Store FAQ

• About By Your Side...

  Hello! My name is Michele, I am the owner/designer and slave to the needle (both sewing and knitting), behind By Your Side. I live in “The City of Roses,” Portland, Oregon with my husband and two lovely daughters. By Your Side was born, four years ago, when I couldn’t find that “perfect” purse. I thought to myself, “Michele, you know what you want, just make it!“ Through trial and error (a lot of error), I began designing purses to fit my needs. Then a funny thing happened, after carrying my own creations around town and answering many questions about them, it finally dawned on me that not everyone else sews or knits and they wanted to buy my purses! Thus, the birth of By Your Side! I must confess, I am a “fabriholic,” and my yarn habit is just as bad! All of my creations are handcrafted from high quality fabric and yarns, with attention to detail and functionality. By Your Side’s purses and handbags are interfaced with Pellon for body and strength, and stress points are double or even triple stitched! I have sold my purses for the last two years at The Gresham Farmer’s Market and at several local bazaars during the holiday season. I welcome custom orders! If you see a style of purse you like, but want a different fabric, just let me know, am completely available to help you create that “perfect” purse! "If you want a great gift for a special person, then buying from Michele is the right choice. I recently purchased the "Michele" purse from her as a thank-you gift for my apartment manager when she was super helpful during my recent move. The purse is very stylish and my apartment manger, Heather, loves it and uses it all the time. Once I ordered the purse, it arrived very quickly and was beautifully wrapped with a nice card about purse care, etc. Michele even sent a pretty beaded bookmark for me (and I enjoy using it as I read a lot). You just can't go wrong with a wonderful purse and outstanding service, so do be sure to buy from Michele - you'll be glad you did!" - Kerri If you would like to learn more about me, see more creations or just say, “hi,” come visit me at my blog: http://michele-byyourside.blogspot.com/ You can also come be a Fan of By Your Side on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ByYourSide2009 Or Tweet me here: http://twitter.com/ByYourSide2009 (cut and paste links into your browser). Thank you for stopping in and buying handmade!

• Where does this store ship from?

  Portland, Oregon USA

• Do you accept orders placed outside of the US?

  We sure do!

• How long will it take to receive my order?

  Once shipped most domestic orders take anywhere from 2 to 10 business days to arrive depending on the efficiency of your local postal service. International shipping delivery times may vary between 2 and 12 weeks.

• What is this store's return and exchange policy?

  Refunds and exchanges are taken on a case-by-case basis. If you are unhappy with your order for any reason please contact me within 5 working days of receiving your package. I will do my best to resolve the problem quickly. I will accept a return/exchange of the item in its original condition. You will need to pay the return shipping expenses. Please contact me first before returning/exchanging any items. Once I have received and inspected the item, I will refund the full purchase amount, minus shipping fees.

• Do you accept Custom Orders?

  I LOVE creating Custom Orders!! If you would like a place a custom order please contact me with your ideas, we can discuss the details and plan the design. Once we have agreed on a price and date for completion By Your Side will create a special listing in store for you to pay. Payment is due before I start work. Once payment has cleared I will start work on your order. When your order is complete I will send you photos for your approval. If you want significant changes that are not stated in the original agreed upon design, a small fee may be accessed for additional materials and time involved. When you are happy with your creation, I will ship your package to you within 2 working days. PLEASE NOTE: Because of the time and effort involved, custom orders are not returnable.