He brought the 1st volunteer team from the church in January 2005, less than 2 weeks after the earthquake/tsunami hit Aceh province, Sumatra, Indonesia.

His wife Louise started helping with tsunami relief June 2005 and when the contract with the church ended a year later, she wanted to find a way to continue helping.

Together with a missionary friend they walked around the capital, Banda Aceh, and found these primitively handmade products.

It was decided to bring some samples home, and Louise had her 1st home party at their condo in Newport Beach, CA.

She invited 20 of her friends, and they all were touched by her story, she sold out and 10 of the guests signed up to do their own home party.

So she asked Roy to bring more bags on his return, and Laga handbags grew rapidly.

On April 13, 2010, Laga’s bags were on the Oprah show which was about “Companies That Give Back” featuring Laga’s newfound friend, Malaak Compton-Rock.

Needless to say, orders came in every second, and everything in stock was sold, the last order went out end of November 2010.

Finally after almost 13 years, the founders felt that it was time to wind down and have Louise stop doing shows, which translated to 26 quilt shows per year until the last few years when shows were cut down to 6 and then in 2019 to 2 shows.

The last show was at MQX Quilt Festival in Manchester, New Hampshire, April 10-13, 2019, and all attendees + vendors bought everything that Laga handmade handbags brought!

What a superb ending, from the largest disaster in our lifetime, to an opportunity God provided and supported by many who have come alongside Laga since 2006.

We want to thank everyone that have been with us through these years, we will miss you all.

We will keep our website live, https://www.laga-handbags.com/, we will appreciate it if you will share our website with anyone you think might be interested in our products and cause.

Please subscribe on our website, thank you.

Continuing our adventure and journey and waiting for our next assignment from God.

Blessings,

Roy & Louise van Broekhuizen

Founders

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1. It’s Not Too Heavy
Leather handbags can be very heavy when they are empty, which means as soon as I put everything into the bag, I’ll be carrying 45 kg of weight on my shoulder, not good for my back or mood. Other handbags are made of lighter material, i.e. polyester type of material, you can put in a lot of things and it will still be not too heavy.

2. It’s Comfortable to Carry
A handbag, just like clothing, has to have a comfort level that you’re happy with. Many years ago Gucci had a massive sale in Melbourne (they’d never do it now as it “cheapens” the brand) and I picked up a handbag. The thing I noticed was just how comfortably it sat on my shoulder without sliding off, and fit under my arm.
I remember thinking “no wonder people normally pay so much for this kind of good design.”

3. The Right Pockets for You
Is it just an empty void inside or does it have some pockets? If it has pockets, what kind and how many?

What you like will be personal to you. I don’t like a central divider pocket, but I do like a pocket I can pop a pen or two, a cleaning cloth and some other small pieces.
I like a pocket I can store my phone in, and I really like a pocket on the outside that zips up that I can put my car keys in.

4. Zip it Up
I like handbags that can be fully zipped or closed up so that if I’m traveling and it falls over, nothing falls out.
Specifically with totes and larger bags, having a zip closure is something that makes a difference for those times when you need to be able to properly close your bags to keep your contents safe.

5. Make it Beautiful
And then there is the design. I’ve got to love it aesthetically as well. I’m a believer in form plus function – not one over the other.

Color is one way – and so I have a collection of bags in different colors.

A handbag can be fairly plain in design if it’s in a fabulous color – color is the hero.

But if you’re going for a black handbag, then it needs to have some extra design details to make it more aesthetically pleasing. Black and plain = dull and boring and not stylish.

6. Make it Versatile
There may be bags for specific purposes (such as an evening bag), but for your everyday bag, if you tend to be someone who has just one bag that you wear with everything – to everywhere – every day – it needs to be versatile in its design.

It needs to be dressy enough to relate to your work attire.
It needs to be soft enough to relate to your casual outfits.
It needs to go with your color palette – so that it doesn’t clash with your outfit.
How to choose a bag that goes with all your outfits? Start with the color being a reflection of your hair color. This is a signature color you never take off. You’re always wearing your hair, which is why hair color is such a great color for handbags, shoes, coats and belts – as these are the elements of outfits that “go over” lots of other garments.

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“I remember the soft glow of vanilla candles as we sang carols like Jingle Bells and White Christmas all night long. Of course, we were swatting mosquitoes and dripping in sweat, but that was part and parcel in a tropical Christmas Eve.

“Then Christmas morning arrived. We have two little daughters, Kezia and Rachel, aged 8 and 3. My heart swelled with love as I watched them walk clumsily out of bed in their matching pink pajamas. When those sleepy eyes spied a pile of presents under the tree, the excitement began.

“Guests came in and out that day and by evening we were exhausted. Before bedtime, my husband read the nativity story to our daughters and kissed them goodnight. I remember thinking how blessed we are.

“That night was the most peaceful night I’ve ever experienced – no one could have guessed that the following day would bring the world’s second largest earthquake, and a tsunami that would kill hundreds of thousands people, displace millions more and tear cities to the ground.

“Something stirred me awake early the next morning; I had a strong feeling that we should go out for a drive, maybe stop by a jogging track to do a little exercise. So at about 6:30am we nestled our family into the car with a batch of Christmas cookies to deliver to some work colleagues. We stopped by several different soccer fields and lightly jogged around the track.

“Then we headed toward the mountains to deliver the cookies. I saw that the sky ahead of me was jet black… On the way there, the earthquake hit. At first I thought we had a flat tire, and then two flat tires, then all four tires were bouncing up and down. My husband jumped out of the car; everyone was out of their homes and lying flat on the ground.

“We all got out of the car and lay down with our chins pressed against the rough asphalt. Rumbling sounds like thunder boomed above our heads. I began looking around for cracks in case the ground suddenly swallowed us up. Then after what felt like an eternity, the shaking stopped. The rumbling died away. Slowly we climbed back inside the car and continued on our journey.

“We arrived at our friends’ home safely, but everyone was distressed after what happened. We comforted one another, delivered the cookies and headed to the other section of town to check on four other friends. When we arrived, they were weeping outside the building. They had been on the fourth floor when the quake hit and they were still traumatized from the shaking. They had been locked in the building and could not get out for several minutes. They had made several trips up to the fourth floor and back down again looking for the keys.

“We spent some time encouraging them and left to check on two other friends, both women. They were very frightened and upset. I thought it would be a good idea to invite them home so we could calm down and just talk.

“But as I pulled out of the driveway to go home, I saw that the sky ahead of me was jet black. It seemed like a huge storm was stirring at that end of town. Then I saw people screaming, panic stricken, and running from that direction. Cars and motorbikes zoomed by, there were children screaming for their parents and everything was chaotic. I saw one of our friends running toward us. ‘Go back! Head towards the mountains!’ he cried above the clamor. I spun the car around, and floored the accelerator, rushing through the growing traffic. I thought it was the end of the world. Dead bodies hung on trees and front gates.

“We finally reached the mountains and remained outdoors for the next 8 hours. When I returned later that evening, half of BA was gone. The town was in ruins. Dead bodies hung on trees and front gates.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. My house was destroyed. I had the house key, but I couldn’t find the front door. Everything from passports to wedding pictures and my daughters’ Christmas gifts were gone.

