When model horsey things are not working

Today I had a goal.
It was to glue the skirts, dye leather and make panels.
Didn't happen. The skirts fought me, and I still have some fiddling to do still.

 So I decided to put the saddle down and do some feather fund pony stuff.

When that didn't work, I ordered food. Funny thing is that I ordered it not at the one two minutes from my house, but the one that's 30 minutes away. Yup, that's me. :)
Also, who's going to Breyerfest?(I am). The one thing I'm really excited about is seeing RJ Masterbug who was the star of Hidaglo, which was and still is one of my favorite horse movies. Funny thing about Hidaglo is that it is now 10 years old. Wow, time flies.
When model horse stuff doesn't work, I try not to force it. Yup.

Bomb Proof

Bullet got a new cage. So the only natural thing to do is to saddle him up in western tack and plop a doll onto his back. Bullet is a good saddle horse-bunny. He is bombproof and is 100% beginner saddle bunny safe.

And more progress on the saddle. :)

Saddle, Bridle, and Tips

When you make progress at a reasonable time, murphy's law happens and what can go wrong, will go wrong. After typing up some tips, I felt proud of myself and clicked send. Yep, instead it turned out the internet decided to go out. So the internet was out for the rest of the night.
So I did make progress on the saddle set. The reason why there's only one skirt? I cut two that was in the same exact shape. Haha.

While waiting for leather to dry, I made myself a western pony bridle.

Also here's some tips for if you're entering the Children/Youth show.

1) Research is your friend. Reading about breeds, different performance classes, and learning about the model horse hobby in general helps. You'll gain valuable knowledge. You'll learn about the rules that performance classes have and learn about breeds. For model horses, knowing the rules is one of the most important parts of showing. For my breed and performance cards, I have started to put the source at the bottom of my card (yes, school can cross over into model horse showing!) so that I can remember where I got the info from.
2) Have at least one copy of the rules and class list.When I showed I printed a couple of copies of the class list and printed the guides so that I had a hard copy, just in case my laptop wasn't working.
3) If you are new to showing and you have a ton of models, don't bring all of them.If you are relatively new to showing, don't bring too many models. This is a fast paced show, and if you are new to showing, bringing too many models will be an overload. Plus, if you overwhelm yourself, you won't be able to see other entries and may end up with a pony or two in the Pony Pound. Try to bring only your best models.
4) Bring a cover for your table. If your models fall, at least there is protection for them.
5) In terms of performance, research is key.The breyer website has plenty of articles from making props to an introduction to performance showing. There are plenty of model horse blogs too that help. Remember to look up the rules for the class you're showing in. Look at what's legal and what isn't and make a card that reflects what your horse is doing.

How To Pack Your ModelsFor all of the years I've gone to Breyerfest, I've gone by car. So if you fly or take a train, this may or may not help you. I've never flown or taken a train to Breyerfest.
What to Put Those Models InThere are many ways to transport your model horses. This is just my way of doing it. During my first couple of years of showing I used a suit case. It worked well for the couple of models I had. It's okay. Not bad, not good. Just in the middle.
I use a clear plastic container now. The pros of it are that it's easy to pack, you can stack stuff on top of it, it has a hard outside that will protect your models, and you can see through it. The con is that you have to carry it, but you can buy containers similar with wheels.
What to Pack Them With?Over the years I have used anything from blankets to that white pillow fluff to pack models in. Blankets are not the best idea. For one, you lay your models in layers on top of each other. If the models are not packed in tight enough, they can shift around and scratch each other. The white pillow fluff? It's one of the worst packing materials for models. It does not give them any padding, and it leaves a white fluffy dust all over the models.
Bubble wrap is one of the best materials. I use this sometimes.It gives padding and each model can be individually wrapped. But beware of hot temperatures. The bubble wrap could melt and mess up your mode's finish.
Pony pouches or drawstring bags work well too. All you have to do is stick your model in and tighten the string. Very fast and each model can have its own special bag. I also use these for my models. And t shirts always work. Models can be individually wrapped.
What Order?When it's time to pack your models, try to organize them by putting the models that are used last in the bottom of your travel case, and putting the ones that are used first at the top. It's always good to be prepared for being late. I also pack the night before.

My last tip is to HAVE FUN. Enjoy the day and make friends.
Feel free to ask any questions too.


**Unrelated: If anyone has a body or LSQ Harley D Zip that they'd like to trade, shoot me an email!

Book Clubs and Whips

Alot of today was spent preparing for this.

I run a tween book club and tonight's was one of my favorite horse stories ever, Misty of Chincoteague. I also decided to bring the real pony story, so my The Pictorial Life Story of Misty came along. I brought the Breyer mode, and pictures from when I went to the wonder island. It went really well, and the kids enjoyed it.(Is anyone interested in the discussion questions I made for it? Just incase you were going to have a book club.)

I also have made/started things.

The saddle is coming along even though one side of the billet straps likes me. 

I also made a whip. Just needs to be sealed. 

 I like the handle.

Bridle Fun

I finished tack making late tonight, but here's the bridle so far! Still needs keepers and reins. Plus a new browband since I made it too big *woops*. :) But this bridle is shaping up to be the best one that I've made yet. I really want to keep it but it should go to the person who it's being made for. :)

Two Kinds

There are two types of packages that I love to get. They are book and model horse related.  When I opened up the mailbox today, this was in it and it falls under the model horse category.

Yay! Now to work on the set.. :)

A Jump

After finishing the second boot, I took a break from tack making and made a jump for my Starlight. It's a corner jump. It needs the flag pole to be painted white, plus for another to be added, but I like it. :)

Boots!

