This is Tulsa Podcast
Recently I had the honor of sitting down with Austin from This is Tulsa at The Collaborative coffee to talk about the genesis of Blackburn Goods. We discuss everything from early childhood memories of selling pictures to my grandmother’s co-workers (shameless I know but hey I was 5) to the creation of Fall Fair Market in 2019. Listen to the full story here!
Austin is life long Okie and has a passion for sharing about the Tulsa community and the unique people, destinations, businesses that make it an exciting place to live! He started the podcast “This is Tulsa” to share his favorite finds with other curious listeners. Check out the link to listen to his story!
Shelby Mustang Logbook
J.R. was looking for an heirloom gift for his bother who recently bought his dream car, a Shelby Mustang GT500 (with a powerful 760 hp). * This car is spectacular. * J.R. wanted to give his brother a very special book to record all the road trips and adventures that would take place in the new ride. And so this beautiful custom logbook was born!
The Debruyn Backpack
The Debruyn Backpack
Occasionally I get the opportunity to work on a completely new projects and the Debruyn Backpack is one of them. As many of you know, backpacks hold a special place in my heart and I’ll take any chance I get to design one. This particular bag was designed for my friend TJ. He wanted something rustic and refined to match his elevated outdoor style. We took inspiration from the classic messenger’s bag, it’s rugged and storied design past and paired it with a modern backpack silhouette. The straps and buckles on the front flap invoke a western explorer feeling but the decided lack of tooling and structured design bring the aesthetic gently back to a modern side of style.
One of my favorite elements on the Debruyn Backpack is how the shoulder straps seem to just appear out of no where, see at 23 sec. in video. This took quite a bit of engineering and assembly planning to accomplish and I think the end result is spectacular. Design that leaves the viewer wondering “But how?” is the best!
Another element specially requested by TJ was a subtle asymmetry from the left and right sides of the bag. The right (facing you) has a tall pocket while left side features two buckles that double as keeper for a picnic blanket or light jacket. This asymmetry is fascinating response to mainstream bags.
The Debruyn Backpack has come to be one of my favorite custom projects and I’m so grateful TJ trusted me to bring his vision to life.
Cheers
The Bourdain Leather Duffle Bag
Many of you may know I offer a custom design service to those looking to add an heirloom piece to their wardrobe. Normally I receive a few requests in a year for custom projects but 2020 has already blown me away with challenging and exciting work!
The “Why”.
The Bourdain was the brainchild of my friend and business advisor Eric. We set out to create a duffel bag that represented the artistry, quality and unique character that the late Anthony Bourdain brought to the world.
The “How”.
In my experience most custom projects can take anywhere from 30 to 50 hours to complete and this project was no exception. Eric first submitted a sketch of his design aesthetic with estimated dimensions and then I got to work turning the sketch into a physical pattern.
The Work.
Because this project was a one off with a tight deadline I didn’t have the opportunity to film a time laps of the entire process. One-off design or original design results many hours of standing in front of a pattern and mentally designing and assembling all the pieces which doesn’t translate well in video. A good pattern, like the one above, acts like a GPS when the function and pattern don’t agree.
The leather we chose was aniline dyed, which allows the natural grain and texture of the hide to show through. Aniline dyed also imparts a suppleness to the hide, a waxy soft “hand” that not only feels great but stand up well in-climate weather. And the most unique element of the entire project is the repurposed military duffle bag that makes up the exterior pockets and the green piping shown on the ends.
The finally product.
I partnered with Eric Doyeto from Something Blue Studio for this photoshoot and enlisted the help of Dunn Beard to model. The day was set more than a week in advance when we saw, the night before, that heavy rain was in the forecast and with no time to reschedule we pressed on. What could be a better way to show the character of this rugged bag than to do a photoshoot in pouring rain?
Back in the studio Eric captured the elegance of the Bourdain.
The Bourdain is one of the pieces I’m most proud of for it’s complexity, size and the new challenges it brought. Thank you Eric for allowing me to craft this beautiful pieces to accompany you on your mind adventures. And thank you Eric from Something Blue Studio and Dunn for braving the rain to document the end result of many many hours of work that resulted in The Bourdain.
