.

When day one of the project arrives, I pre-test ALL light stands while still on the ground, replacing any bulbs that might have burned out from the previous year.  It is easy to do this before you get up on a ladder and a lot safer!  Your time on the ladder should be as limited as possible and avoid reaching for things unnecessarily!

Make a "to-do" list of what you want to light and in what order...then keep to your list.  This will save you time and keep you more organized.  I usually start at the top of whatever I am lighting and work my way down.  Get the tough stuff done first and out of the way.  This is especially important when lighting trees, it is easier to fill in lower areas from the ground level then re-climbing a ladder and attempting to attach more light strands if you run short. Keep yourself safe so you can enjoy the holidays!

One last note on this blog and later in the season I will share with you tips on how to effectively light trees bushes and walkways for maximum impact. 

Label ALL your light strands either before putting them up or after taking each strand down at the end of the season.  I use a "Sharpie" pen and mark the plug end of each strand with where it goes AND whether that plug is to the left or right (or top or bottom) of whatever it is hanging on, (example house, 3rd floor gutter run, left).

That tells me the plug will be closest to the nearest outlet and where it needs to go.  If you have ever put up a full strand of lights just to find out that it is backwards you understand what I am talking about!  I used to tell myself I would remember where each strand was supposed to go...you won't ..trust me on that!  Labeling them makes life a lot simpler and decorating more fun. 

Enjoy, I will have more for you later in the season!

Hey everyone,

As another summer comes to an end and Autumn gets ready to wrap us in her cool embrace, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate life.  When I think about all the work and preparation that has gone into launching our JAI Jewelry Collection here at QVC, the most memorable moments had little to do with the actual jewelry but the people, places, and moments I experienced while on this journey. I would love to take a moment to share some of my favorite summertime moments with you.

As the curator of JAI, I spend much of my time on trains, planes, and automobiles.  One of my favorite things to do is people watch and imagine who they are and where they are going. I have met many interesting and inspiring people on my travels.

This past month, I met an amazing family. While flying back from my parent’s home in South Florida with my baby girl Olive, I watched a family in motion.  They were coming back from a Caribbean cruise that was sponsored for them by the Make a Wish Foundation.  The young lady at the center of the family was Carly. I was sitting behind the family and watched everyone from her mother Christina, to Carly’s nurse, and her siblings rally, love, and enjoy their Carly.  It was only a matter of moments until I told Christina that we were going to be friends. We spent much of the flight sharing life stories, about family, being a parent, and life in general.  I saw in her the parent that I want to be, one that loved without fear, one that embraced life, and one that lived life out loud.  Carly’s birthday is coming up on September 17^th, so on our August 29^th show, I am going to surprise her and kick off her Birthday month with a cake, while she is watching.

Although I have only been working with the QVC team for a short time period, I truly feel like I am Charlie from Charlie’s Angels.  I am surrounded by my QVC Angels.  The entire team here at QVC has been so gracious and encouraging that I can’t imagine being anywhere else in my life.  I have shared so many wonderful moments behind the scene with such a great cast of characters along with my on air QVC Angels.  Here are just a few behind the scene moments with my angels.

For those of you who have read my blogs or been able to catch one of my JAI shows, you may have noticed that family is incredibly near and dear to me.  This summer, my family expanded with the birth of my first child.  My daughter Olive was born June 5^th and my life has never been the same.  I come from a crazy and large loving family.  With the birth of my daughter, I have been embraced by each of them as a Dad and they are teaching me by example how to continue the loving path of parenting that our parents taught us.  Throughout my life, my parents’ showed us that time together is more important than money.   This is a virtue I will live by with my family.

Lastly, I want to celebrate the birth of our JAI Collection here at QVC.  When I chose to leave the world of John Hardy and curate a new collection exclusively for QVC I had no idea what I was in store for.  In the past year that I have worked on this collection I have traveled throughout the Far East.  I have met some amazing artisans who have taught me so much.  I have discovered parts of the world that I didn’t know existed and at the same time, discovered parts of me that I didn’t know were there.  Hosting our JAI Facebook page and QVC blog has introduced me to new friends that I look forward to each day. All of this together has brought a beautiful collection inspired by artisans passion for giving and sharing, inspired by rich cultures and unique heritage, and created with love.  

