Where is everyone from?

[krains]

Kevin. Libra. I enjoy long walks on the beach and .... o wait, wrong website

I grew up in Huntsville, Tx but now reside in Houston after serving 8 years in the Marine Corps as a computer programmer. I build boat trailers for McClain now. I picked up leather in early December after learning that my real dad was an amazing leatherworker. The first thing I did was make him a semi-sheridan style Tandy craftaid that I put his initial in.

I attended the Peter Main workshop with Marlon(Rawhide) and absolutely loved it. Leatherworkers are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

[Washroad]

I haven't posted much lately.....

I'm Brian. I live in Orange (hey gunfighter48!) about 5 miles from Disneyland over in Anaheim.

I went to the same high school and college my dad and elder brothers did! I'm the 4th generation of my family born here, the 5th generation is doing well.

I was a truck driver for almost 20 years and now I sit in an office all day telling truck drivers where to go and what to do, I also supervise a 200,000 sq. ft. warehouse full of newsprint paper. I work for a sub-contractor to the Orange County Register (a fairly famous libertarian newspaper).

I was a hippy in the '60s but didn't do too well at it as I loved my hotrod '56 Chevy 221! In between chasing girls and surfing I would be street racing.

I started doing leather while in college. My brother came home with a watchband that I thought was cool and he told me he paid $10 for it! Wow! That was a lot of money in '69! So, I went to a Tandy shop in Anaheim and bought some stuff and started making watchbands and belts and it helped finance my higher education.

Did some work on/off for the next 30+ years, not too much. Always kept my leather tools even through a messy divorce!

I bought a fixer-upper house in '99 before the prices here got more ridiculous than they are now, and after I got the house to a point I couldn't do anymore and had to start hiring contractors, I remodeled my garage and have a small leather shop in there next to my mechanical area.

I don't make a lot of stuff, do a lot of practice, have a great time.

I read this board almost everyday and sometimes 3 or 4 times a day. I was almost beside myself when it crashed!

[howardb]

Fort Wayne, Indiana. Boredom capital of the USA.

If you are into geneology, our downtown library is one of the best spots in the nation for research.

Our zoo is one of the #1 children's zoos in the nation. Seriously, bring the kids and spend a day or two.

Other than that, ain't much goin' on.

Brent

[David Fields]

I'm in Louisville, Kentucky. Was born here, lived here my entire life and will most likely live here for the rest of my life. I'm about two miles from Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby.

[CitizenKate]

What a great thread - I love reading about everyone's lives and the places they live...

Thanks to being the child of a career air force man, I was born in Gainsborough, England, and also lived in Germany for 3 years when I was very young. But most of my life, I've lived in Kansas. My parents were both very crafty. My dad was into leather work, gun smithing, and photography, and my mom was into everything else - sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, quilting, collage, etc. So I had a lot of exposure to many various crafts as a youth, as well as playing various instruments.

After a series of twists and turns in my career (at one point I was studying music education at Wichita State University), I became involved in the IT world during the early '80's and have pretty much stayed there since. Today, I live in Manhattan, in the northeast part of Kansas, in the Flint Hills and close to the Konza prairie wildlife preserve. (Did I mention Kansas State University? ) I have two dogs (Mushka and Nigel) and two cats (Harley and Lucky), all rescued from animal shelters.

Sometime during the 90's, I was strolling through the craft market at the Smokey Hill River Festival in Salina, KS, when I came upon the booth of one Ron Musser of Pennsylvania, who had on exhibit an impressive assortment of tooled leather game boards. I was instantly fascinated with the idea of a leather game board, and all kinds of ideas for themes started buzzing around in my head, so I decided to pick up leather work again. Game boards are still my specialty, but I have also branched out into other things in order to make use of the mountains of smaller leather pieces I have left over.

Kate

[Regis]

After reading many of the great places people have lived, I thought I'd fill in the blanks between Irwin, Pa. and Pensacola, Fl.

Grew up around Duquesne, McKeesport, & Irwin, Pa.

Airforce (62-73)- Denver, Co; McGuire, NJ; Hahn Germany; Klamath Falls, Or; Ramstein Germany; Giford, Il, Grand Forks, ND

Civ (73-today)- Manassass, Va; Memphis, Tn; Corpus Christi, Tx; Pensacola, Fl (20 years here)

That is simply toooo much travel except..... I married greatest little lady in the world in Memphis.

