Vicki Batman's Blog, page 88

Vicki Batman ~ #Handbag Monday: A Margaret Smith bag that's quite different.

~ Handbag Monday ~    Long ago, I visited my sissie and we went to a flea market. She introduced me to a favorite vendor of hers, one who sold Margaret Smith handbags. At that time, they were still being produced, but not long after, the line died. With the advent of ETSY and eBAY, what was old is new again.


I began looking for Margaret Smith bags, mostly because I like fabric and the tote style. And then I found this:

  A delightful red, brown tweed with a cutout handle. Similar to ones Kate Spade produced a while back.   Isn't it adorable? How do you feel about fabric handbags?  Week 4: Paris Handbag:   Just about finished with one side. Take a look:   This is going faster than I'd expected and I am thoroughly pleased. Squee!   What craft are you passionate about? 

Vicki Batman ~ Plotting Princesses newsletter is out~#Holiday #New Releases #Fun: OH MY!

 The latest edition is packed with upcoming Holiday releases, interesting blog posts, links to sites, New releases and information on our Street Team

Check it out at: http://ymlp.com/zQprwo

Vicki Batman ~ #HandbagMonday guest is super knitter, Ann Gaspari

~ Handbag Monday ~Today, I welcome a guest, Ann Gaspari! Ann and I met years and years ago when we worked the Home Tour which benefited the local elementary school. Then she came to Jazzercise and we joined a Mah Jongg group. But best of all, she is an amazing knitter girl.  So at Mah Jongg, she showed me something she picked up when traveling this summer, I squealed, "Oh, you have to let me show it on Handbag Monday." Here's what Ann has to say: I bought this bag at an art gallery in Provincetown, MA (at the tip of Cape Cod). I saw it at an art gallery called Cassandra Complex.  They had a lot of wild stuff, but when I saw the vintage bags that had been hand-painted, I had to have this one.  Later, I found out the artist, Joy Lessposh (real name??) was also a tattoo artist.  The base is a silver bag that can be a clutch or has a little strap. I really love it for dressier occasions.

  Isn't the bird gorgeous? And I love the fact an old handbag was brought to life with the painting. The fact the strap is detachable is a nice bonus: two for one! Well done, Anne, and thank you for being on Handbag Monday! May all your days be handbag bright!

And now, Week 3 of Paris bag:


As you can see, I've made mega progress on this side. I have a bit at the bottom and a bit on the right. I'm thinking I'll have this done by Week 4! Having so much fun doing this and love, love, love the red.

Happy #HandbagMonday!
 

Vicki Batman ~ #Halloween and the not-so frightful costume

Halloween Dress Up!
Since my family didn't have money to spend on store-bought costumes, Mom told us to use our creativity. I didn't feel like I had any creativity since my sissie had been deemed the artsy one. And did it really matter since Halloween was mostly about candy, and I adored chocolate? 
One year, someone held a yard sale on a huge corner lot. Line had been strung between two big oak trees, and clothing hung on wire hangers dangled from the string. I'd never been to a yard sale before and talked my best friend into going to see what one was like. We walked around, looking at all the stuff. Finally, I stepped over to the clothing on the clothesline and flipped through it. A fancy, midnight blue lace dress with short sleeves, lined in a matching satin caught my eye. A net petticoat had been sewn in to create the bell shape popular in another decade. 
 I was entranced. Possessed. I would look awesome in it. I. Had. To. Have. It.
Attached to the garment was a price tag which said the dress cost forty cents. I knew without asking I'd have to use my sparse savings to pay for it. My fifty cent allowance didn't go far with it cut into thirds: savings, church, and the rest for me. I hadn't begun babysitting and had a difficult time saving up.
Somehow, I convinced the yard sale person to hold the dress, ran the four blocks home, emptied the savings from my paper-maché mushroom bank, ran back to the sale, and paid for the dress. Clutching it to my chest, I was so ecstatic, I thought my heart would burst. I felt positive I'd look like a fairy princess when wearing this creation.
When Halloween rolled around a couple of weeks later, I knew what my costume would be--my new dress. Never mind it wasn't the least bit scary. Never mind I had to wear my white Keds with it. I would be beautiful. I put it on, and for the final touch, added a wedding veil from our dress-up box.
Unfortunately, with weather doing what weather does, it turned cold, and I had to wear a coat when we went door-to-door for Trick or Treat. No one could see how special I looked because my coat covered my dress.
But I knew.
In the long run, it didn't matter 'cause I reached my biggest goal: a grocery sack full of candy!
  When I had my boys, everyone knew what they wanted to be--Batman. Naturally.
  It's in the family genes. LOL. We had plenty of capes, masks, and gadgets to outfit them out at a moment's notice.

 
Trick or Treat! 
What was your favorite Halloween costume?    
 
Vicki Batman now sports a Batman mask when opening the door for trick or treat-ers. Her new romantic comedy from MuseItUp Publishing is "The Great Fruitcake Bake-off," a holiday short story guaranteed to make you crave fruitcake. Find Bake-off on December 1 at: http://museituppublishing.com  .

