One Simple Bag…..One of the projects I have been working on lately are more bags for the gift shop. If there is one thing I know for sure and that is most women are always shopping for a new bag. Even if they don’t need one. These bags are for many uses and of course will change without notice depending on the need. 
Several years ago I had a booth in one of our regional craft shows and there was this booth across from me that I got to observe how women shop. In this booth there were only three items. Children’s books, hats and bags. The bag display was in the front corner and it was only a simple coat tree rack. She had denim bags for sale on that tree. Next was her hats on a similar display item. In the back and this was the largest part of her booth were her children’s books with a big banner all about her series of books. Guess what the number one seller was in her booth? You got it, her bags. Almost every person who walked by at least touched and fondled her bags and through the course of three days she had sold out. 
What is it about our personal purses, bags and totes? Next to our jewelry we always have them someplace on our bodies. I went to an estate sale and there were three large crates of free bags of all sizes, colors and textures. The owner had been an artist and had to have collected bags from every place she had visited. Her husband was begging us to take at least five as we exited through the door. I am also a bag collector myself but my lack of storage at home keeps it under control. 
We are lucky because beside myself we have several great bag makers in the gift shop. 
They are all seasoned creators and I am delighted every time we get a new creation in. In June we reorganized the displays in the gift shop and our bags now have a new display space.
This inspired me to make some of these soft and comfy denim bags. These bags were made from denim skirts and then lined with cool fabric colors. I like bright colors inside so when I open them up it is a brilliant flash of colors. By the way I own a bag from everyone of my bag makers in the shop including one my painting student gave me as a gift that I use for my ear buds. I just realized that in my tote are no less then six bags with things like coins, business cards, credit cards, my wallet, and my go into the store purse. Everyone of these bags were hand made and everyone one of them reminds me of who created it. Wow I guess that One Simple Bag…..isn’t so simple….K
