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Born and raised in Port Washington, New York Sandy Vohr was always a creative kid, she still remembers the drawing contest she won in elementary school with fond memories.  As a self-taught leather worker, and mother of four, she’s had a passion for leather ever since she was introduced to the medium back in 1970.  What started as a simple curiosity over a belt quickly became a full-fledged business of passion.

As an adult, Sandy and her husband Jack were active in sports.  While raising their children, they both became part-time ski instructors, which was a great excuse to teach their kids how to ski.  A fellow instructor Sandy and Jack had befriended happen to be a leather worker. The got to talking and Sandy asked him to show her how to make a belt.  She was so intrigued, she spent the next three months making all different kinds of leather belts. 

With her fascination peaked and the tanneries so close, she invested in a leather sewing machine and began experimenting with all things leather.  After nine years and numerous craft show successes, Sandy set up shop with a small boutique in Stockbridge, just across the Massachusetts border.  Here, she sold an array of her leather creations including wallets, handbags, briefcases, wall hangings and sheepskin coats/vests, and yes - belts. 

Five years later, with the initial thrill of running her own shop fading and the drudge of the daily commute beginning to weigh heavy, in 1984 Sandy decided to close up shop and spend more time with her family.  During this time, Sandy resumed her interest in sports: she played tennis competitively; she played squash on a national level, quickly becoming the Over 50 National Champion; she won a bronze medal in cross country skiing at the World Masters Championship; and competed in numerous triathlons.  Fast forward ten years later.  When Sandy’s husband retired from his career in Engineering, she jumped at the opportunity to pick up where she left off, as she had never lost interest in or her passion for leather. 

The biggest joy Sandy gets out of leatherworking is the ability to dream up new and creative ways in which to work the leather.   As part of her creative routine, a leather frog slowly immerged from the idea bin - her first, and signature leather animal.  As you can imagine, this started a title wave of leather animals, both large and small.  Not one to settle, Sandy was constantly tinkering.  She pushed the envelope again and figured out how to turn these animals into savings bank - she would fill the samples she made with coins.  Not knowing what else to do with them at the time, they quickly became “holders” of books, of paper, of almost anything needing holding.  Almost instantaneously, Sandy’s signature Leather Animal Bookends were born.  

In 2000, Sandy and Jack moved to the Adirondacks in upstate New York.  In addition to the sheer beauty of their new home, they’re now closer to the tanneries, giving Sandy a wider selection of leathers to choose from in person.  They built a beautiful leather workshop that houses everything Leather Zoo, including a very old and heavy “clicker” which is still used today to cut out the patterns of each animal.  While Sandy does not attend the number of shows she used to (let’s face it, I can tell you from personal experience her product line is not exactly a “light” one to carry around with you in bulk), she continues to push the envelope, deliver us wonderful new designs and delight children of all ages with her beautiful leather creations!