Where could this be?  A setting sun and an unobstructed watery horizon to the west?

Greetings from California!  I am pleased to join the Sea Bags crew.... in California! That is right. I am all West Coast all the time.

After spending countless summers and many weekends on foggy islands in Maine, it was tough for me to relocate across the country to sunny California. But I am excited for this opportunity to bring a quintessential piece of Maine with me.

Actually, I will be bringing lots of pieces. Lots and lots of eco friendly Sea Bags are coming with me to the West coast. I’ll be navigating through the special “marine layer” fog they have out here to run up and down the long piers of California, and travel up the coast to salty harbors in Washington state.  

I’ll be collecting raw materials from sailors hoping to give their used sails a new life and get their own custom made tote bag.  There will be new shops to explore on this star-studded coast!  And I’m especially excited to discover and connect with like-minded organizations on the West Coast that reflect Sea Bag’s commitment to community.

It’s a wide open coast line, with millions of people whose lives revolve around the ocean in one way or another.  I’m delighted to be a part of it and my blog posts will keep you up to date on my adventures!

Do you know the power of a wish? Last week at the annual Fantasy Auction for Make a Wish Maine, we donated 30 limited edition custom bags.

In a record 24 minutes, we sold out our 30 bags and granted a wish!

We then took orders and within 5 more minutes, granted a second wish.

Do you know the power of a wish? We do.

The Right Accessories are Key to Being Organized

The cavernous inside of a tote can be perceived as a threat or as an opportunity. Is it a wide, open, deep space that sucks in important objects and requires endless search and rescue for a pen or a comb? Or is it the opportunity for the land of compartmentalization that thrives with a place for everything?

Each Sea Bag tote has a slip pocket that can be command central for your smartphone or keys. However, the rest of the space is available for you to develop as needed. I have found that the right accessories really do help organize the space that naturally invites entropy.

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The cosmetic pouch is appropriate, well, for cosmetics but also for keeping a checkbook, pens, small calculator, business cards and note paper in one place. As parent of small children, I keep a package of wet wipes with straws and utensils in another cosmetic pouch for “just in case” instances. 

The anchor stamped change purse is a perfect size for credit cards. Or, of course, this accessory keeps coins from bulking up wallets or rattling around at the bottom of the bag.

The vintage change purse is easy to spot because it is made from brightly colored Dacron sailcloth. It is a little larger than the anchor change purse so a cellphone or iPod with earbuds fit nicely.  

Don’t forget the wristlet. Latch it to the handle for greater access. Often times when I want to downsize or need to travel light, I gather essentials in the wristlet and depart from the mothership tote for quick trips to the grocery store.

What else do you carry in your purse or tote?

Beach Vacation

By now Mainers have removed their snow tires. Even though it was a mild winter, we are conditioned to not be surprised by a snowstorm in March or April. It is after that when we typically usher in Mud Season, or spring, as the rest of the country enjoys around the same time of the year.

In Maine, we make the most of our summers and enjoy every moment of warm weather. And, most of us are not easily persuaded to leave the state during those months. We spend hours and days ritually preparing for summer by opening up camps, purchasing beach passes or preparing the boat for the water. Summers in Maine are the best.

But between now and summer is an interesting time for Mainers. Naturally our thoughts turn to vacation. This is the time of year - especially facilitated by the fact that school spring break is the same statewide - when some folks flee the 60 degree days to spend time on beaches elsewhere. They trade Maine’s rocky shores and coarse exfoliating sand for warm water and white beaches and 80+ degree-days.

However, a beach day is never a bad day no matter where it is. It is in that spirit that these photos are shared. Do your vacation plans include visiting Maine this summer?

April is Bucket Bag Month

You heard it here first. Sea Bags has declared April as Bucket Bag Month! Who needs a basket when you have a bucket?

The stout design is great for filling with chocolate candies and pastel colored eggs surrounded by bright Easter grass peppered with jellybeans.

Place your flower vase inside a bucket bags for an instantly festive centerpiece that is perfect during family dinner or casual enough to showcase spring’s finest.

Display rolled hand towels in the guest bathroom. Add cookies to give as a gift. The back panel tracks gift recipients. But, remember, there is no shame in keeping the versatile bucket bag for yourself!

Bucket bags aren’t afraid of getting dirty either. Carry all your Earth Day gardening tools.  Collect seashells while walking along the beach. Just rinse out the soil or sand when you are finished.

Baskets become obsolete with a bucket bag. There are a wide variety of designs. Each is easy to clean and convenient to store. 

April is the time to say b'bye to wicker and hello to the green of recycled sailcloth!