My friend Anita started a business called ReFind Originals. She’s combined her superior sewing skills with an incredible artistic gift to create one-of-a-kind handbags using recycled leather.You can feel good about making an eco-friendly selection by carrying one of her beautiful, unique, high-end leather accessories. Who knew greener choices could be so fun?And these bags, because they’re made from recycled leather (usually coats and jackets), are supple and buttery soft. When she shows me one, I don’t just want to admire it–I want to feel it. She adds vintage buttons or buckles as embellishments. And what amazes me most is how she looks at the original leather piece–some outdated old bomber jacket, say, or a funky leather skirt–and sees ways to incorporate aspects of the design into the bag she’s about to create. She’ll cut it out in such a way that she leaves a coat pocket intact to serve as an outer pocket for the purse. Or she’ll use the original buttons or the leather belt.And then she recycles old blouses and skirts made from a beautiful fabric to use as the lining, always coordinating the interior with the exterior. I never know what to expect when she updates her inventory online–they’re always different. I think of them as practical art–they reflect outstanding craftsmanship and design, yet are meant to be packed full of life’s everyday essentials.  I’m so impressed with the quality and beauty of these recycled leather handbags, I decided to blog about them.They don’t come cheap–most of the leather bags are around $250–but they might be just the right thing for those readers who can invest a little extra into their overall style, or a gift for the mother-in-law who has everything.The rest of us can just peek at her designs and appreciate their beauty. ReFind Originals is her company.The bags themselves can be viewed from this page.Soon you can order from the website itself, but for now you can contact Anita directly.And in case you want to meet my friend, this page has a picture of Anita at her workstation.