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Step Lively with One Foot Up
By Heather Gaghan
“When I was a child, and we stayed with my grandparents, my
grandfather used to get up early and walk through the house yelling at the top
of his voice: "Rise and Shine! Daylight in the Swamp! One Foot in the Air!”
Patti O’Day’s fondest memory of her grandfather, a World War
I fighter pilot who flew with Eddie Rickenbacker, the number one United States
Flying Ace, seemed the natural inspiration for her unique handbag company, One
Foot Up! Born and raised in southern California, Patti moved to San
Francisco when she was only 18 years old—not a surprising move for a woman
whose uniquely bold products reflect the spirit of their creator and designer.
It was while she was living in northern California that she first thought to
create the handbags. It was a perfect way to earn a living and afforded the
young artist the time to spend with her young son as she could sew while he
slept.
She worked for a time at The Cliffhouse, a famous restaurant
situated precariously on the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean. While the view is
breathtaking, it also proved dangerous as a fire took the original structure in
the early 1900s and was rebuilt over the years. In the late seventies a gift shop
adjoined the restaurant where local artists like O’Day were offered the opportunity
to sell their crafts to the many visitors on board the tour buses that would
include The Cliffhouse on their routes. This was the perfect set up for a
budding artist and Patti recalled her time there fondly.
After the restaurant closed she decided to own her own shop
in the city, and it was there that she learned a most valuable piece of advice
that she remembers to this day. A fellow store owner was perusing the many
products in her store and told her, “You shouldn’t just have a bunch of
products in a store, you need to develop a line!” and so she did. As the saying
goes, “all good things come to those who wait” and it proved a wise move for this
artist.
Then in 1977 while visiting the Finger Lakes region of
upstate New York with a friend, Patti saw and felt the place that would eventually
become home for her and her young son. Patti recalls that California was losing
its charm as a laid back place to live and she was excited to find a place that
would be perfect to raise her son. So they moved across country and Patti
started an advertising business with the help of her strong media background.
Twenty years later she decided she needed a place to get
away and found a nice spot in North Carolina where she and her family would go
for short trips and vacations. Eventually the call to the south became strong
enough to find the O’Day clan relocating in March of 2004 to Pinehurst, North
Carolina. It didn’t take long for Patti to set up shop at Artist Alley, a
quaint brick building home to local artists’ works. Later, Patti was asked to
become one of the five owners of the thriving business.
In usual bold “One Foot Up!” fashion, Patti participates in an art
walk with nine other gallery owners—“Gallery Express” that brings the art out
into the community. It is a wonderful opportunity on the first Friday of every
month for the artists to bring their creations out and into the homes of
“adoring” customers both local and visiting.
Patti designs everything from the everyday styles that offer
a more casual design to the Lipstick bags that are a little dressier to
accommodate those “little things” all women carry. The bags are usually made of
upholstery fabric which is durable and helps the bag hold its shape, as opposed
to lighter weight materials that require backing to help them maintain their
form. Patti recalls how the Lipstick bag came about, “…I would always ask my
husband to carry (my lipstick) in his pocket when we went out and then one day
he said, ‘Why don’t you just make a bag for your lipstick?!’”
The Picture Perfect bags are most unique as they truly are
one-of-a-kind. Each bag features images chosen by the bag owner. Any picture
can be scanned and placed in the design of the bag from family, friends,
children, and grandchildren, to our beloved Labrador Retrievers! You can see
more of One Foot Up’s Picture Perfect bags in our Fine
Accessories Dept. or visit Patti O’Day at www.onefootup.com.
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