Scary Handbags

I've come across some frightening handbags in my time. But have you ever? Just look at them. Sitting there like that. They have to be some of the worst handbags I've ever seen. Quite awful. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turns out they're Friends and Relations of Clasp herself. (If you don't know who Clasp is, never fear, you soon will.)

I don't know their names (if you do, please let me know). But I do know one thing: they are up to no good looking like this. (Particularly that "tri-cornered" one at the bottom. What a horrible show off she is.) And I know one thing else: I wouldn't want any of these dangling off my arm--would you?


This concludes Part 1 in our Handbag Series. In Part Two we will be meeting some more unsavory bags. But no posting about handbags is complete without a recital of the famous, the notorious, the completely addictive... the song everyone is singing... the song that belongs to The Handbag Friends--and to... YOU!

Get ready ... (really, it's the only sensible thing to do when faced with such dreadful handbags) ... sing!

Moo Moo and Ya Ya

THIS JUST IN FROM OUR INTREPID CORRESPONDENT IN LONDON, SAM THE TIGER (caught below--unusually without Tiger Disguise):

Moo Moo and Ya Ya have been spotted over the Atlantic Ocean and are believed to be winging their way to New York City even as we speak. They are wearing their famous Helicopter Hats (as seen above in S-T-T's brilliant rendering). What they plan to do when they arrive is anyone's guess. But you may be sure, whatever it is, it's very naughty indeed.

But we can sleep easily knowing that S-T-T will be the first to report it whatever it. Stay tuned. And thanks S-T-T for this tremendous scoop! (For those unfamiliar with Moo Moo and Ya Ya, they appear in embryo in the final credits of Handbag Friends.)

Let's Sing The Handbag Song!

isn't it time?

yes, of course it is

(it's always time
because you just never know when
a not altogether friendly
very large
purple
handbag might be in the vicinity
lurking)

QUICK! Let's help those poor Handbag Friends and do what Harry says and sing! (dancing's allowed, too--but not so much running away and screaming).

Niss: a blanket

Here's Niss (with Ellie underneath).

Niss of course is a blanket and his name came about, quite simply, because of Ellie pointing at him and saying, "I want niss" (this) when she was too little to be able to use her mouth for TH words quite properly yet.

Ellie's Niss was the inspiration behind Binky's Blanket in Handbag Friends. In fact, Ellie was the inspiration behind a great deal of Handbag Friends. She invented the brilliant word: "misappeared", for instance. She is also "The Beautiful Princess Eleanor" (but you don't need me to tell you that. It's plain to see--she's so completely umdidlyscrumptiously oodlingforthingfull princesstral in every way.)

She's also the inspiration for the Big Sister in How To Be A Baby: by Me, The Big Sister. Best of all, she's my niece and I get to be her aunt.

You could say she's a bit of a muse for me. But then you could say that about every one of my nieces and nephews. And actually pretty much every child I meet.

hop spot (with fairy cakes)

Sam (the Tiger) from our London Bureau took time out of his very busy schedule discovering and unearthing new Pinklish Words to pen this beautiful portrait of Hop Spot--who, unusually, by lucky chance, was standing still having in turn taken time out of her equally busy schedule eating fairycakes. (Thank you Sam The Tiger for this scoop!)

I think you'll agree Hop Spot is very photogenic. As are her fairy cakes. (Who, sadly, of course are now no longer with us. This is probably the very last portrait of them, in fact. Being just prior to their being gobbled all up.)

On a happier note, to find out more about Hop Spot and to watch her dance and sing with her cakes (and the other Handbag Friends): Click here!

handbag toast

Here's Ellie (aka The Beautiful Princess Eleanor) with her lovely Handbag Toast she made one morning.

It's certainly quite the most Fashionable Fabulous Famous Toast I've ever seen.

What a shame to eat it. And not walk about with it on your arm being a lady and wondering where to go.

Actually, I don't see why not. When you're at your next Important Meeting to discuss Important Things with Important People, you might well consider taking along your Handbag Toast to keep things unusual and surprising. What could be the harm? It would certainly keep everyone on their toes and off balance which always works to your advantage.

(So long as it doesn't rain because then of course you'd have Handbag Soggy Toast on your hands and that, as everyone knows, never helped anyone.)

testing books on children

The snow storm didn't stop us. We had loads of fun in Cold Spring NY last Saturday, reading Handbag Friends and How To Be A Baby and laughing and singing. And here we are reading HOW TO BE A BABY and laughing fondly at all the things babies can't do, poor things. (Like, for instance, when you're a baby you don't carry a back pack. You go in one. And you don't read books. You eat them. Stuff like that.) (Thank you Merritt Books and thank you children.)

