Tales of the Traveling Tote, Serendipity
Welcome to a very special Tales of the Traveling Tote!
Today we are celebrating our 5th anniversary of travels!
Our founder, Patti@Pandora’s box emailed us last fall to say
that she had been in touch with MacKenzie-Childs,
and told them how much love we have for all things MacKenzie-Childs,
and how we post adventures with our named MacKenzie-Childs tote bags
She then told us that MacKenzie-Childs was going to send us each a gift!
The anticipation was fierce!
We all were so excited, thinking that it would be a small gift…
but little did we know that a team from MacKenzie-Childs had visited all of our blogs,
and designed a one of a kind gift for each of us!
It was exciting as the boxes slowly made it across country to their destinations
The girls in the Northeast, Patti & Deb were first to get theirs
The next day Rita’s arrived in West Virginia…
The third day our Alabama chapter, Emily, Ricki Jill and I received ours…
We got ours about the same time that afternoon and texted each other as we opened
So exciting!
Patti asked us not to show anyone until we all had received our gifts
Next Cherry Kay and Sarah got theirs in Oklahoma and Texas
And finally the last boxes arrived in Utah for Jackie and California for Linda
I opened my gift to find a hand written note to me!
Well, Hello Gorgeous!
This was definitely a day of serendipity!
Serendipity: {noun} the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: a fortunate stroke of serendipity
Each handmade incredible tote has a personality all it’s own, with different fabrics, colors and designs, yet they all were made in the same style with the same straps and gold MacKenzie-Childs label
For our first adventure with our new totes we all visited a carousel
I met Emily and Ricki Jill at a local Birmingham area mall
We managed to snap a few quick picks before the ride opened
I brought Miss Coquille and Hello Gorgeous
We took a “sleigh ride” before heading to lunch
Here are all the Tales of the Traveling Tote members on their carousels
Please visit all the Tales of the Traveling Tote members
to show MacKenzie-Childs some love
and leave a comment to enter the giveaway!
Thank you so much MacKenzie-Childs!!!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Meal Plan Monday Love Your Creativity What’s for Dinner?
Between Naps on the Porch, Make it Pretty Monday
Turn About Tuesday Celebrate Your Story, You’re the Star
All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl Full Plate Thursday
Thursday Favorite Things Creatively Crafty Home Matters
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Wow! That is just too cool! A big surprise from a fairly large company.I’m impressed. Have fun!
Thank you Mimi, we still can’t believe it!
Jenna, I’m just as excited as you are! I feel so honored by MacKenzie-Childs and appreciate their generous gift. Miss Possy and I are having lots of fun around Austin. She is the perfect companion for lots of things during my day. I know each of us feel the same! How fun that you and Emily and RJ get to meet for lunch and fun times together.
Thank you Sarah, we have all become such good friends, whether we “see” each other or not, I feel so blessed to be part of this amazing, creative and fun group!
Now that’s a nice gift! WOW! You look so stinking cute too with your tote. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Thank you Cindy, and yes WOW, we all still can’t believe it!!
What lucky women! Those Mackenzie-Childs bags are absolutely gorgeous! I would love to be the proud owner of one so my personality would shine through wherever I traveled! The patterns and colors are exquisite!!!
I know, we still can’t believe it!! All the bags really are gorgeous and so beautifully made! Thank you Raylene!
Hello sweet Jenna, Oh how I do remember the fun and excitement we had as our totes arrived and the phones couldn’t deliver the text messages fast enough. I had so much fun with you and RJ taking our carousel ride. Love the pics of you, so adorable. Miss Lulu and I look forward to more fun in the coming year. Great post!
ha ha, you’re so right, our phones couldn’t keep up!! What a fun day that was and then the carousel day!! I can’t wait to have another adventure with you and Miss Lulu!
I am in awe at MKC for creating unique totes for each of you lovely ladies, Jenna. I loved seeing you, Emily and Ricki Jill on the carousel. Also, how generous of MKC to send an extra tote for some lucky winner!!
I know Kitty, we were all so surprised, we were expecting a small token, and were overwhelmed when the individual totes arrived, quite a Christmas surprise!!
Just love the bags, and the fun all of you have. I look forward to these posts.
You have a special group with many great memories. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Chris, we do have a really special group!
The traveling tote group always sounds like such fun and now your pleasure has been increased. I am sure I am not alone in feeling that through your blogs we have the sense of friendship even when we have never met. I very much appreciate seeing all of you showing off your individual totes! MM
Thanks Marie, it is amazing the friendships we’ve formed through our love of MacKenzie-Childs and our traveling totes!
Jenna, Miss Hello Gorgeous is so pretty. I remember the anticipation waiting for each of our totes to arrive. I was visiting my mom, so I wasn’t even home. You, Emily and Ricki Jill are so fortunate to live close so you can meet up for fun adventures and photo ops. Have fun with your travels whether with Miss Hello Gorgeous or Miss Coquille.
