Thalaskaru

My First Craftshow finished Saturday, So fun!  I got an hour and a half of sleep because of Over-excitement,  Set up at 7:00 A.m., and got next to a booth with a 70 year old guy that did absolutely beautiful work Cutting detailed figures into wood with a Scrollsaw.  The ad i got in the Town paper was mentioned by most every person that went by, sending my business through the roof, One Woman even ordered seven wallets to finish her Christmas shopping in one place.  more than Fifteen Belts are in the works of being ordered and Finished, More than 35 orders placed in total, i was shocked how well it went.  I brought along my Bowie Knife and it's Sheath, along with my game cleaning knife, for display, five people tried to buy the Bowie, and it has my last name on it xD!

The Woodworking Guy was looking at a Floral Tri-fold Wallet on my table, priced at $40.00, i saw one of his Wood cutouts Framed that i liked, and i made an Art trade of the wallet and $10 for a cutout he did of Soldiers Raising the American Flag on Iwo Jima in WW2. The Cutout is hanging in my shop right now, i'll post a picture of it later, to see all of the detail he does is Amazing.

  Overall the Faith Hope mission Craftshow raised More than $2500 to help Those in need in Uganda, and they're wanting me to go there in a few years and teach Leatherworking to the children there, from Hide to finish, it's a really cool thought.  

  I'll be Bogged down in work for months now, So awesome, and even after that i have the Dog Collar Order to settle, I love this. XD

The Craftshow is in two weeks, i have 3/4 the Stock i need to make a presentation there, Intending to put out an order sheet for custom work, that should sell more.  when i was first starting dog Collars i needed practice, so i made one for my neighbor's prissy little lapdog(i forgot the breed.), she Took her Pup to a Dog Grooming Business, the guy Saw the collar, She started talking about who made it (me).  After the Craftshow i'm going up there to Work out a deal he wants to sell my collars at his Business. Along with that Steelfoot probably needs Spa-treatment, But i Don't know that they work with dogs the size of Six Normal Dogs xD.

  I've also started back into Working on Knife Sheaths after learning about Welts, I have, just looking, Thirty Fixed Blades with pathetic Nylon sheaths that tear if you sit down too fast.  Hoping to work a few sheaths for them but my 6-7 Oz. tooling hide is thinning out.   My Floral pattern for a belt is finally at a Sellable grade, Got to carve it into a belt, and decided i'm lowering the price on average basketweaved Belts,and Upping it for Floral work.  My hand Cramped four times just carving it out, then it took two hours for the Beveling, But so worth it once it's finally sealed and finished, I love when everything goes exactly as planned xD.

I've finally began to start floral patterns and such since i only had two different styles of designs.  the floral patterns i'm using came out of books,but i'm working to draw out my own.  I Also have a pending order for 'Miniature Donkey Haulters'.. i havent made haulters yet,nor have i seen a miniature donkey,eitherway it's awesome. Making a gun rig has to wait until i have adequate supply for the craftshow,i've already made three wallets,one checkbook,two phone cases and a Belt,but hoping for alot more.  

  A Friend came by a week ago to see the Shop,loved my work,and She is in the newspaper writing for my town.  Friday,a Woman came and interviewed me about my work,amazed that i've been doing this for only a year and a half,and i've gotten this far.  She took pictures of the Shop and my work and i'm getting an Article in the Newspaper.  I'm getting epic publicity,and didn't have to Adopt a Foreign baby like celebs do,Hooray!

There is a craftshow a Few cities away from me in October,and they sent an invitation for Me to come,which is a shock since i've only been leatherworking for a year and a Half,and i only Skim by on basic patterns. I get to start Bulk stocking my work,something i've never done before since my work is mostly Custom-made and ordered. I've also started on making shell/Bullet belts,i just need to get a half-inch oblong punch for the smaller bullets,all i have is a 40 year old Punch my old mentor gave me and i sharpened.  and somehow,after such short-time,i'm working on a gun holster too,right in time since i've been out in the field and had several Diamondback rattlesnakes and Watersnakes showing up.

  In other matters,i bought a Fiddle from a neighbor that's been playing that and almost every other instrument since 1950,and i'm taking lessons for it.  it's also hand-made,which i love since i know the uniqueness custom,hand-crafted work brings.  he bought it in germany in the 1940's and brought it back when he returned from WWII,adding to my love for it since i'm a History Fanatic.

  I'm also getting my license soon,and found a truck from my dreams,a '73 Ford,it just needs interior work and new paint,i can make the payments from selling my leatherwork and don't have to get a different job thankfully.  Life is Gewd.

For the past four weeks,ive slept in all day,Except tuesday,which happens to be when Warcraft undergoes maintenance until lunchtime,i always try to sleep past that day,but never do,and i did the same thing today.

i got bored fast,so i decided to go out into the shop and take pictures of my finished leatherwork,i wasnt going to do anything since i'd already pulled some muscle or hurt something in my back and i had to strain to hunch over,i look out my window,and saw Steelie had himself halfway through the fence trying to get to the neighbors Dog..Conveniently for me,it had rained HARD that night,and the ground was just complete mud..

  i dropped what i was doing and went to get him back and patch up the fence..i was juggling his leash,a hammer,a fistful of nails,and a piece of wood...he decides that he wants to go play,jerks me backward,makes me drop to my knees in the mud,drop what i was holding..i tied the leash to the charcoal grill to hold him there while i patched up the fence and screamed the foulest language i could think of...Steelfoot,a year old puppy,pulled the Charcoal grill  20 feet over to his pen wanting to see what i was doing...needless to say i was pissed off bad enough before.

  already having my back being painful enough i had to move the charcoal grill back and stand it up,then put him back in his pen,Now..all i can think of is"this could all be avoided if Blizzard could get their Sh*t done two hours faster"....*Sigh*...