Please join me on August 29^th at 10am- noon with Mary Beth as we celebrate 2 hours of new designs and new inspirations.  Come back again at 6pm, as Jill kicks off the ultimate JAI Happy Hour with even more new designs that will continue to build your JAI wardrobe.

Please find below two end of summer drink recipes that were recommended by some of our friends on our JAI Facebook page.  You can enjoy while we go on our new journey together and treasure hunt though out the Far East during our upcoming show.  I want to thank Melanie Rodriquez for sharing her favorite ‘Cherry Smash’ summer drink along with Jean Gagliardo who’s ‘Mango Getaway’ was inspired by her time on the islands. 

This blog will be live during and after the shows where I will be answering any and all of your questions and comments.  Feel free to share what you are celebrating in life & to wish Carly a Happy Birthday.  Life is good, let’s enjoy this together. Join me on our JAI Jewelry Facebook page, JAIJewelry_ Instagram , or our @JAIJewelry Twitter account to see the latest and greatest from all of my travels and inspirations.

Safe Travels,

Scott Grimes

Melanie’s ‘Cherry Smash’

1 cup ‘pitted’ cherries

¼ cup fresh mint leaves; (plus 4 sprigs for garnish)

8 teaspoons sugar

¼ cup lime juice

3 cups cherry flavored seltzer

(3/4 cup dark rum optional)

*Preparation: Divide cherries, mint leaves and sugar among 4 glasses. Mash everything together with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in lime juice (rum optional), fill glass with ice and top with Seltzer. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Jean Gargliardo’s:  ‘Mango Getaway’

1 Fresh Mango

1 Tablespoon of Mango syrup: (Mango rum optional)

1 cup of Gingerale

Preparation: Easy breezy because you are meant to be on vacation.  Dice up the mango into cubes, add 6 of the cubes along with ice into your cup, add a tablespoon (to taste) of Mango syrup (Mango rum optional), and top off with Gingerale.  Light, refreshing, and quick to serve.

You can thank my lovely wife, Amy for this Recipe. She made me share! :) 

The Boy's Back-to-School Butterscotch/Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces room temperature butter, unsalted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 8 ounces butterscotch chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer                                      (We are a KitchenAid mixer family)
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix for 3 minutes
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda
• Gradually mix in flour combination, but only mix until just combined (don't over mix!)
• Fold in both kinds of chips
• Roll into balls, about tablespoon-ish size and bake 10-12 minutes on a cookie sheet. They should be light in color with just a touch of brown starting on the edges, this way they will be nice and soft
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Enjoy!!!
The Domeiers, especially Amy!

Hello Everyone,

I hope everyone is having a great summer. It goes by fast doesn't it? I had such a great time during my last shows in July.  NOW busy getting ready for my Designer Day show QVC and sharing my new and continued favorite pieces with you…  planning our hour together….hours away…Thursday, August 29th at 2 AM EST.

Just a quick fun picture I wanted to share from last weekend. I am so blessed to be only 10 minutes from the tranquil Mediterranean sea with waves of every color imaginable of greens and blues. This was my first time with my niece Aya and her twin Yotam. We splashed in the ocean and she had so much fun. One of the most important times for me is spent with my beautiful family.

Now, back in the States and preparing for my Designer Day show!!! I have made some very special pieces of Hagit Jewelry for this show…a ring inspired by my favorite Southwestern artist, she has captured on canvas everything from mesmerizing desert flowers to a bleached white cow skull yes I know you know who she is  … and another piece that is a first time ever for me at QVC and took all my teams skills and lots of close direction to bring this piece to life…can't wait to share! OK I hope I have your interest…full day of preparation to be set for our 2 AM get together….keep in touch anytime on my Facebook page. Your stories always inspire me!

All the best,

Hagit

Think anti-aging properties only benefit your skin? The newest trend in haircare will have your locks turning back the clock. (But leave the big hair of the 80’s in the past where it belongs!)

No, your hair won't get wrinkles, but going gray isn't the only sign of aging strands. As we get older our hair (like our skin) can get weaker, duller, and thinner. Lucky for us, new products are combatting these signs of aging hair.