Vicki Batman & #HandbagMonday: guest Sylvia McDaniel – Where Do You Buy Your Handbags?

  ~Handbag Monday~
 Sylvia McDaniel, prolific author of contemporary and western romances, said she would love to be on #HandbagMonday. Let's hear her story: If we were going to talk about shoes, I’d be thrilled. Fall is here and I’m so ready to dig out my boots. Handbags are fun, but I’m really not all that into purses. I’m picky about the one I’m carrying, but more than anything I’m looking for a bag that is not too big and has all the pockets inside that I want. I usually buy one bag and carry it until I wear it out. 
The last two years I’ve bought leather handbags at the State Fair of Texas. I went back to the same vendor this year, specifically to buy a black leather purse like the red and brown I’d purchased from him before, but he didn’t have a black one. So I came home without one this year. 

Back in the summer I splurged and bought myself a Vera Bradley bag and it’s become my favorite. I love the inside. There are a lot of pockets, which means I can place my cell phone, my credit card holder and my sunglasses in their own slot. The purse is large enough to hold my Kindle and opens up very wide, which is really nice. I can locate what I need without having to dig into a bottomless pit.
 





Recently, my mother gave me this purse. A family member is making them using can tabs. She crochets the can tabs into a pattern. It’s a lovely purse and I like it because it’s unique.  Just about everyone in our family is carrying one right now and she makes these in several different colors. Inside the purse there is a silk lining with three pockets on the inside.  



This summer we went to the Dallas Arboretum and I found a straw purse there for twenty dollars that I fell in love with. I had just bought the Vera Bradley purse, but I had to have this one. It’s turquoise and it’s beautiful. My only complaint is that you can’t open it more than about two inches wide.
While I’m not into handbags like Vicki, I do like to find handbags at unusual places. I keep thinking I’m going to buy myself a Coach bag and then I look at my other bags and think why? I like what I have.  

Where was the most unusual place you found a handbag? 


Wow, Sylvia, thanks for sharing about your bags. I've seen the vendor with the handbags at the Fair, and like you, I look for unique ones. That's probably when I tend to buy vintage. the crocheted piece is quite cool. You have to admire someone who can make something special out of can tabs. Rock on!

Find Sylvia at: www.sylviamcdaniel.com

Update on Paris needlepoint bag: Week 2


As you can see, I got quite a bit done.

  I've been hearing "red sky?" That's pretty funny. In the past ones I've seen, the background has been orange, turquoise, sage. And yes, blue. But I do not have a red bag. So red it is. The thread is incredible to work with, too. 

Vicki Batman ~ Are you a crafty genius??

Fall is in the air!
Michelle Miles may be a crafting genius with her pumpkins; however, I am crafty sometimes, too.  I'd gone to the grocery store and thought I'd peruse the Halloween/Fall aisle cause—you never know. And lo and behold, something did catch my eye: a candy carrier. Since the boys are grown, I don't need candy sitting around because I'd buy chocolate (tried the caramel Milky Way yet??), and I'm like most red-blooded girls, I'll eat every freakin' piece so it isn't wasted.
For this door decoration, all I did was loop ribbon over the handle to hang from a tack on the top of my door. I tied a festive wire ribbon into a simple bow with florist wire, then wired it onto the handle of the candy carrier. Here's Ethel:  And here's Frank with a battery powered tea light inside:  















I thought turned out rather cool. J And not long after Halloween is Thanksgiving. I love to decorate wreaths (hot glue guns rock!) and found this one with shades of fall leaves at a craft store. I tied a magnificent bow with streamers. Added springs of different colors of acorns, oak leaves, and magnolia leaves. Here you go:
 


I know you're saying "Vicki, Vicki, Vicki. I can't make that bow." Yes, you can. Wire ribbon is so much easier than the other stuff and easy to fluff to look new again. Don't be afraid. Here's a link on how to tie bows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS7hK9dau50

He makes the bow the same way I do. I go for more casual streamers.

Do you make Fall decorations? I'd love to see yours.
 
Vicki Batman is drinking the diet Coke with Splenda and shaking her head cause she has lots of new stuff coming soon: The Great Fruitcake Bake-off in December, Bug Stuff…and Other Stories in February, an essay, and finally, the big book: Temporarily Employed. If you like fun stuff, VB is your gal.

Vicki Batman ~ #HandbagMonday A new Challenge!

