Retiring Miche Shells

There are many Miche Shells that will be retiring soon. Inventory will not be replaced on the following shells:

• Hannah
  
• Kate
• Sheila-Orange
• Pricilla
• Baleigh
• Eva
• Cori-Black
• Mia
• Miralee
• Susan
• Jackie
• Ellie-Red

All Shells retiring are on a "first come, first served" basis. If there is a Shell on this list you've been wanting, be sure to call soon! And, remember WhatEver Accessories will be closed from November 22 through Jan 2.

Mystery Spot

You know, I could ask my husband fifty times to take out the holiday decorations... in hopes that it will be done sometime after Thanksgiving. Well this year, right after Halloween, I mentioned getting the outdoor decorations out and then forgot about it. On Monday morning, November 9th, I stepped outside and much to my surprise the wreaths and garland were front and center. It struck me funny and I couldn't stop laughing at how insane this was. It's not even Thanksgiving and my outside decorations are up. But, in his defense, I guess I won't be laughing if it really does snow this week. So for now, maybe he is the wiser one!

So this mystery spot is my front yard...Whatever!

The Healing Field

Today I went on my own little field trip to Rotary Hill which is a place in town that we go sledding in the winter and listen to concerts in the summer. This week they've done something new. They have put up 2,009 flags to honor those that have fought for our country. I just had to go and take a look. What a beautiful sight! They call it the Healing Field and as I walked around I saw tags that honored family names and the war(s) they fought in. Some even put on tags for the soldiers that lost their lives last week at Fort Hood. I decided I wanted to buy a flag and honor a few of our family members, both fought in WWII. This was a very moving experience and one that I hope Naperville will continue.

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Avoiding High Heel Mishaps

Great tips and walking with heels and shopping for heels. A great pair of shoes will always make you walk tall!

Are You Accessible to Your Customers?

I learned something new the last few weeks while surfing for a vendor to provide a party room on line. Out of all the vendors I looked at, only one had a phone number. Do they have any idea how many potential customers they are losing on a daily basis? I filled out many contact forms and in some cases never received a reply. In other cases, we played message tag through emails. I, myself, have a toll free number on my website. Since January, I have had over 50 phone calls. At least three quarters of those calls have turned into sales. The other quarter has been people calling to sell me something.

I really needed to talk to a "live" person to ask questions that I felt were important since I had little experience in the online party world. The questions to the vendor may seem trivial, but to you the customer they are important. That reassurance that there really is someone "real" behind the website is worth it. So why don't more websites provide a toll free number? I don't know the answer to that, but I really think they should check into it. It just may be the trick to boosting their online sales.

Early Fall Color

Don't you just love the colors of Fall? I have to be honest with you...this is the first time in a very, very long time that I have even bothered to dig up the Summer pots and plant Fall pots. Usually, by the end of August I am so over Summer. The garden looks rag tag and I just want to pull everything up and wait for Spring bulbs to make an appearance.

But, this year has been so unusual. First, we have had a really cool summer and the perennial garden still looks fairly decent. Second, the pots actually didn't look bad except for the petunias which looked leggy even after trimming them. And, the Fall mums were out so early...I thought...why not? Maybe I'll get 2 more months of color in the yard. And, I've never seen so much ornamental cabbage available at all the nurseries. I do have to tell you it was very hard finding mums that weren't already in full bloom. In this picture, they have only been in a week and look at them. Another hard find was the pansies, as this is really early for them. But I got lucky and found a few.

So, I'm hoping that I have Fall bloom for all of September and October and don't have to worry about early frost and covering them up. That's usually the reason I don't bother to plant for Fall. It's just too much work worrying about frost....whatever!

Where Are You?

Watch this video - where do you fit in? Are you sitting down waiting for things to happen? Are you on top of the world but stressing out? Are you just part of the crowd? Are you the follower or the leader?