I know you were away, I would have been going crazy with anticipation!! Emily, RJ and I have so much fun getting together, but it’s also really special that our group is spread out all over the country! Thank you Linda, I wish you safe travels and fun adventures with your totes!
❤️ Jenna
Jenna, the tote MC created for you is just perfect and I absolutely love it. That is really amazing that they designed a special tote for each of you ladies. The photos at the carousel of you and the other two AL girls are so cute. All of you ladies have a wonderful bond and I enjoy reading about your totes and travel!
Thank you Pam! We were all truly overwhelmed with these special totes, still can’t believe it! When we met at the carousel I realized I hadn’t been in the Galleria in years!! I’m a Summit gal for sure!
I haven’t been to the Galleria in years either, I love the Summit!
Hello Gorgeous is indeed Gorgeous! Visiting here from my friend Debbie’s blog. As a Louisiana girl I was excited to see your Mardi Gras season post!
Thank you Susan! I have a home on the Alabama Gulf coast too, and they celebrate Mardi Gras in a big way there, so much fun!!
Jenna, how exciting! I love Mac-Kenzie Childs! I bought my first piece this summer. I have started collecting the green Flower Market pattern. I introduced my mom to MC and she did her whole kitchen in the white Flower Market. At Christmas, surprisingly, we both bought each other MC pieces to add to our collection! It looks like you had so much fun meeting up with your friends!
I love the green Flower Market pattern, and how much fun to be collecting with your mom!! Our tote group has so much fun, and I am so lucky 2 of the ladies live so close to me! Enjoy your new things Shannon, I look forward to seeing a tablescape!
Miss Hello Gorgeous is the perfect name for your tote. I guessed yours correctly because it looks like you! THanks for including the sleigh photo. I think I’ll edit my post later today and add it. It’s a cute photo of us…the carousel operator was so sweet to us that day!
I look forward to reading about Miss Hello Gorgeous and y’all’s adventures. She’s the perfect tote to take to the beach!
xo,
Ricki Jill
Thanks Ricki Jill, we did have fun on the carousel that day, and lunch after! I love love my new tote and she is currently filled with a special needlepoint project I’m working on for my daughter so there is much love inside her!
Love this! Love her name! and would love to have one for my own!! I follow Jackie @ Purple Chocolate Home . matt621hew@yahoo.com
Thank you, and thanks for stopping by!
Wow!! What a beautiful bag!! And I love that each one is different! Sounds like you gals had a fun get together too. ❤️ The carousel is amazing and I love the poem written by Cherry Kay! 😍 What a generous gift, I am so happy for you, Jenna!!
I know right! We were so amazed at these incredible gifts!! Thank you Jill! ❤️
How lucky are you all!
Thanks Marjorie, yes we still can’t believe it!!
Jenna,
Such special ‘Toters” you all are! Lol! I always enjoy everyone’s tales. Thanks for the opportunity to perhaps have a MC special all my own.
Thank you Rhonda, and good luck!!
Jenna, you told such a great story! So fun! All during your blog I couldn’t wait to see the “gift”!! And the carousel was also a fun idea! All the totes are beautiful! Great story! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Sally! It was all very exciting!! When I told Ryan about it he was visibly impressed {hard to do!!} and Tara said it looked just like me! The tote tribe has had fun keeping our big secret for 2 months as we plotted our carousel adventures!
Wow what a pretty bag! Love that they were designed for each of you personally! They chose the patterns well for you !
Thanks so much Liz, we were truly overwhelmed, and I do LOVE my new tote, we are all extra MacKenzie-Childs crazy now!
What an amazing story! Each of these beautiful one of a kind totes is as unique as it’s owner. I hope you have many happy travels with Hello Gorgeous!
Thanks for stopping by, and yes, we still can hardly believe it!
How exciting I love them. Thank you for sharing.
So sorry I forgot to sign in. Michelle Bush
Thanks Michelle!
Jenna, I love how you recounted the excitement that was growing each day as our packages arrived – so true to the moments we all shared! You Bama gals leave me envious with your geographic proximity to each other and the ability to get together as you do. How fun! Your bag is full of color, the same as your world you consistently create with home, food, and art. Perfect.
Thank you Rita, that was such a fun week wasn’t it, as we heard from each person when they received their big box!! Such an amazing Tale, it will be hard to top this one!
That is fantastic! What beautiful new bags.
Thanks, we are still amazed!!
Hello Gorgeous indeed!! You girls must have been over the moon with excitement with your specially designed totes Jenna! How fun for you, Emily and Ricki Jill to share a carousel ride too…( I wouldn’t begin to know where to find a carousel. 🙂 How generous MKC offered a tote to share with a reader too. You TT girls have too much fun! ♥
Thank you Mary, we all were literally in shock as our gifts arrived! Yes, MKC has been very generous indeed!
