These Studs are Breakin' Records and Takin' Names

Remember when QVC had that Honora pearl earring stud set as the TSV recently?

Turns out that they sold 287,500 sets, breaking the all-time TSV sales record (I believe the old record was a Dell product).

I remember that they were selling like crazy all day (literally, they were flying out the door!) and I just kept waiting for them to run out, but they never did. I can't even imagine how many of these they ordered.

QVC lived up to its name with this one: it was a name-brand fashionable product, a good price, free shipping, buy more-save more, and a versatile enough of gift to work for everyone from a little girl to a big granny. Quality. Value. Convenience. What a concept!

I thought about ordering these, but I haven't had much luck with Honora. I've had to send back everything I've ever ordered due to quality issues. I understand that these pearls aren't going to be perfect, but huge pits and cracks just aren't gonna work for me. However, this particular set has gotten rave reviews. I think it's because these are only 7mm-pearls, whereas I'm always trying to get a string of boulders around my neck! The bigger they are, the harder it is to get them in a decent quality.

QVC Powers-That-Be, please try to do more TSV's like this one. Learn, grasshopper, learn!

BTW, there's another Honora TSV on the 12th. Check it out here.

Today's Blue Plate Specials ... Anorexic Gold

Did you watch the Gold Rush yesterday? I caught a few minutes here and there--enough to remind myself why the gold shows are not my favorite. Gold ain't cheap. There's just no way around that fact. You can only make the gold so thin and hollow to try to keep the cost down. I'm fairly certain that there are laws of physics involved in this (much to the Q's dismay).

With few exceptions, the pieces were either too expensive or too thin--anorexic gold is not only not attractive, it doesn't last. Looks like unless or until gold prices go down, I'm not going to be buying much.

Was it just me or did Mary Beth's dress look very uncomfortable last night??? And what's with all the new gold colors? Purple? For real? I have nothing against purple, but I for one would not fork over all that money for real gold that looks fake. I'll just bypass that middle man and buy fake!


The QVC TSV is a KathyVan Zeeland Patent Croco Emb. Convertible Organizer Bag. Normally I love Kathy Van Zeeland purses. They're funky, fun , and fresh. But this one just seems like the same old same old. Not particularly impressed with this one. I still love Kathy though!

The Q's doing 3 Easy Pays on all seasonal clearance this week. It's as close to a sale as you're ever gonna get from QVC!

The HSN TS is a 9.5-10.5mm Peacock Cultured Freshwater Pearl 14K 50" Necklace. I love a long strand of pearls. You can wear it long, double it, triple it, twist it, tie knots in it, jump rope with it ... :-)

The ShopNBC OTV is a Two-Pack 600TC Egyptian Cotton Sheet Sets - Solid Set & Jacquard Set. Not one, but two glorious sets of high-thread-count sheets. Trust me, once you sleep in good sheets, you never want to go back. In fact you keep looking for that higher high. If the 400 TC sheets feel this good, I wonder what the 500 TC sheets would feel like? Before you know it you're spending your life savings for some 1200 TC pillow cases and your spouse is trying to get you some rehab treatment.

Free shipping on lots of clearance jewelry!

Today's Blue Plate Specials ... 23" Leash

The HSN TS is an IMAN Global Chic Golden Goddess with Amethyst-Color Dangle 23" Necklace. I like that this is bold and substantial and different. But I don't like the price. $65 just seems pretty ridiculous for fashion jewelry. If it's trendy, it better be cheap too--Queen Bea ain't spending the big bucks on something that will be out of style in six months (or fall apart for that matter).

The ShopNBC OTV is a 23" Austrian Crystal Accent South Sea-Style Simulated White Pearl Necklace. Apparently 23" necklaces are the thing now! Initially, I didn't understand the whole Pearlfection thing. Why buy fake pearls when the real thing has gone down in price so much? But since soooo many people love Pearlfection, I thought I'd give it another look.


While cultured pearls have gotten bigger, rounder, and cheaper, they still aren't perfect. Unless you want to shell out the big bucks, you will have rings, pits, and lopsided pearls--especially in the bigger sizes. So if you want a nice set of big, round, perfect Wilma Flintstone pearls at a decent price, Pearlfection is the way to go.

The QVC TSV is a Northern Nights Beefy Egyptian Cotton Jersey Sheet Set. I love sheets, but I tend to prefer the "crisp" cotton to the jersey cotton just because I like the cool feel. These don't look bad though--elastic all around, deep pockets, cute colors--especially for the price.

