The Grateful Project

As I quickly approach the age of 70 and now happily retired from the corporate world, I'm now focusing my twilight years on upping my design game and giving back to others.

On of my latest initiatives that I started in late 2024 is The Grateful Project. It's a simple yet personal way for me to express my appreciation to musicians, artists and generous souls who make a difference in this world.

Here's how it works: I design a bag specifically for a special person to give thanks for touching my life in a meaningful way. And, I also include a personal note to let them know why I admire and respect them for their many contributions.

The first person to receive a bag was Susan Tedeschi of the Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB).An extremely talented vocalist/songwriter/guitarist, she has a generous heart - especially when it comes to the other members of her band. Susan makes it a point to have each band member have their own moment to shine during their live performances. She looks at each person with so much pride - like a proud momma. Unselfish and a genuinely good soul, I admire how she supports charities and gives back to others. The music that TTB creates touches me deeply and has often cheered me up when feeling down...and make me smile with delight when they play my favorite tunes.

I designed the "Gig Bag" so Susan would have a large bag to take with her when she's on the road. The tote's spacious interior can easily hold a change of clothes, shoes, or small essentials for the show. The color of materials were chosen based upon her favorite guitar! I included a cork glasses case as well as a small pouch that she could use for her guitar picks and extra strings! I heard that she liked it!!

In May 2025, I went to the 3-day Sun, Sand & Soul Concert in Miramar Beach, FL with Tedeschi Trucks and Bonnie Raitt as the headliners. It was also a terrific opportunity to express my gratitude to the legendary Bonnie as her music will always be an important part of my life. Her soaring voice fills my heart. And, she continues to amaze me with her bad-ass slide guitar playing! A tireless supporter of social justice, she supports a wide range of causes - focusing on environmental protection and musicians' rights. She was a founding member of MUSE which organized the "No Nukes" concerts (I once went to a No Nukes protest at Rocky Flats in Colorado to see her!). I've been a big fan from afar so this was the perfect opportunity to gift her with a bag that would remind her of this wonderful beach venue.

Bonnie's nautical-inspired "Wave Bag" is crafted with an eco-friendly blue/green cork that mimics the crystal-clear waters in Miramar Beach. One of her favorite guitars is also similar to this shade of blue! The interior fabric is a modern abstract with blue and green with shimmering touches that reminded me of the sun reflections dancing on the water.

At the show, she joined TTB on stage the first night - it was a sight to behold! Susan, Bonnie and Derek Trucks traded guitar rifts for a dazzling performance. The next night, Bonnie filled our hearts with her hits from the past and present. When Susan joined her for "Angel From Montgomery", their blended vocals gave me shivers. And, of course, "I Can't Make You Love Me" left everyone teary eyed. In my note to Bonnie, I thanked her for all the magical music she creates and for her bold and mighty spirit in spreading awareness to combat numerous social issues.

The Arden Crossbody Bag was designed to honor my friend, Arden Cunningham, who lost her battle with cancer. We met at Canine Assistants where we helped to foster service dogs. We both had pups from the Asian food-named litter. My black lab mix was named Hibachi and Arden's was Teriyaki. You can only imagine the crazy looks we received in public when we did outings together and we called out the pup's names! Arden was truly one-of-a-kind and also a very fun person. She inspired me so much with her genuine kindness and caring demeanor.

Arden was also a key supporter of me becoming a bag designer. When I left her funeral, I knew that I needed to follow her advice and decided to retire from the corporate world. Best decision ever! As you can see, this popular crossbody bag is the perfect size for bringing along on all your life's adventures. The style is versatile, classic, and timeless - just like Arden. And I know that she is still supporting me in this venture with every bag I create.