Thank You for having such a lovely giveaway.
Marion
Thank you Marion, we are all excited to be able to host this giveaway!
Love your special new tote and the whole concept of the traveling tote adventures. This Spring I will be taking my first cruise – at the age of 77. My husband and I are going to Alaska. I am so excited and a little apprehensive and have saved hundreds of pins with tips to my Alaska Pinterest board in preparation. I have recently been shopping for a tote to carry aboard the plane and use on excursions off the ship. This would be perfect. Not only would I have a beautiful and very special tote but I could write my own Tales of the Traveling Tote, just for myself, to complete my once in a lifetime experience thanks to MacKenzie-Childs and the ladies of the Traveling Totes.
Oh happy cruising Sara! I know many who have taken the Alaskan cruise and they all loved it! Such a nice comment, I would love for you to win the tote for your trip, good luck!
Hello Gorgeous is so perfect for you Jenna! I’m so impressed with each tote and the fabric that was lovingly chosen to reflect our individual tastes and personalities. I know you and Miss Gorgeous are best buds already, and there are will be many outings together. Happy and healthy travels to you! And happy five year anniversary to us!
Thanks Deb and yes Happy Anniversary!!
Such a great story and your bag is just beautiful! I am sure it will bring you a special kind of magic wherever you take it!
Thanks Anita, it is definitely a special bag!
How much fun is that….amazing totes! Travel on…and carry your Totes! Grins, fun post!
Thank you!!
Oh my goodness that’s so exciting!!! And so sweet of them to do that for all of you!
I know, we still can’t believe it!!
Hello Gorgeous is so pretty! I look forward to reading about your adventures with both of your lovely Mackenzie Child’s totes.
Thank you Linda!
How exciting, Jenna! 😊💚
What a beautiful tote and so much fun!
Thanks Patty Anne, we were amazed for sure!!
If God looked kindly on coveting, I’d covet that the three of you can get together for lunches, fun, and relationship; but since He doesn’t look kindly on coveting, I’m choosing to be absolutely thrilled that you all have the ability to give time to each other and build close relationships. That is so cool! I also adore that you chose to meet at the carousel. Hello Gorgeous is wonderful. We are so blessed by McK-C’s creativity, talent, and generosity, not to even mention a fantastic selection of amazing fabrics! I look forward to the possibility that we can all meet up for a shared adventure. CherryKay
Thank you Cherry Kay, and us Alabama gals do have fun together, we meet every few months…I hate that we all are so spread out but I also love that about our group, we represent so many different parts of our country! Everyone is loving your cute poem!
Love all the totes and the poem!
Thanks Sherry!
How nice for each of you to receive a tote from MKC.
Thanks to you all for the give-away.
Sheila
thank you Sheila!
Hi Jenna, congrats on being in the TTT group for 5 years! How fun and I love your new bag. I look forward to reading about you and your bags travels.
Thank you Julie, our little sisterhood has become such good friends!
Well, I can hear the giggles and know y’all had fun! The carousel was a great idea and Cherry Kay did a fabulous job on the poem.
I feel all of your excitement! Congratulations. The totes are exceptional.
Thank you so much Bonnie! We were truly astounded by this experience!!
I would love to win this tote. I’m a long time admirer of MC!
oh good luck!
I love the colors of your tote! And would love to win the special “giveaway” tote, too.
Thank you Joy!
What a special fun, surprise! Your bag is just right for the “artistic Jenna”. Love the deep jewel tone colors. So happy for you! Now, to decide which bag gets to travel when?! Haha. Happy future travels to you all your pals.
Thank you Cyndi! I still can’t believe they made these for us, almost too pretty to use!!
I just love the name you gave her! I am sure those were the first words that popped into your head! Does the top fabric have velvet stripes? It looks like that from the pictures. It is so fun seeing them more uncles. I know Miss Hello Gorgeous and you will have fun adventures!
thanks Jackie, yes the stripes are velvet, I love ALL the bags, we really hit the jackpot!
Wow. Yours in beautiful. I love the red/pinks. Thank you for sharing and giving us the chance to win!
Thank you Megan!
I love Miss Hello Gorgeous! You will both make great travel partners!
Thank you!!
I just found your blog via Home Is Where The Boat Is, as an artist also I was intrigued by your group. I plein air paint and travel sketch so my first thought was this was a sketch or painting tote group. While I indulged in your blog a bit more I saw this lovely tote give away, anyone would be blessed to have it! What a nice group of friends to travel with too!
Hi Gloria, so nice to hear from you! Our group is quite eclectic and we have so much fun sharing adventures…I took a peek at your artwork, wow, so gorgeous!! I love to use colored pencils, I will be visiting you often for more inspiration!