Denim and Leather

Grandpa Moore was a leather crafter.  I remember running my fingers over the mountains and valleys of a piece that he had tooled.  He made gun holsters and rifle bags, purses and so much more.  He tooled the old fashioned way.....taking hours to make a single piece.  I loved watching him work and asked him a hundred questions each time I went to visit.  Years later, when he died, I purchased all of his leather supplies from his widow.  One of the best investments ever......always buy tools!!!

My sis and I have been playing with leather this week.  Imagine combining sewing (yesterday's project), scrapbooking and everything you need to do leather crafting?  Oh!  What a MESS!!!

I decided I wanted to create a denim and leather journal.  So I started by cutting, then stitching a frame in the denim.

 Next I hemmed a piece of denim to cover the back of the journal - it's a 5x7 "visual" journal from Hobby Lobby.  This one has watercolor paper inside but you can also get the mixed media version.

Then I decided to experiment embossing leather using embossing folders.  I just didn't feel like taking the time to tool leather today.  I've been having some trouble with my right hand and it decided to flare up again today.  Sigh.

Then I did a little experimenting with waterstain (a fairly new product at Tandy Leather) and sand paper.  I sort of like the effects.  It goes on more distressed that the old dyes.

Embossed another piece and this time I experimented with distress inks.  Watered them down and painted them on.  Sort of like this as well.  I think the fun for me is really in experimenting and playing with products.

Next I tried out copic markers.  OK, I really like how this turned out.  But it just didn't look so great next to the denim...and it wasn't the look I was going for.

I cut, stained and sanded a piece for the spine and this is the base of the journal that I came up with.  But of course....one has to embellish...can't leave it this plain....although I do love this look!

This is the journal finished and I simply LOVE how it came out.  It says so much about the things I love.  Denim.   Leather.  Living in Colorado with our pine trees in the mountains around us.  

There's an Indian Head nickel concho on the top corner holding the ribbons and leather together.

Sliced antlers from my dear friend, Shelly, who lives over in Nebraska and I don't get to see her nearly enough these days......

And silk beads with swarovski beads on silk ribbons.  

A couple of days ago, I added a new shelf in my bedroom - just to keep all the journals I've been making.  

Tandy Leather in Colorado Springs is offering a beginning leather class on 1/13 at 10 am.  2 hours.  $20.  You don't have to take a thing.  Call the store if you want to take it.  I'll be there with 3 others.  No, I'm not a beginner....but I thought it might be fun to take this class and see what's changed since I took my first class back in 1983.