DoubleC

Thanks Rhide. Lacey thinks the template makes it look more professional too. I am amazed at all of you folks helping and I hope I can help you all sometime in return. I can't believe how she and I have been able to agree on everything but this, LOL. And I knew me asking my friends which they liked wasn't fair because they're aren't going to disagree with me (except Lacey and that's what makes our business relationship and friendship work so well). I told her I was going to do this and would abide by what you folks thought. You have no investment to agree with me. Thank you so much for taking the time to vote Rhide. Oh Jeesh, Happy New year folks. Cheryl

Been I love your website of the leather instead of a background color, that's really cool. I'm also going to check out picnik and see about making the template a sketch, that i think I would like. Or maybe even our logo although it was a small free jpg, well actually two I combined in publisher and I use a double horse shoe stamp on the back of everything I do as our signature. So the logo might end up really busy, I don't know. You folks are all so creative and have given me so many new ideas, like not running into the template everywhere, etc. And now maybe being able to make it a sketch. I should be more understanding. She thinks she's not creative and anyone can see that's no true. She doodled that at her desk while working. But if she put a product up I made that I didn't think was perfect yet, I'd be really upset. I will send her all the comments people have made about her sketch and maybe she'll try to get it perfect to her standards and we can reuse it at a later time. Thanks so much, Cheryl

Hi Particle, I wasn't going to use the crazy horse sketch, just a free one I could find on the web. However, I'm not going to justify my choices, LOL because I asked for honest opinions on here, and I so appreciate you people giving me your time to do this. You all really do rock!!!! Cheryl

Thanks Bill. I told her the whole reason people like her sketch is because it conveys so much in a few pencil lines. She said, 'it's not even a jpg, it's a scan and anyone can tell that.' ROFL, I'd like to know at what point you look at that wonderful sketch and say, 'don't be silly, it was scanned.' Well ya gotta get it on the computer SOMEHOW, LOL. I think if enough people agree they like it, she'll quit being so stubborn, but I'm not saying that so people will vote for it. I honestly think if people relate to what she's sketched she'll grumble a lot but say OK. Thanks so much Bill, too, Cheryl

Thanks so much Dave for taking time to vote. I told Lacey that whatever results I got here I would agree with. I really don't expect my friends, even if they aren't aware of it, to disagree with my choice, LOL. So I'm going to leave the poll over a few days and go with the results. BTW

My partner and I have been going around and around about this. She started our site but never got much beyond the template. I changed it because she's been too busy to work on the site and used a sketch of hers. She said it looks like a 5 YO designed the site. She doesn't want her sketch on it because she said it wasn't finished. I said the whole reason I liked it was because it conveyed so much in just a few pencil lines. I said since Google is doing this to help small businesses how could we be all about different when everyone and his cousin that's ever seen a horse is using this template. I said it was her sketch and belonged to her and if she insisted I'd take it down as a background, but I would find another pencil sketch free on the internet because I didn't want a standardized template. This may seem trivial but it is really at the root of what we want from the company. I know you're probably thinking...if you can't agree on this, what WILL you ever agree on. But actually she's one of my best friends and we do agree, just not about this. And the people I've had look at the site like it, but then again they're biased. So if you could just take a second to vote, I'd be so appreciative. Cheryl

You're very lucky I think if you like leatherwork. Just the intros I got from his series has inspired me. Please thank him for me. Cheryl

Yes, Sienna keeps me sane in this insane world....plus being my model for tack I'm working on. I think it was Winston Churchill that said, 'the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.' Very true, and I am very lucky. Cheryl

I'm sorry Muse, I came in here to see if I could get some info for a cheap bridle (and I DON'T mean inexpensive) I'm painting and I went and saw that case and I don't think your first two options will work. That is the uh pinkest pink I've ever seen and would love to see it when you're finished with it. Cheryl

Hi Pine. I'm taking conchos off my vintage saddle that I bought and it had rotted out on one side. I'm reusing the leather I can, that doesn't have screw, tack, nail or staple holes in it. I was going to offer to send mine to you for the postage, I mean I'm not sentimental about this, bought it on eBay, Loved it, cleaned second side, found the rot. But mine don't look anything like that. Those are beautiful and how sad someone would steal them. Cheryl

Hi Mikelv. I don't exactly know the protocol for this type of thing, but probably your first introduction shouldn't have included you took someone else's work, and profited from it. But it didn't seem nice not to say hello. Cheryl

Hi BenB from VT. I have learned so much and saved so many documents on here, or copied and pasted help I've been given into a folder. There was a man who started writing up lessons here on carving, painting, and stamping before he took ill and couldn't finish. I found the initial lessons and saved them and read all three, and the one thing that stuck in my head (sorry, they aren't signed but I can give you mine, I forgot his name, I've heard so many famous leatherworkers names on here) was this, taken from the painting sheet : 'Painting is like eating, it's something you teach yourself to do.' I hope he's right because I'm trying to teach myself a lot of new things at one time which probably isn't good but I'm having a lot of fun at it. I wish for you the same. Cheryl

