Well.. that wasn't THAT hard..

HA!

I'm coming down the home stretch so to speak for finishing my Mother Hubbard Saddle Set! Just the Cinch, the stirrups and the tapaderos to go! My good friend, Robin P is making the stirrups out of real wood for me. I'm pretty excited about it!

The pictures shown are of the bridle and bosilla finished. The bridle has a hand made, hand etched bit that I made myself out of real silver. The buckes on the bridle are made out of real silver as well. Then I hand braided the reins and put turks head and spanish ring knots on the reins.

The bosilla is also hand braided and has a six part, seven bight knot on the heel of it. The mecate (The long rope) was also hand braided and has a turks head knot on each head of the tassel on each end.

I think that this saddle set really shows the range of my capabilities and I'm very proud of it!

I friggin did it!

To the left, you will see a miniature buckle made out of solid silver, that I have FINALLY figured out how to make! I'm so excited! Now to make more tonight!

This week has stunk..

Lets just throw that out there now. This week has been really stressful! Thank gawd it's the weekend now!

I've been having a horrible time working out how to make buckles for my bridle. I don't know if its the stress of life or if I've just reached the edge of my creativity, but I've had a really hard time.

I also think that the bits I made might be a smidge out of scale. (too large). At least the bits can be fixed in the future but Oh goodness have I despised making buckles!

I haven't heard anything from the museum I was making the saddle set for and thats a bit stressful and disappointing as well.

I totally took last night off of working on tack. I don't do that often but I thought that by taking some time off, I could distance myself from the stress and disappointment. TIme off that might refuel my drive.... I also went shopping today with my husband and we found some fantastic bargains (which makes us both happy) HE really is great company and was wonderful for making me laugh..

So no new pictures today but I hope to have some this coming week! WISH ME LUCK!

it goes.. A, B THEN C...

I have spent this weekend working on making a connector bar for the bit shanks that I made. I should have known that poking holes on those little tiny teardrop pieces at the end of the bit shanks would be disastrous - in fact the night before I actually thought about it and warned myself that they would break. They did. So After successfully completing a simple connector bar, I then had to go back and completely redo the bit shanks. This proved to be a good thing because now they are more true to real spade bits. The Hole in the middle is smaller and more in keeping with the design. Ya live and you learn.. and as I've heard on a TV show "Every problem is an opportunity in disguise".

Status Quo..

Another Wednesday and I'm not much farther along on my "Mother Hubbard" project. I have been working on the Vaquero Reins, the Bosilla and the saddle tree. I've finally come to understand better the Turks Head knots and the spanish ring knots that I've been making. Previously I was making the knots by using a diagram in a book but
not really understanding the terms and what they really meant. I think I'm really getting it now though and I hope to be able to do two color knots in the near future. (Thank you goes to Susan bensema young who helps me keep my interest in knots and braiding alive with her stunning work!)

I am posting a picture of the Bosilla in progress.. I still have two more spanish ring knots to put on the nose.

The saddle tree that I'm painting is far too yellow so I'm going to have to tone it wayyyy back down with a lot of white.

I have heard from the museum gift shop that I was working with and I need to re-sell myself to them. This is making me a bit nervous but with my husband's help, I think I can come up with a decent email illustrating my accomplishments and my miniatures work. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I am finding myself hopelessly addicted to the TV Show on Discovery called "How
it's made". Every time I See something manufactured I get more ideas as to how to make my miniatures or I get ideas on what classes I need to take to push myself to making the kind of work that I want to be making.

I want to quickly mention the Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro that was put down on Monday. I think that he showed a lot of folks what horses are truly capable of, and what they're not capable of. I also think that his owners and trainers and Dr's did absolutely the best things for him at the right time. I admire them both for their commitment to their horse and in the end, their strength to know when to let him go. I'm hoping that his owners will allow his remains to either come to Churchill Downs or to the Kentucky Horsepark so that I can go visit him.

I still haven't heard from the museum folks that I had been talking with. I'm sure with staff changes, things are chaotic so I'm being patient.

