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Simply Gorgeous!!

I got some of the acetate from Springfiled Leather. I think is cost $5 a sheet. I also found some at my local Hobby Lobby store for $3.68 a sheet and with the 40% coupon it came out even less.

Sorry but but don't waste your money on a patent. if you buy Angelus leather dyes, the carton has perforated cut outs in the rear that you sit the dye in which keeps the the dye from being accidentally spilled. I am sure you can easily do the same with the carton that Fiebings come in. Just a thought. Karina

Glad you didn't have any issues. Out of 8 sides of veg tan, I think about 30% was stained. I did managed to cover the stain on the iPad case I posted above with back dye with success so all is not lost. I will just have quite a few black items being made. But surely a lesson learned for me. Karina

Thanks for your response. I believe you are correct. I went to Tandy yesterday and was told because the leather has oils and waxes it should not be stored next to veg tan leather as the oils may/will stain the untreated leather. As a newbie, I was not aware of this and I have about 8 sides of different leathers, including Herman Oak, WC, Weavers and other suppliers and the Utility leather stained just about all of them. The 3/4 oz Herman Oak was the worst. I did reach out to my customer just to see how she was enjoying her purchase and she was overjoyed so I assumed it was not affected. This was truly a lesson learned so from now on all different leathers will be stored separately. Karina

Very Nice, I love the design and the color! Karina

I made myself a leather iPad case from 5oz veg tan leather and left it natural. I can't remember if I did anything to it other than lightly oiling it with pure neasfoot oil. A few weeks later I started on a nook case for my niece out of a Utility side from Tandy. I had to get back to work so I sat the leather work aside for about a week. (Not realizing I placed the Utility leather on top of my finished iPad case) When I picked it back up yesterday, the Utility side left a stain on the iPad case. The iPad case is mine and I am just going to dye it all black to cover the stains but I started freaking out because i made a bag for a customer out of the same Utility side. Is this stuff going to stain my customer garments or anything she put inside of it, or was it simply a reaction with the veg tan leather? (Pics Below) The first pic is both pieces of leather (Veg tan and the Oily Utility Leather), and the second is a close up of the stains it left after trying to clean it with a mix of denatured alcohol, distilled water, and white vinegar which did nothing. Thanks for your help! Karina

I spoke with Bob a few days ago about buying a used machine. I called and he picked right up and we spoke in depth regarding my needs, so they are definitely not out of business. Karina

Nice! Thanks for sharing!! Karina

Looks awesome!

I think a cam lever clamp will be the best option as well and they are pretty cheap. http://www.amazon.com/CAM-ACTION-HOLD-DOWN-CLAMP/dp/B000KUXOTE/ref=pd_cp_hi_1

This is how I view it, if you go to Walmart and try to buy an item for $20, as soon as you get ready to swipe your debit/credit card, the cashier says, wait ...we have to add 2.9% to the price to cover the cost of our processing fees....what would you do? But if that cost is already built into the price and you pay the $20 you are a happy camper and none the wiser. Just think about everywhere you have shopped, the total cost is the same regardless of whether you pay cash, check or charge. So why would this be any different? I have 9 businesses and I use Paypal and a Merchant account provided to me through my bank. Does not matter which company processes the payment, I am getting charged for it - which I have already factored into the cost of my product. Thirteen years in business and I do not accept checks for goods...period! I will for services rendered as in my Home Renovation Company, but never for goods purchased online or in one of my shops. You pay me with a check for a $75 product and the check bounces, what recourse do I have to recoup that? Sure I can go after you but it will cost me even more to do that, but with my Home Renovation Company and your check bounces, I place a lien on your home, notify your mortgage company of the lien, and they will pay off the encumbrance plus any filing and administration fees I incurred. I loose nothing! The way I see it, my price is my price....does not matter if the person is paying cash, they are not getting screwed because they agreed to my price. They saw the item, they wanted the item, they paid for the item. If they paid cash, I get a couple dollars more, if they use their credit card, I get a couple dollars less. It all averages out in the end. Karina

All of your expenses should already be factored into the price of your product so their should never be a need to ask the customer to pay additional fees. Every processing company on the market charges for processing payments - that's the cost of doing business. Price your products accordingly so that you can still get a fair price for your goods after all the expenses.

I agree the eyes really pop. Very nice!

Very Nice!

Nicely done as usual!

As a newbie myself, I can assure you that all of the posts above is some great advice and I follow them all, but if there is one thing that I have to tell myself over and over is to take my time. (Gotta have patience) I tend to get ahead of myself and find that I skipped a part, and either have to undo what I have just done, (time consuming) or the piece is wasted because I didn't cut it correctly. (Leather is too expensive for that) I was in such a hurry to get going in leather working that my first project was a messenger bag which was waaaay too ambitious for a first project for me. I purchased a side of leather and just started cutting blind without really knowing the process. The parts to that bag is sitting on my desk as a reminder to take my time and map things out carefully. I will finish it one day, but I stepped back and started with smaller projects. From start to finish. I look at the first project I did, (I think it was a Tandy wallet) and the latest project I finished, a dopp kit, and the difference in the two finished projects is like night and day. The dopp kit was sold before I even put the finish on it. So my answer to your question would be to take your time, have patience. Karina

Love it!!

Thanks for sharing!

Laser would also be an option.

Ha,ha,ha,ha,