Makeover of Vintage design suitcases

This pale green suitcase - large size;  Ivory suitcase - small size.

I found this charming vintage design mini suitcase at Romantika at Wangsa Walk Mall one Thursday afternoon. I do find surprises at this shop some times. The company carries a wide range of vintage country style home decorative products. Many of their products are being produced in China, Vietnam and Indonesia. thus the company can offers an affordable retail prices.

I was delighted to carry the suitcase home together with 3 other vintage design photo frames. It comes with 3 sizes of  large for RM39, medium for RM35 and small for RM29. A GREAT DEAL! There were couple of designs available for these mini suitcases with French vintage theme. All of them were in linen and ivory shades as base color except the one that I bought. You may try to get it from other Romantika's outlets if you like this pale green suitcase. 

Large size suitcase with romantic print 

Medium size suitcase with French vintage print 

Few days later, I visited another outlet of Romantika at Wangsa Maju which is just next to Wangsa Walk Mall and I bought another two more suitcases. I had to sneak them into my house to avoid any unnecessary attention from my husband. He is a great husband, it was just my own guilt for spending again.

The brown PVC bands on the bag were actually glued around the border of the case instead of what it appeared to be stitched on. It is not strong and can easily be detached from the bag. The handle is screwed onto the bag with tiny screws. It is not advice to fill the suitcase with heavy load. The finishing of the suitcase is not great but it was a good deal for the price I paid.

The medium size suitcase sits perfectly in the large size one;
the small size suitcase would sit perfectly in the medium one.

The internal was just plain black with no compartment. I had an idea to make it look better and more useful. I laid pretty fabrics on the inner cover and base and stitched two pocket compartments on the inner cover. This is certainly useful as storage for my scrapbooking and crafting items.  I love that I can now conveniently carry them anywhere I go. I craft whenever I am waiting for my girls for their classes, when I am visiting my in-laws, when I am traveling  back to my hometown, and even when I was at the clinic. Perhaps I can plan a scrapbooking trip with my good friend,Lee Ing, in the future.

First makeover completed

For those of you who couldn't travel without a makeup case. These suitcases could be a good alternative choice as compared to the more commonly seen cosmetic case with monograms. Let's design it with some pocket compartments, sew a few loops to hold brushes and combs in the inner cover and even an attached mirror.  You can make dividers inside the suitcase to organize your cosmetics.

Second makeover for medium size suitcase

With some effort, the suitcase being transformed into a makeup bag.

Having a sewing suitcase is definitely a must for me. I had already started carrying it around.

Here is the third makeover for a large size suitcase

I love personalize my things - It is my LV, Prada....

Upcycled the elastic band from my daughter's old pant onto this suitcase

The elastic band prevent the materials from dropping out

Screwed on the elastic band & a bead as button

For parents, wouldn't your kids look lovely to carry these little suitcases as their lunch or crafts boxes? For people who travel with their pills, this can be your medicine box. There are many more ways to use it for storage. If nothing else, it is simply a beautiful display item.

The next time you bumped into a mother with her two girls carrying the same little suitcases - it is very likely that I am the mother:)

Click here for tutorial ( Yup,Just got them readied today on 20 March 2012).