CalvaryLeathers1 Report post Posted November 11, 2013 (edited) Hi all I am a new member. I grew up on my family's third generation farm in Pennsylvania. I have always enjoyed leatherwork but never had time to do it. That is until I was in a bad work accident Dec. 23/2008. I was run over by a tractor at work. It ran me over from my feet over the back and over my head. The left side of my face was crushed. They rebuilt my eye socket and parts of my skull out of titanium and I have an implant holding my left eye in place. I needed brain surgery I was on the table for four hours having my brain and brain stem worked on. The doctor said if I didn't get brain surgery I would be paralyzed. Thankfully they fixed me up and I can walk around now and live a pretty normal life. But I can't carry more than 25 pounds and I have to sleep on a wedge pillow if I lay flat I will get dizzy and throw up. I was worried about what I would do for a job because of my limitations both lack of a collage education and the fact that I can't labor anymore. I have thought about disability but I didn't want to get on it unless I absolutely couldn't make it on my own. My lawyer said I couldn't get on it anyway cause of my age. I could always draw and I was bored so I ordered some leatherworking tools from Tandy. People liked my work and soon I was getting orders. My sister said to me why don't you start a business selling your work. A few trips to the lawyer and accountant and now I own Calvary Leathers LLC 50/50 with my sister. She does the sewing and leather braiding work. I can't seem to wrap my head around the leather braiding lol. And I do the leather tooling. I have been selling by word of mouth, business cards and flyers. But everyone wants me to open an internet store I already had an etsy account from buying things so I just put a few things up on that for now https://www.etsy.com/Shop/CalvaryLeathersLLC. I plan on opening a store of my own soon. But for now I will see what happens with etsy. Anyway I am not an expert leather craftsman but I do pretty well. I am still learning as I go on. I have been looking at this website for a while and finally decided to become a member of it. I don't get out that much my business is in the house because my father has Alzheimer’s and I take care of him and mom. I would say that my biggest problems I have with leather work is making the eyes. And pine trees I hate tooling pine trees LOL. So that is about it hi to everyone I am going back to work on a purse now. A lady asked me to make her a purse with lions and tigers on it. A lot of eyes LOL. Edited November 11, 2013 by CalvaryLeathers1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReneeCanady Report post Posted November 11, 2013 Welcome! I checked out your shop I see that you have mastered the double loop lace Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Havamal Report post Posted November 11, 2013 Welcome Aboard! Nice work on the wallets, Look forward to seeing more! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King's X Report post Posted November 11, 2013 Welcome to the forum! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CalvaryLeathers1 Report post Posted November 11, 2013 (edited) Hi ReneeCanady thank you, but my sister has mastered the double loop lace not I. She is sick today and left me with the work and LOL I am all tangled up in lace. I will be adding a lot more to my shop soon. Edited November 11, 2013 by CalvaryLeathers1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CalvaryLeathers1 Report post Posted November 11, 2013 (edited) Hi and thank you Havamal I will be adding more to the store soon just been so busy with dad and all. I have a bunch of orders I am working on now. Edited November 11, 2013 by CalvaryLeathers1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CalvaryLeathers1 Report post Posted November 12, 2013 Hi i just got a message on my etsy store from someone on this forum i am not going to name them. i am sorry if my post upset anyone. I did not post it to make people feel sorry for me. I did not post to boost my sales. And i am sorry if my post hurt veterns in any way. I was just posting my story to say hello and tell yall about me and how i got into leatherwork. But the message on my store was very clear i am not welcome on this board. This is my final post. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReneeCanady Report post Posted November 12, 2013 That's what I get for just skim reading lol sorry. Welcome to the forum! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe9 Report post Posted November 12, 2013 I dont see how your post hurt anyone , your story is your story we cant do anything to change the hand we are dealt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Havamal Report post Posted November 12, 2013 I hope that you do not leave this forum... there is a lot to be learned on this site and it is full of helpful people. I can't fathom how a person could be offended by your post... let alone how would hurt a veteran? Sounds like you encountered a real Jackass that should be banned from this forum for harassing a member... I just hope that you stick around and don't take this jackass too seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raysouth Report post Posted November 14, 2013 Howdy Amigo, Stick with us and show us more of your work when time permits. Never let one sour grape or bad apple, spoil the entire crop. Many great and friendly folks here and will welcome you with open arms. If you were not welcomed on the site and given the impression you are not welcome, to mean anything it would have to come from the owners of the site. Whenever there is a large gathering of folks, there is bound to be some less than desireable that manage to creep in but it is a very insignificant few. Stick with the positive and upbeat folks and shove the naysayers away as they are usually unhappy and/or jealous souls that live in constant agony. Hope to see you here again. God Bless. Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
