Guest Post: Creative Handbags to Show Support

Here is a post by Lisa Bergeron-Carter and her unique handbag creations:

It’s a real honor to have the opportunity to be featured in Mihosuzuki blog! First, a little about me: I am a former Army wife and currently a proud military mom. When my hubby was serving in the US Army, we were stationed in quite a few different places so, as you can imagine, home was wherever we were at the time. Having been an Army wife for many years, and now a Navy and Marine Corps mom, I can relate to other military wives and mothers. I understand what they are going through as well as the lives they are living. I am a huge supporter of all military branches and I believe each one of them plays a part in our daily freedom.

After my sons joined the military I was desperate to find something to help me cope. It’s one thing to send your husband off but sending off the child you nursed and cared for is much harder and much different. While sitting in my living room crying because I missed my babies, my hubby asked me if he could do anything to help. He couldn’t, of course, but for some reason it reminded me of when he deployed to Desert Storm and how much I worried and prayed he would come back to me safe. I was also reminded of a purse I had made for myself while he was gone — made out of one of his uniforms (BDUs).

That very day I went to the fabric store to find Marine (woodland) and Navy (NWU) fabric because I didn’t have uniforms from my boys just yet, and then rushed home to work on a new design. My first purse was a double sided one: Navy on one side and Marine Corps on the other and each side had a photo frame where I put my boys’ pictures. I carried that purse everywhere I went, and almost everywhere I would go a mom or wife would come up and ask where I got my purse, and I would tell her I made it.

One day a woman came up to me in a shoe store and asked me where I got my purse, and when I told her I made it and she asked “How much do you want for it?” She took me by surprise and I didn’t know what to say because I had never thought about selling my purses. As I stood there with a shoe in one hand and my purse in the other she said, “I have a boy in the Navy and one in the Marines also, and I will give you one hundred bucks right now for your purse!” Needless to say I was shocked! I could not sell this purse because it was my way of having my boys with me all the time but told her I would make a purse just for her and she could buy that one. She agreed to the deal and once her purse was ready we decided to meet at a local restaurant for a cup of coffee; when I walked in with her purse she started crying and told me how much it meant to her to be able to carry something that would remind her of her boys and also allow her to show off her pride.

That was the moment when I knew what I wanted to do … I wanted to help other military moms, wives, and girlfriends have a way to show their support and love for their heroes, be it sons, daughters, husbands, uncles, boyfriends, brothers, or sisters. It didn’t take very long for word to spread and I was getting orders from all over the country. Every time I take an order we chat a bit so I can get a feel for who she is and I try to create a purse that fits her. No two purses are alike; each is made for someone special and has little touches to show that. I do not mass produce my purses or make the same one every time, each is a creation all its own and unique so there is often a wait but I have been told it is worth the wait!

I have been lucky enough that I am now getting ready to partner with Wounded Warrior Project and offer my bags for raffles to help raise money for those who have given so much for all of us.

It takes me about 8 hours to complete one purse, longer if the person wants to add options. I am careful to use only the best material and notions so each purse will last a long time. I double stitch all my purses.

First I lay out the fabric and other items I will need to make the purse.

Then I cut the fabric, interfacing and other notions. I lay them out to start the design and get a feel for the way the purse will look.

Once this is done I start to put it all together.

I love to add little extras like matching key chains.

Here are some pictures of the purses I have done through the years.

If you would like to see more of my work or information on my purses please go to http://www.lisabcarter.com you can also check me out on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/militarypursesusa