3 Ways to Shape a Palm Leaf Hat

August 5, 2015 - posted by Rose Marion

Need some shade at the rodeo or playing after work? Our Western guy Marty can show you how to shape a palm leaf hat today in a Gus, Brick Top, & Buckaroo style.

He shapes these cowboy hats here at the store with a steamer, and you can shape yours with just a bucket of water at home – watch how!

Cowboy Hat Styles

In the Buckaroo style, you’ll have a smooth bowl-shaped indent in the crown, round all the way around. Use a bowl or a ball to get this shape. Then you can raise the middle of the indent over another round shape, like a smaller ball, from the inside. You can also shape a nice lip in the top of the crown. The Buckaroo typically has a pretty flat brim, too.

This is the style of hat that Tom wore for his Trek outfit – he shaped it himself!

A Brick Top hat means you have four corners in the brim of the hat, and an even indent.

The most common styles of hat Marty sees is a Cattleman’s crown and a Gus. The Cattleman is like the hat Marty’s wearing: two dents running from front to back. The Gus is just like the Cattleman’s, but the dents are only in the front of the hat.

How to Shape Your Hat at Home

To do this at home, fill a bucket with water. You can use cold water and let it soak a while, or lukewarm will speed it up a bit.

Start with the crown and use your fingers and thumbs to start the shape.

Move to the brim and shape your brim.

Now let it dry. You’re all done!

Get a Hat of your Own

Get your own palm leaf hat from Smith & Edwards! We carry a HUGE selection of Sunbody hats, which is our favorite brand of palm leaf hat. These hats are Guatemalan-made and hold their shape nice after you shape them. They come in lots of adult sizes as well as kids’ sizes.

Come in to Smith & Edwards in Farr West and we’ll shape one up for you, too!

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How to Make a Bandana Dress for your Little Girl

July 16, 2015 - posted by Amy Griffiths

Isn’t she cute? It’s so simple: a t-shirt and two bandanas, and you’ve got a brand-new outfit for your little girl! This is a fun sewing tutorial and you’ll be hooked on making these for your toddler. There’s a lot of room for her to grow in a dress like this!

For Smith & Edwards, I HAD to make my little girl a Realtree camo dress!

You’ll need:

1 storebought tee
2 bandannas (same or different!)
Sewing machine, scissors, ruler, and chalk pencil or sewing marker

How to make a Bandana Dress

Measure the width of the bottom of the tee.

Now, use this formula: Multiply the width by 2 and add 1.5".
For my tee, I took 12.75 x 2 = 25.5. Add 1.5 = 27".
Now, fold your bandana in half to make a triangle, and fold in half again.
Take your number from step 1 and divide by 6.28 (this is pi times 2, for those playing along at home.)
For me this means 27 / 6.28 = 4.29" (I used 4.25")
Place one end of your ruler on the corner of the bandana, and mark along the bandanas at the mark you found in step 3 – for me, that’s 4.25". Make sure and make several marks, then join a line with a chalk pencil.
Cut along the line you made. Unfold, and you’ll have a perfect circle cut in the middle of your bandana.
Repeat step 4 & 5 on your second bandanas.
Now, lay one bandana on top of the other, and offset so you can see all eight points. Pin together.
On your sewing machine, use a large stitch to baste your bandanas together (about 1/4") .
Slip your tee in the opening you’ve made.
This part may seem a little tricky! You don’t want to join the edge of the bandanas with the very bottom of the tee: bring it up an inch, so you don’t see the hemmed seam of the tee.

Make sure right sides are together, and pin tee to bandanas.

I do this by folding the bandana in half, as well as the tee, and pin. Fold that half in half and pin together. Keep doing this until you’ve got about 8-12 pins in.
Now, sew it together. Tip: Your tee is smaller than your bandana cutout, so just make sure you stretch your tee as you sew.
Unfold your dress, and you’re done!

Add an embellishment made from the circles you cut!

With the leftover fabric from the bandana holes, you can embellish your dress: Cut out a heart and use iron on fusing like Stick ‘N Hold or Wonder-Under – or, make a handmade flower! It’s all up to you!

Get your bandanas online at Smith & Edwards online: Get a Realtre AP Camo Bandana or traditional bandanas to make your own bandana dress!

Love this Sewing Project? Pin it!

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Have Herbs? Dry & Preserve in Mason Jar Herb Shakers!

July 15, 2015 - posted by Rebecca Adams

The best part of having your own garden is harvesting your own vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Drying herbs is simple, and with your own herb garden you can have the comfort of fresh and organic herbs and spices at your fingertips.

