The Adventure Begins: From California to Wisconsin and back again!
In June, I had the incredible opportunity to fly from John Wayne Airport (SNA) in California all the way to Madison, Wisconsin, for in-person training as a Certified Sallie Tomato Educator. My flight from SNA to Phoenix (PHX) was smooth and easy, but my connecting flight from Phoenix to Madison (MSN) was delayed by two hours due to “weather.” Not something I’m used to – I’m a California girl, after all!
When we finally reached Wisconsin, the weather was intense: thunder, lightning, and pounding rain. It was so wild that when we landed, the airport went on red alert and wouldn’t let the plane get close to the terminal for 40 minutes! Once I finally got off the plane, I met my Turo host, grabbed the keys, and plugged my hotel address into Google Maps. That drive turned out to be one of the scariest of my life; between the heavy rain, booming thunder, and lightning strikes everywhere, I was gripping the wheel the whole way.
Once I made it to the hotel, sleep did not come easy. I tossed and turned in a new bed with new sheets, missing my husband (we’ve been married since 2011!) and my own pillow. But eventually, I drifted off. Adjusting to the two-hour time difference, I woke up early (6:30 a.m. CST felt like 4:30 a.m. PST), took a long shower, grabbed breakfast at the hotel, and treated myself to the best cappuccino ever at Caribou Coffee. Thankfully, the weather cleared up beautifully for the rest of my stay.
The Training: Learning, Connecting, and Growing
Training day was incredible. I got to meet Jessica, the founder of Sallie Tomato, in person, and at first, I was completely starstruck, but then I remembered, she’s just a person, too! We’re all just humans, passionate about sewing and sharing what we love.
I met about 30 amazing women who all share the same passion for sewing wallets, purses, and bags. It felt so inspiring to be surrounded by fellow bag-makers and educators. My connections from this group continue to grow, and I’m so thankful to have this supportive community cheering each other on.
(I’m on the right side of the picture in tghe back – leaning in)
At the training, they had samples of all the beautiful purses and bags I now have patterns for—and you’re going to love sewing them as much as I do! I can’t wait to teach you how to make the Lucky Penny Wallet and so many other fun projects.
The Journey Home: Delays, Detours & Family to the Rescue
After the second day of training, I said my goodbyes to my new bag-making friends and hit the road for the airport. Since it was an unfamiliar area, I gave myself plenty of time and arrived about two and a half hours early just to find out my flight from Madison to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) was delayed by two hours… because of weather. Again!
I had to rush over to the desk and ask the agent to help me change my connecting flight from DFW to SNA. He did it, but it took a while. Afterward, I treated myself to a glass of cold Sauvignon Blanc at the bar and called my mom to chat. Then I grabbed a burger and a beer at a packed restaurant—so busy that I told my server, “Give me the receipt now and I’ll pay in advance,” to make life easier for both of us.
Once my plane arrived, we boarded but still had more delays. The pilot promised to “fly fast” (whatever that means) and to be fair, he did a pretty good job! But once we landed at DFW, we had to taxi for 20 minutes just to reach the terminal: DFW is huge. The pilot asked, “Raise your hand if you have a connecting flight,” and about 10 of us did. He announced, “Let these folks go first,” and everyone kindly did.
I grabbed my luggage and joined a family of six as we hopped on the terminal train (which I call the “wiki-wiki” after the shuttle in Honolulu). When the doors opened, it was like a scene from a zombie movie – everyone, including me, bolted out, ran down the escalator, and raced through the airport. I barely made it to my gate and was one of the last to board.
My flight was supposed to land at 11:30 p.m., but with all the delays, we didn’t touch down until midnight. Oh – and my home airport, SNA, doesn’t allow flights to land after 10 p.m., so I had to reroute to Ontario (ONT) instead. Thankfully, I have family nearby, and my sister was waiting for me, still in her pajamas, parked at the loading zone. Praise God! I was finally home! I am so thankful for my sister. She drove me to our mom’s house, where I crashed for the night before heading straight back to work the next day. What a whirlwind of a journey, huh?
What’s Next: Let’s Sew Together!
Now that I’m a Certified Sallie Tomato Educator, I’m so excited to offer both online and in-person classes in my local area. Whether you want to learn from home or join me for a fun workshop, I’m here to help you master beautiful projects step by step.
If you’d like more information or pricing for classes and workshops, please email me—I’d love to help you get started on your bag-making journey!
Happy stitching!
Melanie Grace
