Limited Editions - Quick to go on sale

I know I am not the only one who noticed this, but is seems like some of the newer items have been put on sale pretty quickly. On May 13th I posted that the Patchwork Summer Collection had been posted online. 6 weeks later it is on sale! I can’t believe it. This works out for me though, because I really want another Charleston Tote in Simply Violet. Now I just have to see if I can hold off until they are 40% off, but who knows if/when that will happen.

The Flower Mesh Totes, Meet Me in Paris and the Starry Night collections are also on sale. I didn’t pick anything up from those three collections, because they didn’t really interest me that much. The mesh tote seems to have limited use, I can’t imagine using it anywhere other than the beach or pool and I don’t go to either of those places very often. And Starry Night just isn’t a pattern that I am interested in.

It makes me think that I should always wait to see if a bag goes on sale. Why full price if I can wait 6 weeks and save 25%? This might only apply to the limited edition collections, but still I can wait for something to go on sale. It isn’t like I have to have anything right now, I have plenty of bags to use in the mean time. I definitely think that I will wait to buy anything out of the new Fall collection coming out on July 8th. I am not really excited about the patterns and I haven’t seen the new purses yet. Descriptions of the Julia make me interested, but I will have to wait and see.

A Birthday Invitation

Yesterday I got a super cute postcard from Vera Bradley in the mail. So cute that I will probably use the birthday cake on it in my scrapbook!

The postcard says, “Join us for Vera Bradley’s 101st birthday party…where your wishes just might come true!”

I got one at home and one at work, but they are both for the Glendale store in Los Angeles. I usually also get one from the San Francisco store too, so I wonder if not all of the stores are participating in this promo.

They will be having promotions throughout the day like special pricing and free gifts.

Here are the details:

Update: Wednesday, August 4, 2010, not the 14th like I previously had listed.

All Day
- FREE GIFT with any purchase
- Enter to have your wish list grandted (up to $250)

Open to Noon
- All in One Wristlet only $20
- Vera Vera gift set drawing

Noon to 3pm
- $10 off all computer and Back-to-Campus bags
- Back-to-Campus gift set drawing

3-6pm
- Purchase a Mailbag for only $49 and receive a FREE Mini Zip Wallet!
- Crossroads gift set drawing (not yet in stores)

6pm to Close
- 20% off any one item
- New Fall Favorites gift set drawing

Sounds like some pretty great deals! Too bad the store is about 2.5 hours away! It sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun!

Vera Sighting!

Nina and Colleen had a double Vera Sighting in Las Vegas! Two bags in Poppy Fields, a Large Duffel and a Mail Bag! Good eye!

Vera Sighting

We got matching hipsters!

Kind of a Vera sighting. Alissa and Tiffany ordered matching Hipsters during the one day sale!

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

ebay stuff sold!

I came back from my scrapbooking retreat to find that my Vera Bradley items sold on ebay! My Hope Garden Taxi Wallet sold for $15.27, so I was pretty happy about that. My other item didn't do so well. My Simply Violet Curling Iron Cover went for just $4.90! That person got an amazing deal!

Selling stuff on ebay is always a gamble. I usually start my auctions at 99 cents and then anxiously watch it all week to see how many bids it has.

I have a couple more items that I might sell. I might give the Vera Bradley sales board a try next time. Then I can use the money to buy my new Vera Bradley bags! I will have to bank this $20 to save up for my next bag.

Video preview of the Fall colors

Most of you have probably seen the fall colors by now, but if you havent this is the best preview of all the colors that I could find. I still wish I could see the new styles.

Click here for a link to it on youtube if it isnt working.

I am off to a scrapbooking retreat this weekend. Have a great weekend! Catch you Monday.

You might have too much Vera if...

You have used so many bags this week and are too busy to put them away and they stack up outside your closet.

Although taking this picture inspired me to finally put them away.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Be Colorful

Be Colorful! What a great tag line for Fall colors that come out in just 2 weeks!

Here is a link the website that they set up just for this launch: http://www.verabradley.com/assets/becolorful/index.html

From the website: Random Acts of Color are popping up everywhere. Check out the videos below to find out if color is coming to you!

Makes me wish I lived in one of those cities!

New Loves Me

Yesterday my new Hipster in Loves Me and my new Water Bottle in Loves Me arrived!!! I ordered them from the San Francisco Signature Store and they got here pretty quick!

I decided that I did need another bag that I could wear across my body when I am going to be out and about, so I ordered a Hipster in Loves Me. Before I wasn't so sure about the style of the Hipster and preferred the Saddle Up, but I think that I am really going to like it. I would have been perfect for the fair last week. I hope that I use the water bottle a lot.

