{"id":21129,"date":"2013-06-22T00:01:37","date_gmt":"2013-06-22T04:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=21129"},"modified":"2013-06-23T17:44:40","modified_gmt":"2013-06-23T21:44:40","slug":"customer-of-the-day-karen-d-and-her-bat-necklace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/customer-of-the-day-karen-d-and-her-bat-necklace\/","title":{"rendered":"Customer of the Day: Karen D. and Her Bat Necklace"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>My high-school classmate Karen D. was kind enough to share photos of her 1980s Jim Morrison and Madonna jackets with us in May.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/throwback-thursday-jim-morrison-and-madonna-jackets\/\" target=\"_blank\">CLICK HERE TO SEE THE JACKETS.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Now she&#8217;s sharing her thoughts about bats &#8212; but not the kind of bat that Carrie Underwood introduces to a pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive in the song &#8220;Before He Cheats.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WaSy8yy-mr8\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Karen prefers this type of bat.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21130\" style=\"width: 527px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21130\" class=\" wp-image-21130  \" alt=\"batkaren1\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batkaren1.jpg\" width=\"517\" height=\"388\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batkaren1.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batkaren1-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 517px) 100vw, 517px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21130\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Karen D.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Karen says:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;My love of bats started many years ago. Bats are mysterious creatures, nocturnal like myself. They are the epitome of gothic beauty,often portrayed soaring across a moonlit sky in search of prey. Unfortunately, bats are often misunderstood. Often considered dangerous pests, bats have unfairly acquired this reputation. What most people don&#8217;t realize is that bats play a vital role in the ecological system, controlling the insect population and acting as pollinators. Having spent most of my life feeling misunderstood, it was only natural that I would identity with these fascinating creatures of the night.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Why were we discussing bats? Because Karen purchased my sterling-silver bat necklace.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21132\" style=\"width: 370px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=Bat-Necklace-%252d-Silver\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21132\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21132\" alt=\"Bat_Silver_Necklace_Zoom__21341_std\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Bat_Silver_Necklace_Zoom__21341_std.jpg\" width=\"360\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Bat_Silver_Necklace_Zoom__21341_std.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Bat_Silver_Necklace_Zoom__21341_std-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Bat_Silver_Necklace_Zoom__21341_std-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Normally $450. On sale for $150. Click to purchase.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the bat on Karen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-21226\" alt=\"bat\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/bat.jpg\" width=\"575\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/bat.jpg 958w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/bat-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I always ask the bat purchasers why they go for the bats. Inquiring minds want to know! Some of the buyers are Batman fans rather than bat fans; as you can see in my website photo, the little bat&#8217;s face is rather human-like. I intended the bat to have a natural bat-like face so when I first saw the finished product, I thought, &#8220;OMG! I have to melt it down and start again.&#8221; But then I took another look and decided the face was cute and highlarious. Sometimes it goes like that with jewelry design. &#8220;Mistakes&#8221; turn out to be happy surprises. I figure I was right to stick with the original look when a bat-fan like Karen writes, &#8220;I love it &#8230; such an amazing piece! Love the detail on the face.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Karen also loved having bats fly in circles around her at a zoo outside London a couple of years ago. That&#8217;s where she took this photo.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21133\" style=\"width: 528px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21133\" class=\" wp-image-21133\" alt=\"batstwo\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batstwo.jpg\" width=\"518\" height=\"389\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batstwo.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batstwo-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 518px) 100vw, 518px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21133\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Karen D.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>While I agree with Karen that bats are helpful and even beautiful critters, I can&#8217;t say I&#8217;d want them to be flying in circles around me. <a href=\"http:\/\/ngm.nationalgeographic.com\/ngm\/0204\/feature7\/online_extra.html\" target=\"_blank\">There&#8217;s a myth that bats will entangle themselves in women&#8217;s hair<\/a>. I figured out how that rumor got started when I was in high school. One summer, at dusk, I stepped out of my parents&#8217; New Jersey home at dusk to walk the dog. In that instant, a bat swooped down so close to my head that its wings ruffled my hair. I turned on my heel, went back in the house and gave a little scream only after I was completely safe from batty would-be hairstylists. No offense intended to the bat community; I just hate it when strangers touch my hair.<\/p>\n<p>That experience didn&#8217;t prevent me from enjoying this photo from Karen&#8217;s zoo trip &#8230;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21134\" style=\"width: 586px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21134\" class=\" wp-image-21134 \" alt=\"batsgroup\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batsgroup.jpg\" width=\"576\" height=\"432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batsgroup.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/batsgroup-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21134\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;So what are we doing today?&#8221; &#8220;Oh, just hanging around.&#8221; &#8220;Okay.&#8221;<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8230; especially because it reminds me of the time Peter Griffin went to the bat cave on <em>Family Guy<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21135\" style=\"width: 508px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zTuvFfBhWWc\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21135\" class=\" wp-image-21135\" alt=\"petergriffin\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/petergriffin.jpg\" width=\"498\" height=\"282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/petergriffin.jpg 638w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/petergriffin-300x170.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21135\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Click to watch the clip.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Enjoy your necklace, Karen! For you other bat or Batman fans, I have some <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=Bat-Necklace-%252d-Silver\" target=\"_blank\">more silver necklaces<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=Bat-Cufflinks\" target=\"_blank\">silver cufflinks<\/a>, a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=Bat-Necklace-With-Agate\" target=\"_blank\">super-special-luxury silver-and-agate necklace<\/a> and an <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=Bat-Necklace\" target=\"_blank\">18K-gold necklace<\/a>. I also have a pair of silver bat earrings that isn&#8217;t on my site. If you&#8217;re interested in those, holla at me at wbjewelry at hotmail dot com and I&#8217;ll give you more information about how to get those bats in your belfry!<\/p>\n<p>UPDATED TO ADD: Karen read the post and realized she had a little more information for me. She said:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;The bat has become my signature piece. I own at least 15 bat necklaces, wearing a different one each day (wearing my &#8216;going out&#8217; bat in my [Facebook] profile pic) But not anymore &#8230; this one has taken the top spot! I have seen many &#8216;sleeping&#8217; bat necklaces, but none of them are unique as this one.&#8221;<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Well! I couldn&#8217;t be happier! I feel this is the ultimate compliment from a bat lover. Yay! <\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My high-school classmate Karen D. was kind enough to share photos of her 1980s Jim Morrison and Madonna jackets with us in May. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE JACKETS. Now she&#8217;s sharing her thoughts about bats &#8212; but not the kind of bat that Carrie Underwood introduces to a pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive in&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/customer-of-the-day-karen-d-and-her-bat-necklace\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[140,606,519,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-animals","category-customer-of-the-day","category-family-guy","category-gorgeous-clients","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21129"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21227,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21129\/revisions\/21227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}