When to get ready

The early summer months of May and June is the best time to head over to your local nursery, and you can find an abundant supply of different herbs and spices to choose from. Some popular choices that do really well in the ground as well as in raised beds, are cilantro, thyme, basil, and chives.

How to Pick and Dry Herbs

The process is easy: harvest the herbs before they flower and the best time is early morning before the sun hits them. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to finish the process, because it’s best if you start to prep your herbs for drying when you first pick them.

Make sure you wash gently and drain excess water, then tie a rubber band around the bottom with the herbs leaves facing down. Then hang in a moisture free area. It’s that simple!

If you prefer, place the herbs on a mesh screen in a food dehydrator and let it run. This is a great method for parsley and chives: Cut the herbs with kitchen scissors, then let dry on a screen tray.

My favorite part is crushing the herbs with a mortar and pestle!

Store your Herbs in Mason Jar Shakers

I love these Ball Mason jar herb shaker caps – so useful and super-affordable!

I love these shaker lids for regular Mason jars that you can personalize and put your homegrown spices and herbs in! They work great for pretty jam & jelly jars as well as the pint & a half size Mason jars. You can even work on your biggest regular-mouth Mason jars.

They have nice big holes so you can shake out sprinkles and sugar spots as well as your favorite herbs and spices. Even mini chocolate chips! Mmm!

Add a label and you’re set!

See more Mason Jar lids & drinking mugs here. Click here to see Canning jars, too.

Put a label on your herb shaker and you’re set!

Help Us Grow! Share this tip on Pinterest!

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Not Just A Country Store – Smith and Edwards Manufacturing

July 11, 2015 - posted by Regan Taylor

Today, I had the privilege of talking with our very own Smith and Edwards brand team. Some may not know this, but Smith and Edwards is a brand name for horse tack, bridles, pack saddles and pack saddle equipment, saddle bags, and leather-working goods.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an outfitter, hunter, trail rider, rancher, or rodeo cowboy; this brand is for all Western style riders. That’s right, we don’t just sell top quality Western tack and Western trail riding equipment, we make it too!

The Smith and Edwards company tried out the idea of making their own brand and products back in 1979. What started out as a simple yet solid idea, has soared to a well-respected brand name used by many cowboys in the Western region of the U.S. and is sold to many country/feed stores.

Why? Well it could be that it’s a brand made in USA, for USA. Or maybe it’s because the company is always looking for ways to improve their products and make them fit customer’s needs.

Trying new patterns and different sewing strategies, as well as changing lengths and cutting techniques help the team get a feel for what works and what doesn’t based on what our customer is looking for. Because, after all, your support and feedback is what keeps us going!

“Come on. What have you guys really changed to make your products better?”

Well, the Lasal Box Style Pannier is a perfect example. Before, the weight of what you were carrying would weigh down the middle of your bag. The Lasal Pannier now comes with a diamond pocket that the staps go through. This helps it to secure your load and compresses it together to help relieve pressure on the seams.

Lasal Box Style Pannier

Criss Cross Strap Set for Lasal Pannier

“I buy our pack equipment, headstalls, back cinchas, reins, lasal box style panniers, Utah pack panniers, and mantees. I choose the Smith and Edwards brand because of quality and price. And also because I know if there’s a problem I can bring it back and the Smith and Edwards team with get it taken care of for me” -Kris Betts, Western sales

Tapered Utah-Style Pack Bag

Behind the Scenes of the Smith and Edwards Brand Workshop

“I enjoy working with the people in the Western department. We are almost like a family. Well, I guess we are a family seeming how we spend most of our time together.” -Steve Lewis, leatherworker

The Smith and Edwards Western Department Team. From left to right: Tom, Dave, Sam, Marty, Jess, Dani, Steve, Kyle, Shaun, Kris, Sherm.

Believe it or not, but it is a rather small team that works together to bring you all these one-of-a-kind products. And they aren’t made in some huge factory; instead they are beautifully hand-crafted right here at Smith and Edwards in the back corner of the Western department. The space is also relatively open, meaning our team can be seen, in the store, making these awesome products for you.

Smith and Edwards uses the best materials needed for each product they make. This includes:

Hermann Oak Leather: Mainly used on reins and headstalls.
Skirting: For cinches and breast collars.
Bear cloth: Tough, heavy nylon that doesn’t mildew. This is used on all of our pack bags.
Latigo: Used in almost everything we make.
Canvas: Mantee’s, slings, and pack bags are all made with canvas.

