I just received word a couple of days ago that the Fall 2008 Vera Bradley Outlet Sale will be held here in Fort Wayne the first week of October (Thursday 10/2 - Sunday 10/5).

If you are a regular visitor to this site, you may already know that Fort Wayne is my hometown. So, of course, I am completely thrilled that I will be able to attend the Vera Bradley Outlet Sale yet again this year! However, I almost feel bad about posting this, knowing that this location is not convenient for many of my readers. Although Fort Wayne usually is the site for the spring event, the fall sale is usually held in another state.

If you are considering making a road trip to Fort Wayne to attend the sale, you may want to check out some pictures I took when I attended it this spring, as well as the price list. The majority of items were 40% off, although I did hear that some things were further reduced as the sale progressed. I only attended the first day, and although I wanted to make a return trip, I couldn’t fit it into my schedule.

For those of you thinking of visiting Fort Wayne to attend the sale, the first week of October is a great time to visit! The autumn leaves are at their peak, and the weather is usually beautiful (as long as it’s not raining). Kendallville, a little town north of Fort Wayne, also has their Apple Festival scheduled for the first weekend of October. The Apple Festival is one of my favorite local events, and I look forward to it all year long. It has hundreds of craft booths, as well as some of the best homemade food you will find anywhere (famous Indiana pork tenderloins, vegetable soup, beef and noodles, apple cobbler, and much more…).

As you can see, I could go on and on, but to make a long post short, if you have any questions about the Vera Bradley outlet sale, or even about Fort Wayne and the surrounding area, feel free to leave me a comment below, and I will see if I can answer it for you…

Hopefully by now, everyone has had a chance to see the new Fall 2008 Vera Bradley Patterns, if not in person, then online.  When I first posted on this subject back in May (my, how the time flies!), it was difficult to determine what pattern was the clear cut favorite among our readers.  Was it the Puccini? Night Owl? Caffe Latte? How about Frankly Scarlet?

Now, it’s time to find out once and for all everyone’s favorite!  How?  Well, voting is the democratic way, of course.  So, in that regard, it’s time for another poll…

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If you read my previous post, you probably know that I am having problems getting the polls to run in the navigation bar over on the right ever since upgrading.  I am still working on the problem, but until I find the fix, the poll will be buried in the post here. 

To wrap things up, have fun voting for your favorite fall 2008 Vera Bradley pattern!  It’s just one way to pass the time until the “real” voting starts in November.  Personally, I think I prefer this over the real elections - at least this is fun!

Hi all!  If you are a repeat visitor, you probably noticed that Discount Fabric Handbags has an entirely different look!

I have been busy most of this weekend upgrading everything and installing a new template that I hope will prove to be more visitor friendly.  You can access both the shopping side (where you can find all the best Vera Bradley deals) and the blog side (where we like to chit chat about everything Vera Bradley - and then some) from the same screen.  Before, if you landed on the shopping side, there’s a good chance you would have missed the blog, and vice versa…

The only problem that I encountered is with the polls widget plugin.  For some reason, it doesn’t want to work in the sidebar, where I normally like to have it so it is easily accessible.  However, I think polls are a lot of fun and love having them on this site, so until I figure out a fix, polls can be found within the actual posts.  Find the current poll, which ends midnight July 31 and is entitled “Think Like a Vera Bradley Products Designer“, here.

For me, it has a been a very busy weekend.  I am not much of a “techie”, so any time I make major changes to a site, it probably takes me ten times longer the average webmaster.  In that regard, I am going to keep this post short and call it a night. However, I will be back to chit chit with you all very soon.

As I am sure  most of you know by now, the Vera Bradley tote was redesigned for fall 2008.  I am going to go out on a limb and guess that the first questions that popped into yours minds are probably the same ones that popped into mine.  Namely, how is the new tote the same, and what has changed? 

To answer these questions, here is a quick rundown of the old versus new:

Size

Nothing has changed as far as size.  Both styles are 11¾” x 13½” x 4″.

Shoulder Strap

Again, no changes.  Both styles feature a 12½” strap drop.

Pockets

Finally, some differences…

The old tote had one interior slip pocket.  The new bag features two more, for a grand total of not one, not two, but three interior pockets!

Closure

Another difference!  The old style’s button closure has been replaced with a more stylish tortoise toggle.

Price Tag

I wish I could say this hasn’t changed.  The new Vera Bradley tote retails for $2.00 more than the old style, coming in at a suggested retail price of $46.00.

