I love how technology allows you to reconnect with old friends. I came across the Etsy shop of one of my high school classmates on Facebook the other day and fell in love with his handmade bags!

Even in high school he was incredibly creative. He had a love of fashion design and would actually sew his own designs (with his mom's help) for classmates to wear to homecoming and prom. He even had a fashion show during our school's Arts Festival our senior year.
After being voted Prom King and winning a scholarship for art, it was no surprise that he went on to earn a degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. He now designs for Puma. I am always so impressed when people have a true love of something and go after it. Congrats Mike on all of your success!
So onto the contest - one lucky reader will get to choose their prize from my favorite MLW bags. Here are a few of my fav's from his shop:
Fun & Funky -

Natural and Neutral:

Contest rules:
What you win - Your choice of one MLW Bag featured above
3 Ways to Enter -
- Leave a comment telling us which featured bag is your fav = 1 entry
- Become a FikleChik follower and leave a comment telling us which featured bag is your fav (leave a note in your comment that you became a follower. Current FikleChik followers will automatically be entered this way if you comment) = 5 entries
- Blog about the giveaway and leave a comment telling us which featured bag is your fav (don't forget to include a link to your blog post in your comment and each blog entry MUST link back to this article and should be no-followed since this isn’t about SEO tricks) = 10 entries
- The winner will be chosen randomly using random.org
- Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM EDT on Thursday, August 13th. The winner will be chosen and announced on Friday, August 14th.
- Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible. One entry per person. Spam entries will not be counted. Spam entries are determined at the sole discretion of FikleChik. For blog-based entries, the blog must be a legitimate blog and not a “spam” blog, or a blog set up purely for the purpose of entering contests. All rules are subject to change without notice.
#1 is adorable!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. I've learned so much. My favorite is #7.
ReplyDeleteThese are all so cute!
ReplyDeleteI love #9 under Natural and Neutral.
And I follow this blog :)
Hey Lauren. Love the idea of offering up one of Mike's bags. I'm a fan of #8.
ReplyDeleteoh yeah i became a follower. Hope you are having fun down under. number 9 is pretty hot also. lol. so hard to pick just one.
ReplyDeleteAND i blogged about it on my blog and am going to try and link it to facebook also. i'm crossing my fingers on that one.
ReplyDeletehttp://insidethemcmind.blogspot.com/2009/08/free-stuff.html
oh my... what lovely bags!!!!
ReplyDeletei am especially in love with neutral #9. so lovely!!!
xoxox muffin
p.s. i'm following you now! (in the least stalker-y way possible! lol!)
I love #2 and #5, and I became a follower!
ReplyDeleteOhh, love this idea! The bags are all fabulous! Love, love, love the fun and funky ones, but if I had to pick just one to be my favorite, it would be #9. I'm a sucker for a big purse!
ReplyDelete*I've now become a follower to your blog Lauren :)
Such a tough decision as they are all so creative and inspiring! My choice is Number 4!! I love your work Michael. Thanks Lauren for introducing me to his line!
ReplyDeleteI just became a follower. Your blog is fun! I'm not a bag person normally, but these are great. But in a showdown between #4 and #8, I'm going with 4. Very cute!
ReplyDeleteThey're all so cute! I love the color of #2, but #9 is probably my favorite just because it's more practical for me.
ReplyDeleteI like #9.
ReplyDeletecharlies_secret_angel2006@yahoo.com
How creative! These bags are so different and neat looking. I love the design and color of bag #8.
ReplyDeletep.s. I too have now become a follower of your blog =)
I love #9 from the second set. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteWelcome home!
ReplyDeleteAwesome designs! I love so many! I'd chose #9 though. Count me in! ;)
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Oooh.... #9, definately. That looks like me, AND I'm due for a new purse :)
