Go Graham Go! |

I am always on the lookout for a fashionable diaper bag that is also functional!  I also need for it to be roomy.  If you are familiar with Kokopax, you know that they offer some adorable options for babies and baby gear.  The Samantha Diaper Tote is definitely a great option to check out if you are looking for a diaper bag that is more like a purse.



We were sent the Samantha Diaper Tote in the Pax print for review.  The first thing that impressed me about this bag is the size.  It is large enough to fit all the essentials as well as leaves room for your wallet and phone.  I know that some people may pack a ton more than I do in a diaper bag, but I look at this as more of an every day diaper bag than a "going to the sitter's house" diaper bag.  It is made from 100% cotton canvas and has a magnetic closure on top.  Three deep pockets can work for diapers, clothing, and more.  There is also a separate zippered pocket and places for bottles or juice cups.  The lining is water resistant which is great for all those leaky bottles and cups.  If you like to have a matching changing pad, there is one included!  The only thing missing from this bag is a matching zippered bag for soiled clothing.




You can purchase the Samantha Diaper Tote for about $99 at Kokopax.com.  Choose from 5 different stylish patterns.  It is nice to have a multi-purpose tote that doesn't scream "diaper bag".  The great news is that you could easily use this once you are out of the diaper bag stage and it is under $100.

Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!

For me, it is important to find bags that will function as more than just a diaper bag. The reality is that I am just to lazy to change out from a diaper bag, to a purse, to an office bag. It is always nice to find a company who keeps this in mind! O Yikes! creates products for active people on the go while keeping an eye on both form and function!

I had the opportunity to try out the 24.7 Slingback in Frosted Titanium. This bag has several great features!

• 2 Large main compartments and 6 internal pockets
• Cell phone/MP3 compartment easily accessible on the outside
• Brushed aluminum key ring to easily locate your keys
• Outside drink holder with drawstring closure
• Ergonomic strap that is easy to adjust
• Accessory Case with mesh lining
• Cylinder Case that is insulated
• Changing pad that is water resistant with a Velcro closure and wipes case
  
• Matching laptop sleeve available as well
  

I love that this bag is easy to handle. Once I adjusted the fit, it is easy to slip on and off while leaving my hands free for carrying Graham or other things! We love to ride out bikes when the weather warms and this bag is much more comfortable on my shoulders and back than the backpack I currently use for our outings. It is also nice to have the drink and cell phone right within reach! There's no digging around in search of things!

A good bag is hard to find... you know it's true, especially if you are a mom! With all of the diaper bags available, you can get lost in a sea of confusion over which choice would be the right one for your life. Well ladies, I can say that I have found one of the best!

If you ever look at the magazines or press you will see celebrities with all kinds of cool stuff for their babies! One of the items that I have seen has been bags from The Bumble Collection!

I LOVE bags! My husband can vouch for this! What I love more than a bag is one that is unique (not the same Vera Bradley everyone else has). Jennie Lynn Johanson has taken her background in handbags and fashion design and successfully applied it to the children’s industry to become the founder and president of the Bumble Collection™, a company specializing in fashion-forward diaper-bags and accessories.

I am a lover of organizational products. I also am a lover of hand bags! My husband is always after me to "go through" my bags and get rid of some! "But what if I NEED it for something!" I had a storage bin I kept them in...until...the Handy Hold All!

Sarah Shaw is the creator behind this genius device! Not only did she come up with the handy hold all, she also creates her own fabrics! Before she started designing items to make our lives easier, she made costumes for movies such as "Ocean's 11" in her made-to-order costume company, Raggs to Order. Sarah left costuming and started Sarah Shaw Handbags, which rapidly grew, soon selling to over 600 stores nationwide! Simply Sarah was born after she realized that there was so much more left to create!

The Handy Hold All has 7 hanging loops with snaps. Each snap can hold 2-4 items! It even comes with Simply Sarah's own over the door hook! Not only can you hold purses, but it is also great for baseball caps, belts, scarves....the list goes on! I have mine hanging on the back of our bedroom door so that it is out of sight but convenient!

The Handy Hold All is also very affordable retailing for $30! Sarah has also generously offered Go Graham Go readers a 50% discount between now and 2/28/09 with code: gograham

Did you know that:
~The average American uses 316 plastic bags each year
~Every year 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used and throw out
~Plastic bags are not biodegradable, they break down into tiny toxic particles that infiltrate our waterways and soil.
~Plastic bags are a huge culprit of beach litter~Stores will pay YOU to bring your own bag (Average 0.05 per bag)
~Many stores will be charging YOU the consumer for paper and plastic bags beginning January 2009!

When I came across the Green Chic Bag Company I fell in love! We all know that the time is coming when we will HAVE to bring our own grocery bags to the grocery store. Soon, it will be a requirement or we will be charged. Many stores have already started this. So, we need bags that can stand the test and last us for years to come!

