I should REALLY Write this stuff down..

Black and blue braided bridle in progress

I've had problems lately, with the bases knots that I'm tying knots around wanting to come untied. Normally this isn't much of a problem but the rawhide that I'm using is artificial and is slathered in wax. That isn't really a bad thing either because I've had this rawhide since 2000 and it's still just fine to use. So I started literally gluing the knots together but that only partially worked long enough for me to get the decorative knots on around it - which is the goal - and makes the knots stay put -but it still bothered me that the base knot was somehow coming untied.



Today as I was rummaging through one of my work room draws I found an empty wooden match box and it was like "OH DUHHH". I forgot that I normally burn the ends of the knots so that it's all melted together and everything stays put.. So thankfully this bridle is for me because I'm not 100% sure that everything will stay together since I didn't burn all of the edges. It SHOULD though because of the decorative knots around it...



I have a lot to blog about in the way of the Vaquero Exhibit at the Kentucky horse park. I was bad and took a lot of pictures but really, we here in Kentucky do not get any western Exhibits very often and when we do, you can bet yer butt that I'm going to take pictures!!



I wish I had snuck some when the Remington and Russell exhibit was at the Speed Art Museum downtown. I should've especially written down the title of the books they had in the "Lounge" they set up for folks to read..



Well this time I snapped my head off with my point and shoot.. It's so easy now for me to understand and see the influence of the spanish and subsequently the mexcian vaqueros on the old and the modern western saddle. (Especially the Californio Mother Hubbard saddles I'm so fond of!!) Seeing the Mexican Pitadado saddles and the costumes in person answered so many questions that I had!! (I wish I had access to the Californio Mother Hubbard saddles too so that I could see under the mochilla to see it's secrets!) Eventually I am going to make a mexican set complete with silver bit and conchos..



I really daydream now of a hand made, inlaid wooden mexican saddle tree... I really have too many hobbies all wrapped up in making miniatures. Leather, Braiding, Silver working, engraving, sewing, weaving etc.... hehehehehe.. just what I need.. another facet to spend money that I don't have on! LOL



Anywho, I put the western Show halter on ebay because I'm trying to raise some moola for new engraving tools! LOL! URL is here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120453207113&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT



Please bid early and bid often! LOL