Tools of torture

From earlier postings you may have already gathered that I completely and utterly lack decisiveness and patience. We've seen the Shiny-spectacle and the Perry-problem, and of course there was a camera-conundrum. These may sound like episodes from The Big Bang Theory (only one more week of waiting!), but they are in fact lengthy thought-processes in an attempt to make The Right Choice. Have you ever sat in a restaurant, spent ages looking at the menu and still ended up wishing you'd ordered what the guy at the next table was eating?
Story of my life.

I hate that feeling of making the wrong choice, which inevitably leads to me putting way too much effort into finding something perfect. So far I've been extremely pleased with the phone, the car and the camera, so the effort definitely pays off. But do I enjoy picking out something new? Usually not, it's way too stressful. And now I've come across a whole new level of stress, nay, perhaps the ultimate tool of torture: a DIY bag builder. We'll skip the question of whether I really *need* a new bag. Of course I do. I have a new camera, it has to live somewhere, right?

It all started rather innocently with me looking for a camera strap for my new camera. My dad used to have a really cool embroidered 70's style camera strap. It was colorful, it was durable and very comfortable to wear due to the velvet lining.

I wanted one like that, because the strap that came with the camera was boring as can be and as a gnome I can't live with boring. On the internet I found some very likeable straps, and then out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an amazing bag. Needless to say I clicked it in the hopes it was a camera bag, and it was! Once again faith (or rather Google) had led me to Etsy; the source of all things pretty. Time after time I'm amazed at the amount of imaginative people out there and the wonderful things they create.

I found myself on the Etsy pages of PorteenGear, which contained an amazing collection of bags and straps. Both the bags and the straps were really well thought out: practical, useful and pretty to boot, and all built especially for the purpose of safely carrying a camera and any accessories required. At first I thought it would be quite a challenge to pick the most beautiful bag amongst the dozens of bags that were featured. Then I found a link to the Bag Builder, a tool where you can design your own bag from start to finish. That's where the word 'challenge' got a whole new meaning. For indecisive gnomes, this has to be the ultimate tool of torture. First there's the tough decision on the bag style. Does it have to be small and practical? Or big and spacious? Is it only to be used with the camera, or should it double as a handbag as well? Then you have to pick the color of the dirt and water repellent canvas out of which the bag is made. Then there's the choice of which combination of leather and fabric you want, what color the padding and the interior should be and of course the color of the strap.

I'm not really  good with numbers, but even I can make this multiplication:
8 bag types * 6 canvas colors * 40 leathers * 159 fabrics * 12 interior colors * 3 strap colors
That totals up to 10.990.080 options!

I spent several hours in the Bag Builder and had managed to narrow the selection down to 'medium size' and 'something in black, brown or green'. Which still left me with several hundreds of thousands of options. But then I got lucky! I asked the owner a question about available colors, we got talking and she presented me with an amazing style of leather. It was a complete no-brainer: that had to be it!

After that, it was pretty much straightforward: there were only 2 canvases that matched the leather, two-thirds of the fabric colors were discarded, as well as most of the interior colors. After a lot of crossing off I ended up with a combination in green and one in brown. My better half said the bag would be his present to me for our 1-year anniversary, so I went with the green one, as that was his favorite. I felt that was the least I could do to return the favor!

The fabric, with pretty shades of red and green

Preview from the Bag Builder. Inside flap = unknown, will be a surprise!

Oh, remember the camera strap it all started with? PorteenGear is going to create one from the same leather as the bag and a case for my glasses as well, so I'll have a matching set! How amazing is that? I'm gonna be Hyacinth Bucket!

"Notice my matching luxury executive luggage with the genuine leather embellishments and initials. 

I do like to travel in style and let everyone know that I have in fact, arrived."

So now comes part two of the grueling journey: The Wait. I know it's inevitable when you order something custom made from the other side of the planet, but did I ever mention patience isn't exactly my strong suit?

Robyn, in case you read this: thank you so much for putting up with all my questions and for your advise. Can't wait for the bag to be finished and look forward to reviewing it!