“The building where we worked (YDS) was severely damaged by the Tsunami. Sixty percent of our staff was instantly homeless. Most of them lost members of their immediate family, relatives and friends.

“With support from various donors including Saddleback Church of Lake Forest, California,  through Roy van Broekhuizen, YDS started recruiting more personnel and re-establishing its programs in Banda Aceh. The vision of YDS was to help young families like us to rise from the ashes, to deal with our grief, and empowering us to extend a helping hand to other survivors to rebuild their lives and communities.“

Note: Hana (shown, left above) has been our Project Manager  at Laga Handbags, overseeing production activities in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia for nearly twelve years now. With her sewing skills Hana has been able to produce Acehnese traditional handbags which are known for its sewing complexity. While working for Laga Handbags, she has been committed to the vision of educating Acehnese women in an effort to increase their self-confidence and skills, which in turn has helped them gain financial independence.

Over the years, Hana has conducted monthly handbag training courses for women who are then able to use their new skills. Building this confidence is valuable for their future. We are so honored and proud to have Hana on our team.

Please feel free to click here and visit our website to see the amazing embroidery work done by Hana and many other tsunami survivors we serve!

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The post …a Brief History… appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

“After the Tsunami, my husband decided to move to Banda Aceh to work as a Pedi-cab driver because he heard that there were many foreigners there who didn’t mind paying good money to ride on a Pedi-cab. I moved to Banda Aceh a month after my husband did and I worked in a Muslim boarding school by washing clothes for the students there. It was easier for my family to live there since all schools in Banda Aceh didn’t require their students to pay for the school fee for 2 years.

“It has been 4 years since the Tsunami, and now we have to again pay for the school fee, the boarding house fee and the books. But we thank God that my second daughter is working and is now independent and my son, my third child, has graduated from school and is now independent as well. So, now there are only my daughter, my fourth child, who is still in junior high school and my youngest son who is 4 years old, that I still have to take care of. My husband’s Pedi-cab has since broken down so now he makes less money in general labor. I didn’t want to dwell in my sadness for a long time so I’m glad that now I work for Laga handbags and I can pay for my daughter’s school fee, take care of my youngest son, and help out my husband.

“Even though the workshop is far from my house (1-hour drive) they usually let me take my embroidery work home and bring it back to the workshop every 2 weeks. My hope is that, as long as my eyes still can see and I’m still strong enough to work, I want to keep working in Laga handbags.”

–written in 2008 by Kamarni, one of the many tsunami survivors being helped by Laga Handbags

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“Even though he ran to get help, he could not withstand the 3 bullets that had penetrated his body.  For two hours he tried to get to safety, but he finally died because the situation was so dangerous that no one dared take him to the hospital.

“I was totally speechless and did not know what to do.  Even now, I have no more tears to shed.

“Later, I decided to leave our village of Lam Manyang, Aceh Besar, to look for a job in Medan.  I left my son and trusted my sister-in-law, Samsiah, to take care of him,

“When the Tsunami struck, I was still in Medan, about a 25 hours’ drive from Banda Aceh.  On that Sunday, December 26^th 2004, my son was playing at the back of our house in the village in Aceh with his friends. Then because he was hungry, he asked my nephew, Fajri, the son of Samsiah, to accompany him to buy food.  On their way to the nearby store, they saw a very high and huge black wave coming towards them. It was the first of the Tsunami waves. Only by God’s grace they were both saved.

“After the Tsunami, I was immediately called to return home to Aceh.  I was in great fear to know what had happened to my family.  I couldn’t explain my feelings at that time; but I felt a deep mourning mixed with happiness when I saw that my son, Mukram and my nephew, Fajri were saved.  But I lost my dear sister-in-law, Fajri’s mother, Samsiah for good.

“There was nothing left at all after the Tsunami. No more family, and even the ruins of our house was swept away by the waves.   Now only the 3 of us were left: Mukram, Fajri and I.

“We then stayed at a refugee camp for quite a long time. After several months we received a donation in the form of a tent so that we could live on our land. It was months later that we received a grant to rebuild our house. Now we have lived in our own house since September, 2006.

“After the Tsunami I wanted to regain a normal life for ourselves back here in Aceh. Therefore I was eager to look for job opportunities.  In November 2006, I was offered the opportunity to join a training program to make handbags in Aceh’s traditional style.

“I was very grateful for the opportunity to learn a new skill. Now, I am working on the embroidery staff funded by Laga Designs International, Inc., so that I can support my family again.  My son Mukram is now a 12-year-old boy.  He is very clever in school and happy as well.  I also have a new confidence that we will have a better future.”

Please click here to visit our website and see for yourself the beautiful work of Jurina and others like her whom we serve through Laga Handbags.

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Fun Fact:
The first alarm clock could only ring at 4am

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We hope your Special Day is all you wish for
and that you are blessed with joy and happiness and health!

Thank you, Mothers, for your important role in our world!
Without you we would not be here!

Blessings to you and your family,

Roy and Louise
Founders
Laga Handbags

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National Nurses Day is celebrated annually on May 6 to raise awareness of the important role nurses play in society. It marks the beginning of National Nurses Week, which ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale.

May 12, the final day of National Nurses Week, is the birthday of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). The English nurse became known as the founder of professional nursing, especially due to her pioneering work during the Crimean War (1853-1856). Due to her habit of making rounds at night, Nightingale became known as “The Lady with the Lamp.”

National Nurses Week was first observed in October 1954, the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. May 6 was introduced as the date for the observance in 1982.

We would like to take the time on this very Special Day to honor those Nurses who make it their every day mission to help people in hospitals and schools and offices and homes everywhere! We need you and appreciate what you do for all of us!

Fun Fact:
Every human spent about half an hour as a single cell
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First Call of Prayer in 1775

“Because of the faith of many of our founding fathers, public prayer and national days of prayer have a long-standing and significant history in American tradition. The Supreme Court affirmed the right of state legislatures to open their sessions with prayer in Marsh vs. Chambers (1983).

“The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations. ”

Taken from http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/about

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This is the Indonesian version of the spring or egg roll, a version of which you find in most Asian countries. For the filling you use meat, chicken or seafood and a selection of vegetables. For example you can use any combination of the following:

•White cabbage
•Bamboo shoots
•Bok Choi
•Carrots
•Bean sprouts
•Leeks
•French-cut green beans

The lumpia skins are available ready-made in most Asian supermarkets or can be made at home using the following method:

•400 gr. flour
•1 egg
•water

Mix flour and egg and add enough water to make a smooth batter mixture. Heat a large frying pan, grease it and pour in some of the mix so that only a thin film remains in the frying pan. Repeat until you have 2 skins for each lumpia (be prepared to lose a few until you have mastered this trick).