Cheers,
Emily
Breifcase Repair
If you've ever owned a breifcase you know how much abuse they go through and how important they are to a smoothly running business. I made this beauty 3 years ago and boy it could tell some stories. One of the coolest features of the bag is the handle…
One of the coolest features of the bag is the handle. My father, the craftsman of the age, sculpted the handle from a solid piece of Cocobolo, a tropical hardwood that is so dense it will sink when placed in water. Once the handle was shaped it was cut horizontally as to place the brass rings inside the handle ends. Then a brass pin was driven through each end to secure the handle. It is by far the most exquisite handle I've ever seen.
The Classic Tote - The first model.
The Classic Tote has evolved a little since these images were taken. It's not quite as tall, a little wider and features a softer body than pictured here. But the assembly process is quite the same. One of the coolest shots in this gallery is the match shot. I finish all seams with a lit match to ensure there are no loose ends on a finished product. Check out all the images to see the process!
Introductions
Hey- Thanks for exploring my website and for taking the time to learn about Blackburn Goods!
My name is Emily, I'm 29 years old and I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am a self-taught leather smith and have been working with since I was 16 years old. The first purse I ever made was out of rabbit pelt and old hammock rope. From then on I just couldn't stop! I used every scrap of something I could get my hands on, you should hear my mother talk, I wouldn't let her trash anything. I tried sewing with fabric but there was something about leather, maybe the smell, that kept drawing me back.
Both of my parents are extremely creative and they became my teachers/developers. My dad, Jeff Blackburn, worked as a Firefighter and custom woodworker for more that 30 years (he even build most of my childhood home by himself, yeah... he's legit.) He always says "It takes so little to be above average" something that influences my work to this day. And my mom, Penny Blackburn, can do anything... I mean anything. She has a working knowedge of so many things: Baking, cooking, grilling, accounting, sewing, grammar, childcare, relationships, I'm sure you get the idea. She has this ability to use all her past experiences to inform her creative ideas, this allows her to be successful at things she's never actually done before (Is your mind blown yet?). I would work on an idea as long as I could and then consult them when I hit a design problem. We would sit around the dinning room table drawing on napkins and swapping ideas until one fit. I feel so lucky to have parents that invested so much of themselves into their child's interest, not knowing if it would be anything more than a hobby.
There was a part in me that enjoyed making for the simple satisfaction of it. But I knew deep down I wanted to teach, lead and influence others in a big way with the unique skill. I wanted to show people how easy creating was/is and that they are capable of so much more than they know.
The Mali Bucket Bag
The Mali Bucket Bag
Talk about Christi and Here sister Anna and their ministry in India with Gospel Project International.Talk about the interesting texture of the fabric and how you feel more connected with nature because of the unique nature of the fabric.
rosegold
I’ve hear entrepreneurial business described as “…staring into blackhole while chewing glass…” and I have admit it’s not far off sometimes. At times I’ve struggle to keep vision in front of me when the slow season hits and inspiration is at an all time low. That’s why women like Amber are so amazing. Her ambition and generous heart are what set her apart I’m thrilled to be partnering with her beautiful boutique “rosegold” to bring the Chloe wallet to our customers. In a world of powerhouse women in business Amber is at the top. Thanks for taking the leap with us Amber!
Cheers!
Amber Kern, Owner of rosegold boutique located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Green Lady Repair
My friend Casey, bought this beautiful bag while in Italy at Scuola del Cuoio in Florence Italy. She is one only people I know who could use a purse this size everyday. (Her organization is on point!). She wears this little gem on a daily basis so it understandably broke her heart when it's handle gave out. I took it in for repair and am so thrilled with the results that I had to show you!
The repair for this little evening bag was simple and focussed primarily on restoration from years of gentle wear. The edges were missing a little dye and the handle had torn on the left side. (The second image shows the torn handle end). The top flap also showed a little wear, nothing to rough though.
As you can see, the hardware looks remarkably good, not flecking of finish. This can be a problem with lesser brands if the hardware isn't free of dust and film before the clear lacquer will not bond to the metal and years or even months later it will flake off.
The end result was so worth the work! I finished the handbag with a light coating of Chamberlain's Leather Milk- available on Amazon.com.
Cheers,
Emily
