For several weeks, I've been looking for a caboodle to have a physical "toolbox" for my chronic illness and my mental health. I was introduced to this term when I began listening to the Fibromyalgia Podcast by Tami Stacklehouse; I participated in some of her workshops then pursued my certification to become a Fibromyalgia Advisor. I often thought about making a physical toolbox or toolkit for my go to in-case-of-emergencies or daily helpful items to assist myself or my support person(s).
Around xmas, I told Kirk about caboodles from the 90s and how I had wished for one as a youth. We looked online for what retailers had them but we were not successful to locate a caboodle. The caboodle website doesn't ship to Canada so that was the barrier that made me think it was impossible and unachievable... it was available on amazon but very difficult to select the color combinations. The image would show several combos but only one was the option. I wasn't interested in the selections.
This weekend, I was very low mood, borderline depressed... Kirk wanted to cheer me up so he recommended that I get ready, we'd get a cafe latte and hit some second hand stores. I love treasure hunting and he knows how to encourage me to get mobile with that promise of coffee. We hit a couple stores that we haven't been to for several months and we had incredible luck today. At one store, I found a near mint condition of The Stork Didn't Bring Me educational boxset by Marie-Francine Hébert (a blog post or her story article will be published someday). At the second store, I found several pairs of cozy leggings, I was only allowed to pick two pairs and it was terribly difficult to decide. I chose purple and elephants, while Kirk was looking at shoes, I was reconsidering the elephants. I did see bees on grey print. The more I thought about it, I realized I would wear the bee print more than the elephant print, so I went back to the shelf to exchange them. As I was walking back to Kirk, I decided to swing by the bath and health section of the store, because one time I saw a caboodle there and maybe there could be one there today. Well the second hand store gods were on my side today: there was two Sassaby cases! They look to be from the early 90s - - - I adore the colors and the rigid edges that make them look like they are from the 90s. I tried looking up information about the company, I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for but I wanted to share this article that Click Americana Vintage & Retro Memories' article on Caboodles & Sassaby cases. I remember some of those advertisements in YM magazine.
We went to a third second hand store and I found another toolbox! This one is a knockoff caboodle but I love the color and I knew right away it would be for my art supplies. I had purchased a red case in the spring but I struggled with the zipper on it.
My new art case is in rose gold and has no distinguishing logo or brand name; I remember Michaels having cases like these a few years ago, when the kidlets and I were into Girl Guiding. I had bought a turquoise one for Duncan's badges, patches & crests. Remembering their case has me inspired to find a unicorn sticker for my case.
I'm sort of stumped on what will be going into my Sassaby toolboxes. I'll have to listen to some Fibromyalgia Podcast and look at my workshop notes in my Fibro resource binder to find some inspiration, review older ideas and find new ideas.
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