Thanks to all for your kind words.
It's all in an attitude we learned from our Dad beginning at a very young age. He is an artist who has never been intimidated by a new medium -- painting in oils, watercolors and acrylics; wood and leather-working, plaster casting, sculpting... the list goes on and on. First efforts have sometimes been dismal failures, but lessons learned have nearly always made the second attempts better.
The family MO is to read, watch, listen and learn all you can about it and then do it, giving it your very best effort.
I really enjoy creating things, and very much dislike paying someone else to do something I can do myself.
Thom is now investigating pewter casting, while I have a backlog of kilts that will keep me busy for quite some time. Life is good!