The Growing Pains Dilemma

Second Post of the Day

"Mom, you have so much knowledge about the model horse hobby and especially its earliest history, you really ought to start sharing it in videos or as a podcast."  

Lisa said that to me Friday night when we went out to dinner.

It's not the first time she's said that. She has filmed most of my BreyerFest workshops and another one that I did about making snow globes for the Collectors' Club. She's been offering to film a vlog version of Horsiemama for over a year now or to help me set up a YouTube channel.

Lisa continued. "Just think of how many people you could reach - videos and podcasts are how the younger generation gets their information, and you have so many things you could talk about that would be of interest to them. You really ought to do it."

I countered that I see myself as a writer ("But you could write a script and use that!"), that I'd rather not speak live or in person (Mom!! You're a teacher!") and that I just didn't have the time to write a script and then film.

Of course, Lis had a logical response to that one, too. "We could  film the episodes in batches and you can release one a day or every couple of days, however you wish. I'll help you."

Sweet Lisa - she really would do all that it took to help me get such a big project going.

But, it's not going to happen. Am I intrigued by the idea? Yes. But I just don't think I could hold up my end. The research that that would involve to get the hobby history accurately shared is time I don't have right now.

But the research is not the only hurdle in moving to a video format. There is an even bigger one, and that is time.

How often do you hear me talking about the haversacks I've recently made? The last time I made a haversack was probably last October. I didn't even take any to the Happy Trails Dan Patch Show!

I have a large stash of horsey fabric available to use, but I don't have time to sew them right now. The reason?

Jolis Chevaux.

With the exception of maple cakes, I make everything that I sell.

All the clothing, from cloaks to chemises, to shirts and petticoats, bum rolls, panniers, and pockets, and more.

The beeswax ornaments,

the sleeve buttons, 

and the pin pillows. I am Jolis Chevaux's only creator.

I only do two events a year, The Kalamazoo Living History Show and The Feast of the Hunters' Moon. It takes an enormous amount of time to sew and pour and plier enough items to sell.

This press of time to get things made is a fairly recent issue. I started Jolis Chevaux in 2021, and it was in 2023 I noticed that I had a core group of customers who always came to my booth and who always bought something. In 2024, that group had grown and more things were selling.

Last year, 2025, I sold more at Kalamazoo than ever before. (Including the 336 maple cakes I'd brought. All gone!)  A note was left on my table when I arrived that so-and-so wanted the green shirt and would be back with the money, someone else needed this, and so on. I came home with only a few items of clothing left, a couple of custom orders, and a lot of sewing ahead of me for the Feast, just six short months away.

At the Feast, 2025, it was the same thing. People were ready to buy before I even opened up. For example, because I was presenting about horses in the 18th century to the School Days children, I had my tent flap mostly closed to indicate I was not open for selling at the time.

Nonetheless, former customers slipped in behind Belle and me and went shopping. 

And when I did open (officially) on Saturday, my clothing racks emptied fast. 

See those empty wooden hangers on the left rack? They are from clothes that were on the taller rack and sold. (That taller rack had been full when the event opened.)

By the time the Feast was over, almost all my clothing was sold. And there's the problem and why I am not making haversacks or think that I'm up to doing a vlog. I just don't have the time. 

It's sewing the clothing that is so time consuming. For chemises, bedgowns, and shirts, I allow two days per item to cut one out and stitch it up. And when you need ten chemises, five bedgowns, and twenty shirts, that's a lot of time. (70 days, just for those articles of clothing.) And then there's aprons and pockets and cloaks and panniers and more to make.

Having a growing and loyal customer base is a very good thing. That means I also get custom orders at events or even here at home in between events. (Right now I have four shirts, a cravat, a stock, and a bedgown for people who'd like to pick them up at Kalamazoo.)

But the down side is, I'm not making haversacks nor have I made that first cute little outfit or anything for Elsie Mae!

Please don't misunderstand. I am NOT complaining. I am thrilled that people like what I make and grateful that my clientele is growing. Many of them have become friends in the process, a lovely bonus. And I love Jolis Chevaux and the creative outlet it gives me.

It's that I'm just not sure that I can keep this pace up unless I make a change of some sort. And what that change might be eludes me. 

Stay 'tooned on this one, that's for sure.

Don't forget the Give Away! Comment to enter on any blog post published 2/9/26 - 2/ 12/26 by 11:59 PM. Guess which model I might get in my replacement Vintage Club set - the Scratching Foal or the Running Foal or, if you've already done that, just make any sort of comment you wish.

(The previous blog post has more information about the book. Check it out!