amykathryn Designer Handbags (Review & Giveaway)

Contest Closed.  Lucky #62 Amanda is the winner!

daughter grows older, I find myself growing out of my big old diaper bag.  Since she no longer relies on formula and jarred baby food for sustenance, I don’t need such a large bag, and I recently started carrying purses again.  Not only was the heavy diaper bag cumbersome, but it was just plain ugly.  After 18 months of carrying that utilitarian bag, I missed my own personal style. 

But the big purse I was carrying around these past few weeks was only a minor improvement.  It was lighter and easier to carry.  Everything I needed fit inside, but not neatly.  There were no pockets to keep things in place, and all of my things were jumbled together in a messy pile that I’d have to dig through each time I needed something.

The Gladiola diaper bag by Amy Kathryn is the perfect marriage of the traditional diaper bag and a standard large purse.  It’s smaller, lighter, and much prettier than my old diaper bag, and it’s much more practical for a mom who needs to find things in her bag every now and then.

The Gladiola style is also available in gold, which is a beautiful color template for fall.  After going back and forth on the two options, I ultimately chose the black bag because of the beautiful pale yellow faux-leather details.  I have been wanting a yellow bag for a long time, so I was very excited to see it from amykathryn.  The bag is durable and washable as it’s made of custom-printed canvas and lined in cotton twill material.  I love the printed pattern at the top; It adds that artsy flair that I love.

This amykathryn bag measures 18"w x 14"h x 6"d, which is a nice size for carrying your supplies, but it’s not too large that it looks like a typical diaper bag.  Amy told me that many buyers aren’t even moms.  That’s how versatile and appealing this bag is.

As for its usefulness, there are pockets galore.  Zippered pockets, mesh pockets, there is even a pen/pencil organizer sewn into the interior.  And all around the exterior of this bag there are more areas to store your things.  I use the open side pockets for water/cups, and the side snap-closure pockets for my cell phone and camera.  I was truly amazed at the number of pockets. 

The Gladiola bag also includes a shoulder strap, but the shorter handles are large enough to be carried over the shoulder.  I do like the longer strap for hanging the bag over the stroller.  There are feet on the bottom which helps the bag stand upright when set down, and also keeps it from getting dirty.

Amy Hall is the designer and owner of amykathryn.  Her clients includes celebrities like Pink, Hillary Duff, Selma Blair, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and many more.  Her animal and earth-friendly bags look anything but plain, which is no easy task to accomplish.  Recently, Amy increased the quality of her bags and lowered the pricing.  How often do you hear that?  The Gladiola bag is only $99.00 –  a fantastic price!

 

 

I’m also in love with the Snap Dragon purses.  You can use it with or without the strap.

This Dahlia Messenger is also great to use to carry your work or a netbook.

GIVEAWAY!
One lucky reader will win the bag of their choice from amykathryn!
(US Only – Ends 10/29)

Mandatory Entry: ‘Like’ amykathryn on Facebook AND tell me which bag you want to win.  (choose wisely – this is the one you’ll receive!)

EXTRA ENTRIES: Must leave a separate comment for each extra entry. 

+1 Extra Entry if after you like amykathryn on Facebook, you leave this message on their wall:  I entered the amykathryn giveaway at Girl Gone Mom - http://bit.ly/dcsIhK
+1 Extra Entry if you follow this blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
+1 Extra Entry if you follow amykathryn on twitter.
+1 Entry daily follow Girl Gone Mom on twitter and tweet this message:

#WIN any bag from @amykathrynbags – Animal friendly and eco-conscious designer handbags! @girlgonemom #giveaway - http://bit.ly/dcsIhK

+1 Extra Entry if you subscribe to the amykathryn handbags youtube page.
+1 Extra Entry if you subscribe to the Girl Gone Mom youtube page.
+1 Extra Entry ‘Like’ Girl Gone Mom on Facebook and leave a comment on my wall that you entered.
+2 Extra Entries if you become a feed subscriber and tell me which reader you use.
+2 Extra Entries if you are an email subscriber.  Leave email address.
+2 Extra Entries add my new (green) button to your blog sidebar.  Leave the link.
+2 Extra Entries if you add my blog url to your text blog roll. Leave link.
+1 Extra Entry for every other current giveaway you enter.
+1 Extra Entry if you leave a comment on a non-giveaway post.
+5 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway with a link to this post.