I love getting new stuff!

Oh Happy Day!

Yay, my new stuff arrived. Will post it tomorrow!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Vera Bradley at the Delta Gamma Convention

So yesterday I mentioned that Alissa's friend Tiffany just got into Vera Bradley and that she has even more pieces than Alissa. Well, last weekend Tiffany went to the Delta Gamma convention in Denver and took a TON of pictures! This isn't even all of them! Thanks for emailing them to me! Alissa goes to the Tri Delta convention in Orlando at the end of the month. I wish I was going, but I have to work. I am sure she will have a lot of photos too.

I love the ones of the people who have more than one. I also love the Loves Me photo where the woman has it in between a wall and chair so that it isn't on the ground, that is so me! The Texas shirt made out of Vera material really makes me want to get a set of letters in a Vera print! Which one would I choose though, that would be the tough part.

My friends and their Vera - Alissa

Alissa is one of those friends that wasn’t so sure about Vera when I first started carrying it, but just like most of my friends, she slowly but surely began to like it. I bought her a Yellow Bird Clip Zip ID case for Christmas two years ago. She likes black and I figured the print wasn’t too loud or old ladyish, not that Alissa would shy away from loud. On the same day that I gave her that, we went shopping in Roseville at the Signature Store. I forget what I was shopping for, but Alissa found a small cosmetic case in Peacock and bought it to throw in her purse or diaper bag. That was enough Vera to last her a while, but slowly but surely she started collecting more pieces. Last Christmas she got a Bali Gold (aka, Pink Lemonade if you are Alissa) Miller.

Alissa has a cousin named Christy who also loves Vera, so that didn’t help. She met up with her cousin for lunch one day while Vera was having a sale and decided to go check it out. Alissa ended up with a Large Cosmetic, Ditty and another Miller. The Miller ended up getting returned, but she kept the rest.

Most recently she bought a Pleated Tote in Paprika to take with her to our sorority convention in Orlando at the end of the month. I think that she is going to be shocked to see how many people at convention are carrying Vera!

It is fun to be able to go Vera shopping with Amber and Alissa when I am in Sacramento, so I am glad that they are both fans now! Alissa even has recruited new fans! She dragged her coworker Tiffany with her to a Signature Store and last I heard, Tiffany has more Vera stuff than Alissa! It just takes one and then you are hooked!

Ebay

Decided that I better sell a couple of things on ebay to make room for new stuff! Thought I might as well post the link on here.

I am selling a Simply Violet Curling Iron Cover and a Hope Garden Taxi Wallet. Here is the link.

Vera Sighting!

So much VERA

Vera Sighting sent from Alicia

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

Vera Sighting!

Caffe Latte Betsy at PETCO Park.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

40% off retiring colors and styles at Signature Stores

Starting today you can get 40% off of the retiring colors and styles at Signature Stores. I called the San Francisco Store this morning and ordered a Hipster in Loves Me. I cant wait until it arrives! So much for seeing how long I could go without buying Vera. A whopping 4 days.

I am not sure when the sale will be 40% off online, it is still 25% off.

San Diego Fair

Yesterday I had an amazing time with my mom and sister at the fair. At the last minute I switched up my Tote for my Saddle Up. If I am going to have to carry my bag all day there is no way I am taking a shoulder bag. I don’t know why I even tried the Tote. I have never bought a Hipster, but now that they are retiring I might get one in Loves Me.

My sister had a Vera Sighting of her own and snapped this picture of me and my mom when we weren’t paying attention.

We walked through one of the exhibit halls that had just plants and flowers and I saw this table of Dahlias. I had to take a picture since one of the new Fall prints is Hello Dahlia. Who is excited for July 8?! I am!

I also want to say thanks to everyone who checked out my blog after it was posted on the Vera Bradley facebook page! That was really exciting for me and I am happy to have new readers!

Vera Sighting!

Bucket tote in Symphony in Hue. A little blurry, she was on the move.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Vera Sighting

Symphony in Hue Bowler in the exhibit hall
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Vera Sighting

Medallion backpack at the sheep exhibit
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Headed to the fair

I am headed out to the Del Mar Fair today...er...San Diego County Fair. I have the day off today which is nice because it breaks up what would have been 18 days of work in a row. I was trying to decide which bag to bring, I usually like one that goes across my body when I am going to be out and about all day, but I might take a tote today. Last night my mom suggested that I wear a backpack. I guess she forgot that I bought a Mod Floral Pink Backpack last year but returned it after she said it was too floral. What does too floral even mean? Maybe I should have kept that backpack. She will be sporting her Piccadilly Plum Backpack today.