The team uses a few machines, of course, to help them make these products just right. There’s an:

Edger: This helps to soften and round the edges of the leather.
Creaser: To put in the “creases” or lines that give the product a clean and defined finished look.
Puncher: For when the team needs to punch multiple holes into the leather at once.
Splitter: Used for thinning the leather out.
Riveter: Made to squeeze rivets to join two materials together.
Sewing machine: The sewing machines Smith and Edwards use are mainly for pack saddle bags, breast collars, and slobber straps.

The Smith and Edwards team designs and makes everything entirely from scratch, from carefully cutting the leather and punching holes to the final sewing touches and branding of our Smith and Edwards name. Each item takes a different amount of time to make and uses a different type of process. This means that our team has to be very knowledgeable and precise about how they work, especially when quality is such a big factor.

Square Utah-Style Pack Bag

“Saddle panniers are probably one of the most time consuming products to make. It can be a challenge cutting the pieces for it out of the leather. I’ve spent almost a whole day on one lasal bag before.” -Tom Donovan, leatherworker

Thanks to Troy Higgs for the amazing photos of his packing trip!

Do you have a photo of your Smith & Edwards gear in action? Send us your photo to info@smithandedwards.com, we’d love to see it!

Why You Should Give Us A Try

The products Smith and Edwards sell are made specifically to work AND to last. The brand isn’t a super flashy one, it is better suited for the “working cowboy”. Products are made the old-fashioned way, and not mass manufactured. I guess you could say it’s more personal that way!

“My favorite part about working back here is being able to take something, cut it up and then piece it back together to make a product one of our customer’s will use and love. It’s rewarding.” -Marty Thompson, Western manager

Heavy Duty Nylon Saddle Bag & Cantle Bag Combo

Smith and Edwards has been a store you’ve trusted to bring you quality products and exceptional customer service for some 50+ years now. So, of course it is expected that our brand name products uphold the same standards, if not higher.

If you love Smith and Edwards, you’ll love what we make! Next time you’re looking to buy headstalls, bridles, halters, straps, or breast collars for western style riding, think Smith and Edwards. You won’t be disappointed!

To get a full listing of our catalog and everything we sell, please click here. (PDF file).

Click here to find your favorite Western Tack items at Smith and Edwards

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Kids’ Rodeo Outfits for Summer Rodeos

July 1, 2015 - posted by Misti Kosoff

At Smith and Edwards we like to think that we carry the best western clothing, rodeo gear and rodeo apparel in the area. Rather you are a youth rodeo participate or a PRCA top rodeo cowboy or cowgirl we have what you need to help you be competitive and look good doing it.

(Reminder: Are your kids ready for Mutton Bustin’? Bring them to Smith & Edwards and get registered for Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo’s Mutton Bustin’ competition!)

The Bull Rider

Like many young cowboys this handsome cowboy has big aspirations of being a competitive bull rider… much to his tie down roping Dad‘s dismay. He found just what he would need to climb on a bull and give it a try.

Gear:
Youth Phoenix Safety Vest – rodeo vests & gear available online here
Jr. steer riding rope $74.99 – Barstow ropes available online
Bull Riding Glove $47.99

You can explore Rodeo clothing for the whole family online! Click here to explore Wrangler, Cinch, and more Western brands online.
Clothing:
Roper solid snap front long sleeve shirt $24.95
Retro Wrangler jeans BRT20 (available online) in Night Sky, 12 oz. premium denim, comfortable mid rise, straight leg fits over cowboy boots. $26.95
Twister 10x hat $64.99
Smith and Edwards offers a full line of kids’ and adults’ Ariat Boots. You can even choose from Men’s, Ladies’, and Kids’ Spurs as well as Spur Straps.

The Roper

This blue-eyed heart breaker loves to rope anything that moves, or doesn’t move, in some cases. He is geared up and ready to compete and looking handsome as ever.

Gear:
Smith and Edwards offers a full line of Cactus Poly Ropes.
Rattler Boys Goat String $14.95

Clothing:
Roper plaid button front long sleeve shirt $27.99
Limited edition 20X Wrangler jeans, mid-weight 12.5-oz, relaxed seat, thigh, & knee, straight leg styling fits easily over boots. This jean, 33BLDNS, is available online! $26.95
American Hat Company $99.99

The Barrel Racer

Gotta have the matching gear!

And what rodeo wouldn’t be complete without the sweethearts of the rodeos, the barrel racers. You will have a hard time keeping up with this little cutie and her stick horse “Brownie”. She is all about style, bling, and the love of horses.

