
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Resolutions

Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Random collection picture
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Model year in review
1. More time. Although I've been making tack for a long time, it's just been within the last year that I've really been able to treat my little hobby like a business. Having both kids in school full time makes a huge difference. It's so much easier to make a work schedule and stick to it when the childfree time comes at regular and predictable intervals.
2. Improved quality. Having more time to spend on tack does more than just increase output. I've spent a lot of that time reworking saddle patterns and rethinking how I put things together. Not all my experiments have been successful, but I feel confident in saying that the overall quality of my work has improved in the last twelve months. I'm much happier with the construction of my padded flaps and I think I've licked the worst of issues I've had with the shape of the seat section.


5. Quality before quantity. I did not buy very many models this year. In fact, I think I may have purchased just one painted resin. I traded for a handful of others, but still there were a lot fewer new faces than in previous years. This is not a bad thing. In fact, it's just the opposite. By focusing on quality rather than quantity I was able to end up with the kind of models I've always wanted to own--like that Valor painted by Carol Williams!
6. Buying paintwork. I resisted it for years, but I'm finally ready to admit that I won't ever find the time to paint all the project horses myself. I used some of the money (and trade credits) I didn't spend on models and bought paintwork instead. I tried to choose a few up and coming artists whose work is not yet commanding the big bucks and I must say I'm very pleased with the results.
7. Thinning the herd. When I was nine years old my mother told me I had too many Breyers and she wasn't going to buy them for me anymore. I did not agree with her then, but some thirty years later I can no longer deny it. I have too many horses. I'm attached to most of the customs and resins, but there are a lot of older, common OF's still hanging around that I've started to rehome. A few went to a friend rebuilding a childhood collection, others went to a different friend's horse crazy daughter. A couple more were donated to various shows and associations. It's a bit difficult deciding which ones have to go, but once it's done, I'm mostly relieved. I need the space and I feel good about giving them to someone who will appreciate them.8. Greater hobby involvement. I entered four model horse shows in 2008. That's up from three in 2007 and two in 2006. I also donated several tack sets to various live shows both here in Colorado and elsewhere. I count many hobbyists among my closest friends, and really feel a part of the greater hobby community.
9. Free saddle raffle. I've wanted to have some kind of customer appreciation event for years and was delighted that 2008 was the year I went from thinking about it to actually doing it. I think I was as excited about the raffle results as both the winners!
10. Blog. Way back when, I used to keep a journal and write lots of long letters. Time passed and life got really busy. Somehow I forgot that I really do enjoy writing. So glad I've remembered! I may not be able to maintain near daily updates, but I do expect to keep posting to this blog for the foreseeable future.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Alive and well




Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
House keeping notes from a kitchen table tackmaker
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Stallion tack
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Santa scares me!

It doesn't help that it's cold. Winter weather wasn't a problem for me the first time I moved here. In fact, I think snow was half the reason this California girl chose to attend a Colorado college. However, that was a long time ago. The cold does bother me now, and it seems that the older I am, the worse it gets. These cold winter days with their early sunsets wear me down. I know I would feel better if I was outdoors riding a horse or walking my dogs, but it's just too darned cold.
Of course staying inside reminds me that my house is a mess. This is not unusual and would not be a problem except that my in laws are coming for their first visit in five years. I really, really, really don't want them to see it like this. I don't mind admitting that I'm a lousy housekeeper, but it's a whole different matter having people come and see the mess for themselves. I do like my inlaws and I believe Chloe when she tells me that she's coming to visit the people and not the house. Still, I feel anxious about it.
Tack production has been at a standstill for more than a week. I've sat down several times to work on various projects, but it just isn't happening. Tack making requires time and focus and I can't seem to find enough of either. I am also about a month behind on email. If you've sent an inquiry about my tack, I am so sorry and I will answer eventually--I promise!
It's not all bad, though. The kids are out of school now and it's hard to not catch a bit of their excitement. We decorated the tree today and we've made a few silly little holiday projects like this.

The mailman delivered a big box today. The kids were sure it would be presents for them, but instead it was a pretty new pony for Mama.

Friday, December 19, 2008
Random collection picture

Thursday, December 18, 2008
More turtle Arab
The Turtle Arab, however, looks like it might be a rare exception this rule. No matter how many times I put her back on the project shelf, she keeps finding her way upstairs. I have so many other things I should be working on. My in laws will be here next week and the house is still a mess. I haven't finished my Christmas shopping and I still need to wrap the presents I have bought. I really should not be wasting time on a plastic horse, so of course that's exactly what I've been doing.
She's looking better, though!


Now if I could just stop thinking of her as "the Turtle Arab"! Poor girl, at this rate she is doomed to be named Bint Tyrtyll or Tyrtyllina or something equally ridiculous.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Looking back--DKL 2008
This year, though, I almost skipped it. I was going through a little bit of hobby burnout and just didn't feel up to making the effort. I missed the deadline for a reduced "early bird" entry fee and figured that was that. However, a scribe position opened up at the last minute and I had a change of heart. So glad I did! I didn't show performance, since scribing keeps you far too busy for that. Instead I just concentrated on helping my judge, putting my horses on the table and having a nice, low-key time.
I did not take nearly as many pictures as I usually do, but here are a few that are worth sharing. Of course, I always have to start with a picture of my messy table.









Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Dagmar's polo pony

Monday, December 15, 2008
Turtle Arab
I have so far stifled the urge to tell him what my father always used to tell me, that is "only boring people get bored." Oh, I hated it when he said that, but I do think that Ryan needs to learn to amuse himself. I already have enough responsibilities and do not need to add entertaining Ryan to my list. However, I don't mind trying to involve him in some of my projects.
Since he usually likes anything that involves tools, that PS Arab who was standing on my unpainted shelf yesterday became today's together project. We decided that we did not like the neck so out came the hacksaw. You should have heard Ryan cackling his mad scientist laugh as the neck went bye-bye!
Ryan laughed even harder when I put the head into the neck hole. He said "You need to put a picture of that on your Blog." I agreed that it was blogworthy so here's a look at poor little turtle Arab peaking out from his shell.



Sunday, December 14, 2008
My unpainted horse shelves
Saturday, December 13, 2008
A little more about me
However, it hasn't always been like this. When I first started selling tack online, I was a complete unknown in the hobby and I spent a lot of time convincing people to take a chance on me and my work. One of the ways I did that, was to tell the prospective buyer all about my real world tack experience. Since that experience was, in fact, rather impressive, I had a pretty good degree of success with this strategy. Eventually, though, as I built a reputation within the hobby, I stopped telling people about my background. It seemed more relevant to talk about my tack and how it was doing in live show rings across the country.
Still, I do think it's worth mentioning that I spent some eight years working in the tack industry. The first and most interesting part of that time involved a big truck and an even bigger trailer.









Friday, December 12, 2008
Numbers