~Handbag Monday~ Work in Progress
As you know, I am a big handbag lover, and when combined with a favorite hobby, I am a huge lover of needlepoint handbags.
Here's a photo of some, er, most of them:
 Several years ago, I took a needlepoint picture in to be taken apart and made into a pillow. The saleslady informed me that my piece was unique in that all the crafter had to do was fill in the background. The main elements were already done on a canvas.  My head went ding! Because I have similar handbags; so I asked about those, and she said yes, they came from a kit and were still available.
And idea blossomed. What if I found an incomplete kit and finished it? Could I do this? Here's what I found:

This kit features a Paris street scene. Squee! Each side is different. I decided on red because—big surprise—red is a favorite color and I don't have a red needlepoint bag. The saleslady suggested using silk thread since I have trouble using wool. What I've done so far:

I love this challenge. I work on it for about an hour most nights. But don't be surprised—I found a poinsettia kit. Holiday bag here I come!  For next year, though. Stay tuned as I'll be posting updates on the Paris bag occasionally. Vicki Batman adores handbags and is currently scouring the market for one to celebrate the sale of her romantic mystery, Temporarily Employed, coming in 2014.

Vicki Batman: Home town Yearly Pilgrimage

~The GREAT State Fair~
 
Every year, I attend the State Fair. I love everything about it, even though I don't care for the world famous corny dogs.  I do like the nutty ice cream bars the best.
This year, Handsome and I hit what we consider the highlights. First up, the automobile show where we tested the new Jeeps because Jeeps are my favorite drive. Upon exiting that building, we moseyed over to Big Tex, the icon of the Fair. Last year, he literally flamed out. Devotees of his were so upset. Would Tex come back? When? No worries. Tex was rebuilt and debuted this year in record-breaking time.  Here he is:
 
    Handsome zoomed in on "Fried Pumpkin Pie:" A must-see for me is the Creative Arts building. The display cases are full of entries. One wall is lined with photography. Next to that one are the canned goods. On this day, the judges were tasting cakes. This photo is of my friend's prize winning felted scarf:  Handsome munched on his favorite corny dog while we made our way around the midway and the rides to land in front of the newly renovated  Cotton Bowl:   And ultimately, ended up at Big Tex again. The crowd was even bigger than before. We done all we wanted to do (in record breaking time. LOL). So home we went.

How about you? Do you attend a county or state fair in your neck of the woods?  What's your favorite highlight?
 
While hanging out with a diet Coke, Vicki Batman is fondly remembering her grandmother's first prize for her quilt and the second prize for her crocheted sweater. Vicki's next venture is a holiday story from MuseItUp Publishing, entitled THE GREAT FRUITCAKE BAKE-OFF, available in November.

Vicki Batman ~ #HandbagMonday The one I carried to the wedding. Squee!

***handbag monday***
 I wish you could have seen how stuptified I looked when my friend gave me this wonderful gift for my birthday. I could tell she was excited. When she'd phoned to set up a lunch date, she said she'd had this for months. I wondered what could it be never imagining this: 

Isn't this the most gorgeous bag??? Black silk embroidered with tiny flowers with a small label sewn on the inside pocked with "Made in Paris." An incredible clasp with embroidery on it. Very simple, very elegant.And exactly what I wanted to carry to my son's wedding!!

I'd been casting about, considering which one—which one to carry. I knew instantly this bag was it.

My friend lives in a small town about an hourish south and east of moi. She told me a new store had opened and sells handbags and other unique gifts. She saw this one and went home to tell her lovely hubby about it. He said, "You'd better go get it." Am I embarrassed everyone knows of my love for handbags and my taste? LOL

Vicki Batman - to be honored is quite nice AND In Memory of a Friend

On Tuesday morning, I was catching up on email and found this:

 My sincere thanks for making this a great month on the Romance Lives Forever blog.Here are the top posts (judging by page views).

1. JMS Books, LLC2. Ella Quinn3. Daisy Banks4. Danita Minnis5. Rue Allyn
Honorable mention: Rolyn Anderson and Vicki Batman.My thanks to all who took part this month. You made Romance Lives Forever a great place to discover new books and authors.  To get selected for anything is awesome. And nice. And humbling.  But the real genius behind the curtain is Kayelle Allen, founder of Marketing for Romance Writers and Romance Lives Forever blog and author. And that's only THREE of her hats.  Thank you, Kayelle, Romance Lives Forever, and fans of RLF. Here's a link to the Gem Stats for September:http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/2013/10/rlf-gems-blog-stats-for-sep-2013.html


In Memory of a Friend

Many years ago, I went to Jazzercise and met a friend who passed from cancer. But on one October day, we shared something quite remarkable. I was ecstatic my story was included in MuseItUp Publishing's Lavender Dreams. Here's a bit about it: Lavender Dreams is an anthology of short stories. All royalties are donated by the authors and cover artist to help raise funds for cancer research.

MuseItUp Authors dedicate this book to all who have been affected in one way or the other by cancer. All royalties from the sales of this book will be donated each year to a cancer research organization, or hospice in order to further combat and find a cure.

The book is divided into three sections: non-fiction, fiction based on true stories, and fictional stories—ten stories generously donated by the authors to help raise funds for cancer.

This book is dedicated to the memory of one of our dear editors who passed away in 2011 from cancer, Karen McGrath.

Buy Link: http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/now-available-in-ebook/lavender-dreams-detail  Vicki Batman is recovering from festivities and imbibing a diet Coke w Splenda on the side. Find her at: http://vickibatman.blogspot.com Or at: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com