Things I found that I love...

Yes my husband thinks I am insane but oh well.  I love office supplies, I don't know why I just do and when I went to Office Depot over the weekend and found these little gems, I was ecstatic.  Combine my love for office supplies, shoes and bags and this is what you get...

Yes you see correctly it is a post it note holder in the shape of a leather bag and a pink high heeled shoe tape dispenser.  I saw them and I could not pass them up, what shoe and bag whore could. Lovers them.

Travel Tips and of course more shoes and other things

More Packing tips, because I need them

Some travelers jam two weeks' worth of gear in their bags for a long weekend. Others pack a bit too lightly and forget important things like medicine or passports. Savvy travelers strike the perfect balance and bring just what they need -- with a little help from our list of road-tested packing tips, of course!

Packing Methods
When packing your clothes, you don't want to neatly fold them individually as you would in a dresser. If you do, they will crease when compressed. Here are a few alternatives:

Rolling Your Clothes
Backpackers swear by this method. Rolling works well with pants, skirts and sports shirts. Lay the item face down, fold back the sleeves and then roll from the bottom up.

Fold Clothes Together
Take two or more garments, for example trousers, and lay half of one pair on top of the other. Fold the one on the bottom over the pair on the top. Then take the other and fold it on the top. This gives each pair some cushion where you've folded it so it's less likely to crease or wrinkle in the folds.

The Bundle Approach
This ingenious method of packing, which we learned from Judith Guilford, co-founder of the Easy Going travel store and author of the "The Packing Book," has now become our favorite. It's a bit difficult to explain without a demonstration, but we'll do our best. You need luggage that opens up and lays flat to do this. You will also need a flat, soft, pouch-like rectangular "core" with dimensions that are at least 1/2 to 3/4 the size of your luggage compartment. This can be a pouch filled with underwear or something similar.


Start with your sports jacket or the longest, most wrinkle-prone item you have. With the collar or waistband flat, place it against the bottom edge of the bag and drape the rest of the garment over the opposite side of the bag. Take another garment and place it in the opposite direction, flattening and smoothing out both garments in the bag and draping the remainder over the side. If you have trousers or other narrow items, do the same with them in the narrow direction of the bag. Keep alternating your items, ending up with the most wrinkle-resistant clothes you have.

When you finish, place your "core" in the middle. Now you're going to start folding the garments over the core and each other in the reverse order you put them in. If you fold something over and there's excess draping over the sides of the bag, tuck it underneath the bundle you are creating.

What you will end up with is a bundle of all of your clothes that looks like a pillow. You can pick it up in one piece. It's compactly packed and doesn't waste an available space in your luggage. Plus, because of the way things are folded, your clothes will wrinkle less.

To find something in the bundle, lay it flat and unwrap until you reach the layer you want. Take the item out and refold the remainder. If done properly each layer should result in a self contained bundle at each layer.

Tissue Paper
For delicate items, try tissue paper. Lay the item face down and place tissue paper on top. Fold it up with the tissue paper inside. Use additional layers of paper as you fold the garment so it is completely wrapped in and around paper. This is easy enough the first time you pack, but becomes a pain if you have to keep repacking. We only use this approach for evening clothes that we don't want to crush.

Tips for Air Travelers

 You may not pack liquid or gel substances in your carry-on unless they are in individual three-ounce containers, enclosed in one clear, quart-size, plastic, zip-top bag per passenger. Any larger containers of liquids and gels must be packed in your checked luggage. For more information, see Know Before You Go: Airport Security Q&A.

 Be aware of restrictions on the size and number of bags you may bring onto your flight. Many airlines now charge a fee for every checked bag or have lowered the maximum permitted weight limits for checked luggage. For a clear overview of what the airlines are charging for checked bags these days, and how large and heavy your luggage is allowed to be, read Airline Baggage Fees.

 Do not lock your checked bags except with TSA-approved locks; otherwise, if your bag is selected for random screening, agents will have to break the lock to get inside.

 Do not overpack your bag. Screeners will have a difficult time closing your luggage if selected for inspection, which will only lead to wrinkles and the potential for lost articles.

 Carry all film with you onboard, as screening equipment for checked luggage can damage undeveloped film.

 Place any packed belongings you don't feel comfortable with strangers handling in clear plastic bags.

 Do not stack books and other documents on top of each other; instead, spread them out throughout your bag.

Take the Independent Traveler Packing Quiz

You Are an Overpacking Procrastinator Instead of crafting a careful list of must-pack items well before your trip, you tend to wait until the last minute and stuff as much as you can into your suitcase. You rarely forget to pack anything, but that's not because you're a particularly careful planner. Instead, you prefer to err on the side of caution by packing anything that maybe, just maybe, could come in handy on your trip. You probably have a hard time distinguishing between items you need to pack and items you want to pack, and you hate the idea of leaving behind anything useful while you're traveling.

And now today's shoe and bag porn!!!!

Kenneth Cole Reaction Flower Gem

$59.00

Bandolino Ubetcha

$69.00

And can I tell you how much I love Kate Spade right now.

Kate Spade Jamesport Natia

$261.50

Kate Spade Maryanne

$296.50

Kate Spade Bali

$198.00

All shoes and bags were brought to you today by Piperlime (love them)

RealSimple's Sneaky Travel Fees...

Minibar Fee

Why you’re being charged: Some mini-bars are on weight sensors. When an item is lifted or just moved, the sensor is triggered and registers with the front desk.

The cost: A $2.50 to $6 flat fee per day.

How to get around it: Steer clear of the minibar. If you accidentally move an item, tell the front desk immediately.

Airport-Car-Rental Facility Fee

Why you’re being charged: Rental-car companies pay concession fees to operate at the airport, and they have the right to pass these costs on to you, the customer.

The cost: As much as 30 to 40 percent more than the base rate at a rental location just outside the airport. For example, expect to pay almost $300 more a week when renting from the Hertz LAX airport location compared with the downtown Los Angeles location, 10 miles away.

How to get around it: Do a cost comparison. Chances are, it will be cheaper to rent off the airport grounds, even if you have to take a taxi or―even better―a free shuttle bus to the other location

Local-Telephone-Call Surcharges

Why you’re being charged: In hotels without a wireless Internet connection, you may be charged for using the phone line with your computer modem. If you use it for at least 20 minutes, you’ll be charged a long-distance rate or a flat fee that’s usually around $25.

The cost: $1 to $2.50 a call (including 800 numbers).

How to get around it: If you plan on using a modem, ask about the charges for this before your make your reservation, and write down the day, the time, and the name of the reservationist, in case you need to dispute a charge. 

Source

And of course I need my shoe and bag fix today

PUMA SPEED PRINCESS BALLERINA PL

$79.95

Zappos

Everyone needs some sneakers for walking.

XcessRize Designs DELUX HOBO STYLE DIAPER CAMERA MARKET BAG BOOK GYM TOTE PURSE carnival bloom lime or pink accents w/ hard bottom base / messenger strap  

$69.99 I bought this bag to carry all of my crap on the plane in, It is cute and roomy and will fit my Netbook if I so please.