Johanna

Hey, this is an experiment. ~J

Yep, we don't have a specific section for those kind of step-by-step topics, but they are often tagged "WIP" meaning "work in progress". You will find them sprinkled in the specialty sections or in the "how do I do that?" or "show off" threads. Clay Banyai, David Theobald (the seat maker) and Beaverslayer come to mind immediately for taking the time for detailing a project out and showing in-depth how it's done, and there have been some other good ones. Pictures really help- many of the readers here are visual people (artists are like that, I guess?) and you can spread out the work into however many posts you need. Keeping all of them in the same thread allows people to go with you from start to finish, and those lesson threads get more page views than any others (more than the bad jokes in the adult section!) Of anyone wants to do a really detailed or complicated lesson, you can PM me for technical assistance. If you want to do your own, that's fine, too- send the pages to upload to admin@leatherworker.net and I'll send you back a link you can announce yourself on the board. I got a message from someone this week who wanted to show something, but was afraid that it was too much of a beginner project to share on the board. I reminded her that we have beginners here on the board, and we get lots of requests for youth projects and group classes from all over! So even if you think what you do isn't special, "Oh, I just make bracelets and coin purses..." WRONG. Share the gift of confidence, show someone else how you do your thing. Some of our finest leatherworkers started off with a wristband or a Tandy kit, and the bug bit them, and they were hooked for life and now live enormously satisfying lives playing with leather. And it all started with a camp counselor, or a Scout leader, or a shop teacher, or a hospital therapy program, just one individual who showed others what he knew how to do. Johanna

My all time favorite 2shews: The Sheridan Lady herself

Remember this? You have permission, Kate. He told me to share his pics however I see fit. He always wanted to share his love of leatherwork with everyone. Johanna

Something tells me there is a typo in that email addy. I can be reached through email at admin@leatherworker.net or PM me here (you have to be registered to use that function). Thanks, ATX, tell him I'll do what I can, just let me know what he needs. Johanna

Pennsic from Wikipedia: The Pennsic War is an annual camping event held by the Society for Creative Anachronism. Pennsic is always held in late summer and lasts for 17 days (begins on a Friday, ends 2 Sundays later). The event centers on pre-17th century history and culture. Campers dress in appropriate clothing and generally act as one from medieval times. They are here, Suze, give 'em time. They are probably banging on their armor... I had forgotten it's held in Slippery Rock, PA. That's a bit north of Pgh., college town, lots of fun. Johanna

Well, I picked the mallet. Not all of us use a swivel knife or a head knife, but every one of us has a hammer or three. One of my favorite leather logos belongs to steveb. Johanna

Knot Heads World Wide! Old friends, and they are here, too. Fantastic resource, marvelous people, same enthusiasm we all have. Thanks for posting the link again, Hilly! Good looking out! Johanna

I'm not a vet, but I have had big dogs that liked to eat scraps as snacks. Being big dogs, most passed, but there was one time that my Jake, a 120 lb. Rottweiler, ate a piece of veg tanned and proceeded to to try get rid of the offending leather out of both ends for 2 days straight. We started closing the shop door after that. It was yucky. The female Rott once mistook a rawhide mallet for a lollipop, and it was quite soggy when we found it. We shaved it off to straight again, but it was never the same after that. She didn't get sick, but a smaller dog might have. I don't think it's worth the risk to allow dogs to chew on leather because, sickness aside, they can't tell the difference between a scrap and the masterpiece you worked on for hours. Johanna

Official Dimensions in Leather website (by Peter Main)

Aw, shucks. Thank you folks for the kind words, they are deeply appreciated. I'm not the only one that works here, though, and I can't take all the credit. There is a team of good folks here, working behind the scenes, and none of this would be possible without them. ClayB introduced them here. They all deserve a standing ovation. Johanna

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=9873 "Back to the Ranch" is the theme, sponsored by the Prairie States Leather Guild, open competition with IFoLG rules Calendar entry here for APRIL 24, 25, & 26, 2009 ~J

