Reorganizing

I spend a lot of time in my sewing room, although it's also a horse room, too. There are four shelving units filled with models along with two china cabinets. I enjoy having horsey things in there with me as I sew but the room has gotten very, very crowded.

Wednesdays and Fridays it's also filled with doggos and an extra blanket or two for them. It was this photo taken last week that prompted me to reorganize that room. I needed to add another three drawer tub for fabrics and there simply was no more space. And when the dogs are here, they like to camp out and snooze while I sew. I find myself stepping over dogs and blankets to get to things I need as I work.

Things were out of control, and I was having trouble finding things. Yes, I really do need five pin cushions, four magnetic pin holders, and three plastic boxes of other pins. A pin is not simply a pin - they come in different lengths and widths, with plain, plastic, or glass heads (the plastic heads melt so you can't iron over them like you can the glass or plain), and depending on the fabric you are using, you choose which pin is best for it.

Plus my sewing room is about to go back to being a guest bedroom for the holidays, and I need to be able to tuck things away quickly and get it ready for use.

A daunting task, yes, but actually I enjoy organizing and tidying up.

I didn't get this kind of help when I worked, although Pepper and Tammo kept me company!

A wheel had broken on one of my three drawer tubs, damaging the plastic wheel slot in the process. I popped off the other wheels and set the broken tub (full of horsey fabrics) onto my grandmother's writing desk. I never use her desk for writing, so why not? Besides, I can reach those fabrics much more easily now.

Tubs of 18th century patterns along with a tower of ribbons, mini tubs of sewing and embroidery tools, and a chest of drawers topped with (as well as stuffed with) embroidery items. I moved the Stablemate barn there, too.

Haversacks ready to be turned and to have a final pressing this morning on the ironing board. 

I sorted out every tub and box and have a bunch of things to give away - good fabrics and ribbons, but ones that don't fit either 18th century or pony pouch sewing. They just take up room so I am passing them on.

I was able to keep my Halloween decor out in the sewing room. There's not a lot of room for it now, but it is enough to make me feel festive. 

The wheel on the tub that initiated all this organizing broke because I was constantly rolling it in and out from under the sewing table and the friction from the carpet finally overstressed the plastic. As an experiment, I placed an extra sewing mat under another cart that often gets rolled back and forth. That made it easier to roll but I use that sewing mat a lot when I sew. I plan to look into an office mat or two instead.

I'd bought this new three drawer tub to replace the one with the broken wheel slot, but having removed the wheels and plopping it up on the writing desk kept it useful, and I'd culled so many things that I no longer needed, this tub is now free and open.

I have my 18th century block prints stacked on a folding table, but maybe I will put them into this tub? We will see. I may move a few things around a little more, but essentially I am done.

I'll post about the blackened beeswax ornaments that are for sale either later today or tomorrow.

Stay 'tooned!

More Cleaning and the Hobby's "Never Have I Ever"

The work on cleaning, culling, and reorganizing my collection continued yesterday and I made good progress.

But the progress was slow, especially when it came to dusting the very top shelves.

Picking each model up, dusting it, dusting under it, then setting it carefully down all while standing on a ladder and with a shoulder that would catch and hurt at times... I had to go slowly.

The other shelves were not difficult at all (although my shoulder did zing me occasionally.)

I pulled up a chair, sat down in it, and moved models as I dusted them to the ladder's steps.

Then I'd dust the shelf they'd been standing on - much faster and far more efficient!

I got this shelf unit in the middle done yesterday in addition to the top shelf models on the three shelving units I'd done previously.

Five more to do in here and then three in the sewing room. And then there are three china cabinets. It's going to take a while, but I am determined to finish. And, as I said yesterday, I do enjoy cleaning and reorganizing my collection.

Meanwhile, the hobby is having some fun as Sputter Moo Productions' "Never Have I Ever, Breyer Collector Edition" makes its rounds. 

I'd love to jump in, but I also want to finish my cleaning project. So as I look at Sputter Moo's list, I see that I've done most of the things on there - an advantage of having been in the hobby a long time. (Which translates into I am old. Ahem!)

