Happy Birthday...to me!

I celebrated my 29th birthday two weeks ago, and received 3 Nordstrom gift cards in celebration of the event (thanks to my parents and sister!).

You may remember my post from a few weeks ago, where I mentioned how much I loved this Elliott Lucca handbag.

Armed with my gift cards, I decided to go check it out in person, and maybe bite the bullet and treat myself. After seeing the bag in person, I decided I didn't like it at all. The color wasn't what I was expecting (much more gray, muted, and drab looking than the Spring-inspired lilac I was imagining). The texture wasn't the butter-soft leather I had felt in my dreams. And more than anything, the shape was off. In this photo, it looks fairly slouchy, round, and 'full'. In person, it was much narrower, more like a book bag. And while that may work for some, it wasn't what I wanted.

So I looked around, and almost bought another bag. My best friend was with me, and she could tell I wasn't completely sold on anything, and thankfully talked me out of purchasing anything (as I surely would have regretted making a snap decision).

I came home and looked around Nordstrom's website, and found another bag that I liked.

So I went back to the store, and didn't love that one in person either. I liked this one...

...but didn't love the color options.

After a little more searching in the store, I came across this bag by B. Makowsky. And I LOVED it. Color was right, price was decent (a little pricy, but you get what you pay for), and the texture....ahhhh. It's so soft. I couldn't NOT take it home!

This stock photo really doesn't do it justice at all. I transferred all of my belongings out of my black bag, and am so excited to use this tomorrow--a great bag for a spring day at church!