We did it... and we're still doing it!

Today has been a day. Just look at all the horses that were added to the NaMoPaiMo website in the last twenty four hours. Crazy!

My horse is in there.

Shauna's is, too.

Like I said, today has been a day.

Thank you and congratulations to everyone who painted with me this month, and to those of you who are still painting...

good luck and good night!

Flying finish

This year, four people signed up to paint models that technically did not exist yet. One was Spanish hobbyist, Silvia Perez. On February ten, she posted: My horse is still inside a pair of cans. At least the mold is already done. I really hope it works, as I am running out of time.

Ten days later, the horse made it out of the cans and into Silvia's studio.

Shortly after that he was done. Magic.

The other non-existent horse belonged to the FAFO team of Shauna McDaniel,

Jenn Constantine...

and Heather Puleo, who is in charge of sculpting, casting and distributing.

The fourth member of the team, Christine Jordan, decided to choose sanity and painted a tiny pegasus instead,

Coincidentally, that one is finished.

Anyway, it's been a long month watching this crew do everything but paint their horse, which continued to not exist.

I started telling Shauna to just give up already.

Two days ago, everything changed.

The horse existed.

Jenn got in her car that night and made the three hour round trip to meet Heather and pick up her horse. He is now in base coat. He probably won't be finished, but at least an attempt has been made.

Shauna lives significantly more than a couple hours from Heather.

The box went was shipped on Tuesday and arrived today. It was delivered to a porch that was not Shauna's.

This is Shauna running through her neighborhood, looking for the wayward package.

The grand unboxing.

Time to do a whole month's worth of work in less than half a day!

Against all odds, this is happening.

I guess the moral of this story is never bet against a Canadian!

NaMoPaiMo day twenty eight

 The first year I held NaMoPaiMo, I wrote a lot of posts about my personal painting journey.

So many.

I really thought my projects were perhaps the most important projects in the entire event.

I don't believe that anymore. In fact, I've come full circle and think that mine might be the least important of the entire event.

I haven't written much about either of my horses this year, but I have been painting. For all intents and purposes, Antara was finished yesterday.

Today has been all about Butterbean. This little man has caused me so much grief, but if I work really hard,  I think he'll be done - or at least done enough - tomorrow.

In my push to get both of these babies finished, I haven't spent a lot of time on the NaMoPaiMo Facebook page. Still I know, people are working, people are trying, people are succeeding.

One of the people who is both trying and succeeding is my German friend, Kim Brandner.

Her official model has been plagued with resin issues, but she hasn't let that stop her. In additions to finishing a bonus horse hippocampus,

she's also helped her doll, Sarja,

and her very talented daughters, Kassandra...

and Yara finish their projects.

Look how great all of that has turned out!

I don't know if your model will be done before the deadline, Kim, but I don't think it really matters. You are already a winner, and also, the NaMoPaiMo Champion of the Day.

Congratulations, Kim, and solidarity to everyone who's still in this thing. Tomorrow is the last day, but even if we don't finish, we're all winners.

NaMoPaiMo day twenty seven

It's the twenty seventh day of NaMoPaiMo.

photo by CLeigh Tribble

Some of us have finished have finished our horses...

but most of us are painting,

photo by Hanna Wangsgaard

painting,

photo by Emma Némi

painting,

photo by Sarah Hampson

painting,

photo by Shannon Rodgers

casting...

the FAFO gang

and painting.

photo by Marty Wells

Karen Lloyd writes:Yesterday I had a rough day, which unfortunately slowed my painting progress quite a lot compared to where I had hoped to be on this garden foal by now. The good news is I did push through and painted her golden brown eyes and her first flowers: a cascade of lavender bacopa for a blaze. I’m finding it challenging to photograph her well. One of my friends stopped by yesterday to drop off some dinner to me, and she was amazed how much prettier she is in person. Really hoping I can finish the rest of her flowers this month. I’m a little annoyed with myself as I meant to get more Dullcote sealer while out running errands today, but my tired brain forgot. I’m not sure if I have enough left in the can to do final sprays.

No worries, Karen. This is a kinder, gentler NaMoPaiMo. If you can't get her done in time, it's fine. Just powering through and getting her this far is enough. She'll be finished when she - and you - are ready.

The important part is making time to do the things that nourish your soul. Take care of yourself and know that we are all here supporting you. In fact, you are our NaMoPaiMo Champion of the Day.

Congratulations, Karen, and a round of applause to everyone who hasn't given up. There are still two more days. We can do this - or maybe we can't - but either way, we are winners!