Hawaiian Pueo, the Newest Bag from Kauai Coffee

I have been waiting since August for the new 2014 bag for Kauai Coffee.  In September I was notified that somehow the shipment of several 1000 bags got wet on its ocean journey from India or where ever they had them printed up and they arrived all moldy and totally unusable.  But this week I got a call from the girls there saying the new bags have finally arrived!  (yippee!)  It is always fun to get to work with a new bag.  This bag is very special in many ways.  First off, the graphic is really nice!  My imagination is skipping around thinking of the different parts and elements of the graphic that I will be able to use.  But the Pueo is very special in Hawaiian culture.   It is viewed as a protector and as an 'aumakua in some families.   http://ksdl.ksbe.edu/pueo.html

Besides the symbolism and legends associated with this beautiful brown owl a common term you will hear in Hawaii is that of people working the "Pueo shift".  Well, lets just say, it sounds a whole lot better than the "Graveyard Shift".  It is the shift of "the night owl".

Once I finish up working on my current orders, I look forward to staying up late myself and being a Pueo of sorts while making purses and totes with this new great looking bag.

Thanks for following my journey.

a hui hou

PS....for some reason, my computer is not allowing me to upload photos currently to my blog but you can see a photo of the Pueo bag on my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/SasakiBags/photos/a.310146655025.325793.309851760025/10153959826035026/?type=1&theater

Photo Bags and General updates

Amid all the changes around here, my mailman, Bruce, delivered some fabric this week that I ordered a while back.  Some of you may know that my two passions are making bags and photography so I decided to try my hand at combining the two.  I have had some fabric manufactured with some of my photos that I have taken around the island.  This first batch is a good starting point, but mainly it has opened my eyes as to other possibilities on what types of photos would work and the idea of even adding words to the photos like "Dream 'BIG'...Hawaii Island (as in Big Island)  or 'Aloha'.  I am asking for submission for other words or phrases to use and if I end up using them, I will give a free bag to the person who submitted the idea first.  The bag will be from this line that I am creating.  I have lots of cool photos in my library of island flora including some Volcano fern shoots and other unusual plants.  Be on the look out for these as well! Here is a bag that I made out of a photo of a gecko that was crawling up a beam on my lanai:  https://www.facebook.com/SasakiBags/photos/pcb.10153939892425026/10153939890870026/?type=1&theater

As this year is kicking off, so far my most popular fabric has been the seahorse print that I have made some wine bags and tote bags out of.  I recently made some matching gadget bags as well.  https://www.facebook.com/SasakiBags/photos/pcb.10153935172550026/10153935171865026/?type=1&theater

I have had several people apply for the positions I have been advertising.  I am very excited about a couple of them, but it does require a training period so I have decided to just take deep breaths and to go with the flow.  At my age, one thing I have learned is that everything does work out in the end...and if it isn't working out....then it isn't the end!

Speaking of going with the flow, I have signed up for a Qi Gong class next weekend.  I contacted a girlfriend and said, "lets do this!".  I guess it is all about being focused and centered...I could use some of that!  Plus I am looking forward to some girlfriend time to connect and go grab a bite afterwards!  Sounds like fun!  Sometimes I have to just schedule in things to do that require me to be away from the "sweat shop".  Otherwise I would rarely get out of the house and do fun things.  I DO love my work....but I also want to enjoy other things that life has to offer!  Such a journey!

Aloha
a hui hou