Beautiful To Let Go

The last week, in particular the last couple of days, has been really, really hard.  I haven't felt much like blogging or like I had much to say.  I'm still not sure I have much to say, but I don't want to miss another day, so here goes!


I ordered my Stablemate Club Dahlia and got the champagne color.  This was my second choice, behind the blue.  I considered the idea of seeing if I could trade this one for the blue, but I do like her.  She'll stay for now.

Though I am likely going to sell my other gambler's SMs: Finn (Mule - appaloosa) and Iris (Highland Pony - blue roan pinto) if anyone happens to be looking for them.  

A couple of days ago, I buckled down and took a BUNCH of product photos of laser stuff and resurrected the FB page for the laser business.  I also sent off a pile of pictures and a bit of a sales pitch to the admin person for that handmade consignment shop.

This is another favorite sign that I made:

Next, I need to get some pictures of the options for custom Christmas ornaments and start advertising those ('tis the season).

I've also been prototyping a new model horse-related laser project.  It's another Japanese-themed set of jump standards.  Hopefully I'll have them somewhat ready to preview soon.  I have the idea to offer jumps/jump standards as a DIY kit and also possibly pre-painted and assembled.  A few days ago, I sat down with a notebook and brainstormed PAGES of laser projects for the model horse world, as well as the next steps needed to move the ideas along.  Stables/barns, jump standards, and new saddle stands topped the list.

Stay tuned for more on that. 

Tonight, I went and saw Dune.  I went to a movie theatre, for the first time in almost two years.  I was a bit unsure about that but, given the chance, I *really* wanted to see this on the big screen.  There were only about six people there, all spaced out.  The movie was...  Epic.  I am still processing it and may be for some time.  It was incredible, in so many ways.  A takeaway for me, in addition to the story, the characters, the scenery, the effects, was the music.  I have already grabbed the soundtrack on Spotify and I will be listening to it the next time I'm in the studio. 

Which will probably be as soon as I post this.  

Plant Sale

Yesterday was the plant sale I've mentioned a few times.  I took a bunch of my baby leopard lily plants and a pile of laser stuff.  Most of that was inventory I already had on hand, but also several new plant/autumn-themed signs made up for the occasion.

It was a small sale; about five vendors.  There was a fairly steady flow of people stopping in to check things out and I had several sales.  I wouldn't say it was a huge success as far as income, but it was fun and I made a bit of profit, so that was good.

These shows mostly end up being a chance to network and that can pay off in the long run more than sales on the day.  As an example, I learned about another vendor show coming up next month and also learned about another local FB group for craft fairs and such.

Here was my plant sale setup:

Probably the most fun experience for me was when a couple came over and started looking at things.  She pointed out the white and black sign with a Velociraptor outline and a quote from Dr. Ian Malcolm: "Life, uh, finds a way." and he snatched it up off the table.  Instant sale.  I asked, "Jurassic Park fan?" they both laughed and he confirmed it.  (Me too!)  That was great.  I had made a whole series of those signs a while back, each featuring a Dr. Malcolm quote, but I had only taken the one yesterday.  It's fun when something like that happens - when someone thinks a quirky thing you made is as fun as you think it is.  

Oddly, it sort of ended up being dinosaur day, because later a woman stopped by who said her son really wants to be a paleontologist.  She bought most of the dinosaur cutouts.  I made those years ago and recently found them (dug them up?  haha).  I randomly decided to take them for something different and colorful to put out on the tables.  You just never know what might be popular!  

After the sale, I met up with a friend for coffee.  We met at the farmer's market over the summer.  She would always stop by and visit with me and we would often chat for hours.  The market has been done for the season for a couple of weeks now, but we had exchanged numbers.  Yesterday we met up for coffee and another long chat.  That was really nice.  

Today, I went and checked out a sort of consignment home décor/handmade store I randomly found out about last week.  They only offer handmade, repurposed, and/or upcycled type of stuff from local vendors.  I took a few things I'd made on the laser and thought I might ask about being a vendor there.  Ended up meeting the owner of the store and she seemed to really like my sample products.  She has someone who handles the admin side of things and said I should reach out to them.  I'm excited about the potential there, especially with the holidays coming.  I think it will be fun to get involved with a store like that.  Apparently part of the vendor agreement is to help man the store one day a month, I think that will be fun, too.  Everyone seemed nice, they were listening to music and laughing, fun.  

Gone and Done It - Again

 The title of this post has two meanings I suppose:

1) I stopped blogging again - but only for 2 days this time

2) I did this:

(and so much more)

I have just finished entering Indy in every single performance class at the Mares in Black Spooktacular 2 photo show.  Some of you may remember that I did the same thing last year, only for it to go horribly wrong (long story short: technical difficulties on my end, my pictures didn't make it in, and I was crushed).

For this picture, I had the idea of a harness hanging off of him all silly.  That was as far as the initial idea went.  Then, as I was rearranging things in my studio a few days ago, I found the Breyer Meadowbrook cart that I have and I remembered...  it's broken.  (I bought it that way)  Suddenly (further) inspiration struck, leading to the wreck you see above.  Yes, everything is a horrible mess - too long, too short, too tight, too loose - that's on purpose.  Oh, Indy...  haha

On the topic of broken things, I also have a broken doll and, well, since the show has spooky themed class names, a few of my entries feature a broken doll.  Actually, the version of the harness picture that I entered has the broken doll in it, but I figured I wouldn't just spring that on my unsuspecting readers.

The rest of the pictures I'll probably post here soon, for now I really need to get back to getting ready for the plant sale tomorrow.  

