Hi Lindels!- I've been working with leather on and off for a few years. It's hard to say what got me going in the first place, but I think it was when I saw a really neat bag at a renaissance faire and wanted to reproduce it. I eventually found out that the tools required for the hobby are really expensive and it wasn't nearly as easy as I'd hoped it to be. I've been doing simple belts, harnesses and holsters lately since I've had a good bit of spare cash to invest in the tools. I'm a long way from anything really intricate, but you have to start somewhere. Tandy leather factory has a few stores out in California that I visit for tools. Usually the steps involve choosing the right thickness of leather to work with and the proper rivets or snaps to match that thickness. You cut out whatever design or pattern you need (a mistake can be very costly), dye it, then punch holes where you want to join different pieces. My best work has been a belt with a shoulder strap that I made for a costume. Relatively simple, but it came out exactly how I wanted it to. There's something uniquely rewarding about making something like that for yourself. I've been watching videos on how to tool leather, but being about to pull off some of the complicated artwork some people do might be beyond my ability. I am better at designing for function instead of aesthetic. Hope that answers your question. Let me know if you have any more.
Hi Etol!- The last book I read was the 6th or 7th book in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. That was over half a decade ago. I don't read nearly enough to be considered anything but an uncultured simpleton. I'm also terrible with names and couldn't name a 90s alt rock/grunge band but I do know that I like most kinds of music and would happily listen to something someone else likes and tell them if I agree in the likely event that I do.
I do not cook my steak. I coat it in oil, armor it in salt and pepper, and leave it on the counter to contemplate its grim fate. When it is ready, I throw it onto a pan heated by the fires of perdition itself. It only takes a few minutes for the screaming to turn to a low whine. It receives a short respite before being consumed. =D
Thanks Vanity. I'll give it a read and do the thing. I'm excited to meet you as well!