During the rainy period I prepped a bunch of models, messed around with the heat gun and finished this little guy:
Have a great rest of your weekend everyone!
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Here's the place to find out what's on my painting table, what's happening around the farm, and what's coming up next!
A few weeks ago, I paid the entry fee and decided to upload photos to the Pandemic Performance Panorama. It's been fun going through what many would consider to be a very limited collection and mess with my models. There are less than 35 of them on the shelves but there are countless halters from a zillion random trades over the years, a parade saddle set, a western pleasure saddle, 2-3 other western saddles and a bunch of other random props. I am slowly but surely getting everything out and dusted and photographed. There is a fair bit of creativity involved with taking pictures that "fit" the descriptions. Here are a few more I've come up with since the beach shots: I also got to ride the horse this afternoon when I got back from food shopping! She was a gem and I even took her for a canter around the paddock. It's the only place she's got enough room to really get going and only for a few strides at that. She was a good girl though, especially since it was SO hot and humid today! Can you tell how thrilled she is? Ha! We really lucked out weather wise today. It was rainy and gross all morning but cleared up in the afternoon. Seemed like most of "Laura" skirted just to the south of us. During the rainy period I prepped a bunch of models, messed around with the heat gun and finished this little guy: It's not too soon for the Halloween Horses, is it?
Have a great rest of your weekend everyone!
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Last night I was able to sneak in some studio time and I was finally able to wrap up these two little cuties! A weird thing kept happening when I was messing with the Clydesdale stallion though: the woodgrain paint from underneath seems to keep bleeding though (even through primer!) on his hind whites. They've got a few spots with a slight pinkish tinge to them. Today the morning was spent doing things online for school, braiding the horse's hair and talking to my new teaching partner. The afternoon, if it keeps on raining, will be painting and food shopping. I'm hoping to get a bunch more models listed before the weekend is over.
Wishing everyone well as Laura blasts through country soaking the place! We took a kind of last minute run down to the shore yesterday to get some salt air and fried seafood. The weather was great, even though it was pretty windy, and we all had pretty much the perfect day just walking along the bay side of Sandy Hook. My daughter was catching tiny fish and checking out the horseshoe crabs and I, on the other hand, was dorking out taking pictures for the Braymere Saddlery Pandemic Performance Panorama! Here are a few of my favorites: At the end of the day after dragging 2 big bags around the whole time and worrying about the heat and plastic legs, my only regret was not bringing more models with me!
We got home in plenty of time for me to completely comb out Nighthawk's mane so she's looking far less unkempt and feral. Today I'll re braid it! Tonight I'm hoping to get some models finished and some resculpting work that's been on hold for awhile back to progressing . . . The school reopening situation has been changing day by day around here and tonight the board voted to hold virtual school until October 1st. I'm happy for all the people that wanted to put off opening but I'm still mourning the loss of in person instruction already . . . I'm not the most tech savvy person but I've gotten a lot better. Enough of that, I came into a literal pile of Breyers at an estate sale last weekend. I purchased the lot of them as bodies but soon realized that many of them are in great shape and might make some vintage collectors very happy. I'm totally open to offers (seriously, try me!) on any of these guys. Some will really pain me to repaint if they don't find a collection to go to as is. Some are already on eBay and some haven't been listed anywhere yet. You, my loyal blog readers (both of you LOL) get first dibs on some! We've gone kayaking a lot lately. Today I took some girl scouts out for a kayaking badge- that was an adventure! I can't tell you how many times I had to dodge paddles! We were also able to dodge a few rainstorms today but Nighthawk took full advantage of the nice wet stone dust and made a hot mess of herself in a hurry! "Look at me, the noble and majestic horse!" Instead of riding this afternoon which was what I had planned to do before a nasty little storm blew through, I oiled my English saddle and, upon seeing my muddy mess of a mare, lunged her instead of tacking up. She was a good girl with a perfectly acceptable amount of sass this evening!