Absolutely I've got time to show ya'll the list of the six things I have not done. So...

Never Have I Ever:

- Sold all my models (My carpet herd members need have no fears about that!)

- Gone to BreyerWest (I had plans but then Denver Daughter Sarah moved back to Iowa City.)

- Owned a traditional Alborozo (I do have its mini counterpart.)

- Owned a Khemosabi mold (A mold that never appealed to me.)

- Won a BreyerFest raffle model (I never do raffles although I will donate to them at live shows.)

- Taken a model on vacation (No and Yes. I have traveled with a model before, but I can't recall ever deliberately taking one with me "just because.")

I'm sort of thinking that I need to take a model on vacation with me. And some day I'd love to go to BreyerWest, too. 

But there's still one last, smaller list.

Lynn's Never Would I/Not Happening Ever list:

- Sell all my models (Are you kidding? I am kissing every carpet herd member on the nose as I dust them; they are not going anywhere!)

- Owned a Traditional Alborozo (He's pretty, but he's just never appealed to me.)

- Owned a Khemosabi (If I can resist Alby, then it's a very easy pass on Khemosabi.)

- Won a BreyerFest raffle model (I don't do raffles. Period.)

That was fun! And now, back to cleaning, culling, and reorganizing!

A Relaxing Day Just Puttering

You'd think that if you are retired, you would be getting all the relaxation that you need (or want.) Apparently that is not necessarily so - I spent almost all day yesterday just puttering in the horse room, and I ended up feeling more mellow and content at the end of the day than I have in a long time. It was wonderful!

Since late summer, I had been wanting to get into the horse closet and sort out models that I'd simply shoved in there with an "I'll get to you later" promise. Yesterday that day finally came.

Shelf eaters had been the bulk of most of my 2023 purchases and I was short shelf space as a result. I decided I would sort out some sales models first, and many of those were tucked away in the horse room closet.

The first piece I came across was this decaying Western Horse.

When he began disintegrating, I'd pulled him off my shelves and placed him in a box in the closet.

The poor thing was a mess, losing a leg as the warping process had progressed.

It was time to throw him away. That was hard; I love my models and have many sentimental attachments to them. But like I said, it was time.

Thinking about other vintage collectors, I clipped off the reins - someone might be restoring a rein-less Western Horse and be able to use these original O-link reins.

I saved the saddle, too, for the same reasons.

By the time I'd gone through the closet and pulled some pieces off my shelves, I had two big boxes of sales models.

With that now open shelf space, it was time to free some recent purchases from the boxes I'd left them in.

The stack of boxes in this corner had gotten quite high; now the only boxes there were models I intended to keep and was leaving in their boxes for the sake of value. The rest of those boxes were opened.

I love Josine Vingerling's sculpts of the Welsh Mare and Welsh Foal, and black is my favorite horse color so I was pleased to add these two to my collection.

When I took them out of their box, was I surprised to discover that they were chalky, too!

The shading on my MorganQuest Native Son is exceptionally nice.

Peptoboonsmal on the Dundee model was a glossy I got in the Collectors Club Appreciation event.

The last keeper in all those Breyer boxes was Orren Mixer's Ideal Appaloosa. I love the Geronimo mold, and Appaloosas are my favorite breed.

Unboxing Breyers means a leftover pile of plastic clips, covered wire, and molded leg cups.

And a pile of boxes with plastic inserts for the trash, and a smaller pile of recyclable inserts for the recycling tote.

It also leaves me with more shelf space and a happy, "I got it done!" feeling.

Now, to tackle the Hartlands and other Breyers I have packed away in one of the closets in the sewing room. I sorted them out to sell over a year ago, thinking I'd take them to BreyerFest 2023. Aside from a bunch of Breyer Tennessee Walking Horses, I don't remember anything that is in there. 

Maybe I'll have another relaxing day next Saturday!

Note: No sales models will be posted on Sundays.