Just like flowers need good soil to grow (or so my mom the gardner tells me)… your hair and scalp need treatments to help keep their vitality. I’ve got three I’m loving right now.

My hair rehab trio:

• We all have those frizzy, flyaway days. Okay, maybe I have those weeks not days ;) Alterna keeps my locks hydrated, shiny, and soft. Don’t take it from me, take it from Katie Holmes and watch the video above.
• Dr. Gross’ peel pads are a part of my daily skincare regimen but now I’ve added his root resilience anti-aging scalp serum to the mix. It nourishes from the root and promotes strong hair at the source. For the best application, massage 2-5 pumps into your scalp starting at the hairline, working toward the crown.
• And when you need good hair on the go, try Living Proof's restore targeted repair cream. This cream can even be applied to dry hair. A dime sized amount helps to provide additional smoothing and conditioning.

How has your haircare routine changed as you’ve gotten older?

One of the best things about fall is the clothes. And, one of the things that makes them so great is layering. Layering allows you to really create a look or effect that’s much more than the simple one-piece dressing of summer. It also allows you to put things together in ways that reflect the looks of the season without having to buy all new clothes.

One easy way to make your layering look fresh is to layer short-over-long. This is a newer proportion that’s extremely flattering if you do it correctly. If you’re not comfortable with shorter jackets, find a few shells or tops to wear under them that are not only longer, but are a finer fabric and have some volume. Most of us are uncomfortable showing our problem areas around the waist, but a blousy top under a shorter jacket can camouflage even better than a tunic. That’s because a shorter jacket over a longer top also makes your legs look longer. It's an optical illusion that most of us need. :)

You can also think about balancing your layering with something that’s textured and something that’s smooth. If you have a tweed jacket, then a smooth fabric blouse (like the one in the "Light Them Up" Look below) is perfect.

If you’re sporting your favorite leather jacket, then a silky or cotton blouse is an easy balance. Speaking of which, there’s a new faux leather jacket from CE by Cristina Ehrlich coming up this week in case you need one. :)

An easy rule of thumb to follow is to balance a print or texture with a solid. Again, it’s all a balancing act…one textured fabric with one smooth, one print or tweed with one solid. There are fashion professionals who can mix prints, or tweed with plaid, or herringbone with roses, but for most of us, it’s easier to default to easy rules. The balance of one of each is the easiest way to go.

Don't forget about layering with your fall accessories of tights, scarves, belts, and bags. The cold weather gives you the opportunity to really work your magic, so enjoy. :)

This week we have a gorgeous new blouse from the G.I.L.I.(TM) line, a new G.I.L.I.(TM) dress, and a great sweater from G.I.L.I.(TM) as well.  As I said, there’s a new jacket from CE by Cristina Ehrlich, a new beauty concept from Strivectin LABS, a beautiful bag by orYANY, and the new black spinel bracelet you got a glimpse of on Monday night. It’s going to be a good one again! I can't believe there are only a few weeks left this season.

See you on Friday night at 10pm ET. :)
—Lisa

Where do we go for American West inspiration? Santa Fe, New Mexico! Each year in August the top Native American artists gather in Santa Fe to share their unique handmade artworks with collectors, and the Plaza buzzes with the excitement of over 100,000 visitors exploring these works. The American West Jewelry team had the great honor to be there and visit with award-winning artists Kenneth Johnson, Fritz Casuse, Veronica Benally and Jody Naranjo.

Now we’re bringing their unique vision to you in a special two-hour event celebrating Native American designer jewelry and bold American West style. Tune in to QVC on Sunday, September 1 from 6-8 p.m. ET. We have so many exciting new designs for you!

This year we've gotten to know the talented Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole jewelry artist Kenneth Johnson, who uses symbolism to tell amazing stories. We fell in love with his spider designs, a symbol of creativity and wisdom, and now he’s bringing us new spider pieces to match. And that’s just the beginning! Kenneth is an Oklahoma native, and he was so moved by the response to the devastating tornadoes earlier this year that he designed a special piece to pay tribute to this incredible spirit of community. Hear Kenneth talk about his inspiring jewelry tribute on YouTube.

