A word about Lane. . .

Bagette Alicia and I went on a field trip today. We went to see one of the nicest people in the world.

Lane Easterly is truly a wonderful man. He is definitely one of the most generous that I have met through the Green Bag Lady project. I happened to meet his daughter last year at Earth Day here in Nashville. She told her dad about the project and he contacted me asking if I could use some fabric. Lane has owned an interior design firm called Edgefield Interiors in East Nashville for the past 30 years. He has a back room full of fabric goodness.

The rest is history. Green Bag Lady would not be able to carry on the way it does without this man's generosity. Lane has willingly dug into his stash to provide us with fabric every time I ask. Boxes and bolts are loaded into my car. The only thing that Lane asks in return is a smile and a hug. What a fabulous man! Thanks Lane!

Green Bag Lady Teresa

New Jersey Bag!

Teresa,
Thank you so much for the free bag. I really appreciate it. I don't only use to go grocery shopping but anywhere I might need it. Thanks again,
Valeria

South Carolina Bag Lady II!

Teresa,

I got the bag you sent me today (first photo). I'm sending you a picture with groceries in it.
I'll also send a photo of a bag I made for a friend with her children's pictures on it. I made 2 others for little girl shoppers and several for moms to shop too. I was like a little child with her first present when I got the bag today. I feel honored to carry the bag! Thank you so much, it is beautiful.

Connie Colley, SC

Apples. . .FREEBIE!

This is how it went this morning. . .

Little Man (my 4 year old, eating a bag of apple slices in the back seat): "Mom, if you see a tree with apples on it, you should eat them."

Mom: "Ok, I like apples."

Little Man: "Because if you eat the apples God will make some more."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

How great and wonderful to think about life in such simplistic terms. I do worry about natural resources though. Humans are going through them at quite the rapid rate. I want to make sure there are enough resources for my children, grandchildren and so on. That is one of the reasons I started this project.

So, in honor of APPLES and shopping for them, leave a comment and tell me your favorite way to eat an apple and you will be entered to win TWO PRODUCE BAGS to put your apples in at the grocery store. You can even leave a YUMMY apple recipe if you so desire!

People who have already won produce bags will not be eligible to win. Bagette Dad keeps track of this. Your comments are still welcome though!

The last day to leave a comment to win this FREEBIE will be midnight CST, January 31, 2009. Remember to leave your EMAIL address spelling out AT and DOT so you don't get spam.

Happy apple eating and have a great weekend. My favorite kinds of apples are Winesap and Honeycrisp. Teresa

South Carolina Bag Lady!

Hi Teresa,
I just got a email from your dad that I would be receiving a bag from you. I'm so excited! I have downloaded all of your patterns and I made 7 bags last night and took them to work with me. I gave them all to my fellow employees and they were sooooooo happy to receive them I let them see the bags first and they just loved them and then I told them they could pick out one and have it, if and only if, they promised to use them instead of plastic or paper. Needless to say I came home with no bags and many orders for more.

This first picture is of the ones I gave away today. The next picture is what I made tonight that more people have requested. If you look below where the bags are hanging on the floor you will see 2 little gift bags that I made of camo. Someone wanted 2 little camo pouches for hunting. So I thought the gift bag pattern would be just the thing for that. It will keep plastic from ending up on the ground in the woods.

I will send you more pictures when I receive your bag. Thank you for what you have done and what you are doing. You have put a spark in all that has heard or read about you to get off our hands and get busy. Together we can win this war against destruction of our environment. Please let me know If I can help you in any way. In the mean time I am doing what I can here in my area.

Connie Colley, South Carolina

New Jersey Bag Lady!

Teresa,
Thank  you so much for the produce bags. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this wonderful thing. We really apreciate it. I made one with the pattern I got from your website. I do not have a machine but it did not stop me from making it. I also made a couple of "T-shirt grocery bags" with my husband's old t-shirts from work.
Thanks again,
Valeria

Bag Lady Heather! PART II

I've made 5 bags already!!! A couple pictures are included. I'm on a roll. I've given two away already and am giving two more away tomorrow. And I already have a request for another from someone who is donating material for it. I've told everyone about you. The two bags I gave away I asked first if I gave it to them if they'd try their hardest (I know I'm forgetful sometimes) to use fabric instead of plastic. They both said yes!

I was at a store today and even had cloth with me and almost forgot to use it. I had to transfer my items from the plastic bag to the cloth. Oh, and I also appreciated your comment about if you forget your fabric bags in the car, just keep the groceries in the cart without bags and transfer them from the shopping cart to your bags once you get to your car. I don't know why I would have never thought of that.

I am german (my dad was born there and I lived there for 3 years whenIi was younger and have gone many times in my life) and I am always shocked when I return to the USA an realize how much we disregard the environment. I'm really having the time of my life trying this and knowing that this is serving the environment. Thank you for all that you do to let people use their creativity/skills (old or new) and for the ways that you are caring for the earth!

Cheers,
Heather in Sacramento

Argentina Bags!

My bags debut in 2009! One of them use it for purchases and another use for my crochet work. They are very useful and easy to carry around. Teresa thank you very much!

Vivian

Bag Lady Heather! PART I

Teresa,
I downloaded the produce bag pattern and started with that. I figured I'd start small. The only time I've sewn until yesterday was in home ec decades ago. Here I am with my first sewn "work of art." A produce bag. I'm so proud! I sewed the produce bag last night and am going to sew a shopping bag tonight! Thanks again for inspiring us/me!
:) Heather

A few of my FAVORITE comments. . .

