Posts Tagged ‘Christmas in July’
Still more Christmas in July
Posted on: July 25, 2009
- In: home shopping | HSN | QVC | Reviews | ShopNBC
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For anybody who hasn’t had enough Christmas in July, let’s recap: Last week was HSN’s, yesterday was ShopNBC’s and today is QVC’s Christmas in July. Nobody does in-your-face Christmas like QVC, and Today’s Special Value definitely makes the point: Bethlehem Lights battery-operated wreath, garland or tree (in choice of white or multicolored lights) for $27 plus S&H. Each piece also gives you the choice of photo-sensor (on at dusk, off at dawn) or timer, AND a choice of steady lights or random flicker. There’s even a $3 off buy-more, save more.
Okay, gang, let’s face it, this is a great deal. Period.
I personally own a Bethlehem Lights 30″ wreath and a 6′ garland. They totally rock. They use D batteries and I’ve gotten 2 holiday seasons out of one set of batteries in the wreath thus far! The artificial greenery looks natural and doesn’t look at all cheesy. You can also arrange the little evergreen branch thingies and decorate them with ornaments, how fun is that? The lights are lovely. I got the white lights and they’re very bright. (I’m not a big fan of multicolored lights), and I keep them set on the timers so they turn themselves on and off. So if you need a recommendation, go for it! 🙂
If that’s not enough, QVC has a ” TSV Extra” from Jeanne Bice and Quacker Factory, a holiday twinset in assorted winter themes done in sequins, for $45 plus S&H. Her stuff is an acquired taste to be sure – I must admit I had to “age into” Quacker Factory, but I have a number of Quacker Factory items from QVC and I really do enjoy them. Jeanne ‘s stuff is over the top for sure, but if you like fun, sparkly seasonal-theme clothes, Quacker Factory clothing is made really well. $45 for a novelty twinset is reasonable. If you need a gift for someone 50+ who will wear totally wackidoodle (and yet oddly tasteful!) holiday sweaters, oh what the hell, why not. What’s not to love? 🙂
Meanwhile, there’s Chuck Clemency’s NYC II line as the Our Top Value on ShopNBC. He calls his bracelet the “monster” because it’s 57 carats of Mystic topaz or Bahaman Pink topaz, done in 18 ct. gold vermeil for $137 on 5 Value Pays. Each link is over 4 cts of topaz. That’s pretty darn heavy, these are big honkin’ bracelets, for sure. Those stones are not my taste, but I have a number of Chuck’s bracelets from his NYC II collection and they’re gorgeous and very well made. There’s also matching rings and earrings, but I don’t like those, (the designs are clunky), but that’s okay, because I just LOVE Chuck Clemency. (Now if only we could just get Lynne Schacker to SHUT UP… Oh well, too bad we can’t have Dave King on ShopNBC 24-7. I suppose the man must sleep, after all, he’s not Elliot Smith, The Man Who Never Sleeps… But I digresss… LOL!!)
Back to QVC, they’ve got The World’s Dumbest Idea for a holiday chatchka: Soy wax dipped stuffed animals. THAT IS JUST INSANE, you guys! Whoever came up with that idea? What were they thinking? Sure, let’s take something cuddly & nice, like a stuffed animal… who DOESN’T like stuffed animals, right? Now, let’s dip the poor lil’ snuggly bugger in SOY WAX! Hey, great idea… SAY WHAT? AND… they’re… AIR FRESHENERS? STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!! I don’t care how much they cost, if you want one, go look it up yourself, 5 cents is too expense, WHY? Because they’re STUPID!!!
HSN has a Gateway computers celebration. BIG SNORE. Back to alternating between QVC’s Christmas -is-in-your-face and Chuck Clemency’s big-ass sparkly NYC II honkers on ShopNBC.
MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JULY- AGAIN! 🙂
More Christmas in July!
