QVC Host Antonella Nester, Made in Italy

If you're a fan of QVC host Antonella Nester like I am, you need to check out the inspiring interview that she recently gave to her hometown paper, the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

Antonella tells the tale of how--with just an amateur video audition tape and a dream--she was able to become a host on one of the world's largest home shopping channels without a shred of experience in sales or television. How's that for determination?

She also reminisces about how her family came to this country:

Nester’s family — mom, a seamstress; dad, a barber; and three sisters — came to the United States from a town about four hours outside of Rome in southern Italy. Nester’s mother was pregnant with her at the time; the family stayed with Nester’s grandfather in Harrisburg. Her dad’s lifelong dream was to come to America, she says.

“I was made in Italy,” she cracks, “but born in the U.S.A.”

The family lived on North 17th Street in Harrisburg until Nester was 4.
“My mom and dad on Sundays (would) go driving around looking at churches,” she said. “So they saw this pink dogwood tree in front of this house, and my mom had to have it — it wasn’t even for sale.

“My dad goes up to the door, in his Italian accent, and he says, ‘My wife really likes your house,’ and (the owner says), ‘We were just going to put a for-sale sign up.’ All over a dogwood tree,” she recalls. Her parents still live in the house in New Cumberland.

Read the full interview at PennLive.com. It's worth the read!

The Many Facets of Judy Crowell

Over the last 20 years, Judy Crowell has worked as a host at both QVC and HSN, launched her own fashion collection on ShopNBC, and also married former host and current gem vendor, Paul Deasy. She is most certainly home shopping royalty.

During our recent talk, Queen Bea and Judy ended up discussing everything from why she has a real coffin in the garage to what she really thinks of those new “stripped down” Kirk’s Folly sets ... not to mention how she practically had to burn down her house before finally "marrying smart!"

For those of you who have followed Judy over the years, across the networks, and through all her ups and downs, I think you will find her even more endearing. So pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the read!

QB: As a "military brat," you were raised all around the world--4 countries and 12 states to be exact! Do you think the constant moving and having to meet new people all the time helped prepare you for hosting and being a vendor? How did your multicultural upbringing affect your sense of style?

JC: There's no question that my upbringing helped prepare me for my future in home shopping. I feel able to relate to customers of all lifestyles and all cultures because of my experiences living and traveling all over the world. In watching fashion shows, I always appreciate the designer's extra touches that 'borrow' from other cultures. I also love designers' takes on other eras. (I sometimes feel I was born in the wrong era, as I love the romantic styles of the past.)

Get Fit with Judy!

QB: What is your current fitness program? How is it different from what you used to do with the "Get Fit with Judy" show? Any plans to do anything in the fitness industry?

JC: Would you believe I have a fitness book already written and just sitting on my computer??!!! I know I need to get it published. I think there's this fear that no one will find it interesting. It's a combination of my own personal road to finding fitness and completely changing my body to suggestions on how to incorporate various workouts into your own life. I also touch on the importance of food; the types of foods that are good for you; why certain diets are dangerous, etc.

My fitness routine is pretty much the same as when I hosted "Get Fit with Judy." I loved that show, and I was honored that QVC granted me a good two year run with it.

QB: You must, must, must tell me all about your engagement ring! Most people don't have a gem expert picking out their ring.

JC: I had been engaged a couple of times in my life and married once before. (It took me a long time to find Paul and to understand what qualities in a person were the most important) So, having had diamond engagement rings before, all very beautiful, I told Paul I'd like to do something completely different this time. I said I'd like to wear color. And, I told him that because of his expertise and knowledge of gemstones, that it would be the perfect reflection of him.

Besides the fact that diamonds are beautiful, women choose them because of their resistance to scratching. Let's face it, you plan to wear it every day for a long time. It had better be strong! Very few other gems are as hard as a diamond, but rubies and sapphires are the next best thing. Perhaps Princess Diana's ring influenced me, but I also thought that deep blue would go with more things than red. So, I asked for a sapphire instead of a ruby. I get more compliments on this ring than I think I've gotten on any other piece of jewelry in my life. From young girls to mature women, I constantly get stopped. I told Paul (and I'm sure this made him happy... he knows he'll be saving a lot of money as a result!) that I'll never get tired of it or need to "trade up." It was the perfect choice. (P.S. So was he!)

