FAMulous: A Vintage Link to the Racing Costumes

There is a ramp in the building where we are holding the FAMulous Collectibility Show that is actually a staircase that was modified to make the building ADA compliant.

This isn't that staircase, but it is similar. Allison and I decided we would have some lunchtime entertainment by having some horse racing with the ramp as the track. Allison has taken five FASs and added wheels to them and my task is to make racing costumes for them. 

I am not a tack maker - never have been and never will be. But I did make tack out of felt for my carpet herd back in the Pawnee Stables days.

I still have some of that felt tack - it's battered but it's beloved.

So, since this is a vintage show, I tried to keep the vintage vibe going by making racing apparel out of felt.

Each racing costume is designed to match one of us or something about Indiana.

Allison would celebrate Christmas year-round if she could

so naturally the one that represents her has snowflakes, a Christmas ribbon, and a Christmas tree on the neck ribbon. (Modeling for us is my sister's carpet herd FAS, Jingles.)

Stan (Allison's husband) loves music and is a radio announcer for NPR at Ball State University. He is also announcing our show. (How many shows can say that their announcer has won two Emmys?)

Using appliqués from my quiet book projects, I devised a musical racing costume in his honor.

Liz Cory and I have a friendly rivalry going on about our alma maters - the University of Illinois and the University of Iowa. She is judging at FAMulous, and no doubt this racing costume in Fighting Illini colors will make her laugh.

The unicorn on it has already made Allison laugh (which I had hoped it would do.) She knows how much I dislike unicorns and actually named a unicorn in her collection after me, so I popped the unicorn appliqué on as a tweak to our friendship.

The Indianapolis 500 racing costume is my favorite of them all. I was struggling for ideas and sorting through my appliqués when I came across the checkered flags. I knew I had a large appliqué of a race car, too, and dug that out.

True Indy car fans will know that that race car is not an Indy car, but it will do.

This last costume was actually an experiment.  I liked it so I decided to keep it.

The theme is a bit of a stretch (a LONG stretch) but since it has butterflies and a ladybug, it represents the lovely flora and fauna found in Indiana. (Like I said, it's a stretch!)

The winner's neck ribbon is still a work in progress.

I've tried it as a neck ribbon but I prefer to have it loose and simply draped over the FAS's back. I'm still thinking, but I will get it figured out.

Next up! A look at our FAMulous rosettes. Stay 'tooned!

A Peek at My Loot

Liz picked up my BreyerFest models for me and is bringing them to me at FAMulous. I can hardly wait! She sent me a sneak peek at my things a day ago.

The L bag is full to overflowing so she had to use the extra Breyer bag that I tucked inside and was pretty sure would be needed.

Black Forest! Believe it or not, that was my most wanted model this year out of all the BreyerFest SRs and LEs. 

And yes, that is a Cheval box - wait until you see what she found for me.

Here is a sneak peek - I will write more about this piece when I have it in-hand next week. 

I had heard the packaging of the bears set was clever and know that many collectors are saving it.

I'm a little concerned about them being scented - I've had migraines since I was nine and strong odors are a trigger for me. I will open them, but if they give me headaches, I'll have to pack them back up.

Liz had an extra Elbe and Spree set and I purchased them from her. They will be in the L bag along with Brahms and a Brahms pin, a Hartland Tinymite TWH, and my ticket book. 

The L bag is like Santa's bag, full of exciting things that fill you with anticipation, and I can't wait to open its goodies next Saturday.

Abby & Two Socks

The herd gets along well with each other and Abby and Dolly often function as "aunts" to Two Socks. 

I've seen her hanging out in the pasture with them while her mama was out of sight behind the old barn. 

Two Socks has been bold from birth, and she did not hesitate the other day to check out the candy cane that "Aunt Abby" was munching.

Abby gave her a side eye and turned her head away, 

but Two Socks persisted.

A quick nip sent the message that the little girl was out of line.

Lesson learned. (Aunts are very forgiving.)

FAMulous Prep

Live shows are a lot of work. I have been working most of the day on FAMulous and this is the state of my office right now.

I have been going through tubs looking for things that Allison and I will need for the show,

working on welcome gifts and letters,

and packing the things that are ready to go into tubs and boxes.

The ribbons that we packed away from the last show were pulled out of storage

put into piles,

and grouped so that the judges can grab a set and hand them out. There are more ribbons on order; they were shipped today and are scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

There are some really generous folks in our hobby.

Elise Partanen sent the Christmas items and the mystery box (which I am dying to open!!)

and these

and these! All beautifully wrapped so that all we have to do is put them out on the table! (Thanks so much, Elise!)

Liz Cory donated a $25 gift card to Breyer (thanks, Liz!), and other donations are on the way. 

It would be an understatement to say I am tired, but it is a happy-tired. I love the hobby and while a live show is a ton of work, it will be worth it to spend a day with others who love vintage models like I do.

Now, off to figure out how to make a racing blanket for the lunchtime FAS races. More on that activity to come. Stay 'tooned!

Double Lucky Find!

Since I was at home for BreyerFest and couldn't shop at the Clarion, I went to one of my favorite antique malls and did a little shopping there instead. 

Imagine my surprise when I came around a corner and spied not one but two Western Ponies with grooming kits.

And for just $3 each! They were in my shopping cart before you could blink.

Both are in need of a bath and the removal of some sticker residue

But they have no breaks or major rubs.

One has a hind leg a little more forward than the other and both grooming kits have some tears in the vinyl from someone removing them.

But I am still thrilled with this find. They were made from 1958 - 1971 and so they are 51 - 64 years old.

Finding one of something is the usual collector's scenario. Finding two of the exact same thing? Makes me wonder if they belonged to two family members who have kept them together all these years. Perhaps they were Christmas gifts to two young siblings that were left behind as they became adults and have now found their way into an antique shop.

Hard to tell but fun to speculate. 

I plan to clean these up and keep one while the other is a gift for Liz Cory to thank her for picking up my BreyerFest models for me. 

Summer Storm

Summer storms in the midwest often roll in fast and we had a good one blow through recently. It was a sunny morning and Pepper indicated that she wanted to go outside.

When I stepped out into the back yard with her, I saw this unusual cloud looming over the homes behind us.

A front was moving in, and the leading edge was right over us.

In a matter minutes, these black, roiling clouds followed that leading edge of the front.

Craig and I stood on the patio and watched the storm roll in. It was coming at a good clip and passing over us fast.

When the wind kicked up and began blowing things over on our patio, I took Pepper inside. Then I stepped back out to snap some more pictures.

Storms fascinate me, and this one had really interesting cloud patterns within it.

The rain began to fall and the lightning was getting close, so we headed back into the house.

The storm blew by as quickly as it had come in, and later when I checked the horses, just a few clouds remained as a reminder of the storm we'd had. That, and some greener grass for the horses.