2020 resolution - shopping my own bag and wallet collection. Any one else?

[More bags]

It is crazy how something like that just becomes your “new normal.” I have my moments...for a while I could not even think the words “brain cancer”, let alone say them, without my eyes starting to tear up. Her recovery had been a roller coaster. I spent a long time waiting for the woman I have known my whole life to come back, but realized over the last few weeks that is not going to happen. So I am focusing on loving her who and where she is. The tumor was on her cerebral cortex, which affects speech/communication/language along with some memory and mental coordination. She jumbles things a lot...words, people, ideas, places. She cannot do some simple things like arithmetic and figuring out how to use a credit card machine. I had to help her spell my name the other week...Laura. She can no longer drive and gave up her license. She is sometimes unsteady on her feet. This was a woman who was always sharp, had a memory like a steel trap and extremely active. If it weren’t for my stepfather, who retired early this year (he is 9 years younger than her), she honestly could not live on her own. This is not a place I ever imagined being in. But it is our life, our new normal. All this since March, 2-3 weeks before what was supposed to have been my wedding on April 4. No wedding, no honeymoon, but we did get married, just the 2 of us and the officiant at home. To be honest, every area of my life except my mother is going really well right now and I am happy, which helps me deal with my emotions regarding my mom. The only area in my life that truly sucks is something out of my hands that I cannot do anything about or change, so I don’t dwell on it because to do that just makes me, and everyone around me, hurt. I do what I can...I visit (luckily only live an hour from her) every week and I call 2-3 times a week beyond that, even if for just a few minutes to say hi and I love you. I keep it together around her and have patience with her, even when she does not have patience with herself. It’s just what you do....it’s life. I thank God every day for all the wonderful things in my life, I have so many. I know He is looking out for me and my family because He has cleared the path in so many ways so that I have only as much as I can handle and He brought the best partner I could ask for into my life and I married him. My mother has brain cancer and is on IV chemo twice a month for life, but I am happy. So everything really is ok.

Thank you. She will never fully recover, the woman I knew is gone, but she is my mom and she loves me and I love her.

Best wishes to you and your family. Congratulations to you on getting married. I am sorry to hear about your mom’s brain cancer. Sending you virtual hugs and good wishes. Your generosity and kindness are an inspiration. I hope you can enjoy some peace and downtime during the holidays.

 

[More bags]

The Daddy bear and the Baby bear! I love how you've posed "baby bear" with pen & scarf. And the leather on your H bag looks sooo smooshy! Yum!

Ha ha, you make me smile Elaine! I agree, the leather on both these bags is wonderfu!

 

[SouthernPurseGal]

My little leather pets..... I'm in the middle of a move to Atlanta so this is half my collection (not to mention the 5 bags I've bought recently that are en route) but these are the bags I have handy around here.... I need to stop buying just because I miss the dozen purses that are missing....

It's funny how the lotuff working tote simply dwarfs everything else.

 

[More bags]

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My Balenciaga Sharp shoulder bag accompanied me in the car today.

Absolutely stunning!

 

[BowieFan1971]

Best wishes to you and your family. Congratulations to you on getting married. I am sorry to hear about your mom’s brain cancer. Sending you virtual hugs and good wishes. Your generosity and kindness are an inspiration. I hope you can enjoy some peace and downtime during the holidays.

Thank you!

 

[880]

