Sunday, May 26, 2013

Leatherboys of Maryland Bar Night

May 25, 2013

The first bar night for the Leatherboys of Maryland was unseasonably cool.  However, that made it perfect for wearing leather gear and I had several Leathermen sit in my chair so I could raise funds for the newest Boys of Leather club in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  Pug sold "drunken" bears and drafts were available from the hot bartender.  We had a lot of fun and, in spite of it coinciding with IML, a good crowd gathered at the Triple L on Chase Street in Baltimore, Maryland.  I am certain that the Leatherboys of Maryland will thrive individually and as a club.  YAY!

   
The Leatherboys of Maryland and me!


Cleaning leather pants (and taking a cherry!)
Conditioning the leather pants (and rubbing my hands all over!)


Working on high shines.

Working on oiltans.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

May 18, 2013 - NDDs BootCamp Pictures

Here are pictures from my class on leather care and the cigar social, taken by Laceygirl:

Explaining products

Bootblack stand in demo mode.


Talking about earned leather

Explaining Dubbin's use

The tale of green Lincoln polish

Four shades of pink shoe cream

Working on oiltans



Meltonian on purple earned Dr. Martens

Working in the Meltonian

High shines at the cigar social

Buffing between layers of polish.

Leather care class

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

May 17--19, 2013

Last week was, once again, an interesting week medically in our household.  This time it was my foster mother, who has lived with us for the last 10 years and is in her 80s, that had medical issues including acute renal failure.  I was not sure if she would be hospitalized and had to worry about cancelling the plans I had to travel during the weekend.  Eventually, she began to eat and drink again and a trip to the hospital was averted.

Friday, May 17th, was supposed to be my opportunity to present a leather care class to a combination of kinky and vanilla folk through the Touch of Flavor festival.  However, the manager of the venue in Baltimore MD decided that they were not comfortable with the fact that the classes being taught were edgy and sexy and breached the contract entered into by the prior management company with Touch of Flavor producers.  While the case is before the Circuit Court of Baltimore City, the preliminary injunction trying to enforce the contract terms was denied and the producers will fight on for the right to have the festival sometime in the future.  I am certain the breach of contract will result in punishment legally of the management company but it saddens me to see the mainstream folks still trying to step on the civil liberties of those who are not like them.  *sighs*

Saturday, May 18th, Sir drove me to Camp Ramblewood in Darlington, Maryland for NDDS BootCamp V.  I presented a class on leather care, as well as working the cigar social.  We also had the opportunity to sit in on a class on inverted suspensions and came away with some interesting ideas.  I loved the campgrounds, which are amazingly huge, and we took advantage of the time between my class and the cigar social to play in the open dungeon.  I was excited by the thought of a place where a person can play at any time that the dungeon's doors are open and the lights on (as long as there are no classes going on).  Such FUN!  The people attending my class were very interested and asked many questions.  The class was only supposed to be for 90 minutes but we went on for two hours and some of the attendees came to the cigar social to continue with their questions.  I spoke about my charity, B.A.C.A., to those who attended the class and there was talk from some Delaware residents about setting up a chapter in that State since there is no chapter of B.A.C.A. in Delaware.  All agreed that it was a worthy charity and that it was too bad more people did not know of its existence.   YAY for bootblack love!

Sunday, May 19th, I was supposed to go to Asbury Park, New Jersey to help raise funds for Mr. New Jersey Leather 2013 in his send off for IML.  Unfortunately, I was too tired from the cigar social and Sir had to work the day shift anyway.  I hope that the New Jersey Leather community will forgive my inability to help out with this fundraiser.  I will be there for other events, including New Jersey Pride.

Monday, May 13, 2013

The Carter/Johnson Leather Library visits Baltimore at the G.L.C.C.B.

Cleaning Mama Vi Johnson's new gift - Dehner's!

May 10-12, 2013

I worked as a bootblack within the Carter/Johnson Leather Library this weekend and had an awesome time.  It always feels so right being a bootblack inside of the Library, next to the Bootblack display, as if I am an intimate part of the history that has happened/is happening in the Leather community.  I traded shine time with Raquel (Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack 2012) so we could both enjoy the Library during our off times, as well as attending the roundtables that were held on Saturday.  Raquel attended the Sir/boy Roundtable hosted by Sir John Krikorian (Mid-Atlantic LeatherSir 2010 and 2011) and I attended the Leatherwomen's Roundtable hosted by Toni Solenne (Mid-Atlantic Leatherwoman 2012).  I do believe that the highlight of the weekend for me was working on Mama Vi Johnson's new gift from Tracy Black -- a pair of cordovan Dehners that were custom made! And on Saturday, Sir Robert Bowden was announced as Mid-Atlantic LeatherSir 2013.  The 2013 Mid-Atlantic Leather family is now complete and ready to compete in Dallas TX.  The rain that fell throughout the weekend could not dampen the joy at having the Library in Baltimore for all to come out and enjoy.

Cleaning boots within the Leather Library.

Taking a cherry!

Explaining how boots are cleaned.

Tracy Black donates her "license plate" as Mid-Atlantic Bootblack 1999 to the Library

Leo Mason (Mid-Atlantic Bootblack 2011), Sir Loki (Central Plains Bootblack 2012), and me.

Sir Robert Bowden receives his title, Mid-Atlantic LeatherSir 2013!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Bootblack Skillshare

May 4, 2013 - I was not able to attend this event because I was so emotionally drained by what happened during the week.  On Tuesday, Sir Tatsujin Paris had a minor stroke and was admitted to the hospital.  He was not released from the hospital until Friday evening, when he was well enough to walk home with me.  I was frantic most of the week, trying to make sure that Sir was doing well in the hospital and still doing what needed to be done at my office.  I do not think I slept more than six hours all week and, Friday night, I fell out around 9:30 p.m.  I slept until 6:30 a.m. Saturday.  I was wiped out emotionally and just the thought of being around people was unbearable most of Saturday.  After another night's sleep, I was ready to travel to Asbury Park NJ on Sunday, where I had a wonderful time.  Sir drove a ZipCar, which we have discovered is an awesome way to travel around the Mid-Atlantic Region.  I hope to attend future events in Frederick, Maryland.

Sinner Sunday - Kinky Karnival

May 5, 2013 at the Paradise in Asbury Park NJ - Cinco de Mayo was never so much fun!  I helped to raise funds for the NJ Pride Festival, as well as a bit for B.A.C.A. on the side.  The Karnival was such fun, with the Wheel of Pain (spin for some fun impact play), as well as a web and a St. Andrews Cross for flogging scenes.  The Leather community was well-represented with clubs from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland in attendance, all having a blast while getting their kink on.

Working on Sir's python skin cowboy boots.

A happy Leatherman after I worked on his kilt that was once Spanky's

Working a high shine!