Sasaki Bags Sweep the Nation

Sasaki Bags Sweep the Nation

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/map.php


I have started tracking where I ship my bags to and found this handy-dandy map feature to help me keep track. This past year I shipped to 36 states and 7 countries. Of course, since I sell my bags in busy retail outlets, I have no idea of the global extent of "my outreach program".

Because I am such a competive person (secretly) I really want to fill up my map! If you are from a "hold out state" and you purchase a bag from me on either my Sasaki Bags site or my Etsy site between now and the end of the year, I will give you free shipping! And we all know how the postal rates have been going....well, "POSTAL" lately...so it is such a deal! Just put a note to me stating that you saw this post on my blog and are trying to help me fill my map!

Here are the 14 states I need:
Alaska (now off the list as of June '09)
Alabama
Iowa
Illinois (now off list as of June '09)
Kansas (off the list as of Nov '10)
Kentucky
Maine (now off list as of July '09)
North Dakota (now off list as of June '11) *mahalo Nikki!
Nebraska
New Hampshire
Oklahoma
Rhode Island (now off list as of Oct '09)
Utah (off the list as of Dec '09)
Vermont

Thank you in advance.
a hui hou

my life...

Yesterday I had errands to do. I ran up to the Hula Daddy Coffee Farm and picked up more bags to sew with and then drove down to Kona Mountain Coffee's Retail store to check on my inventory. They were down to only 3 Sasaki Bags in their store. Yikes! I try to keep about 20 bags in that store at all times because they sell so fast. The location is great being on the highway, only 2 miles from the airport! So last night instead of going to see Star Trek, Menehune Man and I sewed! We finished up 9 small totes, 1 market tote, and 1 Kealakekua shoulder bag. (thanks menehune man!) So as soon as MM wakes up we will head down there to have our morning jolt of caffeine and drop off all those bags. I just hope it holds them for a couple of days. I have other orders I am trying to work on that need to be out by next week. One bag at a time....I keep telling myself! Just another day in the life of this bag maker.

a hui hou

Butterfly Obi Yoga Mat Bag

Yesterday I worked on this new yoga mat bag...yes, it seems I am obsessed with my new bag design. This one started out as a gorgeous obi with flowers and butterflies on it. I used that for the front of the bag and embellished it with purple dupioni silk and lime green piping. The back of the bag is black silk from a kimono. It has a beautiful tone on tone pattern that doesn't photograph well, but is luscious in person! I also embellished the back with more of the purple silk and green piping. That is where I hide all of the extra structural support also. The straps that the D rings are sewn onto are not only stitched to the silk but are reinforced with canvas under the silk. I tell you, my bags are just like us, girls! We rely on spanx and other unseen devices to make us look smooth and sleek and keep us from falling apart!

This bag has a plastic comfort slide on the shoulder strap, with an adjuster so you can carry this bag however is most comfortable for you. There are 8 large brass grommets that the 1/4" black cording is threaded through at the top of the bag.

The interior is black bull denim canvas.

This beautiful gal is named "Tomei". She was born May 18 which makes her a Taurus. She is a sensuous woman who comes across as quiet and reserved. You will never hear Tomei complain! She believes that hard work and determination will take her places, which is a good thing because she definately has a taste for finer things like art and music. Tomei is gentle by nature and a joy to be around.

Back to the sweat shop!

a hui hou

Silk Obi Yoga Mat Bag

I really need to be working on some coffee bags but just needed a burlap break this morning! I decided to go the extreme other direction by getting out one of my silk obis. I am so excited about how this yoga mat bag turned out. It is really stunning. Of course the obi wasn't wide enough to make a yoga mat bag out of so I attached some gorgeous aqua dupioni silk. I lined this one with black bull denim for durability. Let me know what you think!

New Yoga Mat Bag

I get so many requests to make a yoga mat bag. I have made a couple but just had to share the one I finished today. I made it out of a Buddha's Cup Kona coffee bag. One side has a smiling Buddha with the sun shining on his back and holding a full cup of coffee. The back of the bag says "Buddha's Cup estate grown Kona coffee for the enlightened bean inall of us". I used a nice batik fabric at the top of the bag and attached grommets to that header that I threaded 1/4" poly cotton cord through.

The 48" adjustable strap is totally tricked out with hardware. There are 2 black D rings inserted into seams on both the top and bottom. To these you can hook the black swivel hooks that are attached to both ends of the strap. Also, in honor of the two shoulder surgeries I endured, I have a comfort strap attached so that the webbing won't dig into your shoulders! Always thinking...I am!

The interior is lined with a brown twill with a slick finish so that your yoga mat will slide in easily.

This bag has an 18" diameter and is about 8" wide and 28" tall. Perfect size!

I have to work on getting some better photos of it but for now...these will work!

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope everyone out there is having a wonderful mother's day. My daughter just sent me the best gift. Ten years ago, she was preparing to graduate from Konawaena High School and I decided to take her on our first ever "mother-daughter" get away. We flew to Maui and just had fun. It was the first time I had ever made all the arrangements and rented a car and all that "all by myself" so even though it was about her growing up and starting her own life....it was also a liberating experience for me as a single woman. We spent time on the beach, drove up to beautiful Kula, and even went horseback riding. Our butts were so sore afterwards that we barely drug our bodies to the hotel room and ate take-out KFC!

