The Craziness of Life

 

As we all know it, life is crazy and blogging is hard. Crazy as in not updating the blog due to not having the time or energy to do so. Hard as in not being in the mood to write. And then updates are hard - especially if it's been awhile, so the list is long.

As it is, I sold my spinning wheel since I wasn't using it (because I was frustrated with keeping the wheel going the correct direction without un-spinning what I had just spun). It went to a real nice couple who's lives almost nearly mirrored my family's. We talked for well over an hour, two maybe. The money is going to be going for a Zoom Lens that I have been needing to invest in for photographing better action pictures of the 4H Dog Program.

I found out that Peter Stone model horses are hollow. Apparently, they are better at hiding the breathing holes than Breyer.....but they are expertly small that they might get clogged easier - hence the reason why I couldn't find the one on this girl and on my TWH, Porter. This girl is my ICEE project and will be painted for NaMoPaiMo. She'll have a winter coat that is short enough to be tack friendly. Her name is Camilla Rose. She's going to be a Grulla Tobiano and Buster Baxter's mate.

The cats got new beds, because the old ones were beyond cleanable and they refused to sleep in them. However, due to this one's moodiness (and she's spayed!) and that it's the time of year that the sun shines on my floor again (purrfect place for a cat!), one bed is on the floor and the other is on my bed. Lightning has claimed the bed, while the moody one who doesn't want to share with her brother, sleeps in the one on the floor.

It's also cold enough that we set up the cat baskets, too.

I did say cat baskets, right?

Yeah, the old man manages to climb into the cat basket when he's looking for a quiet place to sleep or when the other two beds are taken by Jasper and Merk (Jasper's too big to share a bed, but Merk is right size - just a little too crazy for Sam).

Studio life has been crazy, too. I am working on a couple of commissions and a bunch of sale pieces that I hope I could get finished by an upcoming live show in which I am hoping to be able to attend in the beginning of November.

Of course, one of the commissions piece decided to make this position difficult to achieve in the muscle structure department. He's getting there, though. Just a few more steps before working on his base.

This girl's tail got thicker than I had expected - thankfully, her owner loves it! She is now in the never ending layers of white stage. I have to try and keep myself from "dreaming" about painting her, as I would come back to the studio with unrealistic expectations (I've done this before with a triangle shawl I was weaving - kept dreaming of finishing it when it was still in the beginning stages of weaving!)

Food has been hard and super depressing with being on a grain-free (I can do rice now), dairy-free (testing the shallows), and nightshade-free (or mostly free - still have taco seasoning which has multiple nightshade spices) for aiding healing with my ulcerative colitis. This is my adaption of a burrito: Almond Flour Tortillas, Taco Chicken, Almond Milk Cheese (milk cheeses melt better than oil cheeses - though Coconut Oil Cheese is great un-melted), Cilantro, and Avocado.

I've also been adapting recipes out of one of my favorite cookbooks, the Redwall Cookbook by Brian Jacques (I LOVE THIS BOOK SERIES!!!) This is the Hotroot Sunsalad and it has Parsnips (which taste like carrots), Carrots, and Sweet Potato (supposed to be Jerusalem Artichoke, but where do you find that?! Found out that sweet potato is commonly used as a substitute).

The A & D Photo Show is a themed show on Facebook that specifically has classes for certain molds - OFs and CMs. Which is great! Because that means I could get done some customs on the molds that are themed each month! Now let's see if I can get this guy done by the end of the month.

Or this guy (he just needs to be sealed),

Or this guy. He is colored pencil on an OF base. I really like the original finish, but he had some stuff stuck on him that I couldn't get off. Perfect reason to cover it up through customization! Of course, he needed his white socks to be more white and not yellowed or creamy in this case. He's almost done, too. His name is Raed - pronounced "RAY-dunn" meaning Thunder in Arabic.

Kala is getting her whites whitened - this is the reason why I haven't shown her yet.

Been coming back to pieces, too, and adding some as well. Not all of those are sale pieces - the dog, the Mini Whinnie running full stride Appy, and Raed. Yes, that SM Fuzzy Pony will be for sale!

This guy's been fun....and the simplest of them all! His name's Jack Frost.

Another one I'm returning to. I had originally planned on him being a dun and had a terrible dorsal down his spine. It bugged me so much that I dashed that plan and removed it this past week and started working on his whites again.