Only a few more days until Silver Designer Day ... :-)

Watch out Madison Avenue! Queen Bea was a Lady who Lunches

Yesterday was sooo much fun! Diamonds and Tahitian pearls truly are a girl's best friend! I'm trying my best to snap out of my bling fog, but I'm not doing a very good job of it. There was bling as far as the eye could see ... (Queen Bea's eyes glaze over)




Ok, I will focus! If you don't already know, I was paid to play with jewelry and give my opinion. Paid, chickadees! I would do that for free all day long. I tried my best to stay on message (like I'm a politician or something ... I have talking points: no thin gold! no dirty, drill-bit diamonds!), but it's excruciatingly hard to stay on task with a $7,000 Tahitian pearl necklace draped around your neck!

I was all sorts of Nancy Pelosi yesterday. Don't you just love her pearls? I don't care whether you are Republican, Democrat, or duck-billed platypus, her pearls are always fabulous



The whole thing started with a one-on-one interview and I just loved the girl that I talked to. There were a bunch of questions about what type of jewelry I like to wear and how often I wear it. I told her that I have eclectic taste in jewelry, then after she set her pen down and scrunched up her face, I restated that I just have lots of different stuff. I wasn't trying to be a smarty-pants or anything, I just thought that particular word was the best description.

Anyway, I told her that I actually wear all my jewelry and I don't save it for an occasion. Why buy it if you aren't going to wear it???

I also discovered that I'm rather selfish because--if I'm being honest--I had to admit to them that most of my jewelry purchases were ... ahem ... self-purchases. But, seriously, am I supposed to wait around for Mr. Queen Bea to buy me something and then hope and pray that I like it? Not this Queen Bea!!!

The best part came next. There were about eight tables set up with different types of jewelry--the gold table, the diamond table, the pearl table, etc. You would go to a table and pick out your five favorite items (except at the diamond table--they were really mean and only let you pick out three), then you were asked a bunch of questions about why you liked them. Again, I tried to stay on message. I think I did, but I was so overwhelmed. All that bling. It was just too much!



My favorite was a two-tone alligator cuff. It was hard to part with that. I also caressed an 8-carat diamond tennis bracelet while they served me fresh coffee and warm cookies. Yummy! This is how Queen Bea should live every day. For reals, y'all! I could get used to it.

The biggest travesty, however, is that we ran out of time before I got a chance to go to the fake diamond table! Ugh!!!! Not fair! Not fair! Queen Bea loves fake diamonds and really wanted to let them know what was good, bad, and u-g-l-y. I briefly had a chance to glance over the table, but no sit-down interview. There is no justice in the world. Humph.

I guess my bling had to turn back into a pumpkin eventually.


BTW, There was one cute little old lady there that was decked out in Judith Ripka from head to toe. She was even workin' it with her super trendy Kathy Van Zeeland purse. I didn't get a chance to chat with her, but she was the most adorable nana ever. She was just all kinds of fabulous!

And thank you to all you Home Shopping Divas who emailed me your thoughts. It means alot cause I always love, love, love to hear from you!!! And you'll also be happy to know that the Barbara Bixby Ring was a hit ... loads of compliments!

Blue Plate Special Daily Round Up

The Q is quack-quack-quackin' up a storm with their Quacker Factory TSV. I'm not a Quacker, but if you are, this 4-piece set is probably a good deal. Honestly though, I think it's a little too tame--if you're gonna quack, QUACK LOUD! QUACK PROUD! Go for the rhinestone-encrusted golden duck ... get the fiber optic light-up Christmas sweater, for the love of all that quacks! (I was actually quite tempted to get that one! What fun!). BTW, if you haven't seen Jeanne Bice's recent slip of the tongue, check it out here.

It's Suzanne Somers day on HSN! She's breaking out her signature trilliant-cut faux diamonds. The goldtone rings (clear, lavender, or champagne) just aren't doing it for me. They look very uncomfortable and the "goldtone" scares me. However, that little "crown and tiara" ring set looks perfect for the Queen Bea of Home Shopping ... I mean, it's got it all! A crown, a tiara, fake diamonds, goldtone, and it's made by Suzanne Somers! It doesn't get much cheesier than that, chickadees!

ShopNBC ... ShopNBC ... what is wrong with them lately?! Their OTV is a classic-looking Pearlfection simulated South Sea pearl necklace, bracelet, and stud earring set. Measuring in at a whopping 14mm, the pearls are absolutely ginormous--think The Flintstones. The set is pretty and looks well made (I particularly like the clasp), so what's the problem?

Cultured pearls have gone waaaay down in price and up in size lately, so why charge almost $100 for fake pearls? I don't mind fake pearls, but the price should be significantly lower than the real-deal. I guess if you are a stickler for the pearls being absolutely perfectly round with no pits or rings, than this is the set for you.

Jewelry Television has free shipping on clearance items with the code DISCEMFS.

Last, but not least ... remember that chef on HSN, Scott Conant? He just opened Scarpetta, an Italian restaurant in New York City. A snooty review can be read here. Is Scott even still with HSN? I could only find 6 items on the website and they were all on clearance.