In the meantime, I'm hurtling forward with my miniature "mother hubbard" project. (as I've so labeled it in my head). The first picture is of the miniature bit shanks that I hand made and etched out of silver. I've found that even with the fine gague silver that I"m working with, I can still use jewelers rouge to buff it out to a high shene. I'm fairly delighted with the progress that I've made so far. I'm also going to work on hand made silver buckles for the matching bridle as well as braided vaquero reins and a bosilla. (and then paint the tree and and and and and...)

I REALLY wanted to be finished with this by the end of January, but I don't think thats going to happen. I should've started earlier but for some reason The time I took on the roping set got away from me. I regret how long that took but I don't regret the end
product.

I can see that these mother hubbard saddles can get addicting for me. I REALLY want to do another one in a different color like Mahogany.

Today when I woke up (today is a "late day" for me because I usually work out in the mornings but I take wednesday's off) I found that it had SNOWED! I know this isn't a rare occurance for most places in the US in the winter, but the Ohio Valley here where Louisville, KY Is situated is a strange place. We sit in a bowl of sorts. Weather tends to go AROUND us. Literally. I live on the very outskirts of Louisville so we were treated to some lovely snow. Just enough to blanket the ground in white but not enough to cause too many issues. I think the temp is going to get up to 38 degrees today so there isn't a lot of chance for freezing roads.

Anyway, I got a nice shot (second picture) of our backyard right before the sun came up. Everything was black and white.. it was very serene and lovely. I'll attach it.

Little steps

This is a prototype for a silver spade bit that I'm trying to develop. This was cut from real silver and then etched using a dremel etcher. I am really pleased with how this turned out. I was going to leave the bit shank simple but I believe that I can do better, relatively easily. I wish that I had taken drafting or some other
kind of class that would teach me better about centering and designing things.
It's frustrating to have to wing it and then it not come out as perfect as I'd like. I also think I should take a jewelry class on cutting silver. I have no idea what folks who cut filgaree designs out of silver use in the way of equipment. SO MANY IDEAS! SO LITTLE TIME IN LIFE!

Apprehension....

I found out some Poetentially bad news this past friday. Seems as though there has been some staff changing at the museum that I was making tack for. I don't know yet what this means for my project. It's very scary for me, but then I have a really bad habit of always thinking the worst.. (just ask my husband! HA!).



This is a picture of it in progress. That back part is just laid underneath the Mochilla. I haven't put in the rigging yet because I can't primer the tree. It's been too wet here!!



I am lucky enough to have some very talented friends. My friend robin agreed to attempt to make the wooden stirrups that I would need for this set. I think it would be SO cool and authentic if that came about!!

 

A new start in a new year!

Ok.. I decided that my previous pattern was way too complicated.
Susan Young tells me that this is because of my fine art training. I think she's right. I continually have to "un-detail" my miniature patterns. ("But I can fit all of these lines in one little space!")

I've learned a tremendous amount about the old west/old california era between about 1820-1860. Well, at least I've learned a lot about the saddles used. Big thanks to Bruce Johnson and James Nottage!

This is my revised pattern. It will allow me to move forward faster because it's not so complicated.

This past weekend, I was SO sick. Too much time spent in bed and not enough time spent making miniatures! I am now really grateful for my job because if I'm sick, I can work anyway and I don't have to see other people.

Setbacks that help one to move ahead..

This is the current pattern for my new antique saddle that has a mochilla.  In tooling this mochilla, I've found,
as usual, my original pattern is entirely too complicated. The lines are too close together for my current skill level. I am now re-doing my mochilla pattern.  IT will have one Flower and some leaves. It will also taper out in the front. I think that I mis-interpreted the mochilla pattern on my previous pattern.

I believe that I learned so much making this particular mochilla that I'm not too upset about having to start over. I did lose a week, but that loss of a week will help me streamline my pattern, and my process for making this saddle. Mistakes are not bad, they are wonderful opportunities for learning and growth!

More pictures to come when I get my new
pattern completed!

 

Merry Christmas to those that celebrate
it!

 

Gosh how time flies!

I can't believe how Fast December has flown by! Things have been so incredibly busy!

I have started my "mochilla" on my new saddle.. you can see a sneak peek here: http://www.desertnightcreations.com/whatsnew/whatsnew.html.

Dang.. this is harder than I thought!

