CitizenKate

The only stuff I've made so far that I've kept are my design prototypes. One-a these days, though... Nice pieces, Shawn! Kate

Hi, Ken - welcome, and nice work! Cool cap - is that patterned after a 19th century military forage cap? (aka "kepi") Kate

Yeah, same here, I'm not a lawyer... but I think the key issue is whether you are caught trying to sell items with copyrighted artwork, without documented permission. Kate

I can do you one better... PM me with your email address, and I'll email you the pattern (minus the artwork). Kate

Simplicity can be beautiful, as you have so aptly demonstrated. So many artistic possibilities with bike seats. I must try one sometime. Is that a maker's mark on the front of the seat? I've noticed a similar mark on your other work. Thanks for sharing... Kate

I just have a fabric apron I use for applying dyes, paints, antiques, or stains. I've been itching to make a nice deerskin apron for use in the studio. I can picture it in a few years all smudged up right proper with different colored dyes and stains. Kate

Yeah, I have. I'm a lefty, too, but I hold my stamps in my left hand (better coordination) and my maul in my right hand (better strength). I have gotten tendonitis in my maul arm on a couple of occasions. Kate

I tried using one to punch the holes, but the holes were too big and the stitches looked too loose in the holes. Ideally, they should be snug in the holes that are punched. What I do now (and I will defer to those of you more experienced with hand stitching) is to use the diamond hold punch to mark the holes and use an awl to punch through the marks, at the angle "suggested" by the marks created by the diamond hole punch. Clear as mud? Roit! Kate

Shirley, you're doing us proud! Beautiful work on the bike seat, especially that nice clean lettering. Kate

Can't wait to see it finished, the carving looks great. Is this going to get framed, or will it become part of something functional? Kate

I never realized that Quebeccers felt that way about Americans. I know I've gotten what I perceived as an arrogant hmf! or two from locals when I was in Montreal, but I just figured it was because I probably came off as an ignorant tourist - I know just enough French to get myself thrown out of someplace! Ha! I think all of our cultures suffer from too much negativity - too much focus on what we don't like, and not enough focus on what we actually want in the first place. Kate

Very interesting survey... I've read that there is a high percentage of the artistically-inclinded that are left-handed, or to some degree, ambidexterous. The result so far seems to support that. Kate

Wow, gorgeous work, Clay, as always. Your carving is so clean and smooth, and your deco cuts really flow well. Kate

Just... WOW! Gorgeous work! Kate

Those are what I've heard called "fat wrinkles", and I love how they look on my game boards. (As do my customers.) I actually finish them to bring out those character lines. But as the others have pointed out, that section of the leather (usually close to the neck), is not ideal for all projects. If any of you have a piece of leather with fat wrinkles that you don't want, if it's at least 22"x22", send it to me! Kate

The latter. It slides freely between one end, where the snap is set, and the other, where the keyring is riveted. Kate

Heheh! Well, when I used it, I pulled, but I couldn't control it nearly as easily pulling a safety skiver as I could pushing the scalpel. Might just depend on the technique your hand prefers. Kate

Finally got this finished... here are the photos of the finished project. Clay: You are too modest, my friend, but to put it in more modest terms, I like your work with acrylics enough to try to emulate what you do. Thanks so much for all you have shared! Also, you might notice that I shaped up some of the junctions, but also missed a couple. I'll work a little harder on that next time. Alex: Hopefully, this will give you an idea of how the case is put together. The keeper has to be placed through its slot on the back side, then the rivets set, before the back and front are sewn together. I'll be happy to provide more detail if you need it. Thanks again for the helpful and encouraging comments, everyone. Kate

This is just the cover, again, with all the colors applied. It still needs to be sewn together. Clay, you are the master of acrylic color. Your suggestions yielded some nice results, but I still need more practice. I will post again when the piece is finished. Oscar: Thanks for the tip! Great idea - I will try it! Alex: When I post photos of the completed project, I will show it from several views. Also, if you would like the pattern, I will gladly share it. The pieces for the keycase, that is, not the carving pattern. I am under a license agreement not to distribute it. However, if you like that design, you should check out www.tattoodles.com. Their subscription rates are very affordable, and there is a ton of material there that renders well in leather. Jim: Thanky, sir! Y'know, you could just get it done in leather and wear it. Matthew: I think I'm going to do another one of these (in another color scheme), so I could shoot photos on each step so you can see how I did this particular design. I've been wanting to make a Chinese Checkers board with an elaborate dragon design all around it, and did this to explore things I could do with a dragon's skin texture. Thanks for the comments, all. I'm hoping to finish this tomorrow... Kate

Note to the others who might be reading this thread... the safety skiver is a good skiving tool for right-handers, but not so much for lefties. I ended up chucking mine and I've been using a scalpel since. Kate

Here's something a little different I'm playing with. I've been doing a lot of small projects lately, just for a break from all the big game board projects, and also still searching for projects I can use up my smaller pieces of leather on... I've always loved those little retractable key cases for which you can buy kits from Tandy, Hidecrafter, etc. This one is "from scratch" though, using a little better grade of leather than what comes in the kits, and I also fasten the keyring to the retractable strap with rivets, instead of snaps, because the snaps are not very secure and someone could lose their keys. This just shows the cover after carving. I'm in "learning and experimenting mode" on this one, so if anyone has suggestions on the carving, feel free to speak up. Also, the coloring... I have some Createx pearlized colors (acrylic, I suppose). I'd like to see irridescent green on the head and down the back side, which blends into either yellow (spirit dye) or gold (pearlized gold Createx). This is my first time to play with Createx colors, and also my first chance to try some of Clay's tips on coloring with acrylic. Suggestions there are also welcome. Kate

*snicker* There's poetic justice for ya!

Heheheheh!

LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!

Those are all fine if you don't need a specific size, diameter, or radius. That is my preferred method if I can find an object that has the radius I need. If I need a specific radius, then a compass or dividers is the only choice. The problem with dividers is how to prevent that hole that is created in the center. Solution: Just take a piece of scrap leather and put it over your center point, then anchor your dividers there. Voila! Perfect circle or curve, without the hole poked in the center.