I am feeling matchy, matchy today, so I think that I am going to go with my Mod Floral Blue Tote to match my navy outfit.

I am off to eat my way through the fair! Can't wait to have a cinnamon roll! They are my favorite!

Surprise and Delight

A couple of weeks ago I woke up to a very fun surprise! I woke up to a message from Vera Bradley on facebook!

"Thanks for your comments about our Patchwork Collection. We really like it too. We'd love to send you a little Patchwork treat for being such a great friend and fan."

I had commented on their post about the new Patchwork Collection that was coming out. I even found what I posted - “I am excited about the new patchwork! I think that I am going to have to get a Charleston Tote in Simply Violet!”

I was soooo excited!

I sent in my address and got a message back that it would be sent out in a week. Well, it arrived yesterday! They sent me a Simply Violet Flapper Wristlet! I couln’t believe it! I was so surprised! I have been wanting one ever since my sister exchanged an All in One Wristlet that I got her for a Flapper Wristlet.

I can’t tell you how glad I am that I commented on their post! I was truely excited about the new patchwork that was coming out. I now have two of the Charleston Totes and and will probably get another one soon. So, if there is ever a Vera Bradley post that you like, be sure to comment on it! They love to surprise and delight their fans and it just might be you!

Today's Post - Take 2

Grr. I had written my whole post but while I was writing it my internet connection was lost. (How does that even happen?! I have internet through my cable company, so frustrating) So when I hit the button to post today's blog it took me to the page to tell me I wasn’t connected and my post was lost. What a bummer! So lets try this again.

Yesterday it was a lot of fun to carry my Chanticleer bag! One woman absolutely loved it! I was kind of shocked. She said that she had made a pillow with chickens and ribbons on it for her friend who just graduated. So we bonded over chickens and roosters. AND she was the same age as me!

I am considering keeping track of how many days I can go without purchasing anything Vera Bradley. Maybe it will keep me from searching craigslist and ebay for good finds. So I bought the Chanticleer bag on Sunday and we will count today. 2 days, no Vera.

Chanticleer!

Soooo, I had a fun find on craigslist on Friday! I found a listing for a Vera Bradley Rooster bag. I thought no way! So I clicked on the link and sure enough it was a Chanticleer Petite Villager! I was so excited, so I emailed the woman who made the post to see if the bag was still available. She called a few hours later to let me know it was available, so I said I would take it! The only problem was that it was in Fallbrook, which is about an hour away from where I work. Yesterday I got off work at 2:00pm and my only plan that night was to go to my parents house for dinner, so I just took a small detour to pick up the purse.

She listed it as like new, but it does have a small spot that is worn at the end of the zipper, no big deal though. She probably washed it once or twice, but other than that it is in great condition!

I am so excited about this bag! When I got to my parents house my Mom told me that I didn’t need another bag and that I should stop buying them unless I sell one. My sister saw it and thought that it was amazing. My dad didn’t believe me when I said it had roosters and eggs on it, he said no, it must be chickens. Nope, roosters. I also told my mom that now I feel like a real collector because I have a Chanticleer bag. Then she asked me when I started calling myself a collector. Well I guess once you have over 100 you can call yourself a collector, right?

The petite villager is a little on the small side, but I am going to give it a try today and see how it goes. My coworkers are going to think that I am crazy.

Vera Bradley Sighting

Call Me Coral Cha Cha Bag at PETCO Park

Vera Bradley Sighting

Alissa had another sighting! JK it is just her husband. He looks good with orange!

Vera Bradley Sighting

Alissa had a Vera Bradley sighting in the Vegas Airport bathroom. And I thought that I was a stalker, haha.

Too much Vera?

This week has been one of those weeks where I have pondered if I do in fact own too much Vera. My place is pretty small and it seems like when I don’t have a place to put something it ends up on my dining room table and the busier I am, the most stuff it seems to collect. I walked in the door this week and as I made my way to the dining room table all I could see was the Vera that somehow had started to collect there. My Mod Floral Blue Tote, Cupcakes Pink Pleated Tote, Make Me Blush Charleston Tote, Seaside Port Tote and my Night Owl Wristlet were all at the table, most had taken over a chair. I looked at it all sitting there and wondered if I was really getting enough use out of all my bags. But I think that the fact that they were all out of the closet meant that they had recently been in my Vera rotation, so indeed I was getting use out of them. That only leads me to think of all the Vera in the closet. While I do have a lot of Vera, I do think that I do a pretty good job using it all. Lately my spending has slowed down and I haven’t really been adding that much to it. I still want a purse in Simply Violet, but I am in no rush. Maybe in the next round of retiring items I can pick something up.