Judy looking glamorous at a Nevada gem mine.

QB: During your travels for QVC and HSN, you visited many gem mines and factories (even proclaiming yourself "Indiana Judy!") How did this affect your appreciation for all the jewelry that you sold on television?

JC: I have always loved jewelry. I was raised by women (mother and grandmothers) who were all very stylish, and who appreciated jewelry as their perfect finishing touch. Visiting the Gem Mines through my job only gave me a greater appreciation for it. What fascinated me most is that gemstones and jewelry are both associated with a glamorous life. But, to acquire those gemstones is anything but glamorous. The mining business is very dirty; sometimes dangerous; makes for rough living conditions; and, does not always lead to success. I look at gemstone jewelry very differently now than I used to, and have a whole new appreciation for what could be under that rock!

QB: Which celebrity were you most starstruck by?

JC: Charlton Heston. I don't know why that was so easy to answer. I've certainly met and worked with a lot of them. But, Moses? That was special. The funniest? Tim Conway. The quickest? Joan Rivers. The silliest? Richard Simmons. The tannest (is that a word)? George Hamilton. The prettiest? Loni Anderson. The most genuine? Donny Osmond.

QB: Who was your favorite vendor to work with? Did you try to emulate this person when you became a vendor yourself? Did all your hosting experience prepare you for the craziness of putting together your first Our Top Value (OTV)?

JC: I think the enthusiasm and playfulness of a Jeanne Bice (QVC); the design genius of a Bob Mackie (QVC) and an Antthony Mark Hankins (HSN); and the thoroughness and attention-to-detail of a Diane Gilman (HSN) and a Susan Graver (QVC) were all influences on my style as a vendor. I liked hearing what inspired them, what their goals were for their brand.

Now, it's fun to be the expert myself, and I'm having a ball! I'm involved in the whole process from choosing the season's color palette to selecting the styles, lengths, collars, button details, etc. I only hope I can do my fashions and accessories the same kind of justice that my "mentors" do!

QB: What was your most memorable moment as a host?

JC: Difficult question. It's tough to pick just one. I was a host for 18 years! You can only imagine some of the moments that are popping into my head. I must say I was given some incredible opportunities, mainly at QVC. On their behalf, either to do product research or to produce stories for future shows, I traveled ... Boy, did I travel... China, Brazil, England, Ireland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bolivia, Monaco, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Hawaii, Alaska, and then some.

Then, of course, there was the LIVE remote we did from Loni and Burt Reynolds' house on Mulholland Drive in Beverly Hills; the "Cure By the Shore" broadcast LIVE from Monte Carlo right on the Mediterranean Sea; the numerous remotes with Makeup Artist to the Stars, Victoria Jackson, LIVE from LA.

But, then there was that one time I was selling a porcelain baby doll that sucked its' thumb. And, when I demonstrated the importance of being careful when you pulled the thumb out of the porcelain mouth, well, you guessed it, the whole jaw, in an extreme close-up, broke off in my hand.

There's that moment.

Home shopping back when it was still magical.

QB: Since you spent so much time dressed up as a magical fairy, what do you think of the new "stripped down" Kirks Folly sets?

JC: Jenniefer and I were introduced a few days before our very first Kirks Folly show back in 1991, and we hit it off immediately. She is, to this day, still a dear friend. (I texted her, very worried about her and Seaview during all the terrible floods last month in Warwick, RI!) Anyway, she misses all the fun and craziness we used to have on the sets at QVC. We really did have some doozies of theatrics at one point! hahaha It was so much fun. We were like little kids getting all dolled up and having tea parties together!

I think it’s difficult these days to do the same. Everything's expensive; the bar is set very high; sets need to be changed out immediately for the next show. Time is money, and there can't be any wasted time. We had the luxury of experimentation in the early days of TV shopping where everything was being tried for the first time. Now, it's a whole different ballgame.

QB: What drives you to be such an advocate for women's issues?

JC: My Nana was a real women's advocate. One of very few women who went to college in the early 1900's, she got a good education and knew she had choices. So, she fought on a number of fronts for women's rights. I guess I'm a lot like her. I've volunteered ever since I was 16, and learned then that there were a lot of people with a lot of needs. Whether it was a badge I earned in Girl Scouts that taught me about "giving back;" joining a Sorority in college whose platform was raising money for young women who otherwise wouldn't get the chance of an education; or painting bedrooms at a local Women's Shelter... I've just always felt better when I'm helping.

