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September 20, 2012

Blog : Vicki Batman-It's all SPARKLY!!

Handbag Mania - Enid Collins

Leave a comment and email for a prize drawing:
Margaret Smith handbag!!!

Several years ago, an Enid Collins bag caught my eye when I was sick and tired of the department store offerings of garbage bags, and I had to have it. Because…

My confession:  I ADORE handbags.

Yeah, most of you probably know that. LOL.

I know, I know, most women are into shoes. I would be except I have small feet--7 narrow--and shoes are hard to fit. And I have a bum right ankle; so heels are out.

But handbags... Sigh. I can put one over my arm, around my wrist, under my arm, or over my shoulder and am one happy camper.

So I began to explore eBay. (Uh-oh, you say, not eBay. We'll never see you again, VB. LOL.) I bid on an Enid linen and leather tote, entitled Cable Car and sat back and waited. Imagine me when I won!


Cool! Let's do that again. So I found a box bag--Pavan--and won it!

Cool! Now, I am a collector. And am obsessed. Suddenly, in every antique store, I find an Enid bag I have to have. One clutch I found came from a mall. It had been manufactured by the Tandy Corporation after they bought Enid Collins. Here's a photo of all my treasures:




So my collection grew. I still check on eBay and ETSY. And found more fun...an Enid pin! Now, I have three. The red one was my birthday present to me.

 See what you think:



So what's your obsession--shoes, bags, pins, books, vintage postcards, kaleidoscopes, Viewmasters (oops, more of VB's collections). Share yours!



With a newly popped diet Coke by her computer screen, Vicki Batman is about ready to click on the eBay button and shop some more. Find her at: http://vickibatman.blogspot.com Or at: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com Her latest is "Store Wars," a hilarious romantic short story: http://museituppublishing.com .

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooooh, love those bags! The pins too. I love to accessorize - - bags, scarves, and jewelry, but my biggest weakness (other than books) is shoes. Yeah, I'm one of those. Every color of the rainbow including a few dozen in silver, and a separate storage spot for boots. It's a sickness, LOL.

What a fun post! :)

Liese said...

I gave up a lot collecting because when you have to pack it, store it, or sell it because of a major move, it's easy to decide you don't need your coffee mug collection. But my husband and I have enjoyed buying Christmas ornaments wherever we go. It's definitely fun to pull them out every year and remember buying the Pinnochios in Italy or the Mardi Gras masks in New Orleans. I bet we have some book collectors out there!

Elizabeth Essex said...

Books. Definitely books. Everyone in my family is a book hound, and since we all like different genres, we are in constant need of new bookcases.

But my personal compulsion is SHOES. Love them. Love wearing them as I write because they make me happy. And I really love the fact that my daughter and I are basically the same size. This means I can 'give' her all my super high heels that I don't wear much anymore, and by myself some lower lady-like heels instead. Sigh. Bliss. :)

PamnTX said...

Jewelry! I love costume jewelry! Sometimes I make it. Sometimes I buy it! I have necklaces that I just had to have that I've worn maybe once...maybe. I'll decide I need to cull out some pieces to make room for more and I can't do it. If some organization is having a fundraiser garage sale, I promise myself I WILL give away some necklaces or bracelets, but I just know someday I'll need that necklace or bracelet and back on the jewelry rack it goes. I donate something else to the fundraiser.

Vicki, I love those bags, especially the small one. The pens remind me of the 60's. I loved the 60's!

Patricia said...

VERY beautiful bags, Vicki. I've never been "into" purses but when I badly needed a new one several months ago, I splurged a bit and got one that looks like a raccoon or something like that and is truly unusual. I get compliments about it constantly and people shy away from it in stores, thinking it's alive! It's totally fake fur but I call it "Harriet" and she goes everywhere with me. Do I sound nuts or what?
Patti

Sisker said...

Vicki: I remember those bags from my teen years. Always wanted one. The Carriage Shop (now I really am telling my age) at NorthPark had them.

But I collect postcards of Bonham, Austin College, and Texas exaggeration. You know, where Texas is the center of the map? There really are a lot of those. Plus, Texas tablecloths from the 40s and 50s. Needless to say, eBay and I are friends.

Kay

Jennifer August said...