[ClayB]

I was born in Crosby, ND. Heck, I don't even know where that is! Never been back as far as I know. My parents were both teaching somewhere near there at the time. We lived in Antelope, MT. for the first five years of my life. My dad was the principal and a teacher there. Then we moved to Missoula, MT where my dad finished studying for his masters in accounting. Once he got that, he got a job working for an oil company and we moved to Ponca City, OK where we lived for about 5 years. From there, we moved on to Oklahoma City, OK and were there for about 5 years. Then we moved again to Salt Lake City, Utah where I stayed until I graduated high school. The rest of my family still lives in Salt Lake. Me, about a half hour after graduation, I got in my 1952 Ford pickup and headed back to ND. I had been spending my summers on my grandparents ranch in the ND badlands since I was 10. That's where I always wanted to live and still do. I ran a cow/calf operation on the ranch until about 6 years ago when I sold off the cows and leased out the ranch. I really liked working with cattle and being my own boss, but trying to hold down an almost full time job and running the ranch was taking a toll on me and my family. For the past few year I have been pouring cement and climbing around on roofs, putting up buildings, etc. I don't enjoy all that much, but it pays the bills and gives me time to carve on leather so I'll do it until something better comes along. We've still got 3 horses, a dog, way too many cats and some of the prettiest scenery in the world!

[shirleyz]

Hi all,

I'm here in sunny Las Vegas but hail originally from Leeds, England. Among the few things I miss of England are dry stone walls, greenery, and fish and chips wrapped in newspaper. The Nevada desert is now funnily enough 'home' to me. Both my daughters were born in the states, and so I'm not mum, I'm morm! The English side of me kind of got lost a little, until I speak to another Brit on the phone, and then the accent really comes on strong. I hope to become a citizen this year, just so I can legally vote for whoever is running against whoever my mother-in-law is voting for!

I originally came here after living in the Bahamas for four years, and meeting my husband Joe there. We were working in the casino industry, my husband still is. Being involved in the openings and training of casino staff, we have lived in, Iowa, Illinois, Mississippi, Loiusiana, and Nevada. The only way I will leave Nevada is for either a home in Wyoming or S. Dakota, (fell in love while on a Sturgis run), or beachfront property anywhere warm.

Started in leatherwork a little over two years ago, when my old man thought he was going to pay $2,000 for a Paul Cox seat. So thank you Paul, you got me going.

ShirleyZ

[Art]

For that kind of money I hope it had a Rigidair system attached!

Art

Started in leatherwork a little over two years ago, when my old man thought he was going to pay $2,000 for a Paul Cox seat. So thank you Paul, you got me going.

ShirleyZ

[fleabitpokey]

I am in Sonora CA. I have my 5 year old Grand daughter,and a mini pincher. I have 2 Sons, both US Military,1 Daughter,and 2nd Grand daughter,close. Have been on the working end of a pitchfork at the racetrack for most of my life. Now I want to learn how to work with leather. This is a great place to visit and gain knowledge. Thanks for sharing.

Stephanie

[ordineconfusus]

Heyas!

Well.....My name is Kaiden, I'm 26, currently in Lynn, MA, born and raised in MA......full-bloded Mass****.... I've been married to my awesome husband for just under 3 years.

I started working with leather about a year and a half ago, when I saw something on the internet, and thought "hey...that looks kinda cool!"....

I am currently a Loss Prevention Officer at a national department store, and enjoy running after and taking down the idiots who try to rip us off.....(it's also great on those days you're just mad at everything...good outlet for frustrations)

I'm mostly kinda boring, and spend WAY too much time on the computer....

[LuisPaulo]

Hi,

My name is Luis Paulo Leonardo, I'm 38 years old and I live in a big big city (15 million hab. I guess) called São Paulo, in Brazil. Well.... To big for my taste, I don't like crowed places, traffic etc...

I'm married, and we have a child - 10 years old. My wife is pregnant, so next July we'll have a new baby.

I start to learn about leatherwork about 2 years ago, with a friend who lives in a city near here called Americana (yes, Americana, because it was founded by Americans).

Since them, I try to learn about this art and try do make it lives, since the youngters dont car so much about this.

[LarryB]

My name is Larry Bruhn. I am 60yrs old, live near St Louis, MO... Wood River, IL across the river from st louis. Been married for 36 years, boy and girl and five grand kids. Worked with leather for about fourty years... but remember, I also had to raise a family so the fourty years were not totally dedicated to leather. I am always learning something from reading what others post. So keep posting.. Guess I'll stop there, my coffee cup is empty. lol

Edited February 18, 2008 by LarryB

[FrankZaharek]

I'm from the small town of Hopewell, VA in the central Virginia area about 20 miles south of the Capital city of Richmond, VA and 103 miles south of Washington DC. I've traveled to 49 of the 50 US states, missed Maine. My family is scattered from VA to AL, TX, CO,IL, WI, and CA.

[Hoyden]

Cool thread.

My name is Noel. I don't post here near as much as I should, but I do a lot of reading and learning.

I am a Navy Brat, so I spent the first 18 years of my life moving around. My dad was Cryptographer in the Navy (CTRC), retiring in 1990 with 26 years in service. (BillyB - Remember that Rat Bastard John Walker?)

