Wiping in the toe

Posted on January 9, 2020 by customboots

“Wiping in the toe” of a boot in construction is pulling the leather around and under the toe in a way that smoothly incorporates all of the excess leather.

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Another pair

Posted on January 3, 2020 by customboots

I’m working on a new pair of boots and I got them on the last this afternoon.

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Louvin Brothers portrait

Posted on December 12, 2019 by customboots

IT’S TIME FOR THE BIG REVEAL! 

Ira and Charlie Louvin portrait in leather, 8×10″

Ira and Charlie portrait

I had never done a portrait before but I realized that perhaps I’d succeeded when I began feeling as if my work was STARING AT ME. 

Ira and Charlie faces

1.) As an artist of commissioned work I usually only get to do what the client wants.
2.) Letters are hard.
3.) I got to do whatever I wanted on this piece and the first thing I did was spontaneously add lettering in a super-complicated font that required me to create two letters and an &.

Ira and Charlie font

And in other news, I will definitely be creating a raffle very soon for a pair of Louvin Brothers/Satan is Real boots, because I know now that I can do an Ira and Charlie portrait.

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Louvin Brothers

Posted on December 11, 2019 by customboots

I hate practicing and usually jump right into whatever I’m doing, but in this case I thought a practice piece might be prudent. These are process pictures for the Louvin Brothers portrait and they’re looking pretty good so far, but the real test will be stitching them. The stitching will either take it over the top or ruin it.

Here I’m starting to layer in the leather pieces

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Still layering in pieces

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I squealed when I turned it over and saw this!

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OK, now it’s really looking good, and I’m nervous about stitching it.

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2020 Calendar

Posted on December 10, 2019 by customboots

2020 Cowboy Boot Calendar is completed and ready to ship. Order yours today! 

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Inlay/Overlay class

Posted on December 4, 2019 by customboots

The Eureka Springs School of the Arts is offering a 10% discount on classes right now, and this is the only class I’m currently teaching anywhere. Reserve your space today!

Link to class info

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Heritage and influence

Posted on November 22, 2019 by customboots

This is a new design but it’s easy to see Jay Griffith’s influence. (legendary boot maker and one of my mentors)

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The next pair

Posted on November 15, 2019 by customboots

I’ve started a new pair of boots. Stay tuned for progress; they’ll look better once I add some color!

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Eyeballs

Posted on November 1, 2019 by customboots

Shoutout to that time I inlaid an eyeball on a boot top and was scolded by a follower for invoking and glorifying the Illuminati.

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My day

Posted on October 31, 2019 by customboots
How is my day going, you ask?
Very Good: A musician friend called and sang me a new song he’s written but no one else has heard yet!
Stressful: The mail guy said he’d come back and pick up the packages I hadn’t packed yet, so I frantically rushed around and packed them in a big hurry. Even though I wasn’t quite ready when he returned he generously waited for me to print the labels and stick them on.
Bad: In my rush, I put the wrong product in one of the boxes.
Good: I went to the post office and they found the mis-packed box cheerfully and immediately, and I was able to correct the mistake.
Annoying: In the three block drive to the post office, both going and coming back, I ended up behind someone going 5mph and randomly stopping for no reason. Of course, that sort of thing is much more bothersome on the way to the post office, when I’m worried I won’t get there in time or they won’t be able to find the box.
Humbling: I took the scissors to a pair of boots I made that don’t fit and cut the foot off completely in preparation for starting over, but I’ll still use the boot tops. My old mentor Jay Griffith always told me that he was going to box up my mistakes and give them to me for Christmas, so I already have my Christmas present for this year!
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