Now based in Seattle, she founded her own handbag brand, Boejack Design, in 2011, specializing in bags that combine art and fashion. “Before Boejack Design, I had a very boring engineering career,” she admitted in an interview with the Etsy blog. “I was in need of a hobby; I wanted to create something from scratch. I found this old sewing machine of my grandmother’s, and I taught myself to use it.”

Jump forward some years later, and she now sells her bags by the hundreds. Her designs blend a playful use of color with a minimalist yet functional style. All bags are hand-sewn in limited numbers, with emphasis on small batch production and local materials.

“It always starts with the question of how something is going to be used,” says Atay Pastirmaci. “First I decide what it’s going to be, say, a makeup bag or backpack. After I come up with a prototype, I use it (and ask my friends to use it) for a couple of weeks. Then I ask their opinions about the particular style: Do I need to add a zipper to the opening? Change the size? Add another pocket?”

The finished product is both practical and stylish. A perfect gift for a friend or for yourself.

The post Treat Yourself to a Hand-Sewn Bag By Boejack Design appeared first on MobiSpirit.

Pico Miho, a self-taught artist from Japan, started making these lovely bags two years ago and she didn’t know her creation would become a huge trend in her country. Miho’s feline handbags are all handcrafted; they consist of 78 parts and are the size of a real cat.

“I’ve always loved cats since I was a kid and always worked with stuffed animals everywhere. I wanted a ‘stuffed cat’ that I could take outside even as an adult. But a cute plush is embarrassing… so I made it in a way that looks real and has a reason for one to carry it around,” the artist told Bored Panda.

These handbags really do look very real and they cost up to $950. But keep in mind that they’re all made by hand and the artist needs a lot of time and effort to make one.

Take a look at these adorable bags in the photos below.  

The post These Cat Bags are Trending in Japan appeared first on MobiSpirit.

Now based in Seattle, she founded her own handbag brand, Boejack Design, in 2011, specializing in bags that combine art and fashion. “Before Boejack Design, I had a very boring engineering career,” she admitted in an interview with the Etsy blog. “I was in need of a hobby; I wanted to create something from scratch. I found this old sewing machine of my grandmother’s, and I taught myself to use it.”

Jump forward some years later, and she now sells her bags by the hundreds. Her designs blend a playful use of color with a minimalist yet functional style. All bags are hand-sewn in limited numbers, with emphasis on small batch production and local materials.

“It always starts with the question of how something is going to be used,” says Atay Pastirmaci. “First I decide what it’s going to be, say, a makeup bag or backpack. After I come up with a prototype, I use it (and ask my friends to use it) for a couple of weeks. Then I ask their opinions about the particular style: Do I need to add a zipper to the opening? Change the size? Add another pocket?”

The finished product is both practical and stylish. A perfect gift for a friend or for yourself.

The post Treat Yourself to a Hand-Sewn Bag By Boejack Design appeared first on MobiSpirit.

Pico Miho, a self-taught artist from Japan, started making these lovely bags two years ago and she didn’t know her creation would become a huge trend in her country. Miho’s feline handbags are all handcrafted; they consist of 78 parts and are the size of a real cat.

“I’ve always loved cats since I was a kid and always worked with stuffed animals everywhere. I wanted a ‘stuffed cat’ that I could take outside even as an adult. But a cute plush is embarrassing… so I made it in a way that looks real and has a reason for one to carry it around,” the artist told Bored Panda.

These handbags really do look very real and they cost up to $950. But keep in mind that they’re all made by hand and the artist needs a lot of time and effort to make one.

Take a look at these adorable bags in the photos below.  

The post These Cat Bags are Trending in Japan appeared first on MobiSpirit.