Thursday, May 19, 2011

Pink Le Creuset Charm

So cute!  I love the matching packaging
instead of them using their traditional orange.
I'm an ebay and etsyaholic.  I love ebay because I can find nearly anything there.  I'll search for something I had as a kid and be able to find it in with a variety of grades and prices.  I've been bidding on auctions for ten years and can't stop the addiction.

I mentioned previously wanting to get a pink Le Creuset charm and found one after some searching on ebay.

These were freebies in Japan when purchasing a Pepsi Nex that came in a variety of colors last year.

It's still in the original packaging and I'm debating whether or not I should take it out as the packaging is pink and I don't have one of those slots for charms on my phone, so could only attach it to my nanonote.

Regardless, it's absolutely adorable.  The pink matches the large pink Le Creuset cast iron dutch oven that I'd purchased at an outlet awhile back.  I'm half tempted to carry it around in the packaging on a keychain, but that would be a tad eccentric, no?

A pic with my magnets after the jump.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Botkier Charlotte

Ah, for the love of purses.  I love neon; however, my other wardrobe staple is gray.  It pairs with most any of my neutrals and any of my neons.  Just as flattering as black; it avoids the gothic stereotypes.

botkier Charlotte Satchel,Grey,one sizeI saw the Botkier Charlotte and loved the shade, the details, the hardware, and the shape.  I've been looking for a neutral bag to wear daily as my current collection is full of pinks or clutches.  The gray will go nicely with almost all of my clothes and the design is classic without being stuffy.

I tend to like larger bags, but as I'm petite, can't go too large.  This won't overwhelm me, but will carry everything I need.  It's currently going for $575, so I may wait for it to go on sale, but I think it's the perfect everyday bag for me.

Purse available on Amazon:  botkier Charlotte Satchel,Grey,one size

For the Library

The Secret Garden (Puffin Classics)Two days until payday and alas, I have spent all of my frivolous money on work clothes.  I am currently looking longingly at pictures online of two striking and beautiful hardcover editions from Puffin Classics and wishing I hadn't bought quite so many tops on my recent excursion.

Awhile back my friend showed me some books that she'd purchased at a local bookstore.  They were hardcover cloth versions from Penguin Classics.  Well-constructed, they are reminiscent of some of my vintage editions.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Puffin Classics)I already have most of the titles in the Penguin Classics series in my collection, but I discovered the brightly colored Puffin Classics Series while on a recent shopping trip.  Both the copies of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Secret Garden are decked out in pinks, oranges, and other neon hues. 

While you can't judge a book cover, standout books do deserve standout covers and these will look great on my bookshelf next to my Hugh D'Andrade designed pink leatherbound Alice in Wonderland.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Other Stories (Leatherbound Classics)These are copies with which I can create my own memories rather than simply imaging their history of decades past.  For those with children, they are something to be excited about now, to read at bedtime, that can remain in the family, passing down from one generation to the next with their glorious memories.  

Upon arriving at home, I searched them on Amazon and found them listed below list price with free shipping on orders over $25.  I'll have to wait until Friday, but until then, they will remain on my wish list.

In a Quandary

I'm in a quandary.   Awhile back, I purchased a purse online.  Since it's a small shop, they advise, "All items are shipped within ten business days of your order, unless otherwise contacted."

I waited for the requisite two weeks and decided to contact them as I'd not received any communication.  They advised it would be at least another week before it would ship.

I decided to cancel the order as I'm one for instant gratification and receiving it a month from order was a bit too much, especially considering I'd not been notified of the delay.  They offered an unspecified "free ship" (for this order?  for the next?), but I'm disappointed and broke and requested the refund, which I saw appear on my statement that day.  I used a virtual card number, so I closed it out thinking all is well.

Fast forward a week and a half and I've received notification that I have a package from the shop.  I emailed them thinking they can log in to the shipping site and have the package redirected, but they advised that it should be delivered tomorrow and then I can send it back.  Once I received it, I opened the envelope to obtain a return label and found it was not sent with one. 

I've emailed them requesting a return label be sent to me, but the thing is, I still kind of, sort of want the clutch.  I understand that companies get busy and mistakes happen; however, I feel it is how you handle those situations that define you as a company and obtain lifelong customers.

So here are the options that I see:
  1. I can do nothing and wait for them to send me a return label.  My money being returned is not a point of contingency, but I don't know when they'll send it to me and I'd prefer that if I return it, it's out of my hands sooner or later.
  2. I can ship it, at my expense, back to them and request reimbursement.  It will take care of the sooner part, but I'm at risk of losing money for something for which I was not at fault.
  3. The last option is I can open a new virtual card, have them charge it for the price of the clutch, and keep it.  While I would like to keep it, after all this, I'm not sure if it's worth rewarding a company for inconveniencing me.
What do you think I should do?

Also, as a side note, when deciding whether to cancel the order or not, I had flipped a coin, heads I'd keep the order, tails I'd cancel it.  It came up heads, but I still cancelled.  Is this fate's way of telling me I ought to keep the clutch?  Did I anger the coin flipping gods?  Is there really karmic retribution for me returning a purse in the face of a heads verdict?

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Alpha-Robot Complex

Wild and Wolf Mechanical Wind-Up Venus RobotI'll probably chronicle some of these tales and wanted to give some background on its origins.  The realization occurred only recently; however, the actual manifestation of the complex started a long time ago.  I noticed when I was a teenager that electronics would strangely stop working on me, beyond the frustrations one comes to expect from working with them on a day to day basis.

I recall one day, the screen on a phone that I'd had less than three months just randomly stopped working.  The next phone, unless held in exactly the correct position would only allow callers to hear me at barely above a whisper.  CD players would magically turn on without prompt; screens would randomly turn on and start flashing when I was across the room.  The buttons on the dashboard in my car would stop working unless pressed in exactly the right order.

At work, my computer would mysteriously reboot when no one was using it.  That one was replaced with a computer with a hard drive that made horrible whirring noises.  One night, the hard drive determined it had had enough and went into overdrive, shrieking, smoking, and finally dying.

Sadly, the impacts aren't limited to just my electronics.  One friend who lived across the country had their phone spaz out shortly after having two conversations in a row.  Another friend who's computer I used on a few occasions, had their power supply, video card (twice), motherboard, and hard drive unceremoniously die after each time I used it.

After moving to a new team, they repeatedly referred to me as a robot.  Given my history with electronics, I realized that I had an alpha-robot complex.  While it's something I've yet to overcome, the stories in the meantime will, with any luck, provide entertainment.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Balenciaga Mini Mini First for Spring

Rumor has it that Balenciaga is coming out with mini purse keychains like they did for the fall season.  This season's colors are: Mimosa, Nuage, Black, White, Praline and Grenadine.  For more information, visit Nepherisis, inc.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Miu Miu Microbag IRL

Here are some quick shots that I took.  My apologies for the poor quality.

From the front:
See more pics after the break.