2020 resolution - shopping my own bag and wallet collection. Any one else?

[cowgirlsboots]

Thank you for the link. I will be checking it out soon. That is so cool that you're a visual artist and paint in oils too -- happy to know that I can turn to you for input if I have any questions! And I agree with you about the advantages of oil paint, especially the reworking aspect. That is the one thing I remember not enjoying about water color, when I've dabbled in it in the past. With water colors, I always ended up with some blotchiness if I tried to paint over or change something. It's one of the reasons I like oil paints as well, but oil painting is also more commitment, and that is something I have to consider as well -- just not sure if I am able to get started right now on something that requires more time commitment, or if I should wait for a few months. Will explore a bit and think about it some more. Thanks for all the info!

Maybe you just should give the oils a try- I am far from artist and haven´t painted in ages except for on leather, but I used to love oil paints and never felt they were hard to use. I´m one of those who paint with a lot of material build up, often mixing my colours right on the canvas while I go, though and don´t make much a difference between using thick acrylics (in tubes) or oil. My Dad´s uncle was a trained fine artist and always rolled his eyes about my "technique".

 

[cowgirlsboots]

I find regular water colors to be more difficult because you can't correct mistakes. With oils or acrylics, you can paint over any mistakes. I guess canvas is more expensive than paper though. My favorite paints are gouache. I can get the best control with it. They are a little more expensive.

I often use masonite boards rather than canvas.

If looking for a very cheap alternative: cardboard primed with a thick coat of white wall paint (you can mix some fine sand into the paint if you want a structure) is really nice to paint on with oils or acrylics, even guache works on this.

 

[cowgirlsboots]

Thanks for the kind words about my little purse showcase. I love recognizable and unrecognizable purses alike.... I almost alway buy second hand, unless it's an indie brand and I'm patronizing an artisan, and refurbishing sad looking leather and uninspiring strap configuration issues, which is a hobby of mine.


I'm drooling over python bags on etsy. I know I must be in the minority because this kind of thing is rarely seen on TPF. No brand, no cow or sheep.... But so pretty and fun and so affordable from Indonesia or Russia.
You guys like the bronze or purple better?

Team bronze.

 

[cowgirlsboots]

I love python too. I think I actually prefer to croc most of the time.

Always have to be careful with endangered species that need a CITES though. No CITES, no buy.

Thanks for pointing out the impotance of the CITES! I own a few vintage python bags and shoes and croc bags, too plus a fur coat that according to the furrier society would need a CITES, too. They are all old enough not to be any offense, not to be poilitically incorrect, but I do not dare to take them over any boarders. Without the proper papers they have to stay within Germany with me. Owning them is fine. In our country only buying (oops, I guess "they always were in the family") and selling them is illegal and crossing boarders is dangerous...

 

[cowgirlsboots]

No bag, but new to me... I´m so happy with this purchase. It´s "YSL variation"- from the 90ies, I guess- and my very first piece of designer clothing. I´d been watching it on the classifieds for ages, then inquired about it, but the listing was deleted. Last week the seller suddenly contacted me and asked whether I was still interested. Of course I was and without much thinking just bought it. When it arrived I knew it was meant to be mine. It fits perfectly and feels like an old friend.

 

[SouthernPurseGal]

No bag, but new to me... I´m so happy with this purchase. It´s "YSL variation"- from the 90ies, I guess- and my very first piece of designer clothing. I´d been watching it on the classifieds for ages, then inquired about it, but the listing was deleted. Last week the seller suddenly contacted me and asked whether I was still interested. Of course I was and without much thinking just bought it. When it arrived I knew it was meant to be mine. It fits perfectly and feels like an old friend.

Oh that's great! Sounds like a pure joy moment of retail therapy that we all are junkies for.

 

[dcooney4]

No bag, but new to me... I´m so happy with this purchase. It´s "YSL variation"- from the 90ies, I guess- and my very first piece of designer clothing. I´d been watching it on the classifieds for ages, then inquired about it, but the listing was deleted. Last week the seller suddenly contacted me and asked whether I was still interested. Of course I was and without much thinking just bought it. When it arrived I knew it was meant to be mine. It fits perfectly and feels like an old friend.

