Purse On Us

Vera Bradley

Monday at school, my friends and I were sitting on the benches outside on the quad waiting for our next class to come up. We started talking about different fads that people go through with clothes and accessories and such.  So I brought up the topic of Vera Bradley, whom is an accessories brand. They weren’t sure what I was talking about, so I pointed out a book bag that a girl was carrying.  Then another girl walked past, and another and another with same style bag. Then before you knew it we counted 27 different girls in a 3 minutes time, walking around outside at school carrying the same type of bag, purse or book bag.

Vera Bradley Book Bag

A tote or a book bag can run from anywhere between $38, $60 or even up to $80. For a college student, I feel like that is too much money to spend with (if it’s your own money) on a book bag that almost every girl in school has! I’m a girl who likes to be different.  I have a very hard time falling into fads.  I really do not see the point of having something that everyone else and their mother has.

Vera Bradley Wallet

I had a wallet like this that one of my old bosses had bought for me.  It was a very nice gesture, and I used to for about a year.  It was very sturdy, and carried a lot of stuff in it and also had a zipper so nothing would fall out of it.  For me to rock this style,  I would have to find something very different.  So while I was browsing through the Vera Bradley website to try to find material for my blog, I came upon this little guy…

Laptop Carrier

This is a bag to carry your laptop or iPad, or anything of that sort, in.  The bag folds down in half, and I LOVE this design.  If you see it up close, it’s awesome.  Its roses and one of my favorite colors of blue.  I feel like this design is completely different from any of the traditional designs/colors they normally put on these bags.  I would probably rock this out around school if I needed to carry my laptop.  Plus no one would probably have this one!! However though, it also runs at a price of $85.  I wouldn’t spend that on this bag.

She also had a couple other designs that I kind of liked because they were different then the Vera Bradley norm:

Book bag/Purse

I actually really like this, but it is priced at $110 for a simple little book bag.

Jewelry Bag

This is a jewelry bag, and it is priced at $48.

But then there are things, and I’m like ….really though??

Flip-flops

Once again, love this design!!! Butttt, I’m not going to pay $32 for a basic rubber flip-flop that I can buy at Old Navy for $5.

Versatile Bag

This is a versatile bag that you can use for multiple things, but is priced at $170!

This is where I draw my conclusion.  It is such a popular thing for girls in college to carry.  Vera Bradley is also very popular for almost every age. However though, I’m not going to like something just because it is popular, and everyone else likes it.  That actually makes me like it less.  On top of that though, I feel like some of the prices for the accessories are over priced.  People seem to love this style though.  I just cannot get into it.

Greetings Earthlings!!! My sister (R.I.P) has told me time and time again to add some color to my li

Hi guys, hope your day is going swell. My MIL asked me to make her a custom school/tote bag for her writing class. Here’s a couple pics….I added a cell phone pocket in the front with a flap, and magnetic snap ,closure. Sheesh, say that ten times fast lol. Anyway, it turned out awesome! I think I’m going to make another one here soon.

So yeah here it is…

Chrissy

I don’t know if you can see this, but there are two pockets for pencils/pens etc.

P.S. I have uploaded the COC “Pink Paisley” Large Tote Bag, that I blogged about in “Finally Finished”, to my shop check it out!

I’ve had the material cut for this purse for a few weeks now, but I finally sewed everything together last night and tonight:

    

Side 1

Side 2

This time I used home decorating fabric (from Hancock Fabric) and it worked really well. Home dec fabric is thick so you don’t have to use any interfacing, which is awesome! There are so many great fabrics to choose from too. Unless I find a mid-weight fabric I can’t resist, I think I’m going to stick to home dec fabric for future purses.

Here is a picture of the inside, with the pockets and magnetic snaps:

I’m on the hunt now for new purse patterns. Or maybe I’ll make a simple zip wallet (a la Pinterest)??

“Those women were like animals. I saw this beautiful handbag. I was afraid to fight for it. They’re vicious. They kill their own.  The woman that finally bought this handbag, I know did time.  Now I don’t have a decent handbag.”

- Tootsie 1982.

That’s one of my all-time favorite movies. And I’ve always cracked up at that scene. Come to think of it, the entire movie cracks me up. Every time. And it’s been many times since 1982. Trust me. I come from a family of serial-movie-watchers. 

