Vicki Batman's Blog, page 91

Vicki Batman asks: What's in Your Closet? #HandbagMonday

   Handbag Monday Two weeks ago, I dressed for church in a rose pink silk sheath. I'd been carrying the adorable needlepoint bag in yellow with the daisies. Sadly, as is so with older bags, it's in for repair. Besides, it wasn't the perfect one for the silk dress. My eyes swept over the shelves in my closet and landed on this one:

 
an Enid Collins box bag. You may remember that I posted the red leather Enid a few weeks ago. Interestingly, that one was made after Enid sold the company. I still like it.
I bought this one off eBay (big surprise!). It is a wooden box with papier mache flowers are on it. Handpainted in a variety of pleasing colors on each side. There are flowers on the sides and the top. The name, Enid Collins, is stenciled on the bottom in black ink. Every squiggle around a flower, beading, etc., is hand done. The white straps  became reversed when I hung it on the doorknob for the action photo. Unfortunately, I don't remember what I paid.
I carried it for two days because I am worried about breaking the flowers. They are so cute and remind me of the sixties and seventies when mod stuff was really happening. (Am I dating myself? God, I hope not.)
I carried it to class on Monday and my friend was bowled over. She'd never seen it before (she's seen many) and really appreciated the artistry in this one.
 
So how did I do?    

Vicki Batman: Romance Writers of America convention in Atlanta

The Romance Writer's of American Convention is in Atlanta this year.    
 
What do I expect?
Connect with online friends!!! Fabulous workshops, especially if marketing is involved.
Volunteering (always, always)
F. U. N.

Unfortunately (insert frownie face here), I am still unable to sign at the booksigning. Someday...
In the meantime, if you are in the Atlanta area and like great books, consider going to the booksigning. It's absolutely free to get in and the dollars you spend go to a local literacy program. You can visit me    at the silent auction table. If you areattending, I have goodies in the goodie room. Three will be especially labeled too!
See you soon on the flip side.

Vicki Batman asks Karen Cote: What's in Your Closet? #HandbagMonday

Handbag Monday
 
I met today's guest, Karen Cote, online. We quickly became the bestest of friends ('cause she is super dooper nice!) and finally met in person last year. I almost couldn't stop hugging her. And gave her an adorable cosmetic/eyeglass case I had done in needlepoint.
Here's Karen's story for Handbag Monday:
 The one and only time I dropped 5 C-Notes for a Handbag
Now, anyone who knows me is aware of my absolute passion-obsession-fetish with shoes. So resisting them due to the dance of “to-pay or not-to-pay” big bucks is always a battle with my wallet.

Of course, that means my high appreciation for handbags are even more important since shoes are my primary objective in getting noticed and nothing, I mean NOTHING,says about shoes what a handbag can.

Even so, Vicki Batman taught me there is more to know about handbags than the clutch and purse distinctions.

She taught me that for every occasion exists an appropriate handbag to wear it to and whereas I have always created occasions for my shoes just so I could wear them, there is a particular handbag I found in Florence, Italy that rivals my shoe collection.

Of course, I’m in Florence, right? Matching shoes, or in this case, ankle booties, were on prominent display front and center.


It was love at first sight. *sigh*

Of course, all of this was not cheap but anyone with a passion of such things will have occasional guilty indulgences and ordinarily I would never spend on a handbag what I pay for shoes at one setting. We did that day.

 
Wow, Karen, that is TRUE love. And the tip of the shoes is awesome. And here's my TRUE confession: I bought four bags in Florence.LOL. Yeah, one was a gift.
  Thanks for being with me today, sweetie. May your handbag days be merry and bright.
 

Vicki Batman asks: What's in Your Closet? #HandbagMonday

+ Handbag Monday +
 
I confess: I love to find handbags on eBay and ETSY. They are a good value and quite unique.
I'd just had some really great news on the writing front and decided to celebrate. Only I don't celebrate over a drink. Oh no, I go straight to eBay and search through my favorite bag sites: needlepoint handbags, Margaret Smith handbag, Enid Collins.
On the Enid Collins listings, I saw this one:
 




 
  Is this not a stunner??? red. Red. RED. RREEDDD. (makes me think of the line from "Kinky Boots," a fabulous movie about shoes!)

I adore red (and pink. Lol) This one isn't from her jeweled collection. It was made after she sold the company to the Tandy Corporation. Inside, I found the horse logo which represents the work after she sold.
The bag is impeccable. No scratches, tears, stains. It is ready-set-go mode.
And then our eyes move to the tote handle. Smaller than the ones of today which do double duty as a shoulder handle.

And then our eyes move to the clasp. Gorgeous. Simply Gorgeous. It resembles to bean pods, with peas and a flower in the center. Not certain, but wonderful. In fact, this would make a good pin.
Now for the moment of truth. I'm a little embarrassed to admit the price for it is pricier than others. Maybe what I saved on them justifies the cost: $103.00
  Sigh. I just love it.  

Vicki Batman: The 4th is about birthdays!!

