Handmade, One-of-a-Kind
all leather purses and pouches with hand applied dye-based art
Hailstorm Horses
In 2011 a great big industrial sewing machine arrived in my studio. Yes, I bit the bullet. I bought a fantastic compound feed 3/4 hp servo motor leather sewing machine. It has inspired me to take several steps forward in the joy and creation of doing my artwork.
I use a variety of fantastic leathers, mostly cowhide, occasionally lambskin. Each piece is made out of a combination of unusual, embossed, limited edition leathers. Most purse designs combine five to seven different leathers for texture and color interest. I make adjustable leather shoulder straps to compliment each bag. My closures are hand set magnetic snaps. I design, hand cut, sew, and decorate each piece - no one else works on them. I take pride in my careful craftsmanship before I sign my name on each piece.
I have designed several styles and sizes of purses, pouches and small accessories - with ever more on the way. I have been inspired anew! And, ooh the beautiful leathers!
Dec. 6-15, 2012 NFR Cowboy Christmas, Las Vegas, NV above
2012 ends -
as does 2013!
see what's next...
Jan. 18-20, 2013 Colorado Indian Market, Denver, CO above & below left
More of the Colorado Indian Market pieces. Pouches for your phone - even most smart phones. Each has a belt loop back and a leather cord strap that is both adjustable and detachable. It can be used as a shoulder, waist, or neck strap. Makes them very versatile!
The larger "Bell Bottom" bags have two pockets. A full size front one and a smart phone sized pocket on the back. These bags include the same type of adjustable leather cord strap as the phone pouches.
So now we come to 2014...
Welcome 2014! Mid-2013 I began adding old Native American sterling silver and turquoise conchos to my bags. I re-work older belt conchos to attach them to my purses covering the front magnetic snap. They looked so great I was also able to source smaller contemporary Native made pieces to use on my phone/belt bags. I've spent a small fortune acquiring some really great conchos. I am using both vintage and new. Most are sterling, although a few are German silver, brass, or an unknown metal. Many have turquoise, others have jet, coral, malachite, or other stones adorning them. I still use standard studs on about half the pieces. I'm very excited to be adorning my bags with these beautiful Native American made conchos!
Photos above were taken Jan. 2014 at the Colorado Indian Market, Denver, CO.
Click on the thumbnails for a better look at the purses and pouches (some will even hold that big smart phone of yours), the unusual embossed leathers, the Native made conchos, and of course my unique hand painted (dyed) and beaded Hailstorm Horses!
click the thumbnails for larger view of the photos above taken December 2017 Cowboy Christmas, Las Vegas, NV.
Please note the following photographs are not current - they are mostly from 2011.
The bags below are my first generation designs, adjustments and updates been made.
Design Updates
In 2012 I began hanging a bundle of new glass trade beads just below the flap edge of my bags. The beads not only add unique beauty to piece, they serve as a gift to the animals. Please take a look at the photos above.
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And later, the outside back pocket now has a pleat at each bottom corner to allow better fit of phones, etc. And, most bags now have a small pocket on inside of the back wall.
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And later yet, I changed the basic purse design to include a strip of embossed leather at the top of the light colored flap to bring the whole piece together more completely, with the added bonus of helping to keep the top of the flap fresher and cleaner looking.
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Please imagine the changes on the bags below,
and see them in the more current photos.
I am making bags in several styles, sizes, and an infinite variety of unique leather combinations. As always I decorate each Hailstorm Horse bag with it's own unique hand painted (using dye-based pigments) design and hand sewn beads. These are each one of a kind pieces of usable art!
Each bag features one large compartment plus a smaller pocket (large enough for your cell-phone, etc) on the back. Flaps cover both the main compartment and back pocket. They fasten closed with magnetic snaps to hold everything securely inside.
A leather strap with two adjusters completes the bag. I've used both a beautiful silver tone buckle for style and small adjustments and a slider for major adjustment. The strap can go from a one shoulder bag to an across the body style with ease.
My "JUKI" bag is available in several sizes and three basic shapes; squared, vertical rectangular, and horizontal rectangular. These bags have box-pleated corners to allow much more room than t flat bag. My JUKI bags include a convenient rear phone pocket in stylish accent leather.
The JUKI includes a leather shoulder strap. It is both removable and adjustable. Made long enough to wear the bag across the body, or easily shortened for one shoulder wear by using the slide adjuster and/or the classic tongue buckle for the perfect fit.
Silver "Python" vertical JUKI bag.
The strap attachment is a screw-in nickel plated steel "stirrup" loop fastened through hand set grommets. Stylish, sturdy, and removable for easy change-up.!
Prefer to leave your Hailstorm Horses at home once in awhile? I also make non-horse bags in any of my unique styles out of combinations of beautiful leathers
The SATCHEL is a vertical bag with exotic embossed cowhide leathers. It features a band of contrasting leather around its entire body to give the SATCHEL plenty of roomy accessibility to the contents you have safely inside.
The MOD2 is a somewhat rounded bottom, horizontal version of the JUKI bag.
Take a close look at the leather I used for this MOD2 bag. Like many of the leathers I am using I have only a limited supply of this fanciful Cowboy embossed leather on hand.
Stay tuned - there is MUCH more to come!