Loyal & Elvie - V1

When I finally decided to test my idea, I did what any mom with a vision would do: I made a Target run.

I grabbed a trapper keeper, the kind you probably kept your Lisa Frank stickers in, with neon plastic dividers, a front pocket for gel pens, and enough room for a TI-81 calculator, ruler, and every subject in school. 

Then I raided my home for envelopes and bags. Paper, nylon, plastic. Some zipped, others snapped. I dumped out their original contents - scrunchies, passports, Home Depot warranty receipts - I grabbed my 3-hole punch and got to work!

The result? Far from beautiful, but it was an MVP (minimum viable product... and I do mean MINIMUM). The fastest, dirtiest way to test the idea that had been living in my head for months.

I gave it to Eleanor and she packed it full of Magna-Tiles, Play-Doh, crayons, and tiny treasures. And then it made its maiden voyage: through Atlanta’s Jackson International Airport, all the way to Auburn Nebraska.

And it worked.

Eleanor didn’t dump her bag at the gate. She didn’t scatter her things across the plane. Everything stayed organized, accessible, and hers. And when my mom and best friend saw it, they gassed me up like I’d just invented the wheel.

That was the moment I thought: This could really be a thing.

I started looking for someone who could help me take this clunky trapper keeper stuffed with stuff and turn it into a beautiful, thoughtful bag, designed specifically for small children on the go.

Next week, I’ll show you what came next. The first real design.