Thursday Themes - Handbags

The credit for the Thursday Themes idea goes to Toni over at Chick Chat.

This week's theme is Handbags.


Now I love handbags like some women love shoes.
I love handbags almost as much as I like food, or chocolate.


Over the years, the many, many years, since I first earned a wage and bought my first bag, I've had quite a few. Most of these handbags are long gone, either worn out from much use, or donated to Goodwill when I was decluttering, or just because I found I no longer used or liked a particular bag.


I've had handbags with short handles, designed to be carried in the way the Queen carries her handbags.
I've had shoulder bags, with the long strap, designed to hang off one shoulder, or to be slung across the body more securely and leaving both hands free.


I've also had backpacks in various designs, colours, fabrics and sizes. I remember a black leather backpack that bled colour all down my back when I was caught in the rain once.


I've had handbags in all sizes, shapes, colours. Most of them block colour, a couple with multicoloured patterns. One very soft patchwork handbag in different shades of browns, with brass fixings. Can you see a pattern here? Brass fixings.......


Today, I have only a few handbags.
Here they are.


This is the small backpack that I use on a daily basis. Small enough so I don't carry too much weight, yet large enough to hold everything I need.
It's made of a strong nylon fabric, so it's strong, yet soft enough to be able to squish it into my locker at work.



Here are a few of my other handbags.

This biggish brown one has a handle and a shoulder strap, plus plenty of zippered pockets.

This was my job interview bag, used for three years while running all over town applying for jobs, leaving resumes everywhere I went, but not used at all since I was hired by Coles as a Christmas Casual worker. They kept me on. I'm still there. I guess they liked me.

See the layer of dust across the top? Why have I still got this? No idea.

This small leather backpack is dark brown and has thinner straps than the one I use for work.

I used this one for about a year before I bought the nylon backpack, but it doesn't squash as easily, so is harder to fit in my locker. I still use this one on trips to the city or for weekend shopping trips. It's roughly A4 sized so easily fits whichever book I'm currently reading.

This little red barrel shaped handbag is a combination of fabric and vinyl, with brass accents.

I used it for a while, but found it slipped off my shoulder a lot, so I spent a lot of time hitching it back up.
It holds a fair amount of stuff and I've hung some pretty doo-dads off it, but I don't use it anymore. I keep it because I like the colours.

Technically not a handbag, this bum-bag comes in handy when I don't need to carry more than a wallet and bus ticket, plus my house keys. Great for hands free browsing at libraries and secondhand shops where I don't want to put my handbag down while I search for books or other stuff.

This teeny tiny shoulder bag is one I used a few times when going out to a show, or to the movies. Places where all I needed was my keys and bankcard. Now it just hangs around looking cute.

This handbag was a gift last Christmas. It's nice enough, but I haven't used it yet. The fabric (leather? vinyl?) had an odd smell and I hung it outside in the shade for several days until the smell dissipated.
I've put stuff in it to use, then changed my mind and used the backpack instead.

I'll probably re-gift it in a couple of years.

You all know my new red handbag from a couple of posts back. I was definitely bringing this one to Sydney. Well, that's changed, not only are there weight restrictions, there are size restrictions too, for carry-on baggage.

I'm allowed a carry-on bag of particular dimensions, plus another small item such as a handbag or camera or something like that.
This red handbag doesn't really qualify as small, being more of a tote than a handbag.

So I've decided to bring its smaller, black cousin to Sydney instead.

This final picture, while still a handbag, is not used as such, being a miniature made of cardboard. It's hand sized.

I got it one year at Easter, or maybe Christmas, filled with yummy chocolates.

Now it hold all my flashdrives.

(Have I overdone the red highlighting??? )



Here is where most of my handbags live when they're not being used.

To take part in Thursday Themes, go to http://chickchat-toni.blogspot.com

check what she's chosen for this weeks theme, then post your text or photos under the Thursday Themes title. Link back to Toni in your post, then go to Chick Chat and add your name to the link list.
While you're there, have a look at what others have put up for their Thursday Theme.