I didn't discover leather carving till later in life, but I have embraced working with leather and have a passion for creating in leather and learning it's history.
Fall is here and that means Christmas isn’t that far off. It also means there is not much time to get your orders in for custom leatherwork and still have them guaranteed in time for Christmas.
Cross Body Bag
Christmas custom leatherwork orders take time to make and there aren’t many slots left in my order books. If you ware looking for a custom leatherwork item to be that special gift for this Christmas now is the time to contact me. There is a deadline of Oct 30th to place an order in time for this Christmas. After that date I can’t guarantee delivery in time for Christmas, but I will do everything I can to complete an item in time to ship for Christmas.
Everyone wants a unique Christmas gift to give their loved ones. If your gift ideas include a custom leatherwork creation, it’s not too late to place an order with me and have your idea become a reality. But be sure to place your order soon! Time is running out and it can take several weeks to make some items. That’s why it’s important to contact me as soon as possible. I would be thrilled to make a custom leather wallet, leather notebook, or handbag for you or your loved one.
And as another option, please check out my shop for items I currently have in stock. There may be something there that is completed and ready to ship that will make the perfect gift.
Every artist, no matter what your medium, will run into creative blocks that stop the flow of ideas and creative energy. Sometimes it is a brief feeling that causes you to hang up your tools or put away your brushes for the afternoon but sometimes it’s a feeling that can stifle you for days or weeks. That’s when you have to do something about it.
Don’t get me wrong. Every once in a while taking the afternoon off to enjoy being outside or doing some other fun (and usually unrelated) activity is a necessary break to keep us creative and sane. But if your feeling like your creative juices aren’t flowing and the feeling is hanging on, here are some ideas you can try to overcome the block, find your motivation and get back in the groove again.
Try taking a break
Sometimes it’s the pause that refreshes. Finding motivation sometimes involves a complete break to do something different and reset the brain. Try going outside for a walk or exercising. Changing your mental gears and doing some other activity you enjoy or that challenges you a different way might just be all the break you need to get your flow back on track. This is good when you just need a small break but if your creative block has been going on longer it will probably take more than this.ยจ
Set a goal
Often our motivation is blocked because the project at hand seems too big or it doesn’t excite us like other projects. I sometimes get this when working on leather projects that don’t involve a lot of artwork or carving, or if it’s a big new project working on something I’ve never made before. When this happens it helps to set small goals to make progress towards the overall completed project. It can be difficult to find motivation when a project seems overwhelming. By setting small goals that are easier to reach you can make progress is small steps. Those steps will help build your confidence and your motivation, all of which helps with finding motivation.
And if you find it difficult to reach your goals or keep on track, tell a friend about your goals. Telling someone whom you can trust can help you feel accountable, especially if they are someone that will remind you of your goals and keep pushing you to reach it.
Make a series of small goals
Small goals can act as manageable steps toward a bigger goal. Setting up small steps can create more manageable goals, and each small goal gets you closer to the overall large goal and builds your momentum towards completing the project and getting your motivation back.
Celebrate success!
As you reach each goal, celebrate your successes! Even small steps are an accomplishment towards completing your project and getting your creative momentum up and running again. Celebrating each positive step resets your feelings towards the project, turning what may seem like a chore into a feeling of accomplishment.
More to come!
Next time we’ll talk about some ways to find our motivation by releasing your creativity.
I recently read an article talking about the importance of labor and finding ways to express our creativity through what we make or build. It made me think about the importance of creativity and making for those of us that build, make or create items that are very personal and/or have an artistic touch to them. Many people have jobs where they make something. You can work in a factory where you build electronic devices or make a food product, but how many people get to work in a business where they make something extremely personal or something that takes fine craftsmanship?
Leather money clip with oak leaf carving designs.
While many people have daily jobs where they work in a factory and make something or a part of something, the jobs where people have true craftsman skills are much fewer and far between these days. For the most part, when things are made these days it’s in a mass production, factory oriented environment designed to efficiently make hundreds or thousands of a particular item. Often that item isn’t made to last a lifetime. It is functional but has a designed obsolescence and you will need to replace it in a few years. No thought is given to repairing it. If something goes wrong you replace it.
There used to be many crafts and trades that operated in a town and made products that were used locally by the people of the area. Those makers made the whole product from start to finish and they were judged on the quality and skill of that finished product. Their creativity came into play in the artistry or personalization they could build into the final product. Creativity and making went hand in hand. This was true if they were the local baker, a blacksmith, a shoe maker or someone from my industry, a leather worker. Just over a century ago, every town had someone who worked with leather and made harnesses or saddles for horses, because most work and transportation was done with horses. Someone who was skilled with leather was needed to build and maintain all that gear the horses needed.
