One of the talented merchants that I met last week in Vegas included Joel West, owner of Four Winds West, an enterprise dedicated to making hand-made leather bags, accessories, and belts using ancient traditions, and superior craftsmanship.

Every year Joel West travels to Morocco {a country on the Northwest tip of Africa, and just south of Spain} for the business of creating leather goods for the American Western market.  It was a wonderful history lesson to learn from Joel the rich history of the Moroccan influence on the American West. 

The Four Winds website offers this concise narration of our connections to Moroccan history… “Through the arts and culture of the American West runs a deep Moorish influence.  Along with the horse, the conquistadors brought a legacy from seven centuries of Moorish Spain.  The techniques and motifs used in their finely worked tack, weapons and saddle blankets are the roots of cowboy gear as well as much Native American jewelry and weaving.  Four Winds brings this history full circle.  At our workshops in the ancient Moorish city of Marrakech, Morocco, master craftsmen still pursue that tradition of excellence in leather and metal, reflecting a heritage share with us in the American West.”

For over 25 years Joel, and wife, Sindie, have been creating these exquisite handbags and accessories.  Joel designs each bag himself.  He also picks each piece of turquoise, choosing only the best stones.  From the workshops in Morocco come all of the buckles, conchos and metal work.  Each piece of metal is handcrafted and must pass the highest standards in order to make it onto a bag.  With the finest, full grain cowhides each bag and accessory is put together.  

Once the bags have been assembled, Joel finishes each piece and inspects it for quality.  No sewing or machine work is used to construct the leather work, it is all hand crafted.  The beauty and art of these superior techniques shines through earning Four Winds West a place in King Ranch catalog and also in the Arizona Highways Catalog.  Joel’s passion for his craft is evident in each piece.  Love it…  Thank you, Joel.

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Last week I had the fortune to visit Fabulous Las Vegas.  I made the trip so that I could attend the shopping events that were being hosted in relation to the National Finals Rodeo.  This rodeo,  which began over 50 years ago in Oklahoma City, is for the best of the best, and the shopping venues were also filled the finest Western Merchants & Artists in the country.  While the cow-folk take over SIN CITY, there are three shopping events laid out…

Cowboy Christmas is held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and is the only shopping event that is “officially” sanctioned by the National Finals Rodeo.  Cowboy Christmas is full of creative artists that are passionate about both the Western Lifestyle, as well as their art.  Vendors like Andy Sanchez {pictured below with son Aaron}, Western Vintage Revival, David Stocklein, Rocketbuster Boots, and Cowboys & Indians Magazine are just a few of the 400 premiere merchants and artists that make Cowboy Christmas so special.

Held at the Sands Expoin Las Vegas, Country Christmas is a “Western Gift Expo” that is dedicated entirely to Western products.  That isn’t to say that there’s not a little something for everyone.  Rustic Ranch Relics {their store is pictured below} was at Country Christmas offering a huge array of pewter that is the perfect gift for the women in your life, while several leather dealers had a large selection of men’s wallets that would suit gentlemen from every walk of life ~ young or old.  Now in their 15th year, Country Christmas is home to other vendors such as Gun Barrel Ranch, Appalosa Trading Company and Mexican Imports.com…  They also offer the Dummy Roping World Championship for kids, sales presentations from knife vendors and the like, fudge and tons of tack & trailers.   It’s a hoot!!

Finally we have the Cowboy Marketplace over at the Mandalay Bay.  Truth be told, I never made it over there.  I guess next year I’ll have to stay for a full four days because the Cowboy Marketplace hosts 100s of other vendors that I would love to meet!!  Stay tuned… 

So book your tickets & reserve your hotel room for Vegas in December 2009.  It will be a great time to meet more of the wonderful merchants and artists that make the Western * Rustic lifestyle such a fun & fabulous marketplace!! 

Keep checking in this week as I write about some of the wonderful people I met this year…  You won’t want to miss a thing. 
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Last night I bought my plane tickets for a December trip to Vegas!!  I’m so excited that I had to tell you about it…

Every December, for a glorious ten day stretch, Cowboys from across the world gather in Las Vegas.  The official reason is the National Finals Rodeo {the Super Bowl for Rodeo cowboys}.  I have been to this world-renown rodeo, and it is a class act for the best of the best.  There are also concerts, special events, and {our favorite} SHOPPING, all over Vegas!!

Even folks who aren’t into rodeo {you’re really missing out}, but LOVE Western * Rustic * Vintage Design & Fashion, head to Vegas in December.  The reason??  Cowboy Christmas and Country Christmas…

Two separate shopping events in two different Vegas locations, both are FULL to the BRIM with everything from Leather Sofas, to Custom Western Bedding, to Vintage Western clothing, to decked out trailers for your next big ranch adventure. 

You will be hearing much, much more about it in the coming weeks ~ I can hardly wait to get there and to bring back TONS of new sources of Western * Rustic * Vintage Furniture, Art & more!!  You are going to love it…

BTW ~ To anyone else headed out to Vegas in December, give me a holler HERE and maybe we can meet up!!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of pumpkin picking and early Halloween parties…  xoxo, Fancy

P.S. All of the pics on the LEFT are links to a small sampling of the vendors that will be at Country Christmas in Vegas this December. 

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