In 2006 or so I was living on a trawler anchored off the southwest coast of
Puerto Rico, trying to eek out a living as a Gourd Artist. I wanted something other than a fanny-pack to hold my change but didn't like the styles of gourd purses I'd seen - slice off the top, add a hinge and call it a day.
The idea of having to grip my pens and reading glasses in order to put the top back on appealed to me not at all. Through experimentation, I designed a cross-body bag which could be easily opened and closed with one hand - yet safe enough that nobody else could easily access my hard-earned cash.
MILK Bags and Pocket Purses became an instant hit! Unfortunately, the island's principle source of revenue,
Tourism, took a huge hit following 9/11 and still had not recovered; so I branched out to juried shows close to my family's home in the NY Metro area.
I had a good pricetag on my bags and couldn't keep them in stock. Women followed me during breaks to ask where I found mine. That's when I learned that no matter the economy, there will
always be people with money (who can appreciate and afford fine craftsmanship).
Continuing my bad timing, I returned to the U.S. in 2009, right after the burst of the housing bubble. Eventually, arthritis got the better of my hands and my ability to carve gourds went the way of the Dodo Bird. When COVID hit I had the perfect opportunity to write the How-To book I'd dreamt of for more than a decade.
Just because I can't make them doesn't mean you can't. You can't reproduce my patterns and such, but there's no reason someone else can't enjoy and possibly improve on my design. I don't have children to inherit anything, and these days I'm more interested in helping others, particularly artists, help themselves.
But I do have a book to sell: MILK Bags and Pocket Purses now available on the Gourd Art section of my Etsy shop.
Doesn't hurt to look!
Associated links: website: andreajansendesigns.com
Aquatic version of The Money Pit: Ruff Life at Sea - an Ex-Pat's Story