Beautiful!

 

[cowgirlsboots]

Oh that's great! Sounds like a pure joy moment of retail therapy that we all are junkies for.

Thank-you@SouthernPurseGal! Modest retail therapy with a maximum joy factor!

Who was it who advised me to upgrade, was it you @papertiger ?- this is proper upgrading to me. A vintage piece at a modest price that after some tlc is absolutely perfect. It makes me really happy.

 

[Bag peace]

Any tips for searching on Etsy? It's virtually impossible, so I always just give up.

It can be difficult!

My advice goes against the grain- be very specific and use all the filters! Most people type in generic terms and then have to sift through gazillions of results that aren't even close to what they are after.

I clearly specify a $ range- both a min and max amount, so I exclude the rubbish at the very low end like paper clips ha ha, and I don't waste time looking at things outside my budget at the higher end.
Then Handmade or Vintage.
I also specify the country I want to shop from. Obviously shopping locally, you'd save on shipping but many international sellers also offer free shipping, so I tend to choose the country based on what I want to purchase.
For instance, I know that Argentina has a lot of products made of recycled rubber (I should post one of my bags relating to this, actually), so I'd look there for products made of recycled tyres.
If I wanted printed silk scarves, I'd shop from Greece as it's commonly found there. Snakeskin from Indonesia, and so on.

Another example about specificity: Say you wanted genuine gemstones like Opals. I know that opals are found all over the place- India, Mexico, Australia, the US. If I were opting for cheap, I'd choose to shop from stores in India, and my search terms wouldn't simply be 'genuine opals', but would specify the grade (AA grade, for instance), from India, in the handmade category, between $50-110.
Getting that precise means I often only get back 4 pages to look through in my results vs. 250 pages you could otherwise get.
And if I like a product that came up in my search, I'll look at the recommendations that accompany it (usually at the top of that page) as they tend to be similar in style and can lead me to items that would suit my taste.

Hope that helps you some. I'd love to get advice from others on here, as I'm sure there are better ways to navigate it.

No bag, but new to me... I´m so happy with this purchase. It´s "YSL variation"- from the 90ies, I guess- and my very first piece of designer clothing. I´d been watching it on the classifieds for ages, then inquired about it, but the listing was deleted. Last week the seller suddenly contacted me and asked whether I was still interested. Of course I was and without much thinking just bought it. When it arrived I knew it was meant to be mine. It fits perfectly and feels like an old friend.

So lovely!

this is proper upgrading to me. A vintage piece at a modest price that after some tlc is absolutely perfect. It makes me really happy.

I love the concept of upgrading! A few special, quality pieces are far better than a ton of mediocre pieces! And that you're so happy with it is just wonderful. We all need a bit more joy!

 

[Bag peace]

@cowgirlsboots I think we were discussing uniquely shaped bags that were handmade for me before my hospital visit. Here's another that I remembered when posting my reply above. It has a bit of a story behind it.

My mother worked in Argentina when we were young. My eldest brother got me my first backpack from there- this football shaped bag made from recycled tyres. I wore that thing right until I graduated Uni, at which point the rubber was disintegrating and leaving sticky residue everywhere!
I briefly lived in Hong Kong after graduating, and sadly, I could not hack it. As wonderful as I'm certain it is, I felt suffocated by everything and had to move very quickly. Perhaps I was too young? Anyway...
Whilst I was there, I asked the friends I'd made where I could buy a backpack similar to my own and, to my absolute delight, was told I could have an exact replica made. My lovely friends took me to a workshop where they took my beloved (and very much on its last legs) rubber backpack and made a beautiful copy of it from leather!

Now, this is not an exact replica as I asked them to make it a crossbody, because I was getting older and felt it would look more appropriate as a shoulder/crossbody bag, and the artisan altered the design a bit, changing the closure and the dimensions to make it functional, but otherwise it looks almost like the original. Cost me a pretty penny back then, but was totally worth it!
The inside is just an empty hole and the leather scratches very easily, but nothing a little Blackrock's can't buff right out. The closure is irritating to work with, but overall, I love this bag! It's one of the superstars in my oddball collection. Especially due to the memories it brings of my brother's gift to me as a kid, but also as a memento of my brief time (and my newfound friends) in China.

