Week Five.

Horse update :)

Week 5. Horse progress ~ Humphrey is getting a round bum!  yay for plump bums. The lump on his head has gone.  This morning after breakfast, he let me stroke him for the first time - I am so chuffed! Darcy and Bo are doing great too - they are letting me pick their feet up, and are being introduced to halters this weekend.  

They have access to all our acreage now, and if they are in the front yard when I walk to the mail box down the track, they follow me in hope that I'll be getting feed out the box, not mail. 

I was introduced to a trainer yesterday, who seems to train horses exactly how I want - based on 'natural horsemanship' techniques -  no pain methods, bitless bridles, and barefoot (no horse shoes) Since I can't find a trimmer who specializes in barefoot trimming locally, I guess I'm going to have to learn to trim feet myself!

Darcy ~

Humphrey ~

Bo ~

Bums of Bo and Humphrey, Rome inspecting the oval green thing ~

Enjoying the last scraps of breakfast this morning ~

Although I worry a lot, I love having the horses :)  they are the most beautiful, majestic animals ever created, in my humble opinion. 

We've got baby horses :)

Where to begin.  We were aiming for horses in the future. Two well trained, fit and healthy mature, steady horses.
But no. We have been blessed with two rescued colts (and a mare should be here at some point soon) Destiny, fate, divine intervention, stupidity, call it what you will.  When I first clapped eyes on these beasts, I wasn't sure what to do, so I thought it only polite to go find the owner.
He turned out to be quite a nice man, considering he almost starved to death a couple of his horses. Much to my surprise, he agreed to my terms.  They were simple.  Feed them, or be arrested.  I offered to look after some of them, since it seemed clear he couldn't manage the amount he had. The local Vets and Animal Control are aware of the issue.  Long story short, he gave me one of the starved colts, and a pretty healthy 8 month old.  Neither are halter broke.  Actually, they wont let me touch them, but they do follow me, and are curious. They will take food from my hand, so this is a good start.  What's the point of breeding horses, then not bothering to even touch them.  I swear, its beyond me.
Over two weeks, the starved colt has made good progress.  I thought I would share an image of him from two weeks ago - the day I saw, and intervened)  I've put the image on a separate page, so if it is going to upset you, don't visit it.  You'll find 'Mr Skinny' here.
The previous owner didn't name them, and we haven't named them either - in the meantime, we have Mr Skinny, and Mr Red.  They only arrived yesterday, so its early days.
Here they are ~

Mr Red (approx 8 months old) he looks pretty healthy.

Mr Skinny, not so healthy (approx 18 months old) ~

He also has a swelling on his forehead. The previous owner thought it may be a snake bite, but I'm not so sure.  I'm going to show the image to the vets tomorrow.  Then they can decide what we need to do. Its so difficult not being able to touch them.

They have already eaten the grass in the pen -  Once they are halter broke, we can let them into the first paddock.  I hope the electric fencing will keep them in place.  The rest of the 7 acres isn't ready yet.

I bought a book called Zen Mind ~ Zen Horse by Allan J Hamilton.  I hope to God its going to help me through this journey....I'm freaking out left, right and center, but, I already love these two boys :)

Any advice, will be very much welcomed.

Oh My Gosh

It's been three years, and one day, since I opened my Etsy shop selling clothes, and now furniture, for funny little dolls.  Dolls I thought were hideous when I was first introduced to them.  Now I really love them.

This is Elly - my first Blythe doll, wearing one of the first outfits I created in 2011 ~ My friend Deb customized the doll, and I adore her.

Now I spend more time designing and creating furniture for dolls.  There are so many more talented people out there, I prefer their clothes to making my own.  Mine seem a bit naff these days, and I don't have the patience to learn new sewing techniques.

I did, however, learn how to freestyle quilt (at least, I think that is what it's called)  - it happened by accident really.  It wasn't something I had intended on doing.  You-tube is an exceedingly useful medium when learning to miter binding corners...I'm not sure I will ever have the patience, time, or technical ability to work on pieced quilts, so will leave that to the experts. 

I have also started to revisit open closets ~  They are fun to create.

I have also become a BOOTH renter in a local Antique/Gift Store.  I am so excited, and quite petrified at the same time.  I'm working on painted furniture for humans, lots of home decor, and gifts.  It's the perfect time of year to get going, since Christmas is fast approaching.  I will share some images in my next post....

Until then....

Great advice for Insomniacs.