Plus we can’t wait to show you stunning new designs from Native American artists Fritz Casuse, Veronica Benally and Jody Naranjo. Fritz once again has brought traditional elements to life in contemporary, wearable forms, and Veronica’s new pieces are a joyful and colorful tribute to Mother Nature. And we have a new pottery-inspired design from Pueblo Potter Jody Naranjo!

While we were in Santa Fe, we also admired the bold Western and Southwestern fashions! Layered styles and colorful gemstones like turquoise and coral create a sense of fun and freedom in the styles of the American West. See the photos from our Santa Fe adventure on the American West Facebook page.

Join us as we explore American West style together this Sunday, September 1 from 6-8 p.m. ET. We can’t wait to share so many brand new standout styles!

Congratulations!! You are the proud owner of a new DSLR camera! The question is, now what do you do? I am going to walk you through 6 steps to get more comfortable with your new camera.

Step 1: Review the manual

The first thing you must do with your new DSLR camera is review the instruction manual. I am not asking anyone to actually read the manual, but simply review the table of contents to know what information is available. The manufacturer created this manual to teach you everything you will need to know to become a master of your new camera. The first few chapters are usually setup to get you started even if you never used a DSLR camera before. Canon goes the extra step and provides a DVD about the basics and includes additional brochures on flash photography, specifics about your new lenses.

Step 2: Practice changing your lenses

Many cameras come with two zoom lenses: one for your wider shots, and one for your long range pictures. In step 3, I’ll be asking you to take lots of test pictures. You will also need to practice changing your lenses to meet your desired photo result. You’ll need to read the manual to learn how to safely change the lens and then practice this transition so you are smooth with the switch when it matters. You don’t want to be changing lenses for the 1^st time when you are in a hurry to catch that special moment at a sporting event. Please practice, practice, practice!

Step 3: Take 1,000 pictures!

Ok so you don’t have to take a thousand pictures, but you do need to take a lot of unimportant pictures to get comfortable with how the camera works. The beauty of a digital camera is there is no cost to you if you take a “bad” photo, so shoot away! For beginners you should just set the camera on full auto mode, this means letting the camera make all of the technical decisions regarding the various settings on your camera. The point of these early pictures with your new camera is to get comfortable and trust what the camera can do for you. When I am in a really tough shooting situation, and I am not sure what to do, I will “cheat” and set my camera to full auto mode and let the camera do the heavy lifting. Then I can focus on my composition and get the picture I want.

Step 4: Create a habit of importing pictures from your memory card to your computer

I can’t stress enough the importance of creating a habit of getting the pictures off your memory card and stored on to your computer. Memory cards store so many pictures that you can easily get lazy about this step. You will need to read your manual to learn how to import pictures from your camera using a cord that connects to your computer. After you import your pictures to your computer you should use the camera to format the memory card which will delete the pictures off the card and basically reset the card to be used again. Another option is to purchase more than one memory card. Owning multiple memory cards allows me to rotate the cards if I haven’t had time to import the images from the last shoot. I won’t mix days/events/projects on one card.

Step 5: Download a free photo editing software

If you want to wow your friends and family on Facebook with the pictures you take, you are going to need a photo editing software program that makes it easy to edit the thousands of pictures I demanded you shootJ. Every picture I post to my social sites are edited to increase the quality of the picture that I captured with my DSLR camera. I purchased Adobe Lightroom and am super happy with the control this software provides, however when I want to edit a picture with one click of a button, I use Picasa which is a free, and super easy, photo editing application from Google. There are several free options available on the internet (do a web search for: best free photo editing software), find the best one for you and become a fanatic about the quality of your pictures!

Step 6: Time to turn the full auto mode off and take control of your camera!

