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Handmade Portraits: Sunny Rising Leather


Story by sunnyrising, weirdwolf Published on December 12, 2008 in This Handmade Life

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(music by Allison Sattinger)

Allison Sattinger, aka Sunny Rising Leather, has had the nickname "Sunny" ever since she was a kid. When you watch this video, you'll quickly know why: Allison just glows with warmth and goodness. She learned to tool leather in 2004, and her first pair of cuffs read "Let me be (L) that light (R)"..."Let me be that light".

Allison still strives to be that light with everything she does, from crafting her beautiful leather goods, to singing with her angelic voice, to silversmithing jewelry, to being an inspiration for artisans wishing to quit their day jobs. Allison takes the old tradition of leather tooling and makes it her own with her signature koi fish necklaces and her custom made leather bags.

Watch our other Handmade Video Portraits and subscribe to our Youtube Channel!

Tags	accessories, Allison Sattinger, Al Stohlman, California, Handmade Video Portraits, jewelry, leather, leather craft, leather crafting, leather tooling, leather work, Los Angeles, sunnyrising, Sunny Rising Leather, Tara Young, THIS HANDMADE LIFE, video, weirdwolf

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95 comments Login to add your own!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:05 p.m.

katiearms

such lovely video of such a charming girl!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:23 p.m.

beeczarcardsandgifts

BEYOND inspiring!! I adore your work Sunny(Allison) and your beautiful energy. Thank you for sharing your amazing talent and spirit with us all. We are all so lucky and richer for it as a result.
xoxoxo

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:23 p.m.

katrinakaye

How adorable. The girl AND the designs. :) Leather looks amazing to work with! Have to try it one day... Thanks for sharing the enthusiasm.

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:30 p.m.

MewPaperArts

That was maybe...no it WAS definitely...the best thing ever!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:35 p.m.

mermaidclaire

Oh my goodness, when she hugs the hide it's the cutest thing I've seen all year. The peacock feathers are to die for!!!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:36 p.m.

gemmafactrix

cutest. ever.

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:41 p.m.

objecked

I love what she says about the masters of leather tooling sharing their techniques in order to pass on the craft. Her leather work is so beautiful, and her music ain't half bad either!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:50 p.m.

sonyarasi

Awesome video! I love your blog. What an inspiration to take a leather tooling class. Just in time to ask for Christmas.Thank you!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:50 p.m.

thenoisyplume

WELL!
That's JUST how you are Allison!
Sweet sweet sunshine!

Loved this little documentary!
With all my heart, J

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:53 p.m.

papermenagerie

I LOVE Allison/Sunny! She is so talented and so supportive of others in the Etsy community. And her first CD is fantastic, I cannot wait to get her second one.

Best video seg yet.

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:53 p.m.

PearsonMaron

She's the only person I've seen that can make a Madonna song seem thoughtful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOo2s...

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:54 p.m.

BeadsInTheBelfry

well of course Allison is sunny! Yay!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:57 p.m.

DewberryVintage

That was WONDERFUL!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 3:16 p.m.

taddyporter

A beautiful angel on earth this woman is. multi-talented and a joy to watch, her fabulous energy is infectious!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 3:57 p.m.

sseloske

Sunny: You are talented and vibrant and I'm not afraid to tell you that I have a total girl crush on you and your craft.

Dec. 12, 2008 at 4:10 p.m.

pheeadornments

What a great feature :) Yay for leathercrafters!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 4:11 p.m.

sunnyrisingmetal

You have all been so kind - thank you thank you - Tara is amazing and this whole experience has been out of this world.

Dec. 12, 2008 at 4:32 p.m.

jmichelle

What beautiful pieces of art!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 5:10 p.m.

crankbunny

she is so wonderful - i'm so happy to see this video!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 5:18 p.m.

weirdwolf

I am a huge fan of Allisunny!! At the end of our wonderful shoot she taught me a thing or two about tooling and even set me up with a little starter kit!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 6:14 p.m.

jessicajane

best portrait ever. I cannot, I repeat, CANNOT, wait to move down to Oceanside, and meet you!

I loved this portrait, and i loved seeing my little tree stump utensil holder on your desk! :)

You do beautiful beautiful work Allison.

Dec. 12, 2008 at 7:46 p.m.

magnoliastreet

My dear friend, you are a radiant miracle. So lovely to see you featured here -- my best, heartfelt wishes for your continued success!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 9:17 p.m.

MissLissOriginals

WOW doesn't begin to say it! This girl has it ALL. Beautiful, sweet girl, absolutely stunning leather works!! Not to mention that she also works with metal and sings SOOOOO beautifully! Unbelievable!

Dec. 12, 2008 at 10:30 p.m.

hazelnutcottage

:) oh, hello sunny, or is it, allisunny? you and your video are beeeauuuteeeful! thank you for sharing yourself with this etsy community! sigh...i am inspired...

:) jan

Dec. 12, 2008 at 11:19 p.m.

TheSingingBird

your work and your music, sooo beautiful!

Dec. 13, 2008 at 12:36 a.m.

WingsDove

What a lovely and talented young artist! Your work is beautiful, Sunny.