Throughout my life, I've also had plenty of women mentors... Harriet Passarelli, Marlene Verny, Jerilyn Goodman, Marcia Bradley, Marion Branick... women who took the time to help me, and as a result helped shape my career. I try to do the same for other young women today.

Judy and Paul dressed up for Halloween ... at least that's their story!

QB: Please tell me about your Scary Charity for animals. I love animals, so I have to ask about this!

JC: Paul loves, adores, lives for Halloween! (He's so funny. We actually have a real wooden coffin in our garage for parties!) Anyway, he spends days in October decorating our house, and when he's finished, it really looks haunted. (Gone are my cute little pumpkins and pretty witches! haha They no longer fit. We have Bates Motel monogrammed black towels instead!!)

One year, I thought it would be fun to make it a charity night, and donate all the money to a good cause. (Thus the name Scary Charity)

I'd read about a wonderful couple out in Montana who bought thousands of acres of land to start a shelter for abandoned, abused or other-wise neglected animals ... horses, dogs and cats. It's called The Rolling Dog Ranch. I asked if they'd send me a newsletter and a video about their "Sanctuary" because we wanted to hold a charity event on their behalf. (I, too, love animals and would like to rescue every single one that's not treated well)

Well, the party was a big success; everyone was decked out; each person gave $50; and, we showed the video midway through the night so everyone could see where their money was going. (Not a dry eye in the room)

We raised $2500; Paul and I then matched that; and our company even matched that. We gave The Rolling Dog Ranch $10,000. I was so proud! I said to our kids, "Okay guys, let's share in the choice of a charity for these parties. We'll give to different charities each time. So, put your thinking caps on, and also think about how you're going to market the reason for that particular choice. You can give a presentation to the family, and we'll all vote on which one to do that year." We haven't had another one just yet, but it's now a family affair. (I've read that it's great to talk about charities with your children and let them participate. It makes them appreciate what they have, and want to help those who don't.)

Judy and Paul

QB: You mentioned that it took a long time to find the happiness that you now have with Paul and his kids. What is it about Paul that brings so much joy to your life? What would you say to other ladies who are "of a certain age" who haven't found their prince charming yet?

JC: A dear friend of mine said to me, after another disappointing break-up, "You know, Judy, Gloria Steinem didn't find love until she was in her 50's. She had decided that perhaps a lasting partnership just wasn't in the cards for her, but that she had had a remarkable life just the same. Then BOOM! She met this guy, fell in love and got married. So, you see, love can happen at any age." She was right, of course, and I hung onto that thought.

I also gave myself another type of pep talk, "You have absolutely everything else in life that one could want: a loving family, a great job, your own money to do with what you want, a beautiful home, wonderful friends and the sweetest doggie ever. So, let go of that one little aspect that's missing, and enjoy your life!"

That worked for a while, :) and then I went out and bought this book called "Marrying Smart." I read the whole thing in one day. It was fun and lighthearted. There was this little ritual the author had you do, reciting this message on a piece of paper ... after which you burned the paper and left things up to the universe. (I practically burned down my house!!!) Ironically, what I had written on that piece of paper came true, and I was married a year and a half later. (That author definitely owes me royalties after you print this!)

Judy and her true love!

QB: What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

JC: Wine. (Everyone knows about my love of wine... our kids joke about it, and I get wine-related gifts every year) Lots of salad dressings. (I love salads, too) The usual milk, eggs, cheese, orange juice, apples and some left-over homemade lasagna. (It's my specialty. Otherwise, Paul's the cook!)

QB: What band or star were you obsessed with as a teenager?

JC: Elvis. and The Carpenters. I loved them, and would dance around the living room to their music like I was a rock star. (and of course, in my living room, I was!)

QB: Besides yourself, who are your favorite clothing and handbag designers?

JC: I'm not really loyal to just one or two designers. It's more about the fit, the style and the quality for me. If I feel good in it, then that's my favorite designer that day! :) There's so much talent out there that it's a fun time to be wearing clothes!! And, just like young fashion students on the verge of a burgeoning career, if I can bring a great design with a creative twist to the market, then I've done a good job.

