Origami Pyramid Bag

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:11:00 +0000

It’s a hot July evening and I’m feeling like a wilted flower. Fashion has always been a great pick-me-up and I’m looking forward to sporting Silvermint’s strawberry Origami Pyramid Bag with a simple black sundress to a friend’s party.

The bag attracted me with its unique design, convenient wristlet style, and high quality, interestingly-textured fabric and materials. The vintage button accents in soft pink and grey give it a girly but sophisticated charm and the grey origami-style animal characters printed on the off-white fabric also elevate it to a conversation piece. When I mentally put together my outfit I saw the bag as an artsy, yet practical and intriguing accessory, perfect for holding onto the few essential items I’d need while at the party. Yet as I stand before the mirror the little 6.7 x 5.9 inch pyramid looks funny hanging from my wrist: like a starched handkerchief or an old-fashioned nurses hat.

While the bag didn’t make it to the party, it has occupied a prominent place on my desk, awaiting the writing of this review. Given that my home office is also the living room, I’ve been gazing upon this finely constructed bag with a mixture of delight, curiosity and appraisal daily for the past two weeks. Each time I look at it I think I really love this little pouch!

Silvermint has an interesting story on how she moved from the world of online gaming to the world of handmade crafting. She began to study how real things are actually made vs. the world of “clicking on an icon with the mouse and Poof! a mechanical chicken has been created.” She gets bonus points for her support of ACRES (Animal Concerns Research & Education Society) and a waste-free philosophy, which leads to greater creativity with materials and design. Her Etsy store is stocked with other cute and adorably unique little clutches and pouches as well as graphic-printed tote bags.

I’ve tried the Origami Pyramid Bag on a few times since the night of the party but I doubt I’ll frequently wear it as a purse. I am sure it will find a welcome home storing small treasures or perhaps protecting a snag-prone item in a drawer or suitcase. The cotton webbing strap is detachable so it can hang from a peg and it also stands on its own (especially if the packing folds are ironed out) so it would also make a cute storage container on a shelf or other visible location.

Written by: Matsya Siosal, August 18th 2010

The Stork and the Pitcher Tote Bag

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

By Silvermint

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