Dec. 13, 2008 at 12:57 a.m.

kmwatkins

That was such a great video!

Dec. 13, 2008 at 1:06 a.m.

evesimone

Mmmmm, love me some Sunny...great find. Love it.

Dec. 13, 2008 at 3:43 a.m.

theaxx

Delicious voice too, I'm in NEED of this cd.

Dec. 13, 2008 at 3:49 a.m.

flurrsprite

awwww what a great video!! it's kind of funny, i was going to the starbucks next to that tandy leather store and ran inside because i was so excited that there was an actual tandy store near where i had just moved! almost left with five million things before i decided that i should probably figure out whether or not i actually want to really try tooling leather or not ;) but yay for sunny!

Dec. 13, 2008 at 4:10 a.m.

Sinta

Nice feature ^_^

Dec. 13, 2008 at 4:49 a.m.

BluCille

Neat magnets.

Dec. 13, 2008 at 5:05 a.m.

LushPunk

WOW - fantastic video. I absolutely loved seeing how you create your pieces! So much time goes into each one.

I also love the bit where she hugs the hide! :D

Dec. 13, 2008 at 8:45 a.m.

bamboobaby

Adorable! And great shop.

Dec. 13, 2008 at 9:35 a.m.

EttiandOttisOddments

That was so great! Beautiful video, beautiful art!
Thanks for sharing :)

Dec. 13, 2008 at 10:32 a.m.

wildstrawberry

Lovely! Amazing work.

Dec. 13, 2008 at 12:20 p.m.

BlackStar

and that's what it's all about!

Dec. 13, 2008 at 4:15 p.m.

scrapbookcompleted

You have an energy about you that is contagious! You deserve all the success in the world. Keep going with your passion and share it with everyone!

Dec. 13, 2008 at 7:52 p.m.

littlealouette

I love these features so much. gorgeous.

Dec. 13, 2008 at 8:36 p.m.

FlanneryCrane

I love leather items and these are gorgeous! I enjoyed your story and wish you much continued success! Keep Smiling!

Dec. 13, 2008 at 10:46 p.m.

vozclothingandart

So amazing and inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing.

Dec. 14, 2008 at 1:25 p.m.

thePhotoZoo

FANTASTIC video... i LOVE to see and hear artists who are SO passionate about their art/craft. it is contagious!! thank you for sharing this. it made my morning.

Dec. 14, 2008 at 1:28 p.m.

leatherprince

Very nice work!!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful artist!!

Dec. 14, 2008 at 3:43 p.m.

MissCrowland

I wish I had your peaceful spirit.

Dec. 14, 2008 at 3:50 p.m.

TheBritishEccentric

Now I can see the where the amazingly stunning designs come from!! Sunny made me a leather Bee necklace with a gorgeous tuquoise stone, it really is a work of art and you can see the love that went into it! Her style is so unique, and she is such a lovely lovely person, it was great to see her in the flesh!!

Dec. 14, 2008 at 3:57 p.m.

RADCOW

AHHHHHHHhHHHHhhhhh LisssUnnnnnnyyyyyyyy!
I love you! I grinned like a fool the entire time watching this! Im so happy with/for you! and I totally got the whole hide excitement bit. yay!

Dec. 14, 2008 at 4:35 p.m.

sewlutionsbyamo

I enjoyed this interview very much, what a wonderful story.

Dec. 14, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.

sunnyrising

You are all so lovely!! Thank you :)

Dec. 14, 2008 at 8:13 p.m.

LeatherFromtheAbyss

very nice! awesome interview showcasing a talented artist.
~Mike

Dec. 15, 2008 at 9:51 a.m.

christinececelia

beautiful-
I really do love this stuff!

Dec. 15, 2008 at 11:44 a.m.

worksandfinds

Oh, how beautiful and friendly. Very talented artist.

Dec. 16, 2008 at 6:04 p.m.

vivikas

Oh! I come here just to get inspired by those wonderful artists, sunny quit her day job, what can I say... hm... AWESOME!
Beautiful shop, talented girl!

Dec. 18, 2008 at 9:05 a.m.

thepuddlepeople

Sunny, I love how your face lights up when you talk about your art. People tell me the same thing happens when I am describing my work...now I know exactly what they mean!

Wishing you rays of sunshine to brighten all of your days!

Dec. 20, 2008 at 12:03 p.m.

crzyskiier

Hey if you guys are interested in eco friendly clothing you should check out earthbitch.etsy.com. She makes really cool jackets out of recycled and repurposed materials and natural fiber wedding gowns. She also donates 5% of her profits to the Natural Resource Defense Council. It is really unique stuff so check her out!!!

Dec. 22, 2008 at 4:58 p.m.

missbatch

It's so nice to meet the people behind the amazing items!

Jan. 2, 2009 at 3:19 p.m.

Suzan

Hi Their! Loved your video. I too have been to Tandy many times as leather excites me too! I use it in designs here and their,but still in the early stages of designing with it. Watching you hug the leather roll in the shop made me laugh! Paydirt indeed.
Your jewelry designs are very inspiring,well made (even though I don't have one) I can tell by the pictures and now seeing your video. Ya gotta love etsy!! ..I just found you and will be back to see what your up too. Be safe..Be happy, Sincerely, Suzz ;)

Jan. 3, 2009 at 3:42 p.m.

