2024 Resolution: Shopping my own Bag and SLG Collection

[Sparkletastic]

December Activities and Challenges - pick and choose as you please.

I. 2024 Year In Review Reflection
(Thanks @Vintage Leather)

Utilize these thought starters to evaluate your collection, your usage patterns and your lessons learned in 2024.
• What is your most useful purse?
• What is your best purchase of the year?
• We’ve all had a lot of lifestyle changes this year - how has it affected your style?
• What is the one thing we’ve learned this year that you want to take into the next?

II. Setting 2025 Goals
Take this month to consider what you want to do with your handbag collection, wardrobe or even your beautiful life in 2025. Share these thoughts in January when we start the 2026 Shopping Your Closet thread.

III. End of year optional challenges

• Holiday colors: December has many holidays celebrated across the world - red & green, brown & gold, blue & white and more! Pick the holiday that you want to honor and wear / show off your bags in those traditional colors.

• End with a bang: As we come to the last part of the year, wear the last bag you’ve purchased at least 3 times this month.

@Vlad please pin this to the top of our thread.

 

[More bags]

IT’S HERE!

I celebrate my bday the entire month of December (I mean, why not? ) but got to a slow start this year due to surgery. Now that I’m home from the hospital, Mr. Sparkle has started giving me some of the gifts he’s selected for me. The one he started with (because I’ve been bouncing like a 3 yo kid promised candy since he mentioned it) is my new handbag!

<Let me just remind you. Mr. S. is great at getting me bags I end up loving that I would NEVER choose to spend the money on. Mr. S, thy name is enabler!! He continued that approach with this bag.>

Jimmy Choo Pink Mix Satin Crystal Bon Bon!



(I’ll share two stock photos and just one IRL close up to show the crystals because I’m not up to staging a good pic yet. LOL!) View attachment 6097882View attachment 6097883View attachment 6097884

I think this bag is my spirit animal. I’m going to keep it on my dresser as motivation to do the work to get back to my fully healthy, sparkly, bubbly self!

I can’t wait to be able to wear her!!! Hmmmm, now I need new shoes, right?

Happy birthday month @Sparkletastic, congratulations on getting through your last surgery and wowza what a stunner of a new bag - DH chose well!

 

[DME]

Yum! Would adore the brisket recipe please! your pic looks much more appetizing than turkey to me ( I’m a red meat eater lol)

I’ll DM you the recipe over the weekend! It takes time to cook, but it’s pretty easy and sooooo tasty. 😀

 

[whateve]

IT’S HERE!

I celebrate my bday the entire month of December (I mean, why not? ) but got to a slow start this year due to surgery. Now that I’m home from the hospital, Mr. Sparkle has started giving me some of the gifts he’s selected for me. The one he started with (because I’ve been bouncing like a 3 yo kid promised candy since he mentioned it) is my new handbag!

<Let me just remind you. Mr. S. is great at getting me bags I end up loving that I would NEVER choose to spend the money on. Mr. S, thy name is enabler!! He continued that approach with this bag.>

Jimmy Choo Pink Mix Satin Crystal Bon Bon!



(I’ll share two stock photos and just one IRL close up to show the crystals because I’m not up to staging a good pic yet. LOL!) View attachment 6097882View attachment 6097883View attachment 6097884

I think this bag is my spirit animal. I’m going to keep it on my dresser as motivation to do the work to get back to my fully healthy, sparkly, bubbly self!

I can’t wait to be able to wear her!!! Hmmmm, now I need new shoes, right?

Wow, he did great! It's a perfect bag for you! I love it! It's so pretty!

 

[dcooney4]

IT’S HERE!

I celebrate my bday the entire month of December (I mean, why not? ) but got to a slow start this year due to surgery. Now that I’m home from the hospital, Mr. Sparkle has started giving me some of the gifts he’s selected for me. The one he started with (because I’ve been bouncing like a 3 yo kid promised candy since he mentioned it) is my new handbag!

<Let me just remind you. Mr. S. is great at getting me bags I end up loving that I would NEVER choose to spend the money on. Mr. S, thy name is enabler!! He continued that approach with this bag.>

Jimmy Choo Pink Mix Satin Crystal Bon Bon!



(I’ll share two stock photos and just one IRL close up to show the crystals because I’m not up to staging a good pic yet. LOL!) View attachment 6097882View attachment 6097883View attachment 6097884

I think this bag is my spirit animal. I’m going to keep it on my dresser as motivation to do the work to get back to my fully healthy, sparkly, bubbly self!

I can’t wait to be able to wear her!!! Hmmmm, now I need new shoes, right?

This is Sparkletastic! May December be the best month yet!