Ooh, a fellow purse enthusiast! I'm afraid to go into Sam Moon because I know I'll come out with two or three bags and want to carry them all!
I also collect office supplies (how weird is that?!) I love pens of every type and color. I'm pretty obsessed with them and paper as well. I worked in magazine printing for many years and we touched and used a lot of different papers and it rubbed off on me. My favorite is from Staples. How much fun is this, Vicki? I think I might have one of those Enid bags. I'll have to look and see. Is there an identifying mark somewhere?

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Thanks, Mae Clair! I love shoes too, but like I said, small feet. So I went up and just love the bags. Not necessarily expensive bags either. Thanks for visiting.

Hi, Liese! Ornaments are a good collection and take a family through its history. I completely understand. ox

Hi, Ms. Essex: I love books, too. And have a few bookcases which I squish more on. I remember sharing shoes with my sissies and mom. Mom had awesome alligator heels with a matching bag...sigh.

Hi, Pam! I went through a bracelet phase too and made bunches, even sold them in stores. Then I began writing and something had to go.

Aren't the enid bags cute? I was stopped in The Container Store the other day for my red pin. Squee! Thanks for posting today.

Hi, Kay!!! You aren't telling too much about your age-lol. And now, with ebay and ETSY, they are really affordable. I give you permission.

I have a bunch of Texas postcards too. Postcards are a nice size, colorful, and mostly affordable. I need to see your collection sometime. ox

Hi, Patti! No, you aren't nuts. Your bag sounds like F-U-N! And isn't that what life should be? So keep on having fun. ox

Hi, Jennifer! Office supplies sound cool. Lots of people collect pens. I have 3 old flip calendars. I should give you one. The original Enid bags have an EC in the lower right corner. The Tandy Corp bought Enid and changed the logo to a horse. I have some of both. They are unique either way.

Check EBAY and ETSY. And I've found them in antique malls, too.
Keep me posted!

Marian Lanouette said...

I'm right there with you, Margaret. I love handbags. But have slowed down on the collecting. Even my Previous Moments. It takes too much time to dust them any more.

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Marian! And thanks for posting today. And you bring up an interesting question: what number constitutes a collection? Three? Ten?

And don't blame you one bit about the dusting.

Unknown said...

So this is what you did when they muted your Facebook page. LOL. Ebay - the cure for depression and suppression.

Hehehe - you always entertain my darling. How fun is this article? Yes. My purse and chocolate obsessed girlfriend. So adorable and loved by all those who meet you.

Beautiful and artful collection.

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Karen! Wow, you know me so well, you are spot on. lol. The red pin is my birthday present to me. Handsome asked what I wanted and I said oh, I'll find a handbag. Instead, I found the pin! She's so gorgeous.

Squee. Thanks for visiting with me. oxoxox

Karilyn Bentley said...

Hi Vicki,
What a fun post! I love seeing the pix of your purses! I'm not a purse person, at least not to buy them. But I do seem to have found myself with a coffee cup collection. Not sure how that happened. :) I love earrings! Always look for a new pair, but now have so many of them that I've had to stop buying. :(

Kathy Ivan said...

Hey Vicki

I know all about your purse obsession! Remeber, I've seen your closet up close.

I've never been a purse collector--as long as it's big enough to carry around all the junk I seem to accumulate, then it pretty much works for me.

I don't think I really collect anything, except maybe candles. I seem to have an inordinate amount of candles around my house. Hmm. . .

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Karilyn! Collections can be a living thing. Sometimes, we have to let go of a piece of it inorder to add to it. I've actually thrown away--don't pass out!--handbags, or donated the ones that were donatable. Earrings sound like fun and now, I'll be looking more often at your ears! lol

Hi, Kathy! Yes, you've seen my babies and as you could probably guess, I'll have more to say about other kinds of bags--needlepoint, evening, Mary Frances, vintage...endless possibilities.

I'm wondering what candles say about you. Have I given you a Paddywax? ox

Shelley Munro said...

These are gorgeous bags, and I can totally understand your obsession. The pins are cute too.

Hubby and I have collected Christmas decorations from different parts of the world, and I usually buy a T-shirt or two so I have a few of those.

I've never had an obsession for shoes because I find it hard to get the right fit, but I'm up to three pairs of boots and I'm coveting more :)

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Shelley! I know people (sister) who covets cowboy boots. I know she has more than my two pair cause her foot is a little bigger than mine and she can get a good fit.

I like your collecting Christmas items from different parts of the world. A remembrance of where you've been. That's cool.

Did I mention I collect vintage felted ornaments and beaded styrofoam ornaments? Oops. Maybe I have a problem. lol

Anonymous said...

