ClayB

I have a few questions about the new gallery feature (which I think is a great addition to the forum!) 1. This isn't specific to the gallery, but when I tried to do the mass picture download thing, it says I dont have the right browser to use that feature. Is there a specific browser I need to use to do that, or is it maybe another thing that just isn't possible with my overpriced, slow speed, dissapointing satalite internet? 2. If a person wanted to do a step by step lesson on the gallery, would you have to upload the steps in reverse in order for them to show from begining to end? Seems like the last one you loaded is the first one to show so if you went in order, they'd show in reverse? 3. When I go to my own gallery from my profile page, only 6 images show and they are also the last ones I have added. Is there any way to pick the ones that would be displayed on your own profile since it would be like a showcase in a way? 4. Is there any way to be notified if a comment was made to one of your gallery images? I just noticed that one of my pictures had a comment and it was a question and I had no idea it had been asked. If I wouldn't have just happened to look, I'd have not known it was there. I know this is all new and a lot of work has gone into it and I'm not trying to be a pain, just wondering how to best be able to use this new feature.

Much as I'd like to have one of your projects Kate, even a messed up one, I'm really glad you figured out a way to fix this one! Sometimes deals like this give us a chance to try things we normally wouldn't because we are desperate and have nothing to lose. It's such a relief when something works and a project we worked really hard on is saved. Nice job all the way around. I bet someone is gonna be really happy!

That's some really pretty carving!

You really do beautiful work!!!

Looks like you're gonna have to start over. Send that one to me and I'll dispose of it for you. It's never any fun when something like that happens and you're almost finished. I really hope you can figure out a way to fix it to your satisfaction. I've been in that situation before and if you aren't scared to try things, there's a good chance you can fix it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. The rest of it is really pretty!

Hi Steve, It was nice to meet you and Mark and it was a pleasure to teach a class there. Looks like you guys are doing a great job there. I hope to get a chance to come back someday and when I do, I hope you'll get to be in the class too!

Hi Sarah, Welcome to Leatherworker.net. That's a great looking mask, both the style and the color. Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

Friday morning I headed to Fargo, ND to teach a leather class at the Tandy Leather Factory store. When Mark asked me to teach this class in the middle of December, I made him promise nice weather and he came through. After a week of sub zero temperatures, it was 16 degrees when we left home. On Saturday it was in the 20's in Fargo. I should have made him promise a month of nice weather! As soon as the class was over, it was back into the deep freeze for us. We ended up with four students in the class, Mark (the store manager) Dave Peterson ( my friend from Bismark) and Bob and Zack from MN. Zack is an 11 year old boy with a lot of talent. It was pretty impressive to watch him work for a very long 10 hour day on Saturday. Everyone's projects turned out very well and they all seemed pretty happy when they were done. A few challenges presented themselves during this class. I decided instead of packing a can of rubber cement and taking it with to the class, I'd just pick one up when I got there. I'd completely forgotten that Tandy had re-formulated their rubber cement and never gave a thought to the fact that it might be different in any way. Rubber cement is rubber cement, right?? Well, apparently not. On Friday night we carved, embossed and filled in the backs of our projects with putty. We quit there for the night to let the putty dry. When we got back Saturday morning, we got a surprise. All of our projects had a spot on the front where they had been touching the marble slabs overnight. The rubber cement from the putty had soaked through the leather. This was a little disturbing because I had now idea how it would affect the outcome of our project. I was pretty sure that when we did the feathering and then painted the wren, it would cover up these spots and I was right. Whew!!! I'll know next time to not let the area where the putty is set against the marble when it's drying. I guess that's why whenever I've taken a class with Jan Schoonover, he hangs the projects up at night to dry. Lesson learned by the teacher!! The next challenge came when we learned that this rubber cement, while extremely sticky, doesn't dry when mixed into putty. This caused me to have to go to plan B when it came to working the feather areas. Usually we'd have beveled the feathers prior to using the hairing tool to give them texture. Since the putty didn't dry and was very mushy underneath, we just shaped the feathers with a modeling tool. Once again, this seemed to work. Next time I teach a class, I'll be sure to try out all the products I'm going to be using in the class to make sure they work the way I need them too. One thing that I've noticed in a lot of the classes that I've taken over the years is that a lot of times we seem to be running out of time when we get to the painting part of the class and we get rushed through it. When I decided to start teaching, I really wanted to make sure that didn't happen, but at the first class I taught in Rapid City earlier this year, it did. This time I started a little earlier and ran a little longer and we ended up with plenty of time to color our wrens. I really wanted to share some of the tips that I have learned and it was really nice when Dave came up to me after the class and said, "out of all the classes I've taken, this is the first time I've been happy with the coloring on my finished project". We decided that they wouldn't spend the time coloring the background on their projects, but instead, I just quickly showed them the process that I have been using to do that. I want to thank Mark once again for inviting me to spend some time with him and some of his customers at the store. I hope we get to do it again sometime. Here's some pictures that Mark took during the class.

Hi Dawn, Welcome to Leatherworker.net. Your picture didn't seem to come through so you might want to try again. You might also want to check out Cheryl Smeja's website. She does several different types of sculpted leather projects and sells some instructional material off of her website. There might be something there that could be useful to you. Her website is www.csmeja.com

Just wanted to mention that Tandy has added about 20 short (5-10 minute) videos to their website. These videos feature George Hurst demonstrating how to do a lot of different basic techniques. Here's a list of what are available to watch on their site right now. You can watch them at their website Tandyleatherfactory.com Basic Carving Leather Craft Video with George Hurst - 10:12 min. Basic Stamping Leather Craft Video with George Hurst - 6:59 min. Setting up a Workshop Leather Craft Video - 4:29 min. Transferring Patterns Leather Craft Video - 4:31 min. Leather Preparation Leather Craft Video - 4:09 min. Use and Care of Swivel Knife Leather Craft Video - 7:22 min. 3-D and Alphabet Stamps Leather Craft Video - 7:49 min. Antique Finishing Leather Craft Video - 7:54 min. Overall and Inlay Dyeing Leather Craft Video - 6:50 min. Resisting Techniques Leather Craft Video - 8:07 min. Finishing Edges Leather Craft Video - 6:01 min. Punching Round Holes Leather Craft Video - 5:40 min. Lacing Leather Craft Video - 8:06 min. Hand Stitching Leather Craft Video - 5:20 min. Double Loop Lacing Leather Craft Video - 8:24 min. Buckstitch Lacing Leather Craft Video - 10:21 min. Setting Rivets Leather Craft Video - 2:40 min. Setting Snap Fasteners Leather Craft Video - 7:54 min. Setting Eyelets Grommets Leather Craft Video - 3:46 min.

WOW Kate!! This is going to be gorgeous!!!!! Thanks for letting us follow along.

First thing I thought when I saw the picture was that they look like they have some of the Kate Dubiel style going on. They look great, classy and clean.