 

[Sparkletastic]

I’m proud of myself! In the spirit of the thread, I am determined to stop my 2024 self soothing spending. I’m at the tipping point of moving from

“Yes, I’ve acquired more than I normally would but all the purchases are good ones”

into

“These are stupid decisions fueled by boredom & self pity”

What item woke me up? I purchased these earrings on a Black Friday sale: Gucci 18K Yellow Gold Double G Earrings.

Nothing about these earrings are me. I have long hair so I typically don’t wear studs as they get “lost” in my look. I am not usually a fan of wearing logos if I can avoid it. And this Gucci treatment reminds me of the Cover Girl brand mark so it’s one of my least favorite logos. What a numbskull idea for me to buy them.

So, this morning I was thrilled to see Saks’ email saying they’re delayed. I RUSHED to call them to cancel the order. :yay:

Now I’m on a general all purpose 360 degree buying ban! I’m making a list of specific items I want for my wardrobe and will only buy those after much deliberation.

But, even with that, I’m buying nothing for 4 months. Instead, I’ll focus on solving the core issue - regaining my health and fitness after all these health problems. That will enable me to return to doing the (non buying) things I love vs being bored and feeling sorry for myself which drove the spending.

Sometimes the most difficult thing is parenting yourself through tough times.

 

[Sparkletastic]

Attempting the “End with a Bang!” Challenge. The last bag I purchased was this Prada Bowler Bag and she went with me to my surgical follow up.


Eh… I’m disappointed. This isn’t love.

I like that it’s a but more sizable than most of my other bags. And it’s a nice color. But, it’s just not moving me. I think it may be the slouchiness (?). It looks better carried than sitting but I’m just not excited about it.

I’ll try to get in 2 more wear. But, if I continue to feel as I do, I’ll list it for sale. I’m not dithering over bags anymore. They either work for me or they don’t.

 

[cecchetti]

IT’S HERE!

I celebrate my bday the entire month of December (I mean, why not? ) but got to a slow start this year due to surgery. Now that I’m home from the hospital, Mr. Sparkle has started giving me some of the gifts he’s selected for me. The one he started with (because I’ve been bouncing like a 3 yo kid promised candy since he mentioned it) is my new handbag!

<Let me just remind you. Mr. S. is great at getting me bags I end up loving that I would NEVER choose to spend the money on. Mr. S, thy name is enabler!! He continued that approach with this bag.>

Jimmy Choo Pink Mix Satin Crystal Bon Bon!



(I’ll share two stock photos and just one IRL close up to show the crystals because I’m not up to staging a good pic yet. LOL!) View attachment 6097882View attachment 6097883View attachment 6097884

I think this bag is my spirit animal. I’m going to keep it on my dresser as motivation to do the work to get back to my fully healthy, sparkly, bubbly self!

I can’t wait to be able to wear her!!! Hmmmm, now I need new shoes, right?

Happy Birthday!❤️❤️❤️

 

[cecchetti]

The last week has been a nightmare.

Last Thursday, Baryshnikov was his usual energetic , boisterous self(he’s only 4).

On Friday I took him to the vet suffering with mild constipation, and he had an enema.

On Monday he was no better, I took him back and it was repeated, with pain meds etc.

Wednesday was Miss Bianca’s 7th birthday.
I bought her a catnip banana and sang Happy Birthday, but Baryshnikov still was growling and not eating so I booked another vets appointment .

By this morning I Knew something was drastically wrong.

The vet examined him and confirmed what I had suspected-she found a mass in his abdomen.
(I can’t believe I’m writing this).
He’s been admitted for IV fluids etc(which I insisted anyway as I wasn’t taking him home in the state he was in).

They’re scanning him as I type, but if the mass Does turn out to be nasty….its inoperable as it’s quite large.

The only solution would be to put him to sleep.😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Bianca is looking for him, she’s a very motherly cat(she would have been a breeding queen)- I would have to get a kitten.

I cannot believe this is even happening, I only lost Tammy in January..

 

[DME]

The last week has been a nightmare.

Last Thursday, Baryshnikov was his usual energetic , boisterous self(he’s only 4).

On Friday I took him to the vet suffering with mild constipation, and he had an enema.

On Monday he was no better, I took him back and it was repeated, with pain meds etc.

Wednesday was Miss Bianca’s 7th birthday.
I bought her a catnip banana and sang Happy Birthday, but Baryshnikov still was growling and not eating so I booked another vets appointment .

By this morning I Knew something was drastically wrong.

The vet examined him and confirmed what I had suspected-she found a mass in his abdomen.
(I can’t believe I’m writing this).
He’s been admitted for IV fluids etc(which I insisted anyway as I wasn’t taking him home in the state he was in).

They’re scanning him as I type, but if the mass Does turn out to be nasty….its inoperable as it’s quite large.

