I could be moving slower but then I'd be going backwards!!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to those that celebrate it tonight at Midnight!

This is kind of a no real news to say sort of post... other than to complain about how slow I'm moving. It seems as though my time is sooo slim now and so is my energy. I have more energy than when I did when I first started my job but it's still not enough. I rarely get more than an hour or so in the studio anymore but I try to make it count!

I am still working on the bridles for Morgen Kilbourne and I still have Alicia Vogel's matching breastcollar to do. Then Onto the saddleset for Chelsea and a donation for Model Horse Anonymous III.

I had a great christmas that included getting a new camera so that I can take better, more high resolution photos of my tack. I'm looking forward to mucking around with it when I get the time!

I'm also Nixxing my twitter account. I have no time to twitter anymore!! But I am available on facebook under Heather Moreton-Abounader and I may start a group on Facebook as well for my tack. Just depends on if I have time !LOL

So I hope everyone has a wonderful evening and weekend!

Roy Rogers and High Noon

The above photo is owned by Highnoon.com auction company.

Is it really December? Is it really the Middle of December? Crud! I haven't done hardly anything at all in the studio... I've been too busy and exhausted. Well thats not true, I have done a few things. I'm working on another Bridle for my trade with Morgen Kilbourne but that requires "dremel time" and "engraver time" and I haven't had hardly any in the last month.

Also I'm ever so slowly working on refurbishing/re-doing a bridle for my Friend Anna. I made a green bridle for her a long time ago that I now can't stand to look at! My skills have gotten so much better and I understand bridles so much better now. So it must be redone with new skills. Thankfully she is extremely patient with me so I work on it when I can't work on anything else.

In case you haven't heard, the Roy Rogers museum in Branson, MO closed on the 13th. I was so bummed that I didn't make it to the museum before it closed. Definitely an opportunity missed that I will regret for some time. The one saving grace that I have though is that www.highnoon.com auction company will be auctioning off the items from the museum and they are making up a catalog. In case I hadn't mentioned it before I am a catalog junkie. Especially for tack catalogs, and High Noon's offerings are no exception. I have every one that I can get my hands on. Whenever I'm feeling "flat" I flip through one of those catalogs and my head is filled with ideas again! To me, it's worth the investment... I'm hoping that their photos of the sale items will be spectacular so that I can see them in as much detail as possible.. here's to hoping!

I threw my "hat" in the ring for a NAN donation this year. I also have promised a donation to Heather Jackson Lain's Model Horses Anonymous III! This year, I hope to go to the show too.. I haven't been to a model horse show in AGES and I'm DYING to go to one to talk with people!

So thats it for now.. I'll have a bit of time next week to shoot some photos and hopefully get some dremel time so that I can make some things from silver that I've needed for a while.

A little more Blather Regarding the Bridles.

The Blue, Black and White bridle was one that I envisioned almost a year ago in December 2008. it took me this long to actually execute it. I did a little drawing of how I wanted the bit and the bridle to go and then put it in my stack of inspiration and moved forward to other projects... Learning to interweave knots is one of the most gratifying of my skills and I'm so glad that I took that "leap".

The bit is hand made by me out of silver. I also hammered it a bit for the first time and it's more "3-d" than you can see in the photo. I also made the browband a bit thicker so that it was a bit more of an "accent" on the forehead. Maybe eventually there will be a saddle and a saddle pad to match but for right now, it's a stand alone piece.

I want to move towards more pieces that only utilize bits and buckles that I make. Unfortunately, Munchkin doesn't like the sound of the dremel and I can only work with the dremel when he's awake and downstairs with Anthony. Now that I'm working, that rarely happens though. I see so little of both of them now, that I just wait until RJ goes to sleep to work in the studio, and even then I need to do "quiet" things. (Braiding, of course, is perfect for this! LOL!)

The Bridle with the red and turquoise was the brainchild of and belongs to Alicia Vogel who is a really really talented artist in her own right. The bridle is partially a trade for a Jennifer Buxton Dressage saddle. (as if I need another.. I have two others already! LOL! Have I mentioned that I collect tack?) There will be a matching breastcollar when I get to do dremel work again...

