Tag Archives: Shopping.

QVC Making Jewellery Event With Carolyn Schulz

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I have always been creative and remember making my own jewellery when I was in my early teens. I was clearly ahead of the game, craft is now big business. The recession has spun an entirely new generation who love making their own jewellery, cloths and anything else you can think of.

QVC are big, one of the world’s leading TV and online shopping channels, and they are big on craft, they sell jewellery making kits – amazing jewellery making kits if I do say so myself- which is why, when they invited me to a jewellery making event on Tuesday the 13th of September wild horses could not stop me. I arrived at the impressive QVC headquarters in Battersea and spend the next few hours chatting, drinking champagne, eating canapés and making jewellery, I even have my own pink pliers and wire cutters.

I have a good chat with Carolyn Schulz and she give me some good tips, talks about her new book that is due out soon, and promises to give Frost an interview.

I decided to make a ‘charm’ necklace, and I quite like it. I have a wonderful afternoon and also meet fellow writers and bloggers @FashionNBarbie and @Glittershim. I thoroughly recommend making your own jewellery, it is relaxing and fun. You will also have original jewellery, you might even have a good eye and be able to make a business from it.

Do you like craft? Do you make your own jewellery? Tell Frost your story and keep an eye out for more craft articles in Frost.

This Month's Magazines; Jennifer Lopez Believes in Love, 9/11 Anniversary.

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Note: Magazines come out a month in advance. September’s magazines are Augusts.

The September issue of Vogue is out and the advertisers have made the issue heavy enough to use as a dumbbell. No complaints from me.

It is the International Collections special and there are lots of clothes to fawn over, Labels and trends to be urban cool, and accessories that make a difference in Vogue’s Big Fashion Issue.

There is a brilliant article on the history of Gucci, Paloma Picasso revisits Venice and talks about her journey to becoming a jewellery designer, Dries Van Noten gives a guide to his Antwerp, up-coming actress, producer and writer Brit Marling is interviewed (Frost loves her), Rifat Ozbek is doing Robin Birley’s new club, Ruperts; Good two page article.

Olivia Wilde talks Haiti and Childhood, there are a lot of autumn clothes that all look too hot, it’s 30c in London at the moment!, Miss V has her excellent social diary, there is a 9 page spread on the turbulent life of John Galliano, Tom Ford on his new cosmetic line and an article on the new David Bailey film. I noticed afterward that in the shops you get a free fashion DVD. However, I did not get this as a subscriber. Bad form.

Emily Mortimer is on the cover of this month’s Tatler and there is an interview inside.

There is a free gift but not for subscribers, grr.

There is a moving tribute to Tatler senior editor John Graham, Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark, A guide to nightclubs, An article on what it is like to stay on Abramovich’s yacht and the Royal Family residences, who sits where at White’s, Secret Cinema, Kate Middleton joins Competitive Princessing, Sir Michael Sorrell, What to wear: looking posh on less dosh, Legendary Lotharios, Rich Kids, a good 6 page spread on Tina Brown.

Guy Pelly, Astrid Harbord and Jake Warren have a new club, 37 year old Sam Leith goes back to school, Diana Von Furstenberg tells all about what she loves.

There is also lots of Travel and the Bystander (the social diary). Kate Middleton makes an appearance at the Derby with William, as does Elton John’s annual White Tie & Tiara Ball.

Frost has been complain that Marie Claire has not been giving its subscribers free gifts because of ‘cost’, and this month’s issue came with a free gift. It would seem someone listened but, alas, no. In the shops you get a free nail polish and a conditioner. I just got a conditioner.

Anne Hathaway is on the cover and interviewed inside. There is a good article on what to wear to fashion week (which I will be listening to!), an interview with Mulberry bag designer Emma Hill, an interview with Katie Holmes, how to get French style, what the New York fashion pack wear, China’s fashion, what men won’t tell you until the third date, Should you move abroad?, 9/11 Anniversary, A good three page article on Stella McCartney, The X Factor, Beyonce, Oh Land, a One Day Special; article on the book and interviews with cast and lots & lots of fashion and beauty.

Vanity Fair has Jennifer Lopez on the cover and her first interview since her divorce inside. She says she is “an eternal optimist about love…it’s still my biggest dream.”

L’Wren Scott gives us the low-down on her stuff, in Fairground there is a lot of lovely picture of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Hollywood attending the BAFTA party.

Also articles on Michael Buble, Private Eye’s 50th anniversary, Agnes B, how the US failed to stop 9/11, Hackers, The 2011 Best Dressed List; Tilda Swinton, The Duchess of Cambridge, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Andrea Dellal, Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis and Arpad Busson all feature, There is a celebrity portraits of Angelina Jolie amongst others, Michael Lewis investigates German attitudes towards money, the actors who play the Duke and Duchess of Windsor are photographed and interviewed for Madonna’s new film W.E, Designers and their muse, John Currin.

Glamour has Mila Kunis on the cover and she is interviewed inside.

