I admit it. I’m high-maintenance. But not in a whiny, I have to have this NOWWWWW sort-of-way. I just like nice things. Pretty things. There are three things that I spend money on most: shoes, purses, and makeup, but my favorite of the three is, by far, purses. I always look for a nice bag that will go with almost anything in my closet. Sometimes I look for a fancy bag for a special occasion, but I’m usually on the lookout for a purse that is classy, pretty, and perfect for everyday. (Hubby has a hard time understanding this, as he replaces his wallet only once every 2 to 3 years and doesn’t understand why I don’t keep one purse for the same amount of time. It is during those moments when I look at him as if he has antenna growing out of his head.)

Recently I stumbled upon The Kat Sak — a storefront on Etsy — that sells fabulous handmade bags. These bags are just gorgeous. They are made from extremely high-quality fabric and they come in a ton of different “models” and patterns. Kathryn will even make you a custom bag upon request! Remember how I said I like pretty things? These definitely qualify!

When I received my Claire Bag in the mail earlier this month, my friend T and I excitedly crowded around the box while I opened it. The bag came beautifully wrapped with a hand-written note from Kathryn. T immediately wanted to give it a closer inspection — being the seamstress that she is, and was extremely impressed by the quality of both the material and the sewing. Now, I don’t know much about sewing, and I’m lucky to be able to sew on a button, but as she started talking about how well-made the bag was I finally started to understand. The stitching is tiny and exact, the seams are hardly noticeable. It truly is a work of art, and it is obvious that every bag is made with extreme attention to detail by Kathryn herself.

Like most of you out there, I like to support products by other women, as well as handmade products whenever possible. There is something extremely satisfying about purchasing an item that you know wasn’t mass-produced. It’s also nice knowing that when I am running errands around town, I won’t see the same bag that I am carrying on 8 different women. I like to be fabulous AND original.

I chose the Claire Bag model, but there are other models as well. like the Sarah Bag, the Windy Bag, and the Elizabeth Bag (another one of my favorites). While I can’t speak for the other bags, the Claire Bag has a very roomy interior pocket (I keep my cell phone and digi cam in there, plus a couple of pens) and a magnetic snap closure to make sure that your bag stays closed. It hangs at just the right length on my shoulder, but it also looks good just thrown on my arm. Oh, and as a bonus, when I’m in the dressing room somewhere, Little AG really enjoys taking all of my stuff out of the bag, then putting it all back in and closing the snap. Hey, I’ll take any distraction I can get!

I sincerely hope that you will visit Kathryn’s site and consider purchasing one of her beautiful bags. They are very reasonably priced, and I can attest to their high quality. These would make a great gift, or a great treat for yourself. She has been working hard to add additional inventory to her store to give Chic Shopper Chick readers an even better selection. Please check out her store on Etsy — The Kat Sak.

Win it! Kathryn has generously offered to giveaway a Claire Bag to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader. The winner will be able to choose their favorite pattern from her store (subject to availability). Follow the rules below to be entered to win!

To enter:

• Head on over to The Kat Sak website and choose which pattern Claire Bag you would choose if you won. (official names please). Come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me your choice.
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
  
• US and Canadian entries are welcomed!!!
  
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  

• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

This contest will end on June 14th, 2008 at midnight CST. Please feel free to tell your friends, or to post the giveaway graphic in your sidebar! Thanks!