The last bridle the brown one, belongs to Morgen Kilbourne. If you read her blog recently, you know that she's really happy to have it, which of course thrills me beyond belief!! I have to say that I really love that Hazel Resin of her's. So versatile really and so much personality in that face! I can't wait to make a set for her of my own! The bridle was a trade towards a Hazel resin and I appreciate Morgen (AND ALICIA's) patience..

There is one last trade to complete and thats with the talented painter, Chelsea Nichols. She is thankfully trading me for some paint jobs on some of my unpainted resins. Her trade involves a western pleasure set and that'll hopefully be started by the new year.. (provided I Stay well and bub is well and I continue to have the time that I have).

The new job is really great.. I'm not just saying that either. So far everyone has been exceptionally helpful and patient with me and in turn I've tried my hardest to learn things quickly and not ask too many stupid questions. I've never been in such a helpful work atmosphere and I'm really enjoying it.. If I have to work instead of being in the studio then this is the job that I want.. It's only a few minutes from RJ's daycare as well.

I have been getting up at 4:30am so that I can work out, then get dressed, then get bub fed and dressed, get anthony out the door and then finally us out the door and get to work Then I get home at around 4:45 and it's time for dinner and then bub gets a bath and finally goes to bed.. so my days are full to say the least!

Next month (er.. tuesday....) Munchkin turns 2!! So big already, I can't believe it! And he's in "Parrot" Mode so I have to watch what I say when driving.. LOL!

Anyway, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!!

Not often I have this much of my work laying around!

Before being shipped off to their new owners this week (I hope!) I snapped photos of the three bridles in my studio. The blue and black one will be staying (still need a connector bar on that bit!!!) but the other two are finished! (the curb strap for the blue bridle is finished, just not yet photographed) They look kinda cool all together don't they? Lots of work there...

Whew! Been Too Long since I blogged!

I have still been uber busy with work, working out, RJ, hubby and all of the myriad of tasks i have to do every week. Suffice to say that my Studio time has been ultra slim! I did have some time, every night to at least attempt some knots and I'm happy to say that I'm about 9/10ths away from being finished with Morgen Kilbourne's "hazel" bridle! She has already ok'd the pictures so I am going to share them with you!

Every time I make something, i try really really hard to put in some kind of "crazy" detail that I hope that folks will like. This time it was the tiny browband tassels. I'm very proud of those! I also really like the color combination. I think it was partially inspired by Kellye Bussey's bridle and partially inspired by one of the old "cowboy tack" catalogs.

Look for the bridle in Region X next year!!

Thank you so much Morgen for the Trade and for the Inspiration!!!

slow progress

as always, I'm swamped and exhausted... but I've literally been doing a knot a night! I'm working I swear!!

Right Quick!

The new job has been great but I've found all of my "Free" time has about evaporated. By the time I get into the studio at 8pm I'm utterly exhausted and I can't even interweave knots sometimes. So my progress is agonizingly slow. I owe a lot of people some emails and I'll get to that tonight I promise!!! We had another cold sweep through our house and the house is a cluttered mess... I'm busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest!! so please, if I owe you an email and you want to know whats up, ping me on facebook or send me another email! I'm so sorry for being so pokey and in the weeds!!

Pleased!

Well.. I have to say that today I'm very "pleased"! I finished the headstall for Morgen K.'s bridle and I'm onto the reins. There will also be a tiedown to match. I think this is the first or perhaps only the second "futurity" knot headstall that I've made so I'm happy with the way it turned out. Morgen seems to like it too

Also, I am now gainfully employed! I start on monday. Bad for Miniatures but good for bills!!

another quick update!

Here is a quick update on the latest bridle that I'm working on. It is for Morgen K. to fit her Hazel resin. Seriously, if you even remotely like her, get one. She's super cool and performance friendly and the longer I have Hazel on my workbench the more I like her!

Not much to say... still working in the studio..

I've been incredibly distracted lately.. not by anything "good" either. It's been an emotional hike over the last two weeks personally and I feel "wrecked" and raw. But somehow in these moments I feel more creative. I think its the extreme in feeling of emotions (any kind of emotion, good or bad) that pushes me to be more creative and to really feel what I'm making.

