Purses & MORE PURSES

I don't know if I've mentioned this too much, but I use to collect Scottie dog antiques. Our house USE to be filled from top to bottom. About 4 years ago, we decided to only display a small portion of our collection as we were getting into mixed media art & dolls and wanted to display our new finds. So most were packed up & put away. I figure that when we retire, I'll get them out & the pieces we don't want, we'll sell & travel on that money. SO...I really try not to buy any Scottie items anymore. Last week, Chris & I were at Macy's. He needed to get a battery for his watch. We usually don't go to Macy's once they bought our favorite store (Lazarus) here in Columbus, but there are times you just have to. Well, we were walking down the aisle when Chris stopped & pointed at something. I turned too one look & was in awe. Dooney & Burke is my favorite purse & there sitting on a display was a dozen different Scottie bags. I was shaking as they were so darn adorable. Chris asked if I was going to get one. I told him no I'm going to resist. We then went walking out into Polaris Mall to get some candles at Yankee Candle.

I admit it. I LOVE purses and/or bags. I have a closet full of them, and know that I really don't need anymore, but whenever I see any type of bag be it small treat bags or ginormous tote bag I just want them. Some women love shoes, I love bags.

Luckily Chris tolerates this, but every once and awhile he does have to put his foot down & remind me that I really don't need anymore bags...BUT...then there are times when he sees a bag & just knows I have to have it.ndle. He looks down at me & ask "are you still thinking about that purse?". Goodness crackers, but after 35 years he does know me so well, doesn't he? So back we went to Macy's. I'm "trying" on bags & then making him hold them up at a distance so I can judge which one I wanted. Women were walking by smiling & he said "I'm trying to talk her out of this". HAH! It is all his fault. I decided on the middle size but couldn't decide on the white with black Scotties, or red with black Scotties. Finally I picked out which one I wanted & went to purchase. He laughed & said he knew I was going to get it & didn't I want a wallet to go with it? NO! At least not as long as he was with me. LOL!. So here is my Dooney & Burke Scottie bag. It is adorable! And probably Christmas will be seeing a wallet under the tree that will match.

Speaking of purses. Two weekend ago, I & my friend Pam took Sherry Serafini's beaded purse class. Now, I know I do bead embroidery, but I've always wanted to take a class with Sherry after my other beadie friends have told me what a blast she was. We took the class at a shop here in Columbus for 1/4 the price of the small class she was teaching in Milwaukee. The classroom was packed. The bead store owner over sold the class & wanted to add 4 more people, but Sherry said 21 was enough. We barely had room to work it & I had to be careful not to nick my friend with my needle. It was hot, and Sherry could barely move around. Really uncomfortable situation...but after an hour, I didn't care. Sherry was everything I've heard plus more. Now to explain this purse I'm doing...I've gotten into using beanie babies for my art projects & this time I wasn't going to stop. So I used a beanie bear head that I needle sculpted & put on a brass volume control ring from an old Admiral television. There it was ready to be glued down. Everyone else had beautiful glass, stone, or fancy cabs for their focal point...I had a bear head. Sherry stopped, smiled & said that was the first time she'd seen one of those! Then to beading. Guys...I bead very fast & I never draw patterns, so when everyone else was still drawing patterns on their Lacy's Stiff Stuff...I was going hell bent for water. I actually got 1/4 done before the end of the two day class. Sherry was amazed...my friend Pam told her I was called SpeedieBeadie. Am i ever. And though this is an awfully out of focus picture, here is the front of the purse. I had to throw away the other pictures I took as they would have made anyone sick to see them as they were blurry! So I promise, more better pictures. I'm going to let Chris take them.

One other things...Sherry & I were talking about the Bead Unique Lake Tahoe Retreat & how much fun we were going to have. I can't wait to spend more time with her in a relaxed atmosphere with drinks & beads & fun & laughter & friends. I told her we have a core group that had been to WhimBeads' Vegas Retreat & many of us were returning & planned to have one heck of a time. I know that Beki Haley is having a day count down! ME TOO!

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