Finished Halter!

Here are photos of the latest finished miniature western show halter.. more later when I have time!

Friends

Above are photos of my most recent model horse purchase. It is the Set that Susan Bensema Young made for my close friend, Anna Tackett.

Anna's life has changed , and she is no longer active in the model horse hobby. I find this to be very unfortunate because through the model horse hobby we became friends. She was my "Live show" buddy for many many years and it is in fact because of her that I started Showing at all.

We are still close friends though, and she even got a job recently in the same building as me! (I'm on the second floor and she is on the third). It's incredible that I get to see and go to lunch with one of my best friends as often as I'd like!

Years ago, Anna comissioned this set from Susan. We knew, when susan was done, that the set would be spectacular. We had no idea how beautiful it would really be.. Above is the set that Anna received and I've coveted it and learned from it ever since. Anna showed the set to many local show wins and to a couple of top ten and championships at the North American Model Horse Nationals.

Whenever I needed inspiration or a kick in the butt, I would look at photos of it.

This year Anna wrote me and said she was selling the set and gave me "dibbs". She was kind enough to allow me to make payments on it over a couple of months and in November, I paid it off. It's been with me in my studio, waiting for me to take photos of it. I can barely keep my hands off it but I'm so happy it's mine!

A few saturdays ago, I talked with Susan about the set. She said that if anna had to sell it, she was very happy it was going to me because it would be appreciated. It definitely is. Above are some big photos of it so that I can share this wonderful masterpiece.

Enjoy :-)

Right Quick!

A couple of months ago, my computer hard drive completely tanked. The bad news is that all of my email, email address books and all of RJ's pictures are inaccessible for now. The good news is that I now know to back up my hard drive and we bought a One Terrabyte external drive to house everything. I'm hoping that the photos and message stores are not lost, they're just on the horked hard drive. Hopefully I'll be able to slave that hard drive onto another PC and access it at least long enough to move it to the Big external hard drive.

This means a lot of messages were lost (I had messages saved from 2001 - no lie) and a lot of email addresses were lost. IF you read this and I had promised you a donation of some sort please email me again at tackmaker@desertnightcreations.com.

I AM hoping to do a Donation again for the North American Model Horse Nationals this year (if they'll have me)and I will be donating something cool to Model Horses Anonymous live.

And yes, "computers" is what I do for a living and Yes, I feel like a moron for not backing up my drive. Lesson learned :-)

I have been working away in the studio, bit by bit and I will have new pictures up soon. I'm 3/4ths of the way finished with the halter that will be for sale. I also bought a brand new piece of tack for my Miniature Tack Collection from my Dear Friend Anna Tacket. It is a Susan Bensema Young Set and I have taken pictures of it that I will share here :-)

RJ's 3rd Birthday party is next weekend! And he officially turns 3 on December 11. I Can't believe he's already that old. He is also fiercely independant (wonder where he gets that from).. very much the "I can do it myself" kind of little guy. I'm pretty proud of him!

Well, thats it for now, more soon, HAPPY SATURDAY!

centimeter by centimeter

Some quick photos!

The first photo is of an in progress western show halter with braided turks head knots. I decided to do it in a really basic color so that it would match any setup.

THe bridle belongs to Chelsea Nichols in trade for some paintwork.. There will eventually be a breastcollar and saddle to match! I'm lovin that black and turquoise!

The next two photos are of AMAZINGLY fine hand woven ropes by Emma Harrison... they were a gift and are very treasured :0)

another quickie update!

All of the "levels" in my blood came back normal. No thyroid issues, no low white blood cell - everything is normal. Except for my cold, I've actually felt a bit better. So maybe it was hormones and hopefully a passing thing? One can hope.. still I'll be talking with the dr for more answers.

Just for everyone's info, I am working on an ISH sized western braided knot show halter that I'll have for sale in the near future. As soon as I can get it finished. I'll also have some in progress photos of a saddle set I'm working on :-)

Thank you so much for everyone's well wishes and stories and encouragement. Means a lot to me that I'm not alone :0)

Small Update

I went, this past thursday, to the Dr. They took some blood and I have another appt in two weeks. The "Guess" is anywhere from Anemia, to hormones. All I know is that I'm tired. SO tired.. And no amount of napping or rest fixes it. Yesterday I went for my usual walk and finished in a personal best time. Today I went for a walk and I felt like I wasn't going to make it home. I didn't even do my usual distance. So something is definitely wrong but I don't know what that is. Hopefully though it's something easily fixable with modern medicine :0)

Unfortunately my studio time has been totally Nill. I get in the studio and I do one or two very small things and then I can't focus and I am too tired to do more. Sooo frustrating.. And I'm so forgetful now. I forget moment to moment sometimes what I was doing. I'm sure they're about to shoot me at work.. LOL! And poor anthony.. he deals with aging parents AND me..

