Weighing My Options

Yesterday's talk went well and is in the books. Belle was in attendance and afterward we got some lunch and had some horsey chat.  I have another speaking engagement in June and then in July (BreyerFest Sunday) and that's it until October.

One of the most fun things about collecting is the surprises. Walking around a corner at an antique mall and spying something really good 

like my Breyer Boxer clock.

A neighbor showing you a piece that they have had for years 

and it turns out to be something pretty special and valuable (Kat and her Wedgwood Fighting Stallion),  

or an auction lot that turns out to be far better that you first realized 

because one of the pieces is so lovely that not only does it becomes a personal favorite, it does very well at shows. (Windsong Sherif.)

Yesterday afternoon, I had an unexpected surprise while perusing eBay. (A great way to relax after a speaking engagement, right??)  I came across an auction that had two Freeman Leidy circus horses and their wagon.

I always stop and look at auctions for these pieces. Even though I already have nine horses and three wagons in my collection, I'm looking for a green and purple head down pony and both head up and head down ponies in blue and yellow.

The set on eBay is the the pink and blue horses. That color order is important - it indicates that the manes and tails are pink and the ribbon accents are blue. 

Then there is the reverse or flipped color pair. (My terms for them.)

 An example of the blue and pink pair - blue mane and tail with pink ribbon accents. This is the flip of the pair in the auction.

This is the purple and green pair,

and the green and purple flip version. 

As you might imagine, these color pairs (head up/head down in one coloration) and their flip pairing (head up/head down in reverse coloration) can get really, really, REALLY confusing. Especially when you are looking to purchase them second hand.

I got out my two head down ponies in the pink/blue and blue/pink colors to compare them to the auction pieces. 

Definitely the pink/blue version and paired correctly - neither was the flip of the other, so they are a correctly matched pair.

Another look back at my collection and I already had three of the pink/blue head up ponies and one of the head down pony. (The pink/blue head up is the most commonly found Freeman Leidy circus pony of all.)

So I already have both and I have no need for the wagon. Both pieces show some damage to their ribbons. (Very common for Freeman Leidys - they are fragile.)

I am considering getting this trio. There is some damage but for the price, that's reasonable. 

Questions I am asking myself now:

Does the seller know how fragile these pieces and how to pack them with lots of protection?

If I buy them, where will I put them? The wagons take up a lot of space and I already have three of them. 

The horses take up an entire shelf in the sewing room cabinet.

There is no more space in that cabinet, so buying the eBay set would mean a complete overhaul of shelves. 

As most collectors know, that can be a major project and I am in the middle of the JCs^2's quiet book, plus (and I haven't written yet about this) we are doing a major overhaul of our home. Blinds, painting, flooring, counter tops, and some new furniture. 

Just getting my flowers planted took a lot out of me (I didn't write about it, but I was exhausted and ill for a day afterward - my body cried "Uncle" big time.) I have been learning that I need to parse my time out better and chop things into little bits. 

So, with that all said and those projects either in progress or coming up soon, do I really want to do a rearrangement of my shelves to accommodate three pieces that I already have?

And that actually is the bottom line, the nitty gritty. I'm going to think about all that, weigh those activities and my options, and then make my decision.

Stay 'tooned.

Ready to Go

I am speaking at a conference this morning and while speaking engagements don't make me nervous, I do get to the point where I am ready to go and feel restless as I wait.

I'm at that point right now. 

Mostly. 

My talk is three sentences.

Now, to be clear, I never write out my talks and presentations. I outline them first and then add a few notes of things I might want to mention. That allows me to personalize my remarks off the cuff and make eye contact with those to whom I am speaking. I also have some ideas in my mind for tangents I might want to speak about, depending on the time I have been given to speak.

So, yeah, I am ready.

I wish the clock really was going as fast as this.

Stay 'tooned!

Starting the Summer with Mustangs & More

Now that they live in Montana, Sarah and Todd are spending a lot of time traveling and visiting the parks and scenic areas of the West. The Memorial Day holiday was no exception.

They drove to the Bighorns to see the mustangs and moose!.

Two mares with foals and a third pregnant mare. (I love how Sarah talks to me as she films.) I don't have any more pictures from the herd yet, but I will post them when I do.

Here in Indiana, Curt and Vanessa invited us to join them for a BBQ. Knowing my family members well, I made potato salad to share.

A BIG bowl. While Curt loves potato salad, Mila takes it to the next level. She will tell you that it is her favorite food of all. No birthday cake for her; make her a potato salad on her big day!

Sure enough, she filled (FILLED!) a dinner plate with the potato salad, grabbed a book, and snuggled into some blankets. No hot dogs or chicken, no pasta salad or fruit, just potato salad.

Now that school is out for the summer, we can play games later into the evenings. Curt had joined Jessica and Andrew earlier this spring in Las Vegas for a board game convention and he'd come back with some new ones to teach us.