I know, strange words coming from someone who makes little saddles and bridles but as you probably know by now, I consider my work, bonafide art and craft. :-)

There is an excellent series produced by PBS called "Craft in America". Season 1 was extremely inspiring to me and season two so far has made me feel the same. Since I Never seem to find time (or a justifiable reason, other than "I just want to")to actually mingle with artists locally this is the next best thing for me...

The frog above was hand made by an artist at the St James Court Art Show. I am in love with him and I'd LOVE to know the name of the artist. She walked away after I asked if I could photo him and went behind her booth. (couldn't find any business cards either : /)If you know who made this wonderful guy, please please drop me a line because I'd LOVE to give her credit! The details are inspiring and admirable all at once and I have a window seat in the studio that he'd look fantastic sitting in :-)

Bridle Finished!

This is the Finished Bridle for the Trade with A.V. There is still a breastcollar to match it to do but that'll have to wait a bit as I have another project to start today!

I redid one or two of the knots because they didn't have quite the right shape and I managed to make the knot on the connector smaller than on my blue and black bridle. (which means that I'll have to redo the knot on the blue and black bridle )

Current Works in Progress!

Above are in progress photos of a bridle that I am currently working on for A.V. The past couple of months, I've decided to do some trading to get some things that I've really wanted but can't currently afford. So thats why you're seeing some stuff pop up for specific people.

Anywho, this customer wanted some unorthodox colors and although I think it was going along rather "Spiffily" (Thats right, I said spiffily) she was right to change the rein color to something more traditional. See, I am a traditionalist when it comes to braided tack. I like the usual colors so I had to push myself to like the unorthodox colors that were first chosen. Once I did though, I was reall gung ho about it. but then we changed it to the above and I'm glad we did.

The other color for the reins was a dk royal blue. I can definitely see a fully braided bridle in that blue down the road though.

I'm still chugging away on my other blue, black and white bridle. I have the chinstrap on it right now but I'm not totally happy with it. It mimics a real Life Size bridle's chinstrap but Life Size doesn't always translate perfectly down to 1/8th scale.

I still need to find time to do the connector bar and the correct attachment for the reins.. but that'll be after I get everything else done! LOL!

RJ Has been entirely well this week! It's been wonderful for him AND me! He's been smiley and joyful and playful.. and I love that! HI steacher tells me that he LOVES to sit and color and paint and he uses more colors than the others in his class and is very good about picking the colors to use..

Of course, I'm secretly hoping that he'll be artistic like me so that I can nurture him into becoming an artist when he gets older, but I know I'll need to keep myself in check somewhat..

Over to the RIght I've added a link to a new Blog. It is the blog of my "aunt shelley" who is a jewelry artist. (art runs in our family!) She has amazing energy and has always been able to create the most wonderful things.. Her blog is brand new so please stop by if you have the time :-) http://shellydaly.blogspot.com

Lottery Postponed

HI folks!

This is bittersweet for me. While I really looked forward to holding the lottery, I will be unable to do so this year. Yesterday I went for an interview at a software company and so far it looks promising. If I go back to work, I definitely won't have a lot of time to devote to tack until I get into a groove. HOWEVER, I do forsee holding some spots open for a lottery next summer. I am going to do this FOR SURE because I Feel so awful for having to postpone the October Lottery. I also will try to take small orders (Halter or bridle here and there) in the meantime starting about Jan or Feb 2010.

Please forgive me and I Swear I didn't tease on purpose!! I just didn't think I'd be able to find a job until sometime next year!


Heather Moreton-Abounader
Equine Photography and more!
http://www.abounaderphoto.com
Museum Quality Miniatures
http://www.desertnightcreations.com

Thank you

Thank you to everyone that emailed me and commented about how much you liked the bridle. I really really appreciate it... :-)

I don't have any new pictures because my sweet son is sick again.. he unfortunately inherited my weak immune system and has again been a sick little boy... So stay tuned.. more photos when I can get in the studio :-)

OH and Duhh

I forgot that I need to add a curb strap on that bridle too..