WinterBear

Looks sharp! I like the small details you have on this.

Nice work. I especially like the bag. How did you do the back? Is there a belt-loop or something?

What a cutie! Look at that grin. She looks like she laughs a lot. No worries on my order, I have all kinds of stuff going on and don't expect to be needing the burnishers before the 6th anyway. (I'll be up to the eyeballs with Merit Badges, an Eagle project, and some packing of my own!) Feel free to put mine towards the tail end of the list if you need to.

Heh, you might have time again once she's in school! Then the funds can go towards some of her educational needs or start a college fund? The cost of some of those college books sure made me squawk--they're one of the reasons I don't have much spending money now. ($350 for a used book and a used lab manual for just one of my classes?) I'd better get my act together and order some burnishers now that I have incentive--I'd join the procrastinator's guild, but they've never organized. Big O, my condolences.

That is not (just) a wallet. That is a work of art. It's beautiful.

azrider, I can't speak for everyone, but the only place I see both rent+commission as being fairly common in the Northern Colorado/Wyoming/parts of Utah area is the big "booth" flea market stores and antique stores around here. I don't know if this is common in other areas of the country, but this seems to be the only place I have seen it. What's more, consignors that pay "rent" often have to provide their own displays, as well as clean and maintain the booth. It's not something that I have seen in the gift stores and boutiques that do consignments--these stores seem to get their money only from the fees, and the store owner determines the square footage and location of the items in the store. I haven't done consignments in the past 5 or 6 years though, so this could be the new thing. Mark, consignment can work, but you really have to screen the people you want to consign with. When it works, everybody is happy and it's a great way to get your product to a larger market. My examples are when things go wrong. A good artisan status in the area and town (e.g., being an area known to have high quality handmade items among the tourists and townspeople), a good and legally binding contract, and well-established stores with an interest in maintaining a good reputation among the artisans they consign from all help, as do laws with teeth regarding consignment theft and contract enforcement.

I've talked to too many people who have stopped doing consignment because it is often more trouble than it is worth and they often wind up with unsalable product, if they get it back at all. I've heard of store that charge "rent" and then never display the items, or stuff them into an overcrowded shelf or bin in the back of the shop, often in a dim and uninviting area. Unsold items coming back out of rotation from the shop, but coming back stained, scuffed, scratches, missing parts, etc. Items that were "stolen" out of locked cases. Items that were excessively handled and soiled. Silver allowed to tarnish. Long items being allowed to drag on the floor and being stepped on and damaged. Long waits for payments of things that had actually sold, even if payments were supposed to be monthly. The stores accepting a returned product after the customer had damaged it, and then returning the damaged item to the artisan who cannot now sell it (one particularly bad one was where the customer had shut the purse strap in the car door, and the purse was dragged along the street for several miles. The store accepted the by now badly scuffed and scarred purse and gave the woman the money back, and the purse was sent back to the maker--maker lost a salable item, lost the consignment fee when the item was sold too). Now of course most of these folks had contracts with the store that was supposed to cover theft and damage while those items were in the store, but collecting was another thing, especially for the shops out of town. I also know of two separate instances where the store closed and the items were disposed of without the knowledge of the consignors (theft on a grander scale, but still hard to get it prosecuted). So the people I know, instead of paying a consignment fee of 40-60% will offer to sell to the store owners at a wholesales price--like 50% off the retail! If they really want your item that much, they will do it. They still get the item they want, they get their cut, but they are now invested in protecting it and displaying it so it will sell--and you get your money up front and don't have to worry about the items being damaged. Even if offering the item at a wholesale discount will not make you quite as much as getting your percentage after a consignment sale--you have the money in hand and will have no issues with lost or damaged product because it is now the store owner's problem to worry about it. If you want to consign, screen the places. How much are their fees--Does it sound too good to be true or does it seem greedy? Talk to other consignors if you can (best if you can do so without the owner's knowledge). What are their opinions? Do they feel it is a good relationship with respect and satisfaction on both sides? Or do they have problems with getting their money? Are you able to walk into the store at any time during normal store hours, unannounced, and see your items? What is the clientele--Is it a suitable match for your product based on the other items in the store and the customers? Are consigned products displayed beautifully and correctly lit--and just as well displayed as the store-owned items? Are the displays clean? Are the items in the store windows sun-faded? Are the salespeople knowledgeable about hand made products? Do the sales clerks wipe fingerprints off before putting items back in the cases (prevents soiling and tarnish)? Are fingerprints cleaned off the glass display cases and any display features dusted? Will your items be protected from excessive shop-wear and shoplifting?