Many years have passed since then and I am so grateful that we had the chance to share a little memory with just the two of us. A month after our trip, she moved out and started mapping out her own journey which took her to many exciting places but further away from me. I now know how my own mom must have felt when I announced that I was moving to Hawaii. At the time I remember wondering why she couldn't just be happy for me...what's the big deal? Now I do know. The days slip by and turn into months and suddenly I realize its been nearly two years since I have seen my own mom. It's been eight years since I have had both my children together at one time. I miss them both so much...as only a mother could possibly know. And mom, I am glad I still have you. You are the best and what I can only strive to become....when I grow up!

Spuds

I can't seem to keep my Idaho potato market totes in my etsy shop so took a pic of the one I made today. I adore this lining! It really looks like a pile of potatoes are in this tote!

I also finished up my order for Buddha's Cup! Yes! I am getting my "to-do" list checked off...one bag at a time!

back to the sweat shop
a hui hou

Let's hear it for my mom!

I just want to start a little cheering section today for my mom! She will be participating in a charity fashion show tomorrow held at the Coeur d'Alene Resort in Cda, Idaho where she lives. My mom is an absolutely beautiful woman both inside and out. She always looks for the best in everyone like my great grammy Ridenour who raised her taught her by example to do. My mom can keep a secret and is a loyal friend. I feel so lucky to have such a great mom! But aside from that, she is physically beautiful. I remember as a girl growing up watching her wash her makeup off and how feminine she always smelled. The scent of Avon's skin-so-soft brings back early memories to me. Today, My mom is one of those ladies who has a signature scent, and it is no longer Avon. She wears Ysatis. She is an enviable size and always appears so put together. But my mom is shy! So for her to be participating as a model in a fashion show makes me so very proud of her because I know it isn't the easiest thing in the world for her to do! My mom has finally reached that pivotal age....The age of ...."Why Not?!" For some of us, it hits earlier. But for my mom, evidently, she has just "come of age". The age of "Why Not?!" is the most beautiful of ages. It is when you finally quit worrying about what others may think or say and "just do it" because...well, just because! It is when you realize that life is what you make it and you may not have another opportunity to do something a little crazy that may be fun....so...WHY NOT! I can hardly wait to hear how her day goes tomorrow. I hope that I live to see all my loved ones reach that age...that pivotal age....the age of why not!?!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

I have a funny story to share with you that pokes fun at how "white" I am! You must remember that I was born in western Montana and grew up mostly in northern Idaho, both, though beautiful locations, the locales are challenged in cultural diversity! When I was 28 years old, I went to southern California for a family wedding and on my return flight from Seattle to Spokane, the pilot got on the microphone and said, "in honor of Cinco De Mayo, we will be passing out complimentary Dos Equis beer to anyone who would like one." I was quite eager to try out a new beer that I hadn't seen before so said to myself, "here's to you Cinco! Whoever you are!" I figured "Cinco" must be the liberator of Mexico or the President or someone important! Little did I know! When I found out, my ignorance cracked me up! You may as well laugh! So to this day, as May 5th approaches and I hear the words "Cinco De Mayo" I want to raise my glass and toast this wonderful "guy"!

So what did you do on this beautiful Cinco De Mayo?

I reorganized my filing cabinets. I have been meaning to make files for each of my accounts that I sell to and got that all accomplished today. It feels so good to take charge and reorganize.

I also got a wonderful note from Marjorie Desouza of Palm Palm on Kauai. She received her latest shipment of Sasaki Market Totes and barely had them unpacked before she sold two of them. She was kind enough to send me a few photos of my bags in her boutique. So I had to share! See if you can spot the 6 market totes that I see.

If you are in Kauai, you HAVE to check out her store. Right now she is in Kapaa in the Coconut Grove Marketplace but will be opening her new store this summer. I'll give you more information as it gets closer.

My Bolton-Sasaki Bag

It was brought to my attention that I failed to post photos of my own Bolton-Sasaki Bag. So here she is! I love this bag. Stephanie painted me a beautiful pic of a local woman with a cup of Kona coffee, wearing a head lei and showing off her Hawaiian tattoo! Have I raved before about how well Stephanie does eyes? Well, I think that is her claim to fame in my book.

I used a couple of different bags to make the exterior out of. I utilized a Country Samurai bag that says 100% Kona Coffee and also a Kona Coffee Farmers bag that says 100% Kona guaranteed. The interior lining looks like you are looking smack dab inside of a bag of roasted coffee. MMMMM the aroma! I put magnetic snaps on both exterior pockets and as an interior closure. Two of the interior pockets have velcro closures.

I have been using this bag daily for a month now and it wears beautifully. I like to remind my customers that it is an original work of art so it may be best used as an "occasion" bag....but my true feeling is LIFE IS SHORT! Carry beautiful things with you...enjoy art and the feeling of joy it brings you.

If any of my customers have photos they would like to share with me of them and their bags....what cha waiting for? email them to me at SasakiCreations@aol.com and I will put them in this blog. There are over 1000 of you out there....so don't be shy! I would love to see them!

a hui hou