QB: You have worked in home shopping long enough to see many changes. What do you miss most about the "good old days" and what do you think is the best thing to happen in home shopping?

JC: I miss the relaxed atmosphere of the good ole days. The high expectations weren't there back then. Everything was an experiment, and there was this attitude of "anything goes." The change I do appreciate, though, is the new-found respect for the shopping channels. We were called hawkers back in the day, and reporters frequently wrote unflattering articles about the business. I'm glad that negative reputation has changed.

Judy on the ShopNBC set presenting her first OTV.

QB: What's coming down the pike in your new collection? Will you be expanding into new areas?

JC: Yes. And, its so exciting. I have handbags coming in for Fall... (just saw one of the samples come through, and its gorgeous!); I have more darling coats and jackets for Fall, too... (we just did a big presentation on them last week, and ShopNBC is really excited); AND, I'm working on a line of jewelry! (shhhh... its a secret) (Big, big meeting happening next week!)

Where to find Judy:

Judy Crowell Website

Judy Crowell Collection at ShopNBC

Judy Crowell Facebook Fan Page

Judy Crowell Collection Facebook Fan Page

Judy Crowell Twitter

~

Obsessed with Laura Geller

For all you Laura Geller fans (Queen Bea is raising her hand and frantically jumping up and down), you absolutely must watch this in-depth interview that Laura did with ObsessedTV.com.

The interview isn't about which baked product to use or the latest TSV kit, it's about Laura and her struggles to launch and grow her line while juggling her life as a single mom. She is very candid about her mistakes along the way--including being swindled out of a ton of money by a shady, embezzling bookkeeper, how she cried after her first product sold out on QVC, and how she needed a child even though she hadn't met that someone special just yet.

Laura is amazing and the interview provides a candid look into her life and her passions. At almost 30 minutes, it's a long interview, but it is worth the watch.

Click here to check it out.

QB's Interview with Lori Greiner, Part II

Queen Bea got the chance to interview inventor and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Lori Greiner (check out her website here), who is celebrating 9 years on QVC.

Just like in part 1 of the interview, I asked some "real" questions, but I also threw in some totally random questions for fun and to try to get to know her a little better. Not that we all don't appreciate Lori keeping our silver from tarnishing, but I wanted to know more about what makes her tick.

The contest ends tomorrow at midnight so don't forget to Enter the Contest!!!

QB: Apparently your hair is a hot topic since I received many emails and posts about it. What products do you use and is it anything we can get at the Q? (Someone also complained about your hair color, but I really like your hair color, so whatever!)

LG: I use the Kerastas line of products on my hair. The Masqueintense is a great conditioning treatment! Depending on your type of hair, would depend on what to use. I really love their products.

QB: How do you come up with ideas for products and how many patents do you hold? How does it go from an idea in your head to a TSV? Do you have to approve the prototype? Do you focus group it? Does QVC have input in how you manufacture it?

LG: Often I think of what products I will create based on a need I have or a problem I see friends and family having and then I try to think of what would work really well to solve that problem and I create it. Sometimes it is just what would I like or think our customers would like to have. My best ideas often come to me while I am on an airplane. I guess because being on an airplane is a very quiet time for me, where there are no distractions and I can think.

I have 93 patents to date.

TSV’s have to be special in concept and value. We try hard to have it be something we really feel our customers will like or need. Typically like all products I create, I will start with a hand drawing that I sketch out, then my husband who is a much better draftsman than I, will redraw it perfectly. Then I send that drawing over to whatever factory I feel would be best to make it.
I have such good longstanding relationships with all the factories/sources I use that they can take my line drawings and make a pretty good first sample for me. From there, I will keep tweaking the samples, with changes needed until we get it down to what I feel is just right. Sometimes we don’t need that many revisions, and sometimes we can go through 8 or 9 to get to the perfect last sample. I then keep that last sample as my last sample to refer to when checking final production.

I don’t do focus groups because I think I have a good pulse on what our customers like. When I first started in 1996, I did do market research myself. I went to many different areas around Chicago with my prototype and stopped women walking by and asked them what they thought of it. I knew I would have to take out a very large loan to make my first product, so I wanted to be sure that women would like it and would buy it. After that first product, I didn’t find the need to do market research again. I do get input from the members of my team and also the buyers at QVC. Once I have a product ready in the final sample stage, I will then show it to the buyers for my brand at QVC. They then share their thoughts about the product.

