Bargain Barn--Emma

Sometimes the best things in life really are free.  

Emma is a perfect example.

Emma is a Jasmine mule resin sculpted by Melanie Miller. I won her unpainted body in a blog contest in 2008.

photo by Melanie Miller

A couple months later, a friend and I went to a mule show where I fell head over heels in love with a beautiful spotted molly. Just like that, I knew what color I wanted my new mule to be!

Fortunately, I also knew a talented finishwork artist who can be bribed with tack. I boxed up Emma and sent her to Illinois. She came back looking like this.

Since then, Emma has been my primary performance model. She has been shown five times and has won three Overall Performance Champion titles, one Overall Reserve Performance champion title, a NAN Reserve Championship, two Stone prize models and too many NAN cards to count.

Thanks again and again to both Mel and Tiffany. Emma really is the best free mule ever!

Which one would you take, part three

A couple days ago, I posted a collage of all most of my resin models on Facebook and asked, "If you could take one, which would it be?" 

Kirsten Wellman wants Ginseng. She writes: Oh, that Gerhardt Vigil! ❤ I love that flaxen liver color on him. That resin was my holiest of holy grails for a long time. I was in high school when it was released, and I was so bummed when I wasn't drawn from the lottery to buy one. (I'm pretty sure it was a lottery.) I remember daydreaming about what color I would choose---bright bay with a blaze and four socks. I did finally acquire one about 10 years ago. He's a medium bay with chrome, so I'm thrilled.

Ginseng, Vigil sculpted and painted by Karen Gerhardt

Marissa Helling and Christine Sutcliffe chose Emma. Marissa says: Your pinto, cantering Mule. I think her name is Emma, right? I just adore her. She's so unique, versatile, and has such a lovely paint job. I love a good long ear, and she checks all the boxes.

Christine's explanations is simpler: Definitely Emma if I absolutely had to narrow it down - she’s so iconically Braymeresque to me!

Emma, Jasmine sculpted by Mel Miller and painted by Tiffany Purdy

I was surprised - and touched - that my local friends wanted models painted by me. Teresa Buzzell and Farbian Rodgriguez both singled out Formal Attire as a must have. Fabian says: Formal Attire. Honestly it was just love at first site. I absolutely adore this model, and I am truly his #1 fan!

Formal Attire, BHR Loper sculpted (I think) by Sue Sifton and painted by Jennifer Buxton

Heather Malone wants my 2018 NaMoPaiMo model, Maeve. She writes: I covet your fleabitten Brigid sculpted by Jenn Scott. I stupidly sold my blank. It’s a small run and they never come up for sale, but I love her so much. She has the air of packer in a schooling program, and I love the paint job especially since you painted her.

Maeve, Brigid sculpted by Jennifer Scott and painted by Jennifer Buxton

Another surprise: Jeanne Laverdt not only covets my Streetwise and knows him by name. This is an older piece and has only been featured on my blog once or twice. I didn't think anyone remembered that he exists!

Sweat Equity, Streetwise sculpted by Karen Gerhardt, customized by Jennifer Buxton and painted by Melissa Mistretta

Donna Allen expressed an interest in Octopurdy, saying she "could really put him to work on the ranch!"

Octopurdy, Oktopussy sculpted by Brigitte Eberl and customized and painted by Tiffany Purdy

Similarly, Diana Macdonald is excited about Jennibray's performance potential. She writes: The jumping mule. A) I do love a good mule and B) this one is versatile for performance in hunter/jumper, eventing and other: coon jumping or in hand trail.

Jennibray, Jumping Nancy sculpted by Brigitte Eberl and customized and painted by Tiffany Purdy

Teresa Botkins' pick is Hot Summer Knight. She writes: For me it would be one of the Morgans, of course, and although I find them all lovely, and I actually have copies of them myself, it's the Knightly Cadence that calls to me. Such a pretty chestnut.

Hot Summer Knight, Knightly Cadence sculpted by Carol Williams and painted by Sommer Prosser

Julie Brooks chose Gizette, saying she's always adored this lovely model.

