Sorry its been so long!

So, I took more than an entire month off of blogging on here. I'm sure you may have noticed that, but still.

I needed an internet break. I'm still not sure what I'm doing for now. I've closed down my etsy (vacation mode) indefinitely and I am thinking about doing the same for my artfire, especially since I've only had one sale on there, and got screwed on the shipping...Moral of the story, I'm too nice to complete strangers. Basically it COST me money to send an item to someone. Yeah, I should have thought it through better, but I'm not thinking incredibly clearly with the pregnancy. So it may be best to close the listings on the Artfire for now too. I'm going to close down the website I was making. I don't have the time/desire to be online as much as I need to be to run my blog, Livejournal, update twitter, Tumblr, and check my facebook. Yeah, I'm sort of addicted.

I opened a Tumblr, by the way! I love using it, and using it sort of made me feel that I should stop neglecting this blog.

I AM going to redo my 101 things in 1001 days to-do list because so many of the goals just don't apply anymore. Things changed pretty hardcore in my life.
Speaking of...

I have to go pick up my Rebel from Best Buy, it needed to be fixed (something that my husband and I did to the poor thing over time). I haven't been doing much photography wise. I really like my Rebel, and since its been out of order, I haven't really felt like messing with the older Sony we have. We did get a new digital video camera that shoots amazing vids! And I'm getting a new computer, so hopefully I'll have more videos and pictures for you and I won't take another unannounced month and half long hiatus!

More rambling and goals

The dogs are driving me nuts. We got a sun conure on Friday, and Dakota won't stop searching for the bird and staring at him intently. The cats are better than her!

I rode Thunder today with a neighbor and it was a great relaxing ride. Thunder's feet were less sore than normal (I don't think I mentioned that here before but Thunder's front feet have been incredibly sore lately).

I'm going to take pictures of the baby and such tomorrow, I promise! I've been so busy financing a motorcycle for my husband and grocery shopping and tending to animals.

101 things in 1001 goals plans for February-
Go to the gym everyday for a month, that will be fun to attempt.
Participate in NaBloPoMo! I will try to post every day!
AND
Volunteer 1 day a week for 3 months.

It will be fun to make some major progress on my list! Wooo!

Welcome to all my new followers! I love comments so feel free to introduce yourself if you haven't!

Meshing personalities

I learned something, that I probably already knew, but I guess I only really learned the lesson recently.

Anxious people + Anxious horses = BAD

You see, my horse Titan, is highly fearful and anxious. I've never wanted to give him up because I trained him and I love him to death, but when we go to a barrel race together it is unpleasant. Now, this year I am going to try my hardest to work on relaxation at the shows and not being too nervous, however, I don't see myself improving 100%. This may mean that really, the best thing to do would be to sell him to a rider that is much more confident. I don't want this to be the outcome, as like I said, I love him and he's definitely got potential to be an amazing barrel horse. I'm going to try to figure out how, perhaps, I can decrease both of our anxieties at shows, we'll give it a whirl, but honestly, if I can't run him, then he will need to find a new home. I can't afford to feed a horse that I can't use for much of anything. Unfortunately, he is horrible on the trails, being spooky and anxious you know, and he doesn't much care for dressage (even though he looks beautiful doing it). I'm going to take him team penning, but we'll see how that goes, he's currently scared of cows. I hope to get him over that.

Anyway, it is another gloomy day in the desert. I didn't ride yesterday, but I guess I'm going to brave the wetness to ride today. I hate going too many days without riding, it can be like torture. When I broke my collarbone in March 2006 and had to wait until the end of April to ride, I went a little stir crazy (the vicodin didn't help). You know, speaking of Titan, he's the one that broke my collarbone! Although I blame myself. You see, he had a rib out of alignment and it was causing him some pain and I ignored the signs. When I was brushing the girth area he acted out and tried to nip me. Right there he was saying, "yes, that is what hurts, fix it!" However, my brain just thought, "Oh, he's being a brat today I see." duh. What ended up happening was I got off of him out on the trail and when I went to get back on the girth put some pressure on that rib and he shot forward. I, having only one foot in the stirrup, didn't stick with him and flung around and landed on my shoulder.

I did learn to pay attention to little things like that when grooming and saddling. I just learned the hard way.

So, I don't have much else to say today. I'm going to go to town with the husband and maybe get him a motorcycle. I also signed up to volunteer with the local therapeutic riding center (C.A.N.T.E.R.) on Tuesday morning.

The sun needs to come out so I can get some nice pictures of the horses! Oh, and they need to not be so wet and filthy. haha.

