5 Great Christmas Gifts Ideas Under $50! Start your shopping early!

We know it is not yet Thanksgiving and we are not trying to rush the holidays, but taking some steps for a bit of advance planning will allow you to relax more and really enjoy the Christmas season once it officially starts. We have come up with just a little selection from the many custom and unique options of our creations for bags, electronics, housewares, wearables and more.

Belt Buckle.

1. We guarantee you have not seen belt buckles as unique and personal as ours. We have a variety of patterns and shapes available, all in our high quality hand dyed and tooled leather and metal finishes.
2. We have a great selection of watches and straps that vary with round silver or square brushed pewter watch faces, and options of narrow or wide cuffs, wrap, or skinny strap bands.
3. You will make a lot of people happy with our great selection of small wallets. We have coin wallets, bi-fold and tri-fold, passport wallets, and checkbook cases and more to choose from. Again, all are created with our unique tooling and dye process, with high quality stitching and closure options for those on your Christmas list.
4. For the musician on your list, our cool guitar hangers are sure to please. We have some great patterns from wood grain to poppy and bee patterns for a unique and safe way to hang and store a guitar when not in use.
5. Those on your list with iPads will love our wide variety of custom iPad cases. We have some great patterns and colors all from flexible, lightweight leather with silicone inserts to protect your tablet.  No worries if you have other tablets such as Samsung or Dell. Contact us with your specifications and we can create a unique tablet case exactly to your specifications.

Bee Patterns iPad Case.

Check out our leather craft kits for the creative one on your list.  Please let us know about any custom ideas you have and we will come up with a final product exactly to your needs. All the beautiful and tooling, dyes and protective finishes on our products are of the highest quality to insure years of use and beauty.  

The Best Father's Day Ideas

Moms are easy - the best Mother's Day is breakfast in bed, working in the garden, maybe a nice massage, and meal with the family (and something sparkly as a gift, at least in my book). Moms like the sentimental gift from the kids and/or from dad that represents her children and her family.

Dads, on the other hand, seem a bit more complicated when it comes to finding the best Father's Day gift.  I'm all about the creative Father's Day presents you can make with your kids, even the homemade Father's Day Tie, but I think that the thing a good father wanst most is a gift that bears the same sentiment that every mother wants, but in a more subtle package.  Something that he can carry around, wear, or look to make him feel like the "#1 Dad" while still letting him maintain his strong demeanor.

While deciding on what to make my husband for Father's Day, I knew I wanted to make him a custom gift, that reflected his role as a father.  After reading quite a few quotes about fathers and quotes about Father's Day, I decided on a personalized guitar strap with the following quote:

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."
~ Sigmund Freud

It's short, sweet, and reflects how my husband sees himself as a father.  I also think it's particularly pogniant since our daughter is going to be two the week after father's day, and a pumpkin that size just needs all the protection of her daddy!

If guitar playing isn't your dad/husband's thing, I think a personalized leather wallet is a great way to go.  My quote of choice for this one is:

"A father carries pictures where his money used to be."
~ Unknown

I do also love the idea of asking your kids (assuming they're old enough) what they'd like to say to dad on Father's Day, and having that inscribed on the wallet. When I was a kid, my father always said I wrote the best cards - they always made him cry - and I think of this wallet like a card that he can keep in his pocket for years to come, without worrying about the edges getting ripped and falling apart.

As for activities, I haven't a clue.  We've got a little girl, so a Father's Day tea party might be in order!
xo
c

Belle Smokey + Guitar

Thanks, Kynda! The Belle Smokey Strap looks fantastic with your guitar.  I love how the pink in the flowers picks up the warmth of the wood, and the silver leaves pick up the sparkle of the inlay. 

I have been adding more and more of the Smokey pattern pieces, and these personalized guitar straps work well as a gift or as a way to keep a special message, song, or bit of scripture close to you.  As I have been reflecting on them recently, and thinking about the types of things that people request on the straps, I am realizing that a lot of the straps that I do have scripture on them, or Christian music lyrics.  Some have rock music, a few recently have had grunge songs, and Bob Dylan and the Beatles are always popular.  Whatever feeds your soul, I’m happy to write on the strap for you.  I think it’s important for all of us to keep our inspiration close to our hearts, in whatever form it takes.

xo

c