Creativity is like a flower. It slowing takes root inside you, growing until it breaks the surface. Getting stronger until you absolutely need to bring it to fruition.
“Roses do not bloom hurriedly; for beauty, like any masterpiece, takes time to blossom.” ~Matshona Dhliwayo
‘Falling asleep under a hawthorn, you would be transported into the world of the Fae.’
“Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?” ~Kathleen Kelly in “You’ve got Mail”
‘I think the blue alpine calf is such a timeless choice. But don’t get me wrong, it is far from boring. I lined all the pieces with a thirst quenching punch of tangerine colored suede.’
Daffy-down-dilly, you are like laughter. Joy. A feeling of elation. My memories of daffodils always start with a few stragglers, in total contrast of the gray brown earth, in which they stood on a hillside glade in the “little mountian” commonly known as Monticello.
Even since ancient times the Iris has come to represent power and majesty.
Imagine if you will, a brown and white hair-on-hide with a streak of white down the center that had such a powerful vertical line it reminded me of a lightning bolt.
The winter months are always met with opposing forces in my studio. On one hand, I feel the need to take this slower time of year, after the hubbub of the holidays and just create for fun. On the other hand, I have a mountain of scraps from the years past staring me in the face. It’s impossible to clean the studio and not have to deal with it. So, before any fun creative ideas really nudge me forward from my winter slumber, I sort. I sort the scrap pile, I cut and prep projects that I know can be made of the leather. This year I’m proud to say I’ve made many lovely things from said ‘pile,’ and I’m hoping you’ll enjoy them as they are the basis of my Valentine’s Sale Collection!
Everything my husband and I made will be on sale in an effort to enable more sustainable sales. We really strive to bring forward a useful or joyful product without being wasteful or reliant on cheaply made hardware/products. We try and add a bit of the western spirit to what we make. A stubbornness to build with our hands, using as much of the animals hide as possible. We believe in slow, well-intentioned fashion that tells a story - tells your story.
These last few weeks we’ve built a collection of products that do just that. We have key fobs, hair ties, wallets, brooches, and even purses. The remnants we found lurking under larger rolls of leather on our shelves were turned into bags. And for now we put them all on sale! On the horizon of Valentine’s Day, we are sharing our sustainable practices with you at up to 70 percent off! We love your presence here, we appreciate your desire to experience our hand crafted leather adventure. Hopefully you’ll see something that brings you joy and fills your eyes with emoji hearts!
Snowdrops on leather
Well you can see, if you scroll down, just how long its been since a blog post has been made. Pre pandemic! AND for me (Sam) to be the one writing is not typical. Ben (my husband and partner in crime) is the one who usually pens these. However, the turn of the calendar gets one thinking and goal setting. Its then a matter of time before it turns into goal getting. You see….I struggle a bit with January. I take a break at the holidays, then I typically tear up my work space in an effort to make way for a clean fresh year where all my ideas and goals can look me in the face instead of getting buried under piles of unfinished business(clutter). My husband and I take out huge plastic tubs from under our cutting table and sort them out, reusing any piece that will make something already in our repertoire (ie notebook covers, wallets, etc) and then cutting strips, or shapes. Sometimes you drive yourself mad trying to think of a use for things you a) don't have time for, or b) don't have the tools to do, or c) it's so outside your brand that you simply can't justify it. This year we probably had the largest culmination of scraps we've ever had. With a goal to work through all the older, tag ends of hides on our shelves. Which usually makes a mishmash of product. Which I'm fine with but it does muddle my progress when creating the things I really want to make with purpose. This is usually where my well intentioned friends tell me to junk it and move forward. But alas, I am not here because I particularly like to sell handbags. I love to cut, shape, sew, envision, to create. I'm here as a person struggling with the dilemma of how to make beautiful things. And I can't help but look at a pile of scrap leather and see so much potential. So I hang on. I hang on with hopes that I will get to that gorgeous appliquéd collection I've been dreaming about. I hang on believing my intentions will align with my work flow and this "work in progress" I call myself will create something exceptional from the remnants of the work that led to it. As I look back over last year's pieces, I know I'm getting closer. I have faith in my vision. It's going to happen. I will write, and it will happen. I resolve to make it so.
