IRONWOOD LEATHER

Cave Creek, Arizona

EVENTS AND UPDATES

Trade Shows, Classes, Festivals, Competitions, Projects ... and Miscellaneous Stuff

July, 2010:  115 degrees here in Cave Creek -- and still the best place to be.

May, 2010:  Look for my hand-tooled prop for the film, Queens of Country, to be released in 2011!

February, 2010:  I'm privileged to have completed the holster-makers' workshop at the Southwest Leatherworkers Conference, as I had the opportunity to learn from master holstermakers John Bianchi and Matt Whitaker of Frontier Gunleather.  Here's the product of my efforts at the school:

John and Matt are consummate professionals, and a pleasure to study under.  The holster above is a Mexican double-loop built for my Ruger Vacquero. 

November, 2009:  I'm just back from spending a week in Colorado studying western tooling styles and techniques from the master saddlemaker, Jesse Smith.  Jesse and his wife, Sharri, are two of the most wonderful folks you'd hope to meet.  I remain grateful for the privilege of learning from Jesse, and for the pleasure of riding with Sharri (also a talented leathercrafter with several saddles under her own belt).  Thank you both for your hospitality and for sharing generously of your knowledge!

Jesse's shop is a veritable museum of fascinating pieces of leatherwork and ranch life.

May 2009:  What were we thinking?  Russ and I just finished the 150 mile Billy the Kid's Last Trail Ride, travelling from Fort Sumner to Lincoln, NM -- on horseback, of course.  Here's how the gear looks in action:

The saddlebags, chaps, and other gear held up well through a week of rugged terrain, constant trotting, lots of dust and a pretty good dust devil, and a bit of rain and hail.  I try to field test what I make and to modify designs and materials accordingly.  I was pleased to have along my tooled camp stool on those tent nights, and was thankful for the bottle tote, hair-on camp pillow, and other items I made for the trip.

March 2009:  I completed the three-day workshop on making batwing chaps at the Southwest Leatherworkers Trade Show in Wickenburg, Arizona, taught by Gary and Carol Hollis of the All-American Cowboy Shop.  Shown is the fruit of my labors, a bison-hide pair of batwings with hand-tooled (wild rose) yoke.  I'll put these to good use on the Billy the Kid ride in May!

COMING UP:

Visit www.marcyjmiller.com for more goings-on and shenanigans!

Email me at:  Info@IronwoodLeather.com