Tumblin' Dice was one of those games. Easy to learn and play, it's a lot of fun. Lukie beat me again - I don't know how he does it, but almost every game I play with him, he wins!

Down at our park, I got to check on the mallard family I have been watching. It is an unusual group of two males and one female that I first noticed in March. It is not uncommon when females are in short supply that two males will share a female mate but I had never seen it before.

They have five ducklings that they are raising together.

Pepper and I walked the lake's perimeter a bit and discovered some mulberry bushes that have taken root along the banks and are currently fruiting. The birds will love those! (So will the turtles, and the raccoons, and the muskrats, and the deer...)

I also came across a patch of purple crownvetch, too.

I always plant my flowers around Memorial Day and this year was no exception.

Because they are pretty, easy to care for, and will grow quickly and fill out a planter, I always plant begonias. White, pink, or red, I love them all.

I wish I could figure out how to repair this fountain's pump so I could use it as a fountain again, but it does look nice as a planter.

My patio is bookended with two large planters, both with horsey garden stakes in the middle. The one closer to Nan's house has my dragonfly solar light next to it. When her husband died last year, I bought two - one for her and one for me in his memory. I always make sure she can see mine from her windows.

It's been years since I planted a large tomato garden and canned all the produce. My canning days may be behind me, but I still like fresh tomatoes straight off the vine. So, yesterday I planted two tomato plants and one bell pepper. I still need to put in some support stakes as they will grow and branch quite a bit.

I hope to finally get to the front porch flowers today. And the stepping stone garden needs some weeding and new mulch. Ian, Mila, and Lukie are going to help me with that.

It's not quite summer yet, but it's feeling like it!

Another 70 Hours Factor

From cutting tools to fabrics to thread and bobbins to interfacing and seam binding... it takes lots of things to make a quiet book.

For example, when I made this dinosaur.

Six cutting tools are pictured and were used for it, but actually at least one more, a seam ripper, is missing.

It's no wonder that a quiet book can take over 70 hours to make!

Another "70 hours factor," a different one from cutting tools and the variety of cuts made per piece,  occurred yesterday.

I was working on the tactile fish. (Brush the scales and it turns silver. Trust me, it's very relaxing! LOL)

The fish was completed and appliquéd to the quiet book page.  The seabed was also appliquéd down. All that was left was to add the final touches to finish the page.

And just like that, decisions about design placement halted my progress.

I had an assortment of patches that I really liked

but I just wasn't happy with any of the placements - they just didn't look right.

I began sending pictures of possibilities to Gimmie (Sarah, Elsie Mae's grandmama and my daughter) asking for her thoughts.

Photo after photo was texted to her, neither of us happy with any of them. 

Finally Sarah FaceTimed me and we spoke at length as I moved the pieces around with both of us sharing our opinions on each arrangement.

Thirty-six pictures later (yep, you read that right) we found something we both liked. 

I got the iron heated, and began applying the appliqués by pressing them to the page. After that, I stitched around their perimeters. Those teeny tiny sand worms took three different colors of thread and bobbins! (Another 70 hours factor!)

I still want to draw some bubbles on the page - a scary part of the process because if I make an error, it's permanent. If that were the case, could I scrap the page and begin again? 

I could, but that would require not just redoing the tactile fish page,

I'd need to redo the Wiggles guitar page, too. It's completed and stitched into the book, too. 

So... taking a deep breath and with just a few bubbles to draw for completion, I will be practicing on a scrap of fabric before I take a last deep breath and draw them on the actual page.

Wish me luck.  (And stay 'tooned.)

Heads Up Again! It's Up for Auction!

The Metlox Poppytrail grey circus pony has been listed at auction on The Clinky Connection (Facebook.) Starting bid is $80. 

If you have ever wanted this piece, here is an opportunity. Good luck, all!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CuzMK3Tuv/

Heads Up! Possible Sale of a Rare China

In 2019 I found my most-wanted-ever model plus a bonus companion.

The grey Metlox Circus Pony and the even harder to find palomino version.

I'd come across this photo (below) decades previously, fallen in love with it, and had been looking for the piece ever since.  (Photo by unknown and from an old internet search.)

I had no idea for most of those decades that a palomino version also existed, and even when I did finally hear about it, that seemed more rumor than truth. It was only years later that I found a photo of the palomino on The Model Horse Gallery which confirmed that it was indeed real.

Of course, then I actively added the palomino to my search!

Heads up that the grey version may be offered for sale soon. 

Yesterday on the Metlox Pottery Facebook page, a woman shared a photo of the grey piece, asking for information about it and saying that she "was not opposed to selling him."

Photos by Sandy Maresca and posted on Facebook Metlox page.

As you might imagine, it caused some excitement - I've only seen the horse come up for sale once. (Mine.) 

I love how people responded. Some offered honest information about what it was and its sales opportunities while others gave suggestions on the best way/places to sell the piece so it would bring the price a horse like that should get. 