My curiosity always asks: What are your ideas? If you had a mountain of tiny leather scraps staring you down, and a resolve to reduce waste and reuse scraps, what would you do? Maybe you know someone who crafts that would be interested in some? Leave me comment! I’d love to hear your thoughts! ~Sam
My mountain of scrap leather
Very few people start a business with branding at the forefront of the minds. Nevertheless, we find ourselves in our fifth year constantly sticking to our identity. In many ways, it took us a few years to even know ourselves. So branding is, in essence, knowing one's self.
Lake McDonald Lodge in the fall. This became our first image that helped us (accidentally) define our brand.
As I've written in previous blogs and posts, we've had to fight the concept of being an adventure brand as our main identity. This photograph exemplifies that struggle. It features Craftsmen leathergoods in a national park. It's so very true to our roots. It is not, however, what adventure. While that's how we saw it, we were actually tuning in to somethings more essential to our aesthetic — lover and luxury. We are not helping our customers to explore the wilds of Glacier. We're aiming to create fashion as an embodiment of one's style — a signature piece. The adventure in this case is a rustic exploration of the niceties of Glacier. The lodge itself is rustic elegance. Red jammer busses, fine dining, a classic novel and leather weekender bags are the experience.
It's surprising hpwamy of our fans like bold style. And we love them for it. Why does our style seem to favor the bold?
Well, in truth, it doesn't and it does. Good design should act as a reflection of one's style. By focusing on great leather and one of a unique design, Beargrass Leather goods are what you make it. It only needs your unique perspective. This is a quality that seems to attract the confident stylist. And that's our goal — help you to wear your look with more confidence and originality.
Summer Art Show Schedule: Cherry Creek, Sun Valley, and Anacortes
We are hitting the road this summer to visit these three amazing art shows. Come on out and visit us. Or if you know someone who lives in one of these locations, let them know that they have a rare chance to visit us.
Cherry Creek (Denver, CO): July 5th - 7th
This amazing event is one of the best art shows in the west (period). We are excited to be showing nearly all of our winter and spring work for this show.
Anacortes Art Festival Expo (Anacortes, WA): August 2-4
We are really excited to spend some time in western Washington. This is a show that we couldn’t attend last year due to a scheduling conflict with other shows, so we made it a “must attend” show this year.
Sun Valley (Sun Valley, ID): August 9-11
Another amazing event that is catching on more and more. We hope to have a strong showing an make this one of our regular events.
Something Special
There are many reasons to purchase leather goods. They are durable, smell amazing, and can be styled in so many ways. Ultimately, people who are looking to purchase leather goods are looking for something special (either as a gift or for themselves). Owning a Beargrass Leather adds value to an already amazing experience of committing to a quality product. People can feel the artisan difference in every product.
“Simply amazing work! Who doesn't love hand made, quality leather goods? Exactly! They made the perfect gift for my wife. I am thrilled and so is she.” ~ Jason Q. (Google Review)
Leather goods are not just a fashion statement, they can help define your persona for life. Showing up to the lodge with an amazing Weekender bag, or going out for an anniversary with a cobalt blue Artemis sets the stage for something amazing.
The vision of Beargrass Leather is a dedication to making heirloom quality leather goods in the style of the American West.
A Closer Look: The Importance of Design
Design is what truly makes Beargrass Leather unique. Sam and I spend a lot of time together whether it be on trips, at our his & her leather work desks, and throughout the day. And one question that routinely pops up is “what makes our bags special?” The answer is design.
Design for us includes every aspect of our bags. It typically starts with a style of product and choice of leather. We spend a lot of time choosing leather. From there, many aesthetic qualities and details are chosen: lining, edge paints and colors, threads, hardware, and details. But this doesn’t quite cover the concept in its entirety.
