Hiya, hiya, hiya! I’m Gemma Brocato and I’m here to reveal the cluttered contents of my purse (or pocketbook as my Nona used to call it). Please don’t take the contents of my purse to be a sign that my mind is equally cluttered. You might however agree that my purse shelf is a bit of a mess. I have more handbags than I use. But honestly, I might need that little yellow bag, or the beautiful red one at some point in the future. I can’t bear to part with them
B - My wallet. It may not look it, but that thing is at least 20 years old. It fits well in the smaller purses that I carry but isn’t too small to get lost in my oversized bags.
C - Sunscreen with SPF 30. I am so pasty white that I never chance getting caught in the sunlight without it. I might burn up like Luke Evans in Dracula Untold.
D - My business card holder. True story, the TSA does not like it when this goes through their airport screener. My purse is searched almost every time. For them I leave the used tissues in it. Ooh - I’m not so nice afterall.
E - My sunglasses and Sylvia Day pouch from RWA 2014. I fangirled all over that lady in San Antonio. And held my head up after. My eyes are blue-green and glare bothers me, so I go nowhere without my sunglasses (PSA here - save your eyes from macular degeneration - wear sunglasses whenever you are outside).
F - An expired postcard for a discount at Designer Show Warehouse. I keep those bad boys way past their expiration dates. I can’t explain it.
G - Author SWAG. Never leave home without it.
H - Mints. No explanation necessary. But I should say, this brand is now my dad’s favorite.
I - A contact lens case. Don’t know why I carry this because I don’t generally have solution or even my glasses. I guess it just makes me feel more prepared to have it.
J - A traveling pill box because I always carry pain reliever, allergy medication and acid reducer. I do not like to feel icky and this little item has saved my life on many occasions. The lives of many of my friends as well, since they know I’m always packing. Another item the TSA doesn’t approve of.
K - A travel sized, folding hairbrush. I received this in an Estee Lauder Gift With Purchase 20 years ago. What can I say...when I like something, I keep it.
L - A spare USB drive. Hey- my life’s work is backed up on this scrap of plastic.
M - Car keys with the entry fob for the gym I very rarely attend. Honestly, I typically only go when I need to catch up on my reading. I hop on a treadmill and go to town.
N - A key chain with all the other fobs and loyalty tags I’ve amassed over the years.
O - My pad of dreams. No more notes on napkins, or receipts (remember, I cleared those all out). I’m high class all the way. I also carry lots of pens.
P - Bandaids, for those times when I’m careless and injure myself (or I put my friction block on too late and don’t stop the blisters). Again, my friends know I have these and will always ask if they need it.
Q - Another Estee Gift with purchase. This one is like my own little tool kit. I have super glue, Velcro, dental floss, a nail file, and anti-itch cream.
I know, I know. I carry the mommy bag. In spite of the fact that my children are grown-ups, the contents of my purse ensure I’m still prepared for whatever emergency arises.
So that's the contents of my bag. I'm wondering what the most intriguing in your bag.
Hearts entwined, their love will conquer history.
Jem Kerrigan appears to have it all. Her husband, Jack, loves her to distraction. She owns a thriving café in Granite Pointe, and she’s considering expanding her business. The only thing not falling nicely into place, the thing she wants most, is a baby bump.
Hoping to distract Jem from their inability to conceive, Jack buys Sea View House and encourages her to pursue her dream of opening a banquet space. Jem is skeptical when she sees the dilapidated wreck atop a bluff. Deserted for a decade, rumors are rampant about ghosts and ill-fated love stories. While there is something haunting about the hundred-year-old mansion, the woven hearts enchants Jem.
After discovering the tragic story of the original owners, Jem begins to understand the importance of the carvings of entwined hearts scattered throughout the house. The motif quickly becomes a symbol of Jem’s love for Jack. The promise of their future together is spirited, even if Jem’s arms remain empty.