Summer Vacation is Here!

The above photo is from a family vacation from 1968. We were visiting an Indian reservation in Montana. Thus the teepee in the background. I am the one on the right...age 7...Oh to have those skinny little legs back! Mom isn't in this one because she is holding the camera!

So June is here. Remember when that meant school was out "for summer"?! *Alice Cooper anyone?* It has been many years....infact, if you are speaking Gettysburg-speak, it has been 1 score and 12 years ago since I left chalk and blackboards behind me.

When my kids were still in school, I loved summer vacation because I got my kids back! It seemed that during the school year they would learn "charming" new things from classmates that didn't make this mamma proud and it would take a few weeks to "unlearn" some of them. I loved having them totally under the influence of MOM! But now, even my youngest has been out of school for 8 years now. In the words of my great grammy Ridenour...."where does the time go?"

With all that being said, what plans do you have for your summer vacation? My 8th wedding anniversary to "Menehune Man", is at the end of this month so we are thinking about where to go...what to do! I would LOVE to go to Molokai, a Hawaiian island neither of us has been to yet... but I am thinking that a stay-cation may be the way to go this year! Perhaps we will go over to Volcano and enjoy the cool higher altitude. It has started off being really hot here this month. I know 89 doesn't sound all that hot if you are in Arizona or Nevada, but consider the humidity, deary!

I also really want to make it out to see my mom and dad before the summer is over. Perhaps Indian summer?

All these thoughts and yet I must reach my goal this month of 90 bags! I am still on track to reach my goal of 1000 bags for the year. I have actually turned down opportunities to sell to new wholesale accounts recently. That was a tough decision but I decided that I want to keep on providing the best service I can to all of my current accounts and make all the bags "in house"....me and "Menehune Man". Some days I feel like I am walking a tight-rope....balancing my retail and wholesale orders...trying to grow my business yet keep from becoming overwhelmed. It really is tough! But I am doing what I love and I believe that it will all work out.

Can you believe that I am already thinking of Christmas? I know that by June 1st, I have to start working on preparing stock for Christmas orders and for the Kona Coffee Festival which is in November. Last year was a real wakeup call! I had to stop taking orders by November 1st that needed to be finished by Xmas because I had so many requests! I plan to be more prepared this year!

I hope you have started your summer plans. It seems to slip away so fast. I would love to hear what plans you have.

a hui hou

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

Loretta

After laboring for several hours yesterday, the world now has a new Diva to welcome. Her name is Loretta and she is stunning! Born on April 24, she is a Taurus. She is feminine and witty; always there to share in the celebrations of your life but strong and supportive throughout the speed-bumps life throws before you. Though draped in basic black, Loretta isn't very conservative. She definately makes a statement when entering a room. But she is dependable and will be a loyal friend.

She is crafted from black dupioni silk and lined with a slinky black and white polka dot fabric. Has anyone noticed that I love polka dots? I just feel that they offer a bit of whimsy to an otherwise elegant bag. And girls, lets not be guilty of taking ourselves too seriously!

Loretta is crowned with a ring of airy black feathers. She also has a beautifully embossed 24kt gold plated button that is strictly for looks. A bit of jewelry, you might say! Not everything has to be functional! This gal also has 2 interior and 2 exterior pockets for all your girly needs.

If you would like to take Loretta home with you, contact Janet Lipps up in Holualoa at the Pacific Islands Gallery (808-324-7866). Loretta will be staying with Janet until someone takes her home with them.

Mashed Potatoes

I just finished up my order of 20 market totes for a client in Idaho. I especially love the ones with the potato lining. They are so novel! Having just boxed them for shipping, my living room has 20 less bags sitting in every corner. (keep smiling menehune man!) I am nowhere near caught up though. I just want to thank my customers who place their orders and patiently wait for me to craft each one. I wish there was a quicker way, but unless I raised my prices considerably and hired someone to outsource....no, I don't want to go that route! So I will just keep on making each bag, one at a time and taking a few minutes here and there to stop and smell the gardenia.

a hui hou

aloha

I just left the airport after saying good bye to my daughter. It is so hard to say good bye when I don't know how long it will be before I see her again. I am just very proud of the woman she has grown up to be. I think I will have to keep busy. I feel a lot of sewing coming on this week! I have many things to look forward to and must just focus on that.
a hui hou

this and that

It is only April 6th and I have sewn 50 bags this month already! Today I even made a "P.Beary" which made his debut at Christmas time. It is a stuffed teddy bear that is made from a coffee bag (what else?!) and is a little play on the word "Peaberry" which makes an exquisite coffee. He is so cute! But I keep forgetting to get a photo of one. This little guy is down at the Kona Mountain Coffee retail store already.