Mr. Collecto got some more hairing. Someday, he'll be ready for primer....

Had also been matching up satchels. I finally decided to only make the satchels for the models I create and not for sale separately as I am not sewing on a machine consistently.

Yesterday, I took a different avenue and did some flatwork to try and use up some nice mixtures of blue paints...

Yeah, I have a lot more paint than I had expected, so I painted another one. Can you see them? There's a school of them!

I had also gotten an ad out to try and sell some of the sets I already have made up. Sold a 6-pole set and a 3-pole set so far. They're also a made to order item. 

Finally got around to sewing his name on his satchel - finished Sonya's yesterday, going to do pictures later today.

Also have been working on fun pictures of each sales piece to put on their ID tag. This is Cobalt and he's super cool! Totally want to keep him, but I really need to let go of those catchy, cool ones if I'm going to make this business avenue work.

This is a screenshot of the Breyerfest 2021 Cavalia video performance. Going to be making my own rendition in model horse scale while using Bear (a TWH gelding) since I still don't have a TR scale Friesian!) I was planning on having it completed by the deadline for the Field of Dolls Photo Show Fall show, but wasn't in the mood for hand sewing (yes, hand sewing!), so I'll be working on this outfit hopefully next month and over the new year.

Researching cat hats....

...And making a model cat scale one, too!

Yes, I know I'm insane for sewing something this small out of felt!

(Though, I did find out that crocheting in this scale is beyond my limits!)

Enjoying nature's spirals.

Here's a Bratwurst.

Celtic Warrior's Family and the Demand for Live Shows

 

Of course, we gotta do the family photo! Louis (Chestnut Sabino) and Siobhan (Grey) are one of my oldest couples in my herd. Neither one of them know where their son's warrior-type behavior comes from, since they both are gentle and patient. Ocean Mist is Celtic Warrior's full sister who is still looking for a new home.

When it comes to showing, anyone can tell by now that his pose isn't the greatest for photo showing. As it is, this point of view is the best I can get!

(If you haven't seen the 360 series of photos - or need to a refreshment - you can see them here).

However, he does work well for scenes. Unfortunately, I don't do any performance type showing with anything smaller than Classic scale (there are just some things that go beyond my tedious interest level!), so I hadn't tested him with tack.

So, when it came to advertising him - I really had to emphasize (not like that's really hard!) that he is Live Show Quality (LSQ) and would do better in a live show setting. He was quite popular - more than the others who are not only older, but are strictly Photo Show Quality (PSQ) and don't sell easily since it seems that everybody wants a LSQ horse regardless if they show or not or live show or photo show. Several potential buyers inquired about him, but usually passed due to his price ($200 - completely reasonable considering the amount of time, supplies, and the brains to create him. Not to mention that the only plastic that actually shows on him is his eyes!). So when he found his future owner who really wanted him, I was excited that he was going to someone who would love him

....Even if he can be a stinker at times! 

Multiple Dippings

 When I would read on countless of blogs on how live showers would pack their bags and ponies to travel the country hitting all the model horse shows as they go - I couldn't see that being a possible for me. One thing for sure is that I don't drive, so I would either find a ride or drag my family along....to drive me to those places (this is why I hadn't bugged anyone about going to Breyerfest). Other reasons are time, money, energy....

But it would be cool....

To jump from one show to another...

Funny thing is....

With Photo Showing....

That's exactly what I am doing!

Jumping from one show to another.

But it's different.

No, not the fact that I could sit on my bed with my model catalog binders sprawled everywhere, punching in entries.

It's the fact that you can have ONE photo

ENTERED in more than ONE SHOW at a time!

My show string? My whole herd - except for the really old, beat-up, yellowed ones. Some shows have limitations per class, some don't.

Some are free and some have a fee.

Most are on Facebook, but there are some that use snail mail and SmugMug

How many shows, you say?

Let's see, this month there's:

MEPSA (snail mail)

Stockhorse Stampede (FB)

USOMHS (Online Model Horse Show - FB)

Mabel's Online Model Horse Show (FB)

Breyer Stone Ranch Model Horse Photo Shows (FB)

Silver Star Model Horse Photo Show (FB)

Yeah, six might be a little overkill. There were some that came up for this month that I decided to pass on. USOMHS is a paid show, but also has a free class with the limit of 2 entries - I decided for this month, I'll pay, and then maybe next month do the free class. I do want to enter in Ann Field's photo show in November, but I really would like to have a better doll by that time...problem is, I need the right clay for sculpting Ball Joint Dolls (BJD) = going to the store. So, entering that show depends on me mapping out my first BJD. And you think I have enough projects to work on....yeah.

