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I have the wooden one shown in the second link you posted off Ebay. Got it for $9.95 plus free shipping, had it for about a month now and have yet to use it. It is actually 12oz in weight. (See 1st pic) It is rather light but I don't do much whacking anyway so it is fine for my needs. I took a pic of it taken apart, just curious as to how you would fill this with lead shots. Karina

In her listing on Etsy, the very first line of the description says the card wallet is made from a soft, oiled leather (meaning oil tanned leather). as in it comes from the tannery that way. Tandy has a oiled tanned leather, and I have gotten a side from Maverick Leather before. I am sure there are other suppliers, but in your search look for oil tanned leather sides. Karina I forgot watherhouse leather carries oil tanned leather also.

Nice butterfly! What does the other side look like? Karina

Hey Mat, It is waterproof and looks just a good as the pre-waxed canvas. Karina

That's the same shop I linked to in my post a few posts up, and that is the only place I know of right now that sells waxed cotton. (If anyone has another source, please share ) I am waxing my own canvas myself at the moment . The recipe I am using is said to be the same as Greeland Wax. There are tons of videos on Youtube of users making and using this and it works great. Another brand to wax the canvas yourself is Otter Wax. Karina

Choosing the correct lining has always been an issue for me. I constantly question my choices over and over. I had been to Hancock fabrics several times last week alone because I was not happy with the choices I made. I think I may need to hang out in a few sewing forums to see what the more experienced sewers suggest. As for samples, fabric.com will sell you swatches for $1.75 each, but I actually prefer to just go into a fabric store and touch the fabric before I buy. Also Big Duck Canvas will send you free samples of their canvas. This is a Heavy duck, not like the stuff you can get from Joann's or Hobby Lobby. Karina

I know right!:), I suck at taking photos of my work. The wax canvas I am practicing on I am actually hand waxing myself. i get the canvas from Big Duck Canvas up in Athens, GA, and I got the wax recipe off of one of those Bushwack Blade Forums or something like that - it's just paraffin and beeswax. Once I get this design down, I may try out the waxed canvas fabric from this shop, but it's not cheap here so I need to have the pattern finalized before I go this route. I am using two machines for this, three if you include the Serger. Couldn't tell you what kind of needles are in the Serger, I use a Singer Industrial 95-10 for the main part of the bag, and a Pfaff 360 with a free arm for going around the top of the bag - both with 110/18 denim needles. Karina

Yes those are nice! The owner has a short video on Vimeo of her making that bag. About 3 months now I have been working with waxed canvas. I am attempting a roll top hiking bag with leather accents. Three failed attempts but I am getting closer. I am not using a pattern, just flying by the seat of my pants and every time I make one, the design changes and I figure out a new piece of the puzzle. The good thing about it is canvas is waaaaay cheaper than leather and I can afford to make it over and over until I get it right. Seems like every time I sew one I have an "oh crap" moment where I should have sewed a particular part first. I am pretty much self-taught with a sewing machine so it is slow going when I have so many parts and pieces to put together, but I will get there. Karina

Very nice! I think she will love it! Karina

My first dopp kit design was made this way a few years ago, and trust me, after a few months of use, and the buyer stuffing everything they can in them, you will need something to keep it closed. I sold quite a few of that design, and the leather straps seemed solid when it left my shop also, but it only took one client to return the item for me to stop making them that way. From that point on I went with buckle closures. I ended up replacing the straps altogether on the returned bag and adding button studs which he didn't like at all, (he claimed it wasn't so easy to close) so after returning it to me a second time, I went with buckles. It's been about three years now and not a peep from him so I am guessing the buckles was the ticket! Just my two cents worth, Karina

Very Nice Monica! I have three pieces of that Horween Croc print on my shelf now. Still haven't decided what i will make from it. Great job! Karina

"The machine, which costs $2,199, weighs about 16 pounds, so it can be carted around in a car." I have a laser cutter on my next big purchase list but I would need to know the specifics of this machine before I even consider it. Specifically, what is the bed size - how large an item can it cut.? They don't give much information on it at all and Google don't have much information on this machine either other than several links to the same article you linked to. I did go to Glowforge's website and this thing is not even on the market yet. I subscribed to their email list for them to notify me when they launch, I just hope it's before I buy the one I have been currently looking at. Karina

Looks similar to the Heritage 8" skiver from Weaver.

They are in the system on sale already so when the person goes to checkout it rings up with the sale price automatically, although I will say at the Tandy I was at earlier in the week, those sides looked like they were in a fight with a barb wire gang and the barb wire won. One piece looked like it was tanned by Edward scissor hands. Maybe other locations will have better stock! Karina

I will have to put this on my "to try list". In my other business as an Apparel Decorator (Embroidery, Screen Printing, Dye Sublimation, Heatpress VInyl, Rhinestones, etc.) I use an Epson 1400 and a OKi laser printer, and over time - they always fade even when I set the ink with my heat press, but maybe a top finish on the leather will prevent that. One of these days when things slow down for me I will get around to testing it out. Thanks for sharing, Karina

Any pics? I would be curious as to how vivid the image is and will it hold up or fade. Epson uses a really great pigment ink in their machines, but over time they still have been know to fade. Karina

The Dopp Kits I make are just like the pattern posted except I used a buckle closure system and I use 6/7oz vegtan leather for mine. Over the years I have used a heavier leather, I have also used a lighter leather. The weight leather you use is really up to your liking. There is no right or wrong here, just the makers personal preference IMO. Good Luck on the challenge! Karina

Wow!! Love it, and the figurine with the same bag, Awesome! Karina

Tandy leather, Glue Pot http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/product/cement-keeper-alco-teflon-pot-42515-000.aspx Karina

Nice job on the bag! Karina

I use CorelDraw, Joyce can work with several file formats but I do think that it must be a vector file so photoshop won't work because it is Raster. if you have experience with Illustrator and have access to the program then that is what I would use. If not then I would go with the free program Inkscape as Chief suggested. Karina

Hunio glad to have you back with us. I love watching you work. This bag will no doubt be excellent just as all your others. Karina

In the link you listed, he says what he used. He used annatto. You can buy annato at the farmers market/specialty market. Plants, berries, tree bark, nut shells, etc. can be used to make natural dyes which is what he did here. My guess is that his fingers are wet, and by spreading more of the annatto powder on as he rubs allows him to control the color, but that part would just be my guess. Karina pgivens beat me to it.