For days when I’m a bit jammed for time I’ll update my blog with Instant Gratification Items (“IGI”) that I pick up here or there in my pathetic attempt at a shopping ban. We can treat this both as a third of my series (besides the ongoing FIMTSO and FWTWYL series) and a challenge of sorts. Let’s just say these items have to be less than $50 a pop and I have to be able to take a photo of each item in actual use.

In other words, I can’t just buy cheap junk (that ends up unused) while treating my shopping withdrawals. You know what I’m talking about here…the hands start to shake, the mouth goes dry, and money seems to fall out of my wallet while I’m sweating bullets. And no, I am NOT allowed to photographically dissect a Chanel bag into 40 pieces and post about it 40 times in order to fall under the monetary cap. The whole idea here is to force myself to (a) not shop impulsively and (b) wean myself from the urge to use retail therapy as a way to de-stress. The nicotine patch doesn’t seem to work too well for smokers and I’m guessing this IGI thing I’m trying now will have about the same success rate. But what the heck, let’s give it a go. Maybe after the tenth IGI blog entry I’ll be shamed into a real shopping ban. Yeah, uh huh.

IGI 1: Liberty for M.A.C. makeup bag, $25. I had to go to 4 M.A.C. stores to find this and it’s sold out online. Hey, there are birds (larks perhaps?) in the pattern so I’m all over it!

IGI in use: here it is inside my purse! Isn’t it funny that Liberty is collaborating with everyone and their grandmother? Not that I’m complaining, but maybe I need some freedom from Liberty 😉