{ the jaunty magpie }

The holiday season might have come to a close, but this Bird had one more item to share -- along with being humbled by the incredibly Jaunty gift of a new Canon EOS 50D, she was further swoon-ified by the camera's new luxury Barbie Dream Home, a bag from the stylish folks at Jill-E. Mr. Magpie truly outdid himself this year -- the hell with an engagement ring, this Birdie will take a DSLR any day.

Due to the popular nature of their all-leather camera bags, the one I wanted -- the small camera bag in bone -- was backordered, but when it finally came, it felt like Christmas all over again! The Jill-E bags are all designed for camera equipment, so they're compartmentalized with movable padded barriers. I was actually able to get two bags from Mr. Magpie's gift certificate, as Jill-E had some great holiday sales. Along with the leather bag, I also got one of their sailcloth messenger bags in blue, a more rugged choice, as well as a guy-friendly, in case Mr. Magpie is taking the camera out for a spin. Both bags hold the two extra lenses we have, plus accessories like cords and batteries. Their heavy-duty straps can handle the weight of the gear, and the extra padding, while making the bags more on the bulky side, provide reassurance that the precious cargo is safe.

I love that Jill-E's designs are so fashion-friendly, making stylish pieces that feel more like accessories than typical gear bags, while still providing protection for the equipment. Mr. Magpie said that having such a feminine gear bag would keep the gift of the camera from being like Marge's gift of a liquid-center bowling ball named "Homer," if anyone's familiar with Simpsons arcana. This was just another reminder to this Birdie how incredibly fortunate she is to have such a Jaunty-hearted fella.