Reusable Tote Bag from Japan

I mentioned last week I was still waiting for a [ackage in the mail. It seems I am doing that a lot this year.

While visiting the fabulous Linnie Deluxe, she tuned me into a shop on Etsy that specializies in reusable tote bags. She saw one with a horse pattern on it that she said was totally me. The next day after our visit, I checked it out and decided to buy it.

Etsy is a wonderful place, but terrible for a spender like me! I had held off on buying things on Etsy for a long time, not because I didn't like anything I saw, I just knew I'd go crazy with spending. A lot of the things I want to buy on Etsy are little plushes, but I know I can sadly live without them.

Buy buying something useful? I can totally justify that.

The shop is CraftTokyoMama and she always has really nifty prints!

After I ordered the tote, she wrote to me to tell me she put it in the mail and it should arrive in about a week. After two weeks I decided to just send her a little note asking if there was any tracking number on the package. I also said it may have been customs, but Etsy had been asking me for feedback and I just thought I'd let her know why I hadn't left any yet. She was a little surprised it hadn't come yet, but since I told her we had a holiday here, it may just be a little late. She told me that if it didn't arrive, she could make me the tote with the same fabric and re-send it. I told her I didn't mind waiting, and that I would hate for her to send the tote and the first one arrives! Well, just my luck, it arrived today!

I wrote her back telling her to no longer worry. It was pretty sweet of her to offer to make and send another tote, even though the delay in transcation was not her fault at all. I am pretty sure this is why this gal has 100% feedback.

Anyways, so on to the package! It arrived in a cute little package with decorative Japanese stamps.



















Inside, the bag was wrapped in beautiful plastic tissue.



She wrote me a little handwritten note thanking me for my purchase and wishing many years of enjoying my re-usable tote. And then I unwrapped my tote bag. The fabric is just stunning.

The description of the tote on the shop was:

"This 100% cotton reusable shopping bag features beautifully detailed paintings of horses that are each a work of art unto themselves. Absolutely gorgeous!

Perfect for grocery shopping or wrapping that special gift, this large tote bag folds up into a very compact 4 x 2 inch roll that fits perfectly in a purse or pocket so you can always have a bag with you.

Laid flat, this bag measures 11 x 14.5 inches (28 x 37 cm) and has gussets that lets the base expand to a full 6 inches. Eight one-liter milk cartons fit perfectly inside with plenty of extra room for more groceries.

This bag is unlined with fully enclosed seams and a matching elastic band sewn right on to keep it rolled up tight and tidy.

Machine wash and dry for years of use! "



It's a little smaller in width than I expected, but it doesn't really matter because there is a gusset that makes the bag wider when you put things in it.

I'm still having a little trouble figuring out how to roll it up to fit it in my purse though, haha.


Overall, I'm really happy with this bag. It's a great size for books amd it's not bulky which is always a plus in my books! I love that is can be compacted because I do last minute stops at grocery stores and never think to bring bags with me. I always forget to put my reusable bags back in my car after using them, or I forget to bring them in the store with me! A lot of other stores are adopting this 5 cents for bags policy so maybe I'll have to pick up another one!