Meet Bella Wedig, featured Artisan Goods artist

Bella Wedig opened Force of Habit: Leather Vocation in 2019 in Trenary, Michigan. She describes the decision to learn leathersmithing on her website, saying "I got started with leatherwork the same way that one opens a bag of chips and 30 minutes later finds the bag empty: too much free time on my hands and nothing else to do. Turns out, I love it!" 

In the four years since she began working with leather, Bella has begun creating a myriad of designs, including handmade leather armor. Her creations are enchanting, which is exactly the feeling we were looking for in our latest collection.

Each of the leather belts and wallets that Bella created for us is made from 100% American materials. This is important because it reduces the carbon footprint of all her designs. Further, she uses an eco-friendly bark solution to tan the leather, forgoing chemicals that can harm the environment.

A fun fact about Bella is that her dad, Dale Wedig, was Beth and Gordon's metalsmithing instructor at Northern Michigan University!

We are so excited about this collaboration. Every piece is absolutely beautiful and the time, effort, and care put into each item are obvious. We hope that you'll stop by the shop to check them out in person!