Now those kind of skilled jobs are rare. You still find them in the construction trades (think carpenters and the like) but there aren’t that many jobs where an individual’s creativity and skill can be expressed in what they make. It’s something that is much rarer to find these days than it would have been a century ago. I feel lucky that I have my business as a way of expressing my artistic side and hand making items that are unique and often crafted for a specific individual.. It’s something that I feel very fortunate to be able to do, and it connects me to a time where a maker’s skill and craftsmanship were a badge of honor. I like to think it is still one today.
National Leathercraft Day was created in 2018 by Tandy Leather as a way of celebrating the art and craft of working with leather.
Hand Stitching a Leather Wallet with a traditional saddle stitch.
Leather has a long history going back to the stone age. Leather was probably one of the first materials mankind learned to work and take advantage of, and it’s been a major part of all our lives ever since. As time has moved along leather work has developed from being utilitarian to being an art form and form of expression.
Leathercraft is still a viable craft practiced by people all over the world. For some of us it is even a business and profession. But it’s also a hobby that is open to all ages and skill levels. 4H has classes for kids to start working with leather as do Boy and Girl Scouts. There are also leather supply stores like Tandy or Standing Bear’s Trading Post that have regular in person classes for people to try their hand at various skills. There are Leather Guilds across the US and the world dedicated to expanding the art form and that have regular classes or meetings with the purpose of educating people who are interested in the hobby. And of course there are many online resources like videos and tutorials, including several here on my site.
So today in honor of National Leathercraft Day I invite you to try out leathercraft for the first time or work on improving some skill. Maybe you would like to make yourself a belt. Maybe you want to make a sheath for a knife you have. Maybe you have always wanted to learn carving or stamping leather.. Give it a try! I have tutorials here on my site and Tandy Leather sells some of the best beginners books out there. There are tons of video resources by leather suppliers. Springfield Leather is not only a good source of supplies but they are one of the largest producers of online teaching videos. There are a lot of resources available to everyone these days and picking up the craft is easier now than ever.
For my own little contribution to National Leathercraft Day, I’ve got a free carving design for you. This is a corner floral design you can feel free to use however you would like.
Floral Corner Design
I’ve included a PDF version of the design here. You can download the JPEG image above or the PDF version by clicking the link below:
Use it however you like. And if I get enough requests I might even do my own carving tutorial video for that design. Enjoy the day and get to the bench and make something!
Summer is a busy time if you live in Colorado. With the wealth of outdoor activities it can be hard to find time to focus on custom leather work orders and designs.
Some snow remains above tree line in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
With all the options near where I live there are lots of opportunities for outdoor things to do. There are the mountains and hiking, lakes and rivers, mountain biking or sports. It’s no wonder it’s hard to find time to work in the shop. We’ve had a very wet summer too so our yards easily become jungles and it’s work just to keep the weeds out of the garden!
Despite all that there have been some fun projects completed the past couple of months and many more coming up. There have been a couple of belts and some new purse and handbag designs to be experimented with. Some of the projects have just been experiments but a few new items are coming to the shop. For instance there will be a new small cross body bag soon.
There have been some fun custom projects too. For instance for custom leather work there was this belt design. It was requested by a customer to duplicate the design on a wallet I had made previously. I like the way the design turned out and I think I’ll be making a version of this design available in my shop sometime soon.
Custom Leather Belt with Vine Design
There are some other interesting custom leather work projects coming up too. It looks like I may be making an archery quiver in the near future. This is something that I’ve wanted to try for a long time now and it looks like I’m going to get my chance. There are a couple of new leather handbag designs I’ve been working with that will (hopefully) be finalized and I have a wedding guest book to complete. And maybe a new belt design too. Plus finishing up some wallets for my Etsy shop plus a new small notebook. Yes there are lots of irons in the fire, or maybe that should be lots of leather on the workbench?
Also through my Instagram account, the tooling tips I’ve been posting have been popular and they have prompted several requests about leather finishing techniques. I’m working on ways to do this and I’m guessing I may be making some videos soon talking about antiquing and other finish issues. Stay tuned!
If you have a custom leather item you would like crafted for you, just send us a message and I’ll be happy to work you in. Its never too early to be thinking about Christmas gifts.
When I post my work on my Instagram or Facebook pages, one of the consistent questions I get has to do with some of the geometric stamps that I use. People see stamps like the ones below and they send me messages asking “who makes them and where can I get them?”
Wayne Jueschke stamp and a row of it’s impressions.
I don’t blame people for really liking these stamps. I remember the first time I saw any of these and how I fell in love with them right off the bat.
I’ve known Wayne Jueschke for more than 10 years now. I first met him at a Rocky Mountain Leather Trade show in Sheridan, WY where he is perennially a vendor. I was immediately struck by the quality of the stamps and the crispness of their impressions. Despite the fact that they are expensive, I bought a couple that year and I’ve bought a few every year since when I go to that show.
