Tina

Inspired by all skull makers here and I did one on request from the notebook covers new owner...Meet the Grim Reaper:-) This was my first ever try of lacing, not sure if I ever will do it again.

Here's the second new item I had with me to the Spring show in Indiana...I also got first prize and category winner, I'm sooo blown away:-)

For those who don't know...I went down to the spring show in Indiana this weekend and had some new items with me...This is one of them. The collar got first price and category winner:-)

Hi all, I'm blown away totally...So many super nice people and so much to see and meeting Johanna...You're like a sister girl:-) Me and Keith (my husband) both had a super nice time. First of I would like to say congratulations to ClayB and Brent (HowardB) they both won a whole bunch of dream cathers (ribbons). Clay, I'm so sad I did not have the opportunity to see you work, someone took them away after judging *Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr* (That is Tina growling) This was fun, not just for the prices but to meet all the people and I'll be on it again for sure. 4 of the judges told me to become a member of a guild and get down to Ohio in september..I guess it might be a good idea? Thanks all for your encouragement, the next time will be harder but I'm going to work harder on it:-)

Then Johanna, I'll be the the one with loooong dark hair:-) Mosly up in a pony tail and braided (to get the thing out of my face) Camera-Yes Kids-no See ya soon//Tina

I would like to share something with you all. It started out by Pip contacted me and said he was the one making something for me and asked some questions about taste and such. A few days later a few more names was added to the list and he was no longer "my sender". To make the story short, he had alreaddy started and wanted to continue with the item for me so...I got this absolutly wonderful mask in the mail yesterday and it'll fit my gothic style perfectly:-) I wish the photo could make it justice. Pip also sent me a postcard of the Liver building in Liverpool (England) with big bird sculptures at the top of them as his inspiration...Enjoy

LOL...I did make a braid today just to try it out and I understand what you say "I think everyone should braid horsehair. Then they would not have any time left over to start fights, pollute rivers, make up computer viruses, steal other people's stuff etc." I discovered that you have to be very patience for sure and loads of extra time on your hand:-) On this project I might not be able (?) to have any knots, and I dont want any hairs pooking out left right and center so I guess I have to find something else...D..n it, it would have looked sooo cool, then again, to make knots in the material...Mama Mia, it's slippery and have a mind of its own. I for one admire you braiders even more after trying a very simple thing and going to look at your work with totally new eyes from now on. Thanks a million for your advice and the tips:-)

I got tired of wasting brush after brush and I found out that turpentine gets my brush "clean" from contact cement.

Great idea with a tattoo line, you can keep it going for ever:-) That one is soooo (do I dare say...) cute!

Thanks, this is without competition the best place on the net

I'm hoping for some help here from all of you pro braiders. I want to make a very simple, 4-stand braid in black and white horse hair, less than a 1/4 inch thick. How do you make a "rope" longer than the hair it self and make it look good and be strong? The hair I'm having is around 27" long. Greatful for any help//Tina

How about a special place here for the tutorials that's start showing up, if you can find them at all, they're all over the place:-)

Your tutorial rockk Beaver. Very easy to follow and I love the the end product with the laced details...Great cap Johanna, how about making a special place for all the tutorials, now the're all ove the place?

Keep on with your skulls Spider, they're Great:-) This one makes my brain go all over the place, Way Cool

Congratulations to a beautiful purse:-)

I had the same problem with the "old" blade I was using (ordinary wide blade) Since using the filigree blade the problem seams to have vanished even when I give the beveler a good smack:-) The cuts don't get as deep and the gap is much finer (sometimes hard to see, that's the only drawback)

As usual I played around with the photo program. I adjusted some on the eye. First I lifted the top eyelid and I also moved the bottom part of the eye up. I also made the iris bigger, sometimes it's better not to make everything exactly as mother nature and things will look more natural even if it's "wrong". Have in mind, we're making 3D into 2D... It's not perfect but better (?)

I'll be there, see ya next weekend:-)

I gotta get into this section of the forum more often so I don't miss things like this again...This is GREAT Spider:-) I really like the skull, it's an enigma of sorts. I see the past and I see the future, very odd and very, very cool

Well, I try to avoid those callouses for the life of me:-) That tape (green) someone here had a link to looks like the best idea so far. For now I use yellow masking tape, I tried gloves and such but they just "glide around" and make blisters, and That hurts! //*Tina who tryes to keep the hands soft*

Hi Tom:-) I "steel" some o your ideas and use them into something I like. You'll see soon when I post the next one how I interpret your comments:-) I have also come to see how hard it is to take decent photos of leather and make them look as i real life...The only thing I'm doing to the photos is resizing and/or making them a bit brighter. They have a tendency to get a wee bit dark even with the flash on. I do think this has very much to do with how the light comes in to the room. I must say, we bought a new camera this winter and I'm super happy with it, Panasonic SDLR, (XF 50 or something like that) but still got a lot to learn about the functions on it. With time I might learn how to use it proparly so I don't have to make any changes to the original:-)

Skithäftigt:-) Congartulations Tom, that one looks really nice. I really like the red background with the antiquing on (I think it is) You shoild be very proud of this.

Thanks Spider, I do value your opinion:-) After reading some suggestions from Tom I might just change the shoulder strap some....(?)

I really like your tooling, looks very clean:-)

Thanks Tom, you just gave some neat ideas for the last one:-)