I think it would depend on how much you like to sew Cowgirl. I tell you I COULD make one for less than $150.00 LOL. There's probably a yard of material and a yard of fleece, so you could use top notch materials, and then if you add the decorative leather pieces around it, you could tool those, and have a nicer pad than anyone sells. At least i think you could. Cheryl

Hi Sloe, I could make them for you since I'm starting to make them for myself. I would just need to see what pattern you wanted when you order. Our web is still in process, actually hoped to get some products up tonight but may not happen. I have a partner and she is in charge of ordering all the other things that are going to be for sale, but I'm in charge of the tack. You can message me about details if you'd like. We can talk about price, and if the design you showed, the one ear is primarily what you use or if you'll want different patterns. Cheryl I attached a picture of a rope halter I made and used vintage saddle leather on it. I'm taking apart a saddle that had a bad fender when I got it, and cutting out patterns that are still intact and using the leather for bronc halters. These are for our site and can be bought with the rope halter or alone because it's laced across another piece of decorative leather on the back so it can be removed and put on a nylon or leather halter, or a headstall, whatever the customer wants. However, I know what you want, the ones that are sewn and go the entire length. I have an awl and gutter tool for that depending on the thickness of the leather you want on it.

Thanks so much Dwight. I did find the saddle makers forum, I had never gone beyond the first brown lineI did post it there but no one has responded yet.. I'm going to copy and paste this to my business folder so I do it right, but the 'slap it on' method I think I'll be able to do pretty well. Now do you think I should put Resolene over the painted set to or will it be too shiny? Oh and another thing, since the black bridle has already been finished before, and I have no idea with what, do you think the USMC will even rub in? Well never mind, if the raw leather is showing in places, it will surely rub in there. Thank you for all your help Dwight. Cheryl

won't go into whole story other than a friend and I decided to start a equine related leather business. It took my partner some time to really get into the idea, but once she did, she really did. She bought 5 tack sets, headstalls and breast collars. They looked nice on the website but when they came before i went to visit her, well when I looked at them I coulda cried. The two dark oil look a little nicer, except the pieces aren't exactly the same color, but the three natural sets she bought are actually yellow, pieced, not sewn. AND they aren't from America which is what we're all about. Well the day before I left to come home I ended up buying a black tack set on eBay, new, bridle, reins, breast collar for 20.50 and then kicked myself for days thinking my luck it would be just like the sets she bought. It's not, it's well put together, and has basket weaving tooling on it, the only problem is the dye didn't cover all over. I didn't realize this area of the forum existed, Dwight sent me. He recommended I use USMC black instead of oil, and Resolene to protect it. Then he got to thinking about it, and said maybe Resolene might not be the best finish and to come here and ask. Meanwhile I've started painting one of the yellow sets and I initially let it dry overnight, then twisted and turned the brow pieces I had started on to make sure it was going to peel, etc. But now I'm thinking maybe I should cover it with something when I'm done too. I've attached photos, can anyone help?

I think you're right Tinneal. I am opening a business with a friend of mine and hope to eventually have everything on it custom made but people get bored so easily, I think they'd rather buy a new bridle every year than pay for something that's quality handmade. I love what I'm doing just so far and I haven't even gotten around yet to making my first tack set, but I WON'T give it away. I mean to a website customer, etc. I'll give it to someone I know before I try and make sure everything is perfect on something I made and then have someone try and talk the price down. But I'm slow too so I will probably have to set a price I'm comfortable with rather than do it by the hour.

Thanks Twin, this is something I need to know too. I just took pics today of a set of rythym beads I decided to make on an old rein I have (II have a lot of an old something because I never throw anything away). I worked on the set off and on with other projects for two weeks. I took it lout to the barn today to get a pic of them on my horse, and the barn owner loved them. I told her they weren't for sale because the time it took to hand lace everything priced them way out of the market. I'm going to use them as an example on our website as a category of things we make. We want to eventually customize everything for people, but I don't think even a prestige customer would pay $150.00 for these, and I sure ain't selling them for $15.00 like I've seen other places

Thanks Dwight, I'll try that. Except I don't know how. I saw some masks made by someone and she said she spent most of her time in the mask forum, but I can't seem to find any of those things. I guess I need to look a little harder. Cheryl

Well this fool was sitting at a BROOK here fishing earlier because I got mad at my horse, LOL. I wanted to get some pics of the things I'd made on a real horse, and when I went to get her, she almost ran me down getting away. She hasn't done that for 3 years and it made me so mad, I went to the barn, got m y little bit of fishing gear I have there, my service dog and carrots, and fed the other two mares with her carrots and ignored her. Which I know will keep her from sleeping tonight, HAHA. When I finally got wet and cold enough, we went back to the barn and I had 25 minutes to get the pictures of her because my ride either had to get me at 1:30 or after 4. I wasn't staying until 4 with wet feet! so have the pics on a real (real dirty horse) for our website and now I know where to start building up my tackle again!, I'm glad you're here Lynda.