How to be a Cavalli Girl, Feminism, Fall in love with your job again, How to eat well if you have £15 until pay day, 9/11 Anniversary article, Career rules rewritten, What sex feels like, Jim Sturgess interview, Are you Destroying your own love life?, Comedian Jack Whitehall, Why do women want to be WAGs?, Fashion’s Hot 100, How to have a great hair month, How to get more energy.

Phew!

Red has Laura Bailey on the cover and has a free bodywash. Laura is interviewed inside. There is a good article on no kids and no regrets, the original supermodels and what they are doing now, an article on people’s on/off duty wardrobes,

My City, My shopping guide, The looks that sum up a city. Anjum Anand show Red around her life, 8 Lessons in love and loss, four women reveal the moment they found their dream property, Dominic Cooper, Adele, Tom Ellis, Will Young, Colin Farrell, Fiona Neill, Jo Whiley’s Festival Guide, 4 ways to update your face, How to get radiance, there are a lot of good recipes, cooking with in season vegetables , paella, home made curry, global shopping guide, find your health/life balance, what is causing your breast pain and Audrey Tautou tells all about the best things in life.

[This page will get updates as more magazines come out. Thank you.]

eBay offering 50 free listings per month to sellers

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Frost has learned after this article went to press that Ebay is only offering American’s 50 free listings a month. The UK has been left out. Very disappointing.

eBay have announced new pricing introductions which will see all eBay sellers being offered 50 free item listings per month. The online auction site hopes to tempt back sellers following competitor site Amazon’s introduction of their marketplace area.

Summary of changes to eBay seller fees:

  • 50 free listing’s per month
  • Free ‘Buy it now’ option to auction listings
  • Reducing Final Value Fee rates (for stores and fixed price listings only)
  • The Final Value Fee will be increased to include postage and packaging charges also

The updated Final Value Fee structure takes effect for non-store sellers on April 19, 2011, and for Store and Fixed Price sellers on July 6, 2011.

“We think these changes will really improve the marketplace for both buyers and sellers. We’re listening to our customers. We’re trying to understand their needs.” – Vice President Todd Lutwak

eBay’s changes to the feedback system have supposedly contributed heavily to the dwindling number of users on the site. Allowing buyers to leave anonymous feedback has left the system open to abuse and sellers are finding it hard to sell with some claiming to have been victims of sabotage by competitors. The loss of choice is increasing prices of items on the bidding site and buyers are looking elsewhere.

The changes seem to give with one hand and take with the other but will hopefully go some way to apease both sides of customers and buyers.

Mykea customises your Ikea furniture {Design}

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Ikea’s modular furniture might be fab, cheap and functional but it can be a bit drab. Mykea sells decals and decoration specifically for your Ikea furniture. They sell amazing and rather pretty pieces by designers. You also have the option of uploading your own photo or artwork which make a fantastic new way to display your memories and creativity rather than hanging them on your walls in the traditional manner.

They’ve got a great easy to use site but the number of furniture varieties they provide designs for is failry limited.

Take a look at the Mykea site

The Last Minute Gift That Rocks! {Christmas gift ideas}

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Still not finished your Christmas shopping? Still got that difficult person to buy for and you have no idea what to get them? Don’t despair, with only 3 days until Santa officially arrives Hotel Voucher Shop has a gift that everyone will love and what’s more it can be bought online as late as Christmas day itself and delivered as an e-gift with a personalised message! Now that is last minute!

The Hotel Voucher Shop experience gift cards are the ideal present, no matter what the occasion, guaranteeing your loved ones an experience they’ll enjoy, after all who doesn’t love a good break?

The gift cards can be used to book over 70,000 hotels in over 5,000 destinations worldwide, including over 1,000 major hotel groups. The vouchers come in denominations of ten starting with a value of £10 ranging up to £1,000 and can be used as either part or full payment of a hotel break with any remaining balance stored for future use.

The Hotel Voucher Shop gifts come in three different ways, paper, plastic or virtual. Purchase paper and e-vouchers online at www.hotelvouchershop.com. Paper vouchers are posted, presented in an attractive wallet and personalised with your own unique message while e-vouchers are emailed instantly (especially handy when you need to send a present pronto or if you are buying for someone on the other side of the world!) The plastic gift cards can be purchased from top high street retailers including WH Smiths, Sainsbury’s and Superquinn.

Hotel Voucher Shop would be happy to offer your readers a 15% discount to celebrate the festive season!

*All Hotel Vouchers are non-refundable and are valid for 12 months from purchase.
For further information about the Hotel Voucher Shop visit www.hotelvouchershop.com

T’WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS…AND OVER TWO THIRDS OF BRITS WERE STILL SHOPPING

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Despite best intentions, 68% of Brits still search for gifts on Christmas Eve

· Brits set to waste £2 billion[1] on panic-bought gifts this Christmas

· A nation of last-minute Christmas shoppers – over three quarters (76%) of us panic-buy the night before Christmas to ensure stockings are filled

· Half (50%) of shoppers have deliberately bought something overly expensive or extravagant in a moment of panic

· Panic-buy Britain: 32% have bought on a whim because they couldn’t find what they are looking for and 32% because they unexpectedly received a present and felt obliged to return the gesture

· Almost half (48%) of consumers admit to avoiding the panic by recycling an unwanted gift they’ve already received

· Christmas shoppers urged to use InvisibleHand (www.getinvisiblehand.com) to grab the best festive bargains.