Only 5 more days til my kid gets here. Who me? Excited? I have decided to sew my heart out until Thursday or Friday and then just have a massive clean up effort. I just hope the kids don't have any allergies to...burlap! You know how quaint bed and breakfasts have all their rooms named? There will be the Hibiscus room, and the Jacaranda suite...etc. Well, I have officially dubbed my guest room "the Burlap Room". At one time I had it fixed up so lovely for the handful of guests who have ever stayed there. But in the past year, it has become my room to store atleast 80-100 burlap coffee and potato bags at any given time. Most of these are in bins, all labeled and stacked alphabetically by farm. How very organized of me! *patting self on back*

I have a lot going on business-wize this week as well. Friday I mailed off my licensing agreement that I entered into with the State of Idaho to use their trademark in the production of my "Haute Potato" bags. I am really excited about this opportunity because at this point in time I am the ONLY person licensed to use it to make handbags. I am looking at expanding into a couple of locations in Idaho. With how busy I am right now, I am not sure when this will materialize, but it is a goal I am working towards. Or, will be after I get my documents in hand from Idaho.

Also the Hawaii Fashion Incubator is coming to Kona this week and I have been invited to attend their VIP meeting at Mixx Bistro Friday. There will be representatives from the media and the Hawaii fashion industry present.(no we don't all wear muumuu's) They are also having a "green market" on Saturday that I was encouraged to have a booth at, but ...did I mention that my daughter is coming Saturday?! One of the wonderful things about having your own business is that you CAN actually put your family first. There is no way that I would miss picking her up Saturday! There were many years when my kids were little that I didn't always feel I had that luxury. If work called, I had to go!

Speaking of "having to go"....I have to get back to "work" right now....
a hui hou

another month

If I remember correctly, March came in like a lion as far as my sales and orders go and have remained true to that course all month. I finished off today, the last day of March with two Etsy sales. My total bags made this month came to 104. So I am a bit ahead of schedule still. Having "menehune man" has sure helped with production. He has about 40 tote linings all sewn together for me. I cleaned out a dresser and now have them all neatly lined up in there patiently waiting for me to make the bags for them.

My daughter arrives in 11 days. I am so excited. It has been almost two years since I got to hold her and see her face to face. She just turned 28 but she will always be my baby girl! I plan to take some R&R while she is here so that I can just spend time with my kid and her hubby, Kurt. That means that I have to sew up a storm between now and then so that all my accounts are full and I don't have to sew while they are here. I have about 30 bags on order right now and my etsy store only has one shoulder bag left in it....so I plan to work some very long days starting tomorrow.

But for right now...I think it is time to go to bed. April is just two hours away...and I have a full month ahead of me!

a hui hou

Pacific Islands Gallery

This weekend Earl and I drove up mauka to Buddha's Cup farm. Chris Colman was so gracious and welcoming. I picked up some of her coffee bags that will be used in some purses and totes starting this week. I am very excited to start on those!

Then we also stopped into the Pacific Islands Gallery in Holualoa to say hi to Janet Lipps, the owner. She has really worked hard on creating a beautiful and inviting gallery. Some galleries have that "library" feel when you walk in. Not Janet's! She has some upbeat music playing and has painted the walls warm colors that really set off all the art work from the many talented local artists.

Janet has been tireless in promoting Hawaiian artists, including myself. I was nearly speechless when I saw the gorgeous postcards that Janet had made up to promote my bags AND her gallery! Here they are front and back! Literally, I got chicken skin, as we say here in Hawaii!

If you are visiting the Big Island, you must stop in and check out her gallery. Besides beautiful island art, she carries, jewelry, table runners by Joan Blackshear, and of course...Sasaki Bags!

