October 5th, 2024

back of the napkin scribbles vol 3

Friday night

Philadelphia

I was in Philadelphia this week, a quick family trip for a few days. While there I got a few photos of the next Strathmere Leather product, The Franklin. It seemed appropriate to do so. In general I've started to gather up all of the photos I've taken since making the bag, including the making process, in an effort to start working on that portion of the upcoming product launch.

I love making things and I love using what I make. My Strathmere leather weekend bag and Franklin bag packed for the trip.

New Things

I've launched quite a few new products this year and I feel pretty good about it. All really good products, if I may say so, high quality, unmatched may be a better term for it. I've really started to go above and beyond on the quality of things, something I have always done, actually, so maybe now what I'm doing is pricing things in line with the quality that will be received. That's a better way to put it. The Galileo passport case is the latest item that I have put out there into the world. I mentioned it in two places online the morning we left for Philly and then was in travel mode. I plan to do a more official "announcement" of the product next week, likely on Tuesday. I'm super happy with how everything has turned out for this one. I used mine while in Philadelphia and found the size to be perfect as a "travel wallet". The larger size makes it very simple to grab out of my bag (The Franklin), is perfect for holding onto room keys, museum tickets, event passes, cards, cash, a notebook, and so on. Yes, a passport case, but yes, a perfect travel wallet. People send me things, ideas for a new way to do something, and I work on them right away. My brain lately has been impossible to turn off, and the design process has been quick since my brain has already done all of the work before I even get a scratch of pencil onto the page.

The Franklin is the last big product I'm going to finalize this year. The rest of the year is focused almost entirely on Christmas related work and I need to do my very very very best to stay focused there. My goal this year is to make sure I don't die. I came close last year, and so I'm setting a few deadlines to help keep things slightly more sane this year...but money on the table is money on the table...and I have a hard time turning down sales: feast or famine, and I need to have a better stockpile in place for those famines.

Saturday morning

THINK

Last year I had a leather stamp made with the word "THINK". I'm finally getting around to using it. The font is reminiscent of yesteryear computing, it may even make one nostalgic for the golden era of IBM. I need the reminder constantly, the reminder to STOP and THINK. A lot of my thinking is on the go, so having THINK on coasters, a leather "plaque" on my desk, a notepad that I'll probably never use but love the look of...all serve as reminders to slow down every once in a while, allow the brain some time. All items I have strewn around my house, items that I now offer for sale. They do look pretty cool.

Robertson

I'm working on an oven mitt for a customer who is going to give it to her husband as a gift. Both sides of the mitt are personalized with the actual signatures of his mom and dad. My customer sent me the signatures via photos of that portion of a check and between me and my stamp guy we were able to grab just the signatures and turn them into leather stamps. This is going to make for a very meaningful gift.

Christmas Lights

While I am getting into the mode of Christmas in general, for work, I am also unable to help myself this time of year. It is not helped by the windowless basement I find myself in for hours upon hours each day :-) Christmas music is playing, or Christmas movies, and I've started to put up some Christmas lights. A bit of cheer is always welcome.
Which just goes to show that there is no perfect solution to anything, at least at this present moment, but it is best to make the best of each and every situation. I have gone from living with my work in a 750 square foot studio apartment with nothing but natural light streaming in all day, to having complete separation from my work since the workshop/studio and all of the related stuffs are downstairs in the basement but have zero natural light while working.
Living Your Passion

I'm outside writing now, this is my closing thought, and the daughter of my next door neighbor is home from grad school for the weekend. They are all outside on their patio, drinking coffee, catching up. She, the daughter, is an opera singer (not sure of the technical term here, but that's what she is and does and is studying in school) and in-between parts of the conversation she will sing a few lines of something. She is passionate about what she does, what she loves, and just can't help but sing sometimes. I love that. My grandfather always told me that if you love what you do you'll never work a day in your life. The hours may be long, the pay unpredictable, but he is was right. Have a groovy one 🎶
~ Aaron

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