So, an idea given to me in the last post was to make specific days to blog about specific things. I think that I will do that for sure! I also think I'm going to close the other blog, I don't know what I was thinking really. I'm going to talk about horses here, how can I not talk about something that makes me happy and motivates me? The crafts obviously will still be here too, maybe not the leather if I decide to sell off my supplies (which is looking more and more necessary as I need ice hock boots for the horses, hoof boots for Thunder's front feet, and preferably some more therapy machine and accessories to keep them sound). As I told my husband, I like decorating the leather, but cutting it out, sewing it, all that jazz, is tedious and I'm not fond of it. I have far more fun making dreamcatchers. I might try more jewelry making, which I know probably isn't the smartest thing since there are thousands of jewelry makers on Etsy and Artfire and at all the craft shows. Oh well, if I like it, it doesn't matter! I also like photography, so I might try to focus on that more. I have a nice camera, but I'd love to get a macro lense, and a telephoto lense!

Speaking of the horseshoe dreamcatchers, I finished two!


They will be available in my Etsy and Artfire in the next day or two.

I love rainy days in the desert. Its cloudy and gloomy out, which I'm not fond of, but the smell of rain on the desert soil is the best smell next to horses, ever! OK, maybe I'm just weird, but that's what I think. Hopefully, I can at least get Titan out and work him out, since Thunder is still really sore on his front feet. I need to get him those boots and pronto. I've been thinking about trying magnetic bell boots also. I've heard lots of people say they work wonders. I believe in the science of magnetic therapy, but most of the magnets sold for it are too low in strength to be any good. The ones in the bell boots I'm looking at are supposed to be pretty high, and they have great ratings. Have any of you tried magnetic therapy on your horse or yourself? Any results?

Oh, and one more thing! From now on, Mondays will be horse talk days and Tuesdays will be craft talk days. Wednesdays might be animal talk and my 101 things list combined. The rest of the days will be a crazy mixture. I will try to get some newer pictures of Orion up so people can see him! His tail is getting so long!

I'm a conundrum

So I started that new blog about barrel racing and horses and I'm not sure I'm going to keep it. I keep thinking I'd rather stay here with that content as well. However, I'm not sure what the masses of my readers are here for, so there is a little poll off to the left, if you wouldn't mind taking it for me.

Essentially, I might start blogging much more often about the horses here, and mostly showing photos of my crafts when they are completed. I'm thinking about backing off a bit in the crafting department anyway. I want to spend more time with the horses. I want to take eventing lessons and take Titan to team penning as well as more barrel races. And, I have a baby to train! I've always loved horses, more than anything. All I've ever wanted to do is ride horses and train and give lessons. I started doing more crafting to pay for my hobbies. However, if I go to school soon and end up in a career, I'm not sure between the horses and the crafting that I'll have any time at all to relax! Honestly, I need to weigh what is most important in my life. Immediately, it is horses, and having fun with them. Needless to say, my craft volume is about to decrease dramatically (and it already has decreased dramatically). I'm starting to think more and more about closing the Etsy store, but I don't know what I want to do.

Essentially I have more hobbies than anyone should have time for and I feel stressed out, because of things I'm supposed to enjoy. This makes me want to declutter my life. And honestly, the leather is one thing that is going to go.

Anyway, if you could comment here as well as take the poll and tell me what you're here for and what you like to read. Let me know if you think this blog can be a catch all for my crazy life, or if I'm going to have to stay branched into two like I am trying out.

A WIP, A WIP! And more

I had to go grocery shopping today, which is of course, loads of fun. I was up too late last night and up too early this morning. I'm exhausted and think I'm going to take a nap, but first, I figured I'd update both blogs, as it is my MISSION.

I have cleaned up several of the shoes and these two are painted and ready to be adorned with beads and such.
Also, I started cutting out a leather purse, I'm thinking I'm going to at least use up the tooling leather I have and if I decide to quit after that, so be it. For now, I'll at least make something!

Maybe I should make that breastcollar that is on my 101 Things list.
I might try that.

Anyway, I am tired, so this is just a short entry with a photo of pink shoes!

Horses and leather.

So, I'm thinking of getting out of leather craft. As much fun as I used to have with it, I've lost a lot of the enjoyment now. I will still keep my Etsy and Artfire shops if I decide to do this, but they will be crochet and knit focused. I would like to learn to cold process soap, maybe I'll get into that and sell those down the road, all I know is I'm rather burned out with leather.

If I stop the leather I will shift my focus to making way more dreamcatchers and horseshoe related stuff. I will also probably knit and crochet more.

I feel like I shouldn't stop doing the leather, because lots of people love it, but then again, I haven't had the best luck selling it, and its a lot to invest in if it doesn't sell. I got into leather to make horse equipment, and I'm not sure I'll have time to do that either, although I think I'm going to give it a whirl before giving up entirely.

