Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Hitting the Mall

At last! Nearly three weeks since I purchased them, my pink Freeman Leidy set is arriving today! Due to the fragility of these pieces and with the help from some friends, it is being hand delivered to me over in Kokomo later today. 

The set has made its way from central Ohio and through the hands of Christina Harrington (who kindly offered to pick it up for me when she learned I was only one day post-op and could not drive for a while), Ronda Mosley, Allison Pareis, and Stan Sollars. These pieces have had quite the journey. 

Hopefully tomorrow I will have some pics to share and will tell you more about their trek to me. In the meantime, I can't wait to hit the road for Kokomo!

I had a rare opportunity to do some antiquing Monday. My best friend Lisa moved to Indianapolis so I traveled down there and met her for lunch and a catch-up session. 

Lisa giving me my Abby necklace for my birthday last August. 

It was good to catch up and afterward I stopped at an antique mall that I hadn't visited in a while. (Fortunately I had my walker in the trunk of my car - I still get tired as I am recuperating and the walker allows me to sit down when I need a moment.)

I enjoy going on the hunt for HSOs in the wild and the mall had a fair share of them. (Horse Shaped Objects - hobby slang.)


There must have been thousands and thousands of these furry maned chinas made as I see them all the time. (I got the one on the right in St. Louis when I was in 4th grade and it's part of my carpet herd.)


I was interested in the Britains horse and rider but its tail was missing. (Er, the horse's, not the rider's...) I have the Hartland foal already.


The Western Ponies were not in good shape nor was the Appaloosa Performance Horse or the Western Prancer. The Five Gaiter was in good shape but overpriced. (Besides, I already have it.)


That St. Bernard, though, is sitting on the shelf behind me here at home!


Someone has glued this Japan mini family onto a mirror.


I probably should have bought this piece, but I'm pretty sure I already have it. It was in a locked glass case and I was far enough into the mall, I did not feel like walking back to the front desk and asking someone to open it for me.


Two more of the vintage Japan mini horse families. I was sorely tempted by the pamoninos with their big ol' spots!


A Breyer Buck and Fawn; the does are knock-offs. (Their plastic was styrene.)


I was tempted by this Goebel piece, but when I examined it, it had a poorly repaired break so I set it back on the shelf.


This cutie is in my carpet herd already but it made me smile and feel nostalgic to see it.


The ubiquitus Breyer Boxer. Already have five so it stayed at the mall. 


Often you see old horse collars turned into mirrors


but this one had pictures of harness horses, including circus horses! A pass for me, but I enjoyed looking at them.


Another pass (ya'll know why), but it was in excellent shape.


I thought about getting this polar bear for Hawkeye Sarah (she loves to photograph bears) but she prefers grizzlies to polar.


I considered getting this nice little collie


but this Springer Spaniel is the piece I regret most leaving behind. The photo doesn't do it justice. It was beautiful and is in excellent shape.


 Our very first family dog was a Springer named Duffy and he was the best introduction to dogs our kids could have had. After he passed away at the age of fifteen, it took me three years to even begin to consider getting another dog. Sometimes I still cry when I think about him.

After driving to and from Indy, an extended lunch with my friend, and then wandering through an antique mall, I came home and fell into bed, sleeping for two hours into the evening!

But it was fun and worth the tiredness. 

Stay 'tooned for some Freeman Leidy pics!




Tuesday, March 4, 2025

'Twill Be Done

 This is the state of my office right now as I do inventory and pack for The Kalamazoo Living History Show.


I'm still under lifting and twisting restrictions so I have been careful to slide tubs that are on top of each other either onto a chair or to let them just crash onto the floor. (Sure can't do that when you are packing for a model horse show!)

Of course, once they are on the floor, I cannot lift them back up. Craig will do that for me, but I won't ask him until I am done inventorying and repacking. 

I'm actually making good progress and hope to finish up later today or tomorrow.

I've gotten a little unplanned sewing done, too - three aprons made from the white cotton I have for chemises. 


They are on a drawstring which makes it so they fit most people.


For the first one I used a one inch twill tape for that drawstring. Twill tape is sturdy and it is period correct.


For the other two aprons, I used half inch twill tape.


Either width is fine so it just comes down to personal preference. 


Some women prefer a wider width, others do not. By using both widths, I offer a better selection to my customers.

I also use twill tape for the drawstring around the neckline (tied and tucked inside) and then at the wrists for chemises. 


For a chemise, I prefer one-eighth inch twill tape.


As I was working, I realized that I was almost out of the inch wide tape. Naturally, I had to go shopping.

I went to my favorite 18th century sewing shop, Burnley & Trowbridge. And of course I found some other things I needed while I was shopping.
  