I am cruisin down the homestretch of my roping set. I have one set of skid boots to go and then I'll be Fini!! I am very pleased with the way everything has turned out on the set. As usual my latest saddle is always my favorite and this one is no exception.  I'm very pleased with it and I sincerely hope it's new owner likes it as much as I do <G>

 

I'm still having a really hard time getting reference material, like a painting, of a bridle from the 1820-1860's in California.(I've googled, rancho, ranchero, vaquero, caballero, californio, old california, old rancho) So if you're in California and you know where I could lay my hands on such materials, please let me know! (please please please!)  I've done a lot of internet researching and I've found a person who is really knowledgable about that time period but I feel like I need tangible proof or at least something I can point to and say "This is what I used for reference".

 

Finding saddle reference for that time period is much easier but not simple.  I'm really looking forward to digging into that new project!!

I need to do two western show halters first as "Thank yous" to two people that went out of their way to be kind to me. You know who you are..

Looking for some information..

Firstly! I want to say THANK YOU to those of you that actually read this drivel! It has really made my month that folks actually read my blog! I had no idea! I thought this was merely for me..hehehe

I am looking for information on "Californos" or "Vaquero" tack from the 1820's through 1860's. Specifically the bridles that they used. I believe that they used Spade Bits with the Bosilla with their mother hubbard/mexican style saddles. I'm having a really hard time finding some visual reference that relates to this period in California. I am in Kentucky and we rarely get anything "western" or "southwestern" around here. I've googled my brains out but I still really can't find more than one or two paintings. I just don't want to do the wrong kind of bridle for the saddle that I have in mind.

Thank you ANN BILON For loaning me your cowboy book. I looked at it with much Joy and awe the other night.. I didn't get all of the way through it either!

Happy Thanksgiving week for those of you that celebrate it. We (my family) do celebrate it although it does leave me a bit conflicted. (as do most standard holidays).

I have finished up two ropes for my roping set. One with Wire braided in, and one without. I am working on tooling the third breast collar. (Yes, third. The first two weren't right) I think this one will be the right one though.

"Regular" 40 hour a week Work has been very busy and weighing heavily on my mind. Does anyone really like their job? I can't make miniature saddles for a living unfortunately - I am too slow and exacting - so I guess I'll just trudge on. At least I get to work from home, and I am paid well..

Moving right along..

I finally finished up one of the ropes to go with the roping set. I also had to start over on the breastcollar, again... The first two just aren't quite right but I have high hopes for the next one!

My group hasn't been as chatty as I would have liked but I'm sure that is due to the fact that I haven't really said much here lately I've been just so busy!!

And out of the Doldrums!

This week has actually been a good one!

I heard from the Museum that I'm working with so I'm encouraged that the project will go forward!

I've also made some grand progress on my roping saddle set and it has met with some praise from folks that have seen it. That always helps encourage me..hehehe

I've managed to get the entire saddle, and the headstall, two sets of reins and the tiedown noseband finished. I'm now working on the breastcollar and then onto the ropes and boots. I'm hoping to have it finished completely by December first so that I can move forward onto the Museum project.

I am thinking about doing either a Parade set or a couple of old style California Saddles. I am trying to find a way to get a hold of someone who has access to the Fleischer Saddle
Collection. I'm hoping that they would be willing to get a few pictures of a California Style saddle that is in the collection.

I wouldn't do an exact copy of the saddle but I would do one similar. I would need to know better as to what the stirrups look like as well as the tree and the Mochilla on the back. I really don't want to "wing" it. I also "think" that a nice spanish style braided bridle would look nice with it but I have no idea if it is historically accurate. More research must be done!(I am a research junkie).

Some of my hobby friends have come forward to Encourage me since I posted my whiney post about being unsure as to whether or not I want to continue to be active within my hobby. I want to take a moment and publically thank them.

So thank you to:

Robin Poehlein

Jennifer Danza

Anna Tackett

Karen Jensen

Susan Bensema Young

Ann Bilon

Kate Cabot

Susan Gage

Thank you MUCHO for your interest in my little saddles and bridles. It means a lot to hear from you guys!

I also have opened up my yahoo group to be a discussion list. So far it hasn't been too chatty but hopefully as folks get to know me they'll open up more.