tote bag

The Stork and the Pitcher Tote Bag

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

As a frequent book reviewer, college instructor, and all around bibliophile I have a book on my person at all times, and usually two or three. This fact has lead to the destruction of many purses not equipped for carrying novels, and often means lugging around an extra heavy bag. My friends will often extend invites to bars and clubs to me with the addendum, “Leave your giant bags at home!” Silvermint’s The Stork and the Pitcher Tote Bag solves this dilemma.

Given that the tote bag is the same width as a hardcover novel, I easily can fit three paperbacks into the bag, eliminating the need to shove them into my overflowing purse or cart around a cumbersome (and oh so unbecoming) backpack. The tote bag’s small and narrow size may not be a selling point for those expecting to carry a backpack’s worth of belongings, but it works well for people like me who are interested in bringing a few books along or the day's lunch.

The bag's very soft corduroy handles are also a plus, as it lessens strain on the shoulder. I often suffer from scratch marks and sore arms due to the stiff fabric on many bags. The sturdy corduroy also ensures that the straps will be able to handle a heavier load, another plus for me since my fondness for books has lead to strap rippage.

Aesthetically speaking, the bag’s design is bright and whimsical, yellow with a stork on one side and striped on the other. The design evokes a child’s sense of whimsy, especially since it seems to be a reference to the children’s fable of the same name.

Another key selling point concerning this bag, and perhaps most of the other bags available at Etsy, is the fact that chances are slim I will run into another girl carting around the same bag as me. As a frequent shopper of Forever 21, H & M, and Target, on several occasions I have run into women carrying bags and accessories identical to mine. With Silvermint’s The Stork and the Pitcher Bag I can rest assured that I will be toting around an original and unique piece.

Written by: Adrienne Urbanski, August 16th 2010

Arts and Crafts Market (8/30/2008)

admin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:46:00 +0000

Baldwin Park

Long Beach, California

These are tough times we’re living in, and it seems as if it has become increasingly rare for people to act out of the kindness of their hearts and the courage of their convictions. The economy is failing, the country is on the cusp of one of the most important presidential elections in American history, an ongoing war is costing the country trillions of dollars and many of us have to choose between paying the electricity bill and putting food on the table. So, what can we do in these times of great hardship? Well, Lisa Vasquez, founder of Pug Clothing, spent a year turning her vision for an Arts and Crafts Market into reality.

“I initially decided to start the Arts and Crafts Market because I began making and selling my own tote bags and finding a way to sell them was really hard. I wanted to put something together at my house so that I could sell my bags, and other artists and vendors who try to independently make a profit could showcase their talents as well. I wanted the event to seem cool and enticing, so I incorporated music, food, and drinks and had it at night time. The way I originally described the concept to people was by saying it was going to be like a ‘party at a swap meet’,” Vasquez said.

Thus, Vasquez’s Arts and Crafts Market was born. The first was held in April of 2008 in Baldwin Park, CA. The gathering, which features about a dozen vendors, was such a success that Vasquez put together another one in August. “I was originally only going to have one Arts and Crafts Market. I never planned on putting together another one, but the vendors were interested in doing it again so we decided to put together another one this past August, which was in Long Beach. We’re definitely going to have a third market, though I don’t plan on always having them in different places. The next one will once again be at my house in Baldwin Park,” Vasquez said.

The vendors featured a wide array of artwork ranging in style from kitschy crafts—such as the homemade dolls and stencil drawings by Suemi and Steve Guerra, the brother and sister team that make up Tiragomas—to the more polished designs of Electricidad Bags (see photo), which are designed and hand sewn by best friends Julie Ruiz and Viviana Covarrubias. Other artists who sold their work included painter Asia Celdera and sketch artist and photographer Rudy Vasquez, who pulled double duty as an organizer for the event.

Vasquez’s Arts and Crafts Market, much like her clothing line, is a labor of love, and there’s something distinctly beautiful about a person who is willing to deal with the stress of putting together an event for no other reason than the strongly held belief that local artists should have a place where they can display and sell their art. “It’s hard to make a profit if you’re not a well-established company, especially for those of us who make everything ourselves. On a personal level, I see the Market as an accomplishment. I’m proud that I’ve created a way to sell the things I make with my own hands, instead of just giving up on it,” Vasquez said. Despite her best efforts, the Market hasn’t been a lucrative endeavor for Vasquez, her partner Rudy, or any of the artists involved, but to them that’s really not the point. In these times of economic hardship, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. We might as well all take a lesson from Vasquez’s playbook and do something we love, whether the money follows or not.