QB: What celebrities have you met behind-the-scenes at the Q? Were you able to chat with them?

LG: Joan Rivers – Who I love. She is really nice and very funny.
Heidi Klum – She liked my Silver Safekeeper initial boxes and has one for herself and her daughter.
Chuck Woolery – A very nice and fun man who we talk to often.
Bo Derek – Very pretty and very surprising to me. She was so petite!
Paula Deen – Funny, full of life. She stuffed me full of her breakfast sausage one day. I don’t normally eat that, but I have to say it was very good.
Tova – I talk with Tova often. She is a lovely person.
Jack Hannah – I loved when he would be at QVC and I was there at the same time. We would go into his greenroom and play with whatever animals he had with him. We played with 5 snow leopard cubs, he had a baby tiger, armadillo, and I loved the kid pygmy goat! It was the cutest thing I think I have ever seen.
Carson Kressley – Very nice and down to earth.
Anson Williams (Potsie from Happy Days) – A very nice guy.

QB: Is there anyone that you've been dying to cross paths with, but it just hasn't happened yet?

LG: James Taylor and also Carly Simon. They were both at QVC at different times and I wish I had been there when they were because I really like them both. Unfortunately, I was out of town both times.

QB: Obviously, being able to start a successful business from the ground up demonstrates that you are a very determined and positive person. Are there any lessons that you learned along the way that you can pass on to other enterprising women (especially in light of the the current economy).

LG: Yes I think that if you are really determined you can make anything happen. My motto is—Don’t ever think you can’t—Just how can you? You just have to be willing to put the time, energy, and dedication required into making something happen. Whatever it is a business or a product. You have to be willing to devote those long hard hours to doing whatever it takes to make it happen and work. Often people have very good ideas, but they don’t want to give up other things or they are unwilling to take any risks. Both are necessary. But I do firmly believe that if you really want something, you ca attain it.

QB: What is your favorite band or singer? Have you seen them in concert?

LG: Boy, favorite band—that’s tough. I like such a huge cross section of music. I like so much. I find music so creatively inspiring. I used to write plays and almost always my best work came form hearing a certain song, which would then set my mind going and into a scene.

I really like sultry music—songs like: At Last, Lou Rawls, Louisiana Sunday Afternoon, Walking in Memphis, but I also like certain songs by U2—Vertigo, Usher—Yeah, Eminem—Lose Yourself, James Taylor, female vocalists like Paula Cole-I don’t Wanna Wait, it’s more certain songs that I like than artists overall. I love almost anything Tango, Mambo, and Mediterranean/Latin.
I also tend to really like the music to may movie soundtracks. My favorites are Body Heat, the love theme to Blade Runner, and most recently I love the music to Revolutionary Road.

Was that an answer or what! You can tell when I like something I really get passionate about it!
Seeing someone in concert—I am going to see Cher in Las Vegas soon. I love Cher’s voice and think she will put on a great show. Just looking at her outfits will be interesting to me!

QB: Do you collect anything and why?

LG: I do collect a few things. I really love old compacts, vanity cases, and pendant vanities from the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. I also like antique silver boxes and cigarette cases as well from those decades.

I love antique jewelry—had to get jewelry in there.

I have recently been into Mei Ji pieces which are from the period 1862 to 1912 in Japan.

QB: What is your dream vacation--cost and time are no object!

LG: I love going so many places. I love to travel, so I like everywhere. I guess right now a dream vacation is one of two things—both would include staying at a fabulous hotel. Either in a warm climate and doing nothing but relaxing or going somewhere in Europe—I like so many places in Europe, but I guess Italy is my favorite. I love almost everywhere in Italy.

QB: Are you obsessed with any television shows?

LG: I am—I Tivo them and then watch at 12 a.m. I love—The Office and Boston Legal. These are two of my all time favorites. I also really like: The Closer, Damages, 24, Fringe, Lost, and 30 Rock. I am so glad there so many things on now that I really like. I also really love the Food Network and I get a kick out of Cash Cab and Mark Burnett’s Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.