The next saddle set I'm making also requires boots. 

So after laying down my new mat(got it for a dollar.Yup a dollar) and slightly organized my desk, it was time to try making boots.

I made one today to see how they came out. The buckles are easy to use, so being realistic and easy to use are biggies. :)

He's Done!

My pony is done. Yes. Like 'done done.' I also really like how he came out too.

Bullet The Bunny Meets The Fur

On my little shopping excursion to Tandy Leather, I also came home with a rabbit fur, because having items right at check out really encourages me to look and then buy. And I told myself that it would be used for a Native American Costume.

Which is ironic because I have a rabbit. A very photogenic rabbit.Bullet is very tolerant of things I do because he loves to have his picture taken (And frankly is cute enough to where all of his pictures turn out great. I wish I was as photogenic).

Yoda Bunny is a must.

Rabbit fur (the rabbit was 8 yrs, which is old for a rabbit)+ pet bunny= hilarious photos. I showed Bullet the fur and he immediately sniffed it and nudged it.

Eventually he realized that his new friend wasn't moving and looked at me like "Hey Mom, this isn't going to be me, right?"
No Bullet. You don't have to worry about a thing*.

*Unless you're bad. 

Leaving A Mark

There's a quote that goes like this: "Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever." It was written by Karen Davison, and it does apply to rescuing dogs, but I think it can apply to many other venues. The quote, in a sense, is saying that you don't have to do something huge or grand to make a difference. You don't have to be rich or a professional to pay-it-forward.

As much as I wish this was my current view, I am at home, in PA

Which brings me to the point of this post. It's that time of year again. Yes, it's summer and there's no school, but it's time for the benefit model horse auction for the Feather Fund. This year will be my second time donating and my donation pieces are more done than not. I plan on doing two, with the possibility of one more if the model cooperates. I have no idea about which island pony they will be painted after, but in my head they will be fluffy Chincoteague Ponies. (Since this picture, ears and tails have been hacked off, heads have changed positions, and padding has been added so they look more ponyish).

The nice thing about the Feather Fund is that anything that is donated is appreciated. And you know that the money gained is going straight to the cause and not into the pocket of some CEO. It's going straight to the mission of gifting a Chincoteague Pony foal from the magical island to a deserving child.  I know that I'm not changing the life of every pony loving kid on earth, but by helping  by giving a model to the Feather Fund auction, I know I'm helping to change the life of at least one. That's my way of leaving a mark.

If anyone is interested in donating, here's the website.

The Facebook page.

Last year I wrote a post that highlighted the history of the Feather Fund. Here
My friend, Maddi, also wrote a post on her blog.

When Hobbies Overlap

While I love love love model horses, I also love books and nerd-tastic things.

On Thursday night , there was a special screening of the movie adaption of John Green's novel, The Fault In Our Stars. So naturally myself and a group of friends went to see it. I got a special poster,a bracelet, and got to be a part of a special simulcast. (ps. It was a beautiful and wonderful adaptation of an equally wonderful book that I highly recommend)

My Friend and I taking a picture with the poster. She has a really cool blog here, even though it isn't about horses

I spent the day making a t-shirt and by the time I got home I was tired, so my bed called me.
Earlier I'd gone to the local Tandy Leather store,all with the intent of buying dye.

As you can see I came home with other stuff.

So while waiting for leather to dry, my hobbies collided.

I made miniature donuts that are The Fault In Our Star themed.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

I'm sure the majority of people have heard the saying 'measure twice, cut once'. It's a very good practice to go by with model horses. Experimenting and figuring out how exactly you make something before actually attempting to do it is a way to not only not waste supplies but to also to experiment, maybe with something you like that'll you'll keep.

I've never made a figure eight noseband before, but the next commission warrants one. So I decided to do a practice one first to know how to do it. It's better to have the 'dummy' one to not work out than to put a ton of work into the official one and have it be messed up.
Anyways, it came out exactly how I wanted it to!

How To Make A Traditional Sized Balloon Race Prop

The Balloon Race is a pony club game in which riders ride up alongside six balloons, pop one, and ride back to their group so that the next rider can pop the next. Actual explanation of the game can be found here.

Anyways, the first part to the prop is the balloons. I bought them on Amazon since my local stores didn't seem to sell them. Now, if you have a local store that sells balloon cake toppers, lucky you! You really just want small ones.

So after trying to encourage Bullet the bunny that the outdoors is good for him (if human he would be a person who'd hiss at sunlight), I started on the how-to.

First you need to measure your wood. It should be only slightly wider than your balloons.

Next I cut the wood,

and cut a thinner piece of wood to go under the wood. It should be only a little bit wider than the width of the wood.

Then I painted it,

and glued the pieces together.

I used gel super glue, but wood glue should work too.

I began gluing the balloons but I wanted to have a popped one(you don't have to have a popped one)

I make a popped one, cut into it, making it almost sliver like.

Then using my heat gun, I shaped it to look 'popped'.

Glued the last one on.

Done!

Master Has Given Kristian A Diploma, Kristian Is Free!

I graduated on Saturday with my class of 31.

There were solemn moments during it.

As there were funny moments.

My wonderful sister took pictures during the ceremony, including the wonderful documentation of me moving my tassel. I laughed because it reminds me of model horse step by step photographing.

But the end was the best, because I finished High School with a GPA of about 96 point something, making me eligible for High Honors. Yay! And I got a pretty awesome National Honor Society medal too.

Graduation goes hand in hand with one person who pushed me and made me strive to want to do well in school. I want to thank my mom for everything that she has done. Don't know what I would have done without her. <3