Parade set Sneek Peek

This is just working out an idea for the Serapes of the parade set.  I'm trying REALLY hard not to make this set as complicated as I normally would due to time constraints..  That is proving harder than I imagined.  Sue B-Y and I talk a lot about artistic license and about how we want to make things that showcase everything we can do -whether that is warranted or not...  So I'm trying really hard to NOT think of ways that I can make every little thing myself.  I'm trying to stick with Basic Shapes and things that I could maybe buy online pre-made.... but thats difficult too..

The silver tape proved trickier than I previously remember but that may be due to my xacto blade not being as sharp as it could be.  I do have some "maid O metal" but I like the thought of the "sticky" backed silver tape.

I try to keep in mind the "context" of what the climate was during the hey day of these saddles.  The 1930s art deco movement was about simplification of shapes and clean lines..so I'm trying to keep the lines of the leather sharp and geometric..

I have some work projects coming up this week that are very "scary" in that I'm not 100% comfortable with doing them and I've been so emotionally and mentally overwhelmed that I haven't had a lot of mental energy to prepare for them.  It's just hard to focus.  Anthony was out of town all last week and Rj is a smart, Energetic, non stop kind of 4 year old so by the time Anthony came home late yesterday I was completely worn out.  I still am... lol

June 4th will be the 1 year anniversary of my dad's passing.  I'm no where near over it.  My brain keeps chewing on the "impermanence" of life which keeps me sort of in a emotional place.  I am better than I was last year but I'm not 100% ok... I don't know if I ever will be and that is a bittersweet thought.  Good that he was such a wonderful part of my life but hard to chew through the loss. 

I keep trying to move forward though and I'm very much looking forward to model horse showing, furthering my tack making skills, and taking better photos at horse shows..

OH and I want to say Go "I"ll have another" in his Zenyatta like Win in the Preakness!  It's shaping up to look like he may be an actual contender for the Triple Crown.  Hopefully the Trainer will ship him to NY TODAY and start training on that belmont track... (crossing fingers..)