Road to leather craft as a livng.

[Kowboyboots]

I realized I jumped right into this forum with out introducing myself a couple weeks ago.

You all just think I am the girl with all the toys to do anything with.

Actually as far back as the early 70's I started earning money with leather craft.

Although i don't tool any more i did get my start tooling as my grandmother lived next door to the master leather craftsman Cliff Ketchum. Cliff took me in as a student when I was 14. I was so lucky!

I went on to make extra money in college making belts for 100's of college rodeo kids then got hired by Dan Baker of Thunderbird Leather to tool wallets. At that time Thunderbird was the largest supplier of western wallets in the US. I was able to tool 40 wallets a day, he had some prisoners assemble them. After several years though I burnt out on tooling.

Continued to make a living at my crafts though, to the point I never have had as they say a "real job". Went into screen printing, sign making then laser engraving, my late husband & I bought the second laser Universal put out, so I have been lasering for a long time. From there I got back into working with leather.

Now the full turn around, I still do all the other things but my main business is making things covered in leather for western stores all over the world. As well as awards & badges for SASS, CMSA, CAS shoots, PRCA & horse shows.

LOVE every minute of it too.

Being one of the lucky ones, I live & work in my barn which is 10,000 sq ft, the main office/work area is 1000 sq ft. I had to make the choice a long time ago between living in a nice house with a small shop or living in the barn (which I have made nice) with a big shop. It was the right choice for me.

From all the other diversified craft things I do and my late husbands denture business, I have acquired a lot of neat tools & machines that I continue to use for things they were not intended for, LOL.

I live in South Eastern WA town of Walla Walla.

I have built up a massive collection of clip art over the yrs, if you even need something you can't find, please feel free to ask, if I have it I will certainly share it.

Look forward to becoming acquainted with many of you.

Thank you for the welcome already received.

[esantoro]

That 10,000 sq. ft. working space sounds awesome.

Ed

[Johanna]

Isn't it wonderful getting up in the morning and going to work at something you love to do? Some of us have been very lucky to have that. My ten year old daughter sayus, "Mom, why do I have to go to school?" So that you have choices, honey. If you want to be a photographer or brain surgeon or leatherworker, I want you to be happy with what you do.

Welcome to LW! Glad to have you here! Help yourself to the coffee and cookies, and make yourself at home.

Johanna

PS I've always admired Cliff Ketchum's work. What a mentor!

[Kowboyboots]

Yes I was very lucky to know Cliff so well. Needless to say I spent a lot of time at my grandparents.

One story I will never forget is I got a Tandy magazine one time an it had Cliff obituary in it. I went down to him an showed him, he was a little upset he was dead an no one told him, LOL.

When he moved up here it was to get out of Hollywood, the drinking etc...he worked with the Washington State Penitentiary alcohol unit, not many knew where he was and not many of us know or appreciated who he was at the time.

His silver work was totally awesome, I wish I had gotten interested int that before he really passed.

Thank you for the welcome.

Kathy

[K-Man]

Laser engraving of leather is an excellent tool with which to work. The detail and effect provided open up many opportunities to decorate a piece of leather. It's a bit on the expensive side for some folks, generally starting in the $10k range for a decent machine. I've used them on occasion and have enjoyed the results.

You've shown some impressive work, and we hope to see much more.

[BillB]

Kathy,

Welcome to the Forum. What a wonderful history. I look forward to seeing some of your work.

As you probably already know we have quite a collection of Craft-folks and Artists here. I am continually amazed by the width and breath of artistic endeavors based on leather.

My only caution is to watch out for the donuts, the dog likes to lick of the icing. The cookies, however, are great.

BillB.

[DCKNIVES]

Welcome Kathy, enjoy our llittle corner of the net.Dave

[hidepounder]

Hi Kowboyboots!

Wow! 10,000 ft barn with a 1000 ft shop? I'd be on cloud nine...sounds like you're doing what you love. I'd really like to see some your leather covered products. Do you have photos posted somewhere?

hidepounder

[Kowboyboots]

www.kowboyboots.com

click any where on the page an it will go to the web shots.

Folks laugh when they come to see me. All my furniture is covered with blankets, matching of course, because I never use it , I sleep or work/play.

I been looking for a saddle maker/horse trainer to rent part of this place to. I have great set up an lots of room to share. Single in his 50 would be a plus, LOL, but not mandatory!

[MADMAX22]

That sounds really cool. Allways like barns lol.

I just got up to the NW WA area about a year ago. Nice place just rains way to much for me. Got two years left then Ill be trying to swindle the girlfriend out of here and find someplace a little dryer.

Sounds like a reallly cool shop you have there.

[Kowboyboots]

I actually have a 3000 sq ft store with apartment I would like to get a saddle maker in, plus indoor & outdoor arena's, indoor & outdoor stalls, pastures, lots of room. Been letting the college rodeo team live here the last 7 yrs, but just needed a break from them this yr, lol