Loom knitting.  Really.  I fortunately am not a sufferer of Insomnia, but there are rare occasions when I do wake up in the night, and can't get back to sleep. Laying awake for hours is such a waste of time, and of course, frustrating.  But, if it ever happens again, I'm going to get loom knitting, because boy, does it make me sleepy!!

I have wanted to knit for many years, and mum has tried to teach me on many occasions, but it's like maths, the lights turn off and I can't do it.  Then I recently came across loom knitting.  I'm not exactly sure how, or where, but it suddenly popped into my mind that it exists.  So I bought one.  I probably bought the most unsuitable yarn to learn with, because it was thick and double something, but it was the softest Alpaca mix I could find. 

I managed to knot knit a few inches following a You Tube tutorial. Thank god for You Tube, because I sure did not understand the instructions accompanying the loom.  

Here is my first attempt at loom knitting...

There are a few errors, and I couldn't finish the ends because I didn't have a crochet hook. Anyway, I really love Kidsilk, so I ordered some, and have just managed to knit another couple of inches. Kidsilk yarn is at the other end of the thickness spectrum, to say the least, and its quite a different outcome, but, I like it.  I think.

It took me 30 minutes to knit 2 inches, and since I was almost falling asleep, I figured I should write a blog post to wake me up.

I'm not sure if knitting is seriously boring, or if it challenges my ability to concentrate.  I will keep at it, and then decide.  And I must remember to hide the yarn.  Cats like yarn.  They especially like to unravel it, I discovered.

The Kidsilk ~

I have also been busy playing with my room box for dolls, and making some furniture and bedding to go in my Etsy shop.

The bedroom ~

My friend Joelle has opened her Etsy shop - she makes the most adorable clothes and furniture - here is a Middie sized coat she made..

Check out her shop too ~ The Pampered Dolly

The wooden floor I spent days creating is shifting.  I guess I should have bought the correct sized skirting board, and placed it over the top of the floor boards to neaten it up. Next time I will get it right.

I finally came up with a design ot make a 'real' dolly lamp. Magnets are so useful ~ they are holding all the pictures, shelves and coat racks up on the walls, and also keeps the mini LED light in place...

I hope to update my Etsy shop on Monday 30th with some beds, bedding, and a few other furniture pieces.

Having spent the past year as blind as a bat, I went to the Opticians for an eye test... the result are these...

I haven't decided if these bifocals are my friend, or enemy. I'm supposed to wear them all the time, but they are insanely difficult to get used to.

And finally, an image of my snuggle buggle SuperCat.  He wanted to join in on the photo shoot.

Sometimes, I feel like this..

It would be great to stop thinking, just once in a while :) Buttercup here looks so chilled, and without a care in the world.  She is just being (or rather, sleeping)  I love that.

Its been a busy couple of months, we adopted a new pup.  Her name is Molly.  She is pup number 12.

My beloved parents came to stay for two weeks.  It was great.  I miss them.

And since then, I have been obsessing over a large room box, primarily to use as a photography space for the things I make.  I don't play with dolls.  Really.  I don't.

I've been working on a bed design, and in the process of making lots of bedding sets. 

Dolly sized laundry sack ~

And when not obsessing over doll related stuff, I have been working in the garden.  We have 7 more acres to un-jungle.  We haven't got very far, but we intend to get it all straight by the end of summer in preparation for some new animals.  The animals will hopefully keep the land nice and tidy :)  but what animals do we choose..... 

Still not finished....

I have so many 'still not finished' projects, it's driving me bonkers. 

I was waiting to finish my 1:6 scale collapsible, reversible room box to share, but after 4 weeks, I am still not satisfied with it.

I was waiting to finish my Racoon Art Doll for the Art Doll Quarterly Magazine challenge 'Anthropomorphic inspired doll' to share, yet I haven't even started that yet!  and the deadline was a coupe of weeks ago.  I'm so pissed about that. 

I was waiting to share some new furniture, yet those concepts are still in my head!

But, I did find some of the metal tin strips I was desperate for, to complete a Christmas project - of course, its too late for that project.  I was so excited I finally found some after weeks of online searching...good ole' Hobby Lobby.  I think I will make some miniature chandeliers out of it. I have so many ideas bursting to get out, it too, is driving me bonkers. 

At the same time, I found a lovely cup from TJ Max.  Oh how I love that store. I love this cup so much, that I can't use it~ between the cats and me (should that be I?)  china and glass are easily broken.

I think the only project I have managed to complete, are the Blythe bean bag chairs, pillows and dress stands/coat tress.  I really enjoy making these.

I haven't visited blog friends for a while either... I must do this.  Oh, another thing I must do is decide if I should attend this little course by Danielle Donaldson over at Jeanne Olivers place.  Its called Creative Girl: The Land of Light and Shadows

I love her art. It's so. pretty.