Thanks for everyone's kind words! I'll get to the bottom of this and be back in the studio in no time!

Next update will include the most amazing twisted ropes from Ms Emma Harrison herself all of the way from england!! I was so shocked and thrilled when I received them in the mail. THANK YOU EMMA!!

an "Ive been sick" post. and some TB photos that I've taken in honor of BC Saturday

Alysheba at the Kentucky Horse park

einstein

Curlin

Above is Aleysheba in 2008 when he first returned to the horsepark. RIP old guy..

The reason I've been so absent from the studio and the blog is that I've been "sick". I don't know exactly what is wrong but I've been exhausted. To the point of just sitting in the studio, staring at my desk and unable to concentrate at night. My weekends have been busy but in my downtime all I do is sit or sleep. I'm going to the drs this Thursday to see if I can't get an explanation or at least a plan to have more energy. I've also had.. uhh.. ahem, female issues since February of this year that relate to hormones which is another reason why I've been tired. I've been told it's my age (Not revealing that.. LOL!) and how the body changes as it gets older. bleah.

Anyway, thats why I haven't posted or produced much. The past couple of months have felt like I'm running through thick mud up to my waist... I still try to exercise but thats been a casualty of my lack of energy as well and I'm putting on weight which is super irritating after I worked so hard to lose the baby weight and then some.

There are people that I really need to catch up with and that I've missed and that I'm worried about.

There are studio projects that are now a year over due and I'm so sorry but I swear that I'll do my best to make them worth the wait.

I actually had been feeling better this year than I have in a long time over all but I'm just getting my butt kicked right now.

Onto something a tad more interesting, the Breeders Cup is this weekend! Once again I didn't score tickets but I swear one year, Me and some friends are going to get together, pool our resources, get a box and go to churchill to watch the races in style! Then I'll rent one of those giganta lenses and get some great shots. I like the idea that I'll be in a dress and a hat but handling some serious camera equipment.. LOL!

And I just wanna say, that YES I am a Rachel Alexandra fan but TODAY I am a ZENYATTA FAN! GO QUEEN Z~!

Far too long!

Gah! It's been forever since I posted! My apologies for that. LOTS going on.. Every weekend this month has been packed with either work or horsie goodness. I've also been extremely tired so my studio time has been very very limited. Above though is a photo of my latest piece for Kelli. It is a matching breastcollar for the Bosalita that I made a little while back for Model Horses Anonymous. MOre when I get time!

FInished Donation REins

Finished Donation Reins for Kylee Deemer's Live show, Cookeville Classic Live, in Cookeville Tn. This will be my first show in 2years and Im soooo looking forward to going!!

These reins were made from artificial rawhide (both black and natural) using a four strand round braid. The knots are turks head knots (4 bight, 5 part and 6 bight 7 part) with some herringbone interweave. The smaller knots are spanish ring knots of two passes.

More photos of stuff in the studio!

I'm very fond of taking pictures of pieces when I have more than one hanging out in the studio. I'm fortunate enough to have enough buyers that pieces do not stick around very long so I try to get photos of groups as often as I can.

The first photo is of a green bosal that I made last year. It is now owned by Susan parker and I'm in the middle of making a mecate for it. The second photo is of a mecate that I had intended to go with the green bosal but it is too short!

The third photo is a detail photo of Alicia Vogel's Breastcollar.

THe fourth photo is of the donation reins for Kylee Deemers Cookeville Classic Live show.

The last photo is all of the together with an American Quarter thrown in for scale.

Done!

I have finally finished, to my satisfaction, the breastcollar for alicia vogel's bridle. It's going to be a beautiful set when together and I really admire her color choice! This was a trade for a jennifer buxton dressage saddle.. which will be a nice addtion to my tack collection

I am finding myself in need of a bit of cash so I'm going to try to produce a few small things, like halters, to raise some capital.. I'm open to ideas.. so stay tuned!

quick update!

Much success abounded in the studio this past weekend.. I'm really making headway and it feels so good!!! above are the revised in progress photos of the reins set for Kylee Deemers Cookeville Classic Live in Cookeville Tennessee in Oct.

More as pieces are completed!

quick blather..

Not much progress in the studio this past week or weekend unfortunately - despite my enthusiasm to get up there! Haven't been feeling well and thats kept me out..

Above is a photo of kylie deemers donation for cookville classic live in october. I can't decided whether or not the braiding is done, and I know I need to redo the "popper".