Wayne is a retired machinist and his desire for precision and quality definitely show. I feel that Wayne Jueschke geometric stamps are some of the finest stamps in the business and he has some unique designs that no one else is making. I’m especially fond of his box stamps but Wayne makes basket stamps (that are outstanding too, I have a couple) as well as bevelers and border stamps. And I have a couple of his flower centers that are really nice too.
Closeup of a Wayne Jueschke stamp on a leather wallet.
The tricky part about getting Wayne’s stamps is that he does not have a web site, doesn’t sell on line and in fact he doesn’t even take credit cards. If you wanted some of his stamps you pretty much had to run into him at a show or call him up and place an order, and then be prepared to pay by cash or check. It’s one of the reasons that I get so many questions when I post my work using his stamps. They just are not that common and someone is usually going to ask me 1) who makes that stamp and 2) how do I get one? For years all I could do was give them Wayne’s phone number or tell them look for him at the next trade show.
Fortunately now there is a website you can order some of Wayne Juescke’s stamps from. Bruce Johnson who normally sells vintage tools on his website is now carrying some of Wayne’s new stamps and mauls for sale. He has a dedicated page to these tools and he will take credit cards and ship internationally, so those of you who follow me overseas now finally have an option to get some of Wayne’s stamps!
If you would like to call Wayne (he’s a great guy to talk to!) to place an order you can reach him at 775-738-4885. He’s based in Elko, NV. Tell him Bob Blea says hi!
The Artists Method (for Custom Leather Belts Anyway)
So you’re in the market for a custom leather belt? Wondering why they cost so much more than a belt from the department store? Read on.
Hand carved leather belt with floral design and silver and turquoise buckle
Having a belt custom made to your specification takes a surprising amount of work. This is especially true for the carved or stamped belts that I make.
Usually the process starts off with a question about making a belt with a specific kind of design. Maybe it’s a basket weave design or maybe something more complex like a floral carving. One of the first important questions is what length the belt has to be. There is a specific process I follow to make sure the belt is the right length for your waist and it goes beyond just knowing what size jeans you wear. People are usually surprised to find out their belt length is longer than their pants waist size!
Once we work out the belt dimensions it’s then a matter of determining the design. Sometimes this is easy as the customer is ordering a standard design from my shop such as one of my standard floral designs or a particular geometric design. But sometimes they are looking for something more custom. I’ve had a request for a grape vine design from someone that owned a vineyard. Or someone might want me to make a design that matches something else I’ve made for them like a carved notebook or wallet. In those cases I need to draw a belt design that will work on the size of belt they want and that matches their request.
Custom belt being designed on my bench.
The width of the belt is a consideration too. Some people like wider belts and some like narrow belts. Or maybe they want something that is mostly wide but is tapered around the belt buckle. We can do that too, and those changes in width may need to be taken into account when designing the artwork for it.
And do they want it personalized? Maybe they want their name on the back or initials on the billet? Maybe they want their brand on the belt? These are all considerations when working with a customer to develop a custom belt for them.
So there are a lot of design steps and things to consider. This is what you are paying for when you work with a professional leather crafter who is making you a custom belt, and it is reflected in the price. But the end result should be a belt that will last you many years and that you will be happy to show off.
If you want your own custom leather belt, contact us now to get the process started! We would be happy to work with you!
In the midst of difficult economic times, rising inflation and some of the highest interest rates in decades, it easy to say that consumers in the US are under pressure. From groceries to gasoline to electricity, costs are up across the board and families in the US are definitely feeling the pinch. The leather goods business is not immune to these effects. I’ve personally seen my orders slow down the past year while the costs of raw materials has increased.
Leather Money Clip with Lizard Skin Inlay
One trend that is currently appearing in the US economy is the Quiet Luxury Trend (its also sometime called the ‘Stealth Wealth’ trend) and in may be a direct result of the tightening in the economy. It generally refers to a shift in luxury item purchases away from flashy designer logos or traditional high end brand names in favor of less flashy, more understated items and more thoughtful shopping. It has also been described as avoiding flashy brand logos and focusing more on the quality of an item and whether or not it fits your lifestyle. The quiet luxury trend also has been described as still using expensive materials but in muted tones or less flashy ways. Some analysts have even claimed that this trend is partially driven by the wealthy looking to avoid flaunting their wealth at a time when many others are struggling to pay the bills and living paycheck to paycheck.
So does this effect leather workers?
So how does this trend away from flashy luxury affect the business of most leather workers? Maybe not much and it really depends on who your target customers are. If you are a saddle maker and much of your business is saddles and working gear for cowboys, you probably won’t see much effect. If you are making high end notebooks, wallets and handbags (like much of my business is) it could be an issue. If people are not looking for flashy luxury leather items it may make some of our customers think twice before they purchase a fully carved leather handbag or bifold wallet.