about a hundred pages back, @Vintage Leather commented that once you have closed on an apartment, a purchase of a bracelet seemed relatively trivial. (Forgot to ask her which bracelet) DH and I are about to close on the 23rd and his mom, who has terminal epithelial peritoneal mesothelioma, has decided to forgo Dana Farber for a more conveniently located, less qualified treatment center closer to home. DH and I have turned to retail therapy to manage stress as even restaurants are now closed for indoor dining in NYC. @BowieFan1971, I agree with you that it’s such a blessing to have a wonderful life partner to help you through these times which are the ‘new normal.’ It may be superficial, but finding great deals and Spending a lot of time on TPF are helping me get through.
If you buy vintage distressed and have @docride restore them to burnished beauty, that is kind of closer to shopping your own closet rhan shopping NIB. The former is almost like sustainable recycling instead of shopping. I don’t remember if it was @jblended who talked about loving vintage clutches with with finger loop in the back, but I’ve also been influenced by @diane278 ‘s love of clutches. Here is a new to me Hermes clutch in silver. The interior has two compartments and it’s easy to carry. From the Japanese reseller Brand jfa, who seems to have mixed reviews nowadays, but with whom I’ve always had good luck. And, I got a very good deal on 32 sellier box kelly, (looks prune but is more purple IRL) that @docride spa Ed. Weather treated and brushed hw. I fortunately found these deals right before Prices inched back up (on bags and real estate)

 

[keodi]

No bag, but new to me... I´m so happy with this purchase. It´s "YSL variation"- from the 90ies, I guess- and my very first piece of designer clothing. I´d been watching it on the classifieds for ages, then inquired about it, but the listing was deleted. Last week the seller suddenly contacted me and asked whether I was still interested. Of course I was and without much thinking just bought it. When it arrived I knew it was meant to be mine. It fits perfectly and feels like an old friend.

Congratulations, it's beautiful! I'm sorry about the lockdown situation.

Bag number 4 I think. Portland Leather Goods Mini Crossbody in Merlot . This one has Leather that feels like nubuck . If has a mark you just rub your finger across and it disappears.

Suck a lovely bag

We finally decided that we won't be celebrating Christmas with the family - we'll deliver gifts, cookies, and food on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we're going to have a Zoom, and they'll open their gifts from us then. It was a hard decision (and I cried ) , but it's only temporary.
Next year will be better.

Same, we won't be celebrating Christmas with our family either, but we will zoom on Christmas eve. I too cried like a little girl as i love this time of year, and look forward to gettin together.

Stick to the one you will love the most and will wear.

Agreed, great advice!

It is crazy how something like that just becomes your “new normal.” I have my moments...for a while I could not even think the words “brain cancer”, let alone say them, without my eyes starting to tear up. Her recovery had been a roller coaster. I spent a long time waiting for the woman I have known my whole life to come back, but realized over the last few weeks that is not going to happen. So I am focusing on loving her who and where she is. The tumor was on her cerebral cortex, which affects speech/communication/language along with some memory and mental coordination. She jumbles things a lot...words, people, ideas, places. She cannot do some simple things like arithmetic and figuring out how to use a credit card machine. I had to help her spell my name the other week...Laura. She can no longer drive and gave up her license. She is sometimes unsteady on her feet. This was a woman who was always sharp, had a memory like a steel trap and extremely active. If it weren’t for my stepfather, who retired early this year (he is 9 years younger than her), she honestly could not live on her own. This is not a place I ever imagined being in. But it is our life, our new normal. All this since March, 2-3 weeks before what was supposed to have been my wedding on April 4. No wedding, no honeymoon, but we did get married, just the 2 of us and the officiant at home. To be honest, every area of my life except my mother is going really well right now and I am happy, which helps me deal with my emotions regarding my mom. The only area in my life that truly sucks is something out of my hands that I cannot do anything about or change, so I don’t dwell on it because to do that just makes me, and everyone around me, hurt. I do what I can...I visit (luckily only live an hour from her) every week and I call 2-3 times a week beyond that, even if for just a few minutes to say hi and I love you. I keep it together around her and have patience with her, even when she does not have patience with herself. It’s just what you do....it’s life. I thank God every day for all the wonderful things in my life, I have so many. I know He is looking out for me and my family because He has cleared the path in so many ways so that I have only as much as I can handle and He brought the best partner I could ask for into my life and I married him. My mother has brain cancer and is on IV chemo twice a month for life, but I am happy. So everything really is ok.

I teared up reading this. I'm so sorry for of what you and your mom went through. I'm glad things have gotten better.

