Table of contents for August 2022 in Illume

It was quite by accident that Adam Tanner ended up being featured in this issue. (Don’t worry, he knows!) There was a slight miscommunication between me and Mr. Gene Fowler when the assignment was given. However, after learning more about our friend Brandit Franco of Branco Custom Saddlery, I’m certain this was no accident. Come to find out, Brandit and Adam are good friends, and became friends when Brandit sought mentorship from a couple of top-notch saddlemakers in his area. Can you guess who they were? Adam Tanner and Terry Henson. Ironically, Adam also speaks of Terry and will note the influence he has had on his ability to make patterns. What a connection! Living in the dreamy beach town of Sayulita, Mexico for a time allowed Kimberly Brown, founder…

When you ask any one of the participants who attended the recent Leather Crafter’s Reunion in Missouri’s Roaring State Park, they tend to take a dreamy deep sigh and tell you they can’t wait for next year. This year’s reunion was held from June 8-11th and about 33 people attended. Doris Marlene, the show’s founder and organizer, said the turnout was a bit smaller this year compared to previous years and attributes that to people just starting to emerge from COVID and higher gas prices. Despite these challenges, a good time was had by all. Reunion roots Marlene was not always into leather crafting, but after brain surgery in 2004, she started looking around for something to do. Around 2008, she got into leather work after buying a load of…

“We are all artists to some degree in this business. If you want to be successful, you have to have a saddle that is pleasing to look at, not just functional.”— Brandit Franco Brandit Franco grew up in the heart of Florida’s cowboy country. The family business was starting colts and training ranch horses. Brandit’s father, Sam Franco, took a lot of horses to ride that weren’t making it in someone else’s training program. Sam trained everything from Quarter Horses to wild Mustangs in the Seventies and Eighties. Brandit grew up working cows in southern Florida, around Okeechobee and Kissimmee, which is a different type of cowboying then most people visualize in the American West. “I was born into it,” remembers a 47-year-old Brandit. “I cut my teeth dragging cattle…

One of the common scenarios I see is this – you have gotten into leatherworking as a small hobby with an entry-level kit, found you like it and want to step up to better quality tools. I’ve been there, in a time period when there wasn’t as much information…and not as many toolmakers and sellers. We now have a lot of choices, at several price points for shop and leather tools, and you may not know quite where to start. I will share my insight as a leather worker, and now seller, on moving ahead in a somewhat logical way. This is all based on what type leatherwork you do, tools you need to improve your work, your budget and how to help yourself pay for those tools. Remember, you…

People in Austin, Texas, like to live on the fringe of music, architecture, business and politics. But no one lives more on the fringe of the Austin fashion scene than Kimberly Brown, the founding force behind Austin-based Fringe Hill Design. “When I started my company, I felt like I was on the fringe of everything. Like I didn’t fit in perfectly anywhere. I was just a little of this and a little of that. It took me a while to accept my style and that it was ok to combine my styles–western, Mexican and bohemian beach – but I just did it. I always just kind of go for it.” Western, but unique. That’s how Kimberly describes the look of Fringe Hill design. She creates everything from handbags to saddle…

STEP 1 – To start you will grab all the materials needed. TOOLS AND MATERIALS NEEDED 5 oz. Latigo Leather Lace Beveler Hammer Lacing Fid Leather Conditioner #6 Hole Punch Lace Puller Draw Guage Wing Dividers Head Knife STEP 2 – Grab your latigo leather and cut a ⅜" strip of lace. Make sure you cut this evenly. SIDENOTE – You will need about 6' of lace for this project. STEP 3 – Now you will point the ends of your leather. Remember to skive the ends of your lace. This will make it easier to run your lace through the lace beveler. STEP 4 – Next you will get your lace beveler all set up, then take your lace down to a feathered edge by running it through the…

For a soft, luxurious veg tan that only gets better with age, look no further than this beautiful Italian leather. Traditional vegetable tanned leather is completely natural and can be appreciated for the small marks and veins that add character, as well as its unmistakable scent. Certified by the “Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium,” these double shoulders are 100% natural, hypoallergenic and metal-free. With its gorgeous natural grain pattern and rich drum dyed color, this lightweight, supple leather is sure to be your next muse. Visit shop.weaverleather.com or call 800-932-8371 to place your order.…

“I had been a single mother and I know what it is like to struggle and care for your kids. I want moms to work for us, so they can make money, help their kiddos and still be a mom, which is the most important job.”— Misti Calhoun, co-owner It’s easy to recall a business that has the charmingly quirky name, Broncy Donkey Leather Company. It trips off the tongue and delights the ears, and we might even find ourselves repeating it a number of times, just for fun. But the company co-founded in 2019, by two Texas women, has earnestly grown into a significant success in the biggest, most purposeful sense of the word. Meet Misti Calhoun of Queen City and Caroline Blackard of Mount Pleasant. Their sole product…

Each of the two questions noted above might be the right question – it depends on the state of your company’s culture. If your company culture is exactly where everybody wants it to be, then hiring for “cultural fit” is the correct answer. If there are significant concerns, hiring for “cultural add” might be the better solution. The critical question is” “What is the state of the company?” And one level deeper: “What is the state of that team/department/group?” It is a significant leadership question that needs thorough thinking and discussions before committing to the appropriate strategy. COMPANIES WITH A CORPORATE SOUL DO HAVE A CHARACTERISTIC CULTURE Since many firms are struggling to find clarity in this area, I created a framework to help leaders work through the relevant places…