I can tell you what I've learned... It's okay to sometimes to sit down and relax and wait to see what happens, it's also okay to be on top but enjoy it while you are there - not stress out. You can be part of the crowd, but while you are there you should be making new connections. It's also okay to sometimes be the follower as you learn new things, but being a leader is an awesome feeling and one you should strive for whatever your goals are in life.

Sidney-(dark-red)

Sidney-(dark-red)
Originally uploaded by WhatEver4Me

Lucious red Sidney is the first of the new releases coming up.

My Birthday Surprise!

I was looking at my pics from our trip to Montreal and decided to share my birthday surprise. My hubby planned this great trip to Canada way back in the Spring when I was stressing out with long distance family matters. He kept the whole trip a "secret" revealing to me in July that we were going somewhere and that it was a surprise trip for my birthday. He didn't reveal the plans to me until 2 days before we were to leave. I told him I was losing sleep about what to pack and he better give me some kind of clue....soon! I always stress about what clothes and shoes to pack. The only thing I'm sure about anymore is my Miche Bag and Shells. On my actual birthday, we had a wonderfully romantic dinner cruise on the St. Laurence River. It rained, but it was still beautiful! We had our very own fireworks show with lightning and thunder and I was even surprised with a sparkler on my cake. We both sat stunned looking at the sparkler and just as it was going out I realized we didn't get a picture.

The food was really great. Apparently, the chef is also with a 4 star restaurant - impressive! It was surprising how few people were on the boat - I guess a sign of the economy even here in Canada.

The weather got really nasty with lots of thunder, lightning and very heavy rain. And the boat...well it seemed like we weren't even on the water. I was really amazed that this boat was so stable.


As we were coming back to the dock, we both realized we didn't have an umbrella or for that matter, anything to protect us. But, we got lucky! As soon as we were docked the rain suddenly stopped and we were able to hail a cab in record time.
This is definitely a birthday to remember... surprising, romantic, fun, scary and a very BIG one. Oh, whatever! You're only as old as you feel!





Happy Birthday to me........

A Bit of Nostalgia

While in Montreal, we came across many phone booths. In this new world of super technology you just don't see phone booths anymore in the U.S. Whatever happened to them? Remember when college students would try to see how many can fit in a phone booth? Remember when Clark Kent would become Superman in the phone booth? Remember the movie "The Birds", when Tippy Hedren found safety in the phone booth?

Boy, we found so many creative uses for this big box that is becoming extinct due to technology. It was a bit of nostalgia and I enjoyed seeing them. I know, it sounds crazy, but I was having one of those senior nostalgic moments. Kids today would not know how or why to use a phone booth if they came across one here in the U.S.

The Girl Next Door

Today was a big day for our humble subdivision. Front page news called it an "event". Candace Parker grew up right here and played on this court from the time she was 5 years old until she graduated from high school. And, today the Naperville Park District dedicated this newly renovated basketball court in her name. It was a fun "event". I don't think anyone came outside the subdivision even though it was heavily advertised. Our park is kind of obscure and unless you know exactly where Spring-Field park is - you won't find it.



What a gracious young woman! She truly is a role model for young girls everywhere. It was fun to see neighbors I haven't seen in years since my son is grown and gone. Him and Candace were actually classmates on and off through the years. It's amazing how time passes so quickly and our kids grow up to be basketball stars and world travelers. It just proves, whatever your dreams, they can come true!

New Miche Bag and Slouchy Shells

You're going to love these new slouchy shells. They completely change the look of your Miche Bag.

Wishing For My Own Adventure

It's just one of those days where you wish you were the one traveling. I've been thinking of my son all day wondering how his adventure in Bolivia is going. I'm missing his phone calls to "just talk" and his calling me to test his ideas or thoughts. And, then I received an email from some friends that are taking a 15 day cruise in Europe. They are putting together a "diary" in pdf format with great pictures of the sights they are seeing. What a great idea! I just might consider this when we go to Europe this Winter.