Ever woken up realising you’ve forgotten that all-important present the morning before Christmas Day? Well you’re not alone. According to new research[2] from InvisibleHand, the free online shopping tool, over two thirds of UK shoppers (68%) also end up buying last minute gifts from the shops on Christmas Eve, while over three quarters (76%) of us end up panic-buying to ensure Santa’s quota is met.

In fact, panic buying last year led to half (50%) of consumers deliberately purchasing something overly expensive or extravagant. Going by last year’s overspend, Brits could be set to waste a whopping £2 billion on last-minute, panic-bought gifts this year[1].

Not being able to find the ‘right’ gift (32%) and being unexpectedly given a present and having to return the gesture (32%) are among the main reasons why people end up panic-buying. However, consumers also put pressure on themselves with over a quarter (26%) leaving it until the last minute because they can’t actually decide whether to buy someone a gift or not. A forgetful 18% end up in a flap because they simply forget to buy a gift.

As a result of the panic, consumers cut corners with three in ten (31%) buying something the wrong size so that the recipient could return it after Christmas. Men are particularly bad at adopting this cunning ploy – 38% use this tactic. Two in ten people (19%) even buy something that they know the recipient won’t like. Again, men lead the way with 24% having used this ruse.

People even resort to ‘re-gifting’ – almost half (48%) admit to re-cycling an unwanted gift they’d already received. What’s more, women seem to be the best at this with almost half (48%) having recycled unwanted gifts in the past, compared to just 30% of men.

Robin Landy, founder of InvisibleHand, says: “As the carol goes: ‘‘tis the season to be jolly’, but for most of us the weeks leading up to the big day are often another story altogether. This is especially the case if you’ve left your Christmas shopping to the last minute. This often leads to panic-buying and consumers making extremely poor purchasing decisions, often forking out far more than necessary as a result.

“Purchasing Christmas gifts under pressure could see a staggering £2 billion wasted on panic–bought items this year alone. This is astonishing and could be easily avoided by shopping online. The key thing is for consumers to shop around to make sure they find the best prices available to avoid paying vast amounts. There are some great deals to be found by savvy shoppers looking to track down a Christmas bargain.”

InvisibleHand’s top five tips for online Christmas shopping:

§ Search online to make sure you have the best price available to avoid spending more than you need to

§ Ensure you read the terms and conditions regarding postage and packaging to avoid any unnecessary costs

§ Be sure to read up on delivery times to ensure gifts arrive in good time

§ Take advantage of discount vouchers on offer by searching online and entering a promotional code before clicking the ‘buy’ button

§ Check whether the retailer offers a gift-wrapping service, which could save you time in the long run.

Buy the perfect fragrance gift without leaving the house {Shopping}

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The problem with internet shopping is that when it comes to smellies…you can’t smell them. So until someone invents smell-o-vision we’re going have to rely on experts. Trouble is the experts are in the shops, helping out people who’ve made the journey into town…or are they?!

Buying gifts can be tricky, but help is at hand for men this festive season thanks to the new Boots Ask The Girls service, which will answer all their gifting dilemmas. With dedicated staff in selected stores and hints and advice on boots.com to help men with present advice, Boots is the perfect place to get women a luxurious gift that they really desire!

An incredible one third (35%*) of women have been disappointed with presents and a further 15%* claim to have been upset or angry about their partner’s choice, so it’s important to get it right. If you think fragrance would make a great gift for your girlfriend, but need some advice,  join in the Fragrance Gift Ideas Live

Chat on boots.com on Thursday 9th December between 1pm-2pm. The chat will be hosted by Boots fragrance training manager, Rachael Turner, who has over ten years experience in the fragrance world. Rachael is in-the-know on fragrance trends, and she’ll be on hand to guide you through how to select the perfect fragrance.

To join in the chat, log onto Boots.com this Thursday at 1pm.

Lesson on Layering {Fashion}

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Ah, the Great British obsession with the weather. Sometimes it’s too hot. Sometimes it’s too cold. Most of the time it keeps us guessing. But when the weather can’t make its’ mind up, don’t let that stop you from being prepared for all climates.

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“What is the solution?”, I hear you ask. Layering. Let me show you how with these top 6 picks for this Autumn.

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All Saints have a cool range of tees and vests with chilling graphic prints. This Theron Tee is £40.

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This cardigan comes in a vast range of colours, from H&M. My favourite is ‘Light Camel Marl’, and at only £9.99 it’s a steal!

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No chance of getting cold in this shearling aviator jacket by Burberry Prorsum. Ok, so it is a fashion investment at £2,195 but you could always try your local leather shop for a more affordable option.

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These leather trim skinny jeans are in a flattering dark denim. Find them at Topshop, £45.

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Who thought comfort could be so stylish? Grab a bargain at Dorothy Perkins, these ankle boots are only £40.

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You can fit the kitchen sink in here…along with a brolly and any layers you need to strip off. Find this Longobardi Oversized Italian leather bag at hattyandmoo.com, £265.

by Tamar Kendall