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!

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.

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.

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!

The grained leather is buttery soft and supple, with a 9″ strap drop that allows it to be comfortably worn over even larger shoulders.  It’s one seriously “smooshy” bag.  It’s not a heavy bag, yet it feels solid enough to withstand the average day’s knocks.

Roomy enough for even my needs, it includes two interior patch pockets, an interior zip pocket, and two exterior side pockets with turnlock closures.   The flap top closes with a turnlock–but, of course! The Marc by Marc Jacobs logo engraved on the hardware is mercifully subtle and unpretentious–a plus for you gals tired of serving as walking billboards.  The Quinn is lined in a funky logo print with scrambled “MARC JACOBS” letters, and sports four protective metal feet on the bottom.

13.5″ (at base) x 11″x 7.25″   $468.00

Check it out at eLuxury

Oh, and here is the Elderberry in the partial sun of my patio:

Elderberry Quinn

It’s a good time to order before retiring prints are gone!

Last night while channel-surfing I stumbled across an infomercial for something called the “Miche Bag.”

If the commercial is to be believed, the Miche bag (pronouned Mee-Shee) is your ultimate handbag solution. It’s the last bag you’ll ever need, because you can change the look of the bag in 3 seconds to match any outfit.

Here’s the concept:

You start with the basic bag - available in either black or brown. It’s a structured bag that measures 5.75″ x 11.5″ x 6.5″ with interior pockets for organization.

Next, you choose your shells–available in different colors, textures, etc. Each shell is attached to the exterior of the bag using strong, credit-card-safe magnets. When you want to change the look of the bag, you merely change the shell, not the contents. It takes about 3 seconds to move from one shell to the next.

The idea was the brainchild of Michelle Romero of Salt Lake City, Utah and is already hugely popular in the Salt Lake City area. Since the shells take up hardly any room, it is a natural for travel when you want different looks to go with different outfits but don’t want to pack a half-dozen bags. And forget about closet space…my winter coat takes up more room than all the 30 shells they currently sell combined. That alone is a great selling point.

In the UK package, available from bestdirect.tv, the bag is free, and comes with 3 shells for £49.99 plus £9.99 shipping. In the US, you can buy direct from Michebag.com or attend a home show through a local distributor. The basic bag is $29.99, and shells are available for $19.99 each. The short handles can be alternated with the optional longer shoulder straps ($5.99), so you have a choice between a more formal or casual look.

Miche has just recently turned a year old, and from the blog it appears that they have experienced a few growing pains common with products that become very popular, very quickly, and outsell the distribution channels. But it appears that those problems are behind them. I anticipate Miche coming out with new shells regularly, which keeps the concept fresh.

Now, I have not seen or held one of these bags yet…though I do prefer something a bit roomier and less structured. Of course, the “shell” concept with the magnets requires a sturdy structured exterior in order for it to work, so it’s not a dealbreaker. I can foresee, however, that some people may prefer gold-toned hardware, and some (like me) might need something larger, so a few additions to the basic bag line might be in order. But, as a concept, I give this lady all the kudos she is due.

Bravo to Michelle and Miche Bag for coming up with the first truly new idea in handbags in a very long time!