QB: Were there any exciting changes during 2008?

LG: Yes, a BIG exciting change! We launched our new website, which people have shared they really love. It helps our customers easily interact with me, see and be able to buy older favorites and keep track of my shows and upcoming exiting happenings. It also answers Frequently Asked Questions and we have an exciting Enter To Win a new featured product each month! Our customers really love the site and we love having it.

Don't forget to enter to win Lori's Silver Safekeeper Mirrored Jewelry Cabinet! Do it right now cause you've only got until tomorrow at midnight to submit your name and email address. Plus, I'll be giving away some totally awesome runner up prizes latter!

QB's Interview with Lori Greiner, Part 1

Queen Bea got the chance to interview inventor and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Lori Greiner (check out her website here), who is celebrating 9 years on QVC.

I asked some "real" questions, but I also threw in some totally random questions for fun and to try to get to know her a little better. Not that we all don't appreciate Lori keeping our silver from tarnishing, but I wanted to know more about what makes her tick.

Don't forget to Enter the Contest!!!


QB: Is it true that you had your flight diverted and ended up stranded in Canada during 9/11?

LG: Yes that is true. I was flying back from Paris and our plane was ordered down into Newfoundland, an island at the very Northern most tip of Canada near Greenland. We stayed at the Salvation Army Church for a week with 189 other passengers from United Airlines and Delta Airlines flights. Six thousand passengers landed on St. Johns that day, a town that had a population of only 120,000, so 6,000 people was a lot to shelter. It was an amazing story, all the steps we went through just to get processed and put in places that would shelter us. We were very fortunate to have landed there. The people involved with the Salvation Army church were so wonderful to us. Between the Red Cross and the Salvation Army Church, they fed us 3 times’s a day, brought us sleeping bags to sleep in, soap, towels, etc. We were not allowed to take any luggage off the plane, so they really had to care for us completely and they did. I could go on and on about it. While a terrifying experience and difficult physically at times, the kindness of these people is what stands out so strongly to me and we are forever grateful to them.

QB: How has this affected your outlook on life?

LG: I remember thinking at the time how amazing and caring people can be. The town of St. John’s literally jumped into emergency action to take care of all of us. I also realized firsthand what the Red Cross and Salvation Army do and it has given me enormous respect and admiration for these organizations. It was also very interesting to me how the horrible terrorist act also deeply affected the Canadians. They considered is their “brothers/sisters” and their hearts went out to all of us. It made me think about how truly wonderful the human spirit can be and how important it is that an adversity (and even outside of adversity) that everyone should always care about each other and help each other. We are all the same and should share the very best parts of ourselves in life with others.

QB: When you are doing lots of shows in one day (like when you have a TSV), is there somewhere in the studio where you can nap privately or do you have to schlep back and forth to the nearest Motel 6?

LG: That’s funny. When we have a TSV or long day of shows we do get our own green room which is great. We can hang out in there between shows and take a nap—if we can. It’s just great to have somewhere private to relax for a few minutes and sit down. We do schlep a lot of props back and forth because we use all of our own props on air so we run around a lot. It takes us about 4 hours to set up before each show and an hour to break down, so unfortunately we don’t get to sit down or rest much on those hectic days.

QB: Do you get any cool vendor perks--drivers, hair & make-up, meals, etc. or are you on your own lugging samples in your own car?

LG: QVC does have a hair and makeup person that we can schedule an appointment with before a show. I am always so busy setting up that I never have the time to take them up on this great offer. I do my own hair and makeup. I am very hands on in all aspects of my business, so I am really out there setting up and busy most of the time. Because we do lug our own samples back and forth and back and forth!

QB: How far in advance are your appearances scheduled? Do you ever have to fill in quickly? Is it any different during the busy holiday season?

LG: It depends. My Clever and Unique Creations Shows are scheduled a good 6 weeks in advance, but the individual airings I do in other QVC shows, can happen just a day in advance sometimes.

Yes sometimes I do fill in quickly. I remember one huge snowstorm, my husband and I were one of the very few to get to the studio before it became completely impossible. We wound up pinch hitting, making dishes in the test kitchens for on air last second, and doing airings all day to help out QVC because no one else was around. It was a very fun day!

Yes, it definitely is more hectic during the holiday season. More last minute shows or changes going with the flow of whatever if needed.

