Lately Bottega Veneta has been putting out some bags that make me question my love for them. I’m used to their amazing intrecciato woven goatskin.  But lately, they’ve been, well, boring.

That changed yesterday, when I cracked open my December Harper’s Bazaar.  Finally, a bag that is so amazing, so “BV,” with such attention to design lines and complex leather engineering, it made me actually stand up and applaud.  The color is sumptuous.  The lines are sleek, yet the detail is intricate.  It reminds me somewhat of smocking popular in the 70’s or of vintage gathered lace trim.  Some may find it fussy, I find it fabulous!  I’m sick of boring bags.  Too many of them look the same right now, and for the prices they are fetching, it’s really a crime.  Finally, here’s a bag that warrants the tag.

Here she is, my new love:  The ‘08-’09 Cruise collection Cobalt Gorgiera Boston Embroidered Shiny Goatskin Bag,  211490/VIHB0 $5,860 on pre-order at the BV site.  Not that I have an extra $5,800 in change lying around behind the sofa cushions, but a girl can dream…

Oh, Santa Baby!

YOOX.COM’s NEW SEMI ANNUAL SAMPLE SALE : UP TO AN EXTRA 90% OFF

Shop Shoes, Bags, Clothes and Accessories for Men, Women and Children - from fashion’s finest labels such as D&G, MARC BY MARC JACOBS, JIL SANDER, COSTUME NATIONAL and more.

You have limited time to shop as the sale ends Sunday Oct 26 at 11:59pm EST. So click HERE to start shopping immediately.

So, maybe the current state of the economy has us all a little spooked.  I know I have looked at some pricier handbags with a different eye lately and we’re putting off a few splurges indefinitely.

Since we’re all probably looking over our budgets with very different priorities now, I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite things that I think are worth the money.  No, they’re not exactly handbag-related.  But, they are all products or companies personally tried-and-tested by yours truly.  Here are a few that top the list…more to follow.

Foodsaver

I have used a Foodsaver vacuum sealer for years.  Not only do I love being able to keep food fresh longer, I can buy in larger quantities and save money.  I particularly like using the various sizes of canisters and being able to seal things in canning jars.  I can also reseal bags of chips.  But the best part is having food last longer.  MUCH longer.  Cheese lasts an age in a foodsaver bag. Produce stays crisp much longer.  Whole meals can be sealed in a bag, frozen, and reheated later in the microwave.  Think about all the food you throw away in a year.  The Foodsaver will pay for itself in just a few months.  Maybe even weeks.

Save $10 off your order of $75 or more at FoodSaver with code LINKAFFJ75.  Offer good 10.1.08 to 10.31.08 only!

Free Shipping on FoodSaver orders over $100!

Keurig / Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

We decided on a single-cup machine rather than a standard drip coffeepot, and after reviewing several types and getting recommendations, we decided on the Keurig, by Green Mountain Coffee.  Green Mountain Coffee Roasters offers a huge selection of K-Cups, the pre-filled single-serving coffee/tea/cocoa pods.

We’ve been really impressed with the quality, convenience and taste of the coffee that comes from the Keurig.  It’s also been fun working our way through the many varieties of coffee available.  Flavored, decaf, organic, Fair trade, tea, cocoa, you name it, you can get it in a K-cup.

More importantly, Keurig also offers a “My K-Cup” insert that comes with a tiny filter basket that allows you to brew a single cup of your favorite coffee from your own grounds.  I loved this idea so much that I bought two insert kits along with an additional pack of two filter baskets.  We keep a variety of K-Cups around for convenience, but also keep the four filter baskets going each day.

One way to try a variety of coffees and find your favorites is to order their trial or variety packs.

Buy a machine today and your whole order ships free.

Oxo Good Grips POP Storage Containers

Quite simply, awesome.  Available in a variety of sizes, these sturdy containers are made to stack neatly, are clear for easy viewing of contents, and a press of the button on top pops out the handle and releases the seal.  I use them for all kinds of things - coffee, tea, creamer, sugar, cookies, rice, flour, etc.  My kitchen is full of them.  In a small space, they are a godsend.  Worth every penny.  Available in a variety of sizes at Amazon.

This one is too good to miss!

My first excursion into the world of Vera Bradley was to take advantage of the free shipping offer I told you about last week.  I have heard from many women who love Vera Bradley, but had never seen the bags myself.  I suppose my previous impression was that the bags were a bit…er…homespun for my taste, but upon closer inspection, I think the prints are actually quite wearable and even a little whimsical.

I decided to go for something in a retiring fabric, since they are on sale at 40% off.  I chose the Villager in the Pink Elephants pattern.  As an added bonus, 10% of the proceeds from Pink Elephant items goes to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and other breast cancer projects and services.  Way cool.

My package arrived in record time, and I was surprised to find my item sweetly wrapped with tissue inside a lovely apple-green Vera Bradley storage box.  What impressed me immediately was the quality of the cotton fabric and grosgrain ribbon zipper pulls as well as the sheer attention to detail–even to the point of making sure the print lines up perfectly on the pockets and shoulder straps.  This would ordinarily be an expensive way to make a bag, with a lot of waste from cutting off excess for pattern match, unheard of for a bag this affordable (Regularly $72, on sale for $43.20).

The Villager is a very usable size at 16″ x 12¼” x 4″ with a generous 11¾” strap drop and sturdy removable insert to keep the base flat. Not only does it have two handy pockets on the outside (one zips, one slips), the entire inside is ringed with six additional slide pockets, so there is a place to organize everything. The top zips closed for security, a must for me.  (I have to know that the contents of my bag won’t end up on the floor of the car to roll around underfoot when I brake suddenly, which is more frequently than I like to admit.)

The best part is that the bag (except for the card insert) is machine washable, which makes it a great everyday carryall that won’t have to be babied.  There you have it ladies, value for money, functionality, and fun–I no longer wonder why Vera Bradley has such a huge following!

After seeing and holding one for myself, I can definitely recommend Vera Bradley, and I will be back for more.  Click the banner to see for yourself!