Hard lockdown starting here in Germany today. Full house. And I have been the last couple of days panic shopping. Mostly online too, as apparently delays are to be expected now that shops are closed for Christmas. I don‘t know how delivery services are going to cope...

Now entering hopefully a more quiet phase... This is going to be a strange Christmas.
But the tree is up, the lights are on, pantry is full, spirits are high (or at least I am determined they will be) and we are good to go...

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View attachment 4930957La

Beautiful Christmas tree! Christmas time is my favourite time of the year.

Beautiful tree! Christmas is what you make of it, but the biggest thing Christmas should bring is hope. And we have plenty of hope, with 2 vaccines ready to go and a new president.

Amen to that! I love Christmas so much! I love being around family, friends, enjoying their company and cherishing our time together, I'm hoping we can do this in 2021.

@BowieFan1971, I really feel for you. On top Of everything, that is hard.

I lost my mother hardly two years ago to cancer. In her case, it was very quick, supersonic: a month from diagnosis to the fatal end. People say it is a blessing, that she had less time to suffer, and I can see that. And I get what you say, even during such short time, the person you know changes. And it was hard, to be there for her at those moments. But I wanted nothing more than for that time to last just a little bit longer, to have a bit more time to go through it with her no matter what, in whatever circumstances... So find confort in that all the time you spend with her is precious.

I'm so sorry for your loss

about a hundred pages back, @Vintage Leather commented that once you have closed on an apartment, a purchase of a bracelet seemed relatively trivial. (Forgot to ask her which bracelet) DH and I are about to close on the 23rd and his mom, who has terminal epithelial peritoneal mesothelioma, has decided to forgo Dana Farber for a more conveniently located, less qualified treatment center closer to home. DH and I have turned to retail therapy to manage stress as even restaurants are now closed for indoor dining in NYC. @BowieFan1971, I agree with you that it’s such a blessing to have a wonderful life partner to help you through these times which are the ‘new normal.’ It may be superficial, but finding great deals and Spending a lot of time on TPF are helping me get through.
If you buy vintage distressed and have @docride restore them to burnished beauty, that is kind of closer to shopping your own closet rhan shopping NIB. The former is almost like sustainable recycling instead of shopping. I don’t remember if it was @jblended who talked about loving vintage clutches with with finger loop in the back, but I’ve also been influenced by @diane278 ‘s love of clutches. Here is a new to me Hermes clutch in silver. The interior has two compartments and it’s easy to carry. From the Japanese reseller Brand jfa, who seems to have mixed reviews nowadays, but with whom I’ve always had good luck. And, I got a very good deal on 32 sellier box kelly, (looks prune but is more purple IRL) that @docride spa Ed. Weather treated and brushed hw. I fortunately found these deals right before Prices inched back up (on bags and real estate)
View attachment 4931687View attachment 4931688View attachment 4931689

Beautiful clutch! I love Brand JFA! I've never had issues when i purchased items from them either! wear her in good health!

 

[Vintage Leather]

about a hundred pages back, @Vintage Leather commented that once you have closed on an apartment, a purchase of a bracelet seemed relatively trivial. (Forgot to ask her which bracelet) DH and I are about to close on the 23rd and his mom, who has terminal epithelial peritoneal mesothelioma, has decided to forgo Dana Farber for a more conveniently located, less qualified treatment center closer to home. DH and I have turned to retail therapy to manage stress as even restaurants are now closed for indoor dining in NYC. @BowieFan1971, I agree with you that it’s such a blessing to have a wonderful life partner to help you through these times which are the ‘new normal.’ It may be superficial, but finding great deals and Spending a lot of time on TPF are helping me get through.
If you buy vintage distressed and have @docride restore them to burnished beauty, that is kind of closer to shopping your own closet rhan shopping NIB. The former is almost like sustainable recycling instead of shopping. I don’t remember if it was @jblended who talked about loving vintage clutches with with finger loop in the back, but I’ve also been influenced by @diane278 ‘s love of clutches. Here is a new to me Hermes clutch in silver. The interior has two compartments and it’s easy to carry. From the Japanese reseller Brand jfa, who seems to have mixed reviews nowadays, but with whom I’ve always had good luck. And, I got a very good deal on 32 sellier box kelly, (looks prune but is more purple IRL) that @docride spa Ed. Weather treated and brushed hw. I fortunately found these deals right before Prices inched back up (on bags and real estate)
View attachment 4931687View attachment 4931688View attachment 4931689

