Happy Birthday from Vera Bradley

As you all know, I'm a Vera girl!  The minute my birthday card from Vera Bradley arrived, I started thinking about how I would spend my $20 gift card.  Oh the choices!  I love having a birthday in March, the new summer patterns are released this month.  It's a good excuse to go pick one up immediately.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, if you're a customer at one of Vera Bradley's Signature stores and on their mailing list they will send you a card during your birthday month for $20!  You used to only be able to use it at the store you were signed up at but the last couple of years you have also been able to use it online.

So mine came and I had to go spend it, you know, cause I NEED a new bag!  Judging from my purse shelf, you may all thinking I might have a problem.  These are just the bags I rotate for every day. This does not include my really big bag I use for travel or any of my wallets, coin purses, pouches, travel jewelry cases, or stationery.  Just thought I'd share that, so that now you know I have an addiction!

Back to my story, ER and I recently met my friend Margaret for a little shopping at the Signature store at the Somerset Collection.  I go there so often that the associates know us, although I will say it might be because ER is always so personable and talkative.  Plus the ladies always love seeing her decked out in all her VB glory.  That little girl has more than most adults I know.  She's even on the birthday list and gets her own birthday card from the Signature Stores every July.

This time I was totally planning on doing a good deed and spending the gift card on a birthday present for my MIL.  Norma is quite the world traveler and during our family trip to Florida, she liked the convience of my Bookbag in Mocha Rouge, that I use as a hands free diaper bag.  She just wanted the slightly smaller Backpack version, which still holds a lot.  I know, I've got one in Blue Rhapsody.  It's perfect for traveling and the toddler years when you have to lug around sippy cups, pull ups, extra clothes, and snacks.

I went in with the intention of getting Norma a Backpack...but a little something else might have left with me instead. Oops!  But it was such a good deal and I've wanted a bag in Folkloric for the longest time.  The pattern is part of the spring sale; I used my gift card, so really I couldn't not buy it. Right?  Right?  C'mon I need some back up on this to convince Brad that my bag shelf had room to squeeze on one more!

This is the super sweet sales associate who helped us last time.  She was so nice to take our picture with Margaret and pose for me herself.  I took down her name and then lost it!  If she is reading this, I apologize!  I totally meant to give you a little shout out for your excellent assistance!  You are proof that Vera Bradley has the nicest employees.  You were so helpful and friendly, that you and the rest of the staff are a big reason why we love going to your store.

When ER was still in preschool we used to go for all the new release days.  Now that she's in kindergarten we can't make more than sixty minute drive on week days, darn it that whole going school thing.  Now we have to confine our VB runs to weekends and days off when we head across to town to see my parents or Grandma Norma.  Another Signature store opened closer to home but I haven't been to it yet.  I've been going to the Somerset location for so long, it kinda feels like it would be cheating to go meet the gals at the Twelve Oaks store.