Flower power totes come in various designs and colors. Here are some of our favorites that we wanted to share. The first is a lily, the second is a hibiscus and the third is an impatient. Are you a flower child looking for the right tote? These designs might interest you!
Sea Creatures come in many shapes, color & sizes. I think everyone has a memory of drawing sea creatures as a kid because there is so much mystery about the creatures that live under the water. Here are a sampling of sea creatures we have made into bags.
We receive requests for designs on bags and we are not familiar with the symbols requested. Even though we don't know what each symbol means, that's okay because each one has a special meaning to the person who has ordered the bag. Here are few examples of the some of our favorites:
This week I placed my first order for a “Build Your Own Tote.” I get to work on most of the custom orders, which is fun & challenging. As I went to place my order, I was a deer in the headlights. I drew a blank. I was an artist standing in front of a blank canvas with paint and no ideas. I was a writer with writer’s block. I had all the obvious questions in my head, “Will she like it?” “Will this be the coolest design I could come up with?” “Will she know it is a Sea Bag?” 
I turned to my boss, Beth, for advice. She had great advice and steered me in the right direction. But, I still couldn’t sit down and design it myself. I turned to one of our seasoned designers, Jess. She was able to take my ideas, which hardly came out of my mouth clearly, and make it into something that made sense.
I realized how difficult it is for our customers to come up with a unique idea, communicate the idea in words, and feel like a part of the process. I also have a new appreciation for customers at home waiting for their tote to arrive. The anticipation is killing me!
Every once in a while, someone special comes into the shop. We met Marjorie recently (in the yellow jacket). She read about Sea Bags in the newspaper and thought she could donate her husband’s old sea bag from his time spent in the Navy during World War II. We thought that it would only be appropriate to make her a tote out of her husband’s sea bag.
Our creative team was more than up for the challenge and they came up with a great tote. We called Marjorie to come pick up her tote, but we had to wait until the next day when her daughter could drive her down to our shop. Marjorie brought pictures of her husband (pictured in the middle), who we all thought was quite handsome, and told us some stories about his time in the Navy. She is so proud of her husband. And, we were proud to hand over her tote. 
She left with her bag, and we all had tears welling up in our eyes, knowing that we touched her. It was the ultimate recycle & we were able to give Marjorie a piece of her own history back in a usable tote. And, we were lucky to meet her husband through her stories.
A few days later, Marjorie came back for a quick visit carrying a plate full of fudge. She knew how to win us over! Thanks, Marjorie!
