pepin1948

My husband LOVES that song, Clay! I've yet to hear it and I'm the country fan of the two of us!!!

Thanks

Box is stained with British Tan Fiebings. Leather is green (Fiebings) dye background, with a wash of a metallic green. This time, I put Aussie Wax on before the acrylic color, and there was no bleeding or any of the other problems I'd had with my nephew's rounder magnet. This and the others that will be coming up from me in the next few weeks are for a faire I have in July.

ahhh, well I'm all for talk, and especially if it gets this thing going! Ribbons are a great idea, or at the least (and cheaper) a very nice certificate suitable to frame. There should be divisions like beginner, novice, master (and we need to define what's meant by those - i.e. a beginner is working with leather less than x number/years). We need to decide if we want to do different "classes" (i.e. carved/tooled, stamped, finished/stained, untreated) and/or different items or if we want everyone to try the same item/pattern. My thought would be to present a pattern and have everyone do what they want with it.

I'm a little confused, I thought there was already a section for the advisers, and there were a few posts already (including one from me) in it?

I like the one on the left better. The one on the right is beautiful too, but there are just a variety of small things (like the seeding which Regis mentioned) that make the left hand one my preference.

I should've done that for sure, because I found out that when I added the spray Shene after, the acrylic bled So now I have to do yet another coat of orange!

My nephew recently asked Jesus to be his Savior, and in honor I made him this little gift. It'll be a magnet, and I'll pen his name and the date on the back. (A side note: his favorite color is orange, as is mine and my dad's!) What I learned on what OUGHT to have been an easy project: 1. orange turns green fast on blue unless you put some white down first!!! (took a few coats before my brain kicked in on that one). I at least had been using a wash, so it wasn't too layered looking. 2. a fine tip paint marker can "bleed" easier than you think when using it on lettering; should've gone with a brush there.

Ahhh, yeah that looks like a tough one, and I can see why you'd call it a bowtie. I have one I call the "basketweave from Hell". It's listed as "X502 Craftool Tri-Weave Stamp 6502-00" on the Tandy site.

Would you show a picture of what basketweave you're referring to? I'm curious.

Not as nice as most of the work I've seen on THIS site!

Thanks! I'm glad someone else said that about banners. They look easy but aren't!

The one I'd made him last was getting worn, so here's the latest. At least he wanted a different design this time! The last one was sort of like a crest/shield, with curtains on the sides (it came with the kit) and I wasn't really fond of it. This is stained with Tandy All-in-One mahogany. The bevelling could've been a little smoother, but other than that I'm pleased with the outcome.

It's a box! On my doorstep! And it's full of wonderful goodies Thank you soooo much $$hobby!!!

I know what you mean about the black - though not from seat experience - maybe make some as a sample in other colors so they can see what it would look like?

Well said!

What a riot!

My dad refuses to let me make him a new panel for his briefcase (I'd made him one 16 years ago with oak leaves framing his initials). He's broken the case several times - like running over it with his truck once! He always insists I put the old panel on a new case. He tells me how many people rave about his special briefcase...even when I know I could do better now.

Thanks I have sometimes used a satin finish polyurethane from MinWax or Krylon clear to coat the whole project. This time, I used a MinWax gel on the wood (first natural, then oak, then a darker color when those two didn't give me the look I was after...with the "cheap" craft store wood, you never quite know how the stain will take!) The leather I sealed with LeatherShene (spelling?) spray from Tandy. It is glossier than I would prefer. Usually I use Aussie Wax, but I find with an acrylic, it will rub the color right off. (One solution there is to apply it to the leather first, then do the painting...) I've also used antique paste on the leather, but I've found that one rain at an outdoor show put spots all over it I find in general that any stain/dye I put on leather, I can put on wood and it'll look pretty nice. (I just coated my newest box with British Tan.) I've not heard of Deft. Where is it available?

Here it is finished.

My thoughts: Three levels: beginner, advanced, master. Set a time frame for each (i.e. a beginner has been doing leather work for x amount of time) Some different "classes" : stained/finished, uncolored, stamped, tooled, etc. Same project? Or a variety allowed? (i.e. everyone do the same item, like a checkbook cover)

Thanks The pattern pack had craftaids, but I scanned the pattern to the size I wanted instead. The original is 2 hearts, for carving on a billfold. The instructions recommend using a wing divider, I believe, to keep the lines even...but I just "eyeball" it. I find my knife follows the curves properly for some reason. Steady hand, I guess. I've done alot of knotwork, and this method just works for me. I should mention I'd not intended to fully color the lettering, rather just highlight it in the centers, but my "painting hand" isn't as steady

I've actually never used Barges, but I'll be darned if I can remember the name of the stuff I do use...will have to look. It's sold by Tandy, though, and the label is white and blue I think.

Thank God for videotapes and dvds

I made a modification to a Celtic type heart that I had in a Peter Main Craftaid pattern pack. This will get glued onto a wood backing, and be a small wall plaque. Cymbrogi, in Gaelic, translates roughly to "companions of the heart". It measures about 4x4". It's got burgundy dye, and a bronze acrylic wash.