Hi there. Welcome. Check out this thread for picture posting options: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=15122 Basically, you can upload pictures to LW to host, which is what that thread mostly discusses, or you can link pictures from your own host. If you have your own host, you can link your pictures directly using the little icon above the reply/topic box--it looks like a small Polaroid. Click that and insert your picture's url.

It looks like it's a loom woven strip, rather than each bead sewn on? I think the strip is stitched to the bottom layer, and a "window" or side strips overlain or butted alongside the beadwork for the top layer. Examples of loom beadwork: http://wikibase.info/23234-instructions-for-basic-loom-beadwork.html http://www.crazycrow.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CCTP&Product_Code=4976-002-037 http://sites.google.com/site/beadedsaddle/pricelist http://www.crazyacreswolfranch.com/Review.html Leather belts / collars with loom work that look similar: http://www.moldychum.com/home-old/tag/reserve-belt-company http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/beaded-dog-collar-free-us-shipping-by-leathernbeads-on-etsy http://rollingthunder-leather-beadwork.com/Beaded.htm http://www.sheplers.com/tony-lama-mens-beaded-leather-belt-reg-big.html My sister and I used to do quite a bit of looming. If you decide you want to loom your own strip, drop me a line and I'll try to help.

Nice work. I'm not much into purses (mostly because I'm such a flake that if I isn't in my pocket, I'm inclined to leave it somewhere!), but I would make an exception for this. Good job on the win.

If you can't find a car window, try some of these sources: Home improvement stores--tile department. Can sometimes find 6x6x 1/4" thick glass tiles. Hobby and home decor stores--look where they have candles. Can sometimes find a flat unrimmed glass slab of the appropriate thickness. Kitchen supply-- can sometimes find glass cutting boards, but I generally find these too thin for anything but casual use. I've also found thicker glass "cheese boards" at places like Ross, TJ Maxx, and KMart. However, specifically, it looks like it is being skived on a glass burnisher, such as what can be found from Tandy. (http://www.tandyleat...ts/8120-00.aspx)

Wow, look at the details on that thing. Color me impressed.

If you want, I have some odds and ends of that plastic, and a few other types, that I could give you. That way you could play with it a bit and see what you think of it. I could mail a few pieces in a flat rate envelope.

Heh, I was thinking making a jig out of a couple of sections of heavy walled PVC or steel pipe for the curves, and oak or hemlock for the rest. I should be able to build a steam box fairly easily and should be able to steam 1/2" thick to 1" thick planks--red oak or alder, cherry if I can get a hold of it. The hard part would be the cam, I think. Oh well, it'll give me something to do when the weather's nasty this winter.

Maybe I should research how difficult it would be to bend my own then?

I've been itching to try this. I have some old Lions, Kiwanis, and Rotary logos that are all smaller than 1x1. I need a press to do a decent job of it though. I also have a bigger Scout symbol too, about 2 x 3 inches. Just what I can get with C-clamps is gorgeous.

HI Philippe, what big lizards! I'm not sure what I'd do with one, myself, but I'm sure someone will find they are just the thing. Those are some great hides, and I sure hope those who bought from you already will show us pictures of the finished items.