Gear:
The Troxel Legacy Helmet is a slim profile helmet. The narrow profile offers a classy look while providing the safety all moms desire. $54.99
Nylon Braided Quirt $11.99

Clothing:
Angel Ranch belt $36.99
Wrangler diamond snap, foil embossed, long sleeve shirt. $24.95
Rock ’47 girls Wrangler grey embroidered with rhinestone stud back pocket jeans. $31.95

Pair with her favorite boots, like Justins or Ariats.
Remember to get your tickets to Ogden Pioneer Days rodeo at Smith & Edwards! Smith & Edwards is a proud supporters of Miss Rodeo Utah and Ogden Pioneer Days, July 20-24. See you at the rodeo!

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What You Need for Pioneer Trek

June 24, 2015 - posted by Rebecca Adams

The trek is an opportunity to travel back in time and let go of everyday comforts and modern technology. Cell phones, cars, and cable are left at home and are replaced with handcarts, face-to-face conversation, and the great outdoors.

When you start your trek you are placed into a family that consists of a ma, pa, and siblings. The group is about ten people to a handcart as they travel up to 13 miles a day. Looking for a packing list to replace your misplaced list? Check out our Trek Packing List!

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Thanks for coming to Range Day 2015!

June 22, 2015 - posted by Mike Vause

To all our friends in Weber County, Box Elder County, & beyond who came to Range Day 2015…. THANK YOU! We are so glad to be here for you as you came and tried out a slew of guns. It was so great to see families here and we can’t wait for the next one!

Trying out the latest from Smith & Wesson

Crowd Favorites

Our vendors really pulled through, and brought some fun & hard-to-find guns. Some of the most popular guns:

Springfield handguns: 1911 and XD’s
Smith & Wesson handguns (and a 500!)
Savage rifles

This little automatic BB revolver that our Umarex rep brought was a big favorite!

Browning rifles
Both 338 Lapua rifles
Sig 9mm & 45 pistols
TacSol .22pistols & rifles
CZ Scorpion 9mm

He likes this one!

Last year, we had a gun at each of the 20 lanes. Thanks to vendors stepping it up this year, we had easily 50+ guns to try out!

Smith & Wesson Reps and a whole ton of ammo at the Smith & Wesson booth!

Checking out the Sig Sauer offerings

Heard at Range Day:

When is the next one?
Thanks for such a cool event
Do you do this every year?
This is a nice setup and a nice range
I didn’t know that this range was even here
There are lots of options here!
I wanted to try this gun out before I bought it.
Hey, I saw you on YouTube!
This is what we wanted for the city range – Perry City Police Chief Weese

“Range Day was an awesome experience. I loved having so many choices of firearms from so many different manufacturers. The cost was very affordable. The manufacturer reps explained all the benefits and features of each gun and optics. The Smith and Edwards staff made the event fun for all.” – Mike Taylor, Smith & Edwards fan and 338Lapua enthusiast

Perry City Mayor Karen Cronin and Connie Wolf from The Well Armed Woman (Northern Wasatch chapter)

Better than Last Year!

The Perry Range added a dueling tree this year, so the dueling tree was a fun challenge: 10 people won & received free ammo passes! Right on. This event definitely topped last year’s Range Day.

We’ve really got to thank our AWESOME sponsors! Many more vendors showed their products this year, which not only meant that you got to try out more guns: you got more attention. Vendors got to explain specs, gun operation, and give you feedback.

And, we the Smith & Edwards team were able to spend more time making sure the gun fit you, you had a good grip and stance, and that you felt confident operating the gun.

Spotting the long range targets

In addition to more vendors & many more options of guns to try out, this year we had more giveaways, and more parking!

Faye and Matt took home a FREE gun each! Thanks to H&K and Springfield Armory for sponsoring these awesome giveaways. We also gave away BUCKETS of 22 ammo.

Thanks again for coming and making Range Day 2015 a great event. Leave a comment & let me know if you think we should do it a 3rd year!

We put these targets to use!

Join our Email List to hear about all events like this!

The only way to know when Smith & Edwards is up to something cool like Range Day is to join our email list!

Well, if you’re a HUGE fan then come on over and like our Facebook page too, and subscribe to our YouTube channel. But only if you REALLY love us….

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How to get to the Three Mile Creek Range in Perry, Utah

June 7, 2015 - posted by Rose Marion

We LOVE the Perry Three Mile Creek Shooting Sports Range!

It’s awesome being able to visit such a high-quality outdoor gun range, practically in our back yard.

The Three Mile Creek range features targets for handguns (bring your own for a fun time!), 50 yard targets, and long-range targets out to 1000 yards.

We get people asking us all the time, how do you get to the Perry gun range?