Reading to children is a great (the only?) way to test a children's book. And here's one really cool thing I learned from a favorite publisher of mine (David Fickling):

I was testing out HANDBAG FRIENDS on some children in its very earliest stage (pencil sketches in a paper dummy) and I came to a bit where the children were asking me loads of questions. Like, "What is a Swamp-A-Stomp?" and "Where is the Murky Space Weed?" and "What do you mean Baglodytes?". So much so that I could hardly turn the page. Later, I reported back to David, "Oh dear I think I should write more in there because they're asking lots of questions." And then he said, no, you want them asking questions. It's when they aren't asking questions you need to worry because then they're not engaged. And you know the definition of a boring book, don't you? A book that does the work of the reader for them.

Isn't that great?

Hmm. Come of think of it, that could apply to more than just books...

ANOTHER NEW PINKLISH WORD?

LONDON--This just in. Sam the Tiger (left) has been hot on the trail of yet another Pinklish word. (Previous discovery, Jan 31, 2007 post)

PONKCORN
(pronounced: pong*'korn)
noun
1) popcorn you are enjoying inside a movie that's all pinkly and lovely

(as in: "We had ponkcorn inside Charlotte's web")

There is, however, some controversy surrounding this latest discovery and serious questions as to whether its etymological origins are indeed Pinklish. Why would it not be called "pinkcorn" for heavens sake? some Pinklish scholars are asking. (Like the notorious Professor of Pinklish--Suley Lloyd-Heap of Pinksford University in Pinkly-cum-Sparkly in the heart of the Pinkswolds).

But for Sam the Tiger there can be no doubt. Ponkcorn is indeed part of the Pinklish language. How does he know? Because first it sounds much more tasty and noisy, and second, it can be yellow or any color and still be Ponkcorn and doesn't have to be just pink. Is he against Pink popcorn, then? No. Far from it. It's just a matter of accuracy. "Basically," says Sam. "Pink Ponkcorn is what that would be."

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ...

Based on the Movie of the Book of the Handbag...
Best Handbag in a Supporting Role: Clasp
Singiest Song: The Handbag Song
Best Costume: Lady under the Bush Oufit, by Bolshee and Banana
Best Shoe in an Understudy Role: Meany Blah-Blah
Best Interiors and Chickens: Pinkfoxe and Fowler
Best Boy and Key Grip: David Pinkling
Best Stage Set and Cave: Sir Frank Lloyd-Pink
Best Screenplay in a Book: Moo-Moo Ya
Best Hats appearing in a Handbag: Trillip Bracey
Most Badly Behaved and Naughtiest Handbags NOT appearing at all: Bate Skade
Best Friends appearing in a Handbag...
For your consideration...
WINNER OF 5 GOLDEN HANDBAGS...
Now starring in a handbag near you...
THE HANDBAG FRIENDS!

NY FASHION WEEK: Exclusive interview with Bate Skade!

It's the Year of the Handbag. We're buying them. We're carrying them. We're talking about them. But do we know as much as we think? Where do they come from? What are they for?

The Queen of Handbags herself, Bate Skade, comes clean about where her handbags REALLY come from. Whose been stealing them. And more. Read it now! [>]

Now at last the Story can told. (Find out more [>]) And the Song sung. (Sing it quick! [>])

BRAND NEW PINKLISH WORD JUST DISCOVERED!

LONDON: this just in—Sam The Tiger (right) has discovered a brand new pinklish word:

PINKUTER
(pronounced: Ping•cue•ter)
noun
1) a computer used for pink purposes, as in "do you have a lap top pinkuter?"

Sam regularly works on his pinkuter but finds it often "spoils him" (a term meaning here, the pinkuter plays up and is naughty to you and won't do what you want). Thank you, Sam, for alerting us to this important new Pinklish Discovery. And also for permitting us use it on our pink website.

The Handbag Song

Did you know there was one?
(It's all pinkly and happy.)
Perhaps it's time to learn it? Click here!

Here's the Handbag Friends in full swing from the Handbag Movie. Did you know there was one? Perhaps it's time to watch it? Click here!

Handbags and friends

Here's a new Handbag Friend and me. We sang the Handbag Song together and watched the Handbag Movie. Over and over. (You, too, can join in the fun and sing the Handbag Song! Click here)