Swaps and Stablemates

As per usual I've been procrastinating and although I've rather a lot to blog about, I kinda...haven't, so apologies for that!

One thing which has got me back in the mood for posting about things this week however is the lovely box of goodies I got in the post from Barbara/Willowisp on Blab as part of that forum's traditional 'Spring Swap'.

Some new customs and nail polish ponies!

I haven't posted anything properly model horsey in a while so hopefully this'll make up for the lack of posts!

I've had a whole pile of bodies sitting next to my desk for the last year or so in varying degrees of completion. Some needed resculpting, others just required a skoosh of primer or sealer. One of them was this G1 Seabiscuit stablemate that I'd resculpted with plaits and a new tail aaaages ago. I'd primed her, but done nothing else and that was really bothering me, so last week I got the pastels out and started painting. I'd always wanted to make her appaloosa so I found a few good references I liked the look of and got started.

I used a silicone 'clay shaper' to apply the pastels rather than a brush which let me do more deliberate spots and mottling and I really love the effect. I went over the blanket with very thinned down white acrylic, then another few layers of pastel over the top to blend it together.

Despite such a complicated pattern I finished her in a couple of days and she's now ready to begin her performance career where she'll be known as EA Quirtsquip, the Knabstrupper mare.

I love this mould so much, it's so expressive!

This is a very crappy pic but here's a sneaky peek at what she'll be doing for her first outing at the Copperfox Tour event in a couple of weeks!

...and now for something completely different.

I took part in Model Horse Blab's 'Spring Stablemate Swap' again this year (it's kind of like a secret santa, but with custom stablemates and usually chocolate and things) I did some decorator customs for my partner and sent some sweeties and chocolate and things. They said they loved them, so I was really pleased. 

I think one of the nail varnishes is acting up a bit as it was supposed to give a holographic gold sheen but it seems to have reacted with the other polishes and while its still gold, it has an odd texture so apologies to wildwinds if it changes further, I didn't realise until I looked at the photos and saw it do the same on something else I painted the other day!

I was thinking of kirin when I did this one so she has glitter 'scales' on her back, although they've blended in rather a lot more than I intended, lol.

 I really struggled to part with this one...

...so I made him a twin to keep!

 This is a sort of metallic/holographic appaloosa...thing. XD I don't really know how else to describe him but I love him to bits. I really like how textured he turned out and I'd like to try something similar again soon.

 

I couldn't resist doing a glitter rainbow pony either.

My box from ICSpots however, was held to ransom in customs for a while so I only just got it today but jeezo, was it worth waiting for! O_O

The massive box was a shock in itself but it didn't take long to open, although getting everything out took considerably longer as I was oohing and ahhing at everything I pulled out!

To say I'm overwhelmed would be something of an understatement, just look at all this awesome! I knew some people went all out in these swaps but I wasn't expecting anything as generous as this!

LOADS of chocolate (which in this house won't last very long, ahaha) and cookies and tasty deliciousness of all kinds, (I've been wondering what the infamous 'peeps' taste like for years, haha) as well as a $15 Rio Rondo voucher, (which will be put to very good use) some postcards and handmade jewellery. I'm not much of a jewellery person but I'm going to display them above my desk so I can admire them when I'm working - the colours are fantastic!

Then of course there were the ponies! I'd already kinda guessed that this little guy was going to be coming to me and he's even cuter than he looked in the photos - there's something about the painting and the sculpt combo that makes me think of an illustration from an old vintage horse book. 

His travelling companion however was a complete mystery and I absolutely love him!

I was feeling a bit under the weather today as I didn't sleep much this weekend so this really made my day! I can't thank Linda enough, I've been totally and utterly spoiled!

Blab Photo Contest Prizes!

About a month or so ago, Model Horse Blab ran a photo contest which I duly entered...and two of my photos came second!

My Magpie Arab custom by Laura Bond (EA Give Up The Ghost) nabbed second place in the 'Artistic' class...



...and my unknown brand OF Donkey, Jackson, got second in the 'Realistic Scene' class.



I was only a couple of votes away from first each time, so even though I'm a little disappointed not to have won overall, I really can't complain as I was still eligible for prizes! There was a good selection to choose from, (including some gorgeous traditional scale resins that the first placers quite rightly beat me to!) but in the end I went for the 'Polka Dot Parade' set of appaloosa Stablemates, and a Breyer resin 'BullintheHeather'.

I'm not sure what to show this one as because obviously Saddlebreds can't be spotted and all the Walkaloosas I've looked at seem to harbour more of an Appaloosa conformation. Ah well, she's cute regardless and SO shiny! (seriously, I've never seen a glossier OF SM)





She has a few wonky spots so I might etch her in the future, which is exactly what I did with one of the set...



I loved the base colour but the appy blanket did nothing for me, so...







This one may end up in the body box because I really don't like this style of OF appaloosa, but he's growing on me, so we'll have to see.



The Breyer resin was bigger than I'd expected - somewhere along the size of Collectas, and quite heavy too. I wasn't sure of his paintjob from other photos I'd seen and thought I may have to repaint him, which I will now as his offside was covered in rubs from the box. :( He has massive ears too, and I don't like the base, so I might give him a bit of cosmetic surgery with the new rotary tool that should be winging its way to me as I type... :P

He'd look smashing in a really rich bay I think.



It was so lovely to enter a (free!) show and get such nice prizes - massive thank yous to everyone on Blab who voted for my entries and to the most generous prize providers! :D :D