Review: 3 Purple Monkeys

 Reviewer: Lynda Hardy

Anyone who has ever used disposable wipes knows that once the wipes are finished, you wind up with a sturdy, re-closeable box that just cries out to be kept and repurposed.  During the early years of a child's life, you might just collect a small mountains of these boxes.

Flip-top accessible opening!

So what to do with them?  They're great for stowing small items - you can use them to organize everything from the contents of your junk drawer, to small toys and game parts, to craft supplies, to photos and keepsakes, to tea bags, to... you name it!  But they're not exactly pretty in their off-the-shelf state, are they?

That's where Jackie, of 3 Purple Monkeys comes in!  She creates and sells one of a kind handcrafted storage boxes that start with repurposed wipes containers.  No two are exactly alike, because she works with the customer to select theme, fabric pattern and color, embellishments, and she is committed to making the container as unique as the person using it.  If desired, the boxes can be personalized for a small  additional cost per letter.

I was fortunate enough to be gifted for one while we were planning our wedding, so I chose a peacock theme for the box, thinking to use it for wedding keepsakes.  I didn't have a solid plan for what might go in them, so I asked her to surprise me, and was excited and pleased when I got one of each size, in different peacock - themed patterns!

Each box is nicely padded and easily able to be opened and closed repeatedly.  The large box has a fabric peacock embellishment on the front that really makes the whole thing 'pop'. I absolutely love the vibrancy of the bright blue fabric - it is far too pretty to ever put out of sight, so it sits on a table with a few other peacock themed decorations. Inside, I am able to keep our stash of wax fragrance tarts where they are easily accessible.  But that use was only settled on with great difficulty, because I keep thinking of new ways I need a little bit of extra storage!

The smaller, flat box was quickly put to use for an intended wedding purpose - it is our alternative to a wedding guest book.  Ours was a small wedding, and there is something a little sad to me about keeping a commercial wedding guest book that is mostly empty.  So instead, we decided to use a standing metal tree we keep up at home (usually decorated for whatever holiday is upcoming), and let my youngest daughter and her fiance decorate it with extra flowers I'd used to create wreaths, as well as, you guessed it, peacock feathers.

Next to the tree, there was a small basket of pretty tags, purchased in a pad in the stamping section of a craft store, and some pens, along with an invitation to guests to write their well wishes and hang them on the tree.

This is where 3 Purple Monkeys came in - I needed something extra special and storable to hold all these small little tags, and the smaller container was just perfect for the job!  I know if I hadn't had a good container for them, someday we'd absentmindedly lose these tags - instead, they're in a delightful one-of-a-kind container next to our photo album, so that we can look through them over the years and remember our special day.

Jackie went the extra mile with this case - she found half-sphere peacock blue-green glass jewels in various sizes that she carefully attached to the eye of selected peacock feathers on the fabric.  The result is a bit of sparkle that is very eye catching!

I have no doubt I'll be adding to my collection of boxes, especially since 3 Purple Monkeys is so willing to work with me to create something specifically for my tastes.

I've recently come to realize that I very badly need another of these smaller cases - something that looks classicly neutral and has no embellishments that might pull off if used a bit roughly.  This is because after testing my idea with this one, I now realize it's absolutely perfect as a protective case in my purse that will contain a few important items that invariably land on the bottom of my messenger-style purse.  Keys, my phone, my iPod, along with a small rechargeable cord.  These are things I am rooting through my bag for every single day - but with a case like this, I could quickly pull it out, open and grab the item I want, no muss no fuss.  So, we'll be working on a design for that shortly.

Before I forget - one of the best parts of all is that 3 Purple Monkey's prices are a steal!  While the core container is repurposed, the fabric, padding, embellishments and time spent on the planning and execution make these a total bargain.

The small cases are just $11.50.  She also makes some where the small flip top area is still accessible (so that these could continue to be used as a portable container for wipes!), and those are only $13.00! The larger boxes are a mere $15.00.

She has a couple specialty items that add a slight bit to the price:  as a military spouse, Jackie often finds herself putting together containers with a military theme, some of which use the actual fabric that makes up Army field uniforms - boxes using this material cost $1.00 extra.  Lettering for personalization costs $0.25 per letter.

If you would like to check out her work or order one for your own, either head over to 3 Purple Monkeys on Etsy, or on Facebook.  She prefers to discuss details for creating your case via Message on Facebook.

As an even bigger bargain, 3 Purple Monkeys is offering a discount to our readers!  When you buy one of these cases, tell Jackie "RCH3PM" and she'll give you a 10% discount, plus up to 6 free letters for a first name personalization!

Wouldn't these make a lovely baby shower gift, or a special keepsake box for a boy or girl with a deployed parent?  I'm positive that the ways to use these cases are limited solely be the reaches of our imagination - what would you use yours for?



3 Purple Monkeys on Etsy.
3 Purple Monkeys on Facebook.

*** 

I received no monetary compensation for this review, however I was gifted materials that are being reviewed, and am a family member of the owner of this company.  All opinions are my own. Click here see our full disclosure policy.

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