New photostory!

-link-

:D I've been meaning to post this for AGES - I actually took the photos way back in February! XD

New rugs!

I meant to post these ages ago but oh well. XD I had to take photos with my dad's camera as Nigel's still away being (hopefully) fixed. :(

First up is Freya who gets a nice blue checked rug with matching headcollar. It's really soft and comfy looking and is probably my favourite of the lot.





Then Callisto (recently rehaired too) with a nice little green number. :) It looks a little too small but it does fit her fine, I just needed to pull it over her barrel a bit more.



Paddy gets a nice new stable rug as well. I want to make him a nice turnout at some point too - this one's too nice to get messed up in the field!



Rhu gets a nice cosy stable rug as he's getting on a bit and could do with some extra padding to keep him warm in the winter. I made the fleecy headcollar ages ago.





Likewise, Tegan has a really squishy rug with neck attachment for those really miserable days that are surely on their way! (It actually snowed in town today O__O)





Lyra gets one to match her headcollar. I'm still not sure about the colour scheme but she seems to like it. 8-)



So yeah, that's all for now! I'll have another newbie soon so she'll need some new clothes too... ;)

Meet Finn!

I've been busy this week...

Apologies for the sometimes crappy pictures - until I got to borrow my dad's camera I had to make do with my phone which doesn't like dull indoor lighting lol (For those not in the know, Nigel died on me at the MHL live show and has been sent away to be fixed...and won't be back for about 4 to 6 weeks. :( )

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This is Finn.

Hello Finn.



Aren't you going to say hello back?



Thanks!



No, you're not up on Deviantart yet, I need some proper pictures of you!



Oh now this is much better!













You should feel honoured, I tidied my desk just for you!

...

Hey...why are you looking at me like that?



Don't you do what I think you're going to do!



Awwwww no! FINN!



Hey put that down! It's not a toy, it's for pastelling!



Oi, c'mere you!



Gotcha!



I'm going to have to put you somewhere safe and escape-proof while I tidy this stuff up...




XD

So yeah, this is what I do when I'm pining for my camera and have time off from college work! XD
Finn is fully posable from his neck all the way down to his long and extremely fluffy prehensile tail. He's made from wire and pipecleaners with a super sculpey head and feet and covered in ridiculously soft fur fabric. ^^
I'm not entirely sure what he is to be honest so species name suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :D

Here he is in three stages of construction.








Suffice to say this won't be the last of these I make and it definitely isn't the only time you'll meet Finn. ;)

Apologies for the massive lack of updates recently. Since starting college I've been rushed off my feet with projects that I fell behind on and I'm only now getting back into the swing of things. :)

ANOTHER Stablemate saddle!

Yup, the tackmaking bug has once again bitten me! XD I rustled this one up in considerably less time than the other one and this time went a bit mad and made a martingale and new bridle too...







The light had gone again so you'll have to put up with yet more terrible artificially lit photos I'm afraid.





I forgot to check if it would fit today but I'm hoping that one of the tack sets will work on the G3 jumping horse so I can do a proper SJ or XC setup for the MHL Live in a fortnight's time. :D

Stablemate Scale Saddle!

When Anna Kirby of Dreamflite Design mentioned that she was going to do another saddle tutorial, I was one of many people to show a lot of interest in it. I already owned one of her saddles, (made several years ago) and was utterly gobsmacked at how detailed it was. Not only did it have real WORKING buckles but everything looked exactly as it should.

Here it is being modelled by 'EA Turkish Brandy'



Anyway, the idea of a tutorial that would allow me to make something similar really appealed to me so you can imagine how chuffed I was when I was asked to be one of the guinea pigs and try out the 'beta version' before it was published for everyone. I got the guide emailed to me last night and used it this afternoon whilst watching two of my favourite series of Blackadder. I didn't have any leather thin enough to cover the back panels but I rather like the contrast the lighter leather has against the black so it's staying like this for now.

There are a few spots of glue and things that need touched up and apologies for the crappy photos - by the time I'd finished it, the light had gone so I was forced to use artifical lighting which I absolutely loathe.













Now that I had a saddle, I thought I may as well do a bridle to match. I and the glue had some arguments, the buckles are too big and the reins too short but it definitely beats my first attempt at 1/32nd scale bridling and vaguely looks the part so I'm happy! XD



I didn't have any sticky wax so the bit is held in place by a bit of 'Pritt Stik' glue stick! XD



I'll hopefully be entering this horse and tack combo in a performance class at the MHL live in a couple of weeks and under UK rules, I'd need a rider, so...





He's a repainted and slightly resculpted Britains motorcylist I found in the 2nd hand drawer at my local model shop years ago. I always knew he'd come in handy!



The saddle rose up on the back here which I didn't notice until now so rest assured, it does sit on there properly!



I'll probably make him a body protector and Brandy a breastcollar or something to go with it...



So yeah, an afternoon well spent I reckon! MASSIVE thanks to Anna for making such a fantastic tutorial and something tells me it won't be the last time I make use of it! :D

I've still got LOADS of bodies to paint up for the show (for my showstring and sales table alike) and haven't even started working out who I'm taking and putting in each class but this is technically productive action...right? :P