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| A 40th birthday gift from my sister. |
D is for Dooney & Bourke
Basic brown. My sister’s description sold me.
“Sure, I’ll take it nobody knows me.”
Tracy shied away from using the purse, because she didn’t want people to think she spent a couple hundred dollars on a purse. She won the bag after sleeping in a limousine all night at an American Cancer Society fundraiser. The bag was one of many prizes given to volunteers.
I received the bag in a box declaring above my name — Happy 40th birthday! Five months later, I took the purse out for a test drive. After carrying a diaper bag for more than a year, I whittled my personal items down to a wallet, pen, tube of lipstick and an iPhone. The large pink interior had plenty of room for a few toddler essentials too.
My sister later mentioned the back story behind the purse. The fundraiser organizers were delighted she won the purse, because honestly — they assumed she would donate it back to the cause. Instead, she gave it to me.
Now, I feel obligated to find different ways to make an unusual use of the purse.
For a play date, I used it to smuggle marshmallow pop treats into a play area that forbid outside treats. Before you think I’m a rebel, I handed them out as people left, so no one ate in the “snack free zone.”
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| The purse filled with marshmallow pop treats. |
For a Girls Night Out, I packed all the essentials — a tray of rosemary crackers, cashew nuts, microwave popcorn, a wedge of cheese and a Pride and Prejudice DVD — in the purse and walked over to my neighbor’s house. We watched Bridesmaids, but I had Pride & Prejudice just in case.
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| Girls Night Out essentials, including a pen. |
It’s no Mary Poppins bag, but my basic, brown purse serves me well whether on a date with Hubby or on a covert Mom operation.
Karen S. Elliott
I think you could fit a Poppins coat rack in there! 🙂
Stacy S. Jensen
Karen, I wish it could fit a coatrack most days!
This Kid Reviews Books
What a nice sister you have 🙂
Stacy S. Jensen
Erik, She is nice. She helps lots of people and her family.
Lynda R Young
You know how to do a girl’s night out in style! 🙂
Stacy S. Jensen
Lynda, Who knows if we’ll ever watch Pride & Prejudice, but I’ll keep carrying it.
Rosalind Adam
That’s the kind of bag I could do with. I have tiny bags right now and though I love them all they’re driving me crazy.
A to Z of Nostalgia
Stacy S. Jensen
Rosalind, Tiny bags really help you sort through all the crazy stuff in your bag. Simply, no room for it.
Li
There’s nothing like the perfect-sized bag. 🙂 Oh,and your comment on my blog about elevator doors – I have a photo of some gorgeous ones at the Philadelphia Museum Of Art.
Stacy S. Jensen
Li, If only I had known you before I wrote that post. I’m sure those are gorgeous. I had a cold and wasn’t able to snap a pix of one. So, I asked my bro-in-law to snap something with his iPhone. 🙂
Cathy Mealey
LOL – that would be me with Pride and Prejudice in my bag…and then caving to watch “Bridesmaids” instead. Actually, I haven’t seen that yet, and I think I’m rather glad that I haven’t!!
Stacy Jensen
Cathy, At the right time, any movie makes sense. (Well, maybe not one with violence).
Coleen Patrick
Love it! My bag criteria–must be able to hold a book 🙂
Stacy Jensen
Coleen, This book can also hold books and/or the Kindle!
Patricia T.
Cute post. Don’t own a Dooney and Bourke — they sure carry a lot, and are beautiful bags.
LOL with Pride and Prejudice! Would be my choice.
Stacy Jensen
Patricia, I like your taste in books/movies.
Shannon Cyr
Found you on the A to Z challenge. Love the purse! Seriously, love it. And yeah, you definitely know how to do a girls night.
Shannon
Shannonigans
Stacy Jensen
Thanks for stopping by Shannon! I rarely go to GNO’s, because I often choose writing events.
Beverly Diehl
THAT is an awesome bag. Too often the bigger bags look like a brightly colored potato sack with handles.
Love the rebel uses you’re putting it to.
Stacy Jensen
Beverly, Yep, some of the larger ones are like potato sacks.
Sara
Cute bag! I have a collection of nice bags, that never get used for anything. Instead I use my messenger bag. It goes with me everywhere.
Stacy Jensen
Sara, a messenger bag is so versatile. It’s a great choice.
Medeia Sharif
I have a medium-sized bag, but some days it’s bursting. I need a bigger bag.
It’s very cool what you can fit into your purse.
Stacy Jensen
Medeia, Using a diaper bag most days made me reduce my “stuff.”
Theresa Milstein
Nothing wrong with a nice bag. I don’t splurge on much, but I like a nice bag. They last forever. Dooney & Bourke was THE bag to have for a while. They’re nice.
Stacy Jensen
Theresa, I’m not sure I would purchase a D & B bag, but more expensive shoes/boots …. hmm. Now, I’m dreaming.
catherinemjohnson.wordpress.com
I started looking at this at a friend’s house and we loved your bag and then a kid must have distracted me. Glad I came back what cool stories. I wouldn’t hand that bag back either 🙂
Stacy Jensen
Catherine, By not returning it, there are more stories ahead.
Robyn Campbell
I HAVE WANTED ONE OF THOSE FOR THREE YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Waaahaaaaaaa. Now. Don’t. Get. Me. Wrong! I’m not one bit jealous. *turning an ugly color of green* 🙂 P.S. You got a lot of stuff in there, woman! 😉
Stacy Jensen
Robyn, Oops. Perhaps my sister will win another one with her volunteer efforts. 🙂
Tim Riley
Hi Stacy-fellow A-Zer. Like what you’re doing with the Challenge.
Martha
Nice bag! I never understood the big deal about the expensive bags most women go crazy over. Of course if it’s a gift it’s different. I just couldn’t see myself ever letting go of that kind of money for a purse!
Stacy Jensen
Martha, I’ve paid around $30 for a leather purse that’s lasted years. Expensive shoes or boots would be a different story.
Susanne Drazic
Hi Stacy! Nice purse. Those marshmallow pops look yummy!
Stacy Jensen
Susanne, the pops are an easy treat!
Dawn
I love it! What clever ideas, and what a great way to make the purse useful!
Dawn
Stacy Jensen
Dawn, I’m all about making it mult-purpose and fun.
Jessica L. Foster
Cute purse and great ideas on how to use it best. Thanks for posting.
Stacy Jensen
Jessica, Thanks.
Bethie
I love my D&B. It carries everything. Also would’ve gone with Pride and Prejudiced, but I’m a sucker for an English accent. Great posts. First time here but will definately return.
Stacy Jensen
Bethie, Thanks for stopping. I’m trying to visit all the new visitors, but I’m behind…
Debra Harris-Johnson
Never seen a D&B used for real things like carrying food. Great purse, you wear it well.
dreamweaver
Stacy Jensen
Debra, I’m all about real things. 🙂
Debbie Maxwell Allen
Love this post! How wonderful to use your bag for what’s really important!
~Debbie
Stacy Jensen
Debbie, Perhaps I’ll smuggle treats to PPW!
Susanna Leonard Hill
Love it! My “purse” is a backpack 🙂
Stacy Jensen
Susanna, That’s a great idea. With a toddler on my hip still, I don’t think I can use a backpack for awhile.