GLASTONBURY

Sorry to anyone who tried to reach me at Carry-a-bag this weekend - I absconded to Glastonbury for a weekend of rain, mud and music. The Guardian were giving away a bag with every newspaper bought - I suspect it was made in China but will have to check on that so don't quote me yet. And there were many variations of re-usable shopping bags on show - most of them mud splattered and very wet. One huge contradiction is that actually plastic is the only way to go bag-wise if you have to keep things dry - I know this because my mobile died of exposure. Spotted my time to save the planet dudes bag in the backstage hospitality area - looking good! Best music I saw? Amy Winehouse on Jazz World; Mark Ronson with a band; The Gossip, and The Marley Brothers singing when the only bit of hot sun was briefly shining. And best of all watching The Killers with Roxy from the side of the Pyramid Stage- that was as good as it gets.

DID YOU SEE IT??

The Observer Magazine's Ethical Issue yesterday was chokka with good stuff and most thrilling for me was the fashion spread across pages 50 and 51. There was my TIME TO SAVE THE PLANET DUDES bag with the Superman lining not once but twice - being reversible they had used it both ways. Orders have poured in and the Superman circa 1978 bedding and curtains that I have been searching out and stockpiling will soon be used up. Never mind I have another plan using vintage STAR WARS duvet covers for linings - Time to save the Galaxy dude's!

Where did that week go?

Bags have been in the news this week and soon there will be nobody left who has not heard that it is a really silly idea to fill your trolley with supermarket plastic bags every time you shop.
One very sweet and friendly idea that made it to BBC Breakfast news was a group who meet in pods - like dolphins - and sew bags from old clothes which they offer to swap with shoppers who exit the supermarket with plastic bags. The reaction was mixed with some shoppers loving it and others running away - the TV camera may have had something to do with it.
I had an advance email warning from the Anya Hindmarch website that they are about to launch her bag worldwide - cue more hysteria. Then a hilarious antidote came by way of Goodone whose limited edition rude-sloganized Organic cotton bags cost £8. Check them out.
Reader, I bought one.
Carryabag had a crazy week of contrasts with an enquiry coming in from New York for 600 bags for a special event (that I couldn't manage in the time); two one-off requests from loyal customers who wanted new bags printed in their favorite colours and the very nice job of designing yoga mat bags for my friend's new health centre and little bags for another friends hand-made organic soaps. (www.visionarysoapcompany.co.uk) The week flew by.
Selvedge magazine are running two pictures and the nicest paragraph anyone has ever written about my bags in the July/August issue and the sun is back shining in the bright blue sky.
I am not sure what has happened in Naples this week but in Italy my sister encountered two snakes on an island in the Northern Lakes. How did they get there?