I’ve come to appreciate poor Michael Dorsey’s dilemma. I think the root of the problem is that I’m really not a handbag girl. Or maybe I am and I just haven’t found the right one. I have found many. I just haven’t really been in love with any of them. And for me, it’s not like shoes – you change them every day and you might have several pairs that could go with each outfit depending on the occasion, the weather, the activity. With a handbag, no matter where you’re going or what the weather or what you’re doing, it still has to hold all the crap you can’t walk around without. And that varies girl to girl. Me, I can’t live without only a very few things: A) my wallet (duh), 2) phone, 3) lip balm, 4) a pen, 5) ibuprofen and 6) hand sanitizer. Okay, I could ditch the pen. It’s really the bare minimum. I don’t need to lug around a hair brush or makeup. Or a brick as it seems some girls have in their bags. And frankly, I have no idea what all the crap is that girls feel they need to lug around. So I’m not looking for an over-the-shoulder Uhaul.  It doesn’t have to be huge.  But seriously, I can’t find one that meets all my criteria. And there really aren’t many and they’re really simple. Nothing complicated. Nothing flashy at all. But do you think I have found one in the several years I’ve been looking? Sure, I’ve found several. And bought some. But I think the record for the longest time I have tolerated a bag is maybe five weeks. Minimum? Twenty-seven minutes. My daughter, the happy recipient of most of the cast-offs, loves my dilemma.

I’ve done the practical, cross-body, canvas gig.  I’ve done the slightly-wacky. I’ve done the retro. I’ve done the basic black. Couple times. But none of them had more than one or two features I require. I live in the city now and public transportation is part of my life. Twice a day on weekdays. So a top zipper is a must for both of the obvious reasons: To deter pickpockets and to avoid spillage. A flat bottom would be nice so the bugger can sit upright on the counter when I’m digging to the bottom for the elusive lip balm or the subway pass I’m nearly certain I dropped under the third rail. Metal feet are fabulous but I’ll save those as bonus. Material that is stain-resistant and preferably wipeable would be nice. I don’t do sequins. I don’t do fur. Or even faux fur. Or tassels. Or big gaudy bows. Or even little gaudy bows. Or even busy designs. A subtle embossing in leather or a muted tone-on-tone might do. But no feathers. No big logos. No big rings, loops or decorative zippers. And nothing that might get caught in the subway doors, please. That means no life-size monkey-shaped zipper pulls.

Comfy shoulder straps would be helpful. I don’t need memory foam or anything fancy or high tech. But something that doesn’t make an indentation in my shoulder when I walk a few blocks and holds the bag at a decent level so that it doesn’t clobber my fellow T travelers when the Orange Line comes to a screeching halt down the hill into Back Bay. 

And last but not least, a reasonable price would really take the cake. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m actually willing to pay quite a bit more than I was when this mission began only because my basic needs are elusive in the disturbingly titanic market there seems to be for handbags. I wonder how many handbags I could afford if I had a nickel for every web page I have scrolled through looking for a decent handbag. No joke, one of the websites that I frequent and who touts good sales with an outlet ambiance has a pretty basic handbag with a price tag of two thousand, two hundred, eighty-three dollars!! And seventy-five cents!!! I’m not kidding. At all. Who the heck spends that on a handbag?? If it met all my criteria, I STILL wouldn’t dream of spending anywhere near that. That’s my kids’ book budget for college, including inflation over the next four years. I wonder how many girls have bought those bags. Really. And how many of them bought them, used them for two days and regretted it? Bet they’re all on eBay now.

Maybe I should just stick to shopping at Goodwill. And dropping off the bags I so quickly learn to hate. And just accept the fact that my perfect handbag doesn’t exist. That way, when I hate the bag within an hour, at least I’ve been charitable. Charitable bag hating. I’m all over it.

The Fail Safe. The bag that I grab when having a bad outfit day, a bad hair day, a day where I need everything I own in my bag and finally when I’m having a fat day.

The saying

‘A big bag makes you look thinner’

was spoken on TV again this week. Move over Gok Wan, Lauren Pope from ‘The Only Way is Essex’ is giving us fashion advice now – although she credits Nicole Ritchie for these words of wisdom.

It’s no secret that many of the style icons of the last year are often spotted carrying an oversized bag. Are they following this mantra, or are they really carrying everything but the kitchen sink (excuse the cliché) in these designer bags?

There is no denying if it’s the afore-mentioned; big bag = skinny, then these stars are rocking this look. All appear to be thin, but are they or is it an optical illusion?!

Oversized Bags, friend or foe?

