Ivory Boot Book

Well, being in the wild wild west does make an impact and now that the Olympics are over, I am back to claying, trying to incorporate some of the surroundings into my work. The scenery here  is a real potpourri.  It's not uncommon to be driving in the city, go over an overpass on the freeway and you see a herd of cattle or a couple of riders on horseback, and then a half mile on, you're back in the midst of strip malls, schools and other urban sites, and minutes later you're awestruck by a pastoral scene of mountains, saguaros and other cacti. 
Because the terrain is usually not grass but rocks and bumpy things, wearing boots like this is not uncommon, even if I don't ride horses.  The boots being sturdier, prevent the rocks underfoot from digging into my soles.  However, with the days warming up, they do get a little warm and so unless I am out on a hike, it's usually sandal time.
The book is filled with watercolor paper and has five signatures.  The watercolor paper, thicker than the usual paper I use, makes for a bit of a challenge in folding and cutting, but my edger is working well, and that takes care of that issue.  I antiqued it with a mixture of burnt umber and black, making for a little deeper shading than what I normally do.  I also incorporated just a hint of coppery-dust in the boot section...hey they may be closing down the Lost Dutchman Park, but there may be some useful metals in them thar hills!