Full auto mode is like riding a bike with training wheels. You will take good pictures in full auto mode, but you will take AMAZING pictures if you start taking more control. There are a few important ways to control the results of your pictures: ISO setting, Aperture setting (depth of field), Shutter speed (control the motion), and last but definitely not least…exposure compensation. You’ll need your manual to get an understanding of where these various features live on your camera and how/when to change them. I shoot almost 100% of my photos in aperture priority because I want to control the depth of field (make my subject sharp and the background out of focus). I regularly use the exposure compensation control when I need to make the picture brighter or bring the brightness down. ISO determines how sensitive the “film” is to light. Do you remember when you used to buy a roll of 200 speed film for a sunny day of pictures, or a roll of 400 speed film for pictures that were indoors or needed a flash? That was the ISO setting. Now with digital cameras you control the speed of the “film” for every picture. If I am standing outside taking wedding photos I set the ISO to 200, but when I go inside the church and I don’t want to disrupt the service with flash, I change the ISO setting to 1600 which allows me to take the picture without slowing down the shutter speed. I don’t want to lose you in all of this technical jargon; the point is…you need to understand these terms to take your pictures beyond the auto everything mode.

Thanks for reading my recent blog post, I hope you found my information helpful! Please post comments here and I will do my best to answer any questions you may have about getting started with your new DSLR camera.

-CG

I’m back with a review of the Canon Rebel T3i DSLR camera that QVC let me borrow for a couple of weeks. In my blog I rate cameras based on ease of use without reading the manual. I have affectionately named my rating scale, the Mommy Rating in honor of my mom who never takes the time to read the manual for any of her electronics. The Mommy scale runs from 1 to 5, the higher the Mommy Rating the easier the equipment is to use without reading the manual.

For the purposes of this blog I did not read the manual, but I have to admit I was at an advantage since, outside of my job at QVC, I am a freelance photographer. When I grabbed the Canon Rebel to take my first few pictures, I inherently knew how to playback the images I had just taken. I know for many new DSLR camera owners this would have been an immediate show stopper, and the manual would have been needed. For this reason, the Canon Rebel T3i received my Mommy Rating score of 2. You can’t become the owner of a DSLR camera and not read the manual. Well, you could, but I don’t suggest it if you want to get the most out of the great features that the camera has to offer.

So the bad news is you must read the manual. Maybe not all of it, but you must review the manual to get a basic understanding of what all these buttons mean on the back of your camera. I have been taking pictures for over 20 years and there are features in my Nikon cameras that I will probably never use, but I still reviewed the manual to understand all of the capabilities.

I have some good news too! Canon is an outstanding camera brand who clearly recognizes the need to make it as easy as possible to learn about your new camera. In the box with the Rebel T3i comes three easy to read guides with sample pictures and tips. In addition to these three helpful guides there is a DVD that walks you through all of the important basics of your new Canon Rebel T3i camera. To complete your training, the formal instruction manual is sized perfectly to fit neatly in your awesome new camera bag! I always carry my instruction manual for my camera in my camera bag in the event I need to quickly check how to take a photo in a unique shooting situation (i.e. night time photos without a flash).

Despite my low Mommy Rating for the Canon Rebel T3i camera, I still found this camera to be refreshingly easy to use. The important features you need to use are not hidden inside of complicated menus; you can access a lot of the basic features directly from the back or top of the camera. I found everything to be logically and efficiently placed.

Once you learn what the basic buttons do, you could put the camera on auto everything and then start shooting (the green A on the dial). I put this concept to a test by asking my mom to take a picture of me with my youngest son (my mom was visiting us from Mississippi). Then I handed the camera to my youngest son and asked him to take a picture of me with my mom. They both did a great job (my son’s composition was a bit better than my mother’s, but we won’t tell her…J ). It was the ease of using the camera that allowed them both to take nice pictures with no previous experience or instruction other than “look through the viewfinder and press this button to take the picture.”

Photo taken by my Mommy!

Photo taken by my 10year old son!

The next test I always like to do with a new camera is to shoot in low light situations. I am not a fan of flash photography, so whenever I can take a picture with available light, that is my first choice. I took some pictures of my oldest son in his room playing on his iPod. The only light in the photo came from the light outside his window and the light from his iPod. Using my knowledge of photography, I changed the ISO setting to a large number to allow for me to capture the picture. The ISO button is conveniently located right next to the shutter release button. Genius button placement. The available light from my son’s iPod created a dramatic image that would never have looked the same had I added the flash to the scene. The Canon Rebel definitely passed my low light test.