Filling ingredients:

•200 gr. boneless chicken breast
•1 medium red onion (finely cut)
•1 clove garlic (minced)
•2½ cm. ginger root (grated)
•1 tsp. sambal oelek (hot pepper paste)
•1 tsp. trassi (shrimp paste)
•300 gr. white cabbage (thinly sliced)
•250 bean sprouts
•1 small tin bamboo shoots
•1 large carrot (chopped)
•1 tbs. kecap manis (sweet Asian soy sauce)
•2 tbs. peanut oil
•Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Preparation:

Boil the chicken and after cooling, slice in strips. Set aside.
Wash and slice all the vegetables. Set aside.
Heat your wok and add the oil. Slice onion, ginger and garlic and cook together in the wok until soft. Add the sambal and trassi and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the vegetables, chicken and ketjap manis. Toss until vegetables are soft and but not over-cooked.

Place a lumpia skin on a cutting board and spoon some of the filling in the center, fold up opposite sides and then roll up, sealing the last bit of the skin with some beaten egg to make it stick.
Cook in hot oil for about 5 minutes, making sure both sides are browned equally. Serve with peanut sauce or just ketjap manis and samba or sweet and sour sauce.

Fun Fact:
The Twitter bird actually has a name – Larry———————————————————————————————————-

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“During that time, our village was not a safe area. There were political fights often happening in our village.”

“We were panicked when we suddenly heard gun shots 3 times, so we ran and gathered with other families.

“The earthquake was still happening and not long after, we saw people were running and shouting ‘The water is coming!’ The ocean was only 3 km away from my village, so we all ran to the nearest hill.

“I was lucky because I could get on the truck together with my family and some other people from my village. About 300 meters after we passed the bridge, I saw some people and children running but they could not make it to the bridge and the water swept them away. Oh God, please help them…

“We stayed on the hill for three nights and had to be careful not to meet with the rebels who usually brought guns. Coconut was our food for two days during that time, and then on the third day there were people who brought us some bread.

“We decided to go home to our village and then take refuge in another safe place far away from the ocean and the fighting. My family left home together for 5 months when I heard rumors that there were many dead bodies that were not buried properly and that there would be an onset of disease because of those dead bodies.

“But I decided that I had to go home; I could not just stay in other people’s house forever. I had to start a new life and had a new spirit to live, so that my family could do the same, especially my father who had lost his brother and his nephew because of the tsunami.

“One year later, I got a job working in the Laga bag workshop. I did not have any experience in sewing at that time, so I just helped in packaging the bags and working with the inventory while I learned how to sew the bags.

“While working in the Laga workshop, I felt happy because I got new experiences, and I did not have to depend on my parents anymore. And with a little bit of extra money, I could help my family.

“Our village has been rebuilt now, and since the Aceh peace treaty was made, we could go back to our village and live safely there. Our hope in the future is that Aceh will stay safe, peaceful and improving.”

Click here to visit our website and view the amazing Laga handbags made by Vina and other tsunami survivors.

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TODAY IS THE LAST DAY of our Mother’s Day Promotion!

SAVE NOW!

Save 25% on EVERYTHING on our website https://www.laga-handbags.com/
Use Coupon Code: MOM25

If you reside in or near the Southern California area, please feel free to visit our Showroom! Reach out to us at customercare (at) lagahandbags (dot) com and make your appointment today!

Please Click Here and Don’t Miss Out on future promotions!

We feel so blessed to always be welcomed by you and to receive your love and support at the AQS QuiltWeek Paducah Quilt Show! It is bittersweet when a show ends. We get to go back home to our families, but we will certainly miss you!

Included here are pictures of some of you who have shared of your time, heart and finances to support tsunami survivors in Indonesia. Your support means the world to them and to us!

Thank you, again, to all of you who so graciously and generously supported us at AQS QuiltWeek Spring Paducah this year! We had such a wonderful time chatting and getting to know you! We look forward to seeing you again next year!

As we’ve packed up and headed home, we will keep the memories of your friendship in our hearts!

PS: Please post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lagahandbags/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lagahandbags/ about how much you love your Laga Handbags and Accessories! It would mean the world to us!

LINK TO WEBSITE

LINK TO BLOG

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Fun Fact:
Pirates wore earrings because they believed it improved their eyesight

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Paducah has always been a great show for us. Having moved our booth into the Expo Center (from the Pavilion, where we’ve been for the last 5 years) was definitely a good move. We believe MORE of you were able to see us there and we are so thankful for the opportunity to exhibit there.

This was also the first time we’ve sponsored at AQS. We usually find it difficult to do so because we do allocated ALL the profits from our shows to go back to the talented artisans who make all of our Laga Handbags and Accessories. However, we wanted to try it out and see if it produced better results. We are very thankful that it did.

We are also very thankful for those of you who have attended this show and especially those who visited our booth. Without you we cannot continue providing income and education to the tsunami survivors we serve and who make all of our Laga Handbags and Accessories. We have met more wonderful people this year who have now become our friends. And to our loyal friends/family, we appreciate you more than words can say!

As always, we so enjoy taking photos of you and we’d like to share just a few of them for you here:

        
Lots of BLUE going out the door here in Paducah on the first couple of days, as well as our black combinations, but blue was definitely predominant! Then other colors began to surface… Look at those smiles! Evidence that they are all thrilled with their new Laga acquisitions! The show was so busy the first two days that it was difficult to stop and take pics of everyone, but we are so thankful for all who came in support!

We hope you will contact us and/or post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lagahandbags/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lagahandbags/ about how much you love your new Laga Handbags and Accessories! We sure would appreciate it if you would!

We look forward to seeing more of you in the last couple of days of the show!

LINK TO WEBSITE

LINK TO BLOG

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Don’t forget that we do have our Mother’s Day Promotion running right now through April 23! If you’re not on our email list yet, please click here and sign up so you don’t miss out on any specials we have going! And if you mention the promotion in Paducah, we will certainly honor it for you! See you there!

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Please don’t look for us in the Pavilion because we are no longer there! This year, Laga Handbags can be found in the Expo Center in Booth 1109! And if you have a difficult time finding us, we have an ad in the Show Book. Be sure to refer to that ad because you will receive 10% off if you do… and we are also participating in “I Am AQS” so AQS members get an additional 10% off!!

We are so excited to see you! COME FIND US!!!

AQS QuiltWeek Paducah
Schroeder Expo Center
Laga booth #1109
415 Park Avenue
Paducah, Kentucky 42001

Wed, April 18 – 9am to 6pm
Thu, April 19 – 9am to 6pm
Fri, April 20 – 9am to 6pm
Sat, April 21 – 9am to 4pm

For more show information, click here

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Fun Fact:
Bob Dylan’s real name is Robert Zimmerman

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We are also running our Mother’s Day Promotion now through April 23rd, so please don’t miss out on that! Click Here to get on our email list for all of the details! If you mention this in our booth we will certainly honor the promotion in Paducah! See you there!

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Mother’s Day is just around the corner and we want to make sure you know: LAGA IS HAVING A SPECIAL PROMOTION!

We’re starting the celebrations EARLY, so be on the lookout for our amazing Laga Specials starting TODAY! We will be giving you lots of wonderful gift ideas over the next week. Please be sure to CLICK HERE to sign up and receive our emails so you don’t miss out!
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We had such a great time at MQX New England for our first time, but there’s no time to waste so we made our way down two days later to to set up for the biggest and best quilt show in the East: AQS QuiltWeek Paducah!  And, of course, that’s the reason you will find Laga Handbags here!!!