I had started on the centerpiece (Finally!) for alicia vogel's breastcollar but I mapped out the pattern incorrectly. I have a new plan brewing in the ole noggin though and I'm hoping I feel well enough to get up in the studio today and get the pattern done and onto silver!

Lastly, I'm very very slowly uploading my NAN and Breyerfest photos to webshots. I think though I'll have to break out the performance photos and the halter photos because I have a limit of 1000 photos on webshots and I tool well over that number..

NAN Photos are here

Soul Renewal Time aka NAN 2010

Reserve Champion of the Very Tough Original Finish Arabian Costume Class owned by my friend Karen J. Bridle Setup by me, Saddle by Lisa Salamandick

One of the halters That I made for Last Year's NAN Auction donation.

My buddy, Karen J's entry in Showmanship. Halter by me!

Above set is the "mother hubbard II" set owned by Robin Smith

Above set was donated a few years ago to a show. I don't know who owns it now. So if it's yours please speak up! :-)

A few things..

First NAN stands for North American Model Horse Nationals. I do not know why its not NAMHN instead of just NAN but it wasn't my call :0)

Secondly, "Breyerfest" is not just for kids, or just model horse people or just for Breyer Horses. I don't know why it's not called "Model Horse Fest" but again, not my call ;o)

The NAN show is held the days leading up to Breyerfest. Usually Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the same week that Breyerfest is held. It is held in Kentucky Every OTHER year instead of every year so that the west coast or western half of the united states doesn't have to drive 20 hours to get to NAN every year. Next year it'll be in Tucson Arizona, which is very tempting because I love all things western. (or at least I think I do without ever having been in the western States like Arizona. I was in TX a couple of times.. does that count?)

Model horse Showing is like Model Train Showing, only with horses and size restrictions for the amount of room a display can take up.

LSQ stands for "Live Show Quality" means that the tack, or dolls or paint job on the horse would compete well at a live show. (and that statement is very dicey so I'll leave it as is)

When at a "regular" live show, the first and second place finishing set up or horses (in the case of just "Halter")are given NAN cards which means that the horse and setup are eligible for entering that Year and the next year's NAN show.

And before you ask, Yes, the Judging is HIGHLY subjective. (That'll be for another post sometime.. maybe.. if I'm brave)There are no real specific standards other than "breed" standards in the case of halter and "safety" and "realism" standards in the case of "peformance".

Ok, now that the above is out of the way, onto the happy parts about how wonderful the show was this year!!

I "Forgot" to go to a live model horse show over the past two years. Last year I didn't have a job and I didn't feel right about traveling and staying in a hotel without having a job to pay for it so I stayed home. The year before, I was pregnant. And I know that a lot of women travel when they're pregnant but not me. I'm a wuss... I was sick most of the time anyway..

Because of this, I didn't have any horses qualified for this year's show. Luckily I have the worlds greatest friends because My Buddy, Karen J, paid the "Helper" fee and I was able to go hang out with her and everyone else at the show :-) I saw and met a lot of wonderful people in person and they were were all warm and friendly.. It was nice to put actual faces to online names :-)

I took a metric ton of pictures. it's going to take me at least a week to go through all of them and properly tweak them. Above are just a few "Highlights" with some horses using DNC (Desert Night Creations aka me) tack. As I go through and post my NAN photos, I'll be putting a few up.

All of the entries were really, really, competitive and I can see from those entries that I need to step up my game quite a bit with the tackmaking. I have been slow and haven't spent enough time in the studio to further my silversmithing skills and I'm really regretting that now. The whole show was so inspiring in so many ways and I'm so glad that I was able to go!!

I'm happy to say that My and Sue's collaboration bridle brought $335 at the NAN donation Auction and we couldn't be happier! Even though sue wasn't at NAN this year, I called her right after the auction to tell her the great news! She seemed as happy as me about it so I hope that it made her day!

Well thats it for now.. more in the near future after I recover..

Goofball that I am AKA NAN Auction Bidding

Well... goofball that I am, I didn't realize that the Bidding for the Collaboration Bridle Called "Maximillion's Bridle Revisited" For the North American Model Horse Nationals Auction had begun. I certainly would've said something sooner if I had. If you'd like to bid, Please Click H E R E

I have been in the studio precious little time this past month or so. Just so busy, and tired as always but I have been in it here and there. I still have some odds and ends to finish up before I start another project and I really WANT TO finish up those items to get them off of my plate.. but time is so precious and short, in so many ways and in so many areas of my life..

On a really exciting note, Breyerfest/NAN is only a Week (ish) away! WHOO HOO!! VACATION! My first "real" vacation since 2007! Can't wait!! I also can't wait to hang out with everyone so if you see me, PLEASE say Hi!!!