I took a similar shot with my youngest son with the light from his laptop screen being the only available light for the photo. The Canon Rebel definitely passed my low light test.

The camera I tested came with a Canon EFS 18-55mm and a Canon EFS 55-250mm, both macro lenses and equipped with image stabilization. Macro is great for the super close shots of a flower for example. The image stabilizer feature insures your photos are never blurry from your own hand shaking or slow shutter speeds. I think very soon image stabilizers are going to become the standard for all cameras, like automatic door locks and windows for cars. I tested the cameras ability to capture action by shooting some pictures of my son’s soccer game. Another test passed by the Canon Rebel.

Here are some more pictures I took with the Canon Rebel T3i, I hope you enjoy them!

QVC Intern Mike!

QVC Intern Taylor!

QVC Intern Kara!

The Interns!

Kara could be a model!

These boys are silly like their dad!

My mom lives for her grandsons!

The Canon Rebel T3i is your gateway to a new world of photography! I have been recommending the Canon Rebel to friends for a few years but this was the 1^st time I got to experience its capabilities for myself. Some of my friends who now own the Rebel are still using the camera in the full auto mode, and could probably benefit from reading my blog post on what to do after you buy a new DSLRcamera. But then there is my good friend Priscilla who was given the Rebel this past Christmas and in 6 short months has gone from knowing nothing about photography to teaching me a few things! Check out these A-M-A-Z-I-N-G  photos Priscilla captured with her Rebel T3i this past summer, she has officially caught the photo bug and I am so excited to see where she goes next with her photography. Priscilla took the time to read her manuals and take lots of pictures to arrive to the place she is today.

Photo by Priscilla Millard

Photo by Priscilla Millard

Photo by Priscilla Millard

Photo by Priscilla Millard

Photo by Priscilla Millard

Wow, Priscilla Millard...these are amazing pictures!!!

Thanks for reading my blog post about the Canon Rebel T3i, I really enjoyed the camera the entire time I had it, and will continue to recommend the Canon Rebel series to anyone looking to purchase their 1^st DSLR camera.

Be sure to post comments with questions you may have about this camera or ask me any photography questions and I will do my best to answer.

-CG

Hello, everyone!

Our Rose of Tralee Celebration is almost here, and our friends from the Emerald Isle are on their way to QVC! Here’s one last update from them before the celebration begins. And be sure to check back on Tuesday, September 3^rd, as our Irish friends will be chatting with you throughout the day right here on the Irish Insights blog as part of our Rose of Tralee Celebration! You won’t want to miss it!

Until then…  

Sinead, Solvar Jewellery

Can you believe that another summer has just gone by? Where has the time gone? I always know when autumn is upon us, as the Rose of Tralee Festival is on the telly for two nights and the Dublin Horse Show is over!! I thought you might get a kick out of these photos, which brought a smile to my face.

The Rose of Tralee is an international festival and one of Ireland's largest and longest running festivals, celebrating 54 years this year!! The heart of the festival is the selection of the Rose of Tralee, which brings young women of Irish descent from around the world to County Kerry for a global celebration of Irish culture. But this year we had a little extra touch of magic when a young man proposed to his New Orleans Rose on stage in front of the whole nation. The sight of Kyle Catlett on bended knee resulted in a nervous few moments for the organizers when a stunned Molly Molloy Gambel appeared to initially turn him down, but, to the relief of all, she accepted and afterwards put it down to explaining when she kept repeating ‘NO’ she was really meaning ‘YES’!!!

The Dublin Horse Show was first started in 1864 and is a celebration of Ireland's affinity with the horse, from the best show horses to the best international show jumpers! But for the first-time ever this year, they had a show class for donkeys! How cute!! It’s a fantastic family day out and a tradition for my family for years! My sister, Niamh, competed in several competitions when she was young!! I thought it would be fun to pass on some of this tradition and had my girls take their first pony ride! My husband did not warm to the idea!!!

When do you know you have landed back to normality?

For me, it’s when I come into my office and find 12 trays of overloaded stock and samples to be sorted and given a home in a very small office! Can you spot anything among these samples??? Check outSolvar Jewellery on QVC.com, and see if you can match any products!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to your Solvar Christmas shopping!

