What I learned about making a Handmade Leather Cozy for a Mason Jar.

This weekend I spent some time in my husbands shop helping to create items for his Etsy store and holiday presents for friends and family.  It has been so nice that he has lots of ideas for presents and I was very happy to assist him.

I learned a lot about the process of creating with leather.  He makes it all looks so easy and usually he just shows up with something awesome he made and I don't think twice about all the steps involved.

 Well I learned this weekend he makes it look easy but there are a ton of steps involved with his creations.  Besides creating a pattern and cutting all the leather to size, he has to carve the leather, punch all the holes for sewing and that's even before he starts to make it look amazing.  He then has to personalize it with leather punches.  Then its off to be stained and then painted.  That was my job.  I spend the morning hand staining all the pieces and then painting all the edges so it looked nice and finished.  I then traced and painted the design so they would pop.  When that was all dried he had to seal and condition the leather and then he hammered in rivets to attach the handles. Then sewed the whole thing together.

  I love how the cozy turned out and we posted it in his store but now I have a new appreciation for all the little details that go into his leather creations.  As a creative myself I know unless you are standing in someones shoes you never quite know how much work goes into making something and making it right.  I really appreciate all the work that goes into a handmade creations and I am happy there are other people out there that realize the work that goes into each product.