Young leather maker showcases her craft at Handmade Market

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on April 26, 2022.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Rayne Bruised Head shows a selection of her leather work during the Lethbridge Handmade Market on Saturday at Exhibtion Park.

Rayne Bruised Head established The Nerdy Rodeo Girl Custom Leather small business in 2020 and had an array of products for sale at the Lethbridge Handmade Market on Saturday at Exhibition Park.
Bruised Head said she does a lot of belts, caps and toques in the winter.
Brushes, purses, wallets, and western wear could also be viewed at her booth.
“I had tried to do leather work in the past,” said Bruised Head. “I just never really had the time to learn how to do it and I taught myself how to do it. So, in 2020 I had time and thought you know what, let’s just see how this goes and I really enjoy it. It’s very satisfying to leather and keeps me busy.”
Bruised Head says its challenging because she uses little metal tools to stamp them to the leather and it’s a long process.
She uses vegetable tan leather.
“It’s a tougher leather,” she said. “It’s kind of the toughest finish with oils, so when you stamp it, the oils kind of give it some depth and everything.”
The experience at the Market was fun for Bruised Head.
“There’s a constant steady flow of people and they’re all so nice,” she said. “They’re very supportive of small businesses. So I really enjoy coming to the Lethbridge Handmade Market and I feel like I’m more successful here than out on my own.”
Organizer Jessy Gust’s one main rule for the Market is any vendor who wishes to attend must have handmade products.
“So every one of these artisans, these vendors- they make their own stuff and I’m really impressed with the fact that she stuck to that rule,” said Shaimus Tolman, market manager.
“I mean we’ve had people come in and want to sell their MLM (multi-level marketing) businesses and she’s like ‘No.’ And by doing that, I think she’s created an environment here that’s really unique. There’s nothing you see anywhere else because most of these people only sell their wares in markets.”
He says the vendors are much higher percentage artists themselves.
“They’re not just sales people going out and trying to pitch something because these are their personal wares,” he said. “These are the things that they sit at home (and) spend their private personal time slowly creating these things and they’re much more proud of their product.”
There were over 90 vendors at the Market from B.C. to Manitoba.

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