Handmade with Heart: The Story Behind Buffalo Customs

In a small Wyoming town where word of mouth still means everything, Libby Rammell has built something that started as a hobby and grew into a business rooted in community, craftsmanship, and connection. Buffalo Customs, her Buffalo-based custom design shop, has become known for turning simple ideas into one-of-a-kind keepsakes, glass cups, t-shirts, memorial plaques, and gifts that end up on shelves, storefronts, and in the hands of people who needed exactly the right thing at exactly the right time.

From Hobby to Heartwork

Libby didn't set out to start a business. She started out crafting for the people she loved.

"I actually started it as a hobby and just for fun," she said. "I've always loved crafting, and I started making gifts for family and friends." It was watching those friends and family light up over something handmade and realizing how much joy it brought her to create it, that changed everything. "Seeing how much people loved receiving something handmade and how much I enjoyed creating it made me realize I wanted to keep doing it."

That spark of realization is, in many ways, the whole story of Buffalo Customs: a business built not on a business plan, but on the simple, powerful feeling of making something for someone and watching them love it.

Rooted in Buffalo

Libby could have built this business anywhere. She chose to build it at home.

"I've always loved Buffalo and the people who live here," she said. "It's such a supportive community, and I wanted to give back by creating something local that people could trust." For Libby, being able to make gifts, products, and business items for her neighbors isn't just good business, it's personal. "Being able to make gifts, products, and business items for people right here in Buffalo is really special to me."

That first piece she ever made still lives in Buffalo, in fact. It was a "Welcome to the World" sign, made for friends before their baby arrived. Libby doesn't have the original anymore, but she knows exactly where it is. "They do, it's hanging in his room, and I love knowing it's still being enjoyed."

The Craft: Where Precision Meets Patience

Ask Libby to walk you through making a custom glass cup, and you start to understand why her work resonates the way it does. It begins with a conversation. "Everything starts with figuring out what the customer has in mind," she explained. If someone isn't sure yet, that's not a problem, it's an invitation. She'll send photos of past work or put together mock-ups until an idea starts to take shape.

Once a design is settled, the real precision work begins: choosing colors, measuring for the perfect fit, cutting the design on her Cricut, carefully weeding the vinyl, and applying it by hand. Before anything ships, Libby sends the customer photos. If it's not quite right, she starts again, no matter how many times that takes.

"Definitely making sure everything lines up perfectly," she said, when asked about the trickiest part of the craft. "Even the smallest thing being off can completely change how the cup looks, and sometimes that means starting over from the beginning."

It's a craft of small margins and big care and deciding whether a design belongs on glass or on fabric is its own kind of art. "Bold, simple graphics usually look great on shirts, while more elegant or detailed designs often stand out on glass," she said. "It really depends on what the customer wants and how they'll use the finished product."

The Stories Behind the Orders

For Libby, the most meaningful part of her work isn't the finished product, it's the story that comes with it.

Among the orders she'll never forget are two memorial plaques she created for mothers who had experienced miscarriages. "As heartbreaking as those situations are, it means so much to me that people trust me to create something so meaningful," she said. "Those are the kinds of projects you never forget."

Not every story is heavy, though some are simply joyful. One customer commissioned nine custom cups, each designed around one of his children's favorite things. "It was such a fun project because every cup was unique, and I loved bringing all of their personalities to life."

And it's not just individuals who trust Libby with their stories. Local businesses have brought her in to help represent their brands, too, something she doesn't take lightly. "Running a business is a big deal, so when another local business trusts me to create something that represents their brand, it means a lot. It's an honor to be a small part of helping them grow, too."

A Wyoming Sensibility

It's impossible to separate Buffalo Customs from the place it calls home. Libby's designs are shaped by the landscape around her, the mountains, the wildlife, the ranch life, the rhythm of the seasons.

"Living in Wyoming inspires a lot of my work," she said. "I love incorporating western themes, mountains, wildlife, ranch life, and the simple, hardworking lifestyle that makes Wyoming unique. I'd be silly not to, Wyoming is beautiful."

Running a small, handmade business in a small town has taught her plenty, too. "Word of mouth means everything," she said, "but it's also incredibly rewarding because people genuinely want to support local businesses." One of her favorite surprises has been watching complete strangers become repeat customers, cheering Buffalo Customs on as it's grown.

What's Next

Libby isn't slowing down. She recently announced on the Buffalo Customs Facebook page that custom cornhole boards are the next project on her list, a true family effort, since her husband is a carpenter who'll help bring them to life from scratch.

For anyone who has never ordered custom work before and isn't sure where to start, Libby has one piece of advice: you don't need a fully formed idea to reach out.

"You don't have to come to me with a fully planned out idea," she said. "Even if all you know is that you want something special, I'm happy to help you come up with the perfect design. That's one of my favorite parts of my job."

A Lightbulb Moment

So when should someone actually pick up the phone and call Libby? Her answer is refreshingly simple.

"Honestly, even if it's simply realizing you want to give someone something special and one of a kind," she said. "You don't have to know exactly what you want. One of my favorite parts of what I do is helping customers come up with the perfect idea. We can work together to create something meaningful that they'll remember for years."

For Libby Rammell, that's really what Buffalo Customs has always been about, not just glass and vinyl and careful measurements, but the quiet honor of being trusted with someone's story, and the joy of watching it become something they'll keep for years to come.

"Knowing that something I created is being used, displayed, or enjoyed every day," she said, "reminds me why I started Buffalo Customs in the first place."

Give Libby with Buffalo Customs a call 307 278 9021. Visit her Facebook page and support a local business that has a special meaning.