Well we could tell ya…. but why don’t we just show you?

How to get to the Three Mile Creek Gun Range:

The Three Mile Creek Gun Range is on the west side of I-15, just north of the Port of Entry. Take I-15 to exit 357 (Willard), turn east toward the mountains, and then turn left onto Highway 89.

From Highway 89, turn west onto 3000 S (marked with Perry City offices sign).
Travel down to the stop sign at 1200 W by the Perry City offices, and take a right.
Take the first left onto 2950 S (by the church). Take this road over the train tracks and under the overpass.
Turn left after the overpass, onto I-15 Frontage Road.
Take a right at the Three Mile Creek Range sign…. and you’re here!

“The gun range is a little out of the box, but we hope it’ll reach a lot of family and individuals, and help the sport of shooting.” – Perry mayor Karen Cronin

We really owe Perry City and the Rangemasters a huge THANK YOU for allowing us to host our annual Range Day event at the Perry Range. Thank you!

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Over 120 Brand Name Smith and Edwards Spices!

June 6, 2015 - posted by Rebecca Adams

Smith and Edwards has everything you need, if we can find it. Why not have our own line of affordable spices, seasonings, rubs, herbs, and air dried vegetables?

From the freshest ingredients comes over 120 spices that are must haves for your kitchen.

A few of the Smith and Edwards line up. Oregano, nutmeg, and tomato flakes!

You’ll find new ways to use these spices following our Pinterest board, For Your Kitchen. New recipes are added weekly!

Nutmeg Spice and Tomato Flakes

You’ll find all the spices by clicking this link here. You’ll find more ideas for your kitchen by visiting our kitchen and housewares section on our website!

I love my raised garden! Click to find these vintage ammo boxes and make them your own too!

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Get Dad What He REALLY Wants This Father’s Day

June 5, 2015 - posted by Regan Taylor

Dad. A daughter’s first love, a son’s first hero, and a wife’s partner in crime. The protector of the family. The bread holder. That special person you can always call on and depend on when things get complicated.

For all the things dad does, it’s no wonder there’s a day completely dedicated to him. I’ve come up with some unique gift ideas for 6 different types of dads, so no matter what kind of Dad yours is, there is sure to be something he’ll find and love from Smith and Edwards, the country boy store!

For The Family-Loved Fisherman With A Sweet-Tooth

Dad’s Emergency Stash

Pick a tackle box, and fill it with your dad’s favorite treats! Add lures and any other fishing accessories to make it extra special. This pic features the Mitchell 300 Reel, which is a great price during the Father’s Day sale.

Suited For The Style-Startin’ Dad

Dress-Up Outfit

Stetson dress shirts and Ariat jeans are a great pick for a cowboy’s night on the town.

Casual or Work Outfit

Carhartt inspired outfit with Merrell hiking boots, and a Kryptek boonie hat for a dad’s hike or hard day’s work outside. Check out our Father’s Day ad below to see what men’s clothing is on sale.

See men’s clothing and men’s workwear here.

Brought Together For The BBQ-in’ Boss

Perfect Grill Set-Up

HUGE DEAL! The Camp Chef Smokepro Pellet Grill will be on our Father’s Day sale for $299, regularly $369. Fill with your dad’s favorite grillin’ tools and spices. And he’ll love these Smith & Edwards drinking mugs! Get yours online.

Rigged For The Rowdy Ropin’ Cowboy

Roping Essentials

Spurs, sunglasses and a ball cap. The green bull, Shorty, is available here online or in-store. Feel like it’s too big? That’s fine. Try The Original Cowboy Toy instead. We also offer new and used ropes. Dad would love a wooden sign – there are dozens to choose from in-store. See more Country gifts here.

Created For The Colossal Camper

A Camper’s Comfort

Make sure dad gets a good night’s sleep in the mountains. This Pacific Crest cot and Northlake sleeping bag are going to be up for grabs for a sweet deal on the Father’s Day ad. Click here to see camping goods online. You’ll also find this man cave sign in our online store!

And last but not least…

The Hunting and Shooting Sports Lover

Springfield 45 XDS with laser

This 3.3″ 45ACP Springfield XDS with laser is going to be on sale for $519. The Father’s Day sale ad has cleaning kits and boxes of ammo also included. Gun sold exclusively in store at the Smith & Edwards gun counter. He’s gonna love this!

And don’t forget to add a Range Day punch pass for Dad, he’ll be in heaven all day!

Get your Range Day Ammo Pass!

So what’s stopping you? Come see us in store or check out what we have online today, and make sure dad knows just how much you appreciate him this Father’s Day!