So, it's just another week and a half before I take off for a vacation - to where I don't know - it's a surprise! What to pack? Don't know. But, I do know I will be taking my Miche Bag with at least 3 shells!

What adventure to you have planned?

Getting Curious

Just like the cat, I'm getting more and more curious as to where I'm going for my "surprise" birthday vacation. My clues are: Need a passport, don't need a bathing suit (I think that rules out Mexico), and my son thinks I've been there but dad has not (so that leaves out Europe). The only thing left is Canada and we've both been to the West (Vancouver) and to the East (Quebec) so I'm thinking it's either Toronto or Montreal. I've been through both, but didn't spend any time there. I'm not even really sure what there is to do there, but I'm sure he has it all figured out. So I'll just keep on being curious and look forward to the day I pack and he has to give me a clue as to what to pack.

Speaking of being curious....are you curious to see what's new with the Miche Bag? A new Shell design that creates "pockets" on both sides of the purse is all the talk around town. Check these designs out....





Ashley







Lydia







Stacy/Black






Stacy/Brown




This new style bag is $28.00. Call my toll free number to order 866-508-5496

Rainy Days & Sales

Yes, it's that kind of a day! I had plans to really enjoy my day downtown rummaging through the annual sidewalk sale hoping for some great bargains. I don't really mind the rain, but when the thunder starts, I tend to get a little "spooked". So the sidewalk sale was a wash out.

Speaking of sales....I'm having a Miche Bag Party on Thursday, July 16th. If you call me anytime between now and then you can purchase the Miche Bag for a great discount. Also, the Shells will be one special price. For every Shell ordered you have a chance to win a Miche Shell Organizer. Don't miss out on this great opportunity. Here's how it works:

1. Go to my website
2. Choose a bag (black or brown) If you already have the bag, start choosing your Shells
3. Pick your favorite Shell(s) and then call me today at 866-508-5496 (toll free)
4. Get special pricing and instructions on how to order.

Check out all the Shells available at my Miche Bag page.

Here's a "sneak" look at a few of the newest Shells that will be available.

Do You Know Vince Vance?

Well, I have to admit I had never heard of this guy. Who is he? Why, it's Vince Vance and the Valiants! It turns out he was a good friend of my Uncle's and invited us to a fundraiser for a school library. The event was at Blaine Kearn's Mardi Gras World and many of the silent auction items were props from floats. He is best known for his Christmas hit, "All I want for Christmas is You". The song is in the movie, "Love Actually" with Hugh Grant. It amazed me how many people I know knew who he was, and I didn't have a clue! What a crazy night, but it was good for us to get out. My Aunt was very surprised to find out what a good friend Vince was to her Vince. Just two wild and crazy guys!

Love ya Vince, and thanks for a great evening!

A Long Journey

A year ago on June 10th, this wonderful man that I considered a "dad" was laid to rest exactly one year from the day he suffered a stroke. From racing cars to zip lining at the age of 81, he enjoyed life to its fullest! I will miss his teasing, his laughter, his love of life and his phone calls asking how the weather is in Chicago. He was a fighter and didn't want to leave this world. His last words were, "I had a good ride!" And, that he did.




This has been a really hard two months for me. I'm hoping to get back to blogging and for those of you that have been checking in, I apologize for the lapse.

The Smell of Gardenia's

I love the smell of "real" gardenia's! I'm at my Aunt's home in New Orleans and I don't remember the last time I was here in the south when the gardenia's are in bloom. Years ago when I lived here there were gardenia bushes that surrounded our home and it was wonderful waking up to that fresh scent just outside your window. The true scent is wonderful, not like the candles and sprays you buy to make your home smell good. Did you know that gardenia's are the true flower of love and romance? This morning the windows were all open and I woke up to this intoxicating scent. It followed me everywhere from waking up, to taking my shower and now in the office typing. I miss this old friend, but I'm enjoying the free smells while I'm here visiting.