Gizette, Giselle sculpted by Stacy Tumlinson and customized and painted by Tiffany Purdy

Randa Garrett wants Khemonahar Ali...

Khemonahar Ali, Khemosabi (body) and Nahar (head) sculpted by Sarah Rose and customized and painted by Tiffany Purdy

and Heather Visser covets Frank. She writes: I have always loved Khan, but am not a fan of the tail. The tail on yours makes him stand out with it so much more. It also probably helps that he’s an Appaloosa, and everyone knows that I’m crazy about appys. Also this is one of only two of this mold in appy I care for. Yes I am picky as can be!

Frank, Khan sculpted by Sarah rose and customized and painted by D'arry Jone Frank

Jennifer Lambert is making designs on Vulcan: Oh no another Dozen Roses resin whatever shall I do... (voice trailing off as a sidle away with said resin poorly hidden behind my back)

Vulcan, Dozen Roses sculpted by Kathi Bogucki and painted by Melissa Mistretta

Last and definitely not least is little Hawkward. No less than three people expressed interest in adding this one to their herds. Sorry, Suzanne Combs, Beth Patterson and Margaret Balch. He's staying here for the foreseeable future!

Hawkward, Hawk scan of real horse modified by Maggie Bennett and painted by Tiffany Purdy

Thank you again to everyone who participated. It's been so fun sharing my models with you this way!

Jasmine

Ok, I admit it. I've been checking my computer all day to see if I am the winner of Melanie Miller's free Jasmine resin. In case you have no idea what I'm talking about, take a look at this entry from Mel's blog: http://chinookstudios.blogspot.com/2008/11/jasmine-contest-reminder.html. While you're at it, you really ought to check out the entire blog. In addition to pictures of in progress models from her studio, Mel also posts a lot of really excellent tips on sculpting and finishwork. It's one of my favorite blogs and well worth adding to your reading list. I would love to win a Jasmine resin. Not only is it a great, performance friendly sculpture, but I've had the pleasure of meeting the real Jasmine. She's a molly mule belonging to Colorado hobbyist, Emma Loofburrow. I took these pictures a couple years ago at Jasmine's then-home in Littleton, CO. Isn't she cute? I just love her eyelashes. She was very patient with James and me during our visit. I submitted a few "Friday Tip" ideas to Mel so there is a small chance I might win... I'm not counting on it, but my inner optimist remains hopeful!
So, I guess I'll just keep crossing my fingers and hitting the refresh button!

Blue Skies Western Performance, Part Two

Midway through the Western Performance division at Blue Skies Live, Emma had just two fourth place ribbons to her credit.  That all changed with the trail class where Emma's simple but correct ground poles entry bested the competition.

Lu's Jasmine also had a nice ground poles set-up.

Jane's wonderful old man, Ronin, looked as handsome as ever in this mailbox entry.

Not all the entries were of the Arena Trail variety.  This is Lu's Monte...

and Sandy's custom Ruffian.

Love the jacket!

Pleasure was next and once again Emma claimed the blue.

The last performance class of the day was Other Western.  Lu contributed not one...

but two Reined Cowhorse entries.

Margarita Madness was back with a Pony Express re-enactment set-up.

Detail of the saddle by Terry Newberry.

Sandy's other entry represented an "Extreme Cowboy Challenge" class.

No one does water like Sandy!

This really neat coyote hunting entry had both written and computer documentation.

I had originally planned to build a Western Riding entry for this class.  However, as I watched everyone else set up their big, elaborate dioramas, I changed my mind.  I thought it might be fun to do the least elaborate entry possible--Western Bareback.  As you can see, the judge was not terribly impressed with my underachieving efforts!

That's ok.  Callbacks were next and it turns out that two firsts, two fourths and a sixth were all that was needed to win the Western Performance Championship.  Sandy's Margarita Madness was Reserve.  I am pretty sure this is the first time I've ever bested Lu or Sandy in the Western Performance division.

With championships in both the English and Western divisions, Emma was a shoo-in for the overall championship as well.  Go mule!