Handbags, we all need them and we all have them. Some will have been bought cheaply on the high street others may be investment bags that cost an arm and a leg. But the question is how well do you look after yours? Do you abuse your bag? Most of us live such busy lives nowadays that we tend to neglect the things that we've spent our hard earned money on. Our parents would be horrified at the way we treat our clothes, shoes and yes .. our bags! If you've only paid a few pounds for your bag and only intend to use it for one season then maybe, just maybe you can be excused. The rest of us however should hang our heads in shame for the way we treat our handbags.

         

Feeling a little guilty?

Okay .. here are a few do's and dont's for caring for them

• Don't overload your bag. Whilst it's been designed to carry things, it's not designed to hold all your worldly goods!

• If the handle of your bag catches on a door handle, don't yank on it! Just unhook it, it will only take a few seconds, otherwise the handle could become detached with repeated pulling.

• Do not wash your bag unless it specifically says you can. Instead spot clean with a clean damp (not wet) cloth. I find baby wipes are very good for this though please test on an inconspicuous area first and do not over wet. If your bag is very dirty then get it professionally dry-cleaned.

• When not in use hang your bag up. This will prevent the handles from becoming bent or twisted.

• Do not store your bag in humid or damp conditions. Mould is impossible to remove.

• If your bag is made using a delicate fabric such as silk or satin, when storing carefully wrap in acid free tissue paper or a muslin bag to prevent damage and marking.

• Treat leather bags with a leather conditioner.

• Regularly de-clutter your bag. There's nothing worse than finding a sticky sweet or leaking pen at the bottom of your handbag and you'll never be able to get rid of the mess altogether!

With a little TLC your 'Investment Bag' really can last for many years. There's no excuses now for not caring for your bag, and if you get fed up or bored with it, then it should still look good enough to sell. Making you money to put towards a new one!

Well I must confess it's been quite some time since my last post..    but new year,new beginning and all that.

Firstly, I'd like to wish you all a very Happy New Year - I hope that 2014 was kind to you and that 2015 will be even better.

Here at Wild Rose Designs, I've decided to make a few changes ...  I'm going to pare down the range of handmade bags so some of my designs are being 'retired'. Trying to make enough of so many styles is a lot of work and I'd rather have fewer designs with a greater turnover rate so that everything is always fresh.  Fabrics for everyday bags will mostly be wool and tweeds with leather or faux leather straps and/or trims. Evening bags will continue to be made in silks and other luxury fabrics and I will be focusing more on Weddings. Jewellery will feature more Sterling Silver and Pearls and less of the everyday jewellery. Of course anything can be made to order. I also want to add a collection of knitted and crocheted throws and cushions to the Homeware range. 

All this is going to take a little while to come about and in order to clear the decks for the new stock, everything in the shop is 30% off! ( the code for the discount is shown on the home page).

The designs below are all being retired, so if you've had your eye on one this is your last chance to buy:

Everyday bags                                                                                       Evening bags

Andrea                                                                                                       Alice

Isabel                                                                                                         Dorothy

Lauren                                                                                                       Olivia

Rose

Ruby

Zena

Well that's it for now, I'll pop back when I've some new stock to show you.

TTFN,

Linda