Any Crafters Out There?

[rlablan]

I can't remember but there were DEF some animals in this guys house that would not have made it through customs simply because he would have been in a lot of trouble for shooting them. He had several chimps and different monkeys. As well as a couple of very rare birds and even some mammals. The owner of the company had told me about them and I looked them up... These animals were all supposed to be protected and living in sanctuary type areas or in no hunt zones... But like I said... This guy had more money than I think I could ever spend... His home was definitely the definition of splendor and decadence. Its easier to get around the rules with a little $$, unfortunately.
I have a feeling the taxidermist he was working with was a VERY rich man... but I dk... glad to know that you guys only work with permitted/tagged product. Thats good.
That bathroom creeped me out so bad... it smelled weird. Had to have been 20+ cubs in that bathroom... even a little rug. Sad.
* I don't mean all the animals he had... just that more than a few were endangered/protected. But I know most of them were okay.

 

[rlablan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by DragonZim http:///t/392611/any-crafters-out-there#post_3487540
I'll have to get some pics. I've done a few belts, knife and sword sheaths, wallets and other small stuff like that. Kids around here still have art and music in school starting in first grade all the way through senior year if they choose to continue. Comes with having ridiculously high taxes!
That's so good to know!!
I grew up in Texas and we had it there, came to Arizona and no one knows what it is or that schools offer it elsewhere.
But I think they're ranked in like the bottom 20 of the US, maybe worse. No surprise. I went to school here and I was/am shocked. If I ever have children, I'll be moving. It's that bad.
I would be really interested in seeing your work! I've never known anyone who does leather work. Do you do stamping into it... or like... branding? (i dk what you'd call it.) or do you dye the leather... whats all involved with that.

 

[travelerjp98]

Alright, so I like shooting (our antique guns that are safe to shoot, and modern ones too, but not much with the modern ones), hunting (small game, and deer), fishing (whatever wants to eat my hook), cooking (the weird stuff, such as granola bars, various fruit juices, pasta from scratch [actually making the pasta itself, outta flour, eggs, etc]), making various home made things to avoid whatever unregulated chemicals the big companies like poisoning us with (toothpaste, household cleaners, etc) ... but the artsy side comes out with the family business.... ANTIQUES, and their restoration. Antiques are probably the biggest things next to swf, by far.
Restoring paintings, sculpture, swords/knives, and other things like that is really an art in itself. It's hard enough matching the artist's colors on a modern painting, but paint changes with time, and after 200 years the colors are very different than what they originally were, plus the paints used were quite different too. Add to that the fact that the painting is worth over a grand, and you have a challenge! When a sword has been laying around for 200 years the sheath just rots away, same with the leather handle... quite hard to restore.
I have no good work that I have done entirely myself, besides a couple of frames, but I will show some pieces that my dad and I have worked on together.
I'm posting this from my laptop, and the pictures are on the desktop - so I will and them in a bit.
IDK if it would relate to the thread, but my real talent is in art identification. I really "feel" it, per se. If I should post pics of some treasures we've found like a diamond in the rough, let me know, we have quite a few of those

 

[darthtang aw]

That's so good to know!! 
I grew up in Texas and we had it there, came to Arizona and no one knows what it is or that schools offer it elsewhere. 
But I think they're ranked in like the bottom 20 of the US, maybe worse. No surprise. I went to school here and I was/am shocked. If I ever have children, I'll be moving. It's that bad. 
I would be really interested in seeing your work! I've never known anyone who does leather work. Do you do stamping into it... or like... branding? (i dk what you'd call it.) or do you dye the leather... whats all involved with that. 
New Mexico has art and we are in the bottom 4. Your art point is ridiculous concerning education. Art is a major industry in new Mexico.... Look at our average income and tell me again how art affects education.

