I've been holding off doing this post until I actually have bought a handbag. (Shocked that I don't own a handbag? It's a long story...) When I say proper handbag I mean one that is an everyday handbag and then I wanted to wait to so that the clutter to begin to build up so that a post like this would be interesting.

But can I just say that finding a handbag that I loved was a challenge. Seriously! Blood sweat and tears! (Well maybe not the blood...)

Even though I don't classify it as my handbag, recently I have been carrying around this little calico bag so I figured considering I am a super impatient person and this is my unofficial handbag. Today is the perfect day to tell you what's in my bag.


Let's start first with my bag.
This little, (I say little because it's not usual shopping bag size and only just fits an A4 sheet of paper) calico bag was from Typo about 2-3 years ago and since then has been seriously well loved. It is my go to bag when I've wanted something larger than a clutch or something causal.
I am a person who loves air mail styled stationary and so this bag called to me from across the counter. I do believe that it was one of those bags that cost me a couple of dollars extra on top of whatever I was buying and went to supporting the Cotton On Foundation change lives in disadvantages areas.

Because this bag is small there is not a lot of beauty product in there. This year I've been one of those people who does their makeup in the morning and spends all day with her fingers crossed that their makeup will last and stay in place and not require any touch ups. That being said I do always make sure I have one of these in whatever bag I'm using.
I love Blistex's Ultra Lip Balm, actually I really like most of their lip balms but this has to be my favourite. It gives my lips a nice feeling protective coating and leaves my lips feeling smooth and moisturised especially when they're chapped or sore.

Also beauty or rather skin care related. This hand cream ended up in my bag this week which is great for two reasons;
1. Because I am always out without a hand cream and it is the worst!
2. I thought that I had lost this hand cream forever.
I got given this hand cream from one of my teachers last year and since then it has been my go to hand cream. It leaves my hands feeling soft but not greasy as the cream is very lightweight and it absorbs well into the skin and as an added bonus it smells YUMMY!

I picked this nail file up today because I had the worst hangnail ever! It was wreaking havoc on everything I did and touched!
It cost me about $2.95 and is actually probably a little too big for my liking but I thought the little owl in the house was very cute and it did the job perfectly.

Moving away from beauty and hand/nail care in my bag usually has my current book because I'm one of those people who likes to be ready for any chance to read a book.
I love to read which is why I adore the library but I have a knack for picking up some seriously strange books from the library. No denying the books are always compelling but not necessarily a delightful or happy read.
Pretty Girl is an addictive read with plenty of twist and turn and those characters who just don't know what you know! A touch of love and plenty of mystery to keep you reading. I just finished this and have to say that it's not necessarily a joyful read but definitely worth the time spent reading it.

These days I also carry around this notebook.
This is where I write all my blogging ideas and blog post when I'm away from my computer. I love it because it's so small and cute but recently I've been finding that it is a little too small (open it would be about the size of half and sheet of A5) and so writing a single idea takes 2-3 pages alone.

Obviously there's my wallet.
I've spoken about it before (in the same handbag post) but I just love it so much! Carrying it around makes me happy and because it's hand made with vintage fabric I can be fairly sure that it's either one of a kind or one of very few.

And my phone.
A two year old HTC One mini (which is impossible to find cases for! It was lucky I found the one on it!). There is no chance that I'd want to upgrade this phone any time soon because I think it's the best phone. Definitely the best phone that I've ever had. I've dropped it close to a hundred times (that sounds like I'm careless, but I promise I'm not!) and it's still uncracked and functioning!

These got tucked in my bag coming home from work.
Glucojel is the best jelly bean brand out there! It's stocked in pharmacies and is actually in the top ten products sold in pharmacies!
Recently they brought out these mint flavoured jelly beans which sounds weird but surprisingly works and they taste so good! (But that's coming from someone who loved Minties!) They may become a more of a frequent visitor in my bag!

Other things in my bag that I didn't photograph;
$40 off Spotlight voucher
I love it when Spotlight, which is probably my favourite fabric and craft store sends out big vouchers. I can easily spend the $100 minimum required (because fabric is expensive) so that these vouchers are the best!

Black Hair Ribbon
Because my friends think that I'm a Disney princess because I can tie a ribbon in my hair without needing a hair tie or bobby pin. But often this doesn't last too long (like today) and the ribbon ends up in my bag and a hair tie in my hair. Which is exactly what happened here!

Left to right: Simplicity #4734 (1960's), Butterick #9405 (1959), Weigel's #1472 (1950's) and Simplicity 1699 (2015)

Finally in my bag are these shirt patterns (which are mostly vintage) because I'm making Christmas shirts! I had to pick up the fabric and it's always better to take the pattern with you because then you can check how much fabric you need and any other requirements.

So that's my bag today!

I'd love to hear what you carry around in your bag. If there are essentials that you have in your bag? Strange things?

Let me know! Send me links if you've done this on your blog!

xx