No compensation was received for this post.  The sponsor provided a product sample for the review. Contest is open to anyone age 18 and older who lives in the US and closes at Midnight EST on October 29th.  One main entry per person.  The winner will be selected using Random.org. See giveaway rules before entering. GOOD LUCK!

Affordable, Trendy Handbags by Baghaus (Review)

Several years ago, I invested a few hundred dollars in a handbag that I still carry today.  The bag is a classic black leather with rather simple and straightforward styling.  It really is a great purse, and the fact that it has lasted for so long is pretty amazing, and I feel I’ve gotten my money’s worth .  The down side is that I’ve grown bored of it.  I’m tempted each season with the latest styles and trends, but I can’t afford to drop a few hundred dollars on a new purse every time a new trend makes an appearance in department stores.

The good news is, you don’t have to.  When there are great lookalikes at baghaus, who needs to break the bank on a trend that’s hot now, and not a few months from now?   you can treat yourself to the latest stylesIt’s a good thing You might not have a budget that will allow you to buy a new pricey bag to fit every season’s trends, but you can afford the lookalikes at baghaus.

I’ve recently become a little obsessed with a new basic, grey.  When I saw the Sue Sylvester Bag, most of all I loved how different it was from my regular bag.  It’s also a lot larger inside, large enough to use as a diaper bag when I don’t feel like lugging the big diaper bag around.  Plus, I look a lot more fashionable with this on my arm.

This handbag is made of a high quality vegan leather, which means it is faux leather.  But personally, I can’t tell the difference between this material and the highest grade (and expensive) butter-soft leather.  There are several interior pockets and one exterior pocket to keep me organized, and the zipper closure makes it easy to access my things while keeping them safe inside.

The details are are great too.  The bag features gold-toned hardware, and I love the decorative white stitching.  The handles is double-padded for a cool layered look while making it extra comfortable to carry on my shoulder.

Best of all, it’s only $29.97, a fraction of what you’d pay in a store for a trendy handbag!  Another great thing about baghaus is their 110% lowest price guarantee, so you know you will always get the best price.

I love this bag – and will definitely look to baghaus in the future for more great accessories.  Speaking of, you’ll also find wallets, phone cases, makeup bags and many other types of accessories there.

BUY IT!  Get 15% off for a limited time using the code: SEPTEMBER

No compensation was received for this post.  I received the product referenced above in order to facilitate my candid review.  The opinions expressed are 100% mine.

GreenSmart Review & Messenger Bag Giveaway - ARV $90.00

Contest Closed – Congrats Jennifer M.!
Do you ever wonder what happens to all of those plastic bottles that your township recycles?  Just how do they get re-used, anyway?  You're about to find out!

GreenSmart is committed to making green products that are also good-looking and affordable too.  They make bags, totes and bottle cozies too.  Some of their products are made from 100% recycled plastics.  Believe it!

This is how it's done, in a nutshell. The bottles become ground up, washed to become fiber, spun into yarn and woven into our fabrics. The overall process also uses less energy than making polyester out of virgin chemicals. Amazing, right?

I'm in New York City today at the BlogHer conference, with my Puku Messenger bag in tow.  This is just one of the many beautiful products available at GreenSmart, and I think $89.99 is a great price point for such a stylish messenger bag.  I liked having the zipper at the top, which is much easier to use than the flap of a traditional messenger.  (But if you like that design, they have that too in the Baringo bag).  It has pockets gallore for my business cards, wallet, notebooks, and also includes a fully padded laptop bay which will hold my netbook as I walk from session to session.   Wearing this bag is more comfortable than any other bag I own, and it’s my favorite practical accessory.

In case you were wondering, the "Puku" is named after an endangered antelope.  GreenSmart donates 10% of their profits to helping create a greensmart planet, which is wonderful.

GIVEAWAY!
One VERY lucky reader will receive a Puku messenger from GreenSmart!

Fill out the entry form below to be entered.  For EXTRA ENTRIES:
-Like GreenSmart on Facebook.
-Like my new Facebook page for Girl Gone Mom.
-Follow GreenSmart on twitter.
-Follow me on twitter.
-The tweet to use for this giveaway: Win the Puku messenger bag from GreenSmart! It's made from recycled plastic bottles! http://bit.ly/b36YSC ARV $90 #giveaway @girlgonemom

No compensation was received for this post. I received the product discussed in order to facilitate my candid review.  Contest is open to US residents 18 and older and closes at Midnight EST on August 27th.  The winner will be selected using Random.org. See giveaway rules before entering. GOOD LUCK!