I tend to like gadgets. I seldom buy online or from tv shows, but I just bought two items that I really like. One is the Purse Brite handbag organizer. I love it.

Lightweight, it has 10 pockets for items such as your cell phone, lipstick, sunglasses, pillbox, keys, etc. I believe I paid $15.95 + shipping through home shopping network, but now I see you can buy it other places online cheaper. But, I do like it. You put your things in the pockets, wrap it in a circle and drop it into your purse. Drop your wallet in the middle and you're good to go. When you want to change bags, pick it up and transfer the whole thing to the other bag. I usually cannot find my office keys when I get to work and have to dig for 5 minutes before I find them. Not to mention other items. This thing is great. It has a light and comes with a pair of lighted magnifiying tweezers and a magnifying compact. Has anyone else ever bought one of these?

The other thing I bought that came yesterday is Clever Clasp. Again, I found I can get it cheaper by going to www.cleverclasp.com and ordering it there. I may go order more. These attach to a necklace or bracelet and have magnetic ends and make it so easy to put your jewelry on and take it off. Don't have to deal with small lobster claw casps or tiny spring rings. I think these would be helpful to those who love jewelry but also have a hard time because of arthritis or long nails. I'm going to look up the mall first because they have a store that has stuff you can buy on tv and lots of these items are sold there for less.

Speaking of jewelry: I bought another gadget at the Brookstone outlet store while in NH recently. A jewelry cleaning machine. I saw one similar in a book that I was going to buy that was $50. This one was 50 marked down to $20 so I tried it. It's great. You can put quite a few pieces of jewelry in a basket, drop it into the machine, add water and a few drops of liquid detergent, close the cover and press a button. The jewelry cleans in minutes. It comes out nice too. It's fast, easy and not messy. If I ew this, I would have paid $50 if I had to.

Now if I could just organize my messy computer room and my closet............

Thanks for sharing, Louisa. I always love it when someone I know tries things first...that way you get the REAL scoop! I saw the purse organizer on tv...nice to know it works well.

We have a store called Lakeland..Outlets in major cities.This shop has many gagets.
The best I have is a RAMOSKA..Humlan may know due to it being Czeck in origin. When my deaughter went there she bought another as a back up.
Basicly its an electric pot with the element in the lid.I cook chicken roast potatoes roast vegetables pizza sponge and no doubt I love it.There is a glass "window" in the lid to view the process. There are three sizes to suit everyone.Once prepared the meal cooks by its self..leaving the cook to enjoy her visitors.
MA

I remember a post (oh, who was it?) right after Christmas, about clever clasps.

RAMOSKA - is this anything like a crock pot?

One gadget, that I really like, that we don't see much in the states (at least not in my part of the country) is the electric tea kettle. Everywhere I have been in Europe has one. The water heats quickly and shuts of automatically.

I saw Clever Clasps hanging on a peg at our Hobby Lobby last week. I don't wear jewelry so I hardly looked twice, but I do remember the "As Seen on TV" in the red bubble.

The gadget I'd like to try is the Aero Garden. I'd like to have a room dedicated to a 1/2 dozen of them, with a mini fridge in the corner - a salad on the go spot.

REMOSKA I don't think it's exactly the same, anno... I had to know what it was too, so I looked it up.

Anno, that kettle was one of the things we loved so much while in Ireland. It was fab!

Anno
the Ramoska is different from a crockpot.
It stands on a trivet all metal apart from handle and glass "window" more like an electric fry pan but the lid has the heating element.
It seems it was used almost as an oven.Its been around in Czechoslavkia a long time and made a come back.Many of the recipes in the cookbook are for game..
It seems that caravaners use them. All the goodness is kept in the pot.
MA

Now, I never said I buy cooking gadgets. I used to, years ago, but not now. That would meant I might have to cook.

LadyJane, just an FYI - the space bags weren't so great. I didn't buy them on tv, but I bought them somewhere. More trouble than they are worth, I think.

My quest
the perfect bag.
Not too many pockets...where things get forgotten.
Nor too small...nor too heavy
safe with hidey places for spare knickers!!!
MA

I got an aero garden for Christmas, and it is fun. The herbs aren't as flavorful as they are when they are grown outdoors, but it's more fun growing them that buying them at the store 8 months of the year.

They also have smaller ones, flower kits and other such stuff.