Get Your Miche Bag Shells

Many of the shells for the Miche Bag are being discontinued over the next few months. If you have a favorite that you have been wanting, be sure to get it soon or it will be gone. New shells are coming in all the time. If you would like a brochure of what I have available, leave me a message on my website. Currently, I cannot take orders for the Miche Bag on line, only by phone. My toll free number is 866-508-5496. Brochures of available shells are available and mailed by request.

Happy Easter!

Aren't they adorable? I remember when I was a little girl, my dad let us buy a few of these little chicks at Easter time. We actually kept them alive until they were hens and then my dad said they had to go to a farm and that was that! I remember you would go into town and find people selling these chicks for Easter. They would have dozens of them in a big brown box. Do they still do that? It seems kind of cruel now, but as a kid it was the ultimate Easter gift.

My other favorite memories of Easter are:

- Dressing up (included hat, gloves and white shoes).
- Easter egg hunts and prizes
- Giant Easter baskets
- Peeps! They are the best even today!
- A chocolate bunny that would last until Thanksgiving.

I hope you all have a great Easter!

Is it Spring Yet?

Wow, what a crazy Spring. We were in Nebraska for a few days and on the way home hit this blizzard in Iowa. I kept thinking about my poor daffodils as I was sure they were trying to bloom and now we have to worry about snow. Not that this is anything new. I mean, every year I probably think the same thing - when will the nice weather stay instead of playing hide and seek.

When we got home I had received several of those wonderful "wish" catalogs and was excited to see the new colors that are being announced.



Have you seen that great new color of yellow? It's called "Mimosa". LOVE IT! It's more of a golden yellow - very mellow, yet rich. And, I love that "Moss Green" and "Glam Grey". Grey is always a great staple in the wardrobe and just think how fun Mimosa and Moss Green will look paired with grey.

OMG! These Easter chicks are the new Spring colors - very fashion forward!







Don't like the colors? Use accessories instead to stake your claim in fashion.

Midwest Blues

Well, it's snowing outside - what happened to the warm weather? It's a day for daydreaming and wishing I was somewhere else today. So I'm thinking of the beach, sunshine, leisurely walks and a good book while getting a little tan trying to shrug off the Midwest blues.

I'll say it again, this is the hardest season for me to get through in the Midwest. Last weekend I was working in the yard and getting excited about the prospect of being outside more and then the temperatures dropped significantly - major storm last night and today it's snowing! What's a California girl to do?

I think about my favorite warm escapes and use the time to clean closets, removing clothes I know I won't wear anymore, rearrange furniture and accessories to make everything look new again. And, when I go to the grocery I always pick up fresh flowers to brighten my indoor spaces.

What do you do to get through the temper mental Spring weather?

Note: picture was taken on the Outer Banks, Southern Shores

In Search of Spring

You couldn't ask for a better day to be working in the yard searching for signs of Spring. I could see the daffodils and tulips making their way through all the leaves so picked this section of the yard to clean up and see what's making an appearance. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised to see blooms by next week on the daffodils. I will be keeping a close watch on my garden waiting
patiently for any buds.

I couldn't be more thrilled! It was an early Winter and a long one. Can you see those buds? I hope you will join me in the weeks to come as I watch the blossoms appear in my yard and around town. It's such an exciting time of the year!

Are you looking for a great way to keep track of time? Check out my watches in the "trendy" section of my store.

Geraniums Indoors?

I was at a friends home last week and she had these beautiful geraniums in her window and they were actually blooming. I asked her, "Whatever gave you the idea to bring these geraniums indoors?" Apparently, her mom and grandmom always brought the geraniums in for the winter and she just kept the tradition. She told me she digs them up in the Fall and repots them for indoors in the Winter. Now, I have heard of people bringing in their geraniums, but placing them in the basement not in a living room window! How wonderful to see summer blooms in the Winter! So kudos to this friend for so cleverly bringing summer inside. The window faced North so they are not getting direct sunlight, but how green and lush they look. So, I'm thinking I might try this next year as I have a nice size window ledge facing North. Just to see something blooming would be heaven! I'll let you know how it works out -- provided I remember to do it!