Photo credit: Grisel Leyva

Written by: Tina Vasquez, November 10th 2008

Wallet

admin — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:20:00 +0000

By Ember Necessary Baggage

Ember Necessary Baggage is a company founded by one woman, Ellen M. Belanger, who creates personal bags – including handbags, totes, and wallets. Her artistry is seen in cleverly crafted designs and carefully stitched construction. Each and every bag is made by hand, often a one-of-a-kind piece. This loving attention to detail creates crafter kinship, as many of her patrons either create their own works or simply have an appreciation for hand crafted artisan goods.

This Ember Necessary Baggage wallet is made of tasteful blue and cream striped fabric with a hint of yellow. This color combination conveys the relaxation of a summer cottage on the beach. The construction of the wallet is durable with each ending seam being backstitched for extra strength. The wallet itself is a simple design of an overlapping fold secured with velcro that opens to an inside pocket large enough to hold several credit cards and cash. Upon investigation of this pocket a satin ribbon with a gold imprint of emberbags.com is found; which is a lovely touch over those mass produced manufacturer tags found in industrial made items. There is also a card stock tag attached to the wallet that is complete with not only the company name and website, but also the designer’s name, e-mail address, and phone number! Those are personal details only found in a handmade item adding to the customer care and quality of service. This wallet is truly delightful. A sturdy piece with multiple uses, this cute accessory has additional value by knowing it was hand crafted.

Written by: Sarah Eve Nichols-Fulghum, July 2nd 2008

Tour Tote

admin — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:32:00 +0000

By SNAP design

Is it possible to have a bag that’s cooler than you are? My street cred increased substantially when I started carrying around the Tour Tote by SNAP design. You see, I live in New York City, but I’m a Southern girl (Athens, GA, baby!) at my core, so I constantly have to negotiate the internal tug-of-war between my current persona (Big City Trendsetting Fashionista) and the persona of my upbringing (Small Town Working Class Thrifter). Fortunately for me, in the neighborhoods that I frequent, the two have melded together to create a blended identity that is more commonly known as “hipster.”

Though hipsters are largely denigrated in the media that is marketed to them (apparently irony is tres chic), one thing I find attractive about this niche population is the way they dress. Maybe it’s because I'm inundated with it, or maybe it’s my own aesthetic sensibility. Whatever the case, I aspire to dress like a hipster from time to time. And when you dress like a hipster, you have to have hipster accessories. That’s where the Tour Tote comes in.

SNAP design is a small, Portland-based, woman-run company that sells handmade items, including multiple bags—tote, shoulder, laptop—with interesting, minimalist stitching on them. A lot of the patterns follow a variation on mod styles, and the deep color variety (navy, mustard, ruby red, sage, olive) is an appealing alternative to the current '80s neon trend. The purse is made out of vinyl (good news for vegetarians!) and the lining is cotton twill, both of which make this sturdy bag able to handle the elements, as well as repeated use. It’s also a nice size (h: 12.5" w: 11" d: 5")—big enough to carry everything you may need, but small enough not to be awkward.

I replaced my messenger bag with this purse almost immediately. It’s a decision I don’t regret. Now people actually look at me when I walk through Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And although the Southerner in me hopes for a smile, a wayward glance at my new bag is good enough.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, November 3rd 2007

Barfing Girl Tote

admin — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:00:00 +0000

Damned Dollies

I've been collecting tote bags for years, long before they were available in bright patterns at Old Navy and Urban Outfitters. As with many accessories, there are those of us who wear belts to keep our pants up, and those of us who wear belts to show that we're aware of the latest trend. I am of the utilitarian camp, and so, I expect a tote-bag to be strong and durable. I want to take it to the Farmer's Market and stuff it full of greens, peppers and a bottle of water for the road. I, then, want to visit a garage sale and know that I can stretch the tote bag to squeeze in a new hoodie. Unfortunately, ironic design aside, Damned Dollies' Barfing Girl Tote lacks in the strong and durable department.

The fabric of the tote is thin, like a pillowcase fabric, not the strong canvas I've come to expect in a tote. Another complaint is that the overall size of the tote is rather small. It is a tote to carry for a night on the town. It is meant for the hip girl who prefers a tote with an ironic image of a little girl puking to a couture handbag made of dead animals. So, while I'm not a huge fan of the tote, I do think I'd like some of the other products on Dana De Kuyper's Damned Dollies website, like the coinpurse or one of her handmade original dolls. Also, I think it is great that we live in a world where women can hand-make artsy items and sell them on the internet and through small boutiques. So, if you like adorable references to either bulimia or the stomach flu, you prefer to buy handmade items and you want a nice, small, lightweight tote, then this is the bag for you.

Written by: Ailecia Ruscin, July 9th 2007