New Layout!

So I am not very creative when it comes to "designing" my blog. There are fun web pages that have great layouts for blogs, but it is so hard to pick, so I originally just went with one that blogger had. Well tonight when I logged in they had new layouts. I know this one isn't that different, but I like it a lot more! It seems cleaner and not so scrunched together. Plus it is easier to see where one post ends and the next one begins. I hope you like it as much as I do :)

One Day Deal - Bucket Tote

You might have already seen this but Bucket Totes are on sale online today for just $24! There is also free shipping on all orders over $75 through Sunday, June 14th.

A lot of people really like the Bucket Tote, I think they are a little small. I think that it is more of a purse size than a tote size, so keep that in mind if you dont have one yet.

Happy Shopping! And if you are shopping online, dont forget ebates!

40% off coming soon

So I was going to maybe buy a Bali Gold Baby Bag for my friend who loves that color. So I called a couple Signature Stores and one of them let me know that the items that are a part of the Summer Sale will be 40% starting on June 18th. I dont know if that is just for in store, or online too. But if you are considering buying any of the retiring items you might see if you can hold out a week. It is a gamble though, who knows if what you want will still be there.

I will probably pass on getting my friend the Baby Bag. She said her husband would never carry it, plus this would be her second, so she probably has enough bags.

$$ Ebates $$

I signed up for ebates about a month ago. Someone had posted about it on the Vera Bradley FB discussion board. I hadn’t really heard about it before, but she had said that they would give you cash back for going through their website to make online purchases and that Vera Bradley was giving a higher percentage than normal for a short period of time. I decided to sign up because I really wanted to buy the Angle Tote, so why not get paid to shop?

Well, I signed up and then forgot to specifically go through the ebates page to do my shopping. I think that I got so excited about the Angle Tote that I didn’t even think of ebates. Well, today I got an email that I an getting $8.25 for my purchase I made last month on verabradley.com! AMAZING. I had read something on their webpage that they use your email address to track your purchases, so maybe since I used the same email address for both it was able to pick it up somehow? I am not really sure. I really should research it more, especially since I am taking the time to write about it.

I do know that I got $5 just for signing up. So I am up to $13.25! They mail out checks 4 times a year, so sometime in August I should be receiving my check. Pretty cool!

If you are interested in signing up or learning more, you can use this link. There are a bunch of online stores on their website. But in full disclosure, I want you to know that I get $5 for each of you that sign up. I don’t even know the woman who had posted the link on the discussion page, isn’t she lucky?!

Happy Shopping!

Back to blogging

I have been bad lately and haven’t really written any posts. I have mostly just been posting good deals or photos. I will try to write more. I don’t think that I realized how much time it would take to try to write a blog 5 times a week. Sometimes I get so caught up doing other things, that the blog gets put on the back burner.

Yesterday I ran in the Rock n Roll marathon on a relay team with 3 of my friends. We had an amazing time! While we were waiting for our 4th person to finish the last leg of the race Vera bags popped up everywhere! It was like one after another! Every time I see one, I pretty much shout, “OMG, look there is a Vera bag!” Haha. I don’t know why I get such a kick out of Vera sightings in San Diego, but I do.

On Friday we had to go to the convention center to pick up our packets and bibs. One of my friends said there was no way I was going to see a Vera bag. We all went our separate ways to our different check in tables. I was with Alex and Colleen at the relay check in table and all of a sudden it happened! A Vera Sighting! There was a Hipster in Blue Rhapsody hanging on the back of a chair. Someone had moved out of the way and I could see it. Next thing I know I am yelling for Nina to come see the Vera bag so that I could prove her wrong, that someone at the expo would have a Vera bag. Well, Nina was no where to be seen because they had already checked in and moved into the expo part of the room. So I whipped out my blackberry and took a photo and immediately uploaded it to the blog. The woman had a death grip on the bag; I think that she was afraid I would walk off with it because I was so excited to see it.

Our relay team has a facebook page if you want to check it out! Team MADness We finished in less than 7 hours and that was our goal. Go team! Thanks to Karen, Colleen & Alex for being amazing teammates! We finished a marathon…now that’s MADness!

It is like a fun game today.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

And another!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry