i heart fabric

It’s time to sharpen those pencils and crunch the numbers. Christmas is almost upon us! After hearing multiple people recently boast that their shopping is done, I decided it was time to at least get to 1st base; making the list and setting the budget. It is after this point that the wheels fall off each year.

With every ounce of my being, I go into the holidays with every intention of being a good girl and sticking to my budget. However, it seems that inevitably I always fail to put a few names on the list, I find that perfect something that is more than I planned on spending and I just can’t stop the spirit of giving and I want to buy gifts for everyone!

There is only one way to counter the spending madness and that is the art of homemade gifting. This years theme? Fabric, of course. I’ve got it coming out of my ears, I love it all and there has never been a better time to explore my options. Ideas are bubbling around in my head (they have been for months) and I see two clear paths; things made with thermal (like a casserole dish carrier… a super CUTE one) or framed fabric art. Only 37 more days until we see the results of where this budget driven holiday shopper will turn!

failure to communicate

If my sporadic blogging has been any indicator of my world these past few weeks, the following story should seal the deal.

SCENE 1
Imagine a lovely Sunday (it really was!) and Brad and Janice have 2 cars at church because some of us believe that the early bird does NOT get the worm, nor does the person that stays the latest. Upon completion of our church service, Rylie and I walked up to Brad and said, “We’re (meaning Rylie and I) going to go home now. See you there?” And Brad replies innocently, “Yes, see you there shortly.”

SCENE 2
Perfect wife (myself, of course) is cooking yummy pancakes for lunch. Brad is sitting on the couch reading the Sunday paper and in the background, Rylie can be heard yelling, “Caaaarrrrrssson? Caaarsssoonnnn?” Getting no response, she comes upstairs and begins yelling and finally she says to me, “Carson is hiding REALLY good. I can’t find him anywhere?”

I innocently reply, “Go check with Daddy and see if he knows where he went when they got home.” (Audible newspaper crumpling happens in the next room) “You’re kidding, right?! He came home with you.” Ummmm, “No, I told you we, Rylie and I, were heading home – you were supposed to bring Carson home.”

SCENE 3
OMG! What’s wrong with us!?! We left our son at church, 15 minutes away and quite a long time has passed! At frantic speed, Brad races out the door and 30 minutes later my sweet, beautiful, SCARED boy is home safely. He just stood looking out the front doors at church, waiting for someone to come back for him. My heart was broken at the thought – I’m not sure who cried more, mommy or son?

SCENE 4
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I enjoyed baking a delicious batch of chocolate chip (forgive me) cookies for Carson. No need to take 2 cars to church anymore… I’m fine with getting there early, really!

LOL!

where did clarence go?

I wrote a blog post on the Bagolitas site last year on clearance shopping (I was bragging about winning a gold medal for it…) and someone posted that they like to say they are going to visit Clarence. Loved it! and have been using it ever since. I took some time off last week and decided to indulge myself in a visit to go see Clarence at my favorite stop, Dillards, and was shocked at the scene.

SO little inventory in the stores (which I get, believe me!) but it now affects me directly because the clearance racks are down to such slim pickings. I refuse to pay full price and hate the defeat of walking away without my divine on a dime finds – so what’s a girl to do?

I figure I’ve got 3 options… Embrace my winter clothes from last year as I transition my closet over (easier said than done), head to Von Maur (their store is so full, do they know we are in a recession?) or start frequenting the consignment shops, an old sport of mine.

Brad would vote for #1 (I’ll try my best, honey) – but I’ve decided that I better take one for the team and gather all the evidence on what’s happened to Clarence by exploring option #2 and #3. There are still bargains to be had somewhere – I’ll let you know when I find them!

handbag tip

There is no need to pack your entire handbag full to the brim. I mean seriously – if you don’t use what is in your purse once a day (or multiple times a week if that sounded too harsh), then learn to travel lighter.

Brilliant! But easier said than done. I don’t know about you, but by the end of the week, my purse is packed with everybody’s “things” and I’m not even sure what I started with. I’m also certain that my bag is being mistaken for a garbage can… So Sunday night has become my dump out night to stay on top of the madness.

My other Sunday night secret is that I like to choose one bag that I will carry for the week and coordinate with my nail polish, clothes, jackets, etc. It is so much easier to quickly get ready each day and feel pulled together when you set the stage for the week!

quotables

Last week was one filled with many tears for me as we announced that Bagolitas would be simplifying to an online store only and we would be saying goodbye to direct sales, our consultants and Studio crew at the end of the year. As timing would have it, this wonderful quote from Helen Keller crossed my desk and spoke to my heart – a beautiful quote from a beautiful soul.

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
- Helen Keller

you had me at hello

The mail is a crap shoot for me. Sometimes it’s a speeding ticket, last week it was jury duty notice… and not too long ago a little yellow postcard had me at hello.

Hello, do you drive a 2004 Toyota Sienna with sensor Cruise Control?

Hello, would you have some time to come to NADS (National Advanced Driving Simulator) to be a test driver for us?

Hello, would your bank account have room for $200?

Drawbacks? A few… the stickers I had to have all over my face, the mystery woman sitting in the back seat with a clipboard and the woozie feeling I had to suck up in order to get the big check in the end… but totally worth it!

Check out this video of what the experience is like and watch for your little yellow postcard!