QB: Are you having to make any changes in light of the current economy? Smaller/less complicated/lower priced items?

LG: I always try to make items that can be very affordable on the whole and a great value. I want to make items that people can say, “Hey, it’s only 'x' dollars, I can afford that!” I think it’s better to make items that the majority of people can afford—then I know I am making people happy.

QB: Have you ever met anyone who can actually fill up the Trifold jewelry cabinet with 700 pieces of jewelry? And if so, is this person planning a yard sale any time soon?

LG: You’re funny. I do know a lot of people who can. My mom for one. Many of our QVC viewers wrote and called in asking me to make a super duper sized Silver Safekeeper and that is why I created it. So many people would tell me that they had 4, 5, or even 6 of my other Silver Safekeepers and that had to take up a lot of room. This product can store all their pieces. And takes up just a little over a square foot of space.

QB: What is your favorite pizza--toppings and style?

LG: Well growing up in downtown Chicago—pizza capital of the world—I love pizza and Uno’s (they also have a sister restaurant called Due’s) in Chicago is really good! My husband and I have done several pizza “throw downs," where we order a pizza (same kind) from two different Chicago pizza places and then have a contest which one is better, Uno’s has won hands down so far over all of them. We get the deep dish sausage, mushroom, and pepperoni. Besides that, I am a pretty healthy eater. The Chicago Uno’s is different from the chain Uno’s you find in other cities, so you have to come to Chicago and go to the “real” Uno’s.

QB: Do you like your coffee simple or do you tend to go for things like the venti soy vanilla mocha latte with no whip? On a side note, have you tried the Keurig (it's my new baby)?

LG: You wouldn’t believe what I do to coffee. I mix about ¼ coffee with ¾ hot water. So at Starbucks I order a skinny latte vanilla and a hot water and then mix them. Adding more Splenda and the powdered chocolate they have on the counter. Crazy, I know. I’m not really a coffee drinker.

We do have your baby. My husband loves it!!!

QB: Looking back, what is the most embarrassing fashion trend that you took part in?

LG: Oh boy, I guess really big shoulder pads. I am rather short, so I think I thought having big shoulders would make me seem larger. I have some pretty funny coats that when I look at them now, I probably looked like a little quarterback in them.

QB: Do you know how to play poker? Are you any good?

LG: I love playing poker!!!! I am [good] when the stars are in my favor.

QB: What is your favorite meal to cook? To eat?

LG: Oh boy—I love to eat and I love to cook so that’s hard to answer. I guess our favorite thing to make, which I don’t make often, is my pasta sauce that I make from scratch—with tomatoes, tomato sauce, lots of Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, oregano, and of course neck bones for flavor. We throw country style ribs in and it simmers for hours and it is just awesome. Of course I eat pretty healthy other than that.

QB: Aside from your own, what are your favorite QVC products?

LG: I have to say I am a Judith Ripka jewelry fan. I also really like my Arctic 180 ear muffs. Great invention! The Pilates Performer and Northern Nights flannel sheets. There are so many things I have and like—I just can’t think of them all right now.

What celebrities has Lori met behind the scenes? Who is she just dying to meet? What's this I hear about a goat? What's on her iPod? Stay tuned to the next part of the interview!

Don't forget to enter to win Lori's Silver Safekeeper Mirrored Jewelry Cabinet! Submitting your name and email address will get you one entry. However, if you also include a link to where you posted about the contest, you'll get an extra 5 entries! Just entering your name five times in a row doesn't count, y'all!!!

I would hurry, Queen Bea's feeling like giving away some Runner Up Prizes today ... :-)

Lori's Cracking Open the Silver Safekeeper

Lori Greiner, the reigning diva of divine creations, is taking your questions, y'all!

I will be interviewing Lori soon and I want your help (trust me, Queen Bea needs all the help she can get!) What do you want to know about Lori? Favorite flavor of ice cream? Most embarrassing moment ever? Coolest celebs she's met in the Q's green room? What do you want to know???

Leave your questions in the comments section of this post or email them to Queen Bea at homeshoppingqueen@gmail.com.

But wait! There's more! We'll be making a big announcement after the interview (I'm sooo excited!!!) ... so until then keep your silver safe and your questions coming.