Blog Post for WhatEver is On My Mind

Get to Know Me....Sandi Bates, owner of WhatEver Accessories

Let St. Patrick Shine His Love On You!

I was thinking about St. Patrick's Day memories and remembered this parade in New Orleans for St. Patrick's. It was the first time I had been to a St. Patrick's parade and was really shocked when the people on the floats started throwing cabbages, potatoes and carrots. The only thing I didn't catch was the meat.... if they even threw meat, I don't know. Do we do that anywhere else? Crazy, but fun times!

Last year I participated in my towns St. Patrick's parade that rolls through downtown Naperville. Parades here are a bit hokey, but 100% family orientated. We gave out "seeds" to plant from the Naperville Garden Club and at the end of the day we won a trophy for the "most colorful"! It can be pretty cold here in March so I'm not sure what they saw that was colorful other than a few feather boas worn over winter coats and someone was dressed as a daisy. But, like I said, a bit hokey!

I think it's funny how everyone claims to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Sometimes I forget to wear green and feel like a traitor and I'm not really sure I have any "real" Irish ancestors. But the guilt of not wearing the green is almost too much! The bar hopping thing was fun when I was young, not so much anymore, which just proves I don't have any Irish blood in me!

Well, whether you are catching cabbages, parading yourself or just bar hopping this St. Patrick's Day, I hope St. Patrick shines his love on you!

People in Chicago Sunbathe!!!!

60° F: Arizonans shiver uncontrollably; people in Chicago sunbathe.

Yeah, that's right! We are all a little crazy here in Chicago when the weather hits 60. I can't believe it! I have all the windows open and really enjoying that "fresh" air. It even rained a little this morning creating that wonderful clean smell of Spring. BUT, it is only March! And, you know what that means? It could be 40 tomorrow which means

40° F: Italian & English cars won't start ; people in Chicago drive with the windows down

You know, it seems like just yesterday it was 10 below when Californians fly away to Mexico and the Girl Scouts in Chicago are selling cookies door to door.

At least we never have to worry about the weather getting so cold that Hell freezes over because that would mean the Cubs WIN the World Series!

All kidding aside, it is time to clean out closets, and start anew for many. But, for us in colder climates, we just want to appreciate the warmer weather and put the indoor chores aside and start thinking about basking in the sun once again.

Any Ideas? I have a few.....

I've been carrying a product for a few months that I was very excited about when I found it at a show. I immediately put it on my website and have had quite a few sales and great response to the product. But, a few weeks ago, the company decided it didn't want anyone to sell this product on-line. They wanted exclusive internet rights to their product. Personally, I think they are making a mistake, but it's a new company and maybe they are still finding their way.

The product is the Miche Bag. I'm sure you have seen it advertised on television. Their premise is they are afraid someone will try to "undercut" them. Maybe I'm too honest to understand their thinking. I still stand behind the product, as I think it is "genius" and am saddened to inform my customers that I will no longer be carrying this product. So now I'm out looking for something new to add to my on-line store - got any ideas? I have a few....so be sure to keep checking my website.


Watch my video farewell to Miche Bag at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7B1pBxJa2c

Mardi Gras Memories

I love Mardi Gras! My memories go back to when I was in the 5th grade. I remember my Uncle putting us up on a ladder to catch beads and I loved the guys that went around selling cotton candy and other things from grocery carts. It was so much fun to camp out for the day in the middle of the street waiting for the parades to come by. When you live in Louisiana it's vacation time!

When I was in my 30's I joined a Krewe in Metairie, LA and every year I would fly from California to Louisiana to ride a float for about 15 years. One year my sister and her boys came and we loaded them down with beads. We had so much fun! We went to a parade or two every day and they went home with a suitcase full of mardi gras beads and trinkets.