Please don’t look for us in the Pavilion – we are no longer there! Because OUR. LAGA BOOTH. HAS. MOVED.
This year, Laga Handbags can be found in the Expo Center in booth 1109! And if you have a difficult time finding us, we have an ad in the Show Book. Be sure to refer to that ad because you will receive 10% off if you do… and we are also participating in “I Am AQS” so AQS members get an additional 10% off!!
We are so excited to see you! COME FIND US!!!

AQS QuiltWeek Paducah
Schroeder Expo Center
Laga booth #1109
315 Park Avenue
Paducah, Kentucky 42001

Preview is TONIGHT!
Tue, April 17 – 7pm to 9pm

Wed, April 18 – 9am to 6pm
Thu, April 19 – 9am to 6pm
Fri, April 20 – 9am to 6pm
Sat, April 21 – 9am to 4pm

For more show information, click here

What a wonderful time to visit Paducah! Quilters and others alike will also enjoy visiting The National Quilt Museum, take a stroll along the river to enjoy the flood wall murals “Wall to Wall Murals,” and maybe even get a glimpse of the Mississippi Queen River Boat as it sails by. Oh, and don’t forget A Night with Ricky Tims (musician and quilter) at the Carson Center on April 20th!

What make this time of year in Paducah so special to me is the beautiful Dogwood trees that are in full bloom. Oh. My. Goodness. What a spectacular sight! Last year, the City of Paducah led a 10-mile lighted tour and it was absolutely breath-taking! This year the tour ends before AQS QuiltWeek Paducah begins (April 1-15), so if you are in town before the quilt show starts, it is definitely worth taking! In any case, you can always get a map and drive your car for a self-guided tour. You will definitely not be disappointed! https://www.paducah.travel/dogwoodtrail/

As far as dining goes, Paducah does not disappoint in their variety of restaurants and eateries.

Some of our faves are Flamingo Row (ask for Crash because she’s the best!) , Tribeca known for its amazing Mexican cuisine, Kirchhoff’s Bakery which is open mainly for breakfast and lunch and features highly recommended Weekly Specials, and don’t miss JP’s Bar & Grill (same owners as Tribeca) which has live music and features Happy Hour from 5-7pm every day.

And don’t forget about the amazing shopping opportunities all around town! Paducah is definitely not to be missed if you’re a quilter! But even if you’re not (like me), it is truly adorable and such a quaint place to visit.

We, at Laga Handbags, would be so pleased to have you come visit us in Paducah to attend this fabulous show and to help support us as we endeavor to continue our work with and for our beautiful and talented artisans in Aceh. When you do, please mention our LAGA HANDBAGS BLOG and our Free Gift offer exclusively for those of you who are on our email list!

CLICK HERE to go to our website!

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Our Very First Time in New Hampshire was a huge success, thanks to all of YOU! We were overwhelmed by your love and support! We just had to include pictures of some more of you with your new Laga Handbags and Accessories:

1. Carla Berno: Tenang shoulder bag and match wallet Uang large fold in black/cream 2. Barbara Keegan: Harapan small shoulder bag in brown/cream 3. Dona McKenzie: Harapan small shoulder bag in black/grey 4. Joan Sullivan: Eyeglass case in blue/red/white, Pagi small handbag in burgundy/cream, Mudah cross body in dark blue/cream 5. Joka Quigley: Harapan small shoulder bag in dark blue/cream, Saku pouches in black/cream, dark blue/black, brown/cream 6. Peg Kelley (and her mom): Harapan large shoulder bag in burgundy/cream 7. Kellie Parham: Sehat handbag in burgundy/cream 8. Terri Vadenais: Harapan large shoulder bag in dark blue/cream and matching Uang zip small wallet 9. Katherine Roden: Damai handbag in black/pink/white 10. Adele Scott and her staff/family: Pintar cross body in black/cream, Uang zip small wallet in dark blue/black, Tenang shoulder bag in black/grey 11. Sally Payne: Ria Plus cross body in black/brown, Uang small fold wallet in black/batik and Robin Bunch: Ria Plus cross body in black/brown, Eyeglass case in black/batik 12. Tracy Batryn: Pagi large shoulder bag in brown/red/cream

Thank you to ALL of you ladies who so graciously humored me by letting me take your picture (there were SO many more that I couldn’t include here) – we certainly do appreciate ALL of your loyalty, support and friendship!  It has been such a blessing to be here and to meet all of you and to have the opportunity to share our Laga Story with you!! A very special thanks to Janet-Lee Santeusanio and Mary Schilke and the entire MQX staff/volunteers for all of their hard work on making this show a great success for everyone!

We’ve already packed up and are already on our way to our next show:

AQS QuiltWeek Paducah
Schroeder Expo Center
Laga Handbags Booth #1109
415 Park Street
Paducah, KY

We hope to see you there!

PS: Please post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lagahandbags/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lagahandbags/ about how much you love your Laga Handbags and Accessories! It would mean the world to us!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

VISIT OUR BLOG

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MOTHER’S DAY IS AROUND THE CORNER!

As we do every year, we hold a Mother’s Day campaign of special savings. Usually we do this in the month of May. However, this year we have decided to do this in April! So…

TOMORROW April 17th we will BEGIN our Mother’s Day Campaign!

APRIL 17-23

you can expect to SAVE for Mother’s Day!

Beginning at midnight PST, you will Save 25% on EVERYTHING on our website https://www.laga-handbags.com/

Use Coupon Code: MOM25

If you reside in or near the Southern California area, please feel free to visit our Showroom!

Stand by for more details!
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Fun Fact:
The total number of steps in the Eiffel Tower are 1665

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The post Recap of MQX Quilt Festival appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

Thank you to all who have supported Laga Handbags thus far – we have enjoyed every minute! And a huge “Thank YOU!” to Janet-Lee for encouraging us to vend at this show! JL and Mary (gotta take time to get a pic of those amazing girls!) put on a beautiful show – amazing quilts (gotta get time to take pics of those, too!) – and, from what I hear, some pretty awesome classes! 700 students!

As I always try to do, I’ve included a few photos (there are tons more) of some of you who were not too shy to let me take your picture:

Cathy Dyckman and Rada Elegant… such fun ladies! (And I found out they run a show up in Cape Cod. Yay!) Cathy couldn’t decide between two Laga bags so, with the help of Fay Labanaris (I’ll try and include a pic of her in my next post), she bought them both! Damai handbag in silver/pink and Pagi large  shoulder bag in black/red/yellow. It was so good meeting you both! Thank you for your support!

Leanne Brunelle also couldn’t decide between two bags so she also purchased both! Aren’t they cute? Paspor small cross body in dark blue/cream and Pagi small handbag in black/cream. Thank you for your generosity, Leanne!

Karen Magnant has been buying Laga bags for quite a while. She came in wearing her Bunga dark blue/black cross body and came in to the show to purchase a few more! Harapan small shoulder bag in silver/pink and dark blue/black, as well as a small wallet (not shown) Uang small fold dark blue/black to match! Thank you for your faithful support, Karen!

Tracy Kennedy came back again and again to choose just the perfect combination! Tenang shoulder bag in black/cream and matching wallet Uang large zip. We appreciate you, Tracy!