The only solution would be to put him to sleep.😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Bianca is looking for him, she’s a very motherly cat(she would have been a breeding queen)- I would have to get a kitten.

I cannot believe this is even happening, I only lost Tammy in January..

I’m so sorry to hear this. I know your cats mean the world to you. Fingers crossed it’s not the nasty thing and he’s able to pull through. Thinking of you and Baryshnikov and sending you hugs.

 

[DME]

Nothing about these earrings are me. I have long hair so I typically don’t wear studs as they get “lost” in my look. I am not usually a fan of wearing logos if I can avoid it. And this Gucci treatment reminds me of the Cover Girl brand mark so it’s one of my least favorite logos. What a numbskull idea for me to buy them.

OK, so it’s not just me! I’ve been saying that about the Cover Girl logo since Gucci moved to this design. It’s the thing that keeps me from buying a Gucci bag every single time. I believe this is a logo from the archives, which means it probably predates the Cover Girl logo (@papertiger, any idea?), but I feel like for at least American women our age, it just reads Cover Girl.

FWIW, I have the opposite problem as you when it comes to style of earrings: My hair is very short, so studs and very small hoops are the most I can handle. I also have a smaller head in proportion to my shoulders, which doesn’t help. I admire women with short hair who can pull off bigger, danglier earrings, but I just look silly any time I try.

 

[cecchetti]

I’m so sorry to hear this. I know your cats mean the world to you. Fingers crossed it’s not the nasty thing and he’s able to pull through. Thinking of you and Baryshnikov and sending you hugs.

Thank GOODNESS the vet called and the “mass” turned out to be a solid imp action.

He’s been given IV fluids, appetite stimulants, pain relief, blood tests and other meds.

He’s coming home this evening , and needs to go for a check up next week.

I’ve never been so relieved in my life, and will never tell him off again (he has 3 left feet, unlike the real Baryshnikov).

 

[papertiger]

OK, so it’s not just me! I’ve been saying that about the Cover Girl logo since Gucci moved to this design. It’s the thing that keeps me from buying a Gucci bag every single time. I believe this is a logo from the archives, which means it probably predates the Cover Girl logo (@papertiger, any idea?), but I feel like for at least American women our age, it just reads Cover Girl.

FWIW, I have the opposite problem as you when it comes to style of earrings: My hair is very short, so studs and very small hoops are the most I can handle. I also have a smaller head in proportion to my shoulders, which doesn’t help. I admire women with short hair who can pull off bigger, danglier earrings, but I just look silly any time I try.

@Sparkletastic too

The 'running GG' logo has been used at Gucci since the mid-1960s.

I'm not sure when the Cover Girl one was created though

 

[papertiger]

Thank GOODNESS the vet called and the “mass” turned out to be a solid imp action.

He’s been given IV fluids, appetite stimulants, pain relief, blood tests and other meds.

He’s coming home this evening , and needs to go for a check up next week.

I’ve never been so relieved in my life, and will never tell him off again (he has 3 left feet, unlike the real Baryshnikov).

Poor baby, give him (and you) my love

 

[whateve]

The last week has been a nightmare.

Last Thursday, Baryshnikov was his usual energetic , boisterous self(he’s only 4).

On Friday I took him to the vet suffering with mild constipation, and he had an enema.

On Monday he was no better, I took him back and it was repeated, with pain meds etc.

Wednesday was Miss Bianca’s 7th birthday.
I bought her a catnip banana and sang Happy Birthday, but Baryshnikov still was growling and not eating so I booked another vets appointment .

By this morning I Knew something was drastically wrong.

The vet examined him and confirmed what I had suspected-she found a mass in his abdomen.
(I can’t believe I’m writing this).
He’s been admitted for IV fluids etc(which I insisted anyway as I wasn’t taking him home in the state he was in).

They’re scanning him as I type, but if the mass Does turn out to be nasty….its inoperable as it’s quite large.

The only solution would be to put him to sleep.😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Bianca is looking for him, she’s a very motherly cat(she would have been a breeding queen)- I would have to get a kitten.

I cannot believe this is even happening, I only lost Tammy in January..

I'm so so sorry.

ETA: I read further and see that there's good news! I'm so relieved for you.

 

[whateve]

No good deed goes unpunished they say. Several days ago I awoke with severe pain in my leg. When it didn't go away after many days I went to the doctor. Apparently when you have a hip replacement you aren't supposed to ever sit crosslegged or do plies with the feet turned out or anything that bends your leg in that position. No one ever told me that. I was just told no high impact. So I shouldn't have been doing a lot of that yoga. In fact I can't think of a single yoga video I did that didn't have at least one position that is a no no. Anyway I'm still in terrible pain. They couldn't get me into physical therapy for over a week. DH won't walk without me so I feel I'm impacting his health too.