I've put it next to my Coach ombre because that was the bag I carried on my walk today, but also to show how small it is. The Coach ombre WOC is 8x5" I believe, so I think my football bag is around 8".

Also, for those that like this design, I recently saw an advert for Mirta Bags that look very much like this! The Mirta bags are more sleek and functional (a flap opening which will certainly be easier than the opening my bag has), so definitely worth checking out.




Edit: Just checked and Mirta does an almost identical bag, which I love! It looks sleeker than my own! Oooh, I may have to upgrade when mine dies.

Opera Brown - Vachetta Leather Crossbody Bag | MIRTA

Like its Italian meaning, Opera is a masterpiece made by Boldrini Selleria. Entirely handmade in Tuscany where fine craftsmanship has been passed down thro

www.mirta.com

and

Operetta Brown - Tuscan Vachetta Leather Crossbody Bag | MIRTA

Operetta crossbody, like its name, is more than a bag. It is a real masterpiece. Handmade in Florence by Boldrini Selleria, where perfect craftsmanship is

www.mirta.com

 

[momasaurus]

Thanks! I would love to see pictures of any of your artwork if you have them on hand.

Thanks, the WOCs come in really handy for those quick errands! I have been admiring your red WOC and the wonderful leather on your Massai cut!

Great tips. I will definitely reach out if I have any questions, thank you.

@momasaurus, did you get to use your crock pot? I did a search for crock pot recipes for beginners on YouTube and it yielded quite a lot of options. I like YouTube for new recipes.

I have to admit that I haven't used it yet! DD also sent me some of her tried and true recipes - I promised her I would get to it this week!

 

[momasaurus]

It can be difficult!

My advice goes against the grain- be very specific and use all the filters! Most people type in generic terms and then have to sift through gazillions of results that aren't even close to what they are after.

I clearly specify a $ range- both a min and max amount, so I exclude the rubbish at the very low end like paper clips ha ha, and I don't waste time looking at things outside my budget at the higher end.
Then Handmade or Vintage.
I also specify the country I want to shop from. Obviously shopping locally, you'd save on shipping but many international sellers also offer free shipping, so I tend to choose the country based on what I want to purchase.
For instance, I know that Argentina has a lot of products made of recycled rubber (I should post one of my bags relating to this, actually), so I'd look there for products made of recycled tyres.
If I wanted printed silk scarves, I'd shop from Greece as it's commonly found there. Snakeskin from Indonesia, and so on.

Another example about specificity: Say you wanted genuine gemstones like Opals. I know that opals are found all over the place- India, Mexico, Australia, the US. If I were opting for cheap, I'd choose to shop from stores in India, and my search terms wouldn't simply be 'genuine opals', but would specify the grade (AA grade, for instance), from India, in the handmade category, between $50-110.
Getting that precise means I often only get back 4 pages to look through in my results vs. 250 pages you could otherwise get.
And if I like a product that came up in my search, I'll look at the recommendations that accompany it (usually at the top of that page) as they tend to be similar in style and can lead me to items that would suit my taste.

Hope that helps you some. I'd love to get advice from others on here, as I'm sure there are better ways to navigate it.


So lovely!

I love the concept of upgrading! A few special, quality pieces are far better than a ton of mediocre pieces! And that you're so happy with it is just wonderful. We all need a bit more joy!

Thanks so much! Very kind of you. I will try out these ideas. Their search function just seems to be a joke.

 

[dcooney4]

Bag number 4 I think. Portland Leather Goods Mini Crossbody in Merlot . This one has Leather that feels like nubuck . If has a mark you just rub your finger across and it disappears.

 

[Bag peace]

Bag number 4 I think. Portland Leather Goods Mini Crossbody in Merlot . This one has Leather that feels like nubuck . If has a mark you just rub your finger across and it disappears.

I love this colour. I think this leather will age really beautifully. It has a lot of variation and character already, so it's just going to get better.

 

[SakuraSakura]

Wow 700 pages!