Lori Bessette was really happy with her choice of Laga handbags: Selalu shoulder bag in dark blue/black. Thank you so much, Lori!

Estelle Banks loves her new Hidup handbag in black/cream! We hope you will love your Laga bag for many years to come, Estelle!

Ginny Canning spent some time looking around before she made her final decision – isn’t it perfect? She looks great with her new Pagi large shoulder bag in brown/red/cream! Thank you for your support, Ginny!

And although there are many more, I’ll end here with Bethanne Nemish for whom we had a very special “special” handbag made in her fave colors – and chose this beautiful wallet to add to her collection: Uang large fold in black/pink/white. We appreciate you so much, Bethanne!

Our visit with you all has been pretty fantastic as you can see by all the pics! We hope you will contact us and/or post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lagahandbags/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lagahandbags/ about how much you love your new Laga Handbags and Accessories! We sure would appreciate it if you would!

We look forward to seeing more of you in the next two days!

MQX New England
Laga Handbags Booth #192
700 Elm Street
Manchester, New Hampshire

Friday, April 13 – 9am to 6pm
Saturday, April 14 – 9am to 5pm

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

VISIT OUR BLOG

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The post MQX New England: Two More Days appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

Show hours:

Wednesday April 11 – 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Thursday April 12 – 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Friday April 13- 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday April 14- 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

For more information about the show, click here

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Fun Fact:
If Pinnochio says “My nose will grow now,” it would cause a paradox

The post MQX New England starts today! appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

We are so excited to announce that, for the Very First Time, Laga Handbags will be exhibiting at MQX New England! Having exhibited at their Midwest show in Springfield, IL two years in a row, we know that we are going to enjoy meeting all the long-armers in Manchester, NH!

MQX New England
Manchester Downtown Hotel (previously Radisson)
Laga booth #192
700 Elm Street
Manchester, New Hampshire 03101

Preview Night In Two Days!
Wed, April 11 – 7:00 to 9:30pm

Thur, April 12 – 9:00am to 6:00pm
Fri, April 13 – 9:00am to 6:00pm
Sat, April 14 – 9:00am to 5:00pm

For more information about the show, click here

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Since we have never been to New Hampshire or its surrounding areas, we don’t have any recommendations of places we love. But we’ll be checking out TripAdvisor and trying some of their recommended attractions!

But we will be bringing a wonderful array of our beautiful Laga Handbags for your to enjoy! We will be featuring some of our newest color combinations and models, but our same stunning Laga style is never compromised and will not disappoint! So please be sure to save some of your shopping dollars and support us as we continue to serve our amazing and talented artisans in Aceh province, Sumatra, Indonesia who make all of our handbags and accessories on non-electric foot-pedal machines, hand-guided by memory (we will have a video running so you can see it for yourself)!

Also, when you do come visit Laga booth #192 here in beautiful New England, please make sure to mention our LAGA HANDBAGS BLOG for a Special Gift for those of you who are on our email list! See you soon!

In the meantime, please feel free to check out our website! Or shop the images below!

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A core premise of Laga Handbags was to provide a fair wage, sustainability to the artists and crafts people creating the handbags while bringing the high quality of a hand crafted handbag with Indonesian designs built into the construction of the handbag to the North American market. So, fair trade and a fair wage was built into the company from the beginning.

What has also developed since that time is the notion of social enterprises. Social Enterprises are part of the new wave of social entrepreneurship  led by business leaders whose search for meaning extending beyond the bottom line into bringing change and genuine improvement into peoples’ lives.

Social Enterprises are companies whose goals include more than just a Return on Investment (ROI). The Social Return on Investment (SROI) expands on traditional ROI and includes more benchmark performance indicators than traditional ROI indicators. While measuring the amount of  ‘goodness’ a company generates is not something that has been firmly established, performance indicators of social enterprises vary widely and some of those indicators include;

• A fair wage for fair trade
• Socially and ecologically responsible business practices as a part of operations
• How employees lives are positively impacted
• Able to address social issues of economic equity, education within a community through enterprise
• Organizational efficiencies for profitability

Social Enterprises may also have their own performance indicators which are relevant to the organization (in this case Laga Handbags), the employees and the communities they live and work in (in this case Indonesia and the Aceh province) as well as the processes built into operations for the creation and sales of handbags.

While socially driven enterprises are a growing trend, Laga Handbags began as a social enterprise.  The support given through sales and the amazing customer loyalty we are blessed with is what will allow us to continue bringing high quality, beautiful handbags to North America.

The post Laga Handbags: A Social Enterprise from the Beginning appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

As we gather with our families on Easter in remembrance of what Christ has done for us, it has become part of our tradition to incorporated the worldly meaning of Easter as well.

The Christian custom of Easter eggs, specifically, started among the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs with red coloring in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at His crucifixion.

In the 1700’s, the story and tradition of the Easter Bunny was brought to the United States from Germany. In legend, the Easter Bunny carries colored eggs, candy, and sometimes also toys in his basket to the homes of children. And in modern days, parents and children do the coloring of the Easter eggs together which is a fun tradition!  But the hiding of the Easter eggs and candies for their children to find is usually the job of mom and dad (or, as in our family, grandparents, aunts, uncles and older cousins). It is so heart-warming to see the little ones’ eyes light up as they scramble to find as many colorful eggs they can, in search for the ultimate “golden” egg which usually holds something very special.

Regardless of how you celebrate Easter, it is always a very special Spring day that brings families together all over the world and from all walks of life. And that in itself is certainly worth celebrating!

EASTER BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES!

~Roy and Louise

The post happy easter! appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

Here are a few of the moments we shared with our lovely customers this week:

Bunga seemed to be a popular bag with several of our customers this year!



Sharon Benz (wearing the black/grey) got support from her friend to buy her first Laga! Lori Jones snagged the only Bunga we had in black/red/cream and Linda Edwards (who has several Laga’s of her own) encouraged her friend Regina to buy the blue/cream who was truly pleased with her first Laga bag! Congratulations ladies!

Lorraine Harnish from APQS has been coveting co-worker Gretchen Adams’ Harapan large handbag and decided it was high time she got one of her own! Isn’t it a beauty in burgundy/black? Great choice, Lorraine!

Mothers and daughters LOVE Laga! Yet another family, Elizabeth Brigham (holding her new Pagi large in black/brown) and her daughter Barbara Denys with her Harapan small in black/grey, chose Laga to be their new handbag obsession, and we are so grateful they did!

And Kathleen Webb, from Studio 180 Designs, came to purchase three Laga bags to give as gifts to some very special (and lucky!) people in her life. She chose the Ria in black/cream and brown/red/cream and the Mudah in blue/cream. They are all so adorable, don’t you think? Thank you, Kathleen!

There are so many more pictures we took at the Lancaster show but this is just a sampling of our wonderful Laga friends and family… hopefully we can include some of those pictures in a later blog. Thank you ALL for your loyalty, support and friendship! It means the world to us and to the tsunami survivors we serve <3

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We look forward to seeing you at our next show coming up next month:

MQX New England: April 11-14
Radisson Manchester Downtown Hotel
Laga Booth #192
400 Elm Street
Manchester, New Hampshire

We hope to see you there!