This Silver Gate is a great example of our aesthetic qualities and design at work. While a tote, even in cowhair, is not completely a novel concept, you still know that it is a Beargrass design when you see it. Why is this? In short, it’s the design. Sam’s eye for neutral tones created the marriage of this soft-gray brindle hair and the warm-grey nubuck leather. It also allows our signature cross-stitch in grey thread to pop along the gussets. Even the touch of edge paint along the handle edges create the subtle contrast of a truly finished product.
“Good design is honest”
On a long Montana drive this summer, I asked Sam if her products and my products still have matching designs. For example, does the Daily Messenger bag and Big Sky briefcase still match her Sadie and Artemis handbags? The answer is yes. While some designs are more rustic than others, that mostly depends on the choice of leather. Plus, even our more polished designs have a rustic elegance (which is our motto).
Rustic Elegance: the ability to elevate organic materials to a sophisticated level without losing its natural wonder. We strive to design elegant/modern/simple styles of leather goods then we let our techniques and leathers provide the levels of rustic appeal.
It’s a worthy business model to make leather goods, but it’s the artistic endeavor which drives us to create. Far from forming a few model patterns and hitting the repeat button, we strive to ‘speak’ to the customer the way an artist does. When we construct a handbag, we want the wearer to know they are carrying a one-of-a-kind piece. Part of our M.O. is to learn. We are constantly tinkering and trying new things. Exercising this continual curiosity forces us to learn new skills. New leathers, styles, and techniques which push our design in all sorts of directions yet clearly maintain a sophisticated modern appeal.
The value of our brand is our talent for design. Our collective vision and shared aesthetic creates a product that draws few comparisons.
A Closer Look: Tuning Out the Noise (or Staying Focused)
At Beargrass Leather, we draw inspiration and insight from the world around us (past and present). However, how our minds perceive that world creates unnecessary distractions that can pull from our artistic vision.
Hand-stitched details on this pebbled black Sadie.
In my opinion, one of the biggest challenges to maintaining a vision is “noise.” While observing the world is great for insight, one must learn to filter out the noise. Vision in a vacuum is authentic, but it’s tough to be inspired. Vision in a world of clutter is equally challenging.
What does noise do? Oh man, the noise prays on the worst of the human instincts. It sows self-doubt or anger or competitiveness.
“There are always distractions, if you allow them”
It is simply too easy for the human mind to make assumptions. They look to be so successful… They really look like they are selling more than me today… This bag by someone who started following me three weeks ago looks just like my…. Noise is the killer of vision. Even by posting this, you probably assume that I've established a zen-like ability to block noise. I have not!
I’ve created a small list of things to do when surrounded by a world of noise.
Step 1: Turn down the volume — When I find myself surrounded by literal noise, I turn off the volume. The same goes for business noise. Put the phone down! Take in less stimuli from a world that seems determined to show that everyone is more successful than you!
Step 2: Find your strengths — Finding strengths is deserving of an entire blog page. Most artists can painfully explain each and every weakness. Great artists don’t focus on weakness. They focus on their strength. Nobody ever looks at Picasso and wishes that he was more of an impressionist. Picasso knew his strengths. In short, be you.
Step 3: Define your own goals — Don’t let other define your goals for you. That doesn’t mean that you can’t switch goals. But don’t switch simply because everyone else seems to be doing something. List out the pros and cons. Make a decision. But at the end of the day, make your own goals.
Step 4: Work to achieve your goals — It’s that simple. Put in the work. I always find that in this part of this, I am ready to get back to my work. Grab some coffee, Buttercup; there is work to do.
We are slowly rolling out more masculine items: travel bags, wallets, and belts. All of these can be customized. They also pair with our new monogramming ability.
I had to go through so many prototypes that the roll-out has been slowly. If you ever have any questions, email us.
We push ourselves. We try new things. We use the whole hide.