I had tracking for my order within two hours of placing it! Burnley & Trowbridge's customer service is second to none.

I'm actually a little ahead of schedule for Kalamazoo right now and I am toying with making a pattern I've had for a few months and have been wanting to try.

Ever heard of the Frances Rump?

It's a type of bum roll/modification that gave women the fuller backside look that was fashionable in the last quarter of the 18th century.
 

And look! It's pleated! I love how pleats look and oh, how I love to make them. Surely I will have time to make the Frances Rump before the show. Fingers crossed.

Off to go check my fabric stash and draft a pattern. Hopefully, 'twill be done soon. (Hah!)



Monday, March 3, 2025

More BreyerFest News

It's Monday so we can expect a fresh week of BreyerFest announcements. But, aside from sharing the peek at the virtual workshops that dropped last Monday, I still have not shared last week's other BreyerFest news.

The biggest announcement happened on Friday - ticket news! Normally ticket sales begin in February, and collectors have been wondering why that has not yet happened. 

Friday's BreyerFest blog post was short and to the point.


Tickets will be going on sale this month (March) and Breyer says, "... as soon as we are ready to announce an on-sale date..." they will share the news, and then thanks everyone for their patience.

Speculation on social media is that, because of the issues CCG has had in shipping models, Breyer is leery about having similar issues with BreyerFest and wants to make sure CCG is back on track before selling tickets to the event. This year's tickets will all be done electronically, something new in and of itself, and I think Breyer is wise to straighten out these problems before starting ticket sales.

Judging by the numerous collectors (including myself) whose long-awaited models have begun arriving and reports of other shipping problems having been addressed, Breyer is working hard on the mess at CCG.


Three more guest horses were also announced last week:

Repeat the Beat will be returning to BreyerFest as a guest horse this summer but no models will be sold.


I missed out on getting this piece and as time has passed, I have become more and more a fan of the mold. (Anyone have a Repeat the Beat for sale? Contact me at horsiemama8@gmail.com, please!)



Similarly, past BreyerFest guest horses Diablo DC 


and Novelisto D will both be at BreyerFest in-person but no models of them will be offered. Breyer does suggest that you bring your own models if you'd like to have them signed by the horses' owners.

Already I am very much looking forward to this year's BreyerFest. I have been participating virtually since 2020 and have got my own BreyerFest routine and things I do that weekend that make it special for me. Virtual BreyerFest is the right fit for me at this point in my life and lets me attend despite some of the health challenges I've been having.

I'm ready to buy my tickets as soon as they are announced!





Sunday, March 2, 2025

Indy Blooms 2025

A sure sign that I am recovering and feeling better - I entered a live show.


The Indy Blooms show is less than an hour away from me and just off the interstate. Easy peasy to get there.


Another plus is that I know many of the judges. Not only are they friends, but they know their stuff and judge fairly and well.


At the Indy Blooms 2022 show I had a really good day in the China division. Five of those pieces on the table are mine. (The three Hagen Renakers, the Freeman Leidy, and the Cheval.)



The night before the show there is a swap meet.


I've only participated once and that was last year. It was worth the time and effort for me to vendor there, but I'm a little leery about overdoing it this year. (A model horse show makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop - I want to see and do everything!) So, I'm waiting a few weeks before deciding about the swap meet.

 I've been so focused on The Kalamazoo Living History Show that I haven't thought much beyond that weekend. 


But, I do have some new fabrics in for haversacks and will have six weeks to concentrate on boosting my inventory for the swap meet should I decide to vend.


Just looking at these makes me want to get started!


I love 18th century sewing - a lot.


But I also love sewing pouches, too.


They are quick and easy


and instead of spending several days stitching on just one fabric, I get five or six in one day when making haversacks.

Time will tell, but in the meantime, I'm excited to be signed up and looking forward to the show.





Saturday, March 1, 2025

And the Thief Returns

 I think I need to install a security camera in my closet.


It's been the perfect place to store new toys as Tammo does not like to walk on the tile floors that must be crossed to get into it.


But once he spied a toy in there a week or so ago, he has taken to checking the closet daily to see if any other toys have magically appeared.


And they have. I buy extras of his favorites and hide them in there. There were no problems until he got brave and made the scary crossing.


Meanwhile, the rest of the doggos let him be the fall guy and take the risk of sneaking into my closet and stealing the toys.


They are very happy to let him do the work and then play with the plunder.

All the dogs are experts at chewing up toys, but Tammo? He takes it to a new level!



I'm going to have to either find a better hiding place or put the new toys in tubs and toss a blanket over them.

Smart boi, silly boi, sweet boi ... that's Tammo!