PS: Please post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lagahandbags/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lagahandbags/ about how much you love your Laga Handbags and Accessories! That’s a wonderful way of spreading the Laga Love!

Shop Laga Now!

VISIT OUR BLOG

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SPINACH based salad

Ingredients:

5 ounces fresh spinach (half a 10 ounce bag)
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges – or fresh Cuties or Halos
or 1 cup of pomegranate seeds
1 large Granny Smith Apple
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup pecans
Optional: Feta cheese & Orecchiette (little ears) pasta

Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2-4 teaspoons white sugar – Or use Honey to taste or Stevia
1/8 teaspoon each: paprika, onion powder
1 tablespoon poppyseeds

Throw it all together!

Fun Fact:
Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter are all banned in China

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The post Recap of Lancaster Quilt Show + Recipe appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

We have been having so much fun at AQS QuiltWeek Lancaster this week! In spite of the crazy snow storm, we were so please to find a nice-sized crowd at the show! It’s hard to believe there are only TWO DAYS left!

Thank you so much to those who have supported Laga Handbags thus far this year – we have so enjoyed seeing our long-time friends and making new ones!

In your honor, we have featured some of you here:

Gwynne Geyer, Metropolitan Opera Singer and professor at Franklin & Marshall College Artist in Residence, has recently become a staunch supporter of Laga! Thank you for your support, Gwynne! This Pintar cross body in black/grey must be your…. 4th Laga bag?

This beautiful mother-daughter team has been a part of our Laga family for many years! Jeanne, can’t wait for you to receive your Besar in burgundy/black in the mail! Jeanne Garber (holding Rajin in burgundy/black) and mama Linda McCuean – thank you for always being so supportive! We appreciate you both!

Susan Stokes is now finally in the “family” after having seen us several years. Your Ria Plus cross body in black/brown looks fab on you, girl!

This cute Paspor small cross body in dark blue/cream is one of several Laga bags that Sharyn Franck owns. We appreciate your support so much, Sharyn!

Hey, Kathy Lindahl! You picked a really special Laga bag! That Sehat in burgundy/cream fits you like a glove – thank you for your support! Love to meet new Laga friends and welcome them into our family!

Another of our wonderful and faithful mother-daughter teams, what a blessing! They each have several Laga bags – mama is shown here wearing the Pintar cross body she purchased last year, Sandra Miland was wearing the same Pintar but in dark blue/black that she bought last year but this year the Mudah in black/batik and matching Saku pouch were her picks – must be her 5th Laga bag? What a blessing to have you both in our Laga family!

It was such a pleasure to meet and have a heartwarming discussion with this adorable couple, Russ and Lisamarie Mikkola, who have served in the mission field in Haiti. How awesome to meet like-minded servants who have a heart for the Lord! Thank you for your support! We hope to see you much more in the future! Lisamarie is holding the Uang small fold wallet in black/red/yellow and Russ is proud to sport the Tenang in the same color combination. Beautiful!

What a blessing it is to come out and visit with you all! I hope you will contact us and/or post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lagahandbags/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lagahandbags/ about how much you love your new Laga Handbags and Accessories! We sure would love it if you do!

We look forward to seeing more of you in these last couple of days of the show – we still have lots to choose from  because this year we brought enough inventory for TWO SHOWS!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR BLOG

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Lancaster holds such a special place in our hearts – maybe because it is the Very First Show we ever did! It’s been 10 years now that we have been exhibiting in Lancaster and it has never been a disappointment! The people, the weather, the atmosphere, the food, the people (oh, did I say that already?)…

Yes, the PEOPLE who live there and the PEOPLE who have so graciously and faithfully supported Laga Handbags have been there for us each year. And it gets better and better with each show; we are so very thankful!

This year is starting out a little bit crazy with the Fourth Nor’easter hitting Lancaster with several inches of snow. School closures and a state of emergency for Lancaster was called yesterday. They are expecting 8-12 inches of snow tomorrow. But we are keeping our fingers crossed that the numbers are much lower! Because if the roads are all open, we will be there!

We can’t wait to see you in Booth 1118! But Please Travel Safely!

Lancaster County Convention Center
Laga booth #1118 
25 S Queen Street
Lancaster, PA 17603

Wed, March 21 – 9am to 6pm
Thu, March 22 – 9am to 6pm
Fri, March 23 – 9am to 6pm
Sat, March 24 – 9am to 4pm

For more information about the show, click here.

To visit our Laga Handbags website, click here.

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Each year, Laga Handbags loves, Loves, LOVES coming to Lancaster! Exhibiting at this quilt show is always amazing and we are really looking forward to seeing our wonderful customers/friends!

AQS QuiltWeek Lancaster – March 21-24, 2018
Lancaster County Convention Center
Laga booth #1118 
25 S Queen Street
Lancaster, PA 17603

Wed, March 21 – 9am to 6pm
Thu, March 22 – 9am to 6pm
Fri, March 23 – 9am to 6pm
Sat, March 24 – 9am to 4pm

For more information about the AQS QuiltWeek Lancaster show, click here.

What a wonderful time to visit Lancaster! One of my very favorite things about coming to this city is Lancaster Central Market, The country’s oldest farmers’ market, in the heart of Amish country, chock-full of regional food specialties. Check out the “chow chow” and fresh fruit and vegetables sold throughout, Zig’s Bakery‘s handmade scones, S Clyde Weaver‘s amazing meats, cheeses and dips, and the Lancaster Salad Company where they toss fresh ingredients to make the best salad ever.

Whenever I come out to Lancaster, I try to drive out to the cute little town of Lititz, “America’s Coolest Small Town.” Here are my recommendations:

You must stop and get a homemade pretzel at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery. There’s the always beautiful and serene Lititz Spring Park. Bring your pretzel here and just sit on a bench and enjoy the view. This is also the home of Lititz Welcome Center and Train Station.

My fave diner in town, although there are several great places to dine, is Tomato Pie Cafe – known for (what else?) their family recipe of Tomato Pie! Deliciously seasoned red tomatoes are baked in a flaky pie crust, covered with a rich cheesy topping! OMG… it’s what I get whenever I visit Lititz.

Wilbur Chocolate Store is not to be missed. This is where the “original” chocolate buds (before Hershey’s kisses got famous) are made. And since the quilt show in Lancaster is held in March, it’s the perfect time to stock up on Wilbur’s chocolate Easter gifts for your loved ones!

But make sure you plan to set aside some of your shopping dollars for our Laga Handbags booth and please do not forget to mention our LAGA HANDBAGS BLOG Appreciation Offer and let us show you how much we do value you being on our mailing list!

And we’d surely love for you to check out our website before the show!

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Fun Fact:
Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to watch TV for 3 hours

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The post Laga is coming to Lancaster appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

A Bit O’ History

As with many holidays, there is a reason. Diving into the history and the reason for St. Patrick’s Day is as interesting and rich as an Irish landscape in the spring!

St. Patrick’s Day is in memory of saint Patrick, who was the Patron Saint of Ireland. He was a Christian missionary who is credited with converting much of Ireland to Christianity as far back as the 4th century A.D. Many believe he was not even Irish.

