We want to introduce you to one of our customers. Meet Nicole! She lives in Claremore, Oklahoma and is a second grade teacher and a volunteer at Wild Heart Ranch. She has a whopping 15 Maggie Bags (so far) and we caught up with her during her planning hour at school.

Maggie Bags: How did you first hear about Maggie Bags?
Nicole: A few years ago my friend saw them featured on Oprah and she told me about them. I went to the website and ordered and I haven’t stopped ordering since.

Maggie Bags: Ok, we have a test for you. Can you tell us which Maggie Bag styles you own?
Nicole: I’m prepared – I wrote them down! I have:

• 7 Totes of Many Colors (TMC)
• 1 Campus Tote
• 1 Travel Cosmetic Bag
• 1 LeConte Messenger
• 1 Large Messenger
• 1 Small Messenger
• 1 wallet
• 1 keychain
• 1 Sublime Tote (an Earth Day special a few years ago)

Maggie Bags customer Nicole with her large collection of Maggie Bags.

Maggie Bags: How do you decide which one to carry?
Nicole: I typically change out my Tote of Many Colors about once a month and my goal is to have a different TMC for each month (not quite there yet!) I use the Campus Tote as my main purse right now. I can fit my purse organizer and my iPad plus a book or two. In my TMC, I carry my binders, papers, laptop and some other items.

Maggie Bags: Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in the world. What made you decide to go into teaching?
Nicole: I wanted to be a teacher from about the eighth grade on. My mom was going through a teaching program and I thought it would be a great path for me. I graduated with my Bachelor’s by the time I was 20 and I’ve been teaching for three years now. I taught third grade my first year and then second grade for the past two years.

Maggie Bags: What was the adjustment like with the children from third to second grade?
Nicole: The maturity level was definitely different, so I changed the way I talked and how I taught. But I found that the kids pick up quickly and are very smart. I have a non-traditional classroom setup including pillows, carpet, and a futon. During certain teaching times I let the children choose where they want to work. What’s funny is sometimes they choose to sit under their desks. If you walk by my classroom it looks empty!

Maggie Bags: I know being a teacher takes a lot of time outside classroom hours. Do you find any time for hobbies?
Nicole: My favorite thing to do outside of teaching is volunteering at the Wild Heart Ranch. When I was looking for college scholarships I found that I could volunteer 15 hours to get a scholarship. After the 15 hours I never left! I’ve been volunteering there for 6 years now.

Maggie Bags: How neat! Tell us about Wild Heart Ranch.
Nicole: Wild Heart Ranch is a state and federally licensed rehabilitation facility for all species of wildlife needing orphan support, injury treatment or disease recovery. We get everything from bunnies to bears. We treat about 2,000 wild animals a year.

Maggie Bags: Next stop?
Nicole: During the holiday break from school I plan on doing no work! I plan on relaxing at home with my boyfriend and spending time at Wild Heart Ranch.

~Laura Owens, Maggie Bags