A Passion for Purses and . . . . Kat Out of the Bag, . . . . . . . . . In Purse-Suit Mysteries: Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!
I will miss my mother this weekend, but I was so fortunate to be with her for so many years. She lived to the age of 99. She is well into her 90's at the time of this picture of my mother, Pam Kendall and me. She loved to be happy, she loved to laugh and celebrate, she loved her family, she loved people, and people loved her back. She loved her dogs, and they adored her. She was interested in everything. Life energized her.
I've taken my blog back from Katherine and MJ so I can share my own mom for Mother's Day!

There is so much of my mother in Katherine Watson's grandmother in my book Kat Out of the Bag. So much of her spirit is in the story. I would read my mother parts of my drafts over the phone, because she lived in California and I'm in Washington state so I didn't see her often enough.

Pam Kendall was just out of her teens and living in England during WWII and the bombing of London. She was one of the infamous plane spotters, and also volunteered as an ambulance driver. After The War she married her sweetheart who had fought in the British Army in Burma. My mother and father enjoyed a fantastic, magical 49 year marriage.

I always think of roses associated with my mom. Her father used to give her roses on her birthday every year as she grew up, and we always gave her roses too. She was an English rose.

My mother grew up in Wales. They make fabulous purses there! They are called Welsh Tapestry purses, in all sorts of styles including shoulder bags, clutch, satchel, handbag, all styles that you can think of. This is one example. Notice the pretty kiss clasp. The trim and strap are leather. The tapestry is all a very colorful and thick wool, that is so soft to the touch.

Just look at the rich, intricate weave up close.

And here's the silky, dark interior

Here's another beautiful example. This is a shoulder bag with leather trim and steel hardware.

The interior for this one is a lambskin leather, a little aged now but still fully intact.

Oh this beautiful, and durable weave!

My mother told me that when she was young purses were thought of as necessary only, not fun accessories or collected. When photos were taken, women would usually put their purse down somewhere out of the way, not to be included in the photo.

I like to think that a love of purses is something that I helped foster in my mother later. Here's her favorite purse, well worn after so very many years of use. We both shared a love of Prada!

Here's an amazing, vintage purse that my mother had kept all her life. Just look at the intricate carving in the silver hardware. That is carved on the inside as well. The chain metal is sewn to it. The coins pictured were inside the purse. They are dated 1920 and are English coins. I discovered these after my mother passed away, so I don't know but I'm guessing this belonged to her mother.