Haven't been in the mood for sculpting lately. Been working on photo showing primarily. Sale pieces ads should be the priority - haven't gotten any bites on the two I put out there. Then there's all the other projects on my mind! Oh, well.

Pretty Things Come In Pink Packages

A week ago yesterday, I attended Anne Field's Miniature Sale. I was so excited to be getting some props for my model horses, so that I could start working on performance entries. The awesome thing was that there was a pdf list of the items that were going to be sold.

I did, however had to simplify greatly since the under $10 stuff really do add up.

Crazy thing was that the sale lasted longer than what anybody anticipated: 3 hrs.! Once there was a break of items that I wanted, I found projects that I could work on to keep from getting bored or tired (though, I was pretty spent afterwards).

But, pretty things come in pink packages!

They arrived on Friday! Who knew that packages actually came in PINK!!!

This guy, along with a piece of cake and a Leek (what am I going to do with a LEEK!?) were apart of a group of prizes to who can guess the answer to a question on the her blog. This one was how many types of items are going to be available in the sale. I got it! It was 89. The crazy thing is that I do not remember numbers very well. I just remember remembering that number because I couldn't figure out why you wouldn't have an even number like 90?

This girl is my favorite from the 2020 Breyerfest SM set of 5. I didn't want to get the whole set when I only wanted the one smack-dab in the middle. Yeah, sure I could sell the others. But I figured if I could get her on the second market for a good price - that'll be great! Well, I did and she is Awesome! I can't wait to get official pictures of her!

Ice tea and a water bottle.

Cookie tins and paper plates. I really want to do a model horse scale bake sale with these....

...and these! The brownie, cookie, and candies Anne made (as well as the paper plates). I'm going to be studying these so I could make some. The Ice Cream was my main interest in attending the sale and it was one of the last things to be sold. So, yes, I stayed for the whole thing. It was a long day, but worth every bit of it!

I had to get the handcuffs because my brother has a pair of toy ones from a police dress-up costume set. We had a lot of fun with those. Unfortunately, they don't open, but that's OK. The Scissors do!

I got a folding chair! I tried to get a table, but I wasn't fast enough. I'll have to make one.

Now I need to plan out how I am going to use them in my performance setups.

"Guess Who I Am? But I'm Not Who You Think I Am"

Back in September at Sugarfoot Live Model Horse Show, the judge for the customs division was completely convinced that Alistair (far right) was customized on the Breyer Merrylegs mold. I just smiled and said "No, he isn't. He's on the Breyer Traditional Shetland Pony mold." She was not convinced.

I originally was going to write about this incident after the show, but obviously forgot about it until I came across the photos I took for it. So, here it is!

 Here's his original model. This guy was pleading for a new face. He had a broken ear and his white markings were terribly yellow. I had, I think, gotten him at a thrift store while visiting my grandparents when they still lived in Scottsdale, AZ. So this picture was taken at their house.

I didn't get many pictures of his sculpting progress, but I did find this one that I hadn't started on his legs yet - therefore showing the evidence of the original model....

 To be honest, I had no idea that he resembled the Merrylegs mold at all. My little sister just happened to have a model on Merrylegs mold, so I used him for comparison pictures. It is very easy see the similarities, though, it is also very easy to forget which leg is raised on what side when trying to remember the general features of a mold. The Merrylegs mold is used as a Miniature Horse in the Traditional scale and a Shetland Pony in the Classic Scale. And by looking at both of these photos...

He is significantly smaller than Alistair.

 Lunamoon is another of my little sister's models, that is, used to be. My sister gave me Lunamoon mostly because she thought that the pony was not exciting enough and looked fat. I agree on the not-so-exciting part, as it is, she's just standing there looking pretty. She's not running with her mane and tail flowing out behind. Literally not exciting enough. On the roundish part, in a way....most ponies look that way.

 Obviously, due to size, these two are from the same scale pony.

 I didn't notice this until I received Carlotta Emma for Christmas this last year. Their movements are on the same side of the body. Why the judge didn't suspect this girl? I have no idea. My best guess is that her mold isn't very popular or common.

Size difference is still the biggest issue, again, only with Alistair being the smaller one.