Many of those offering information also expressed that they, too, were interested in buying it, and yet they still gave the owner knowledge about her horse, its value, and the best ways to find buyers to maximize her sale.

It was kind and it was helpful. Collectors helping one of their own without letting their own desires to buy get in the way. The owner is lucky - not everyone would have been as forthcoming in what they knew about a valuable model that they were also interested in buying.

I'll keep ya'll posted and if she does put it up for sale, I'll provide a link to it. Even if you don't want it, I think that that sale would be interesting to watch. I would expect it to go for a high price. 

I have no idea what her decision will be but if you are interested, cross your fingers. This would be a very rare opportunity to get a very hard to find piece.

Stay 'tooned!

 

 

Briefly

I have an early morning physical therapy appointment and, due to yesterday's holiday activities, did not get a blog post for today written in advance.

Then Craig and I are heading to Indy - we volunteer down there twice a month. I'm also speaking at a conference this Saturday and have some prep I need to do. (I know the topic but I still need to prepare what I will be saying to the audience.)

So, I am not going to have time to write for the blog later today. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek at one of our activities this Memorial Day weekend.

To flip or draw zero after zero like I did during a game of SkyJo was surprising. 

And, it helped me to win!

More tomorrow so stay 'tooned!

Ooo! Shiny!

Except... they're not. But they were made by the mid century ornament company, Shiny Brite.

These new pieces could be in several different collections within my collection:

~ circus ponies

~ flockies 

~ ornaments

~ models with molded on tack

Aren't they cute? I was actually doing research for another blog post, and these two popped up. They were being sold as a pair on eBay and I was the lucky winner.

Both are still in their original packages although one has a small tear in the plastic. At this point I have no plans to open either one of them. Shiny Brite ornaments are collectibles in and of themselves and can be valuable.

I did some looking and cannot find mention of flocked Shiny Brite ornaments. However, these have never been opened and still have their original cardboard closure identifying them as a product of Shiny Brite.

My search turned up these pieces on Etsy.

Using a flocked item as a stopper inside a bottle? Not unless you don't mind particles of flock in whatever was in the bottle!

I think I found this pair on Ruby Lane. They were priced at $24 for the pair. No manufacturer was listed but I don't think they were made by Shiny Brite.

Other than those, I have not found anything else that is comparable.

I am looking for more information on these as well as an identification guide. Any help is appreciated. TIA!

Stay 'tooned

Hitting the Success Button on the Nose!

The quiet book is coming along.

Five pages completed and stitched into the book, five pages in various stages of completion, and two where I have no clue how to proceed. The ideas for them are just not translating into patterns and pieces yet.

Having said all that, I am in good shape to hit the July 4th deadline. Why the 4th of July? It's a day when we always gather in Indianapolis at my sister Jenny's house for our annual family bocce tournament. (People are practicing already. Yup.) And this year the JCs^2 are going to be with us!

Aside from being stumped for a couple of ideas, there is another problem. My eyes.

I discovered that I could not read this dial on my sewing machine when I needed to make an adjustment for putting in a zipper. Not even with two lights over it and my phone flashlight centered on it. Work came to a crashing halt as I considered my options.

A visit to my optometrist resulted in coming home with a second pair of glasses. They were to be used when I was doing close or tiny work while sewing.

I was amazed at the difference they made. I was also sobered by how much my eyes seemed to be deteriorating.

Regardless, the work is continuing. Saturday I put together a page that I designed and drew myself. Feeding the Pony.

I first made it for Melissa's quiet book during the pandemic. 

I even tucked in a candy cane so a little bit of Abby was in the book.

Pleased with how it turned out, I decided to make it again for the JCs^2.

This page takes far more work than you might think.

The top and bottom mouth pieces are three different pieces of fabric as are the ears, all needing to be stitched together with numerous thread changes in between each step. 

The carrots (oh, they look sad!) and apple needed to be stitched down to felt and then carefully cut out, and the feed bag needed an interfacing backing to be attached and then zigzagging along the raw edges to make it sturdy.

Jessica is a dental hygienist and she sent the healthy horse treats and the toothbrush. Love it!

As the pony progressed, I was not happy with color of the yarn I'd bought for the forelock. So, Lisa and I went to the craft shop where Lisa found the perfect color and the perfect fiber of yarn.

It makes me think of a very sassy pony's mane blowing in the wind!

Thinking I was done, I carefully stitched it all down into the book.

Only to realize that I'd forgotten the nostrils. 

It was too late to machine sew them down at this point, and any hand stitching would show inside the mouth. 

I considered leaving the nostrils off, but I placed them on the face to see how they looked, and they absolutely were needed to visually break up that long nose.

As I considered my options, I remembered that I had some double sided fabric binding and could simply bind the nostrils to the nose with heat from my iron. While not as strong a bind as stitching the nostrils down, it should work for what I needed.

Success! I think the pony looks so much better now.

Now, to find some candy cane patches or appliqués. 

Stay 'tooned!