I'm better.. and i'm trying :)

I finally got the reins completed on my braided bridle. That weird piece over to the left is the connector for the reins.  I had headaches and shoulder aches this morning and most of today so I was not as productive as I would've liked.  Low pressure weather really wreaks havoc on my body.  So I had to take headache meds and it made me unable to create a good knot so I just stopped.

Hope that you have a great weeked!

Braidwork Journey

Early Braided Bridle

Early Braided Bridle

early Braided Bridle

Anna Tackett's Revamped Bridle

Blue N Black Bridle Owned by Susan Bensema Young

Model HOrser Anonymous donation owned By Robin Smith

Model HOrses Anonymous Bridle Owned By Robin Smith

Nan Donation Collaboration between myself and Susan Bensema Young

Today, I decided to Teach my Son how to do knots.  I realized as I looked at his eye hand co-ordination and his lack of ability to make things with his hands, that his school no longer teaches art and crafts.  Most schools don't. Budget cuts I suppose.  He also doesn't like to "color" (I would color for hours at his age).  His brain is like mine and that is a WHOLE LOT Of sitting around for long periods of time focusing on one thing for our brains.  Coloring is a monumental task for him.  I've learned to focus my ever busy brain by making things with my hands, or drawing.  He doesn't have that luxury... yet.

I also find that he spends a lot of time on his Ipad and reading. But we don't do a lot together. I want to change all of this and mentor him in engineering things with his hands.  I think this is a valuable life skill.

I realized as I was teaching him the spanish ring knot of three passes that:

1. I broke up the whole knot into parts and only moved onto another part when I had the first part down.  That seemed to help him.

2. I taught myself to do knots when I was in my 30s... so he'll have a jump on me.

3. I am teaching him much more than knots. I'm teaching eye hand co-ordination,  focus, dealing with frustration (he was in tears due to frustration but we worked through it) and perserverence.

4. I love spending time with him like that. No Tv. NO music, just talking and learning.

Just now, I asked him to do the first part that we learned today- and he did it in seconds. He was SO PROUD Of himself!  He even asked to learn more tomorrow. :)

I'm hoping that in the future he'll want to do more knots and maybe I'll learn some new ones on the way too..

Lets catch up quickly shall we?

Ok, so since my last post about mom:

My mom pulled through despite the dire warnings from the doctor.  She is mentally much better than she was in October and is almost back to her "normal" self.  But she is not 100% and probably won't be again. We had to move her out of assisted living and she is now in a full time nursing facility.  But shes still with us and that is really amazing.

Sahara Kitty last summer

In January, I lost my beloved Sahara kitty.  I almost lost her around Thanksgiving of last year but I was able to keep her around and having a good quality of life until the First week in January.  She had a tumor next to her heart that was leaking fluid. The vets drained it at Thanksgiving which gave her another 6 weeks of hope and life with me. I did not take those 6 weeks for granted. Not even one day. She got whatever she wanted to eat; she got to be in my lap constantly if she wanted; I made sure she laid in the sun and was as happy as any old lady kitty could be.  I took her to the vet on January 11. She had stopped eating and was not moving around much anymore but her mind was as bright as ever so "the decision" was especially hard...  I miss her every day. Every. single. day.  The first couple of weeks I cried every day.  I considered it to be a good day when I didn't cry.  On facebook. when they decide to dredge up memories for you to "re-share"- most of them are of sahara. She was a huge part of my life..  I Have a little remembrance corner for her. I have two little black cat figurines (one given to me by a friend!) that rest atop a wooden box with her ashes.  I will miss her forever.

Lill Kitty this winter

On lighter note, I still have her Sister, Lill.  Lill has always been my sweet, silly, big kitty.  She is now entirely enjoying being the center of my attention.  She does not leave my side. She goes from room to room with me.  She gives me a lot of "lip" when leave the house and come back and she insists that I do not sleep past 8am.  She is enjoying being an only kitty.  She is territorial so I don't foresee getting another cat any time soon.  She is a thickly built critter and could and would probably do some damage against an "Interloper".  She gets extremely upset if she sees another cat in our yard and I don't have the energy just now to go through the desensitization process of bringing in another cat..


I am still slowly plugging away at making tack.  I am so exhausted from my job and from life in general that i have to push myself into the studio.  Also thanks to the funky weather I've been battling a ton of headaches - almost daily.  I have learned though that laying down for days on end doesn't help. Walking however does.  Since the end of December I've been walking a lot in a park nearby and that has helped my mood and my waistline which is good because I've been eating everything in sight. (HA!)


I have to say though that being in the Morlan Gallery Show last year really boosted my motivation and I'm keeping an eye out for more opportunities.

And I've been shooting pool again and doing well... Thursdays and Sundays.. my favorite days :)

RJ is doing great in school.  HE is my "Mini" me. Sometimes that works out great and sometimes, when i'm stressed it makes me crazy.. lol  THat poor kid.  He's sensitive, and sweet and very very smart.  I'm trying to bring him up to not act entitled and be respectful of Adults, other kids, and animals. He loves cats (Surprise).  I want him to be a vet..  We'll see what path he chooses.. lol  He keeps me going most days...

Finally, the bridle above, is still in process.  I've been working on it so long that I've had to redo some things on it because the knots got dirty.  But I consider the browband a  triumph.. lol

I hope you are having a great spring!!