As promised, there’s the quick comparison.  Let me know what you think about the changes…

I purchased the Vera Bradley Hipster at this year’s outlet sale, and just within the past week or so, started using it.  Although my usual bag is a Villager (or one of the other similarly sized purses), I really loved the styling of the Hipster and thought I could handle downsizing.  Unfortunately, I ran into a few issues…

I still love the styling, and I have received a ton of compliments, even though I just started using it.  I think I counted four or five compliments just at the family Fourth of July party I attended this weekend!  After commenting on the bag, however, I have had a few people ask me what I think about it.  And as much as I hate to say anything bad about my favorite line of handbags, I did have a few complaints regarding this particular one.

My biggest complaint is that the bag is simply too narrow.  It is deep, which I like, but since it is so narrow, it’s very difficult to get at anything that is at the bottom.  I am training myself to put my car keys in the outside pocket, because when I throw them inside the purse, it’s a struggle to get them back out.

Another thing I don’t like are the interior pockets.  It has two slip interior pockets on one side of the bag, and for some reason, I find I’m always catching my wallet or checkbook on the pockets.  Personally, I think they stick out too far into the interior of the bag, and that’s causing the problem.  It happens so frequently, I just know I am going to end up tearing one of the pockets.  Aaargh!  I also wish that it had an interior zipper pocket.  Good thing it has one on the outside of the bag!

Besides the overall look of the Vera Bradley Hipster, there are a couple of things that I do like (not everything’s negative!).  I like the two exterior pockets.  As I already mentioned, there’s a good-sized one with a zipper, but just above that one, there’s another slip pocket that goes the entire width of the bag, which I think is handy. 

I also like the strap.  It’s adjustable, and I find that I like having the ability to change its length.  Sometimes I leave it long and sling the bag across my body.  Other times I shorten it up and carry it like a traditional handbag.  It all just depends on my mood.

As of fall 2008, the Hipster has been restyled.  I am guessing that a lot of the issues that I experienced with the older model have been addressed.  The new style has three interior slip pockets.  The company also describes it as having a “roomier interior”.  The new style still has an adjustable strap, although the exterior pockets have been restyled.  There’s now only one on the front of the bag, and it snaps shut.  The zippered exterior pocket has been relocated to the back of the bag.

So, that’s my review.  Even though I had issues, I’m sure I will carry it around for several more months.  At some point, I will probably pick up the restyled version too. 

As always, if you have anything to say, feel free to leave a comment…

I sometimes forget that what may be “breaking news” here is of very little importance outside of my little bubble in the world.  For those of you who do not know already, I live close to Fort Wayne, the same city that the Vera Bradley company calls “home”. 

The big news here in Fort Wayne is regarding a lawsuit that was filed this week against the Vera Bradley company.  The lawsuit was filed by the company’s former supplier, claiming breach of contract.  You can see the full article and get more details here.

Basically, the company was sued by its former supplier, Robert Hinty and his three companies, because it moved its production operations in-house earlier this year.  Hinty was not only a supplier, but a former employee of the company, who took out a $3 million loan to grow his business as a supplier for Vera Bradley. 

Do I think this lawsuit is going to be a problem?  No, I think it’s just a minor hiccup, and I’m guessing that the ladies running the show there knew it was coming.  

Having worked in the legal field for several years, I always think its funny to watch Boston Legal (type) shows, where someone gets sued one day, and the very next day they show them in Court duking it out.  In real life, it never happens that way.  It takes months, usually years, before the case goes to Court.  Nine out of ten times the case settles before it ever makes it to that point.

I think that will be the outcome here.  Vera Bradley will file an answer to the complaint.  The parties will exchange discovery requests.  It may even make it as far as mediation.  But in the end, I think the parties will come to some private settlement.  Hinty will be able to pay back his loan, and may even get some start-up capital for his next venture, and both parties will move forward.

Of course, I could always be wrong!  It’s just my personal thoughts on the matter.  However, I will keep an eye on how the situation progresses and keep you updated. 

I just added a new category for the Vera Bradley Mimi Backpacks on the Discount Fabric Handbags store, and it got me thinking about how much I miss the one I used to have.  As a matter of fact, I even have a vivid memory of finding out that the style was retiring (I guess I was a little too attached!)…

My oldest son is now ten, but when he was just a little guy, we would have weekly playdates with his friend Cassidy.  During the summer, Cassidy’s mom and I would meet at the zoo here in Fort Wayne every Friday.   We would load up our Mimi backpacks with water bottles and Teddy Grahams, cover the kids in sunscreen, and go and spend a good couple of hours with the monkeys and zebras.

It was during one of these Friday outings that Cassidy’s mom informed me that our favorite backpack line was joining the ranks of discontinued Vera Bradley products.  It may seem superficial to some, but we were mutually bummed over the news! 

Unfortunately, the bag I took on all those weekly zoo trips eventually wore out and ended up in the Goodwill box.  Cassidy’s mom and I also lost touch, as our kids grew and their maturing interests consumed our schedules.  However, any time I see a Vera Bradley Mimi backpack (and they are still around, believe it or not), I think of those zoo trips - and fondly remember the good times we had with Cassidy and her mom.