The best was when my aunt and uncle were King and Queen of Diana and my son was there Paige. What fun memories! He was 3 years old and had the time of his life at the Ball but hated the parade with all the people screaming at him to throw them something. I guess I can't blame him. In later years, he got to ride with his uncle with the Bug Patrol and I'm so glad he has those special memories with his uncle.
I stopped going to Mardi Gras when our Krewe folded. But every year I love to think about all the great memories I have with family and friends. If you ever get the chance, make it to Mardi Gras and Laissez le Bon Temps Roulez!

Cloudy Thoughts

Have you ever had one of those days where your thoughts are clouded? Whatever is with that? Some days I'm going a mile a minute with ideas and thoughts just sparking everywhere and other days, like today, the sparks have been smothered by the clouds! Maybe the head just needs a rest!

Usually when I feel like this, I check my biorhythms. So my biorhythm today says I'm passive physically and emotionally and only slightly active intellectually. So how depressing is that? It pretty much is saying my overall well-being is not good today. My physical energy is gone and my emotional energy wants to hide out in a corner and get this.....if I need to get some work done I had better do it within the next 10 days while the gettin' is good!

Oh well! I guess I'll go watch a little TV and see if it gives me any intellectual inspiration because the physical and emotional side of me just can't handle the intellectual part today.

picture was taken overlooking the Roman ruins in Rome, Italy

From Here to There

The walk is not far from here to there in whatever your dreams or goals in life. I was reminded of that today when I went to get weighed at WW. My weight comes off in points, i.e., .2, .4, .6, .8. Never in one pound increments! But it's the TOTAL that really counts - isn't it! And, YES, all of those ....... (points) add up to a total today of 24.6 - WOW!!!

So I started thinking of other goals and maybe I shouldn't be worried about how fast I get from here to there, because if I'm patient and keep moving forward, I WILL get there, wherever or whatever that goal is.

It's okay not to make GIANT strides if you continue on the path of your goal(s) one point at a time. Keep the momentum and success will be yours.

Tithe Rap

It's Sunday and I stumbled across this video which I think is really great. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. It's long but worth viewing.

Did you know?

So ladies, did you know that Barack Obama is a boomer? Say it isn't so....I thought he was one of those Gen Xer's or whatever they are called! Well, no. Let me tell you who else is a boomer.

The CEO of General Electric is a boomer
The CEO of IBM is a boomer
Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steven Spielberg, and Ron Howard are all boomers
Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, and Michael Jordon - all boomers.
Rush Limbaugh, Oprah, Mitt Romney, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen who was the half time entertainment at the Super Bowl, once again, all boomers!
Tom Cruise, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Dr. Laura, Clarence Thomas,Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Al Gore, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, George Bush, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is a boomer;

and Sandi Bates, owner of WhatEver Accessories is a boomer - oh yeah! And, she is being featured in the Baby Boomer Knowledge Center on February 7th as a boomer who blogs. Just click on the link to get a look at Sandi's Boomer Profile.



the media defines baby boomers as those born between (and including) 1946 and 1964.

Who is Saint Valentine?

So who is Saint Valentine? He actually is the the patron saint of love, young people and happy marriages. Valentine, a holy priest in Rome, was executed on February 14th about the year 270 for refusing to give up his Christian faith. He was caught marrying Christian couples and was arrested. And, when he tried to convert the Emperor, he was condemned to death. One legend says that on the eve of his death, he gave a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it "From your Valentine".

Somewhere along the way Hallmark made February 14th a day that I guess men dread and hopefully most of them embrace as a way of expressing their love. Women generally are romantics and look forward to the gifts they receive on this special day from something as simple as a card to an extravagant piece of jewelry. My husband thinks that Brussels is all about Valentine's Day. As you walk along the streets you will see chocolate shops everywhere and next to almost all of them is a lingerie store. I think the people in Belgium are very romantic indeed!

These pictures were taken at a favorite chocolate shop in Brussels

Find your inner Valentine and remember someone special in your life. Nothing says I love you more than a simple note stuck on a windshield and signed "from your Valentine".