The origin of the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day came from a Roman Catholic feast celebrating St. Patrick’s passing on March 17, 461. Before the holiday evolved into the global festival it is now, St. Patrick’s Day was a religious feast focused on St. Patrick the Patron Saint of Ireland.

St. Patrick’s Day, Shamrocks, Leprechauns & St. Patrick’s Day Lore

Like many holidays the related symbols and elements may have something to do with the holiday or it’s Patron Saint or they may not. Here is what we know about St. Patrick’s Day.

According to legend the Shamrock was used by St. Patrick when converting people to Christianity. The three leafed clover is said to represent the Trinity; The Father, The Son and the Holy Ghost. The word Shamrock comes from the Irish word, seamrog meaning “little clover” or “young clover”.

The history behind Leprechauns is cloudy at best and Leprechauns may be the result of Lore from a people that once lived in Ireland before the Druids.

These  small bearded creatures are associated with mischief and pots of gold.

St. Patrick’s Day Fashion: Green Everywhere

The idea of wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day came up in the 20th century and is now an integral part of St. Patrick’s Day and has expanded into green food and green beverages!

Naturally we here at Laga Handbags love well… handbags and anything fashion we thought we would bring you some great examples of how to look amazing for St. Patrick’s Day!

Who, What Wear: Some great St. Patrick’s Day outfit ideas from the folks at Who, What, Wear!

We can always count on InStyle for great St. Patrick’s Day Fashion Ideas!

And finally some ideas casual St. Patrick’s Day fashion ideas from Hello Fashion Blog!

Be safe and enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day!

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“Since I work at Laga Handbags, I don’t have to depend on my mother or my brothers anymore. I can take care of my own needs and I’m even able to help my mother a little bit.”



Khaera told us her story in 2008. What a blessing she has been for us.

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Fun Fact:
Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other

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Laga Handbags was blessed four years ago to have befriended a really amazing and talented photographer, a Dutch Indonesian man from The Netherlands, Rob Bakker, who was introduced to us by Roy’s cousin. When we met him, he was just in the beginning stages of launching his photography business. For years, he had enjoyed taking pictures but over the years his camera had truly become an extension of himself and he was now ready to take his photography seriously.

As our conversations always seemed to come back to his photography, you could tell that his focus up until now had been portraits and he showed me many photos he had taken. As a matter of fact, when you are in his home, you will see evidence of his obsession everywhere. From a collage of New York to images of performers to intimate wedding and family shots… You can see the progression of his work…  and what jumps out at you is that he has a real passion for getting inside his subjects’ minds. He is not satisfied until his photo tells a story. He just HAS to get the story.

In the natural progression of our friendship, we asked him if he would be interested in helping us with Laga Handbags which would in turn help him to build his portfolio. We had used several photographers in the past but were looking for someone who could really help take Laga to the next level, visually. Our request was met with a very enthusiastic “Of course!” and we began discussing what we would need and what he could do.

Next thing we knew, he was on a plane headed for California.

We spent several weeks putting together a mood board and choosing handbags and researching locations and finding models who would be willing to help us. Two of our dear friends, Leila and Kelsey, who both actually used to work for us, helped us coordinate a photo shoot and found us an amazing location.

Over a two-day shoot, Rob took photos at the beach, at a hotel, on the streets and in an old dilapidated photo studio (that was a story in and of itself). When all was said and done, we worked with 7 models and 4 locations. But no matter the location or challenges we faced, we came away with some amazing images that we have used time and time again. Here are a few of the pictures he took:

We loved the experience so much that Rob agreed to come back to California a couple of years later to do it again! This time he brought his wife, Hennie, who has become one of my dearest friends. And while they were here, we focused more on backgrounds and had only a couple of models in Las Vegas, one in Huntington Beach and two in Burbank. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve helped sway Rob’s focus from portrait to fashion photography. He certainly wasn’t complaining about being surrounded by and working with all the beautiful ladies! Check it out:

Besides the tremendous work he’s done for Laga Handbags, he has also been the photographer at our family reunion in The Netherlands, for my cousin’s band and a family get-together here in California.

Rob is truly a dedicated photographer. His obsession is his strength, and his love for what he does speaks volumes in the quality of his work.

Thank  you so much, Rob, for your willingness to help Laga! We appreciate your work and your friendship!

If you are interested in seeing more of Rob’s work, you can visit his website here: B-The-Image

And you can also see his work on our website.

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Reminder:
It’s Daylight Savings time for most of us in the United States… so don’t forget to set your clocks one hour AHEAD tonight!

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HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

It is such an honor for us to acknowledge this global day

MARCH 8, 2018

dedicated to celebrating women!

We are blessed to work with and for women who are making a difference in our world, making it a better place for us all!

Laga Handbags is dedicated to YOU!

We appreciate YOU!

In Honor of International Women’s Day,
please enjoy 30% off our entire stock TODAY!

Coupon Code: WOMEN30

If for some reason the coupon does not work, give us a call
888.LAGA.BAG (524.2224)
and we will take your order over the phone

In less than two weeks, Laga Handbags will be traveling out to see you again! One of the ways we enjoy meeting our friends and customers is by visiting some of the shows closer to your home. We always make it a point to offer a discount to our special friends so, when you come into our booth, be sure to mention that you are on our email list and you will receive a Free Gift!

This is just our way of saying “Thank You for your Faithfulness!”

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We are looking forward to seeing you at one of the following shows this year!

Coming up NEXT WEEK, Laga Handbags will be exhibiting at one of our favorite areas of the country!

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Lancaster, Pennsylvania – March 21-24
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Each year, we love, Love, LOVE coming to Lancaster! Exhibiting at this quilt show is always amazing and we are really looking forward to seeing our wonderful customers/friends!

AQS QuiltWeek Lancaster 
Lancaster County Convention Center
Laga booth #1118 
25 S Queen Street
Lancaster, PA 17603

Wed, March 21 – 9am to 6pm
Thu, March 22 – 9am to 6pm
Fri, March 23 – 9am to 6pm
Sat, March 24 – 9am to 4pm

For more information about the show, click here.

What a wonderful time to visit Lancaster! One of my very favorite things about coming to this city is Lancaster Central Market, the country’s oldest farmers’ market, in the heart of Amish country, chock-full of regional food specialties. Check out the “chow chow” and fresh fruit and vegetables sold throughout, Zig’s Bakery’s handmade scones, S Clyde Weaver’s amazing meats, cheeses and dips, and the Lancaster Salad Company where they toss fresh ingredients to make the best salad ever.

Whenever I come out to Lancaster, I try to drive out to the cute little town of Lititz. Here are my recommendations:

You must stop and get a homemade pretzel at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery. Visit the always beautiful and serene Lititz Spring Park. Bring your pretzel here and just sit on a bench and enjoy the view. This is also the home of Lititz Welcome Center and Train Station.

My fave diner in town, although there are several great places to dine, is Tomato Pie Cafe – known for (what else?) their family recipe of Tomato Pie! Deliciously seasoned red tomatoes are baked in a flaky pie crust, covered with a rich cheesy topping! OMG… it’s what I get whenever I visit Lititz.