Born in the Philippines, then on to Hawaii, Japan, Florida, Italy, Connecticut. Got dumb and got married to a Sailor, moved back out to Hawaii, got smart and left, came back to Connecticut and I've been here for far too long. Wanderlust is really beginning to set in. I want to move out of CT as soon as my oldest daughter graduates from High School.

Married to a former Marine now. We have two daughters, 16 and 6 years old and two dogs, Petey and Birdie, American Pit Bull Terriers.

Most of my leather working knowledge was gleaned from watching my Irish Great Grandfather 30 years ago. I primarily make heavy dog gear for bully breeds, large working breeds and molosser breed dogs. I also make leather armor and gear for friends and family for wear at Renaissance Faires and SCA events.

In addition to leather work, I do a lot of sewing for dogs and historical re-enactment as well as machine embroidery and digitizing (creating) embroidery designs.

[TomSwede]

Well, just sittin' here with an itchy running allergic nose wanting to go to bed so I'll give it a go here.

I live in the mediumsized town Gävle (about 100 000 citizens) some 2-3 hours drive north from Swedish capitol Stockholm.

Very much flatlands here since the ice from the iceperiod shaved of the land when sliding into the baltic sea.

Work in a papermill, boring stuff but pay is very good. Live with my son (10 years old) and his mother wich came here from Korea when she was a small child. Our home is sort of a chainhouse (don't know what to call it in English really) and is located in a suburb. Not a concrete ghetto but a ghetto of chainhouses, mostly familys and older people. Pretty quiet place but the youth here are very much spoiled brats without parental control so sometimes little disturbance there. We have always lived here (in and around Gävle) and if I were about to move somewhere, up north is the only thing appealing to me. I really miss the snowy winters. Last two has been 4-8 inches of snow that lasts a week before gone and then grey wather for a few weeks before next little snowfall..and the circle starts again. I hate it!

Leatherwork (especially tooling) is not very common here so I don't have any competition wich also means that people around here aren't familiar with tooled leather. Most times they recognize my work as art OR handicraft (except for the flask sheath shown here) and that's why bracers are the thing I always end up doing. Not so much handicraft as tooling art and makes a more affordable item and off course fits some peoples image.

I've been on and off with the death metal musical scene (still are a little bit) since it started around -86 -87 so I sold about maybe 75 percent of my stuff to theese people. Good customers they are, never a complaint about pricing or anything.

Nowadays I have a second home in a sleepy little village with 500 resident's just 1 hour drive northwest from Gävle. Really nice place with lots and lots and lots of forrest. One step of the trail and you could be lost for days. Small mountains starts here and the place is a little higher up wich means more snow (but not enough) and also 15 minutes drive from Swedens biggest leather shop. Yes this place was strategically choosen. It also has an appealing wildlife with a few species that's hard to come close to when photographing in other places, bears and wolfs mainly but also lot of elk and deer and some birds that are hard to catch.

Well, won't boore you any more but I post some pics from my alternate home. Wish I could be there more often, sigh!

Tom

[awharness]

Hey There, I am From Swanzey NH, Just 10 mins from Mass and 10 Mins from VT. I am only 25 and grew up with horses. I Got my first set of leather tools when I was 10-12 and Putted around with them. Later on I did repairs and modified some harnesses and stuff. All of this segwayed in to doing harness making! Right now I finally broke down and got my first REAL job! I've had a seasonally concession business since high school that had done very well. Since persuing the Harness making(Hoping to be full time sooner or later) I took a job at a local college in the Bursar office! I am going back to school in the fall to get my MBA, and then I will use my education FOR NOTHING when I can sit at home all day and make Harness! I love the crazy horse industry and I love making things!

[ArtS]

Thought I'd add a little of my history here. I was the first in my family to be born in America about a year after my parents came from Austria. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio but soon after we moved to Westlake, Ohio where I was raised. I father could build or fix anything. He was very good with his hands and artistic so I guess thats where I got it from.

I grew up watching Roy Rogers and all the westerns on TV that I could. I used to beg for a horse but we didn't have a place for one nor could we afford one. A week after I graduated from high school I moved to Atlanta, GA and I've been here ever since. I went to work in the IT business on the old main frames an then into telecommunications. I am now a manager, for a large telco, over a team of network engineers that work on internet service for businesses. I met my wife here and we married 27 years ago. We have two sons that are 24 and 22. About 21 years ago I decided it was time to get that horse that I had always dreamed of. I realized that I knew nothing about taking care of a horse. The boys were little and I needed some extra cash so I got a part time job working at a large boarding stable. Worked there a couple of years and learned a lot about horses and riding (I can really muck out a stall fast). I started getting my own horses, showing, training and breeding them and now I just trail ride and we're down to just 2 horses. I used to do a lot of artwork on the side. That is what I loved but when I started riding that went to the side. Then I started wanting to do leather work about 4 or 5 years ago. I couldn't afford the tack and saddle that I wanted so I figured I'd learn and then make my own. I never thought I'd love it this much.

