Moving On to the Next Thing!

The virtual seminar is all sorted, clipped, and has notes to accompany it. It's been sent to Mountain Mama Jessica and she will begin putting it all together into one cohesive video today. 

I love teaching, I love sewing, and I love models. Creating a virtual seminar hits all three of those loves. But doing one is a lot of work and I am tired.

Of course, there are always things that you find that make you laugh. Not only did Nashie make his way around the baby gate we'd put at the bottom of the stairs and interrupt filming, but another visitor photo bombed us.

As I was previewing the film clips, a sudden streak across the window in one video caught my eye. I rewound the clip and a bird had flown across the yard outside the window! 

It was small, but very distracting. It's been removed. (Unlike the time that Craig strolled across the yard with the dogs in tow to do their business that was caught on camera. I didn't catch that until I was watching the finished video at BreyerFest!)

My next step is to watch the draft that Jessica sends back to me, make any requests for changes (if needed), watch it a final time (including for what is going on outside the window, LOL) and then send the completed video on to Breyer.

Now I move on to my next project - finishing preparations for Indy Blooms. The swap meet is this afternoon, but I won't be there. 

I went last year and had good sales, but I wasn't using a walker then. Hauling in and hauling out Friday night, then repeating that for the show next day, plus a long day of showing... I don't think I am up to that this year. 

I went through my downstairs china cabinet yesterday and pulled out some pieces I am considering taking to the show. 

My real love is collectibility, and this year the show doesn't have collectibility classes as it has in the past. (There are a few decorator classes at the end of each division, but there is much more to collectibility than just the decorators.) And, I am less and less inclined to bring my really valuable or old chinas - the risk of breakage is just too high.

So, between no collectibility classes and those pesky lifting restrictions I am still under, my show string is small. Some tried and true plastics and (less valuable) chinas, a couple decorators, and that's all.

But I'm okay with that. I've been showing for years and the best part for me is seeing my hobby friends and making new ones. Plus, Leslie is going with me and we will get some sister time as I show.

It's going to be a great day.

Filming the BreyerFest Video - Rescheduled

 Second Post of the Day

For several weeks, filming this summer's BreyerFest virtual seminar has been planned for yesterday. Lisa was going to drop by after school and film me teaching.

Well, we all know what can happen to plans, right?

I was ready to go.

The sewing machine and sewing tools I would need were in place. (Much more neatly than they usually are when I am sewing, haha!)

I knew I would be doing some standing and walking back and forth as we filmed, but I rarely use my walker in the house so I gathered most of the things I might want to use to minimize that:

an assortment of models to use to demonstrate the show drape,

and my sewing cart which I filled with some fabric samples that I might want to show.

Finally, I'd set up a display area with those things close to hand, changed into the clothes I wanted to wear, slicked on some mascara and fixed my hair, and was ready.

It just took one water heater that refused to heat to upend all those plans and preparation. Lisa's water heater, not ours.

I have a lot to do right now, so the delay is upending those other plans. Today I'd planned to process the film clips and then send them on to Mountain Mama Jessica who compiles the final film for me. I was going to begin packing models for Indy Blooms which is this coming Saturday. And there's an 18th century bedgown cut out and prepped to stitch.

Lisa insists that we try again tonight despite the fact that she has no hot water. I lost the argument when I told her I could wait another day. Having filmed these virtual seminars for me before, she understands the process and knows that we need to get it done soon so that I can send it to Breyer on time. I appreciate her thoughtfulness, but... 

Stay 'tooned.

Unsealing My Lips - an Announcement!

 At last! I can share some news that I have been excited about ever since last fall.

See that bottom right photo on the BreyerFest workshop page?

That's me - I am teaching a workshop for BreyerFest: Prost on how to make Pony Pads!

When Breyer contacted me in early November, they invited me to teach an in-person seminar at Kentucky Horse Park. I was willing, but I felt that asking Breyer to have 20 plus sewing machines on hand for me would not be feasible. (To say nothing of the irons and ironing boards that would be required, too.) So, I suggested I do an online seminar instead. Breyer agreed.

Daughter-in-love Vanessa is a professional photographer with her own studio downtown and she agreed to help me with the seminar's recording and production. 

Last weekend she came over to film the seminar. (I made an oblique reference to it in this blog post but at that point I could not share what project we were working on together.)

I was a little nervous beforehand but as a teacher, I've taught many seminars in the past and teacher-mode soon kicked in.

Breyer sent me an email yesterday and said that since the workshops have now been posted, I could begin promoting mine. 

All collectors who purchase tickets will be able to watch my seminar. That includes virtual tickets, so if you want to see it but aren't attending BreyerFest in person, you can watch it that way. (Virtual tickets go on sale later this month.)

As I understand it, that is the only way you will be able to watch - I won't be able to put the video on YouTube for you all to see when BreyerFest is over.

I've attended many BreyerFests, but this is the first time I've presented anything. I've always thought that if I ever did, it would be in connection with collectibility or vintage Breyers. 

Never did I dream that my other hobby of sewing would bring me into the Breyer spotlight.