See you all soon!!

Sinead

Patricia, Belleek Pottery

Well, it has been an extremely busy and exciting summer season here at the Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre! As Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre Manager, every day my staff and I welcome visitors from all over the world who take a personally guided tour of the factory and see how the techniques developed by the very first Belleek craftsmen 156 years ago are still followed today.

Recently, we were extremely delighted and proud to have been awarded a Four Star Visitor Attraction grading by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board! This award is highly recognised and provides assurance to visitors of the quality of service and facilities they will experience at Belleek Pottery. The restaurant here at Belleek Pottery has also received a Five Star Food Hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency! Both of these great achievements are the result of hard work and a huge team effort by all of our staff here at Belleek Pottery, and we are very proud!

August has been a very special month here are Belleek, as we celebrated The Gathering Ireland 2013 with a very special gathering at Belleek on Friday, August 16^th. All Belleek collectors and enthusiasts were invited to step back in time with us and bring their favourite piece of treasured Belleek to the Pottery and meet Belleek Appraisers and Designers to learn about its rich history, inspiration for the design, and how and when it was made!

Many very beautiful and rare pieces were brought to the event. Check out this stunning Third Mark (1926 - 1946) Shamrock Covered Vegetable Dish. With its basketweave and shamrock designs, it really reminded me of the Belleek “Everyday” collection that was designed exclusively for our QVC customers. This lidded dish particularly reminded me of the “Everyday” Basketweave Baker with Lid (H197751)!

It was a fun day for all the family, with live traditional music providing the perfect ambiance to this wonderful celebration of Belleek heritage.

Children enjoyed face painting and the opportunity to paint their very own Belleek flower! This is my little granddaughter, Holly, sitting patiently while she is magically transformed!

Visitors enjoyed guided tours, saw the various stages involved in the making of every piece of Belleek, and met our craftspeople, many of whom are the third or fourth generation of their family to work at the Pottery. A great day was thoroughly enjoyed by both visitors and staff!

Belleek Master Craftsman John Doogan shows visitors the intricate work involved in the making of a Belleek Basket.

So now the countdown is on to the next big event in the Belleek calendar – The Rose of Tralee Celebration on QVC, of course! I will be travelling to the US with John Maguire, Belleek Group Managing Director, and our good friend, Master Chef Neven Maguire. I am really looking forward to my trip and to introducing the beautiful Belleek products that are available exclusively to our QVC customers.

Looking forward to seeing you all on September 3rd!

Slán libh go léir,

Patricia

Shop Belleek Pottery on QVC.com!

John, Aran Craft

I’m looking forward to my visit to QVC and meeting all my friends of so many years of wonderful work and fun.

As I leave this island of coastal marshes, vertical sea cliffs, and the wild North Atlantic, I am retracing the steps of millions of my kinfolk who sought a better life in the USA.

See you all on September 3^rd! I will be bringing you a very special cardigan beginning at midnight!

- John

Shop Aran Craft on QVC.com.

Shop our Rose of Tralee Celebration Preview on QVC.com!

Well, it seems that lots of you have struggled with folding bed sheets over the years-–just as I did. :) I posted a YouTube video--How to Fold a Fitted Sheet--in my blog yesterday. And, it's been so popular I wanted to re-post. I had to be sure everyone saw it...after all, it was just a little P.S.!

If you found this video helpful, I know your friends and family will, so please pay it forward and share my tip! Just click the “SHARE” button in the top right corner of the video. Easy!

Remember that you can watch entire episodes of You’re Home with Jill on QVC.com. And, tune in every Wednesday night at 7pm ET for new episodes. There's lots more household advice--maybe even laundry tips--to come!

From my home to yours,
--Jill

Ok, if you are anything like me… you get more joy out of the “oooohs and ahhhhs”  reaction from what you made for dinner over a new outfit any day of the week.  And it doesn’t matter if it’s a simple eyebrow raise and head nod from my husband or a big gush from the guests at a party I am hosting… I live for that moment of “Wow, you made this?”  And I always shake it off as “eh no big thing” because here’s the best part:  it really isn’t a big thing.  It’s a really easy thing all wrapped up and disguised as a complicated and time consuming thing.  I mean come on, Kale chips and Orange Vanilla Carrots just sound fancy pants-but they are both so easy to make!

