reinforcing the troops

I've admitted that I've been spending a good bit of time searching for the perfect new purse.  Quite frankly, I've gotten bogged down by my pickiness.  I wanted one purse to be able to handle all duties.  [I just had to exercise so much self-control to not type "one purse to rule them all".  Nerrrrd.]

Then, in a perfect storm of Banana Republic having a sale, and the wonders of Pinterest giving me new direction, I realized that I'm allowed to have more than one purse.  More than two, in fact.  So this light tan, smaller, more chic satchel is now mine:

My one hesitation was that I wanted to be able to still fit my daily necessities in this smaller purse.  But all of this fits (and internal pockets make it much more organized than my old purse):

I can fit my big Moleskine, which holds my Kindle, stamps, notes, and other miscellaneous items, my sunglasses, anti-bacterial hand spray, a little vanity mirror that Will bought me years ago, the rose lip salve that I've mentioned before, a hair clip for uncooperative days, my wallet, my 2012 Moleskine planner (I love the small size!), a pen (though I usually have 3 or 4...I am an editor, after all), and my cell phone.  I could also fit a scarf, which is great because I'm almost always freezing.

So my purse troop is on its way towards being stronger, and my life is a bit more organized and streamlined.  Not a bad way to start the new year!

[NB: You might notice that there's also a weird ball thing in that picture.  It's a nut, or maybe a seed....mmm...I think a nut, that Will found on our honeymoon in Kauai.  It was one of those things that floated around in pockets and bags, and ended up in my purse.  Now it makes me happy to feel it when I'm poking around for lip gloss or a pen.  It's the little things, ja?]