Love Birds and Snow.

I am in love with this fabric by Robyn Pandolph ~ it's called Maison Bleue Navy Lovebirds & Bouquets. I made a skirt for the dollies, and used it to make a pincushion.  I needed one to hold lots of pins & needles (obviously) but I also wanted one with a few compartments, to contain loose pins and my favourite buttons, bits & bobs, that I can't bring myself to use, but enjoy looking at.  That is perhaps weird.  When I find my elusive thimble, that will go in it too.....I wonder if I could make these to sell.  I've not seen any like it thus far :)
I was also wondering why needles are not being made in bright colours?  I loose needles every day.

We got some snow~ just a little.  The birds didn't seem very impressed, since their feeder was taken over.  I put some scoops of seed on the porch, which they seemed much happier with.  No more fighting through snow to get their breakfast.

Henry bird watching from the comfort of sofa.

Enjoy the Super Bowl XLVIII, if you are footy fans.  I am not!  LOL

How did that happen?

Its almost the end of January - is it just me or did it fly by? Maybe I've been hiding too long in my warren, trying desperately to catch up on orders of sofas and doll clothes. With that in mind, another new year resolution is not taking on orders - I need to make, then sell.  I find it far too stressful doing it the former way.

I am also itching to make more dolls - both cloth and clay.  I've been getting quite inspired lately, coupled with the feeling of envy over other peoples creativity and uniqueness.  Having said that, being inspired and envy aren't really the same thing, but perhaps 'a pair of forces of equal magnitude acting in parallel but opposite directions' will suit what I am trying to say.

Here is one example of feeling inspired, and a little envious that these are not my creations...

Mister Finch (click to view his website)

If you haven't come across his work, then do check him out... fascinating Brit, who has over 46,000 facebook fans! 

First Cloth Art Doll of the Year....

And possibly the last! LOL 

Actually, I quite enjoyed making her.  Working with cloth is a particular challenge for me, as is painting faces.  I could sure use the practice. But, for now, this will do...

Oh, she doesn't have a name - suggestions greatly appreciated.  She sort of looks a bit French to me. If Patti is happy with her, she will be attending the 'Road to California' quilting exhibition.

The quilt she is taking is made by my friend, quilter extraordinaire Sarah (small town sarah/anyone can quilt) No-one told me how difficult quilting is! I'm not a meticulous person, and I think you have to be, to do a terrific quilt job.

The doll pattern is one of Patti Medaris Culeas. I did enlarge the head a little. The feet are a perfect size for MSD shoes.  I didn't realise that until I made this one.  

I can knock two items off my list - this doll, and I booked my first lesson in Yoga...

Hello 2014 and blog land :)

I failed miserably to keep posting on my blog, but here's to a new year (glass of red raised, cheers!) and I have a list of new year resolutions.  I don't normally do the resolution thing, but this year I am :)

1. Make a cloth art doll for Patti Medaris Culea to take with her to the Road to California quilting exhibition.

2. Make Tilly,  A child-like soft doll that has been in my head for most of 2013.

3. Start (and carry on) going to Yoga.

4. Eat more fruit and veg.

5. Learn to paint - if only I could find a local course....

6. Quit procrastinating. I'm not sure that is entirely possible.  But it is one hell of an annoying trait.

7. Introduce horses and kids to our farm, in no particular order...

8. Make a clay frozen charlotte/Art doll.

9. Blog at least once a week.

10. Learn how to use my DSLR properly (I'm sure a filter and new lens would do the trick though)

11.

12.

I left some spaces because I know I thought of more earlier.

So now we live in a 1930's farm house in Texas, in the middle of nowhere, which I love.  Too much probably.  Actually, its not really in the middle of nowhere, but from our house, all you can see are trees and fields, and I guess the nearest neighbour is about a mile away.

Going back to my resolution/to-do list, I did start on the doll for Patti today.  I haven't made a cloth doll for about three else four years (just tried to check my flickr page to get an exact date of the last one I made, but flickr is impossible to load and check 'sets' since it got revamped, aggravatingly so)

For me, cloth dolls are terribly difficult and time consuming. And I cringe when I see my past dolls of both cloth and clay.  They are just awful.

These parts have now been stuffed, following a quick shortening of the hands and feet - they seemed too big.

I did enjoy re-reading all of Patti's books, she is such an amazing person. I must admit I gasped when I saw the image of a doll I made in one of her books. Is it normal to be horrified by one's past creations?