So, here are two recipes certain to get you the reaction you crave.  I like to call them trendy because Kale is all the rage right now on the food runways (these exist in my mind) and who doesn’t want to eat carrots that could be featured in a high end “veggies that taste like candy” shoppe?  (this also exists in my mind.)

Kale chips and Orange Vanilla Carrots

Kale Chips:

1 bunch kale

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees

Wash and thoroughly dry kale

Tear off bite size pieces  

Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt

Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Orange Vanilla Carrots:

2 pkgs (8 oz each) of carrots
2 Tbsp  Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp  Wegmans Orange Vanilla Finishing Butter (Dairy Dept)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Toss carrots on a cookie sheet with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. (I use my clean hands to mix it up)
 

Arrange in single layer; roast on center rack of oven 18-20 min until carrots are knife- tender. Carefully turn carrots halfway through.
 

Remove from oven; transfer to serving dish. Top with butter; toss gently to coat.

Enjoy the gushing!
Karen

Happy Mom Monday! Or in this case, a bit of a bittersweet Mom Monday...

It's almost the first day of school for my Gabby. I cannot believe I'm the mom of an 8th grader! And don't even go there with the "next year she'll be in high school"...she reminds me almost daily!

The first day of school is always bittersweet for me. I'm infinitely proud of my daughter for the strong, smart and courageous young woman she's becoming. But as the mom of an only child, every milestone is that much more poignant! So instead of getting misty-eyed, I decided to snap some fun photos comparing how the two of us get ready for this day. And wouldn't you know, QVC plays a major part in our get-glam prep!

 
As you can see, our medicine cabinet is a mini-wardrobe of QVC beauty goodies! On the right, the tools Gabby uses to keep her complexion clear in these complexion-challenging years. On the right, Mom's anti-aging powerhouses. Look at your future, Gabs :-)

Gabby is full-blown addicted to the Beachwaver! Ever since Sarah Potempa brought this wondertool to QVC Gabby has been raving about how easy it's made getting that ideal tousled teen look. While a few rooms away, mom is firing up the Chi for smooth tresses. Hey, you never know who you're going to run into in the dropoff lane at school! Mom's gotta be ready for anything.

Gabby jams out on the jam to One Direction while mom preps to Coldplay on the Bose Soundlink...

Lunch is packed in Gab's Vera Bradley lunch sack, and Mom's Kind Bars are hiding in her Oryany handbag (which Gabby has already claimed when I'm "done" with it. Keep waiting, kiddo!)

And I promised only to tell in my blog (and not to her friends) that we are wearing matching Mirell Titanium bangles on this big day so we can always look down on our wrist and know that our partner-in-crime is thinking of us.

Every year since she started Kindergarten I've snapped a photo of Gabby at the front door. I vow to do so until she starts 12th grade. Here we are, just a few years away from completing that collection. And here she is, sporting her favorite Vera Bradly backpack, ready to take over the world one more time. I love you baby. I'd say make momma proud, but you don't know how to do anything else do you??

Sometimes I just need a bit of Silly. At home, I’m the wife and mother.  At work, I’m the responsible employee.  But when I’m relaxing and just being me, I like to unwind with some great music!  Maybe that’s why these portable Bluetooth speakers caught my eye.

Bluetooth is everywhere these days.  In fact, if you have a newer laptop or smartphone, there’s a strong possibility you have a Bluetooth device  

I absolutely love the ingenious design of a suction cup bottom…. Now I can truly bring my party anywhere!  My dressing room, my desk,  the kitchen, the Lori Greiner Jewelry  Cabinet.   Oh, and did I say Silly….. of course I had to try to suction in to my head…

 I would have loved to have this at the beach or pool.  It’s the perfect pocket or purse size to go with you anywhere.  The Littles had a chance to test drive it while we were on vacation when they watched a few movies on the laptop. 

And at this price, I can see this being a Stocking Stuffer and Pollyanna favorite for the Holidays!!!