That is a gorgeous clutch!
Is there anything more frustrating than when a parent makes health choices that you disagree with? That feeling of helplessness and fear is a potent cocktail of emotions... And I swear real estate was invented to drive my blood pressure through the roof! But it’s easier to justify shopping. Even VCA is a bargain when held up against a six to seven figure purchase.
I’m so glad you found this clutch and it found you. It’s beautiful and DocRide did a great job.

(the bracelet was a Peretti silver bone cuff in medium)

 

[More bags]

Hard lockdown starting here in Germany today. Full house. And I have been the last couple of days panic shopping. Mostly online too, as apparently delays are to be expected now that shops are closed for Christmas. I don‘t know how delivery services are going to cope...

Now entering hopefully a more quiet phase... This is going to be a strange Christmas.
But the tree is up, the lights are on, pantry is full, spirits are high (or at least I am determined they will be) and we are good to go...

View attachment 4930956

View attachment 4930957La

@doni, sorry to hear you (and @cowgirlsboots) are going through this round of lockdown.
Your tree looks beautiful and elegant! Thanks for sharing your beautiful decorations. They do lift the spirits!

 

[880]

That is a gorgeous clutch!
Is there anything more frustrating than when a parent makes health choices that you disagree with? That feeling of helplessness and fear is a potent cocktail of emotions...
I’m so glad you found this clutch and it found you. It’s beautiful and DocRide did a great job.

(the bracelet was a Peretti silver bone cuff in medium)

Thank you @keodi and @Vintage Leather ! DH and I (and everyone else) know what the medically prudent and logical decision should be. But, it’s important that MIL feel empowered to make her own choices and do what feels comfortable now. At least that’s what I tell myself on rati9nal days lol. I’m so happy you got the the Peretti silver bone cuff! What a great item to get while yu were entangles with all that! Hope you wear it all the time and enjoy! hugs

 

[More bags]

@BowieFan1971, I really feel for you. On top Of everything, that is hard.

I lost my mother hardly two years ago to cancer. In her case, it was very quick, supersonic: a month from diagnosis to the fatal end. People say it is a blessing, that she had less time to suffer, and I can see that. And I get what you say, even during such short time, the person you know changes. And it was hard, to be there for her at those moments. But I wanted nothing more than for that time to last just a little bit longer, to have a bit more time to go through it with her no matter what, in whatever circumstances... So find confort in that all the time you spend with her is precious.

I am sorry to hear of the loss of your mother. Going through holiday celebrations without our loved ones can make their absence even more painful. I hope memories of happier times with your mother help you get through this season.

 

[More bags]

What a lovely tree!
I just told my mother today that I wouldn't be coming to her Christmas get-together. She understands, and since we've had one employee with it in his family (only their daughter has gotten sick though), I just don't want to take any chances with them getting it from me.
I brought over their gifts, and a big container of vegetable beef soup on my way to the office - they'll be here until Monday and then are driving down to Florida for a couple of months. I do talk to my mother every Monday, and we'll continue that even while they're in FL.

It snowed this morning, I love looking at it. It's so peaceful, and it seems quieter after a snow.
The roads are another story (yikes) but should be much better on the way home from the office.

Yay for snow to make it feel more like Christmas. Sad to hear of another family celebrating Christmas separately. The vegetable beef soup sounds amazing.

 

[More bags]

My little leather pets..... I'm in the middle of a move to Atlanta so this is half my collection (not to mention the 5 bags I've bought recently that are en route) but these are the bags I have handy around here.... I need to stop buying just because I miss the dozen purses that are missing....

It's funny how the lotuff working tote simply dwarfs everything else.

