Tell me a little bit about yourself
My name is Johanna Parker, but most people call me Jo. I live with my husband and all our pets in a small town in rural Eastern North Carolina. I started my business in 2010 in my college dorm and have honed my craft over the years. There’s not much more I love than waking up in the morning with a cup of coffee and diving into a pile of sewing projects.
How did you get into making these gorgeous leather travel totes?
I’ve sewn since elementary school and have always been a fan of repurposing and making things new again. I learned to sew on a vintage Singer and still almost exclusively use vintage industrial sewing machines. One of my first bags was made using a nail apron that I found in my parents garage. My dad told me later that I wore it around as a kid helping outside. I love taking things that have sentimental and historical value and giving them a renewed purpose.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
Vintage fabrics and textiles really inspire me. I find fabrics and textiles everywhere from the rafters of barns to the inside of old steamer trunks. Since we live in rural North Carolina, I make my rounds to auctions and estate sales in search of materials that inspire me. Lately, I’m loving vintage rugs and created a few totes using sections of a Turkish Kilim rug that was woven around 1910.
How long have you kept chickens?
We’ve had chickens for almost 3 years. My parents have chickens and that’s what got me started. I could taste the difference in their eggs vs. store bought eggs and decided to start a backyard flock. We started with two girls and now have five.
What is your favorite thing about your flock?
I love that each chicken has a different personality. One of our hens, Pickle, is a Red Star and is very protective of the yard. No one comes in our yard without Pickle letting us know! All of our hens have food names (Peach, Pickle, Porkchop, Quiche, and Berry) and our dogs have animal names (Fox and Moose). We like our themes at the Parker House!
Do you have a favorite chicken, if so what is their name and why?
Peach, our oldest hen, is definitely my favorite. She will jump up in my lap and sit with me. She’s mad at me right now because we’re introducing three new little girls into the flock and she’s not so sure about them. She’s very mothering though and I know she’ll warm up to them eventually.
What bag do you think everyone should have and why?
I think everyone should have an everyday bag that is durable, classic, and functional. An added bonus is having a bag that has a story. I love creating handbags for clients and giving their family heirlooms, old college totes, and military uniforms new life.
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53 thoughts on “A Leather Travel Tote Giveaway”
Good luck everyone!
What a great bag to giveaway! Not sure if I would be able to part with it or keep it for myself 🙂
The 1900’s shiraz kilim rug, dark cocoa, is lovely! But they’re all cool!!
They are all insanely gorgeous! I would love to own one of these bags. Totally my style!
Any of the bags. I love them all.
Mauve stripe South American woven tote. It’s beautiful!
I would choose the
1900s Shiraz Kilim Rug Dark Cocoa Leather Travel Tote
Any single one! They are just beautiful 🙂 Thank you for the chance to win one! Happy Thanksgiving! Pam in Janesville Cali
one of my favorites is the Mauve Striped South American Woven Textile Dark Cocoa Leather Travel Tote. I could carry a lot in this.
Such beautiful bags! I would be happy with any of them, but the ones from the vintage rugs are especially striking. Thank you for the drawing!
All of the bags are beautiful, but I think I would pick the 1900s Shiraz Kilim Rug Sienna and Cognac Leather Travel Tote. This would be a perfect work purse to go with my camel colored overcoat.
All of the bags are just so beautiful its hard to say which is my favorite:-)
I would have to go with the The San Antonio Vintage Pendant !
I love the Vietnam era bag. Reminds me of my daddy ❤️
i like the Mauve bag
What beautiful bags!! The Mauve Striped South American Woven Textile Dark Cocoa Leather is my favorite!
Love your bags, especially those from old carpets!
All of the bags are just beautiful. I can’t pick a favorite unless it is all of them. I love talented people.
Beautiful bags, it would be hard to choose but I like the one with black zig zag pattern on it❤️
I love the indigo and the sage green leather travel totes!
They are all so beautiful. I love the Mauve Striped South American Woven Textile Dark Cocoa Leather Travel Tote.
I love the Vintage Indigo Overshot Sienna Brown Leather Travel Tote
So talented! Thanks for opportunity!
They’re all beautiful, but I’m digging the blue 🙂
How can you pick just one? All of these bags are super cute!
I love the geometric patterns!
I love them all as well. It would be hard to choose.
It’ll be very hard to choose!
Amazing blog and amazing bags! Great interview as well. I love the one pictured.
I love the one in the photos with the chickens with the traditional carpet bag kind of pattern.
Love the yellow and olive daily bag but must agree that ALL are lovely!
I love the Vintage Indigo Overshot Dark Cocoa Travel Tote.
Melissa and Jo, these totes are absolutely stunning! I love that each bag has such a unique story! I’m a huge fan of the Indigo Overshot totes, both the dark cocoa and the sienna brown. The civil war is a very fascinating topic to me, also, such lovely color combinations!
I would love to have any one of these beautiful totes.
These totes are so adorable and vintage! I can totally see myself sporting one of these around!!!!
Love the yellow and olive daily bag!
I like the 1900s Shiraz Kilim Rug Sienna and Cognac tote, I also like the Port Angeles Washington State Vintage Pennant Cognac Leather Standard Travel Tote on the website.
Tough question! I love the blue and white patterned one in the artical, but the tan and brown on the one from the rug is more practical.
The Turkish Kilimanjaro rug bag is so elegant, but there are several beautiful options!
I would choose the 1900s Shiraz Kilim Rug Dark Cocoa Leather Travel Tote.
What a great give away, they are all. great. I have just started following you blog
What a lovely give away. Jo is quite a talented artist! I love the rug patterned tote. However, they are all beautiful.
Hi, Melissa, I just did a video book review on “A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens”. It’s on my YouTube channel “Berlin Studios”. you are the reason I have chickens!! Thank you so much!! Keep up the great work! Cheers, Lily
Love, love LOVE the tapestry pattern! Reminds me of the Biltmore Mansion…
beautiful love the navy bag!
I love the tote in the third picture.
I’d choose the 1900s Shiraz Kilim Rug Dark Cocoa Leather Travel Tote!
I love all of them! So it wouldn’t matter to me.
I would choose the 1900s Shiraz Kilim Rug Sienna and Cognac Leather Travel Tote. So gorgeous.
Wow, these are beautiful. I’d honestly be thrilled with any of them. I really love the top one, the blue white pattern…. then I saw the woven guatamalan one and that’s beautiful too…. and saw the green one and being the wife of an USMC officer who served 24.5 years before he was medically retired, as well as uncles, granddads, etc who served, that one holds a special significance to me…. just have to say, these are incredibly unique and beautiful bags and I’d be absolutely thrilled to have one! Thank you for the chance and happy holidays.
Ps. I’m in eastern NC too!
I love the blue and white textile, but then I’m partial to blue and white anything! I discovered your bags through Instagram recently and hope to own one someday. They are beautiful!
I like the Coca Cola bag. These are awesome bags. Thank you
I like the Turkish Kilim ones.