 

[rlablan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darthtang AW http:///t/392611/any-crafters-out-there/20#post_3487580
New Mexico has art and we are in the bottom 4. Your art point is ridiculous concerning education. Art is a major industry in new Mexico.... Look at our average income and tell me again how art affects education.
Its good for the mind and for creative thought process. It also offers children a chance to take a break from the hard stuff like math or science... things they may not be too good with. I think that if you relax the mind, you'll be able to retain important information better, due to less stress and hounding of the side of the brain that hands all the analytical stuff.
I didn't mean that Art missing was the only thing wrong with education... I just mean that there are many things missing.
My boyfriends father owns a company that centers are metal and machinists. 30 years ago, he said he had no problems hiring people with creative vision and people who knew what they were doing and were able to do the work of operating a press brake, etc. All of those people had things like metal shop and wood shop and auto shop... Not anymore. Out of everyone I know, Males that are older than me, they don't know how to use power tools, they are afraid of everything because they've never done it before. I feel like school should teach you math, reading, writing... but I also think it's needs to teach you skills, like the old days. Home EC, wood shop, ART, music.... all that stuff... I truly think that education would be better off and people wouldn't be so unable to do EVERYTHING and they would take care of themselves and others around them better. There is a reason that men WERE men and now "Men" my age are all going to be "boys" forever... It's JMO... but there is a lot wrong with education than just this stuff... needs a huge over overhaul in staff, curriculum, method... even the food they serve.
Hehehehe I've been to NM many times... It's not my cup of tea. Maybe what you guys call art is why the income is so low? It's all pretty... specialized taste? I don't know any other way to say that without it sounding rude. But I feel like you saying my opinion is ridiculous is pretty rude too so...
My original point was that AZ school systems are terrible. My other point is: They don't have art. period. Two separate sentences... not just one thought. There are multiple reasons why the system is broken. Art is the one that pertains to this thread. Since it's about being creative and art.

 

[rlablan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///t/392611/any-crafters-out-there/20#post_3487578
Alright, so I like shooting (our antique guns that are safe to shoot, and modern ones too, but not much with the modern ones), hunting (small game, and deer), fishing (whatever wants to eat my hook), cooking (the weird stuff, such as granola bars, various fruit juices, pasta from scratch [actually making the pasta itself, outta flour, eggs, etc]), making various home made things to avoid whatever unregulated chemicals the big companies like poisoning us with (toothpaste, household cleaners, etc) ... but the artsy side comes out with the family business.... ANTIQUES, and their restoration. Antiques are probably the biggest things next to swf, by far.
Restoring paintings, sculpture, swords/knives, and other things like that is really an art in itself. It's hard enough matching the artist's colors on a modern painting, but paint changes with time, and after 200 years the colors are very different than what they originally were, plus the paints used were quite different too. Add to that the fact that the painting is worth over a grand, and you have a challenge! When a sword has been laying around for 200 years the sheath just rots away, same with the leather handle... quite hard to restore.
I have no good work that I have done entirely myself, besides a couple of frames, but I will show some pieces that my dad and I have worked on together.
I'm posting this from my laptop, and the pictures are on the desktop - so I will and them in a bit.
IDK if it would relate to the thread, but my real talent is in art identification. I really "feel" it, per se. If I should post pics of some treasures we've found like a diamond in the rough, let me know, we have quite a few of those
Of course we wanna see it. I wanna see it lol.
You are kinda like a jack of all trades, huh? You have a lot of skills there. be proud.
If you need a sheath for your swords, Dragon does them. He said he does leather work. yay!!

 

[travelerjp98]

Of course we wanna see it. I wanna see it lol. 
You are kinda like a jack of all trades, huh? You have a lot of skills there. be proud.
If you need a sheath for your swords, Dragon does them. He said he does leather work. yay!! 
Thank you, I enjoy all of them (hobbies). When I get the chance tomorrow I will find/organize the pictures and add them.
OH, how did I forget.. I also lovvee gardening. Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, pears, peaches, cherries (fighting with the squirrels for them LOL), raspberries (have about 30 raspberry plants), chives (I have crazy monster chive plants that grow grow grow like crazy), purple grapes, watermelon (trying), canteloupe (trying) and redcurrant and blackcurrent. I think that's it for this year. I also have a lot of cactuses, tropical plants, and a small aloe vera Bush inside,but I am not sure if they would be considered gardening. In previous years we have also done bell peppers, sunflowers, decorative and edible corn varieties, pumpkins, herbs including dill, and I THINK that's a wrap.
I would really enjoy to view some of DragonZim's work. I think that working with leather is a very not well known hobby, and at the same time quite interesting.
Should I also mention that I spend a lot of time out by the lake windsurfing, sailboating, and canoeing? )

 

[rlablan]

lol well those are hobbies now. While those are nice, I was curious to see what types of things people create and if anyone is creation crazy like me.
Please do add the pictures, It'd be nice to have some to go with mine.
DRAGON!!! WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR LEATHER WORK!!!

