Midori Frances

Midori Frances-Medium Oat Milk & Licorice

When I became a mom five years ago, I quickly realized I needed a “mom bag.” The number of things I need to have on hand at any given moment for my daughter or myself is shockingly high. From snacks and water to notebooks, pens, and stickers for those “boring” moments, my bag must be durable and large. But, I also want it to look good. With these criteria in mind, my friend Sarah and I set out at the most recent West Coast Craft to find my next tote.

Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion was shoulder to shoulder with eager shoppers browsing the wares at each shop. Sarah was on a mission to find my bag and directed me toward a corner stand where we met Midori Frances, a local artist who handcrafts leather totes in the iconic L.L. Bean tote style. She calls her bags, “More than a tote, and not quite a purse, made to hold all of the things you need to bring or get.” Perfect and exactly what I was looking for.

I spotted a small blue bag hanging on the wall and asked if she might have something bigger in the same color. While she didn’t have it with her at the fair and wasn’t sure she had enough materials to make me a larger size, we emailed over the next few weeks. I was thrilled when Midori let me know she could make a large tote and would deliver it right after Christmas! Merry Christmas to me!

The bags come in four sizes and the colors change seasonally. Next on my wishlist is the adorable mini size for my solo outings.