Handmade Leather side Pouch

This small hip pouch has several special features that I am so proud to share. This paisley print scarf was my Omas, sadly she passed away and this is what I had left of her. I attempted to replicate the print with acrylic leather paint, and paint markers, on a molded piece of Veg tan leather. 

Attempting new ways to construct the handles. Although I realize I am far from perfection or if there is such a thing. 

Yes is truly just a mock up of what is to come. But I am excited to have explored this construction. 

Xo.OPhilya.

Handmade Low-Wedge Ballerina Slip ons.

I finally have made myself a unique pair of ballerina flats. I have been on this kick with, what I call, the frankenstein wedge.
I dislike not being able to wear heels for long periods of time, all the blood rushing towards my feet while signs of blisters emerge. So to solve this issue of mine, I have created a simple slip on wedge that easily converts from dressy to casual. So excited to wear them out. 

Xo.OPhilya.

Handmade Wood Pendent With Agate Stone

Each one of these pendents I have found a growing attachment to. Hand-carved and shaped to a smooth delicately curved form, this Green Acrylic maple pendent, with a unique Moss Agate stone is just the beginning to a series of hand carved wooden pendents. 

 Xo.OPhilya.

 

Hand-carved Buckeye Burl Wood Pendent

With each piece we truly dedicate time, and love to complete every detail. This Pendent is hand carved out of Buckeye Burl. 

Just to inform the readers, Burl is the part of wood which exposes the knots, which makes it a little more difficult to work with, but when is it complete, the grain is magnificent. 

To compliment the beautiful shades of blues and greens within the wood, we have embedded a Tiger Eye stone into the face of the pendent. The chain is a antique chain with a strong magnetic clasp. 

Features which you miss by not being able to experience this piece up close, is the smooth shape of the pendent. We have begun building upon this idea of stimming. Stimming is also known as self-stimulation, which is created by a repetitive movement that triggers the calmness of nerves. Organic shapes seem to calm the nerves and sooth some from bad habits. At first this idea seemed far fetched, but it has truly proven to work. We strive for products of purpose.

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Xo.OPhilya.

Heather Gray Handmade Leather Clutch

Introducing heather gray leather clutch. I still have to add a wooden zipper pull, and of course finishing the strap. But a good start to a line of well crafted handbags. I still have ways to go to achieve the brandname quality I would like to produce, but "Baby steps," eventually it will get there. 

Xo.OPhilya.

Hand-Cut Leather Detailed Clutch

The first of its kind. A small hand-cut leather over-lay clutch. Name, yet to be determined. It is a small hand held purse with a hand tied knotted clasp. From this product I hope to create a new line of accessories inspired by the idea of overlaying materials. This particular bag has been gifted to the mother of my dearest love, for Christmas. Always supportive in every way, she now struts her stuff with her newly hand-crafted clutch. I make a point that each item falls into the hands of its rightful owner, so the first of many clutches belongs to the one who has given the love and encouragement to follow my dreams and create these one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art.


   Xo.OPhilya.

In This Twist of Creative Souls

Never has just one mind conquered a dream alone. It takes not only the work of the creator and his workers to bring to life a vision, but for the viewers to want and desire to see more, hear more, and be apart of the dream. The more who reach out to join our determination to re-spark inspiration, the further  we fall into this wonderland of handmade artistic creations. 

        Xo.OPhilya.

Handmade Steampunk Chukka Boots

These are my hand-crafted leather steampunk chukka boots, made for my collection during my Senior year at Savannah College of Art and Design. They were on display for a year at SCAD but now they are in my rightful possession and placed upon my size 38 foot. They are not only comfortable, but handmade, and the perfect addition to my wardrobe. I hope for the day I see others walking around in these wearable works of art.

    Xo.OPhilya.

Subtle Approach Of Spring

The smell of spring in the air makes me excited for natures approaching performance of coming to life, and bringing the feeling of new beginnings.  Mesmerized with the world around me, I live for the perfection of the transformation in the changing of seasons. Its that subtle approach of the magic of Spring.

   
     Xo.OPhilya.

Hand-lathed Wooden Pendents with Embedded Stone

Our new works in progress. These are Hand-carved wooden lathe pendents made from acrylic Tineo wood and Bocote. To add and practice the skills of precision, we delicately etched in a whole, to embed a stone in order to create that mesmerizing one-of-a-kind piece. This is only the start to some uniquely crafted pendents, so stay tune...

