True bristol box

There's no denying that Breyer's True North is the current "it" model of the Original Finish Performance ring.

Any tack maker who'd like to sell tack at BreyerFest would be smart to show up with a whole bunch of True North sized tack.

I don't own a True North.

Fortunately, my friend, Teresa does. Today she brought him to me.

I measured his head and played dress up with Olivia's magnet boots. Surprisingly, they fit!

Teresa also brought her brand new Bristol. 

I don't actively collect original finish models, but I would love to add one of these to my herd. He is lovely! 

He doesn't fit the magnet boots, but he's still lovely! 

This one doesn't fit the boots either, but his box is totally squee-worthy.

Of course I had to dig out some other little boxes for a photo. 

Thanks so much for bringing them by, Teresa. That was a really helpful visit!

Framed

Gretchen Oneail painted a Maggie Bennett micro mini during this year's NaMoPaiMo, and he turned out amazing.

I was so impressed with the quality of her finishwork that I decided to send her one of my favorite prizes, a pony medallion sculpted and donated by Cynthia Wyatt-Briley.

Gretchen painted the medallion.

Then she took a frame and removed the glass.

She glued scrapbook paper...

 to the back of the frame... 

and then mounted the medallion using E600 glue.

What a fabulous way to display a gorgeous piece of art!

Thank you so much for sharing, Gretchen. You are doubly a winner!

Graduation day

Here's something about my Dad: He never, ever talked about dying. It was as if his refusal to acknowledge the possibility of death would prevent it from ever happening to him.

Except, there was this one time when Ryan was a baby. Dad and I were talking and he told he me that he "hated like hell" that he wouldn't be alive to see Ryan graduate from high school.

I was shocked. This was an incredibly un-Dadlike statement. Also, I didn't agree.

"I don't know," I said. "Grandma made it into her nineties. You will, too."

Here's another thing about my Dad: He liked to argue. A lot. I braced for his counterpoint, but all he said was, "I hope you're right, but I don't think so." 

And that was that. End of discussion.

I've been thinking a lot about my Dad during the run-up to Ryan's graduation. 

I don't have a strong belief in the afterlife, at least not in the traditional, Christian sense. Still, I'd like to think that Dad was with us when Ryan walked across that stage and accepted his diploma.

I am very proud of my son.

And I know my father is, too.

Throwback Thursday

Ever since he was a tiny baby, Ryan was all about electronics, especially computers. 

He loved our dogs...

especially Maggie...

...but he never expressed an interest in horses.

I always swore I wouldn't be the kind of parent who forced her kid to embrace her passions, but I had to try, at least a little. When Ryan was five, I drove him up to my friend Trisha's farm in Wellington, Colorado.

Trish gave him a lesson on Arwen the Wonder Pony.

 Ryan looked pretty cute up there and seemed to have a good time.

Unfortunately, it didn't take. He did not ask to go back for another lesson. In fact, I'm pretty sure he forgot all about Arwen the minute we drove out of Trisha's driveway.

That didn't stop me from trying again.

Ryan on Arwen, 2007

Every couple years...

Ryan on Punky, 2009

I put him on a horse. 

Ryan on Trillium, 2011

And every couple years...

Ryan on Rev, 2013

it failed to take.

Ryan on Santana, 2016

Ryan turned eighteen last month and graduates from high school tomorrow. He is (technically) an adult, and I am finally ready to admit defeat. He's never going to be a rider.

And that's okay. He's an amazing kid person, and I am so proud to be his mother.

Butterflies

Every now and then I get an idea in my head, and I just can't rest until I see it to fruition. This is how I ended up making a kaleidoscope of tiny butterflies. 

The wings are paper, and the antennas and legs are made from hardened thread. 

I love them. 

I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with them... 

but I'm sure I'll think of something. 

Okay, that was fun. Now it's back to work!

NaMoPaiMo showcase - Mindy Berg

Twenty eight days is plenty of time to paint a model horse, unless the model horse looks like this.

This is Mindy Berg's 2018 NaMoPaiMo model, Tigara.

She is a customized Eberl Nizara resin.

Mindy started her in February, but wasn't able to get her finished by the February 28 deadline.

I'm sure this comes as a surprise to no one. 

The details on this model are insane!

Tigara is currently being offered for sale on MH$P.

She comes with this rug and presentation set by Dee Crawley.

Congratulations, Mindy. I don't care how long this horse took to paint. She is fantastic and you are a winner!