Tomorrow we're heading down the shore for the day. You can tell we're in New Jersey, right?! "Down the shore" is pretty much a jersey thing! On Monday afternoon, one of my former students returned home from 10 weeks in the hospital where he received a double lung transplant! The whole story is nothing shy of miraculous and our hearts swelled when his dad drove him up the street and we were able to welcome him home. There were flags, a police escort, cans of silly string, fireworks, custom trucker's hats, fire trucks, noise makers, tons of cars and banners. We dodged summer rain storms like it was our job all afternoon. Some with lightning and drowning downpours. Then at the end of the day, we were treated to this: I'm not an overly religious person but this was a sign from above by even MY standards! What a way to end the day. In between the rain storms I managed to get some painting and stuff done. This little guy is looking for a great new home: I also was finally able to acquire a Breyerfest Oak model! I wanted him the whole time since the big reveal, but the prices were such that I was not willing to snatch him up after the event. Finally, I found one online that was slated to be a body model due to a bent front leg and a few finish flaws. Well, it turns out that my husband owns a heat gun (AH!) and that did the trick with the front leg in no time at all. Couple that with a little etching to clean up some of his spots and he's good as new!
Finally the traditional sized Indian Pony is something to look at! She's got added windblown mane and tail and a super flashy, splashy paint job. She's going to live with Emily very soon! I wish I hadn't already sold and packed up her SM mini twin because I would have loved a picture of the two of them side by side. Oh well, here they are from at least the same angle! I haven't done too many customs on her up until now but she's a really lovely mold.
Happy Friday Everyone! Before the weather gets too hot I clean up the paddock, take care of the horses and weed the garden. After it goes above 85 degrees, I head in an work in the studio. Here are the fruits of my labor over the last 2 days: This stablemate Indian Pony is kind of a test for Emily's next traditional sized model! I can't wait to get paint on the big girl! If this next piece looks familiar that's because it is very similar to a Shire I just sold! Here's his "brother" that is going to live in another collection: The girls have a nice way of beating the heat- daily visits to Grassland! Their enthusiasm is obvious going out and coming back in for dinner or snacks! Despite going out and topping off the trough mid day so that the water stays nice and cool, this big goof ball prefers to drink out of the kiddie pool if it's full! Tomorrow is "Friday Eve!" Let's wrap this week up and tie it with a bow!
Have a great day everyone! Vacation was wonderful! So wonderful that I totally forgot to update anything after day #2. One of my favorite things to do is watch for fun license plates along the 9 hour drive. Here are some of our favorites: We took some wonderful hikes, including this one up Acadia Mountain where we ate lunch overlooking Somes Sound or was it Southwest Harbor (I think- there are SO many different bodies of water there!) We kayaked- me and the girl, me and the new puppy, just me . . . and that's it because we went out exactly 3 times! We ate lobster on the beach (always one of my favorite things to do!) This one was my lobster: I could post for days out our time on the island. We're already counting down the weeks until we get to go back! In the meantime, I hit the ground running upon our arrival home. We helped our best neighbor clean up the tree that fell during the storm. It ripped down wires that torched one of my crape myrtles and half a privet hedge. The *might* be OK . . . we'll know next spring! Half the town was out of power for days- some neighborhoods STILL are out. We were some of the lucky ones as it was restored prior to our arrival home Friday night. We had a lot of yard work and clean up all weekend and today I split and stacked 1/2 cord of firewood in between cooling off and painting. There are several projects in the works right now. The backyard horses were dreadfully unimpressed to have us come home. I'm sure they're more spoiled by my parents and neighbors when we're not around.
Keep cool everyone and here's hoping the power is restored quickly to the rest of Northern NJ! Here's a better shot of last night's sunset now that I've figured out my Chromebook has a slot for an SD card! It's hard to pick a favorite, especially since all the pinks and purples came out after the yellows. Today was filled with hikes, ocean waves and happy dogs!
As it turns out I can take pictures with my work Chromebook that I brought along for the trip! No horses today but here's the beginning of the sunset over Bass Harbor this evening.
Worth the drive. Worth the cost. Worth the stress. Worth the wait! Have a great Saturday everyone! |
I'd like to leave this world just a little bit more beautiful than I found it... Archives
February 2023
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