Meet Danielle Degutz

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Degutz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I make and sell horns and antlers that you wear on your head as part of a costume at the renaissance faire! It is a lot of fun. I came into renaissance faires after traveling for years and beginning to feel directionless. While traveling is so much fun, after a certain point, it is inevitable to start to feel like you need more of a purpose in life. I wanted to have something to work towards and accomplish that aligned with my values. I began working at ren faires for other people, not with my own booth. It was so amazing to see that a place exists where handmade crafters and artisans were appreciated and supported. They could actually make a living off of their art! I never knew such a thing was possible and so wanted to be a part of it! I began working for other leatherworkers and learning the craft. I started thinking about what I could make with the leather techniques I’ve learned that does not yet exist in the ren faire. I wanted to provide something a little silly and out of the ordinary that could help ren faire goers to break out of their shell and get into the spirit of dressing up as a character. I started making horns and antlers in many different styles. People loved them! For some, the horns added the perfect finishing touch to their costumes. For others, they were the first costume piece to get them going. It is so fun to get creative and share my designs with the world, while encouraging others to get silly and play!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from others is that I live on the road in a bus, so I have a lot of time to dedicate to my work and to the things I care about. I am proud of having a booth at several different renaissance faires, and I am excited to go to them this summer. It has been my goal to sell my art and make a living off of it for many years, so it was easy to find the drive and motivation to keep working at it. But the actual work itself was not always easy. Since I live on the road, it was often hard to find space to work and to store my supplies. Before I had my bus, I lived out of a truck, and before that a small car. I had to devote a lot of space in my vehicles to my leather supplies, which meant less space for other items. I also had to schedule my work times around the weather since I didn’t have any indoor space. That was very challenging at times. Since I got my bus, I was able to build a dedicated workspace in it and it has made a huge difference.
There have been times when I’ve felt overwhelmed and discouraged by the amount of work on my plate. I have also felt a lack of creativity at times. I’ve learned that inviting others to be a part of the project has been a huge help. I now have another artist friend who helps me to make the products. She inspires me creatively and helps keep me motivated. I am eternally grateful for her! I want the world to know that it is possible to pursue a creative business and be successful. But in order to do so, you must hold the vision, trust yourself and not be afraid of failure, don’t make excuses, and accept help from others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take my best friend hiking in the mountains!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to thank my mom for encouraging my creativity from a young age. She took me to art classes starting when I was little and continued throughout my time growing up. We always did art projects at home and even turned our dining room into our dedicated art space. Because of her, I always felt comfortable getting creative and bringing the ideas in my head into reality.

Instagram: @lizardqueenleather

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Other: Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Lizardqueenleather