Brown or Olive?

It can be hard to tell the difference between our brown and olive leather online.  To be honest, in certain lighting it can be hard to tell in person, too.  Where brown is a warm color, olive is cool.  It's the color of tree bark, and wet driftwood, very natural.  These photos feature our Middle English in Olive and they're the perfect neutral color for someone with an olive skin tone.  My friend, Jasmine Crowe is a nice example of this. 

Jasmine took time out of her busy totally relaxing lake vacation to model for me and I love the way we were able to quickly put together a very handmade (in the USA) outfit.  Homemade necklaces, handmade shoes, and a favorite Moop bag made in PA, accented with leather that passes through our shop. 

 

Our Auroras are getting a lot of time in at the lake these days.  Where are your Auroras taking YOU?  Share your photos with us on Facebook or Instagram (#aurorashoes).

 

Handmade Shoes for (big) Kids

The other day my oldest son and I stopped in to see Uncle Dave at the shop.  He took a short break to chat with us and then one thing led to another, and we walked out the door with the smallest pair of Aurora Shoes I've ever seen (Women's 5 C) walking under the happiest face I'd seen that day. 

And what did my little (big) boy do when I asked him to model these pristine shoes?  He did what little (big) boys do;  he climbed his favorite tree.  I almost said something about the scuffing, but I bit my tongue, partly because Dave and I wore our first pairs to do everything under the sun when we got them 20 or so years ago, and partly because that's what full grain leather is all about.  It can take a few scrapes and bruises and somehow come out looking better for the wear. 

Where are your Auroras taking YOU?

Summer Has Arrived in Aurora

I don't know if there's anything more relaxing than a summer night on the lake with a small camp fire and a couple of acoustic instruments making soft music in perfect harmony.  Photo shoots are always fun, but this one was a real treat.  Jordan and Stephanie brought their guitar and mandolin along and the young (and recently married!) couple made sweet music while I snapped away.  Here are a few favorites...

This is summer in Aurora.  Where are your Aurora's taking YOU these days?

Flax + Leather =

Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can get away with doing something super fun and legitimately calling it work.  These photos document a day I like to think of as "Playing Dress-up with Friends".  Ever since our magazine feature, I've been wanting to put together some photos to highlight one of my favorite local shops, a Flax, linen, etc. consignment shop called Dinosaur Dry Goods.  My friend, Bird, and her husband, Raph have been putting Jackie's clothes and our shoes together with beautiful results for years, so it was a great excuse to get together and get creative for the sake of some fresh photos.  

I'll be sharing more shots from our day together, both on our website and Facebook page, but for now, and in honor of what feels like the end of warm weather in upstate New York, I'll start with the summery stuff.  Jackie's collection of Dinosaur Dry Goods is constantly changing, but if you like what you see, you can check in and see what's new on a regular basis here. 

New Mexican Sandals

When the weather is hot and you're on your feet a lot, there's nothing better than a simple and practical pair of sandals to get you through the day.  Our handmade leather sandals form to your feet and provide a high quality flexible sole for the comfort and support your feet are begging for. 

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?