Am I recommending it? They sure have been easy to work with - I had trouble with one of the bulbs and they replaced it right away, free of charge. They even offered to replace the plants if I wanted.

I'd like to be able to quit carrying a bag, altogether... but, I refuse to wear a fanny pack - isn't that what they're called?

gims, many times I run out without a purse and only a lipstick in my poscket if hubby is with me. I'll even go out alone with my license, credit card, cash and a lipstick in pockets. I love not having to carry a purse.

We have a Verilux lamp in our den that offers excellent light for reading. We inherited it from my MIL. It has mini fluorescent bulbs that are suppose to simulate daylight. It's not the most attractive thing, but we love it.

Yea, that purse/bag thing.

Even when I bike, I do carry the pannier bag around when I lock up bike. Admittedly it feels abit funny not to even have a tiny purse..if only a tiny shoulder bag.

This is why I like a well-designed knapack, leather slim-style purse that I carry on my back. But I have criteria in terms of where zippers/flaps are located..

I have not used a leather shoulder purse..in the past 10 years. No kiddin'.

For job interviews, I don't even carry a purse. I put my clipboard, writing paper and wallet plus hairbrush in my leather case portfolio. It has pockets inside. Large enough to carry a collapsible umbrella. I did carry this into work-related meetings with other colleagues. No purse.

What do I do if I have my period at work....I plot this in advance...I put my feminine hygiene packet(s) in my jacket pocket(s). Put my jacket on and go to the washroom.

But then, you're talking to a woman who in the dressiest of occasions will only carry lipstick, blush and brush in her purse --in terms of cosmetic-related stuff.

Anno, who makes your Aero garden? I would be interested in knowing since you recommend it.

I hate carrying a purse. I will go lots of places with my license, debit card, lipstick, and a couple of mints in my pockets. It's so freeing!

orchid, I don't even carry a brush...and it probably shows, but I'm beyond that. I don't go out with bed-head. I'm not that bad yet!

I bought this flat-to-the-body purse thingy before I traveled to Russia. It went around my neck and shoulder and was worn under my clothes. It still comes in handy. Frank is always making me put my purse in the trunk. I think it bothers him more than me!

My problem with purses is that I buy big ones and they become big black holes on the inside where I can find nothing.

Back to gadgets. How about the little flash drives for backing things up on the computer? I love them.

That's why I love this purse brite thing so much. I can find things now in my bag. I love flash drive, keychain drives, jump drives, thumb drives, whatever you call them, I love them.

Is there a purse that lights up inside when you open it? Hey, am I on to something? If there is one, I'd buy it!

Louisa, I have no idea what you are talking about...excuse me...little girl living in foreign country here...
Flash drive? Jump drives, Thumb drives? Whaaaat?

I second that. What are these drives about? We've been away too long, Hannelore. Never mind. I am a proud owner of the kettle.

Quote:

---

...fanny pack - isn't that what they're called?

---

LOL, Gims! The British blush at the mention of a fanny pack, which is called bum bags here. Bum is rear, fanny is frontal. Either way, it still refers to that part of the anatomy where the sun does'nt shine

The drives are little back up devices for our computers.

Hannelore, take the idea and RUN with it. Perhaps it's a little light that you could move from purse to purse. GREAT IDEA. I'll be your first customer.

Our home is 50-some-years old. We have small closets. YUK! We bought those lightbulbs that you stick on the wall to light up your closet. I LOVE them. They make all the difference in the world.

You're onto something. Go for it.

This purse brite thing came with a clip on light that I love. If it's dark, I click on the light and can see everything in my bag. It is a great idea.

As for all the drives, Dotsie mentioned one. The things I mentioned are all the same. It has a lot of names. Some call it a keychain drive because it's so small you can hook it onto your keychain. Thumb drive because it's no bigger than your thumb. They hold massive amounts of data. It's like having a whole bunch of the old floppy disks rolled into one little device.

As for the fanny or bum bags. I have my own name for those too. I call them crotch bags.

you have to be kidding - frontal fanny...lol

My purse has a light in it, and a heavy duty magnet. When the magnets are in contact the light goes off. When you disconnect the magnets the light comes on. It's one of those high powered blue lights. Don't know what the brand is, but the little light has "Smartlyte" on it. I bought it at Palais Royal.