The worst part about my job is spending so much time at my desk surfing the web and essentially window shopping for things I can’t ever possibly afford. Especially not after this past Christmas. For me, the process of sifting through clothing and trying them on is a gigantic pain in my ass for reasons I’ve already discussed. Although online shopping has eliminated the hassle of going to the stores I still have to assess size and shipping costs which is fine by me since I adore spending obscene amounts of money on outfits I will probably ruin with bleach anyway.

I present to you Exhibit A from my favorite Japanese apparel store Onatoko. I’m the first to admit that chandelier earrings are in danger of being overexhausted but this pair are just too fabulous to pass up. Most notably, however, is Onatoko’s collection of Japanese beauty products which include lip glosses, face masks and scents. I’ve ordered a pair of earrings from them once before and were pleasantly surprised by the price, quality and speedy shipping. Currently their selections are a bit limited but usually their sections are brimming with unique accessories that are straight out of Nippon.

I’m a sucker for jewelry but even more so for cosmetics and Lush is lethal territory. I stumbled upon Lush at the Florida Mall near my twice monthly knitting meetings at Borders. Handmade cosmetics aren’t too rare but stop by Lush’s shops and check out their amazing presentation of bath bombs, blocks of soap and creamy lotions. The prices make me wince but at least I’ll smell great when the credit card collectors greet me.

I’ve created only three handmade cards for the Post Card Swap and have 7 more to go. Since this swap is relying on a dog theme for the year 2006 I’m running very low on original ideas and supplies. Hopefully, my fellow swappers won’t consider my attempts at postcard-making a total flop.