DianaDwain Vintage: My precious...

I have a thing for things. Pretty things. I'm a collector of many pretty things.

Case in point, at gymnastics last week, as my daughter tumbled and flipped, my eyes were on an awesome handbag another mom was carrying.
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Me: "Great bag!"
She: "Thanks! I was a handbag buyer for Neiman Marcus and have had this bag for years."
Me: "May I ask the brand?"
She: "Yes. It's __________. From several seasons ago. I carry it all the time. It holds everything. Love your bag, too!"
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Her compliment should have sufficed. I mean, she was a former handbag buyer for Neiman Marcus and she liked my bag. However, that comment sailed past me as quickly as I logged onto the internet searching for her bag. The end all/be all bag. The bag that would be my forever bag. The "I'll never need another bag for the rest of my life, sweetie" bag. Ever had one of those? I have many.

Well, I found the bag. With a little haggling and several clicks, I bought it. All while still sitting in the same gymnastic class.
I picked it up from the post office yesterday, and it is now sitting in my closet. Tags still on. Still in the wrapper.

My collections are varied. Bags to jewelry, cosmetics to clothing, pillows to dolls.

Fashionably Floral Barbie

Here she is, my next pretty thing: Fashionably Floral Barbie. Isn't she lovely? The minute I saw her, I wanted her. I clicked "add to basket" and was ready to check out, but stopped myself. This was a defining moment. What did I love so much? The pink satin opera gloves? The wide brimmed hat with those cabbage roses? Or maybe her heavily lined lids and the pink floral vintage style dress. She is eye candy.

If I look around my house, my collections, I have so many pretty things. I need to go through them and use them, display them, love them or gift them. Not buy more to just sit in the bag or back of the closet.

Here's to a change in habits. Using what I have and not buying more, more, more! I deleted Fashionably Floral from my cart with only a small pang of sadness. I don't need her. It's ok to look, to lust, to like but not have her.

Now, I'm heading to the closet to unearth the new bag I purchased on ebay and carry it all the time because it holds everything. I may even carry it to gymnastics tomorrow. Oh, wait. I can't. She might be there, and that would be embarrassing.

More pretty things to ponder:

Chase's Place School Gala 2015
Art Piece for Auction

My friend is heading up the Chase's Place Gala this year, with proceeds going to Chase's Place: a Dallas-area private non-profit school serving students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. Original artwork collaborations between students and artists are up for auction, such as this one at right.