So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Monday, July 15, 2013

Check Out The Eye Catching Styles Of Botas Vaqueras

By Rick Fonseca


The botas vaqueras of today have changed from their early history. Though a first glance may reveal a Mexican cowboy boot to be very similar to its American relation, there are some distinctive differences. They appear much more exotic and decorative.

They are more decorative because they are made to be admired by others. These boots can be a more expensive purchase because of unique handcrafted details. Their cost will also depend on the particular animal skin used. But, still the price remains cheaper than comparable U. S. Products. Despite their spectator appeal, they maintain their functionality for their intended purpose. They come in so many varieties, colors and styles every member of the family will want one for their own.

A range of animal skins used, of course, is what they are known for. Spikes, tassels, buckles and studs are some of the trimmings applied by the craftsmen. These adornments and embroidered motifs and themes render them practical art forms.

These distinctive examples of bootmaking are the product of a country which trains artisans involved in the footwear industry. This is a lost art in the U. S., where most footwear is imported. The leather goods center in Mexico is Leon, the largest city in the state of Guanajuato. This is the heart of the leather goods industry in the country. It is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years. More than seven hundred thousand workers are labor for employers in the region. The industry has established research, training and educational facilities to support its business. These increase their capacity for technological advances and their introduction into business practices.

Like classics which are reinvented continuously with different textures and colors, these boots are reinvented individually. If the buyer prefers a high end product, it will not come cheap. In the early days, beginning the vaquero boots had no heels. Now, their are also heeled styles. Their shaft height can also vary. Foreign buyers will notice there is a distinctive v shaped cut at the upper end of the footwear.

In functional terms, there are two types of boots. One is for walking and the other for riding. The heeled style is for riding. A heel keeps the foot hooked onto the stirrup. The toe styles can vary. What is preferable to one person may not be what another one finds comfortable. The shaft, which covers the leg, is often the most decorative part and has distinctive designs or themes.

Many Americans are unaware the design source of the traditional American cowboy boot hearkens back to 16th century Spanish vaquero influences. The vaquero was a Spanish horseback rider who herded livestock. Spaniards brought this tradition to their colony in Mexico. Mexican livestock herders who arrived in the late 17th century transferred the tradition to the U. S. In this period. This included what they wore at work. The traditional boot form of these herders became the source of what a cowboy wore thereafter.

The whole family can enjoy wearing botas vaqueras. As they are now sold across the border, one may purchase them in the United States. After Americans wear one example, it is likely to become a habit.




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