TrilbyMade

great portrait piece. thank you for sharing your craft! Can't wait to see what happens to that fresh role of leather..

Jan. 12, 2009 at 11:07 p.m.

vwendy

This is a great video, I love the art she created and shared this on my blog:D

Jan. 21, 2009 at 2:41 p.m.

topsyturvydesign

*LOVE*
What a wonderful wonderful video & subject!!!
Sunny's work makes me swoon & I can see the love in each fantastical piece.
One day I will delight in wearing one of her koi around my neck... or should a get a peacock cuff - I dunno!

Feb. 3, 2009 at 3:22 p.m.

KDemARTe

Thank-you for sharing your craft. Awesome video! Wishing you much continued luck doing what you love!

Feb. 3, 2009 at 5:46 p.m.

cthings

Wonderful video!! Congrats on your beautiful work Sunny!!

Feb. 3, 2009 at 6:35 p.m.

jodieflowers

beautiful work! Awesome viedo!

Feb. 3, 2009 at 7:05 p.m.

mykonos

oh, great list!!

Feb. 3, 2009 at 9:06 p.m.

DirtyRottenPaper

How fantastic!!! Much success to you!

Feb. 3, 2009 at 10:22 p.m.

HelloBirdie

you've made my heart happy. What a doll!

Feb. 4, 2009 at 3:29 a.m.

kalliART

aw, that was a nice video. I've never been that interested in leather tooling, but I can see why you enjoy it so much. The koi are beautiful!

Feb. 4, 2009 at 7:31 a.m.

saraaires

Wow! Nice to meet you Sunny! Your work is stunning! I love the relaxed way of the video, passionate feel of the artist and the showing of the process too. Thank you for sharing!

Feb. 4, 2009 at 6:07 p.m.

millcreekcottages

This is a nice peek into the leather tooling world. Thanks for sharing.

Feb. 4, 2009 at 7:12 p.m.

ravenwren

Hey, we go to that Tandy all the time! Haha. I'm from L.A. and my husband is a holster maker. You've definitely inspired me to try something new, but for now, I'll just go pick out some great things from your shop. Haha.

Feb. 5, 2009 at 5:48 a.m.

lillah

Thanks for sharing!

Such great inspiration.
I love your work.
Hugs
Lilla

Feb. 5, 2009 at 6:34 a.m.

SeptemberHouse

This was great! I'm looking at leather a whole new way now. :)

Feb. 5, 2009 at 9:58 a.m.

apinkmilk

I'm wondering if I was meant to watch that today, as bizarrely I had printed a couple of success stories off Storque, and was reading yours laying in bed this morning, and then came down turned on the computer and there you were on video.

I've been feeling a bit pressured and a bit negative, thinking things aren't going to work, etc etc.
And then I have a double dose of 'sun'.

Thanks so much, it was almost like a random act of kindness.

All the best with your dreams.
Justine xx

Feb. 5, 2009 at 3:14 p.m.

RemnantsJewelry

Allison is so genuine. She truly is an inspiration to me. This is the first time I have ventured into this side of Etsy. I learn more about what a phenomenon this site is daily and I am so excited to be a part of it. It is like the comment that Allison made about sharing... what would life be without it? Thank you to all.

samantha~

Feb. 5, 2009 at 3:26 p.m.

decoratethediva

She is amazing!!! What an inspiration!!! Thank you Allison!!!

Feb. 5, 2009 at 4:18 p.m.

yaffa

Awwww!!!! Oooooo!!!! It is amazing what you are doing!I love it! Just bless your heart, girl!Use, develop your gift, let people enjoy and admire this talent you use so fruitfully!The heart melting video...

Feb. 6, 2009 at 12:12 p.m.

lisahopkins

Wow--so beautiful and inspiring. Congratulations, Sunny. These seller video portraits are my new favorite feature. I feel energized after learning about such amazing, creative people and their work.

Feb. 6, 2009 at 6:14 p.m.

TrishaBrinkDesign

I am in love with this feature! Thank-you Sunny Allison!!! What an inspiration it was to watch you give others credit for sharing...when you were guilty of sharing yourself with us. Thanks for being so real. Thanks for being generous. You do beautiful work; may the sky be your rising limit!!!

Feb. 6, 2009 at 11:15 p.m.

grassrootsartworks

Fabulous story/video, beautiful work!

Feb. 7, 2009 at 12:40 p.m.

originalfancygirl

Incredible video and very inspiring! Thank you for sharing!

Feb. 7, 2009 at 1:27 p.m.

shabbyvintagemom

So inspiring! Loved the her story, Thanks for sharing the video.

Feb. 7, 2009 at 11:50 p.m.

kauaikwilts

Beautiful work and personality.

Feb. 7, 2009 at 11:58 p.m.

sunnyrising

I am just so honored and blown away by all the kind comments and sentiment here. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!! If I was in front of you I'd surely hug you :)

Feb. 8, 2009 at 4:55 a.m.