Xo.OPhilya.

Handmade Woven Leather Helmet

This is a Handmade Hand-woven Leather Helmet made with Dark Chocolate Brown oil tan cow hide. Within the flipped up brim is a hidden pocket for safe keeping of smaller things. This particular product was made for my senior collection in 2012. Inspired br vintage headwear, I attempted to bring to life a concept conceived by taking idea from the past and bring them forwards to create a future style of wearable leather headwear. 

Since each product is given a name to gather into our group of our little Frankensteins. This hand crafted head-piece name is, Waylon, born 3.15.12

   Xo.OPhilya.

Within the City We Seek Inspiration

I adore nature and all things natural, but when walking amongst this concrete jungle you must not drift from inspired thought. While I find that most things within the city have rules and regulations, the simple things such as textural details of city streets, old brick walls, gated entrances, and the decayed structures from the use over time, you can indeed find the inspiration needed to create your memorable atmosphere by noticing the unnoticed. Every aspect of this world deserves close thought and consideration. Nothing should go to waste, not even waste itself.

Xo.OPhilya.

It Is All In The Details

Its in those small touches of layering contrasting colors to allow the brand-name to pop. This is when I started to back each iron branded name with a darker hide to bring out the burned lettering in the brand, and to top it off, the distinctive color of stitching which exposes the detail with a smooth, polished finish. Its these small touches which set bags apart from one another. Although these bags will indeed be simple in design, the object of its production was to show the love that goes into the simplest of creations when adding those special touches within the details.

Xo.OPhilya.

Handmade Leather Oxfords

These are Handmade Leather Oxfords. It is a whole cut pattern piece, meaning that the dark hide is actually painted on to create the illusion of a geniune oxford. Although this was a beginners stage of hand crafted oxfords, I managed to learn an awesome technique in the process. The soles are at the raw stage of completetion. Next comes hand shaping, painting, and then buffed and polished.


Xo.OPhilya.

Behold the Enlightened Power Of Spring

As the season turns and winter transforms into the warmth of spring, I find a calm light weight feeling of welcoming that fresh start of a new year. Flowers shall begin to bloom and trees will bud in shades of green, while the frozen waters begin to rush back into action. The transition  from winter to spring becomes my subtle reminder in the magic of life that surrounds me. All nature temporally dormant in the frigid cold, but springs to life in a poetic rhythm in the coming of warmer days.

         Xo.OPhilya.

Graphite Sketches of Concept Shoes

Only a dream but still plans in the making. I often sketch conceptual shoe designs hoping one day I might be able to hand make, or have them made for runway fashion shows. I have drawn hundreds of shoes and continuously thrive off new ideas for wearable forms of art. I would melt at the opportunity to design for a company who would produce these particular designs but I have now realized how difficult it actually is to get the work out into the world. 


Xo.OPhilya.

Instyle Winning Handmade Handbag

This hand-woven handmade Leather handbag was made for my senior collection during my last year at Savannah College of Art and Design. In my final months I entered this particular bag into Instyles Independent Handbag Award Competition. Crazy enough, I won in the category of Best Student Made Handbag and was given the chance to mass produce a bag with the brand Piazza from ebags.com. 

The bag designed and created with Piazza with be release in Spring 2013, so it drawing close to the day the bag will be release to the public. The whole process is exciting and suspenseful! I am just excited I was blessed with this opportunity to be featured in September issue of Instyle and on top of that, have the chance to experience of the process of fully designing and mass-producing a wonderfully crafted bag with an amazing company such as Piazza.

The bag has a few special features. The outside exterior of the bag is all hand woven. First each tiny strip had to be skived. This mean that the back end of the hide had to be split from the oiled surface in order to take away from the bulk of the final product. There are indeed easier ways of achieving this surface but with the tools given and the material chosen this was my best and most affordable way to achieve my vision. The exotic Coccobolo wooden handle is hand-carved and is polished to a shine to give another extravagant touch to the product. The yellow strip of patten leather was a one-of-a-kind accident acid leather dyed cow hide. The interior of the bag has a custom printed fabric of garden gnomes and within the interior of the inside pocket is yet again another custom printed florescent striped fabric to add another hidden pop of personality into this compact leather bag.

   Xo.OPhilya.