In other news, I'm starting a new blog all about horses and barrel racing and training. Find it here. There will still be horse and animal pictures here, of course, but the new blog will give me a chance to blog about all things horse related.

the giveaway continued, and horseshoes!

Crafting ruts are never fun.

I am working on knitting a pair of socks for me, but I'd like to make some stuff for the shops. I just got 8 horseshoes to make new dreamcatchers. I figure I'll make 7 and then the winner of my blog giveaway can pick a previously made one or request a custom one (within reason). So I guess that is something to do. I really need to work with my leather more but I'm not really sure what to make, I have a purse in progress that is all wrong and it makes it hard to want to start a new purse, I'd rather finish the messed up one. Except, I'm not sure how to fix the problems. Hmmm.

As for the giveaway, I will close it to entries on January 28th and you will know the winners no later than January 31st. There are currently 12 entries, so, if you haven't entered, enter the giveaway!

I think I will go to prep a few horseshoes. By prep, I mean clean them up. My farrier this time knocked all the nails out for me, which was very nice of him. He also said that if he comes back he will give me all his horseshoes, but since I was first and only on the list today, he didn't have any. My normal farrier got hurt, so I have a substitute from Oregon that worked with my normal farrier and his stepson. He also told me how I can get rusted on nails out!

Identifying things that make me happy!

So, the first thing that made me happy (these are in no particular order by the way, just the order they come to mind) sort of just showed itself to me right after I published the list. My kitties! Banjo, the gray was cuddling with me and then he moved over and cuddle Ava. These are my shelter kitties and I love them so much!

In other news, that shed that blew over ( a few posts back ) is getting us $6000 from the insurance company. We're going to put it towards building a pole barn rather than putting that shed back up (it will just blow over again). I'm going to use the carport part of it without the walls as a shade for the horses when we build the 2nd pasture for them. It will be fenced on the sides with the support beams so they can't get themselves hurt somehow.

Those horseshoes I talked about

These are both available in my Artfire shop.

I'm going to post a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days tomorrow. It officially starts for me on the 9th, so I'm going to post about the 101 things and then post what ones I -plan- on tackling first.

You'll see me tomorrow!

Youtube!

Long time no post! Yikes. I need to start posting in this blog more. Today or tomorrow I'm going to post a vlog on my youtube channel. It will be about horses and crafts. I will hopefully start doing how-to videos and show some of how I work.

My youtube channel is here.

I'm also working on building a website, I will post it when it is ready to be viewed!

So I come bearing more pictures of Deek and a photo of my recent Etsy listing!



Deek meeting Dakota
I made a leather cuff to match a knitted scarf. They are for sale as a bundle in my Etsy shop!

Baby ponies!

I've been so busy! Work and horses and working on fences. I haven't been crafting much, BUT I am getting a new horse! A BABY one! The first picture is him now with his darker coat, but the bottom one is him as shortly after he was born. He is currently seven months old. His name right now is Deeksha, but I'm probably going to change it, I just haven't figured out what to change it to.

Anyway, I don't have long to post I have to go work on the pasture and I'm going to get a website started!


If you haven't yet, you must check out the Handmade Product Directory!

Its and awesome website with tons of great information and advertising ideas and opportunities!

Once in a while I post

I'm sorry I haven't been a very active blogger lately.

I was working the past two weeks and it was a tad bit busy. I have a craft show in a week and I need to make more stuff. I'm just a bit down as I want to go to some horse shows. Its driving me nuts to be stuck here and I am having a hard time crafting.

I worked on finishing a belt and its almost done, I can have some photos of it up soon.

I'm starting to think about making some videos for the blog. I can vlog with my crafting stuff and horses and who knows what. Hmm, it could be entertaining. I don't know.

Leave a comment with suggestions of something you would like to see, whether it be a vlog or photos, or something else.

My dear friend Dani, from Fantastic By Accident sent me two gifts for my birthday. The first one is a novel called "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore, which I am definitely excited to read. However, the other gift was "Stitch N' Bitch: The Happy Hooker"! So now I have some fun awesome crochet patterns, so look forward to me playing around with that!

More treasuries!

I made it into two more treasuries.

The first is the closest to expiration (5 hours) but it is quite lovely.

This leathery and interior design treasury is here and it was made by the talented leathersculpture!

The second on is right up my alley! Horse inspired items! This one was made by midnightcoiler and is here.

I love treasuries and I keep trying to snag one for myself. I got one in Treasury West once, just by chance. I'm hoping to get one today in the main treasury, it looks like enough of them will expire. :)

If I do, of course it will be posted here.

As for the artist features, I have picked the first artist and I just have to get around to making questions for her to answer. Hopefully, I will have the first feature up next week sometime!

Some horse photography of mine

I'm thinking about offering prints of some of my horse photography as ACEOs (Artist Cards Editions and Originals). These cards are always 3.5" by 2.5".

