Once  a decision about the specific item we plan to recreate has been reached, we do a lot of research into similar pieces from the period, with special regard to ornamentation — styles, materials, and tribal association. Collecting photographs, especially high-def museum images, and making sketches help bring a piece to life.

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The next step is the most rewarding: working with the raw materials, both natural and manmade, to construct the 'modular' parts that will come together to form the whole piece. Careful attention is paid to each component of the process. Using reproduction seed beads in authentic colors for our beadwork, the multiple steps in assembling an accurate coup feather, or wet-shaping the rawhide liner for a knife sheath are just a few of the details we're passionate about.

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One of the things that requires the most care is judicious, discreet "aging" of the pieces. The goal is to impart a light timeworn patina to the finished piece. In our studio, this is accomplished during each step of the construction, so that every individual element is treated along the way, from the smallest leather thong that will attach to a headdress, to the feathers, and even the beadwork. We don't want our items to look new. For us, spraying-down a finished war bonnet with gray watercolor just won't do.

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Our materials are chosen for authenticity and durability. For example, we use only animal hide glue, and when ribbons are called for, they're 100% silk (no polyester). Depending upon the project, we use real sinew (deer and elk) or imitation sinew — known for its strength and longevity — for our hand-stitching and beadwork.

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Serious collectors can be confident that each of our items, from start to finish, is thoroughly researched, historically accurate, and constructed to honor Native American tradition. Our goal is not to make mere souvenirs, but instead to create authentic, functional replicas of Plains life in the nineteenth century.

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