Day Trip

Snoozin' after a long hard day of travel

The best part about living in New York City is being able to hop a train (or plane for that matter) and go pretty much anywhere with ease. Today I took a day trip out to Mount Arlington, New Jersey to pick up the new rattie babies. The trip was very scenic and the time away from the familiar was welcomed. I can't thank the Meghan of Paper Heart Rattery enough for allowing me to adopt these two cute little gals from her and for being so kind and wonderful today.

The gals have settled in already and it's been such a nice change of pace watching young, healthy pets bounding about their cage. I had been watching sickies since February. My entire crew were up in age and got sick and then passed and each passing was just heartbreaking because I had spent every day with these pets. I almost forgot what it was like to have a young rattie in the house. Its nice and I've already started to bond with Petunia. I believe she will be the first to train. The other one found the famous hiding spot near the wheel and as you can see, is utilizing it. That is ok. All in good time.

Today was a long, but fruitful day even if I didn't do a stitch of art work. The time away has replenished my urge to work and has inspired me.

Petunia's first photo shoot

Smile!

Weekend Highlights

Bouquet for Mother's Day

Highlights from the weekend:

~ Prepping quite a few horses who are all now ready for painting.
~ Being woken softly on Mother's Day by my son who was so excited about giving me his handmade gift.
~ Crying over that gift because it was so beautiful.
~ Enjoying so much BBQ my husband cooked I wanted to burst. Life IS delicious, indeed!
~ Attending a KICKIN' wedding in the Bronx! Congrats Cousin Lauren!!!

A great weekend most definitely!
How was yours?

The most beautiful flower in the world

Chopping Fun

The new stud

That Halla mold had been tempting me for days. I had been dying to chop into it and yesterday when I couldn't stand my mind going on and on about chopping...I chopped! BOY, it felt good to be customizing again. Last night I started adding the filling in the neck and this morning I'll add a bit more. I'm very jazzed about this guy. He's taking away all those feelings of dread and failure with my Pumpkin sculpture. I'm hoping to solve some problems on Pumpkin through this guy. I'll share more of him later.

Today is a Good Day

Peek on my desk

Today is a good day to:

~ Work on something for myself in whatever color I want. (I choose the Rayne)
~ Sneak a small bowl of Capt n Crunch in when no one is looking.
~ Enjoy the cherry blossom tree one last time before the petals are totally gone.
~.Watch my son paint.
~ Give my husband a huge hug when he gets home and tell him how much I appreciate all he does for us.
~ Get lost in painting the Working Girl resin later on.
~ Have fun trying to name some of my models.
~ Snuggle with my boys before each goes to sleep.

Cause....

A study in house paint and fur

Cause...

...it's just so much fun to look at these old photos. I still have these horses, including the study in house paint and fur. She gave up her back legs eventually for a broken Indian Pony (who refused to stay fixed) and is in my body box here in Brooklyn. I have no idea why I felt the need to let her tag along. Perhaps I will use her head for a project some day. Maybe someday soon!


San Domingo struttin'
and Black Beauty winning a rough race.
Notice the hoof prints in the sand? I remember
that scene being very labor intensive.

I was given another "How to" article to write for JAH and this article will revolve around some simple remaking of a horse head. Nothing too over the top, just a how to add markings to a head. They sent me two of my favorite molds for the project. The Yellow Mount mold and the Halla mold.

I LOVE Halla. She was a great piece to play with when I was young (I have my original mold here in my Brooklyn collection too) and I am dying to chop the head off the new one that arrived. I want to lower the neck and create a pretty cm remake. It's been a while since I made a plastic remake. It seems like it was just yesterday when that was the only type of remaking there was in our industry. Time sure flies!

Saturday

Francesco at the camera

"You ok?" Asked my husband as I returned from JFK. After all this time together he just knows me. He knows that there is always a sense of sadness that always overcomes me when I have to drop one of my very best friends April off at the airport.

For about two years I had connections up in the Buffalo area. Lets just call those "bad decisions" that turned into hard learned lessons. Honestly, I hated it there and wound up really hating the place after the summer of 92'. I vowed never to return. I had seen the Falls and been there, done that and was unimpressed with everything that was "REALLY upstate NY".

But years later I am plotting and trying to figure a way to get up to the Buffalo/Rochester area to visit April whom I met on my small and private "Pastel Club" Yahoo group (now gone). For years now she has been making a yearly trip to see me here in Brooklyn. It's time I go up and visit her and my fear of flying just overcomes me, but perhaps the 7 hour drive won't be so bad. It's funny how years of conversing over this computer can bring people closer together. It can bridge gaps that miles leave. I'm so fortunate to have her in my life. Her visits are always fun. Her visits are always filled with laughter, horses galore, lots of coffee, memories and relaxation. It's always time to sit back, enjoy our love of model horses no matter how silly it may seem. I'm always just "me" with April.

Board games and laughs

I feel rejuvinated and inspired now. It's a blessing to have such a wonderful friend. I thank God every night for her and many others I've met through this silly "box" called the computer.

Spring Visit

Finished SM Breyer

Joy! April is here once again for her yearly visit and it's been fantastic just talking and talking and talking over many cups of coffee. Scoured the internet together yesterday just taking in all the artist blogs and new works on MHSP. It's always so much more fun to "window shop" on MHSP with a close friend.

Today is mold pouring day. I hope the new medallion molds pour well. I'd also love it if she were to take a few photos of me trying to complete my next JAH article. Well, let's rephrase that...take photos of me trying to START the project! LOL I normally have to take my photos myself and to have someone help take a shot or two would not only give me better photos for the article but it will offer newer angles.

Coffee is calling.