Ding! Dong! Delightful!

One of the pitfalls I've found to being a trapped at home Stay-at-Home Haus Frau is that I no longer have the (bodily & financial) freedom to indulge in one of my favourite hobbies, The Therapy de Retail. I use to love wandering aimlessly about the town, enjoying the fun of picking up a bargain and swinging my packages joyously, like Carrie Bradshaw from 'Sex and the City'.

 Oftentimes, in between paycheques, I was quite happy to window shop, like a whistful Holly Golightly peering into the window of Tiffany's while munching on a croissant and sipping my latte. I could get a thrill without having to spend a cent, just soaking up the beauty and splendour of tantalising objects and adding them to my neverending mental Wish-List I carried about in my head.

After becoming mamma to 3 little lasses, my shopping expeditions became few and far between, and were often undertaken under pressure and with little enjoyment. My purchases were dedicated to my daughters, buying 3 of everything, buying in bulk, buying on sale, buying in haste. As I had become unaccustomed to venturing out amongst the masses, I found the shopping experience overwhelming, exhausting and (shock! horror!) unsatisfying.
I gave up shopping for myself. My body had changed so much after 3 children that I found clothes shopping and fashion depressing.

But then I discovered something new and exciting, something that brought a glimmer of hope back into my retail experience. My New Thrill:

ONLINE SHOPPING!

Oh, my God! How my life did change with the act of a click!
The world (literally) was at my fingertips. I was no longer bound by the constraints of time, or how far I could walk/drive/tram it to a store. I could shop the world without a babysitter:... and I have!
I think my first clandestine internety-purchases all began with  a mummy-tummy silhouette-enhancing girdle, and some very flattering 'Special Night' lingerie (not worn at the same time, obviously. The girdle would be what is otherwise known as a 'Passion Killer'). But I digress... The thrill of opening that naughty but oh-so-nice package was addictive. I needed more! And so my lingerie drawer flourished (so much easier and more satisfying than buying clothes) and so did the 'Special Nights'.

I still shop from and adore little shops and boutiques. I love walking in and discovering little treasures and inhaling wonderful scents and feeling different textures. I love talking to store owners and discovering little stories behind their wares. In this cyber day and age these independant stores need all the support they can get. But realistically, I'm not in a position to just get up and leave the house any time I want (unless I want my children to suffer serious injury or set our house on fire) and taking (my) 3 children shopping altogether would send me (and the shop staff) insane (I want! I want! Iwant!). No thank you. So when my favourite stores offer an online option it fills my heart with glee.

For convenience and for being spoilt for choice, I am just in love with online shopping. My most recent purchases are eclectic, from all over the world, and are things that I adore and treasure.
I recently purchased a gorgeous little coat from the 'Carmakoma' label in Denmark. I enjoyed pondering the journey of my little Danish parcel, wrapped in it's exquisite Danish paper, being lorryied by a little Danish postal van, passed carefully onto a little aeroplane heading down to the Antipodes: the Wonderful Land of Oz (Australia), and left lovingly at my front door.

Ding! Dong!

Other recent joyous purchases have included some lovely Mexican crafted Arte de Mi Familia accessories. I just love my resin bangle with flaming heart and my milagro (miracle) necklace featuring red turquoise. I love the fact that each piece is lovingly handmade by a wonderfully talented family and that it has travelled to the other side of the world to be loved and treasured by me.

I love discovering the wealth of handmade wonders found on sites like Etsy, MadeIt and even Facebook. I like seeking the unusual, the ecclectic, the one-off, whether it's locally made, or created over on the Other Side of the World.

I don't want to say I'm a shopaholic (which I probably am), but I'm afraid that my delivery man might suspect that I'm up to some kind of illegal mischief with the amount of packages coming through. Or else he thinks I'm in love with him. It's almost embarrassing when I open the door and he's standing there holding yet another package. I laughingly joke  'See you again tomorrow' forgetting that yes, I had indeed ordered something else, and yes, he most likely will have to come back tomorrow. Woops!

But I suspect I am not the only member of The Club de Click! Click! Ding! Dong!

Are you one of Us?

Do you have any delectable sites you'd care to share?

My husband's wallet won't thank you for it, but I will.

xxxxx