Purse Envy

Look at my great find....try not to turn green:) Gotta love Loehman's!

Confessions of a purseaholic, take 2

I cannot resist posting this beauty, and then I will not hijack your cool site again, Jill, to discuss my weakness. But look at this beauty:





It is coming soon to a Target near you! Hayden Harnett is one of the new Go International designers. Their purses are yummy. And the ones at Target are priced at 49.99 and under! A person who loves purses could satisfy the urge without breaking the bank!





Sorry ladies, but my husband was just not interested, so I thought I would share this monumental news with my bloggy friends!

Anyone looking for a shopper?

My name is NJDecorator and I am a shopper. I mean, I love to shop. My perfect job would be someones personal shopper (with unlimited budget) so I could indulge my shopping needs.

However, right now I am between jobs and cannot shop like I would normally. I have to reign it in. But I always tempted. So I now cyber window shop. I fill up my shopping cart with all kinds of wonderful things and them I click away from the site before ordering. It works pretty well, but not fully.

I also run my Synagogue's Judaica Shop. That helps with the buying urges. I can order all kinds of things and know that the money is not coming out my pocket. I like buying things for other people.

I really should be a personal shopper - anyone looking for that?

Stop Me Before I Shop Again

I am about thisclose to being a true compulsive shopper. If it weren't for the tiny scrap of self-control I manage to retain, I would be that woman on Oprah who has boxes of mail-order crap she hasn't even opened. I LOOOOOOVE me some shopping. Nothing really makes me quite as happy as buying stuff. Which I get is really shallow and pathetic. I just look at it as my little part in "stimulating the economy."

I am that target consumer that marketing groups fantasize about when they do things like set up displays by the cash register. I scan them while I'm waiting my turn to pay for my stuff and think, "Why, yes, I DO need a teeny little flashlight that clips on my car visor! How thoughtful of them to put it up here where I'd see it! And I'd certainly better snag that package of Q-Tips while I'm at it." Pathetic. And yet oddly satisfying.

My real indulgences, when I have some fun money to throw around, are definitely clothes and makeup. I'm pretty much incapable of going into a department store and coming out with some little tidbit: a great pair of trouser jeans, a new brand of mascara, or a darling little sweater for one of my daughters.

Lately, though - lately, not so much. Suddenly, we're feeling the effects of the unstable economy. Business has fallen off at my husband's law firm, and that means unpredictable salaries. Last month we missed a whole week of pay, and it hurt a hell of a lot more than I ever would have guessed. I'm reining in my indulgences and trying to plan (totally unnatural for me) my shopping trips. I'm making lists for Christmas shopping and actually sticking to them. Yeah, it's taking some of the fun out of it, but I'm trying to embrace the satisfaction of making the money go farther. It's a learning curve for me, but I'll get there.

Let's make small talk...

Get yourself a nice cup of coffee and let's hang out...

Tell me, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?

My family is going to make the 4 hour (God willing) trip down the NJ Turnpike to my little sister's house in Highland, MD.

We will be joined by middle sister and her family. All together there will be 6 adults, 8 children and 3 dogs. I'm sure a good time will be had by all and we'll all be absolutely spent on Sunday.

My Mom and Dad are spending a mellow holiday in Florida, sans grandchildren where they will spend their time playing golf and having quiet adult conversation.

I'm psyched to see my sister's but I'm torn over whether I'd rather drive 4-6 hours (depending on traffic) or do all the cooking myself. That's a toughie.

I've said enough. Now it's your turn....

Hello, My name is the Chic Chauffeur, and I am a purse-aholic

If there were a self help group for women who have too many handbags, I would have to join. Actually, my dear hubs would probably stage an intervention, and force me to join.

Here's how things go... I will be shopping for something reasonable, and just make a pass through the handbag department at Nordstrom. And (please start humming the theme from Love Story here) THERE IT IS. A black handbag I have not seen before! I think to myself, sane still for a moment.. "why would I buy that purse? I have a perfectly fabulous black (insert name here...Kate Spade, Coach, Lamb, Betsy Johnson, Marc Jacobs....really, I could go on) purse at home." But it beguiles me. Perhaps a cell phone pocket that is different than the one in my stable. Whatever it is, it's got what it takes to knock the current black favorite out of rotation... Home it comes!

I must have been purse-challenged in my youth, and am going overboard now as an adult, to make up for whatever I think I missed out on in my teens.

And parting with one of my beloved bags. Ain't no way! I have tried to sell them on ebay, and actually cancelled an auction because I just couldn't go through with it. It felt as though I were auctioning off one of the kids (well, sort of.....)

So anyway, this post might brand me as shallow. To even things out: yes, we have 4 kids and a dog, and I love all of them (and the purse-anon hubs) way way way more than any material possession. But if and when I get a little pocket change, I always seem to stumble upon the MOST INCREDIBLE BAG in the world. And then, woops, there goes my willpower.



PS: Have you seen the darling Quilted Patent Leather Quincy bag at JCrew. The navy one is ON SALE!!! Sadly, I do NOT have any spare change at this time... But that purse is sweet!

Cha Ching!

My poor little Collage Project. So neglected!

Hopefully we can get this thing up and running again.

If you read my other blog, Caffeine Court you have probably read that I purchased a Pug puppy for my daughters last week. Puppies are expensive little creatures. First there's the cost of buying one. (Yes, I went to a pet store, just to LOOK and I got weak.) Then there's the shots, food, grooming, boarding. You know the drill. The fact that we already have 2 dogs and a cat means we spend ALOT on our pets.

I started thinking about all the other things I could have bought with the money I spend on my animals. My daughter needs a new bedroom set. I need window treatments all over the house. My car is 5 years old. I would love some cool new clothes.

But I chose the dogs. They make us very, very happy.

How about you? What do you like to spend your extra cash on? Is it a great pair of boots? Are you a gal who loves to spruce up your house? Or do you like to take a couple of fancy vacations a year?

Let's talk "fun money."