Thank you Dwight. I saw the USMC listed and for some reason figured that would be flat black (I'm mixing up my leather work with my house painting I think). I'm quite willing to put the work in it because I want this to be the first example of what we have to sell. After I get the black set, I'm going to take tiny Austrian crystals and place them randomly on the set so they're aren't really noticeable just seeing the set but in the sun first you might have a tiny burst of light on the right rein, then the left breast collar hobble, next the brow band. I will use the Resolene. I didn't make this set which I want to do with all our tack in the future, but I still want who ever gets it to have it 20 years from now to pass down. This explains it all perfectly and I'll show it when it's done. Thanks again, Cheryl

Thanks Kevin. When I said Bobby, I think that IS Hidepounder. I know it was a tutorial on here I downloaded and for some reason I remembered it being signed as Bobby. I know I read through it and made up a list of things I need to burnish edges that I don't currently have, one being wax. I have a bronc halter I made using old saddle leather, and after I read the tutorial I have been fighting with myself (THAT gets interesting) on whether I want to burnish the edge of the pattern I cut from the old leather, or just leave it dyed, but rough. The burnished edges are beautiful, but this is suppose to look rustic the way it's made. I don't know, going to take a pic of it tomorrow on my horse, and maybe I can ask for suggestions on that too. It ties on so would be easy to remove to burnish. And I am assuming boning works for any kind of leather so where this leather gets scratched being removed from the old saddle, as if all the holes wasn't enough, I can bone them. I'm getting so many ideas my mind won't stop racing. Cheryl

Hi Nacomis. It seems to me like I've been making things all my life, especially for other people. Then when I got a horse again after years without one, I found I needed to tweek this or that, and I wanted to do it myself. One thing lead to another and now I have a new addiction to deal with, LOL. I'm starting a business with a friend and we are all about custom....we just kinda got off on the wrong track. To get us started, she bought 5 tack sets at a great price but the tack wasn't so great. So now I'm trying to fix it up to sell so we can move on to me making our tack. I have already learned so much here in the few days I've been here, have been downloading ideas right and left. Hope you have as much fun as i have been having. So welcome from VT. Cheryl

First, I hate to keep saying this, but a woman and I are starting a business. She went a little nuts with all the holiday sales and bought a ton of tack for me to decorate because I was coming to visit her. I would so love to say where but don't want sued or thrown of the forum my second day I can post, LOL. She bought three 'natural' sets that are actually yellow, and two dark oil. They all came from the same country and have the same problems, well except the dark oil is; except the breast collar is a slightly different color than the headstalls. Her 5 sets were headstalls and breast collars. I think out of frustration, or maybe just too much browsing one night, I BOUGHT a black set on eBay right before I left her house. It was new and was the headstall, reins, and breast collar. I bought it for $20.50 but the seller left most of it in the plastic (which was too bad for him because had he shown all the matching basket weave tooling etc. I think the price would have gone much higher) and I waited in anticipation of getting a similar set to hers and kicking myself. I was pleasantly surprised by the tooling and the sewing done on it, BUT in places the black dye didn't cover the leather. On her set I'm working on right now, one of the yellows, it was pieced, and though not in danger of coming apart, looks cheap. Questions...Can I just use Fiebings black dye on it all over to cover the areas that weren't covered? And if so, do I need to put something over that because i keep reading about all these problems with black dye rubbing off? Also I added a picture of blackberry conchos I made, carving the vine and leaves, stamping the thorns and adding vintage black glass scarabs as the blackberries. Do you like the look because I'm going to add one to the breast collar too and have to order the scarabs. Now the yellow tack....I started painting it royal blue because I have some blue and mother of pearl zebra settings I can use on it. I let it sit overnight to see if the paint was going to peel or crack when the leather was twisted. It doesn't because I've twisted it every which way. Does IT need a coat of something put on it after I'm finished. I intend to paint it blue all over, then go back and paint white with zebra stripes on it in places. the pictures of the yellow tack I put on shows where there is NO sewing in most places. The first one shows that best, the second shows the true color better. I may make you shudder (I hope not) but on my tack I actually wash it with soap and water and then put Vaseline or bag balm on it to protect it, but of course it's already had the other processes applied by someone else. so I don't know about finishing it off. On my conchos I use mod podge under and over the decorations so they won't come off and haven't had a problem yet, but it makes them rock hard and I don't think i want to sell rock hard tack, LOL. Any and all suggestions appreciated. Thanks, Cheryl