Anne Shirley's World, Reimagined: The Stories Behind Our Anne of Green Gables Collection

L.M. Montgomery gave us one of literature's most enduring heroines — a red-haired, freckle-faced girl with an imagination so vivid it turned a plain farmhouse into a kingdom. More than 115 years after Anne of Green Gables was first published, Anne Shirley still resonates with readers of every age. At The Bean Workshop, we didn't just want to make merchandise. We wanted to make objects that feel like they belong in Anne's world — things she might have treasured, gifted to Diana, or pressed between the pages of a favorite book.

Here's the story behind the three design threads that run through our collection.

"Tomorrow Is a New Day" — The Quote That Carries You

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Anne says this early in the novel, and it's one of those lines that lands differently depending on where you are in life. As a child, it's charming. As an adult navigating a hard week, it's a lifeline.

We built an entire design around this quote — arched typography surrounding a lush botanical illustration of a flower-filled envelope in deep forest green — because it deserved more than a simple text print. It deserved to feel like something Anne would have written in a letter to Diana. You'll find it on our Glass Mug, Hoodie, Fleece Crewneck Sweatshirt, T-shirt, and Pencil Bag — each one a small, wearable act of optimism.

"True Friends Are Always Together in Spirit" — For Your Diana

Anne and Diana Barry's friendship is one of the great love stories in children's literature — not romantic, but fierce and loyal and completely unshakeable. The line "True friends are always together in spirit" captures everything about what it means to have a person who knows you completely.

Our True Friends line uses two birds in gentle flight, soft navy tones, and a handwritten script that feels like a note passed in class. The Two-sided Premium Hoodie carries the quote on the back and a floral hat illustration on the chest — a design that feels like a keepsake. The Mug with Color Inside is quieter, made for everyday use, a small reminder sitting on a desk or shelf.

These pieces are made to be given. To your best friend. To your sister. To the person who has been your Diana since the beginning.

Raspberry Cordial — Anne's Most Gloriously Chaotic Afternoon

If you know, you know. Anne accidentally serves Diana currant wine instead of raspberry cordial, Diana gets tipsy, and the fallout nearly ends their friendship before it truly begins. It's one of the funniest, most perfectly rendered scenes in the book — and it's become one of the most beloved moments in the entire Anne canon.

Our Raspberry Cordial line leans into the charm of that afternoon: a fine-line crimson sketch of a bow-tied cordial bottle, two tumblers, and fresh raspberries on a tray, paired with Diana's iconic line "I didn't know Raspberry Cordial was so nice." It's available for adults and kids alike — the Hoodie, T-shirt, and more across the full youth line.

The Avonlea Collage — A World in One Image

Our signature Anne of Green Gables collage design is a hand-drawn love letter to the entire world of the novel: a quill and inkwell, stacked books, cherry blossom branches, a bow, a carrot, an apple basket, a steaming teacup, a butterfly, the Avonlea signpost, and the Green Gables cottage itself. Every element is intentional. Every element is Anne.

You'll find this design on our Tote Bag, Mug with Color Inside, Sweatshirt, and Boxy Tee — because Anne's world belongs to every generation of reader.

We make these pieces for the readers who carry their favorite stories with them — in their bags, on their shelves, and on their sleeves. If Anne of Green Gables has meant something to you, we hope something in this collection feels like it was made for you. Because it was.