The 4th is about birthdays!!
 God Bless America I love living here. I am incredibly lucky to have my family and friends.
But today isn't just the U.S.'s big day. It's…
Happy Birthday, Scooter!    My kitty is twenty years old. I've never had a cat this long. When we were visiting Handsome's family one 4th of July, two little girls showed up with their mama. Instantly, they were scooped up by my boys pleading "please, mom, please" because we'd just lost our big guy, Snuffer. I was torn. It seemed so soon because I still missed him.

But who can say no to little boys with kitties in their arms?Not this mom who loves cats too.
We brought the girls home, stuck in one cat carrier, hissing every time we put our hands inside. After two days of TLC, I opened the carrier door and no sounds. I lifted them out and got...purring. VBG
Two years ago, we had to put our gray sister, Romper, to sleep. It was so hard, and we still remember how she pushed her way around. Climbed on cat haters. Dragged my needlepoint thread around in the middle of the night. Captured dozens of lizards and birds. She loved her guys, especially Handsome.
Every day is cherished with Scootie. She sits on my desk and knocks stuff off. Walks in front of my monitor, sleeps in my chair or with #2 Son. Screams loudly. Her scrunched up fussy face. And sadly, no more purrs. She's quite loveable.   Happy birthday, my sweet! 

   

Vicki Batman asks What's in Your Closet? #HandbagMonday

+ Handbag Monday +
I swear my addiction really showed when I found this needlepoint bag:



It had a gold colored handle; however, when I received it, I went eh. Not so impressive. Riding to the rescue is Joann's, a nice sewing and notions store, which happened to have a clear beaded handle, one I'd used before on a brown needlepoint handbag.

So I did a switcherooey with my jewelry pliers, and presto-changeo, an up to the minute cutie.

This one has daisy-like flowers in yellow with black centers and an off-white background. It has been perfect to carry with summer clothes. It receives lots of compliments which I say thank you to. Everything I carry fits perfectly inside with leftover room, too.

And the real crime? I paid $30.00.

Are you having handbag envy? lol

A great time had by all: #RomCon13 and the #PlottingPrincesses

Vicki at RomCon13
I was so fortunate to attend this event with the Plotting Princesses.

From left to right: Liese Sherwood-Fabre, Ms. Elizabeth Essex, Sylvia McDaniel, Michelle Miles, ME!!, Kathy Ivan, and Karilyn Bentley.




Ms. Essex won Best Historical. My cover, Man Theory and Other Stories, was in the Cover Contest.

PP Michelle Miles has a great post at:

http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com/2013/06/michelle-miles-princesses-debut-at.html

And Publisher's Weekly famous blogger, Barbara Vey, has this to say at:

http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbook/?p=8222&cpage=1#comment-219115

Several PP girls are featured, including me. I'm reading at the First Kiss event.

All in all, a great time was had by all!

Vicki Batman: What's in YOUR closet? Handbag Monday

~Handbag Monday~
 So I'm like an eBay handbag stalker. I have my regular go tos: Margaret Smith, Hobo, needlepoint, and Enid Collins. Just recently, I added Rodo.

This past Spring, I scrolled through the Enid selections and voila, this bag:   
I emailed the photo to my sissie who immediately squealed and wanted to know how to get it. So we discussed as this one was up for bidding, not Buy Right Now.
So sissie and I began to watch. Every day was painful with waiting. She'd raise an increment; so did the other bidder. The numbers were posted more and more quickly, until finally, she used the instant number raising thingy and won.
Whew!
So what do you think? I thought the graphics looked like Hanna Barbera cartoons. The horsey in the right corner means this one came out after Enid Collins sold the company. Nevertheless, it is absolutely adorable and I'm green with envy.
Congratulations, Sissie!
 
Anyone remember the Enid Collins handbags sold at Neiman Marcus in the sixties? Yeah, I have six. And bought several on eBay. LOL

Vicki is on the road to RomCon - June 21-23 in Colorado Springs

  I'm one lucky girl and will be attending RomCon this weekend.I'd love to meet you. Here's more information:   https://www.facebook.com/events/551372901540518/?fref=ts 

What's in YOUR closet? #HandbagMonday

`Handbag Monday`
 
It's summertime! Time to discover what I'll be carrying when the weather is hot.
I do buy a lot of vintage bags. There is a lot of great style that could be rediscovered. Today, we have:   Note these are woven, lacquered white. The interior is a pale pink glove leather. Each has a slit inside for a comb or mirror. The clutch has the words "Rodo" and "Italy" stamped inside. The tote has nothing. They look like they could have been made by the same manufacturer.
When I Googled the manufacturer's name, I found several similar on eBay, ranging from $29.99 to $69.99. Here's some more information from the Rodo website:
50 years of Italian fashion
The history of the Maison began in the early 1900s with the production of the Florentine straw hats, a symbol of the Italian fashion and elegance of that time. In the mid-Fifties, Romualdo Dori decided to call his business RODO, using the initial syllables of his name, and he made his debut in the world of fashion with the creation of a new product: a bag made with the same very fine weave of the Florentine straw hats.

Its success was immediate and the company turned towards the creation of increasingly refined and sophisticated products: bags, pochettes, shoes and accessories with exclusive charm, in precious leathers and fabrics, were produced through the experience, passion and industry of skilled artisans.

Wondering what I paid? For the clutch, $3.00. For the tote, $6.00.
I'm thinking I'll be checking on this brand some more! Happy Handbag Monday!