The Green Chic Bag Company has quality bags at a great price! I love that the bags even have a water resistant lining to help with anything that may leak! They handles are nice and sturdy! The Green Chic Bag is also extremely roomy and machine washable. And if that wasn't enough....THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL! Thank you Green Chic Bags for creating a stylish alternative to reusable grocery bags!

I also love to use this bag as my library bag for all of Graham's books! There are so many uses! Sometimes I will use it to hold his toys when we are visiting friends as well.

Let's face it, we are ALL going to need some of these for grocery shopping, so why not buy some that are sturdy and stylish at the same time and save your money in the long run! The Green Chic Bags start at $29.95! A great deal when you start adding up all the money you will spend on the $1 ones after the wear out in a week!

This giveaway has ended! Winner Shel!

This giveaway has ended! The winner is Dina!

It never fails, the cell phone ALWAYS rings when I am in the worst position to find it (balancing a baby on a hip while shopping, getting in the car, etc). And it never fails that I can NEVER find the blasted thing!

If you are like me, your purse/diaper bag is HUGE because you have to carry everything but the bathroom sink when you leave if you have a baby or toddler! I dig around in that never ending bag that seems like the abyss when checking out to find my wallet or pen and check book. Screaming kid? Forget finding the cheerios! They are mangled up in all the other junk that is just floating around in there!

Enter... the Pouchee (insert angelic singing here)

This organizational tool is a dream come true! Sandy Jenney from Organize with Sandy sells these genius contraptions! If you haven't already seen her site you need to check her out! She also has 3 awesome blogs and was interviewed here for her organizational tips! There are separate spaces for cell phone, blackberry or handheld organizer, eyeglasses or lipstick, credit cards/license, inside room for money and extras with zippered pouch, and convenient carrying loops so that you can just pick it up and put it in another bag! What more could a girl ask for??!! I am no longer digging around for my phone when it rings and there's no angry mob forming behind me in the checkout line while I try to find my wallet!

The Pouchee retails $21.50 for cotton and $22.50 for leatherette! These would make excellent graduation, mother's day, or birthday gifts! I love mine!

Here are the Features:

*Six credit card pockets
*Four other pockets on the outside that are great for your cell phone, glasses, pager etc
*Inside contains a zippered pocket for money, loose change or anything else you may want to stay hidden
*Two small interior pouches for lipsticks or more pens
*Divided middle with 2 roomy sides that can fit your checkbook, wallet or PDA
*Expands to 4" wide

See it in Action:

When three sisters from a small town in upstate NY combined their passion, creativity, and concern for the environment, skeeda© was born.

Driven by a commitment to reduce waste, their goal is to tap into your sense of style to motivate you to make small changes in your daily lives to ensure a better life for future generations. In fact, future generations were the inspiration for the name. They took an initial from each of their children and created the acronym skeeda (exerpt taken from www.skeeda.com).

Because the environment is not going to clean itself, we all need to do our part! Skeeda bags help you do that fashionably and affordably! Selected for the 2007 MTV celebrity gift bags, skeeda is roomy and sturdy with a "flavor" that can be yours! All bags are only $15 and can be monogrammed for only $4 extra! There are currently 10 styles to choose from!

These bags are huge! They are roomy enough for a full bag of groceries plus some and they are super sturdy! The straps are nice and long and heavy duty! These truly are the best bang for your buck!

Think of all the money you will be saving by using a quality reusable bag, not to mention, all of the environment you will be saving! Save even more starting now until February 3rd with 20% off using coupon code: graham.

Kicking off the "Mom Time in '09" Blog Party we have an awesome find for moms and moms-to-be!

If you have never seen the Cricket and Monkey store you have been missing out! Karen Stein is the creator of everything at Cricket and Monkey! She started this store when her grandson was born and she couldn't find anything she wanted to buy. Well, I'm glad she couldn't...because now there are so many cute and unique choices thanks to Karen!


Cricket and Monkey has several Diaper bags to choose from as well as matching coordinates! There are blankets, bibs, and even bottles to match! Her bags have prints that are incredibly fun!

Now you have a chance to win something brand new from Cricket and Monkey!

THE DELIVERY TOTE. Karen designed it in 6 cotton canvas washable fabrics for mom to carry everything she needs to the hospital: fluffy bathroom, birthing products, camera, cosmetics, cell phone etc. It has a long zippered closure on top, 2 double fabric handles, large double velcroed pockets inside, lined in nylon and metal feet for protecting the bottom. Everyone that orders one gets a FREE 12 mo sized onesie or raglan sleeve t as a new baby present from Cricket and Monkey! All 100% cotton, printed with a cute saying on the front ..ie YOUR CRIB OR MINE! The dimensions are:13"H x 21"W x 6 1/2"D



This bag is beautiful enough to serve as a purse as well as a hospital tote! What wonderful shower gifts any of her products would make! Not to mention, you wouldn't be buying anything that would be returned or duplicated!