New Diaper Bag!

I don't know if you're like me, but I think matchy-matchy is fun! Especially when it comes to baby accessories such as blankets, bags, burp cloths, and such!  Check out the Limited Specialty page and you'll see what I mean!
So I had a lot of fun making a set for myself after my little man was born!! No, it's not real boyish...but he doesn't have to wear it either! I decided to do more neutral colors, but with a femine touch for me.  I have the diaper bag, a Sort-n-Stash Pocket set, a burp cloth, and a nursing cover all coordinating. Ok... you might think it's too much...but I think it's fun! :)

It felt like I had searched forever for 'the perfect bag' to use for a diaper bag (ok, maybe it was...8 months. Or something.) But I guess I must be picky because I just couldn't find one out there that quite fit what I was looking for.  My requirements:
-Lots of pockets!
-Big enough for stuff for two kiddos
-Cute (!)
-Not too cheesy (I don't like the 'diaper bag' style like the ones you can get from the hospital)
-and most importantly... CHEAP!!
yup. i'm picky.

So the story goes...
One day I was browsing online and different bags (most of them QUITE expensive I might add) and feeling rather discouraged.  OK, maybe I'm making a bigger deal of this than it should be...or than it really was.  Anyways, I decided bag it (no pun intended!), I can just do it myself, the way I want it! And so... I did.
The end.

I took a few ideas from purses and diaper bags I'd seen that I like and mashed them all together.
Then I sketched out a pattern and grabbed some fabric from my stash.
(Yes... I had everything I needed on hand already!  Did I mention I was going the cheap route!?)

The bag is reversible, so the pockets work both ways.  Right now I like the yellow side the best.  The big flower accent was a lot of fun to design... I may use the idea in some future products.  I also like ruffles...so I did a few ruffles and such on the other side over the 3 pockets.  Next to the flower is another pocket with stitching designs and beaded embellishments.  The beads are already coming off tho :(

I got the idea for the handle from here. I thought the braided handle thing was a cool idea.  The bunchy fabric that connects it to the bag itself reminds me of those scrunchies my mom used to wrap around my ponytail about 9 times back in the '90's! :)

The other side is a damask print of black and white. I did lots of pockets on this side since I thought that it would be on the inside most of the time. The yellow pockets are supposed to help tie the yellow from the handles in.  Not sure it worked quite that way though. ;)

And the other side...

I had been quite overwhelmed with the idea of making my own diaper bag (hence, the frantic search for 'forever')  I discovered it really wasn't that hard.  I have done bags before, but nothing quite this complicated, and for sure not without some kind of pattern to follow!  So now that I know how much easier it was than I had thought, maybe I'll try it again someday. Or try other things using the 'mashing' technique and putting my own touch on other ideas.  I'm sure you could do it too, if you know anything at all about sewing! :) 

Thanks for stopping by! May God bless your day!