Wonderful eye candy, in shapes, styles and colours. Thanks for sharing and best wishes with your move preparations.

about a hundred pages back, @Vintage Leather commented that once you have closed on an apartment, a purchase of a bracelet seemed relatively trivial. (Forgot to ask her which bracelet) DH and I are about to close on the 23rd and his mom, who has terminal epithelial peritoneal mesothelioma, has decided to forgo Dana Farber for a more conveniently located, less qualified treatment center closer to home. DH and I have turned to retail therapy to manage stress as even restaurants are now closed for indoor dining in NYC. @BowieFan1971, I agree with you that it’s such a blessing to have a wonderful life partner to help you through these times which are the ‘new normal.’ It may be superficial, but finding great deals and Spending a lot of time on TPF are helping me get through.
If you buy vintage distressed and have @docride restore them to burnished beauty, that is kind of closer to shopping your own closet rhan shopping NIB. The former is almost like sustainable recycling instead of shopping. I don’t remember if it was @jblended who talked about loving vintage clutches with with finger loop in the back, but I’ve also been influenced by @diane278 ‘s love of clutches. Here is a new to me Hermes clutch in silver. The interior has two compartments and it’s easy to carry. From the Japanese reseller Brand jfa, who seems to have mixed reviews nowadays, but with whom I’ve always had good luck. And, I got a very good deal on 32 sellier box kelly, (looks prune but is more purple IRL) that @docride spa Ed. Weather treated and brushed hw. I fortunately found these deals right before Prices inched back up (on bags and real estate)
View attachment 4931687View attachment 4931688View attachment 4931689

Wow, congratulations on your gorgeous finds!

 

[More bags]

That is a gorgeous clutch!
Is there anything more frustrating than when a parent makes health choices that you disagree with? That feeling of helplessness and fear is a potent cocktail of emotions... And I swear real estate was invented to drive my blood pressure through the roof! But it’s easier to justify shopping. Even VCA is a bargain when held up against a six to seven figure purchase.
I’m so glad you found this clutch and it found you. It’s beautiful and DocRide did a great job.

(the bracelet was a Peretti silver bone cuff in medium)

I laughed so hard at your comparison of VCA price to real estate price!
Congratulations on your EP silver bone cuff! I love that piece of art/sculpture/jewellery!

 

[Bag peace]

Sorry, the name does not ring a bell, but I googled it and lots of listings of Andre Cellini bags on several selling sites incl. etsy came up. Re the decade: I´d say second half of the 80ies into the 90ies, but that´s just a guess and remembering what people wore when I was younger.

I vaguely remember Cellini from my aunt in the 1970s. @jblended, I love the mixed media material look of your bag!

Thanks to you both. I did Google but got a lot of beaded clutches and nothing similar to my bag, so I hoped the lovely people here would have more insight.
At any rate, the bag is extremely well made. Mine had some scratches on it and was missing a bit of snakeskin when I got it (which I've hidden with paint), but otherwise is perfect in every way. My friend's is perfect, without a single flaw on it! They're hardy.

But the tree is up, the lights are on, pantry is full, spirits are high (or at least I am determined they will be) and we are good to go...

If this doesn't lift one's mood, I don't know what would! Lovely!

My footwear collection is small, but I am happy with it, especially after I weeded out a few pairs that were not the most comfortable to wear.

The torture of uncomfortable shoes is unlike any other! I have never been one to wear pretty shoes even if they make my feet bleed ( I have a friend who literally endures this on a regular basis).

I just don't want to take any chances with them getting it from me.

It's such a tough choice we all have to make, but it's worth it if we are able to keep loved ones safe. I hope you are able to celebrate with them virtually and hopefully you'll be able to make up for it once it is safer to do so.

but I’ve also been influenced by @diane278 ‘s love of clutches.

I don't do clutches but @diane278 collection is amazing and may well end up converting me! Elegance and function perfectly balanced in one capsule collection. @Aerdem also has the most incredible capsule collection that speaks to my aesthetic- unique elements in every piece.