Posted on: July 24, 2009
- In: home shopping | HSN | QVC | Reviews | ShopNBC
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Well, there was The Butt-Ugly Handbag Show on HSN, featuring the HSN Today’s Special, a $140 Shariff bag. To be fair, this was not the worst Shariff I’ve ever seen, but, really, I wouldn’t own one of these if they were givin’ ’em away.
Then there’s a 5 piece Nick Chavez set as the Today’s Special Value on QVC, for $40 bucks plus S&H. Donno a thing about his product, all I know is, if I have to watch that albeit uber-handsome man foof up one more model’s hair… Nick Chavez has a smile that could sell snow to an Eskimo, but his demonstrations are getting way tired. Nick Chavez, you gorgeous, charming hunk-a-rama, please DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT! I’m so bored!!! Been there, seen that! NEXT!!!! Sorry, I’m SOOO not buyin’.
Ergo, I’m watching the ever-charming Dave King, (late of QVC, newly relocated to ShopNBC), and Thomas Pacconi (another bird who has apparently migrated from QVC), sell Christmas goodies for ShopNBC’s Christmas in July. (QVC has theirs this weekend.). Thomas Pacconi’s Our Top Value is $95 plus S&H (on 5 value pays!!!) for a way cool Christmas music box and lighted winter scene display thing in a nice cherry wood finish. LOVE it! Plus, they’ve got boatloads of hand-blown glass ornaments, a set of a dozen historical Santa’s, a set of 60 mini ornament doo-dahs, a nice set of 10 ornaments with stands for about $45 plus S&H (GREAT gift for friends and co-workers!)… If I had the bucks I’d be stocking up on these puppies right now!
In time for ShopNBC’s Christmas in July, Thomas Pacconi is introducing his line of flameless candles. They even have timers! This is ShopNBC’s first foray into the flameless candle market that QVC has pretty much dominated for the past few years. Because QVC cornered the flameless candle market, they have several years’ head start on ShopNBC. FYI, my apartment is full up with Candle Impressions flameless candles, wall sconces, etc. and a few Bethlehem Lights prelight wreaths and garlands. Love ’em, especially the Candle Impressions flameless candles, I’ve given them as gifts quite a lot, too.
Because these are being introduced today, we don’t yet know how ShopNBC’s Thomas Pacconi line of flameless candles will ultimately stack up against QVC’s Candle Impressions, Bethlehem Lights, and Valerie’s flameless candles… we’ll all just have to wait until the reviews come in. But my major concern regarding Thomas Pacconi’s flameless candles, is… SHOPNBC DOESN’T SPECIFY THE TYPE OF BATTERiES USED, OR THE ESTIMATED BATTERY LIFE. Why would this be? How dopey is this? Are they hiding something, or is this an incredibly stupid marketing blunder? Do the candles take C’s or D’s, double-A’s or worse, triple-A’s or even worse, those way expensive little hearing-aid batteries? Do the Thomas Pacconi flameless candles last hours, days, or months, or MINUTES? My Candle Impressions candles from QVC don’t require a battery change for anywhere from 6 months to 15 months! If ShopNBC’s not tellin’, then I’m sure as hell not buyin’!
Years ago, I bought a Thomas Pacconi old fashioned style one-piece stereo record player/CD/cassette/radio that I got from QVC. It was a really attractive piece of techno-furniture, it had a lovely dark wood finish with hand-painted peonies on it. It was lovely and sounded nice, but the CD player was problematic, and the piece was way too big for the area where I kept it. I ended up giving it away, which was sad. I think most of Thomas Pacconi’s stuff is quite beautiful and tastefully done, but I would take a wait ‘n’ see on those flameless candles unless you’ve bought stock in Duracells. 😉
So, Happy Christmas in July… again. HSN is the reigning champion of weird dopey inflatable holiday things, ShopNBC has elegant, expensive decorative stuff, but WAIT! There’s still more Christmas in July to come this weekend when The Big Q brings their A-game. How fun will that be? 🙂
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