I've been lucky to have been taught by a great saddle maker. I've also been lucky to find this forum and you great folks. I've learned a good bit online. I hope to be doing this until they lay me 6 feet under. I love having an artistic outlet that is also useful. The city has caught up to us in what used to be out in the sticks. When I retire I hope to move even further north of Atlanta, maybe even NC.

Thanks yawl!

Art

[ryan]

I currently live in Guthrie, MN with my wife, Candace. We both grew up in this area (about 3.5 hours North of Minneapolis - St Paul). She's a teacher and I'm a police officer and we are planning on having kids real soon. They say cops, teachers, and preachers kids are the worst! Considering I am the child of a cop and looking back on my hell raising days; I think we're doomed! We have too many horses and a spoiled border collie. I used to rodeo and she shows western pleasure although we are looking at getting into cutting horses. I am up to my ears in custom orders ranging from billfolds to saddle work so for any of you starving leather workers out there - I'd be glad to do some referals.

Ryan

[Leatherbaron]

Hey all, I know we have the Frapper Map, and some of us do list where we live, but so many do not. The thread about the "Front Window" got me to thinking, I know there are people here from all walks of life, and all parts of the world, but it would be nice to be able to put the style and type of work each of us does with the region of the world.

I think this would give us a better understanding of what the styles of things are in all the different parts of the world we come from.

I'm from Calgary Alberta, Canada, which is a very "Western" oriented city, although my main work is the biker community, "Western & Native" styles are really my passion. Just haven't gotten around to doing any yet.

So if we could list such it would be great.

Thanks

Ken

Hey there Bever....

we are from Darwin Australia ( top of the map of Aussie ) Crocodile country

I am a leatherworker for the last 43 years or so..... still learning - I am a Wedding Photographer -

Computer repair man - Bus Driver - Pilot licence - Instrumental Guitarist - ummm and sum other things

have a web site that does not get updated much

www.leatherbaron.com

[Kobau]

Linda, from Manitoba Canada... I'm 32, just starting to dip my toes in the water of working with leather....I'm a Nurse.. but really at the moment I am mainly mom, wife and try to work with my horses and create some nice jewellery.. oh and learning to be a better photographer in my spare time....

Married since '08, we have 2 boys, Cody is just turning 4, Landon is just turned one, and our 3rd child is due this june 2012!!!

[Art]

Linda,

Welcome aboard. We have a knowledgeable crowd in most of the things you mentioned, and they're mostly open to questions.

Leatherworking requires very sharp tools, and little ones and tools don't mix well.

Congratulations when the time comes and again welcome to Leatherworker.net (we abbreviate that to LW or LWN).

Art

Linda, from Manitoba Canada... I'm 32, just starting to dip my toes in the water of working with leather....I'm a Nurse.. but really at the moment I am mainly mom, wife and try to work with my horses and create some nice jewellery.. oh and learning to be a better photographer in my spare time....

Married since '08, we have 2 boys, Cody is just turning 4, Landon is just turned one, and our 3rd child is due this june 2012!!!

[Kobau]

Thank you for the welcome! Thankfully the Boys can't get into my work room... We made sure that it is where they can't get into, and they are learning fast that mom's stuff is just like dad's... meaning it is not to be touched!

Linda,

Welcome aboard. We have a knowledgeable crowd in most of the things you mentioned, and they're mostly open to questions.

Leatherworking requires very sharp tools, and little ones and tools don't mix well.

Congratulations when the time comes and again welcome to Leatherworker.net (we abbreviate that to LW or LWN).

Art

[Leather Girl]

Just getting around to this so, I live in Calgary Alberta. I used to show and train horses, dogs and show cats. I had two horses that I had taught to kiss and miss them dearly.

Now it is just me and my two cats, Princess and Thor, he weighs 24 pounds. I constantly tell him I will make him a leather biker jacket and he gives me the ugly eyes for it.

I will not tell you how old I am but I used to watch Roy Rogers because I loved the dog and the horses on it. I have worked in leather since I was eight years old. I primarily do fetish wear and equipment, medieval, archery, holsters, books, scabbards, sheaths and clothing and now with my new cobra 4 (Thanks Steve and Dave) I can expand much more.

I used to work in the entertainment industry and have been in a few movies, oh so long ago. I had worked for the Flames, Calgary Stampede and lastly City of Calgary, I am thrilled to have divorced them and went full time in my own business which is a Pagan store in my home and all my leather. I may not make the same steady money I did with the city but way happier to work for me.

Randi-Lee