I will also be doing this with a lot of my photography I think. It seems to sell better, probably because they are cheaper than full size prints. I certainly can't afford a lot of expensive art, but ACEO's are just handy and make great little sequences.

I've also decided that I'm going to try to do a weekly feature (maybe biweekly) or horse artisans. I would love to showcase anyone who draws or crafts horse related items as well as people who make horse equipment. Usable items as well as art are desired. So, if you'd like to be considered, post a comment with your link to your gallery or Etsy Shop and anything else you'd like me to look at.

If you're chosen, I will send you some questions and post your horse art for the world to see! All I ask is that you link to my blog and tell people you were featured! Publicity for both of us!

Necklaces and other fun stuff

I made a new necklace, I call it "Oh Inverted World" and if you get the Shins reference, you're just plain awesome!
Our foster mare is here! She's just a pony, but so sweet and cute! There will be more pictures, I'm sure!

In other news, I got a book on leather purses and totes and its got some awesome ideas. I think I may make a purse or two out of it! Its called Making Leather Purses and Totes.

Great book! If you're into making leather stuff at all, check it out for some great ideas.

Check out some of my favorites at Etsy, I'd love to buy some of these items, if only I had money!
I have a job interview on Thursday, so we'll see!

Horses are too much work sometimes.

Punk Stars necklace
I had quite a long day. I came up with an idea for the current EFA challenge. Check out EFA blog for more info on that. I'm making a magnet from an old milk gallon cap.
Anyway, my back and neck are so sore from cleaning the horse pasture and working around the property trying to get ready for the foster mare.

I also mowed the weeds in the front yard. Its great to be able to see the house again, but it was nice to take a shower and relax.

Sows Ear to Silk Purse Contest on DA

So, there was this contest on DeviantArt in a group, Craftcycle that I belong to there. The contest involved taking junk and making it into something new and pretty. Thats what I came upwith. Knitted baling twine on huge needles and turquoise leather horse silhouettes. I matte sealed this and I'm going to hang it on the front porch. What do you think of it?

I may make some more items with baling twine, shopping bags, floor mats, and more wall hangings. Some of them may end up being in my shop.

In other news we have a foster horse coming to live with us that is in her mid 30s!
Meet Stormy. She will be treated like family here in permanent foster care. She is amazingly healthy for her age. She is coming to us because her owner has health problems and can no longer keep her and Care for the Horses is helping her find a place for the horse.

Its been my dream for quite some time to offer a horse sanctuary and shelter one day and fostering this mare is just my first step toward learning more about caring for these horses.

I made a necklace with 50% of the cost benefiting CFH, if you'd like to help them out they do not currently have an online donation (although she's working on adding a Paypal donation button) but I will be posting more items that will directly benefit CFH. I will let my readers know when they have a donation button. With the price of hay and fuel a lot of shelters are closing, help to keep this one open! CFH has done a great job in the past few years of placing horses into new and caring homes. Horses can be a 30+ year commitment, but many people discard them like trash when they become too old to compete or trail ride or what have you. Its understandable as its hard to afford extra horses but please consider this before breeding a mare. There are so many foals born each year that end up in bad situations. Check out this blog article by Tom LaMarra for more information on the overbreeding of horses. Of course, if you like funny, you can always check out Fugly Horse of the Day to see what happens to overbred conformationally challenged horses.

Some crafting, some photos, some stuff

The sunset was gorgeous, and I took this while I was horseback riding :)


The newest bit of leather craft. I ordered new leather, so expect to see some purses and tots!


Also, I crocheted my first scarf. Its for my little cousins birthday.

I found crocheting to be easier than knitting. And quicker. Even though it was a lot harder to learn. Regardless, it turned out great. I'm going to try felting up some bags to and using my leather crafting to add leather trim and straps.

Meanwhile, I have a lot of animals running around here and so much to do. Especially find a job. I'm going to work on posting in this blog more than once a week! I can make the time.

Two new dreamcatchers

Well I made a "SouthWest Turquoise" dreamcatcher with a vintage totem pole pin. Then, from my old jewelry from highschool I made a punk rock horse shoe!
I was apparently very creative.

Oh, and I've included an obligatory picture of my two ponies being cute together.

I think I may do a craft show in October, and I've joined two new Etsy teams, Etsy for Animals
and Etsy Honeybee Helpers (for Colony Collapse Disorder in the honeybee populations). Check out http://pollinators.org for more information on Colony Collapse. So, I will be raising money to help with animals and bees :). I'm also working to start a South East Arizona street team for Etsy.

If you want to search for Ecoetsy or Etsy for Animals items on Etsy.com just type in 'teamecoetsy' or 'team efa' into the search!