Plastic Barbies OUT Field Journal IN

[lacyfinn]

My daughter loves to draw and write poetry. She's 10 and this past Christmas, we decided to forgo the typical Barbie complete with house, car and 7 fab outfits, for a Field Journal notebook in her favorite color- Red. at $75, I think we got the better end of the deal. (and also some super groovy color pencils) She has LOVED it! She drags it everywhere she goes, she's stuffed all the outside pockets with extra notes, and wildflower books. She calls it her purse with a purpose.

[dorayme]

What a great idea. I was just thinking the other day of how I could Tom Bihn our future Christmases. I don't have any Cafe' bags, but I was wondering which size would make a nice book bag size for my almost 8, 6 and 3 year old children. They have back packs, but they are starting to fray, the boys have gone through several, my daughter hasn't worn one out yet, but then again a 3 year old can only carry so much so hers isn't as heavy or stressed yet. I also love the FJN idea. I bet my boys would love one, especially my eldest son.

[backpack]

I believe most parents would be delighted with a Synapse/Field Journal Notebook pair for their children.

I am certain The Synapse and the Field Journal Notebook could last from Kindergarden to College and beyond.


On the Blog, I read that one Tom Bihn Inc customer met somebody who bought a bag from Tom Bihn back when he was in Santa Cruz, I think he said that the bag was 15 years old.

I have no doubt about the durability and longevity of Tom Bihn Inc bags, my first bag is 5 years old, the second 4 and they look like new despite the fact that they are handled like useful objects not collectibles.

They have been shoved into car, trains, planes, boats and buses and they still look new.

[Darcy]

Great idea. If you have photos, please share them!

[Lani]

purse with a purpose.

I vote for this as a name for a new Tom Bihn bag! ;-)

[Lani]

On the Blog, I read that one Tom Bihn Inc customer met somebody who bought a bag from Tom Bihn back when he was in Santa Cruz, I think he said that the bag was 15 years old.

Back in my freshman year of college (we're talking decades here, folks. Move along, don't pick on the Lani for her craggly ol' age), I bought an Eagle Creek shoulder bag and a matching purse-sized bag. The shoulder bag was a tad smaller than the Western Flyer, and this was back when Eagle Creek bags looked like regular hefty Cordura bags without all their extra bells and whistles. It was actually pretty sturdy, with a detachable shoulder strap, and thick brown leather around the carrying handle. It was not a travel pack, so no hideaway backpack straps, but anyone who reads this forum who espouses traveling lightly would have had no trouble using this as their primary travel bag.

The purse-sized bag was, as far as I can recall, about the size of a TB Packing Cube Shoulder Bag. Same Cordura fabric, and I got the two bags in matching blue.

I have two HUGE regrets... 1) My big solo trip to the mainland (from Hawaii) to visit my friends? I WISHED I'd known better, and used those bags to do the carryon-only thing. Instead, I schlepped a big wheeled Samsonite suitcase for two weeks. I've never done that again (and I guess that was really the start of my decision to travel lightly, so something good did come out of it), and 2) my biggest regret was giving the matching bags to my college boyfriend to use to carry books in. He didn't take much care of the bags; he got a lot of mileage out of them, but he used it as his daily book bag, and it got really grungy.

Every so often, I actually look back fondly on those two bags and think how much fun it would've been to travel lightly with just those two bags.

I hope your daughter holds onto her Field Journal, lacyfinn. I hope she fills it with lots of memories, and grows up to associate Tom Bihn bags with happy thoughts of flowers and childhood!

[backpack]

Lacyfinn, your daughter is an inspiration!

What a genius idea to take wildflower books!


Thank You for sharing such a lovely story. :)

[Jenne]

What an awesome present! I would have loved it when I was ten and I would love it now! A field notebook will be in my very next TB order! (Typical FOT-- I haven't even received this order and I'm planning the next.)

[lacyfinn]

Finally Pictures!!

Here are the pics of Aidan's Field Journal, and her putting it to use while hiking in the San Juans.

[lacyfinn]

I almost forgot, she would like to suggest that "surely Tom can figure out how to make one with a water bottle holder."

[Darcy]

I love these photos! We just posted them on the blog. lacyfinn: could you email your address to [email protected]? We'll put a FOT pouch in the mail today.

[Lani]

She calls it her purse with a purpose.

"Purse with a purpose." That is so fierce!!!!!

I know this is going to sound silly, but this may have been life-changing for your daughter. Instead of just playing with a new doll, she now has something that lets her learn how to organize. And be creative. And want to learn about flowers and botany and nature! And maybe that means she'll go on more walks or more hikes, and she'll appreciate nature more! She'll be healthier! She might really enjoy the scientific process of documenting things she sees, and/or she might feel more artistic and come to really love drawing nature.

How wonderful is that?!?!?!?

By giving her the Field Journal notebook, you've opened her world!!!!

OK I'm getting all verklempt here.

[Lani]

On the Blog, I read that one Tom Bihn Inc customer met somebody who bought a bag from Tom Bihn back when he was in Santa Cruz, I think he said that the bag was 15 years old.

See, I bet a lot of manufacturers would look at this statement and shudder. A lot of products are designed only to last a certain while, in order for the customers to need to go back and buy new ones. But not Tom Bihn. He's figured out the secret: Build bags that last, and your customers will return time and again to buy ADDITIONAL bags to grow their collection! :D

[Lani]

I almost forgot, she would like to suggest that "surely Tom can figure out how to make one with a water bottle holder."

In the meantime, you might want to consider something like this waterbottle holder that you can clip onto the handle.

There's also this type if you're using narrow-neck bottles.

[Janine]

OK I'm getting all verklempt here.

You had me at "fierce" but "verklempt" pushed me over the top.