There are a couple of ways you can approach this trend. You can make more muted and less flashy versions of your standard products. Maybe you use less flashy hardware or a more subtle leather to make your item. In my case I’m exploring items that have less carving and focus more on the quality of the leather. I’ve got a clutch wallet in the works now that fits this bill. Or maybe you continue doing things they way you have been. If you have established a customer base already they most likely come to you because of the style or look your leather work has now, and they are more likely to choose your work because they know your quality and will pay for your work. So you wouldn’t want to alienate these loyal customers just because of a current hot trend.
Perhaps the best approach to this quiet luxury trend is to experiment with more subtle items. That’s what I’m trying now with items that focus on the luxury look and feel of the leather instead of the intricate work of the carving or stamping. But I won’t be giving up leather carving. I’ve already got enough orders for carved items (plus a few cool ideas I want to try) to keep me busy throughout the summer. And then we’ll see what new fashion trend comes around the fall.
For a long time I’ve been working on handbag and purse designs. They have almost exclusively been custom orders for people but recently I’ve made one design (a cross body bag) available in my shop for purchase.
Cross Body Bag
The history of handbags and purses is fascinating! Handbags and purses are a key part of many modern women’s wardrobes and often make a statement as an important accessory. But that wasn’t always the case. According to this Wikipedia article, the term handbag didn’t come into common use until the early 20th century. While both sexes had carried a ‘purse’ which was primarily used for coins for many years prior to that, the term ‘handbag’ began appearing in the 1900’s as a description of men’s hand luggage. However apparently over time women’s bags grew larger and more complex and the term ‘handbag’ became more associated with women’s bags.
The First Luxury Handbag
The first set of ‘luxury handbags’ is believed to have been made in 1841 as a custom order for an English Industrialist, Samuel Parkinson. According to history (and the same article referenced above) he ordered a set of traveling bags from a London shop called H. J. Cave. As part of the order he specified a “traveling case or bag for his wife’s particulars after noticing that her purse was too small and made from a material that would not withstand” long journeys by train. He also requested that several be made in different sizes for different occasions and he specifically stated they needed to be made of leather. While this was good news for me and other future leather workers like me, it wasn’t that popular at the time. The finished bags which are considered the first ‘modern’ handbags were considered too heavy by many critics of that time. They were concerned that the bags were so heavy that they would result in back injuries to the poor frail women of the era. H. J. Cave apparently only made handbags occasionally and stopped making them in 1865 except for certain customers. Like the Queen of England and other royalty on request. They would start making luxury bags again for the general public in 2010.
Fortunately for me and my interest in making custom leather handbags and purses, the idea did eventually catch on and now they exist in all sorts of shapes, sizes and artwork designs. If you are interested in a custom leather handbag or purse, please feel free to contact me. I’ll be thrilled to add my work to the history of handbags and purses!
Carved Leather Purse
This article has been sponsored by Loveland Heights Cottages near Estes Park, CO and along the banks of the Big Thompson River. They have played host to many luxury leather bags over the years. The cabins have been around almost as long as there have been modern handbags for women but the cabins still have modern conveniences like WiFi. Check out their website to contact them and arrange reservations for your Rocky Mountain summer getaway!
Mid May is a special time of year for us leather workers, especially those living near enough to Wyoming that we can easily travel to the Rocky Mountain Leather Trade show in Sheridan, WY.
The Premier Leather Trade Show in the US
A view of the trade show floor.
Every May some of the best suppliers of tools, equipment, hardware and of course leather gather in Sheridan for a week long event that includes classes and a leather artwork show that usually attracts some of the best artisans from around the world. As a leather worker this is an excellent chance to see the work of some of the best leather workers, purchase specialized tools and get some of the most unique leathers on the planet all in one place. It’s also a great chance to learn from others and improve our skills.
This has been an event where in the past I’ve taken classes to improve my skills and where I’ve met some amazing people. The leather worker community in the US is really a very friendly and supportive group as a whole and the leather workers at the Sheridan show really exemplify that. They are a community that will support each other and freely share their knowledge. A great example of this is a free class taught on Saturday afternoon to kids to introduce them to leather work. Master leather craftsman Jim Linnel of Elk Track Studios has given his time for many years to introduce this art to the next generation and to further its traditions. It’s this kind of openness and community that make this show such a special event in my life and the lives of many other leather workers around the country.
I came back inspired by the amazing work I saw at the World Leather Debut, an art exhibit that is part of the show, as well as the amazing friends I’ve made over the years who are real leaders in this art form. Now I’m back with a few new tools, a few new ideas and some beautiful leather.