Sticker Day

Today was sticker day; the stickers from both of the monthly clubs I'm in arrived in the mail.
  

The spooky Fjord is from North West Studios and the Orlov Trotter is from DeeJayBe Studios.  The Fjord was a gambler's choice - 3 regular Fjord colors and this spooky one.  

I have a pile of stickers accumulating, from both of these clubs and also other purchases.  For now, I keep them in a drawer, but I'd like to come up with a better way to keep them or display some.

In other news: I've mentioned the plant sale, coming up this Saturday.  In the local plant swap group on FB, I happened to catch someone giving away a hibiscus tree.  I was stunned, I had no idea they'd even be happy or grow here.  Apparently, it stays out in the summer and needs to overwinter indoors.  The person I got it from was given it by a friend who moved, but then they didn't have room to bring it in for the winter I guess.  So, I spontaneously ended up with a "rescue" hibiscus.  It's blooming and is SO pretty. 

It's about 5 feet tall or so, the bloom pictured is down low, but it also has blooms and buds all over up top.  It's in the entryway, by a south facing window, where it gets sun in the evening.  My plan is to move it upstairs, to the office, where it should get a good amount of sun all winter.  There's a big south-facing window up there, too.

In other, other news: I saw the northern lights last night and WOW.  It was incredible.  I'm still struggling to form words about what the experience was actually like.  I'll ruminate on it some more and come up with something, sometime, maybe.  I took just a couple of pictures with my phone on night mode and I was thrilled that they came out.  Then I put the phone/camera down to watch the show...  and felt very, very small and insignificant.  

Model Horse Monday

For this Model Horse Monday special report, we are back at the tack desk again for the latest news and, hold on, just a minute... What's that? 

Oh.

Oh no... 

It's Indy.

*crashing sounds, screams, and shouts can be heard in the distance, before the news feed suddenly goes dark* 

Tack Magic

Today was really, really... really hard.  I can't even point to a certain reason why.  It seemed that depression and ADHD joined hands and kicked me in the teeth, again and again.  It was not good.

Tonight, though, I did manage to spend a bit of time making tack and that always helps.  I'm technically late on my loose plans to do a post a day this month, since it's after midnight, but I think it should still count. 

I have a room full of stuff.  Lots of model horses, a lifetime supply of... supplies to make things.  But, for now anyway, this is where the "magic" happens.  The tack magic, that is.

At the moment I have underway: 

- A turquoise halter/bridle combo for Uffington (to match the endurance breast collar I'd made a while back).

- A natural color classic scale western snaffle bridle.

- 4 draft horse bridles in pink, green, orange, and light blue.

- A surprise halter for someone.

- A pink Arabian costume on a PAM (side note: I'm uncertain if this would be called regalia, because.. it's pink, and probably a lot more arena style, based on the color alone, so... a costume?  I really don't know, I feel a bit weird calling something that looks like Pepto Bismol authentic regalia).

- A saddle tan western snaffle bridle for Fireheart.

- A lime green convertible gaming bridle for Ruffian and also whoever doesn't need a split crown piece.

I think that's it as far as most of who is on the tack  desk and why.  Jaskier (Troubadour) is just there because I love looking at him so much.  Same with Bolya and Sound The Bugle.  

The classic Arabian stallion is being prepped for paint and I'm also eyeballing him for some tack work.  I do have a couple of presentation sets I'd started on that mold a year or two ago.  Might dig them out if I can make some progress on the above list.

For now, I should go to bed.  I hope tomorrow is a better day.  

Rain Day

Well... I didn't go to the vendor show.  This morning started with weather advisories for heavy rain, to include possible flooding in our area.  It was to be an outdoor event, so that gave me pause.  Then, while tending to the chickens this morning, I found out that one of them appears to suddenly be blind (??).  I also found Fraggle Junior out in the rain, looking cold, wet, and miserable.  I brought them both  inside, plus Junior's roommate, Percy.  The rain started to pour and suddenly it was past time to leave for the show.  The decision was seemingly already made to stay home.

Instead of going, I, well, I guess I did pretty much nothing.  Took care of chickens (inside the house and out), napped, scrolled around on FB. 

Oh, and I also checked out some of the entries for the Field of Dolls Fall show on OMHPS.  I do wish I would have entered.  Today I thought about rallying and throwing together some last minute entries.  However, with the dark and stormy day, the lighting would have been not great for the pictures I had in mind. 

I really don't want to be like this, last minute all the time.  It's good for a laugh, and I do seem to work well under pressure - usually - but it's not really fun and I have missed out on a lot of deadlines and fun things, too. 

Sigh.

In somewhat related ramblings, I think I'm going to try to start a bullet journal/planner.  I have this weird obsession with planners - weird, since I usually forget to use them, but I keep trying, hoping they'll get me more organized.  I found a tutorial of sorts for a bullet journal, geared toward people with ADHD (which I have).  Hopefully it will (finally?) help me to get organized.  Hopefully.

Circling back around to OMHPS, I recently created an account on there and have uploaded a whopping two horses so far.  I like the site already, it seems really cool.  I'm excited by how many shows are available and I hope I can enter something this month.  Yesterday, I mentioned how I have a ton of possible props now for autumn/Halloween photos.  Maybe I'll try and work on that this coming week, along with getting ready for the plant sale next weekend (which is indoors, I'm pretty sure).

I guess I don't really have any pictures for this post in particular, so here's a picture of a little chicken family at bedtime tonight.  They have been sleeping next to their mom lately, but tonight it's cold and wet outside.  They seem to have all decided they wanted to be snuggled in under their mom again.