I confess it. I have a thing for mesh bags. I also have a thing for the mildly surreal and op-art-ish. Combine these three things, and just look what you get:

It’s the Letter mesh clutch by Felix Ray and I’m besotted. It comes in your choice of gold (shown) or black, and it’s on sale at Bloomingdale’s. In fact, a whole lot of purses are on sale at Bloomies right now because they’re having their semi-annual purse sale. Dozens of designer purses are on sale at 30% – 50% off their regular prices. That’s how it is that this delightful mesh clutch is available for just $91.00 (regularly $130.00)!

Whether your taste runs more to Felix Ray or Prada, there’s a glorious new purse waiting just for you at a bargain price. Hurry up and take your least maxed out credit card of the post-holiday season and make your spring a bit more elegant.

Ah, that wonderful time of the year is here! I speak, of course, of Sur La Table’s annual sale. Right now you can get 20% – 40% off of dozens of gadgets, pots, pans, and serving pieces that will make your culinary life both easier and prettier. Twistie’s choice? Take a look:

Isn’t that a lovely set? Each pan is made of an aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of sturdy stainless steel. This combination is great for quick heating and even conduction. It also has the advantage of looking superfantastic with minimal fuss on your part. The firmly riveted handles are also designed to keep cool and be comfortable to hold.

You get the 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 quart covered saucepans, 3 quart covered saute pan,  6 quart covered stockpot, and 10″ open skillet. That’s nine basic pieces in all. Whether you’re just starting out with a new kitchen or upgrading defunct cookware, that should be enough to get you properly started.

So what will all this cost you? I thought you’d never ask! Purchased separately at regular price, all these pieces would set you back $449.75. Not bad for a whole new set of basic cookware of this quality. However, if you purchase the set in one go, Sur La Table usually gives you a nice price break and lets you have it for $349.95. Now that’s a nice price. But you’re looking during the annual sale when the price is slashed to just $269.96! Why you could spend that much on a set of much, much lower quality.

But you wouldn’t be that silly, would you? I didn’t think so.

Mff…? Um…? Oh. Hi. Sleepy after last night’s party. Too sleepy to be witty.

So while I go back to bed and sleep it off, fill in your own bon mots about this fabulous quilt set I found at Smartbargains.

This pure cotton set is the perfect thing to snuggle under with its charming Boho patchwork style and oversized dimensions. It comes with one 105″ x 95″ King sized quilt, two 20″ x 36″ King sized shams, and two 16″ x 16″ decorative pillows.

So how much for all that comfort and style? Well, the retail would be $199.99. But if you get it from Smartbargains today, you’ll pay just $74.98! That’s a savings of 62%!

Don’t stop there, though! This weekend only, Smartbargains is having a huge bed and bath sale with savings up to 75% on selected sheets, towels, comforters, and so much more. If Santa or Hanukkah Harry didn’t bring you warm sheets or thick towels, it’s nice to know you can get them without breaking the bank or those New Years resolutions to be more financially responsible.

Nighty night.

Happy New Year to you all! May your days be filled with joy, your nights with fun, and your world with great bargains!

Metallics are always fun for evening. In fact, I love a good evening bag in a metallic that looks good with a variety of colors. It’s a neutral that makes a statement. Speaking of statements, I love the one this evening bag is making:

It’s simple and subtle, but has some real verve of its own between the generous size, the fun way it’s pieced, and the delicious sheen of the metallic satin. The shoulder chain can also be slipped inside the purse to convert it into a clutch. There are even rhinestone accents on the closure for an extra touch of sparkle. Choose from gold, silver, or metallic black.

Best of all, it’s a great deal at 6pm.com! The retail price is $127.00, but at 6PM it’s just $76.20. That’s 40% off!

It’s enough to give me an enchanted evening!

Brrr! It’s cold out! At times like this all I can think of is how much I want to warm up. That makes me think of beautiful, soft, warm cashmere. In fact, it makes me think of something very much like this:

Nordstrom calls this beautiful print ‘lava lamp’ but I think it looks much better than a lava lamp. Just look at the fun yet perfectly balanced shapes, the pretty colors, and the charming fringe at the ends.

And seeing as it’s made of a comfy, warm, single-ply cashmere, you’ll get plenty of warmth without a lot of bulk.

Whatever you call it, this is a great scarf and an even better deal. Regularly priced at $88.00, it’s been marked down to just $68.90.

Hey, it’s a lot better than a lava lamp.

Cashmere is one of the great inventions of the universe. It’s warm, it’s soft, it dyes beautifully, and it’s just the thing to brighten up a dreary day. I dare you not to smile while looking at this:

This gorgeous throw by Kashmere is made of, well, cashmere, in your choice of seven delicious colors. Whether your taste runs more to this gloriously citrussy orange or a more restrained soft grey, you’ll find something you love.

You’ll also love how light yet warm it is with its two-ply woven construction and how generous it is at 56″l x 83″w. Toss it over the back of a sofa or chair to add a touch of color to a room, or toss it over your knees in the evening if you’re a tidge chilly. You’ll toast right up!

The other thing that will warm you is the thought of just how much money you saved on it. You see, the retail price is $310.00, but right now Bluefly has it for a mere $139.99! That’s more than half off the original price!

I’m getting warmer just at the thought of those savings.

A good vase looks lovely with flowers in it. A great one looks superfantastic whether or not there are flowers in it. Take, for instance, The Catwalk Vase by Kosta Boda:

with its graceful shape and charming image of a lady’s calves and feet, it’s a delightful piece for your shelf or coffee table or desk all on its own. Filled with a spray of delicate flowers, it takes on a charming yet surrealistic quality any Dali or Man Ray fan would find irresistible.

It’s handcrafted of  lead-free glass in Sweden by designer Kjell Engman, and comes in a gift box just in case you can bear to give it away. Me? I think I would stick a bow on the box, leave it for myself somewhere, and then surprise myself with a lovely gift.

Then again, at this price, I might get generous enough to share a second one with a very, very good friend. You see, the retail price for the piece is $200.00, but right now Amazon has it for just $129.50. That’s a savings of more than $70.00!

But wait! There’s more! For a limited time, if you purchase $50.00 or more of Home and Garden products from Amazon, you can get a free one-year subscription to your choice of: GQ, SELF, Conde Nast Traveler,  or Architectural Digest. See site for details and restrictions.

You know, you could always get the vase for yourself and the magazine subscription for a friend. I’m just saying.

It’s a universally acknowledged truth that the day after a major holiday is the best and thriftiest day to start shopping for said holiday. The downside? You have to wait for months before you can pull out your new pretties. The upside? You’ll save a bundle on them, so you won’t wince at memories of the bills when you see them again.

Saks Fifth Ave has some brilliant deals on goodies to deck next year’s hall. Ornaments by designers like Christopher Radko
, Kurt Adler Polonaise
, Michael Storrings for Landmark Creations
, and even Versace
are being blown out at prices that will allow you to play Santa for your nearest and dearest. Twistie’s pick? This:

This is the Sultana Egg ornament by Jay Strongwater. It’s made of mouthblown glass painted with brilliant metallic colors and studded with tiny jewels. Gorgeous. The regular price is $140.00, and I think it’s worth that. Still, I’d rather pay the sale price of just $56.00.

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A joyful Christmas to you all! May you find everything you dream of under the tree…but if you don’t get it from Santa, tune in tomorrow for more savings.