ReplyDeleteEnter me! =) And I'm already a follower! Thanks- Those bages are great!
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower and I LOVE #9
ReplyDelete#8 is my absolute favorite! I love the style of the bag, where you can be comfortable just wearing the bag over your shoulder, and you don't have to keep fidgeting with the strap and worrying that you're going to lose your bag! Not many companies/places make bags with long shoulder straps anymore!
ReplyDeleteThe pattern is pretty too!
And I'm following you! Yahoo!
Thanks!
Elizabeth W
MIMIBUNNY11@aol.com
#2 is adorable, love the colors and the design. Great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHey - you know I'm a follower. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I just blogged about your awesome giveaway too! Yay! More chances! Keeping my fingers crossed!
I love #8! Your friend is very talented!
ReplyDeleteOops forgot to mention I am a follower- # 8 is still the one!
ReplyDeletehi, found you thru evangaline's vine, oh please enter me, come over and enter my giveaway, nice to meet you.
ReplyDeletegreat bags! 1 or 6, ok, let's say 6.
ReplyDeletewow thats quite inspiring (story)
ReplyDelete#8
KawaiiNeko2008 at aol dot com
I'm a follower! my favorite is number 7.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love the Super stripes fold over shoulder bag. Thanks for having such a fantastic giveaway!!!
ReplyDelete#8 - Love the colors and pattern!
ReplyDeleteFollowing the blog!
They are all so cool, but I'd say #6 or #9 would be my picks.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
I love, love, love #2!!! That color is great!
ReplyDeletememoriesforlifescrapbooks@hotmail.com
I am a follower :)
ReplyDeletememoriesforlifescrapbooks@hotmail.com
Oooh, my fav is #3 - quirky!
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower! Woo!
I love #9. I am now a follower and I posted your giveaway in on my blog: http://cardmakinggirl.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteAlexis
I love #9. I am now a follower and I posted a link to about your giveaway on my blog: http://cardmakinggirl.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI'm going with #1
ReplyDeleteamanda
catss99@yahoo.com
entry 1 for following--i chose #1
ReplyDeleteamanda
catss99@yahoo.com
entry 2 for following--i chose #1
ReplyDeleteamanda
catss99@yahoo.com
entry 3 for following--i chose #1
ReplyDeleteamanda
catss99@yahoo.com
entry 4 for following--i chose #1
ReplyDeleteamanda
catss99@yahoo.com
entry 5 for following--i chose #1
ReplyDeleteamanda
catss99@yahoo.com
I choose 8.
ReplyDeleteKaren, civ05@yahoo.com
i'm a follower and i chose 8
ReplyDeletekaren, civ05@yahoo.com
My favorite is #9, too. Love this. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI love how the internet makes the world a small place - bumping into old friends in unexpected online places!
ReplyDeleteLove #2 - though it was hard to pick just one! (I'm a follower too.)
Lauren, I love your blog, especially when you post idea boards. Cute bags! I like #7 and #9 the best. I'm now "officially" a follower, but I've followed you on google reader for awhile.
ReplyDeleteBoy -- it's hard to choose -- but I think #8 is my favorite -- love the shape and colors!!
ReplyDeleteI am now a follower, too!!
ReplyDeleteBeth
Hello! I'm a friend of Michael's dad and he told me about this contest. These purses are awesome! I love #9 but I think #4 is really cute and funky so I would have to say that is my favorite. What girl wouldn't love one of these fabulous purses!!
ReplyDeleteI love the colour of bag #2!
ReplyDeletegemini5757 at hotmail.com
New to blogging, but I figured out how to follow you! I like number 7. Mike is an extremely talented guy!
ReplyDeleteI love bag #9.
ReplyDeletetarasteele7@hotmail.com
I blogged about the contest:
ReplyDeletewww.domesticprncs.com
I love the neutral stripes of #9. Great shape and so versatile.
ReplyDeleteheidig@gmail.com
I am a follower :)
This contest is now officially closed. Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments and participation and to Mike for your fabulous purses! Good luck to all!
ReplyDeleteI blogged about the contest:
ReplyDeletewww.domesticprncs.com