I just bought an armadillo purse-poor thing keeps staring at me(lol)My obsession is teapots. I have over 500(yep-I'm a teapot hoarder)That's not counting the teapot-shaped jewelry.Everyone has to have a vice and your handbags are beautiful.
Dory

Mindy said...

Great post Vicki :)
I know where you're coming from with high heels (7 wide and a broken (about 14 years ago) ankle)). I collect pocketbooks and have about 20 so far and ephemeria (fantasy items) Gargoyles, Trolls and Faeries/gnomes mostly.

Mindy :)
Birdsooong@aol.com

Mindy said...

Hmmm I got a mailer Daemon about my post,
here goes again.
Great post Vicki :)
I know where you're coming from with high heels (7 wide and a broken (about
14 years ago) ankle)). I collect pocketbooks and have about 20 so far and
ephemeria (fantasy items) Gargoyles, Trolls and Faeries/gnomes mostly.

Mindy :)
Birdsooong@aol.com

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Dory! An armadillo purse-this I've got to see. Send me a photo! lol And I can see how it would be staring at you. Oh dear.

500 teapots sounds cool! They come in many flavors. Tell us how you have them displayed.

Thank you!

Hi, Mindy! You are on your way to an awesome collection. Can you group them? Do you favor one kind over another?

I ripped ligaments in my right ankle at half-time during a football game. Was okay for several years, then tripped in a hole dug for a tree and wham! In a cast. Was good for a long time, then boys and...legos. I'm an accident waiting to happen.

Thank you for posting with me today!!! Come back.

fOIS In The City said...

My passions are books and records. I mean the old "album" type. Now I have to convert my entire collection to CD's. That will surely be a labor of love.

My all time fav is my Christmas collections ... collecting, buying and sometimes selling. Don't you just love Etsy ??

Love your collection, Vicki ... your sparkling personality shines through :)

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Florence! You can convert those LPs to CD's. There's a turntable for that and is around $100. Bought my nephew one. He loves LPs and the good ol' oldies.

I love Christmas stuff, too. And ETSY is awesome. I ordered something already for Christmas this year... Ooh, it's bad.

Thanks you for posting, sweetie. ox

Kathy Bennett said...

Fun blog, Vicki.

I do have a lot of shoes, but I don't think I collect them.

I guess the closest thing I have to a collection is dated Christmas tree ornaments that I buy every year.

When my daughter was born, I bought one for her too, so when she grew up and moved out on her own, she'd have a bunch of ornaments that she'd grown up with on her own tree. Now that she's married and out of the house, my husband and I each by a dated ornament.

His tend to favor super heros, while mine lean toward teddie bears, Gone With the Wind, and dogs and cats.

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Kathy! You aren't the only one who has commented today about collecting Christmas ornaments. I think it's fabulous. You have a memory for each year. I don't know why I didn't do this for my kids. I'm sure your daughter appreciates it and will share with her kids.

Thanks so much for chatting with me today!!

Sheila Seabrook said...

I have one purse that fits all, Vicki. At least I know who to come see when I need one. Lol. I don't really collect anything except maybe new computers. I love having the latest technology out there.

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Sheila, you are up late. I'd love to have a new computer. I'm still liking the one I have had for two years. Especially the sound bar over the Mouse ears. lol

Yep, come see me about handbags anytime. There's not much designer, but there is style. ox

And now for our winner, Mindy! I'll be in touch today.


Thank you everyone for sharing and chatting.

Anonymous said...

Charming collection! Love the photos. :-)

Janice

Jennifer Shirk said...

I kind of have a compulsion with flip-flops. Weird, I know, but I have them in every color. LOL

Melissas Midnight Musings said...

I have a collection of keychains, and lately I've been collecting various bookmarks.

Mindy said...

I group my collestions by era/decade.
My favorite purse is a 1920's beaded flapper style bag.
I prefer the old timey beaded purses/pocketbooks.
I broke the bony part of my left ankle walking across the parking lot at work (MR center)with a bag of infectious waste I was taking to the storage/disposal room(a diaper & a pair of gloves)at change of shift. I stumbled over my feet, talk about being embarrased!

Yours sounds painfull too, No more accidents .

I see I won?
AWESOME! Thanks so much Vicki,
Mindy :)
Birdsooong@aol.com

Sasha Summers said...

I'm ashamed of my lack of handbags now... I have one, no three... Sigh. I feel the need to go shopping!
I tend to collect books - LOTS of books...