Twenty-nine years of marriage, five kids, three grandkids, cooking and laundry and dishes and youth group and dance class and gardening and homeschool and high school girl’s Bible study and youth group and blogging and on, and on, and on —  I LOVE my life!  God has blessed me beyond all human reason!

Every once in awhile, though, I come to the sudden realization that the sameness and routine, of every day life in small-town America, has made me complacent in one particular area of my life.  I try hard to give my best no matter what I’m doing, making sure all the commitments are fulfilled and the needs are met and then…I’m tired.  That ONE thing just doesn’t seem as important anymore.  My appearance is one of the easiest things to let go, as a stay-at-home mom.  The gradual slide into frumpy housefraudom seems to overtake me several times a year, and in my defense, I never start out with the intention to go there.  I KNOW how to be presentable and look good.  I just don’t always make the choice to put in the effort.  I go through these phases of rationalizing, “I’m not planning to leave the house and I’m only going to be doing dishes and laundry all day.  Does it really matter if I just toss my hair up in a ponytail or bun and stay in my favorite comfy cropped sweats ”workout” capris and t-shirt?  Why waste time on makeup, just to vacuum and do the dishes?”  The sudden realization that I’m probably in trouble, and may need an intervention, usually comes after watching an episode of Stacy and Clinton transforming some harried soccer mom with a half dozen kids, into a suburban fashion plate OR when I walk past a mirror and see….

Scary! Laundry day and I definitely haven't taken the time I should to put my best foot forward, even just around the house. You know, just like I do, that when you feel better about the way you look, your attitude changes, and with it, so does your motivation to tackle the task at hand with enthusiasm and energy.

When I recognize that my appearance needs a huge boost, there are two things I can count on to motivate me and give me some inspiration — new hair color or a new purse!  Something about either one makes me enthusiastic to make some changes, taking the time to look my best, regardless of where I am or what I’m going to be doing.

In a small, Midwestern community, a busy mom doesn’t have a large number of opportunities to attend elegant events.  Life is more simple and fashion needs to fit the way we live.  I love purses and change them out often, but being frugal by nature, I always look for a great deal when I add a new bag to my wardrobe.  Though they aren’t as durable and have to be replaced fairly frequently, because they just don’t hold up to everyday wear and tear; I usually opt for the $15 to $20 price range at a local discount store, when picking out a new bag.  I’ve dreamed over designer handbags before, and even had to work pretty hard to talk myself out of a couple of them, but what it always finally comes down to is that a $300 or $400 price tag is simply not practical or sensible for a family budget.  Yes, they are more durable, better made and beautiful, but they’re simply not an affordable investment for me, even over the long-term.

Enter Emilie M.  –  This week, I got an exciting opportunity to review a new purse from Emilie M and it was the perfect motivation to re-do my “look” and go from drab to fab!  These gorgeous, uniquely designed and beautifully crafted, high-quality bags, offer a stylish and fun way to accessorize your wardrobe, in the $55 to $80 price range.  Now, THAT is motivation and much more doable; plus its a great value that averages out over the lifetime of this high-quality purse.  Visit emiliemshop.com to view the full Emilie M. catalog and sign up to be notified when their online boutique launches.

The bag I reviewed is EMM10006 from the Annabel collection.  I selected the Camel color, but it’s also available in Black and Mallard.  I absolutely love the roominess of this bag!  It has three spacious compartments, the center with a zipper closure and the two outer compartments have magnetized snap closures.  There is also another zippered pocket inside the main compartment.  The heavy-duty, glossy, striped lining of the bag is just as pretty as the beautifully, soft and rich-looking outer bag.  I think the attention to detail makes all Emilie M handbags especially unique, and the chocolatey, crocodile-look collar and handles at the top of my bag are perfect examples.  The contrasting top-stitching is the perfect finish to set if off and I love the curvy, feminine lines of this bag.  It’s great with a dressy outfit or with something more casual.  That’s perfect for me and my hectic schedule!

My new Annabel bag is perfect for dressing up.

Even cute on my shoulder.

"Dressed up", but casual is also great with my Annabel handbag.

Even with jeans to run around town, my Emilie M purse is a perfect accessory!

Whether I’m dressing up for a special occasion, doing “dressy-casual” for a day out with girlfriends or just putting the finishing polish on jeans and a cute top for running errands around town, my new Emilie M bag is the accessory that puts the finishing polish on my outfit and makes me feel fantastic!  When I look my best, I feel differently, I carry myself differently and I enjoy whatever I’m doing, so much more.  It doesn’t hurt that my husband loves it when I take the time to make sure I’m looking my best, either.  If he’s happy about my look, I feel fabulous!

There is an Emilie M bag for every personality, fashion style and outfit.  Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on promotions and their online boutique’s launch and check out their Pinterest boards for some great fashion accessorizing ideas!

Check out this exciting giveaway from Emilie M! They have allowed me to post their Rafflecopter entry form right here at Busy-at-Home, so you have a chance to enter, too. I would love it if a Busy-at-Home reader was the winner!

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I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric