Website Launch

I started a Website.

JDolsCreations.com

It is in it's infancy as of today, but I am going to build it up.  Only page on it so far is my Painted Leather Page.  (aside from the basics).  Next up I'm working on an Embroidery Page.  My idea is to start selling some of my artwork.  Come check it out if you get the chance! :)  All Comments are welcomed and feedback and suggestions, please! Thank you!

Cheers!


JDol

I've been busy!

I've been busy, but I've been blogging on my Motorcycle Blog...  I've been embroidering Sweatshirts, Baseball Caps (new), Patches, Jacket, Vest... Pretty much doing a lot of embroidery.  Fitting in DH stuff in there also! :)  Well, my new motorcycle has been taking up a lot of my time, I'm enjoying it so much!  So blessed.

Cheers!

JDol

Blue J Custom Seat

Well I made my first mod to my Bike.  Her name is now "Blue J" and I made a custom seat.  I will merely link to the post I made on another blog, see what you think!

Custom Seat Post

I have since made a tank bib, but I haven't made a post yet, and plus it needs a mod to it.  I modified my fork bag to match/complement my seat.  Let me know what you think.

Cheers!

JDol

Small Chop

Well, Well,   I went and did it!  Had my 2001 Shadow Aero 1100 for about 7 years, and as mentioned she was a 2001, - it became time for a new bike.

Well the adventure started last year when I really wanted a Trike.  I like the Honda VTX1300 Trikes.  So... last year, wasn't the right timing, so I looked around for another used bike, couldn't settle on anything.... pondered and searched high and low, but nothing quite fit. So I made adjustments to my bike and it felt like a new (ish) bike so I settled in for another season... save the trike for next season.  Well that was this season.  Come to find out ---I was actually almost ready to purchase one from Delaware, and it hit me: We hadn't thought out the plan thoroughly of how this baby was going to fit a) into the garage and b) up and down the driveway past the vehicles!  The sad realization hit that this (again) would not be the best time for a trike!  YIKES!...

THEN my bike had to be put up because the stator needed replacing. I lost a bunch of the season (albeit the Hot steamy part) and set off to look again for a new bike.  searched Harley's, Kawi's, Yamaha, all looking for something unique, never found it.  All the while solidifying in my mind that I wanted to stay with HONDA. SO lo and behold was I interested when I came across this:

Honda Fury:

This is one beautiful Chopper.  I knew right then that this would be my bike.  It had everything I was looking for; not one thing was missing.

It's a 1312 v-Twin, runs 6 ft from axle to axle.

Shopped around found this GORGEOUS color, and rode her home.  I can't tell you how pleased I am with this bike - it is so awesome! not only is it a great looker, it rides so nice, love the open-sleek ness of it.  Great feel.  this is a whole different experience than my last bike, (look, feel, ride) I am so pleased.

As of this post I don't even have 300 miles on it, still breaking in the engine.

I am usually not able to (nor wanted to) ride when it's cold out which is below 50F, but I have ordered some heated gear, so I can "extend my riding season" well into fall and early winter. for those Awesome days when it's 40-50 in the morning but a gorgeous 65-70 in the afternoon bright sun crisp fall air.  I used to feel shorted, because I couldn't ride in in the mornings to work... this will be different with the gear.  (hubby is thrilled to see me order the gear - he rides all winter even down into the 20's - i won't go THAT low!)

Here are a few other pix...

Keep the rubber on the road and the shiny side up!

Cheers!

JDol

All Things Are Possible...

We have an assortment of birds, squirrels and now bunnies in our backyard which make the rounds of the neighborhood.  We have some feeders out, and since the bunnies have become more frequent visitors, of course we added carrots - have yet to see one eat one, but they disappear after a week or so of putting them out, so someone is enjoying them.  Hope its the animals. LoL...  So,  with my new gear I've been capturing a lot of shots of the "yard pals" as my file is named, and made a poster out of my favorite shot.

Cheers!

JDol

Zoo-ey #2

Well Hello again - as promised here is my second Zoo post.  This is the one from my adventure to the National Zoo in Washington, DC.  The National Zoo is part of the Smithsonian Institution, which means that it is the Nation's zoo and is free admission.  This zoo is fabulous as well, and is home to different animals than Catoctin Wildlife Preserve & Zoo from my last post.  I hope you find my favorite photos enjoyable.

This is an adult Orangutan

The oragutans are the two exclusively Asian species of extant great apes.  Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, orangutans are currently found in only the rain forests of Borneo and Sumatra.  Classified in the genus Pongo, orangutans were considered to be one species.  However, since 1996, they have been divided into two species: the Bornean orangutan (P. pygmeus) and the Sumatran orangutan. (P. abelii).  In addition, the Bornean species is divided into three subspecies.  The orangutans are also the only surviving species of the subfamily Ponginae, which also included several other species, such as Gigantopithecus, the largest known primate.  Both species had their genomes sequenced and they appear to have diverged around 400,000 years ago. Orangutans diverged from the rest of the great apes 15.7 to 19.3 million years ago (mya)

Young guy/gal - Too Cute, right?

This is the young Orangutan.

This is an Asian Elephant

The Asian or Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus) is the only living species of the genus Elephus and is distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east.  Asian elephants are the largest living land animals in Asia.  Since 1986 E. maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60-75 years.  The species is pre-eminently threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.  In 2003, the wild population was estimated at between 41,410 and 52,345 individuals.  Female captive elephants have lived beyond 60 years when kept in semi-natural situations, such as forest camps.

Quite a magnificent African Lion

The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera and a member of the family Felidae.  With some males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb), it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger.  Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia, while other types have disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia in historic times.  The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a major population decline in its African range of 30-50% per two decades during the second half of the 20th century.  Within Africa, the West African lion is particularly endangered.  Lions live for 10-14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than 20 years.  In the wild males seldom live longer than 10 years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity.  Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. 

Groups of females lions typically hunt together, preying on large ungulates.  Sleeping mainly during the day, lions are primarily nocturnal, although bordering on crepuscular in nature.  

But, of course, we have the Bengal Tiger

The Bengal tiger (Pantheras tigris tigris) is the most numerous tiger subspecies.  Its populations have been estimated at 1,706-1,909 in India, 440 in Bangladesh, 163-253 in Nepal, and 67-81 in Bhutan.  Since 2010, it has been classified as an endangered species by the IUCN.  The total population is estimated at fewer than 2,500 individuals with a decreasing trend, and none of the Tiger Conservation Landscapes within the Bengal tiger's range is large enough to support an effective population size of 250 adult individuals.

Well that brings a close to the group of my favorite pix from my National Zoo adventure a couple weeks ago.  I hope you enjoyed them and the fun facts about the animals.  I would really like to get back and see the pandas.  I think I will pop down one Saturday early with just that mission in mind.

This below is a poster I made with a saying that my DH says to me quite often...

Thanks for viewing my photos!

Cheers!

JDol

Zoo-ey #1

Well, I haven't been on my blog for 3 months.  OMG.  I basically used the blog for sewing and I took a hiatus from sewing over the summer.  Don't tell anyone but I've purchased some RTW in the meantime.  So....what have I been doing with my creative juices? Well, Photoshop of course.... I also purchased a new camera -- a digital SLR  Nikon D3200 - it was time... my little Canon point and shoot just wasn't cutting it anymore for my creative desires.  I was a pro for a number of years, owned my own studio, shot more weddings than you can imagine, and loved shooting portraits - i had a real knack for folks and young adults who really disliked their photos being taken - anyway it was fun... then i got burnt out, life happened, and now I'm in a different field.  So, here I am 13 years later with the itch to get back to my creative photography.  So, armed with my new equipment, i set out for Catoctin Wildlife Preserve & Zoo.... it was a hot and steamy summer morning, but let's go to it.  I made it around to some of the zoo, lots of the residents were still sleeping when I went first thing in the morning. But I made my acquaintance with a handful of pals.  Here are my favorite photos of my Catoctin Buddies from my mini adventure.

This is a Patas Monkey, Child

The patas monkey (erythrocebus patas) also known as the Wadi monkey or Hussar monkey, is a ground dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa and into East Africa.  It is the only species classified in the genus Erythrocebus

This is an Arctic Wolf pup 

The arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos), also called snow wolf or white wolf, is a subspecies of the gray wolf, a mammal of the family Canidae.  Arctic wolves inhabit the Canadian Arctic, Alaska, and northern parts of Greenland.  They also have white fur and long canine teeth for killing their prey.

Patas Monkey parent

A pair of Barred Owls

The Barred Owl (Strix varia) is a large typical owl native to North America.  Best known as the Hoot Owl for its distinctive call, it goes by many other names, including Eight Hooter, Rain Owl, Wood Owl, and Striped Owl.

Ostrich - this one looked young.

The ostrich (Struthio Camelus) shares the order Struthioniformes with the kiwis, emus, rheas, and cassowaries.  It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs, and can run at up to 70 km/h (43 mph), the fastest land speed of any bird.  The ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest eggs of any living bird. (Extinct elephant birds of Madagascar and the Giant Moa of New Zealand laid larger eggs).

Iberian Lynx

I believe this is an Iberian Lynx.  If not, here are some facts about the Iberian Lynx anyway...  (Lynx pardinus) is a critically endangered species of felid native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe.  A rabbit specialist, the Iberian lynx is unable to significantly alter its diet and, as a result, its population declined sharply when its main prey was decimated by two diseases in the 20th century.  It was also affected by the loss of scrubland, its major habitat, to human development.  It is now one of the most endangered cat species in the world.  According to the conservation group SOS Lynx, if the Iberian lynx died out, it would be the first feline species to become extinct since prehistoric times.  Captive breeding and reintroduction programs have boosted their numbers.  As of 2013, Andalucia has a population of 309 living in the wild.

I beleive this is a Clouded Sulphur  Butterfly

These were all dancing merrily about the butterfly bushes in front of the Zoo.

This is your basic American Alligator

(alligator mississippiens) is a species in which the males measure 3.4 m (11 ft) to 4.6 m (15 ft) in length, and can weigh 453 kg (1,000 lb.).  Females are smaller measuring around 3 m (9.8 ft).  The American Alligator inhabits freshwater wetlands, such as marshes and cypress swamps from Texas to North Carolina.  Alligators also play important roles in wetland ecosystems through the creation of "alligator holes" which provide wetter or drier habitats for other organisms.

I believe this is also a White Wolf. Adult.

Last but not least....

I couldn't find the species of these butterflies, however I thought this was an interesting capture of them mating.

That sums up my favorite photos from my photo adventure at Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo.  I will be visiting again, as there were more animals, just not all awake, and they also have Wildlife Safari Rides that I would like to go on.  I have some vacation days coming up and will make this trip on one of those days.

I hope you enjoyed these photos, I'll have another post soon of my National Zoo adventure.

Cheers!

JDol

Native American Poncho & Jacket

Well Here's Projects 2 & 3 on my DH 6PAC - Dearest Hubby's "6 Projects for my Awesome Companion"

Native American Jacket

DH found inspiration from Indian Village Mall one day, so he put on the list to embellish a denim jacket one day.  I had fallen in love with that site, too, and was inspired, so I searched for some nice fabrics, and ordered some from Southwest Decoratives.  He liked Sierra Trail Aztec Brown Stripe.  Their cottons are very good quality - at least the southwest collection was.  So No major pictures here, but I trimmed some fabric for the front and back yokes, 3 separate pieces. Took attention to details on centering, lining up, etc.  I double top-stitched all around each piece.  That gave it a quality finish as well as a strong finish.  I am aware that he washes his jackets, so I didn't want any mishaps down the line.

Do you know he paid me the grandest compliment today?  He said this jacket was The Best jacket he had out of his denims.  Now, this is coming from a man who a) knows how to dress, b) takes care on how he dresses, c) has many denim outfits, (and leather) let alone denim jackets, and he told me that this one was The Best of his denim jackets.  I am thrilled that he likes this one so much :-)  I am pleased how it turned out and pleased at how it looks on him.

