Where is everyone from?

[gesa]

Hi all,

I live my whole live in Hannover , Germany exept one year in France at school ( yes I also speak french) and I am saddlemaker at G.Passier&Sohn. Hannover is like "many small villages in one place" an Australian from Sidney said to me, so you just turn around the next corner and there are farms and flat land.

Here horse people are mostly english riding dressage and jumping. So I am a little bit exotic with my Paint Horse -> my avatar <- and western saddle.

Gesa

[Drac]

started life in Lousyana (yes, LOUSY-ana) and even ended up stationed there when I was AF. done every type of security work there is except police (bouncer *about 7 different clubs/bars*, bands, personal/private, uniform, government). moved to austin, tx and was stuck there for about 10 years. best things about being there was starting me leather biz (out of necissity) and working at then co-owning a comic book shop. now live in atlanta, ga and have been here for almost 3 years and still like it. been doing BDSM leatherwork professionally for about 13 years and have set up at private parties, club nights, vendor markets and Dragoncon.

and here's pics of me shop

[gary]

I've tried sticking a pin in the map but it must keep falling out as it's never there when I check back.

We live in Carlisle (England, not Pennsylvania) just South of the border with Scotland.

27 years in the Army for me (16 years for my wife, Ruth) and now I'm a police officer in a small and supposedly sleepy rural town after working for some time in Carlisle City. I'm getting too old to be chasing young criminals so we're moving to the West coast of Scotland as soon as we've sold this house and I'll be starting my own leatherworking company (web site link will be added once it's up and running) as well as letting the house to holidaymakers in the summer season.

Three dogs, two horses, one house and three acres just outside Carlisle (open to offers if anyone's interested - for the house, not the dogs and horses, they're moving with us) and a house and thirty acres in Scotland.

Did some 'resettlement' training in saddlery and harness-making when I left the Army after messing about for ten years and I realised I needed to learn properly. The leatherwork just took off after that. I've even made my own western saddle (as I could never really understand British style saddles) and retrained my horse. I would make more but it is not easy getting parts over here and no-one does any trees apart from Ralide.

I learned to ride in Namibia and South Africa while serving there. Ruth learned with the Household Cavalry when she was serving in London so rides better than I do. My horse is just a 15.2 chestnut mare with three white feet and a white blaze (so I don't believe the rhyme [you know the one, "One white foot - take a look," etc]). Ruth's horse is a 17.0 grey mare which was mistaken two days ago for an appaloosa as she is so muddy at the moment.

So glad to find this forum - a great source of inspiration, ideas, humour, and stunning work from everyone. I lurk quietly on the sidelines most of the time, being awed at the knowledge and experience there is here and people's willingness to share it unconditionally. I won't post any pictures of my work until I've done something that's worth looking at.

Also, I won't post pictures of our house, land or workshop until we've moved; then there'll be something to look at.

And I'll supply the cups of tea if anyone wants a change from coffee (good though it is).

Gary

[Cora]

Pella

My shop used to be an old farm house that we decided to dress up with verticle jackpine siding (slabs) just to give it a bit of character. We have a few older draft horse guys that come for coffee in the summer and sit in the screen porch to talk about the good ol days. I only speak a little french but I can understand a fair bit if it is spoken slowly, I am of irish heritage. I know about cold I woke up this morning and it was -34C before the wind chill. We raise and train arabian horses and not one would come out of the barn. We ride english, western and mostly bareback and do a fair bit of driving, we have a weakness for antique horsedrawn vehicles. Most of my leather work is harness making and repairs.

Cora

[Canuck]

I now live in Stratford, Ontario. I grew up in Northern Ontario. My former career was a stager manager of opera (Hurtin' songs done in Italian)....This allowed me to travel to many communities in Canada and abroad.

I also have MS and this has slowed my involvement in theatre. I now build kilts and work out of my home. This is a full time venture. A number of years ago I was asked if I would make a kilt out of leather. I took on the project and am now reputed to be one of the best leather kilt makers in the world...who wouda tunk....

Cheers

Robert

[hiloboy]

well i live in Hilo, Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. some call it the big island..because it is the biggest island in the chain of Hawaiian islands..i live about 20 mile from Kilauea volcano that is the most active volcano in the world..i have a wonderful wife(Kaiulani) ,6 kids 4 girls 2 boys and 2 dogs. all out of the nest..but not the dogs... my last boy well grad from collage in May this year.. hes in Missouri.. for a living i have worked for myself for the last 30 years as a hand engraver and a scrimshaw artist..about a year ago i added leather still learning but with all your help its coming around..we do have a big call for cowboy(paniolo's) stuff here lots of ranch land and one of the largest ranches in the US.(Parker ranch) that is why i wanted to added leather along with my engraving work..

Edited January 18, 2008 by hiloboy

[GregGaub]

I live in Auburn, Washington (state), which is about half-way between Tacoma and Seattle. Been here for almost 12 years now.

[Tina]

Hi all,

I met my American husband around 6 years ago, and see where it took me, to Michigan:-). I have lived here now for soon to be 3 years.

Born and raised in Stockholm/Sweden. One big interest is travelling, have done Europe up and down a few times and also lived in England for a year.

If you wonder, Sweden is not that much different from US...Much less than one might think:-)

[Timd]

I've been sitting back, reading posts for a while now, and this seems like the perfect subject to step in on. I seem to be located in the no-man's land of leathercraft. I'm in Bucks County, PA, Levittown to be exact. The nearest leather supply store( that I've found) is the Tandy in Allentown, 1 1/2 hours from me. I've tried to find people near me who do leatherwork, but so far, no luck. Anyone on this forum near me? Thanks for lettin' me vent.

[Randyc]

Hey all,

I was born and spent my younger years in Chicago. I've spent my entire adult life in the north suburbs of Chicago. I'm still there. After highschool I did a stint in the Marine Corps. I've been a police officer for the past 29 years happily "cuffin and stuffin" the bad guys. In hind site, I probably should have joined the fire department because everyone likes fireman.

Around 4 years ago, I purchased a vintage leather craft kit off of ebay. I made quite a few wallets, money clips, checkboot holders ect. In 2006 I learned to make western style boots while studying under master bootmaker Carl Chappell. In 2007 I started Bulldog Leather Co. and hope to use that as an avenue to market my holsters, knife sheaths and hopefully western boots one day.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.