Unless you’re a sportsman/woman, you probably never heard of Gokey’s.  Made famous for their handmade custom fit snakeproof boots and luggage, they had a catalog operation and several stores in the twin cities.  The stores and catalog have closed down but you can still find their beautiful work at Orvis.

I found out about Gokey’s when it became  my first full-time  place of employment – working as an inventory control clerk.   After about a year, I decided to go back to college and they let me work  part time in the warehouse and taking phone orders.  While working there, I managed to snag myself some handmade leather boots from the boot factory upstairs –  lace ups that looked much like army boots after I dyed them black to fit my style.  I also purchased a simple olive green canvas duffle  that  now holds my camping supplies.  But it’s my most recent acquisition (Thanks, Steve! I love it) that I want to tell you about.

Heavy duty canvas with leather trim, it is designed to last several generations.    My bag was purchased second hand and was perfectly worn in as if I had gone to Africa and back.  But before putting my own things into it, I gave Orvis a call to find out how to clean it.  I was thrilled to hear I could wash it on the delicate cycle in my washing machine.  After washing I conditioned the leather to keep it soft and protected.  The back of the bag has a monogram solid brass plate which I will one day replace with my own initials 😉  In addition to being sporty stylish, it really holds alot of stuff!!!

Recently I traveled to NYC to visit family and friends.  Usually you have to pay for a carry-on or checked bag but I got on the plane with this bag for free as my one personal bag!  Cha ching! And it couldn’t of worked out better because after flight, it went with me wherever I went from city to Jersey suburbs to beach.

The inside zipper pocket held all my charging and electrical cords, my camera, sunglasses case, reading glasses case as well as my plastic bag with liquids that you have to remove for security.  Actually, to make things easier, I used that plastic bag to hold my makeup, moisturizer, travel toothbrush and toothpaste.

The back pocket held all my travel papers and reading materials.  Inside the main compartment I had my laptop, a pair of flat sandals,  a pair of heeled slides, my pjs, intimate apparel, and a capsule wardrobe:

1  jumpsuit, 1 sundress, 1 cardigan, 1 knit pant, 2 maxi skirts, 3 tank tops, and 2 tees.  On the plane  I wore  jeans, sneakers, a fancy tank, and a black cardigan sweater. To get it all to fit nicely, I rolled everything up and put it in several plastic bags.  This way, it made my lap top easier to take out and put back when going thru security.

Sadly, This exact bag is no longer being made but you can find something similar at Orvis.  Go check ’em out!  And while your there, check out the custom fit boots – hand made in America since 1850 – and worth every cent!

Now, to investigate skeet shooting – something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

~ An Artist’s Life ~

Do I dare call myself an artist?  Well, it has been my passion for most of my life.  I’ve always loved to draw.  I studied art in college; went to FIT and became a sportswear designer.  So I guess I can.  Many have preconceived notions about artists – how they look, how they live.  I have decided to share more of my life on this blog – things I’ve learned along the way.  I hope you enjoy.  xx