Sqam, Fall 2012

Now that July is coming to an end, it's hard not to start thinking about September.  My oldest son is 5 and getting ready to start school and I'm getting ready to go back (after 9 years) to teaching.  Maybe we're totally crazy, but in the midst of all that, we're planning to attend the Squam Arts Fair as vendors on Saturday, September 15th. 

We're in great company...

If you live in the New Hampshire area we'd love to meet you there!

Leather Sandals, 16 Years Later...

Jessica S. shared this photo and message with us. 

I got these sandals as a graduation present... in 1996 (eek). I love these shoes & they're the only pair of shoes that have stuck by me in life. I finally admitted that it was time for a new pair to get me through th next 16 years. I'm not sure what to do with the old ones though - maybe I'll bronze them or pass them down to my grandchildren some day. These sandals have seen a lot of my life through the years & they're still around (and in really good shape for their age).


Thanks for sharing, Jessica.  16 years can hold a lot of  life.  Thanks for taking us along for the ride!

Do you Pin?

Pinterest, like most new techie developments, can either be a great tool or a huge time suck.  I know that the whole concept is controversial, especially within the handmade community, so I'm wondering, do you use and support Pinterest?  If not, what is keeping you from taking part?

from my Style board, via bird bird

We've been on Pinterest for a while, but still feel like we're just experimenting and trying to figure it all out (you can find us here).   Do you have a board that we might like to know about?  I'd love to see what you're pinning, or hear why you're not.

Aurora Shoes in Ireland

We love sharing photos of our many pairs of shoes and their worldly adventures.  Here's our latest email from a happy customer who traveled to Ireland in Auroras.  I love the photos and wish that I could be transported to that beautiful garden right now.  A pint of Guinness wouldn't be half bad either...


I've been loving my shoes, and even taking pictures of them! I'm from Salt Lake City, and we just went to visit my grandparents in Ireland. I have three pictures

1. My auroras outside St. James's Gate of the Guinness store house in Dublin. I walked all over the store house and learned how to pour the perfect pint in my Auroras!

2. My Shoes by my grandma's garden in a small Irish town (Anascaul, Co. Kerry, Ireland). Her food is the best.

3. My Shoes in the Kitchen, where the food harvested from the garden is prepared and eaten! 

Thanks for making awesome shoes!

-Neel

Thanks so much for sharing, Neel.  It looks like you had a great time!  Where have your Aurora Shoes taken YOU?

Outstanding in our Field

Literally.

I stopped at the shop and talked Dave into a quick photo session in the south field.  The sun is shining, the wildflowers are blooming, and it's really starting to look like summer around here.   

When I think about home, and the summers that Dave and I (and our two sisters) spent together growing up, I think of wildflowers, hay barns and lots of time spent lazing around in the sunshine.  We're certainly not lazing around much anymore, and I haven't played in a hay barn in years, but the rest is exactly the same... standing in a field, less than a mile from our parents' home, soaking up the sun.  It's summer!

What about you - what sights or sounds remind you of summer?

Our Leather Goes to Summer Camp

Due to the inconsistent nature of leather, there are portions of hide that aren't optimal for shoe production.  We're left with boxes full of leather scrap and are thrilled when we can put some of that scrap to good use.  Some day we hope to come up with our own uses for the pounds of scrap that pile up, but for now, we are happy when we can put it into the hands of people who have the time and inclination to use it. 

April, the Director of Environmental Education at the Fern Hollow Nature Center in PA, just sent us these photos of kids using our leather to make dream catchers at their first camp of the summer season. 

What about you - any ideas for projects made from scrap leather?   We'd love to hear your ideas or share your work on our Facebook page.  Link your photos and we'll share them with our friends.

Union Store in Seoul now carrying Aurora Shoe Co. Middle English

We're thrilled to be included in the hip menswear selection at Union Store in Seoul.   We're set along side Aran sweaters, TRVR wool caps, and organic cotton neck ties.  It feels like a good (and stylish) place to be.