(My new No. 115 Tote by Artifact Bag Co.)
I’ve been looking for a basic bag to use through the late fall and winter, and in my search for ethical brands, I ran across Artifact Bag Co., a line of waxed canvas and leather bags and aprons made in Nebraska. I was especially impressed by owner Chris Hughes’ process, and he crafts each piece with great care, using simple machinery and his own two hands. I decided to purchase the No. 115 Carry Tote in All Black, and it’s a lovely, utilitarian piece.
This video and this one from the Artifact Bag Co. blog really impressed me, and Chris graciously answered a few questions for me, too. I love knowing where my products come from, and who made them, and it’s wonderful to correspond directly with the person who designed something I use every day when I’m out with my family. When you watch the videos, you get a glimpse of how each bag is made, and also of each handmade piece’s significance in a day and age when most things are mass-produced.
(A detail of the brass rivets and leather straps.)
Artifact Bag Co. began in Chris’ basement in 2010, and he now works full-time in an old building in downtown Omaha. Each bag takes two or more hours to create, depending upon the amount of prep work already completed. The canvas and leather straps can be cut ahead of time and the straps can be sewn, too. Chris works 18-hour days, taking Sundays off, and uses a team of staff that varies with the season. The bags are truly a labor of love, and it shows in the beauty of each piece.
(The Artifact Bag Co. label inside the bag.)
I’m so thrilled with my new bag, and it’s definitely a one-of-a-kind piece that I’m proud to carry and will use for years to come. Be sure to visit Artifact Bag Co. and check out the lovely products for yourself.
(Many thanks to Chris Hughes for his help with this post.)
(This plant in my dining room has sprouted a really tall vine, which has nothing whatsoever to do with this post.)
I was pretty vague about it, but Ryan was out of town last week, so the boys and I were hanging out by ourselves. The last time he traveled, Rhys was a baby and we were stuck at home a lot. This time, it was much easier, since the boys are in school and have regular activities to keep them busy each day. We did really well, and Ryan’s parents came over each evening to give me a break and help out with the bedtime routine.
Since Ryan just changed jobs, our insurance was in a sort of in-between state, and I was nervous about possible doctor visits. Rhys and I both had to see the doctor for allergy-related issues last week, and it all worked out fine in the end. Thursday night, I was lying in bed thinking that we had reached the homestretch, that we’d made it, that our week had been really nice and even peaceful. I was proud of myself for managing everyone all week by myself.
About ten minutes after that, James came into my room and got sick all over the bathroom floor. Three times. My first thought was, “Oh no, poor guy!” And then, “I have to clean that up.” So I got James settled and back to bed, then set about mopping the bathroom floor at 1 a.m. James got sick a few more times that night, and I finally put him to bed with me after going through all of his clean sheets. Both of us got very little sleep, and my father-in-law took Rhys the next morning so we could catch up on rest.
Everyone was back to normal by Saturday, and we prepared for Ryan’s arrival that night. His parents and I tried out a new Italian restaurant in town and ordered a take-out pizza. It didn’t seem to sit well with me, and by the time Ryan arrived home, I was feeling pretty sick.
You can imagine where this is going. I spent Saturday night in the bathroom and Sunday in bed. Somewhere in there, Rhys got sick, too, but decided not to tell us, so Ryan discovered it when the boys woke up in the morning. He cleaned and sterilized Rhys’ bedroom, did the laundry, and kept the boys busy all day while I rested. My in-laws also caught the bug, after all the time they spent at our house. It was a pretty gross weekend for everyone.
The boys’ little bodies recovered quickly, but I’m really worn out. I couldn’t sit at the computer without feeling sick, so I had to bow out of my post yesterday. I’m still feeling tired and a little weak, but I’m able to do laundry and take care of the boys, so I should be back to normal soon. Luckily, Ryan seems to have dodged the bullet this time around, and I’m so thankful he was home by the time the worst of the bug hit our house.
Here’s to better days ahead.
*I wasn’t familiar with Mrs. Murphy’s Law, until my mom mentioned it this weekend.
There’s a stomach bug making its way through our family right now, and I’m down for the count. I’m resting as much as possible and hope to be on the mend very soon. You know it has to be bad when I can’t write a blog post.