Fraternal Twins

Well, one Bolton-Sasaki Bag just wasn't enough today! So although born a few hours apart...I guess these gals must be fraternal twins. You can see the family resemblance but they are definately individuals! You will need to scroll down to my earlier post to see the first one I made today.

Bolton-Sasaki Shoulder Bag

This bag is another in a series of a collaborative effort between myself and Hawaii artist, Stephanie Bolton. The front pocket is an original acrylic painting of three hula dancers amidst a tropical setting of palm trees, tiki torches, flowers and the ocean under a beautiful Hawaiian sunset.

I used a Hula Daddy Kona Coffee bag for most of the exterior. How could I not!?! One gusset simply says: "HULA" and the back pocket has the address to the Hula Daddy Farm.

I also used a portion of a Country Samurai bag for the gusset that says: 100% Kona Coffee

The two large exterior pockets are 16" X 8". They both have magnetic snap closures.

Inside you will find a vibrant batik lining in shades of green, pink, red, yellow and brown in a "pinwheel" pattern.

There is a divided pocket on one side for your cellphone, or lipstick and pens.

The other side has a large (16" x 8" pocket that is divided in two and has velco closures. This bag is made not only to be beautiful and novel, but practical and organized as well!

Choucho - the Butterfly

The Japanese word for butterfly is Choucho and I am sure you will figure out why I chose this name for her. I used one of my recently purchased obis for her exterior. It is a black silk with gold metallic mums and leaves. But the beauty my eye caught was the butterflies with orange wings and baby blue highlights. This obi even has bits of lime green and purple that I was able to work into the panels that Choucho was made from.

I gave her one exterior pocket. It is lined with a black tone on tone kimono fabric and accented with black piping.

Her handles are black satin gathered over heavy cording and just the right size to hold onto delicately in your hands.

Inside, Choucho is secure with a black magnetic snap closure. Her lining is more of the black kimono fabric. The tone on tone print is truly amazing!

I also gave her two interior pockets and accented them with gold satin piping to make them easy to see when needing to grab that lipstick or wallet!

Being born on March 22, Choucho is an Aries. She is an adventurous, energetic gal who shows confidence in everything she does. She loves to chat and makes friends easily. She loves music and art but is fickle in her tastes. There is never a dull moment when you have Choucho as your girlfriend!

Custom Autograph Bag

One of my return customers ordered an autograph bag to give as a gift at an upcoming bridal shower. I just finished it today and shipped it off. Hope she has fun with it! I'd love to see it once everyone signs it.

Kimono Keys on Kauai

Over the weekend I got 3 vintage Obi from my supplier in Japan. They are beautiful...so me, being me...I promptly cut them to pieces! *sigh* yes, it is hard, but I believe these silks had already lived their lives as Obi and now it is time to let some women from other parts of the globe enjoy their opulence. I just love the key fob concept. I use mine all the time when I run into the grocery store, or walking to my car at night after work. If you are in Kauai, stop by and say "Aloha" to Marjorie at Palm Palm and check out her new stock of Kimono Keys.

Dorothy aka "Dot"

Let me introduce you to "Dorothy". She is my latest Diva born Saturday, March 7th, making her a Pisces.

Dorothy or "Dot" as her friends call her, was crafted using Thai silk that I purchased in Bangkok at the Jim Thompson Silk Factory. She is exquisitely accented with "polka dot" guinea hen feathers overlaid with a silk panel that donns a beautifully embossed gold plated button.

Her backside has one exterior pocket accented with custom piping and lined with black and white polka dot (pin dot) cotton fabric.

Dot's handles are 13" black faux leather with brass hardware.

Her interior is lined with the black and white polka dot fabric and sports one pocket. There is a magnetic snap closure on this gal.

This bag measures 10" tall x 6" wide.
She will be shipped in a storage box to protect and keep her safe.

Dot enjoys spending her days with friends. She can often be seen scouting out finds in art galleries and flea marts. She is a loyal woman with strong values. Dot chooses to focus on the positive side of most situations. She will make a wonderful companion!

Stephanie...your bag is ready!

Stephanie Bolton has an art show in Honolulu this weekend and realized that she didn't even have a Bolton - Sasaki Bag to display or carry with her. So barely under the gun, I finished it this morning. Steph, stop by. I will leave it where you usually leave your paintings for me!

Back to the sweat shop!