Need a good reliable webhost? We do that! Each site account comes with unlimited domain email, all the bells and whistles of a modern cPanel, real time stats and real life tech support, me. We can register a domain name and host a site for a year for $75. What a deal! Uptime is more than 99%. Leasing the extra space LW isn't using offsets the costs of hosting the forum. I have room for 25 more sites- get 'em before they are gone! We can also transfer a site being hosted elsewhere for $25, and you get a warm and fuzzy feeling helping out your favorite forum, plus you get rock solid hosting and pretty close to 24 hour tech support (hey, I have to sleep sometimes!) We also provide SEO (search engine optimization) services, web design help and instruction, and a number of other tech support services. Let us know what you need, or what you want to do- we can probably fix you up painlessly. Spend more time at the bench, not the keyboard- PM Johanna for more details or a phone number. References available upon request. Licensed and insured. All inquiries strictly confidential. Don't wait until it's too late- get your account before they are gone! Johanna Schroer Leatherlady Productions New Knoxville OH USA

David, your seats are each a work of art. Glad to see this one isn't black! Nice.

Wade would like to know how did you get the wife to stop calling you names? I think he wants this information because of an incident this weekend involving ice fishing, an auger and a big knot on his head... Johanna

That was a great game...better luck next year Cardinals! Johanna

I know Jimmy Waldrep from Pgh. too, and my "old guild", the Georgia Leathercrafters, has said nothing but good things about him since he went to Atlanta. I'm a veteran store manager of JoAnn's and Tandy. Good help is hard to find. Some people can teach, some people can sell. It it hard to find both of those qualities in the same person. Without Tandy stores to serve as point-of-contacts for leather guilds, all the guilds suffered when the stores closed in the late 90s. If there is something you wish would change in your local leather store, Tandy or not, talk to the manager. The managers know you can buy your stuff from anyone, and they will go out of their way to make sure you want to call on them. Johanna

I like those, Tina! Big enough for your DL, cigs and a cell phone, and I like the clasp you used to close them. As usual, excellent job on the carvings, and I like the hair, too. Keep rocking, girl! Johanna

Ian- I haven't seen an email change yet today- did you get it done? Let me know if you need any help. Johanna

Bree's story also illustrates the point that David made with me this morning..."They don't pay you for what you do, they pay you for what you know." Think about the doctor, the electrician, the plumber, car mechanic, the tax preparer- do we blink when they hand us a bill? Are we glad they did the job, not us? Johanna

It has been a long time since I have asked for a catalog, but I remember having to pay a nominal fee that was refunded with my first order.

My dad still has Wade on probation for being a Bengals fan. I tried to defend him with "Being a Bengals fan PROVES how loyal a man is!" C'mon, even people in Ohio call them "The Bungles". Kurt Warner sounds like a great guy, but he's got to deal with the Steel Curtain. Good luck, Kurt! And Windy, I was trying to be polite with the "if". Ask the guys in Vegas who is going to win and what the point spread is. Go STEELERS! Johanna (who always liked Jack Lambert)

I just received a nice note from the president of OTB who wanted to let us know that OTB does NOT require a wholesale tax number for an order, but that they do have a $30 minimum order policy. OTB carries an enormous selection of hardware, and if you do a good bit of custom work, you will find yourself reaching for their catalog often. They carry a few items you probably can't get anywhere else. http://ohiotravelbag.com Johanna

I am planning to go- any Awful Waffles in the neighborhood, Brent? ~J

Okay, the economy is in the toilet, and there is a foot of snow on the ground. It is a relief to have something worth cheering! The Steelers (Pittsburgh!) are playing the Cardinals (what town are they from this year, anyway?) on Sunday. If the Steelers win, it will be their 6th Superbowl victory, more than any other team in the NFL's 43 years. I will be waving a terrible towel and wearing black and gold! Gooooo PITTSBURGH!!!