Check out the results of our most recent poll regarding cleaning Vera Bradley bags.

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As you can see, the overwhelming majority responded that they clean their purses “all the time” in the washing machine.  For those on the fence for this issue (according to our poll, a quarter of our readers), there are some things you should keep in mind…

First, most of the purses made from the classic cotton fabrics are fine to put in the washing machine on the gentle cycle using cool water.  If the purse has a removeable base, make sure to take it out before tossing the bag in the wash.  Keep in mind, however, that many of the matching accessories are spot clean only.  To be on the safe side, when you first purchase an item, make note of the care instructions. 

Second, make sure that the detergent you are using is ok to use with cotton fabrics.  Some detergents, such as Woolite for Delicates, are not recommended. 

Finally, although cleaning most Vera bags in the washing machine is ok, drying in the dryer is not.  The best method is good old fashioned air drying.  

It is important to note that items from the Vera Bradley microfiber and silk collections should NOT be cleaned in the washing machine, nor is it recommended that they be dry cleaned.  Instead, spot cleaning is the way to go for these limited edition fabrics. 

Thanks to all who voted, and of course, if you have any tips to share regarding caring for Vera Bradley bags and accessories, make sure you share by leaving a comment here.

I have a lot of fun putting together the polls on this site and seeing the responses.  For my next poll, I am looking for some help from you.  This assignment requires you to put your creative thinking cap on.  Why?  Well, it’s time to think like a Vera Bradley product designer!

As I’m sure you already know, the Vera Bradley company makes more than just purses and luggage.  They dabble in a variety of things - home decor, stationary, pet products, even eyeglasses - you name it.  With that in mind, if you were a designer for the company, what would you like to see added to its product line? 

For the next week or so, I will be accepting submissions.  Then, voting time!  I’ll set up a poll, and we’ll see which product idea is the most popular.  And yes, I admit it - I have watched one too many episodes of Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice”, so I will also participate and submit the first idea to get the ball rolling.

One more thing, this is just for fun.  However, you can actually submit product ideas to them. So, after you finish brainstorming, if you think you’ve got a winner, I encourage you to jot down your ideas, and put them in the mail to:

Vera Bradley
Attn: Product Development
2208 Production Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808

As promised, I’m including my own submission.  Here it is…

I think a Vera Bradley baby carrier would be a great! Unfortunately, my youngest son is three now.  As you can imagine, it would be difficult to squeeze his forty pounds of toddler fat into a baby carrier.  However, if they added a baby carrier to their product line - well, that just might be the incentive I need to try for that little girl I always wanted!
 
Tag, you’re it!  Got any ideas?

UPDATE ON 6/18/08:

Ok, I’m going to be wrapping this up in the next day or two.  If you have an idea, don’t be shy - let’s hear it!  There’s been some really great ideas submitted so far - here’s a quick recap (for more information about each, check out the comments section). 

Amy suggested a fanny pack…
Melanie suggested scrapbooking paper…
Vicki suggested a toddler bag…
…and I suggested a baby carrier

All great ideas, don’t you think!  Starting next week, make sure you return to vote for your favorite in the next poll.

UPDATE ON 6/22/08:

We received one more entry.  Jillian suggested potholders and oven mitts…

All great ideas!  Voting has now started (see the poll on the right side of the page).  So, what are you waiting for - go vote!

UPDATE ON 7/26/08:

Well, I was running the poll over on the right side, but after doing some updates to the site, it’s no longer working in the sidebar.  I have added it here, so you can still vote.

By the way, if you do want to vote, make sure you do it soon!  This poll is set to expire in just a couple more days, on July 31… 

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As I am writing this, the 15th Annual Vera Bradley Classic is wrapping up.  The Classic is a three day event combining tennis exhibitions with 18- and 9-hole golf tournaments, all to raise money for breast cancer research.  Last year, the Classic brought in over one million dollars, and with a record number of participants this year (and fantastic weather), it’s likely that the 2008 event will again raise more than one million dollars for breast cancer research.

I recently read that the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer has raised more than seven million dollars for this cause.  The Classic is just one way the company is raising money for breast cancer research.  They also donate a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of certain fabric patterns, as well as 100% of the proceeds from their annual outlet ticket sales. 

The Vera Bradley Foundation also raises funds by selling pink ribbons in their “Turn the Town Pink” event.  Currently, hundreds (if not thousands) of trees in downtown Fort Wayne have large pink ribbons tied around their trunks.  Each ribbon has the name of a person who has battled breast cancer.  It’s really something to see - I plan to take some pictures to share with you, and I hopefully will post them soon…