Well, luckily all of the ones I pictured are also available on Amazon (the second link on most), so if you just want to get one or two, you can, and have it shipped quick. Another option might be to get one that is unchromed nickle silver (for a "silver" color) or solid brass (for a "gold" color) that is close to what you want, then grind any surface decoration off. Obviously, this wouldn't work for anything plated or chromed, as you wouldn't be able to put the plate back on without a lot of equipment. You can then shine it back up to a mirror finish after the junk is off, or use a wire brush wheel to put a brushed finish on. A coat of jewelers lacquer would protect the new finish.

Something like these maybe? They are all from the same company. http://www.beltiscool.com/product/10379/Rectangular-Hammered-Plain-Belt-Buckle.html?meta=BIZRATE&metacpg=10379&utm_source=BIZRATE&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=&utm_campaign=10379 AND http://www.amazon.com/Rectangular-Hammered-Plain-Belt-Buckle/dp/B00498M1WO/ref=sr_1_73?ie=UTF8&m=A294VXYO5OOQG9&s=generic&qid=1313537971&sr=1-73 http://www.amazon.com/Big-Oval-Plain-Belt-Buckle/dp/B0013BO9FM/ref=sr_1_266?ie=UTF8&m=A294VXYO5OOQG9&s=generic&qid=1313538264&sr=1-266 http://www.beltiscool.com/product/ET40904/Rectangular-Plain-Belt-Buckle.html?meta=BIZRATE&metacpg=ET40904&utm_source=BIZRATE&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=&utm_campaign=ET40904 AND http://www.amazon.com/beltiscool-Rectangular-Plain-Belt-Buckle/dp/B001PBA9AO/ref=sr_1_114?ie=UTF8&m=A294VXYO5OOQG9&s=generic&qid=1313538062&sr=1-114 http://www.beltiscool.com/product/C243/Plain-Oval-Belt-Buckle.html?meta=BIZRATE&metacpg=C243&utm_source=BIZRATE&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=&utm_campaign=C243 AND http://www.amazon.com/Plain-Oval-Belt-Buckle-Color/dp/B0018MJ71M/ref=sr_1_205?ie=UTF8&m=A294VXYO5OOQG9&s=generic&qid=1313538189&sr=1-205 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003IR5JLM/ref=asc_df_B003IR5JLM1667298?smid=A294VXYO5OOQG9&tag=shopzilla_mp_1388-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B003IR5JLM

:jawdropper:Holy snot. Maybe it's the double curve of the sides that makes it so expensive?

Hi Skald. I've been using "stencil blanks". The pattern pieces I make can wipe clean, don't get crumpled, and I can mark what each piece is. It's a thin plastic sheet, similar in flexibility and sturdiness to a CraftAid. It usually is about 12 mil thick, but you can sometimes get it in the 4 to 14 mil range. The 12 mil can be cut with an Xacto or shears, it's cheap, and I can use a woodburning tip to cut out really fine details. It will sometimes have a pebbled side for "grip", but if your leather is damp, the surface tension of the water holds it in place just fine while tracing. I've tried using thicker plastics, but it's harder to cut pieces from and won't always "cling". Acetate film/overhead transparency film is too thin and can be crushed accidentally, plus the edges will wear after more than 20 or 30 tracings. Scrapbook vellum is hit or miss in quality around here and doesn't seem to last long anyway. Hope this helps?

Nice. I especially like how you matched the croc patterns on both sides.

In this age of the internet, "can't" is fluid. But something that might be difficult back east? A muley antler shed might be a possibility (kinda the wrong season, but I could stuff my face into the local shops and see if the tourists left any--I really think we are out of luck on that one until spring though). Tines and brow tines are more probable, maybe an elk rosette if I am lucky. Other possibilities? Huckleberry jam? Jackalope stuff?

I really and truly wish they would reissue those stamps, even as a limited edition. There are a lot of Wood "Badgers" I know who would love to make critter gear.

Well, the local stores don't have a lever cam that is long enough in stock. I've put one on order though, so we'll see. Thanks for the idea King's X.