In Love With Thirty-One

Ok, I caved. I gave in.

My love affair with purses goes back to high school when I discovered Liz Claiborne. Remember those cute little triangle purses? I was a Liz freak! I would give up clothes to have one of those cute little purses.

These days, I am more of a Coach girl (the coach from the Factory stores that are always last year's design). I don't care though, say what you will, I'll carry a year or two old design purse. My daughter loves Vera Bradley purses....again the ones on sale.

So, when those spiffy little Thirty-One bags started popping up everyone, I resisted. I don't need "another" bag. I have plenty: free ones from Disney (when we spent way too much money buying silly souvenirs that the kids don't even have anymore), free ones the hubby has brought home displaying the logo of every community his company can build. I even have one from Lazy Days (where we purchased our RV). Really, I don't need a Thirty One bag - even though they are much cuter than a brown old Lazy Days bag.

But they kept showing up ---- everywhere!!! The more I see them, I more I like them. I could imagine needing one to carry all my Bible study stuff in as I head to church for class. Or one to carry all my co-op stuff in as I head to homeschoool co-op. Or one to carry all our beach supplies in as we go to the beach. The possibilities are endless.

So, I caved. I wanted one - starting with the organizing tote with side pockets. I was ready to order one from a friend who is a consultant when we found out my husband would be loosing his job in a few months. So, Thirty-One had to go on hold.

Last Friday night, my daughter had a sleepover with some friends to celebrate her 11th birthday. One of those girls was a neighbor girl. Her mom is on my Facebook friend's list and I had noticed her status update saying she was going to a party Friday night. So, when she dropped her daughter off at our house for the sleepover, I asked her what party she was going to. As cruel fate would have it, it was a.....you guessed it, Thirty-One!

I proceeded to tell her my new found love and how I so wanted one of those organizing totes. She, of course, offered to get one for me. When I explained our new financial predicament and how I needed to resist the urge to buy, she understood.

The next morning, well before she was supposed to retrieve her child from the sleepover, my neighbor showed up our front door carrying an organizing tote. When she handed me the tote, she explained that it was a give away at the party because the pattern was being discontinued and she won it! And immediately she thought to give it to me because it was the exact one I wanted!

So, yes, now I am the proud owner of a Thirty-One bag. I loved taking it to Bible study Wednesday night. My Precept binders, Precept Bible and colored pencils fit so nicely in it.

And that is my new found love story with Thirty-One. Now, if I could only figure out Pinterest. I am the only one who doesn't "get it?"