 

[dragonzim]

I was only able to find one of my pieces in the little time I had this weekend. This is a sheath and baldric (shoulder strap) that I did for one of my swords. Everything is hand cut, hand stitched and the stylized dragon design on it was done using a variety of knives and stamping tools.

 

[flower]

I really love the leather work, I always wanted to try that...
I went around my house and snapped a few photos, I had no energy to go out to the garage and pull out the stuff I have stored. I used to paint in oils and I sold 99% of those pieces, and only the first paintings are in the garage (not worthy to show) I have some huge wood burnings on tables..again in the garage. A photographer I am not.
Here is what I have in my house.
These are over my window in the living room



This is a piece I tried to make look ancient... on parchment paper, it's my favorite piece.
Isaiah 56 (on the right side)....My favorite passage in the Torah (Old Testement...yes it applies to all Christians, so look it up)
Every Hebrew letter has a meaning besides the letter of the alphabet (on the left side)

This was the first woodburning I ever did, on a little stool. The Hebrew months and how it falls
in line with the Christian calendar

This is a book pedestal..I made and used for Torah study.
This is the Hebrew prayer read before study.

In my bedroom...cast forms of 2 of my 12 grandchildren...3 D

Oh and I did Wedding cakes...this is one i did for my sons wedding

 

[rlablan]

You are quite good with the wood burning ma'am.
I made some bird houses as a kid and I burned pretty floral and garden designs into them. It's a lot of work but it can be really nice, like your pieces.
I really like the one of the calendars. It's lovely.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[rlablan]

flower, I some how missed the cake. Very nice. I went to school for professional baking and decorating. I love to do that type if stuff... though I hate fondant. I don't even like the taste. lol but I'll work with it when I have to. I'm rusty these days but I still crank out two or so cakes a year for birthday or work events. Always sculpted and always themed... sometimes I just slap em together. But, if it tastes like cake, right? hehe

 

[rlablan]

Dragon- I love the leather work! Thats so interesting to me, partially because I've never done a thing with leather. It's very old fashioned. I love that idea! Nice hobby...
So flower, how did you get into what you do.
Same to you Zim... why the leather work?

 

[dragonzim]

Quote:
Originally Posted by rlablan http:///t/392611/any-crafters-out-there/20#post_3487819
Dragon- I love the leather work! Thats so interesting to me, partially because I've never done a thing with leather. It's very old fashioned. I love that idea! Nice hobby...
So flower, how did you get into what you do.
Same to you Zim... why the leather work?
My father was into leatherwork when he was younger and had a full set of the specialized tools you need. He taught me some stuff when I was a kid, making basic key chains and wallets from kits. Tough to see it in this pic, but that's me on the right in leather armor that I made for SCA fighting (medieval style combat using rattan swords) And yes, it hurts like hell if you get hit!

The armor was basically a leather version of a Roman Lorica, made with overlapping strips of wax hardened leather all riveted together by hand. Below is a pic what I based it off of. Unfortunately I dont have any better pics of the one I made and I got rid of it while back because I stopped fighting.

 

[travelerjp98]

I love your work both flower and DragonZim. Very nice. Excellent wood burning flower!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by rlablan http:///t/392611/any-crafters-out-there/20#post_3487819
So flower, how did you get into what you do.
Actually it is what I DID. I can't do anything anymore.
I loved horses, I mean I LOVED horses. I lived in Chicago, and couldn't have one, so I learned to draw them. I perfected and honed my talent because I wanted a horse so bad. I drew my first horse when I was 5 years old. I drew them over and over again, day in and day out. LOL...I still remember when I realized horses have that round jaw, I was around 9 years old...sitting in my room staring at a picture of a horse I had gotten from an art book studing every detail.
I finally got my own horse when I was 16.
I began oil painting on canvas when I was in my 20s, (working with color instead of pencil or charcoal) my first painting on a canvas board, of a Unicorn laughing at the moon sold for $75.00... I was so thrilled somebody would pay me for my art.
In my later years...folks would have children and as a baby gift to them, I made a plaque with the new baby stats, length, weight, name, date and time of birth. I did little a block or baby shoes (parents choice) in one corner and used a diluted paint wash of pink or blue around the edges. Since I gave them all away as gifts I don't have any pictures to show you, but that was why I decided to try woodburning because it was more permanent as a keep sake.
I liked to draw, and it was natural to transfer that to woodburning. I could do any animal and people looked real enough to breath, but they never looked like the person I was drawing or painting...somehow I just couldn't catch the unique essence of the persons face.