For the rest of us however, who lust after that perfect figure, is carrying our oversized bags simply following fashion or a hiding device where it covers some of our perceived worst assets? For me it’s both. I love an oversized bag as much as I love food, my hair straighteners and long lies. It’s an essential to finish any outfit and my fail safe, pictured above, is no exception.  It hides the lumps and bumps in my middle that my constant battle of the bulge and gym membership does not and its practical – everything I could possibly need in my day, in my handbag, no sacrificing or squeezing shut required.

The Downside?

Well I have what I fondly call ‘a fat, sticky out rib’ a trip to the doctors and an x-ray later, it’s confirmed in untechnical terms that I do. It appears my rib cage has moved! The doctors concluded theory? I carry an oversized bag too often, on one side too much and it’s too heavy.

And so, my fashion advice comes from a Doctor:

‘Use a smaller and lighter bag’

For me, this didn’t cut it, for the opposing theory must also have some truth; if a big bag makes you look thin, surely a small bag makes you look big? Do I want to look big versus having my rib cage move? Some concessions needed to made, for I don’t want to end up with a ‘bigger, fatter, stickier out rib,’ but equally looking good and accessorizing well is important too.

My Conclusion – use the oversized bag for fashion, leave the kitchen sink at home and resist the temptation to fill the bag with unnecessary essentials.

Until next time…

Peace, Love and Handbags xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vince Camuto "Jamma" Pump

I don’t know about you but I am so loving the spikes and studs movement. The spikes alone give these Vince Camuto pumps the oomph that will cultivate your status as a shoe diva! These are another must have for me. You will be a force to be reckoned with while rocking these 4.9 inch heels.
I made a special trip to Nordstrom just to try these babies on and got my bubble busted because they were out of my size. Ugghhh!!

Iridescent paillettes from a clutch purse.
Although it’s not vintage, the little scales were practically made for a scanning.

So I am an avid flea marketer.  I love them, big, small, inside, outside it doesn’t matter so long as there is cool junk to find that inspires me.  Well last year when my mom and I went out flea marketing we found these really cool wooden purses.  I liked the shape of them but the outside was all wrong.  It was this weird yellow color and had daisies on it.  After some awesome work with my knife peeling all the daisies off I was left with this half deconstructed wooden purse…. and it sat on my shelf for months!

After my awesome experience with mod podge on the lamp shade I decided it was time to buckle down and tackle that ugly purse.  After scrounging around in my scrapbook paper I found this really  cool paper that had this green and white argyll print with green dots on the background and green and white plaid paper. I thought they looked pretty cool together so I got down to business.

First I had to make a rough stencil for each side of the purse.  Then I transferred that stencil to the argyll print paper and cut out all pieces for all the sides except the side with the clasp.

The next part was easy, but messy.  I covered the first side with mod podge then applied the paper and put more mod podge on top.  Then I smoothed out any bubbles and made sure the paper was good and stuck.  Once all the sides were done, I cut out another piece out of the green plaid that was the same size and shape as the sides for the front with the clasp.

I cut the top off the piece of paper so that the bottom part fit tight against the clasp.

more mod podge

even more mod podge!

To finish off the front I used a razor blade and carefully held the top piece of paper up to the purse and cut out the shape of the clasp.  Then, you guessed it, more mod podge.  I used the same technique to cover the top of the purse in the same green plaid paper.

I would have a finished picture but it needs…. something.  No clue what that something is yet, but I’m going to do some digging through my supplies this week and when I find that perfect last piece I’ll post an update!

So what mod podge craft have you done, or are thinking about doing???  there are some great tutorials on pinterest for covering things using fabric or paper and mod podge. One great one using fabric can be found here.

Hope you all have a great week and keep on pinning!  I might not be posting very much this week due to some issues with some family members right now.

~Liz

Actress Octavia Spencer strutted her stuff down the red carpet at the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on Sunday evening (January 29) in Los Angeles, California.

Octavia, 41, wore a pretty white and silver Tadashi Shoji iridescent chiffon gown with an embellished and beaded bodice.  The dress is also cinched on the side to fit her body perfectly and showed off her curves.  Octavia completed her look with silver Stuart Weitzman sandals, Irene Neuwirth earrings and a grey Judith Leiber clutch.

After years of being a jobbing actor, Octavia Spencer is finally enjoying her place in the sun.  She picked up the 2012 SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for her work in The Help.

Even though she has scooped up a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award within the past month, there is one thing that is concerning The Help actress.  Backstage at the Hollywood event on Sunday night, the 41-year-old admitted that her weight was causing her some concern.