Wilbur Chocolate Store is also not to be missed. This is where the “original” chocolate buds (before Hershey’s kisses got famous) are made. And since the quilt show in Lancaster is held in March, it’s the perfect time to stock up on chocolate Easter gifts for your loved ones!

But make sure you plan to set aside some of your shopping dollars for our Laga Handbags booth and please do not forget to mention our Laga Handbags Blog Appreciation Offer and let us show you how much we do value you being on our mailing list!

Visit our Website

Visit our Blog

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MQX New England – April 11-14
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We are so excited to announce that, for the Very First Time, Laga Handbags will be exhibiting at MQX New England! Having exhibited at their Midwest show in Springfield, IL two years in a row, we know that we are going to enjoy meeting all the long-armers in Manchester, NH!

MQX New England
Radisson Hotel Manchester Downtown
Laga booth #192
700 Elm Street
Manchester, New Hampshire 03101

Wed, April 11 – 7:00pm to 9:30pm (Preview Night)
Thu, April 12 – 10:00am to 6:00pm
Fri, April 13 – 10:00am to 6:00pm
Sat, April 14 – 10:00am to 5:00pm

For more information about the show, click here

 Since we have never been to New Hampshire or its surrounding areas, we don’t have any recommendations of places we love. But we’ll be checking out Trip Advisor and trying some of their recommended attractions!

And remember, when you do come visit our booth at  MQX New England, please make sure to mention our Laga Handbags Blog for a Special Gift for those of you who are on our email list!

View our Laga Handbags

View our Blog

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Paducah, KY – April 18-21
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Immediately following MQX New England, we will be making our way down to the biggest and best quilt show in the East: AQS QuiltWeek Paducah!  And, of course, that’s the reason you will find Laga Handbags here!!!

**Please Note: We Have Moved! We are no longer in the Pavilion … you will now find us in the Expo Center! And we do NOT have a corner booth this time so it might be a little more difficult to find us but if you have some trouble, remember that we will have an ad in the Show Book!!

AQS QuiltWeek Paducah
Schroeder Expo Center
Laga booth #1109
415 Park Avenue
Paducah, Kentucky 42001

Tue, April 17 – 7pm to 9pm (Preview Night)

Wed, April 18 – 9am to 6pm
Thu, April 19 – 9am to 6pm
Fri, April 20 – 9am to 6pm
Sat, April 21 – 9am to 4pm

For more show information, click here

What a wonderful time to visit Paducah! Quilters and others alike will also enjoy visiting The National Quilt Museum, take a stroll along the river to enjoy the flood wall “Wall to Wall Murals” and maybe even get a glimpse of the Mississippi Queen River Boat as it sails by. And do enjoy a Night with Ricky Tims (musician/quilter) at the Carson Center on April 20.

As far as dining goes, Paducah does not disappoint in its variety of restaurants and eateries. Some of our faves are Flamingo Row (ask for Crash because she’s the best!), Tribeca known for its amazing Mexican cuisine, Kirchhoff’s Bakery which is open mainly for breakfast and lunch and features highly recommended Weekly Specials, JP’s Bar & Grill (same owners as Tribeca) which has live music and features Happy Hour from 5-7pm every day.

There is also lots of amazing shopping opportunities all around town as well so we know you will have a great time!

We, at Laga Handbags, would be so pleased to have you come visit us in Paducah to attend this fabulous show and to help support us as we endeavor to continue our work with and for our beautiful and talented artisans in Aceh. When you do, please mention our Laga Handbags Blog and our Free Gift offer exclusively for those of you who are on our email list!

Laga Website

Laga Blog

Since 2006, Laga Handbags has been a source of hope for survivors of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, the most deadly natural disaster of our lifetime wherein over 285,000 lives were lost.

Laga Handbags was formed solely to provide help where help was desperately needed. And now, nearly 12 years later, we are so thankful that daily life has somewhat returned to normalcy, in part, due to our efforts there.

We continue to provide income and education, and to establish empowerment for the women of Aceh province after such devastating loss. Whether it be in our workshop, in village co-ops, in existing factories or in their individual homes, the women (and men) who make Laga Handbags and Accessories have received, and will continue to receive, our support so that they are able to maintain a better life than how we found them.

Thank you so much for your faithful support as we work to make a difference in the world. We would absolutely not be able to do what we do without YOU. And we appreciate your help so, so much!

Blessings,

Roy and Louise van Broekhuizen

Founders

Laga Handbags

Click here to visit our Website

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VISIT LAGA HANDBAGS, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, PLEASE

Our Showroom is Available to you…

Our Laga Showroom is located in Long Beach, California and, if you would like, you are  certainly welcome to come and visit us! We usually have items in our Showroom that are not online. But please remember: visits to our Showroom will not be honored without an appointment, so please give us a call to schedule a date and time for your visit! Call us toll free at 888.LAGA.BAG (524.2224) or call locally 562.421.7619. If you’d rather, feel free to send us an email at customercare (at) lagahandbags (dot) com

It’s so Easy to Visit us Online…

Online is a great way to do all of your shopping! Laga Handbags and Accessories is no different! Our amazing products can be found HERE so feel free to start NOW! There are lots of styles and color combinations to choose from and we always keep a good selection in stock for you. If you happen to have any questions, we are always happy to receive your call toll free at 888.LAGA.BAG (524.2224) or locally 562.421.7619, or send us an email at customercare (at) lagahandbags (dot) com

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The post International Women’s Day! appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.

Damai “peace” has steadily been our most popular Laga handbag over the last ten years. She continues to be popular no matter the season.

Damai features two exterior pockets (which may be one of the biggest reasons she is so popular), one on each side. Strong rolled and beautifully embroidered handles, silver-tone hardware and unique Acehnese embroidery patterns in Laga signature style. Embroidered handles are made to be worn gently on your arm. Nylon-polyester material and thread. Stain and water resistant. Comes in a variety of color combinations. Onlookers will be sure to notice this stunning handbag and will certainly make you the envy of all.

You cannot go wrong with Damai!

Dimensions: 6.5″H x 10.75″L x 5″W | Strap Drop Length: 6″

popular color combinations:

Brown/Red/Cream ~ Black/Red/Yellow ~ Silver/Pink

BUY DAMAI NOW

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**Laga Handbags gives all of its profits back to the skilled and talented artisans who make all of our handbags and accessories. We use no animal products. We do no animal testing. Our mission is to provide education through training, empowering women to become productive citizens within their community.

When you know where something comes from, and who made it, that something becomes more meaningful. More valuable. And it can encourage you to be thoughtful in how you use it. We feel that sentiment and care should be extended to the people we work with and for. So we strive to ensure you that we support human rights, social justice, uphold ethical and fair trade systems. And we offer fair wages and safe working conditions. Everyone deserves to be treated with integrity. We believe that when products are made with integrity, we can change the world.

We believe that when we do it all with love, we can make life better for everyone.

Our hope is that you will be compelled to come alongside to support our work with and for the tsunami survivors we serve.

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Fun Fact:
Facebook, Skype and Twitter are all banned in China

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The post 5 most popular laga bags … #1: damai appeared first on Laga Handbags Handmade Handbags Vegan.