 

[rlablan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by DragonZim http:///t/392611/any-crafters-out-there/20#post_3487822
My father was into leatherwork when he was younger and had a full set of the specialized tools you need. He taught me some stuff when I was a kid, making basic key chains and wallets from kits. Tough to see it in this pic, but that's me on the right in leather armor that I made for SCA fighting (medieval style combat using rattan swords) And yes, it hurts like hell if you get hit!

The armor was basically a leather version of a Roman Lorica, made with overlapping strips of wax hardened leather all riveted together by hand. Below is a pic what I based it off of. Unfortunately I dont have any better pics of the one I made and I got rid of it while back because I stopped fighting.

That picture of you fighting needs to be your new avatar... hahahaha awesome.
So you can make armour from leather?? WEIRD! I always thought it was just metal... seems like it would bit nicely...
Do we think this is where leather pants came from?

I am learning so much from this thread. So many crafts I have yet to venture into.

 

[rlablan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/392611/any-crafters-out-there/20#post_3487832
Actually it is what I DID. I can't do anything anymore.
I loved horses, I mean I LOVED horses. I lived in Chicago, and couldn't have one, so I learned to draw them. I perfected and honed my talent because I wanted a horse so bad. I drew my first horse when I was 5 years old. I drew them over and over again, day in and day out. LOL...I still remember when I realized horses have that round jaw, I was around 9 years old...sitting in my room staring at a picture of a horse I had gotten from an art book studing every detail.
I finally got my own horse when I was 16.
I began oil painting on canvas when I was in my 20s, (working with color instead of pencil or charcoal) my first painting on a canvas board, of a Unicorn laughing at the moon sold for $75.00... I was so thrilled somebody would pay me for my art.
In my later years...folks would have children and as a baby gift to them, I made a plaque with the new baby stats, length, weight, name, date and time of birth. I did little a block or baby shoes (parents choice) in one corner and used a diluted paint wash of pink or blue around the edges. Since I gave them all away as gifts I don't have any pictures to show you, but that was why I decided to try woodburning because it was more permanent as a keep sake.
I liked to draw, and it was natural to transfer that to woodburning. I could do any animal and people looked real enough to breath, but they never looked like the person I was drawing or painting...somehow I just couldn't catch the unique essence of the persons face.
That so cool! I feel like I'm learning so much about everyone... now I know things about you all besides your aquarium styles.
I know how you feel about the horses... I was that way with Orcas. I was obsessed. I drew them on everything, day in and out... all of my papers had doodles like that. In high school it became trees. I would spend hours drawing trees that warped and twisted around to look like other things... these trees always looks like something out of the mesozoic era. I love big, old knobby trees.
Sadly, unlike you, I did not receive an orca when I was 16. hahahahaha
Isn't it a nice feeling when you create something and people will pay for it? For me, it's not about making money. It's just the validation of knowing that someone out there values your creativity enough to pay for it. The money, in my case, helps too. That way you can use that money to buy more things to create with. There is nothing I love better than creating something amazing out of nothing. I like combining found bit and recycled old stuff that would have been thrown or considered useless and making something totally different out of it. That, for me, is that best thing ever.

 

[travelerjp98]

I feel good when we find a painting in terrible condition, in the middle of random furniture at an auction, clean it/fix it up, and it sells for 10x more than we bought it for.
Pics coming soon I promise!!!

 

[dragonzim]

That picture of you fighting needs to be your new avatar... hahahaha awesome. 
So you can make armour from leather?? WEIRD! I always thought it was just metal... seems like it would bit nicely... 
Do we think this is where leather pants came from?:rotfl:
I am learning so much from this thread. So many crafts I have yet to venture into. 
People were making armor out leather for thousands of years before metal and even when they started making it from metal it was ridiculously expensive and generally only nobility could afford it. You can harden leather by soaking it in either boiling water or melted beeswax, making it pretty damn strong. If its layered it offered very good protection from cutting weapons.