There’s been this battle in my hands when it comes to what the heck to do with leather.
For a while, I’d shiver when looking at my leather bench, afraid to make anything except simple, bright belts to go with my belt buckles.
One of my dearest friends is a leather worker and it always seems like she’s already done everything, tooled every kind of design there is to tool, strung together every kind of bag one could make and crafted every kind of cuff there is in the world.
I’ve been paralyzed by her proficiency and terrified of dancing all over her tender little tootsies,
until now.
Finally, in the past few weeks, I have dreamed up something that combines leather and metal, something that really feels like my own and feels true to my heritage and my style. I’ve suddenly come into feeling free to sit down and create a bit, just a bit, with leather. I’ve realized, even more than I did when I wrote this, that creative freedom is ALWAYS mine (and yours), whether it is encouraged, or not. It isn’t granted by anyone but rather, it is inherent in us all, as humans — we all have a right to create, to express ourselves, to make with our hands and our souls even if that means our work overlaps the work of others technically and aesthetically. Our work and the honesty of our work is our own business.* I love discussing this topic and the idea of creative “ownership”, I could do so for hours really…I so often find myself utterly alone in my perspective that it makes for lively debate — stimulation for the minds! YEE HAW!
But back to the topic at hand, I’ve been making breastplates.
They are entirely handcrafted, including the fine silver buffalo ingots that are central to the designs. They have girth and sit, quite warmly, over the heart. On the body they feel protective, cozy, soft and powerful. In the hand, they feel like something beautiful you’d trade for a three month supply of pemmican, or a cured and lush bison hide.
They evoke rustic living, pioneering soul, a dash of native fortitude and a strong connection to the earth, animals and maybe even subsistence lifestyle — they’re just so unique, so rugged and lusty, so wonderfully organic.
More than anything, I have this grand sense, when I wear mine, that even though I have strayed far from the great Northern plains of Saskatchewan (my home), I can still hang the spirit of the prairies over my heart, like a shield.
They are stitched together by hand and tie around the neck with the softest turquoise suede. A total sensory pleasure to wear.
This is the first I’m offering, the original is my own.
You may find it in the shop, toute suite!
Happy weekend to you all!
I’m so excited to have most of my computer work finished for the day already (oh my gosh, it’s only 9:35AM). I’m going to head out to the studio and work on a few other diddies that I’ve had bouncing about my soul this week before retiring for the weekend. I hope you all have the most wonderful WONDERFUL day.
I appreciate having you in my world, so much.
I don’t tell you that nearly enough.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for finding me.
With abiding affection,
The Plume
*This reminds me of something I was journaling about the other day. I was remembering the journals I kept throughout high school — the unhappiest time of my life. I’ve read over them and can hardly bear how dishonest they are. I wasn’t writing them for anyone but myself, but I didn’t know how to be honest with myself, even in private! Do any of you relate with this? When I flip through a currently tended journal, I’m astounded by how much I’ve grown as a girl who is simply able to be honest with herself, in private and in public. It feels good. I know that honestly is flowing out into all of my life and all of my work, I know that honestly expressing my emotions is healthy and it’s…well…it’s kind of exciting! Sometimes I feel all grown up…