Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

Helpful tip: When putting together an inlaid design, lay the leather over the paper pattern. This will ensure the leather doesn’t distort, and also provide guidelines for laying in multiple layers.

All of the main pieces are in place–now for the details.

The largest feathers have double inlay.

It’s taking me about an hour to stitch one complete Phoenix. I have one done and three more to go.

My boots that won at the Art of the Cowboy Makers event in Las Vegas returned home today, along with my huge trophy buckle prize. I am always extra happy to win a trophy buckle. I can wear it and look like a real cowboy without having to ride broncs or bulls.

I’m making a pair of boots right now that have a cranberry red kangaroo inlay on the boot tops, and the client wants a matching cranberry red wingtip. I cut the wingtip out of kangaroo, but it’s an especially light-weight piece and I was worried about the long term wear over the toe. Sometime in the night I remembered that I had a piece of calf in a similar color. I came in this morning and compared them, and it’s a perfect match. Now I can use kangaroo for the inlay and a nice heavy calf for the wingtip. This is why I buy lots of leather, or it’s my excuse anyway; I might need it someday!

This pair of boots, made for my husband Dale, took first place in the Show Boot category at the Art of the Cowboy Makers event in Las Vegas.

I won first place in the show boot category!

A day in the glamorous life of a cowboy boot maker: I got up at 5:30am to fly to Ohio and measure a client. I’ll arrive shortly after noon, meet with the client, and fly home, arriving back in Oklahoma City at 11pm. My girls are home from college and I have work at the shop I need to be doing. I’ll be very happy to get back home.