New Vera Bradley goodies...

We're going up to Maine in a few weeks with my parents and my mom is "encouraging" us to carry on all our luggage. She's nervous about making our connecting flight, among other things. So I translate that as... great excuse to buy a new bag! So I started browsing the new Vera Bradley bags and found this one. I love it! I'm a big bag girl, so this may double as a handbag too... we'll see once it arrives. I ordered it through Wilkins & Olander - which is based out of Wisconsin. They have her entire collection available and they also do monogramming. And the icing on the cake - free shipping when you spend over $75, and no sales tax for me (and probably anyone outside of Wisconsin). I've ordered from them before and was very very happy with everything. Only down side (which is not really a down side), is that you have to pick up the phone to place an order. I'm so spoiled by the click-click-click method of online shopping that having to talk to an actual human now seems so cumbersome. So ridiculous, I know. But they are super fast with getting their products out the door and in your hands. I definitely recommend! We have tons of shops around town that sell Vera, but for bigger purchases (and especially if I want to add a monogram), it's worth it to order through Wilkins & Olander for the tax savings alone. I also got this little cutie cosmetic bag below. So fun! I have such a hodge podge of her patterns - but that's the way I like it. I have most every major piece, but none of my stuff matches!

I spent way too much time online shopping yesterday... and I'm not sure who's going to pay for all my loot... hehehe. I also found some really cute and super affordable bags on Ballard Designs. I refrained, but I must pass them along. How cute are these bags? Free monogramming on both styles... a great handbag or tote. Both are less than $30 and the monogramming is free! They had a corduroy bag collection a while back that was really popular and sold out fast. I grabbed several for gifts and one for me too, of course! I used the heck out of that thing and got complimented on it constantly. So their bags are great - love them! Hmm.... I may have to go back and grab one of these while they're still available. I love the striped one.