I started messing with the tack stuff as soon as I finished my last post. I had several solid hours to work and wanted to do as much as I could. I started by thinning the leather I bought, it was rather simple. It was already rather thin and on a soft backing so I used a razor to remove as much as the fluff as possible. I got just about all of it off with minimal work. Then I wanted to cut strips for making the halters and that is where it all went wrong. The pleather has more stretch in it than I expected, so when I tried to cut it with an xacto knife, it just stretched and marked up the leather part. I tried my super sharp scissors next and while that worked, I wasn't able to get the straps the correct thickness. I tried it several different ways and didn't have any luck. Since I have already messed with it cut some of it I can't return it. But I think that it would be great material for crafting rider's tall boots. It's semi-gloss and really smooth. I'm going to list it online and see if someone else can find a better use for it.
After that I decided to make one of the halters. I had a few pieces of skived leather from tack sets that I bought. A set of reins and a broken headstall got me one decent halter. I made it for Isn't She Something, I might add a little silver to it later on, but for now it gets the job done. If I find a nice halter online that isn't too expensive I might still by something. I'm still going to look for some leather for the tack sets. I went through all of the work of getting the patterns the correct size so I'm going to keep trying.
Sunday night I was working on the big horses tote and was getting frustrated. I was trying to figure out how I was going to get the Tarek horse to fit when I did something without thinking. I had him sitting in one of the wells and I flipped the lid shut and tried to latch it shut. Forgetting that he was in there and too tall for the well, I snapped him off of his base when I pushed the lid closed. I just about cried. He was the only micro I had for sale and he was the one horse I was worried about breaking. The only bright spot was that it gave me a chance to clean up his base, which had been bothering me. I really didn't like the sand and it was starting to come off in spots. I was pleased with how fast I all came off, it only needed a little sanding before it was back to its former glory. I painted it black like the original mold and was pleased with it. Getting him reattached to the base was the hard part. The 2 legs didn't marry up to their original spots. And then he wouldn't stay on the base, the slightly raised leg glued back on pretty nicely, but the planted leg was giving me more than a few problems. It wouldn't go back to where it belonged, the top and bottom of the break seemed to be twisted and it wouldn't stick with the glue. Once I finally got it to stay put and be close to where it should be, the break moved a lot. That meant that there wasn't glue over the entire break and that he was very likely to come off again. After a little selective gluing and some apoxie, he is less bendy, but not 100% solid. I have to fix his white markings on that leg before I can be happish again. I have decided to list him again at half what he was hoping that he will go faster. I would be a lot happier if he wasn't in my string anymore, but I'm not going to be mad if he stays. I will continue to show him until he leaves.
I am happy to report that I won the Bambi and Thumper on MHSP I mentioned before. They are both bay sabinos and I can't wait to see them in person. With luck, they will be here Friday so I can take pics while we have a little nice weather. I am even more excited that the first 4 horses from Angelica should be going in the mail within the next few days. Albus, Emma, Sierra and Bambi will all be coming home. The 2 finished foals will stay with her until Tiger and Kahlua are finished. I'm hoping that by the time they are all finished that I will have sold a few things and be able to end Steve the donkey for painting. If not he will have to wait until after the 2 October shows are done.
Otherwise it's kinda quite. I am still working on cross stitched saddle pads and hope to have the one I will show in finished by this weekend.
Until next time, stay dry!