We are both thinking if there is a touch of anything that will coordinate onto the front breast pockets, but he is being very particular, since he said he would rather have the jacket as is, then put something on the pockets, just for the sake of putting something on there.  If it doesn't coordinate within the fabric that is already on, then we are going to leave them as is.  So far I've been playing around and haven't liked anything.

Here is the front an back of the jacket.  No photos along the way, this was a pretty simple assembly, just took time to line it all up the way I wanted.

Native American Poncho

So, next, for my SWAP bridging garment I had made a Native American Poncho, and when he saw mine, he immediately wanted one.  See, we always keep a blanket in the trucks for in the case of an emergency to keep warm.  when he saw my poncho, he thought that would be a great idea, because then while keeping warm, you could still use your hands if needed.  Now if this isn't a simple garment to make, I don't  know what else is.  You know those patterns that advertise 1 hour pattern? and then in that small print they say **1 hour actual sewing time?  Yes, you still have to cut the pattern pieces and still have the cut the fabric, pin it, yadda yadda.... well this is totally a 20 minute outfit.  Fold the blanket twice to get the exact center, cut from the center in each direction (on the long side) about 9 inches, but to a decorative stop point on the garment, and roll and stitch.  I've found it easiest so far to stitch the two sides then stitch the two v's.

So, Now I have 3 projects knocked off of the DH 6PAC list.  At the current time, the only materials I have in house are the leather and bead strips for the leather shirt embellishment, so we'll take a look at that project next.  

Since I've got 3 projects knocked out, I might squeeze in my pants tomorrow.... I'd like to have them for next week.

Preakness is starting in a few minutes.... Will Orb head for the Triple Crown?  

Oh well... Not so much....Oxbow & D Wayne Lukas. At least my girl Showed. :-)

Cheers!

JDol

Shoulder Taps Gone Wild!

Well, here's the 1st item on my DH 6PAC.  I'm using 6PAC as 6 Projects 4 my Awesome Companion.

So DH purchased a brown leather riding jacket with fringe, nice for spring mornings with a bit of a chill in the air. Real nice jacket... though those shoulder taps - goodness were they loopy... almost looping up to his ears.... take a look at this....

Have you seen taps like this before?? Anyway, I took a look and it seemed if i opened the shoulder seams, I could pull the tap through and snug it up.  Also, one of the sides seemed to be placed back too far. So lets pull that forward a bit, too while we're at it.

Okay here we go.  Let's open the lining at the shoulders.  DH said he wasn't concerned with how the lining looked at the end, so I was just going to open it up and top-stitch it back together when done.

Once the lining was opened, I was able to pull the shoulder through and take a peek how they assembled it.  Sometimes they use glue on leather assembly, so I didn't know what I was gong to find.  Well nothing was out of the ordinary, the seam held the tap, and the fringe. 

So i opened that up, just the inch 1/2 or so that held the tap, and pulled the tap through.  Gee that was a lot of extra tap. Hmmm.

So took a peek at how it looked on the other side, and what an improvement. So now comes the stitching.  This is leather after all.  So I have upholstery thread and Leather needles...

I set the stitches at 3.0 length. It made it though all thicknesses when we got to the tap, and no thread breakage at all.  I am confident now that the stitches are of good strength for the wear and tear of a man's leather jacket.  Adjusted side two to move the tap forward a bit, and stitched that together.  Went together flawlessly also.  Let's take a look....

Now that is much better than that airborne floppy tap of ole...  Had DH do a quick try on, to make sure just before the closing of the lining... I got a big stamp of approval :-)..., so I stitched up the lining on the shoulders, and we're all set.  

There was also a loose stitch on the front of the jacket that was unraveling, so I did a run along that to give that reinforcement.  It was a zipper facing stitch, so that would have only kept unraveling as used...  All is good.

Alright!  Project #1 on the DH 6PAC done!

I think I threw off my comrades on my SG Forum by calling this a 6PAC.  They are used to 6PAC's being collections of sewn garments that form a cohesive unit.  I playfully called this a DH 6PAC since it was going to be 6 projects for DH.  I think I set off a stir on the 6PAC thread. :-) LOL   Ahhhh......... Whatta ya gonna do....

OKAY - What's next?

Cheers, 

JDol