Bag Lady

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved bags.  Tote bags, purses, shoulder bags, it really didn't matter.  I would find something to carry around with me in one of my bags.  As I got older my bag collection grew.  Most of the time I would look for a bag that was unusual or different, or one that would perfectly hold my stuff.

Growing up, there was a woman named Evelyn that lived across the street.  She was odd to say the least.  One Halloween afternoon we heard bagpipes coming from across the street.  My mom, brother, and I went to the front window to see that a crowd had gathered in Evelyn's driveway and there was in fact a bagpipe player dressed in a kilt.  The crowd then formed a processional and began walking down the street.  We later found out that this was Evelyn's daughter's funeral even though her daughter had been deceased for several years.  Her ashes were being taken to the cemetery. 

To say Evelyn was odd was almost an understatement.  So when Evelyn passed away several years later, my parents couldn't wait to go over to her estate sale.  There my mother saw how truly unique she was.  My mother came home with armloads of stuff to remind us all of Evelyn.  While my brother received box of National Geographic magazines from the 70's, I obtained a box of tote bags.  Evelyn had collected tote bags from just about every where she had ever been, which it turns out was a lot of places. 

{A "Labels For Sale" tote, Hallmark tote, "Here's Howdy" owl tote, "Jungle Fever" tote, Arizona tote.}

{Arizona tote, Wendy's tote.}

Evelyn left me with several odd and unusual tote bags from all around the country.  I've used some of them, but mostly I keep together in a box and look through them every now and then.  I'll keep them forever and then one day when I die some random person might inherit them and think I was the weird one.  Oh well. 

I've added some of my own bags to Evelyn's collection including my very first sewing project, a flea market purchase, and other bag keepsakes. 

{The first bag I ever made myself and my souvenir from Busch Stadium opening day 2006.}

{My backpack from high school, my childhood ballet bag, my "Labels For Sale" flea market bag, and my favorite little tote from the Gap.}