I've spent more and more time reflecting and looking towards the future. One thing I have always believed in that the rearview mirror is smaller than the windshield for a reason. You are supposed to spend more time looking ahead than looking behind!! While you still need to see where you've been for lessons learned and context to move forward, but you shouldn't be dwelling on the things that you can't change. Your BEST days are still ahead of you! In some of my self reflection, I have been thinking about the phrase TGIF (Thank God it's Friday). This has never been a sentiment that I have embraced. It has a conotation that "it's over", "coast", "nothing left to do". I find it to be the complete opposite. Things in motion tend to stay in motion. We as humans need to be in motion. While your work week may be ending, it doesn't mean your life is dead, or nothing left to do. We should be going into the weekend with the same sense of purpose we go into the beginning of the work week or more importantly every day. ie: ATTACK everyday!! LIVE everyday!! LOVE everyday!! BE intentional EVERYDAY!! This is how I wake up every morning and go to bed every evening, saying these things to myself. And Thanking God every day for another chance to be here! OOTD: Blue/Grey Hugo Boss Sport Jacket Medium Blue Dress trousers with "Turn ups" or Cuffs Navy with red Shadow Stripe OTC Dress Socks Margaux Patina'd Cap toe Oxfords with matching belt Blue/Silver with Burgundy Edge Pocket Square. Wishing you all a wonderful Friday and an amazing weekend ahead!

After seeing @John C post yesterday I realized I hadn't been sharing any of my shoe projects in a while. I find these projects to be SO relaxing and challenging all at the same time. I also think it is a great way for everyone in this group to care for their items expensive or not and it doesn't have to cost a lot to do. The products that you need vary in price, but you also don't run through the product too quickly so buying better quality care products will last a long time. These are my Allen Edmonds Sarasota (Independence collection) Woven Loafers. I noticed when I took them off the other day that I had a couple of spots where the dyed portion of the edge of the weave had come off and I was looking at raw skin. That prompted me to take them down to the bench and get started. After brushing and cleaning them I dyed the leather back in the "raw" spots. While that was sitting I decided I didn't like the contrast of the sole and heals as they were a bit flat tonally to the rest of the shoe, so I sanded down the sole edges and heals. Then I dyed the edges and heals 1st with a coat of Havana Brown dye, then 1 coat of Dark Brown, then a light coat of Bordeaux. After that sat and dried I put another coat of dark brown onto and it has given it the contrast but with depth and warmth I thought would be nice. Then I went back and polished the woven parts of the shoe with cream polish. After this was done I used Havana Brown cream polish on the heels and edging and buffed them to a nice shine, and then buffed the uppers as well. The last detail which generally gets overlooked was the sole bottoms. While you expect them to wear if you do not protect them they will soak up water and drench your feet if you are walking in the rain too much. I sanded the sole bottoms and heal bottoms with 400 grit sand paper and then cleaned them off and gave 2 coats of sole guard. This gives the soles waterproofing without making them slippery.

For me, shoe restoration has never been about simply making an old pair look presentable again. It is about preserving craftsmanship from an era when shoes were built with integrity, recraftability, and character. In a world increasingly driven by disposable fashion, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for restoring legacy footwear — shoes that still possess exceptional leather quality, strong structural foundations, and the unmistakable soul that only time and wear can create. Much of my work has centered around heritage American and European footwear, including vintage Allen Edmonds wingtips, bicycle toes, and custom patina projects, along with refined European styles from Mezlan, including woven oxfords and other classic dress silhouettes. Many of these pairs arrived heavily neglected: dried and oxidized uppers, uneven factory finishes, deep creasing, dulled welts, faded color transitions, and years of embedded contamination that muted the natural beauty of the leather. Beneath all of that wear, though, there was still life in the shoes — and that is what I’m always trying to uncover. My restoration process begins with deep leather cleaning and decontamination using saddle soap, leather cleansers, and controlled stripping agents such as acetone or professional deglazers to remove failing finishes, wax buildup, silicones, and surface contaminants. I approach this carefully because the goal is never to aggressively strip the leather, but to reveal its natural character while preserving its integrity. Once stripped, the leather is slowly rehydrated and nourished using products such as Saphir Renovateur, Venetian Shoe Cream, and penetrating conditioners designed to restore flexibility, richness, and depth back into tired calfskin. I allow the leather time to absorb and stabilize before moving into color work. Leather responds best when it’s treated patiently. The artistic process begins with custom patina development. Rather than applying flat, uniform color, I build depth through layered dye applications using alcohol-based dyes, creams, and tonal blending techniques that create movement and transparency across the upper. My work consistently gravitates toward rich cognacs, museum browns, tobacco undertones, espresso burnishing, and antiqued transitions that give the shoes an old-world European character without looking artificial or overdone.