Let’s Start from the Beginning

On a February day, my friend Mary stated, “I wish I had a bag that went with my jeans” , and that was the beginning of my handbag journey.  She lent me her favorite purse. I traced off a pattern. I used that pattern for her Jean bag.

My creative juices were awakened by this experience. So, I went to a local fabric store and fell in love with the bold, colorful outdoor duck cloth.  So much in love was I, that before I knew it I spent over $200.00 in materials. I thought they would make great purses, but  what was I going to do with all of these bags?!

At the same time, I was interested in volunteering at the local animal shelter in Lancaster, Ohio , the Fairfield Area Humane Society (FAHS). I had applied on-line for an opportunity to do so. While waiting for  a response, I  came up with the idea to  make handbags and sell them with the proceeds going to FAHS.

I thought that placing a kitty in each bag would be fun, as my cats (and every other cat that I know) loves to play with bags. That idea led to “don’t let the cat out of the bag”, and since this refers to keeping a secret….wait for it…..”Gaby’s Got a Secret, Don’t Let the Cat Out of the Bag!”

I  wanted to get opinions on this concept and on the handbags; I made  a handbag for each of my friends . Their response was overwhelming. They  LOVED their handbags and the concept. I was also accepted to be a volunteer for FAHS too!

I spend most of my time making the handbags, as  I found out the hard way that my neck and back are not compatible with cleaning cages. (OUCH!) However, I can sew for days on end without any issues! Yay!

Thank you for visiting ‘Gaby’s Got a Secret’, enjoy the kitties and the handbags.

I do not gain any goods or services from the Fairfield Area Humane Society, in whole or part, from my donations . I freely donate the proceeds minus the cost of the materials from the sale of my handbags.