Thank you all who responded by leaving comments for bags after the last CNN airing of the Green Bag Lady story. They were great! You should have heard from Bagette Dad about getting a bag in the mail. I so appreciate you taking the time to tell me how you would use your bag. I laughed out loud to some of them, others were so kind they brought tears to my eyes. If you didn't read them all, here are a few of my favorites:

ppoff25 said:
I love being green,
it helps out our planet.
If a bag's made of plastic,
we simply must ban it.

If I had a Green Bag Lady bag
I'd use it each day
To the farmer's market, the store,
And this message I'd convey...

Why would you harm the earth
using cruel plastic?
Try something much better,
cloth bags are fantastic!

Thank you Green Bag Lady for all you do! Keep up the wonderful work!

Heather said:
I saw the piece that CNN did in regards to your making reusable bags from recycled material. It touched my heart to see that you're doing so much to help the environment. Myself, I recycle regularly and I have started using reusable bags since I moved into my new home in Sept 2008. I'm so proud to say that I haven't used a single plastic grocery bag since! I have a small collection of reusables in each car to always be prepared and I use one to take my lunch to work in everyday. My mother has recently started using them after she saw how maybe plastic bags she accumulated since I moved (over 400 plastic bags vs my 6 little reusable sacs)! I will certainly be downloading your patterns to make bags with, I have some old patterned sheets that would be perfect for a spring floral bag!

Lynnette said:
Greetings! I watched CNN screen your video the second time and decided that I ought to do something to make contact with you. I felt really convicted over the amount of plastic bags I lug home each time from grocery shopping. With embarrassment I say this ... I've just counted the number of plastic bags in my kitchen. It's a whopping 582! (Please don't faint!). What's worst is... I plan to teach Earth Science and Environmental Geography at a college in near future! (Another moment for you to faint). But so far, I'm doing good, I've been recycling paper and glass bottles. In addition, I haven't drank out of a plastic bottle in that past year! 3 cheers!
So if there's ever a candidate for a green bag. Pick me! Pick me! (waves frantically!)

Dan said:
You know, I've thought about buying fabric bags for a long time now. Every once in a while, I see someone using their own bags at the check-out and I think "I gotta' get some of those" but then I forget to do anything about it. I even came really, really close this Christmas to buying some for my wife, as a stocking stuffer. I was holding 3 nice canvas bags in my hand, I walked around the store with them, then I put them back. Why is it so hard to jump in and make that commitment? Am I really that self-conscious that I couldn't bring myself to pull out my own bags at the grocery store? Or am I just perpetually lazy? I hope not. I saw the segment about your bags on CNN and something really "clicked" in my brain. I had to write to you and congratulate you on your cause. I'm so sick of "feel-bad" news stories. Your story really made me feel like some good stuff is going on in the world. Keep it up. If you can finally stir me to action, you can probably convince anyone. Dan

Happy GREEN shopping! The best to all of you--Green Bag Lady Teresa

Nashville Bag!

Hey Teresa,

Finally I am sending you a photo of bag #601. This project is incredible! I loved visiting your site and reading and watching all about it. You are truly an inspiration. In the meantime, this is my daughter Lizzie toting bag # 601 around with lots of art supplies and paper in it. We have also used it at the grocery store...

Thank you so much for what you are doing here.
--
Mary Entrekin Agee

"No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."
Albert Einstein

Healing Stitches. . .

This is how it went. . .

Little Man: "Mom, Syrup* has a hole in him. Can you fix him?"

Mom: "Yes, of course I can fix him."

Little Man: "Will he be ok?"

Mom: "He will be good as new."

Little Man: "I love you, Mom."

Mom: "I love you too."

*It is important to note that he has 2 large bears, one is named Pancake and the other Waffle, therefore, what could you name this one but Syrup? He also has a stuffed dog named Cucumber and recently one of his sisters gave him a stuffed stegosaurus that he promptly named Soup. Don't ask me to explain how a 4 year olds mind, hmmm, maybe stomach, works.

The moral of the story: If you don't know how to sew, begin to learn. Not only can you make bags but you can make a child's day!

Green Bag Lady Teresa

FREE BAG! CNN #2 Freebie!

So, relatives in NYC just called to say that CNN aired the Green Bag Lady piece again! Wow! I guess that is cause for another FREE BAG giveaway!

Leave a comment on this post and my father AKA Bagette Dad will choose winners from the comments to get a FREE BAG in the mail.

Bagette Dad is going to be choosey so please make sure to LEAVE YOUR Email address spelling out AT and DOT so you don't get spam. Also, tell us how you are going to use your bag and the best comments will be chosen for a FREE BAG!

Your FIRST resolution of this new year should be to get RID of PAPER and PLASTIC. Go FABRIC!

BTW, people who have already gotten a shopping bag are not eligible for another bag, sorry!

The last day to leave a comment for this FREEBIE is Wednesday, January 14 at midnight.

HAPPY GREEN NEW YEAR! YAY!

Green Bag Lady Teresa

Two more bagettes. . .

I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to 2 more Green Bag Lady Bagettes. On the left is Jennifer. I have known Jennifer for years. She is the sweetest thing since honey and a hard worker to boot. She loves to cut handles and labels and is fabulous at ironing. What would we do without her?

The other photo is Bagette Sara. Sara lives in Knoxville, TN so is not able to meet with us on a regular basis. However, we met because she emailed and offered her sewing services way back in JUNE. How great is that? She has been helping out by making bags and sending them out too. She has her own blog here. Check it out. She is wonderful!

Thanks for reading. I will post a Freebie soon! Green Bag Lady Teresa