White Horse Productions Blog

The Curse of the Chalky El Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:33:00 +0000

As a collector of rare and oddball Breyers, I am a huge fan of chalky models. Most of them were produced in the mid-1970s during the oil crisis when clean white plastic wasn't easily or cheaply available to Breyer. Instead, many Breyers were molded in more readily available colored plastic, such as green, purple, grey, brown, etc, and then were base-coated in thick white paint to hide the oddly colored plastic before their normal paint job was applied. Chalkies are prized by collectors not only because they are more rare than their non-chalky counterparts, but also because the white base-coat tends to give otherwise mundane paint jobs a bit more contrast and eye appeal.

I have a variety of chalkies in my collection, but one in particular has eluded me for a number of years. El Pastor is probably the easiest and most common chalky to find, and yet he has frustratingly slipped through my fingers more times than I care to count. I bought one about ten years ago, but the Post Office lost him en route to me. I followed several of them on eBay and managed to get outbid on them all. Finally, just last month, I found a lot of horses that intrigued me on eBay because of a Lady Phase that had four socks instead of the usual three. The El Pastor in amongst the other horses in the lot looked chalky as well, so I snagged the group for an excellent price. When they arrived, I was horrified by the packing job---the box had been cut down and ended up half-crushed, and worse still, it had no peanuts, no newspaper, no anything to keep the horses from banging into each other except for one thin sheet of bubble wrap around each model. The El Pastor was at the bottom of the jumble of horses, and he was a chalky alright. And he was the only horse in the box that broke. Of course.

Having repaired more than a few resins that have arrived in my studio broken, I've taken to fixing the odd Breyer as well. And having a chalky El Pastor in hand finally, such as he was, I decided there was nothing for it but to fix this poor horse. As with repairing any broken piece other than ears, I like to pin the pieces for added durability. I started by drilling a hole in each piece with a small Dremel bit I use for carvings out ears, nostrils, and hooves.

I used a small piece of wire about the thickness of a coat hanger to pin the pieces and secured it in the body piece with a bit of Gapoxio pushed into the hole.

I put a little bit of Gapoxio in the hole in the foot and then glued the edges of the break together with Locktite super glue. Between the pin, the Gapoxio, and the glue, the leg should be stronger than ever now. The break was pretty clean, but all the same, I sanded down the edges to make them smooth and filled two small gaps with Gapoxio.

With black pastels, I covered up the paint damage from the sanding.

And then I airbrushed some black paint over that to even out the look of the repair.

And voila! Not quite good as new, but back in one piece. The break is very nearly invisible, and I finally have a chalky El Pastor. I may upgrade him someday, but I'm quite pleased I was able to fix him.

A wintery Wintersong CM

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:25:00 +0000

This handsome Shire is a repainted Breyer Wintersong inspired by all the snow we've had this winter. As you can see, he's been out for a stroll in it and has gotten his feathers a little dirty. This gentle giant is available on ebay this week along with his stablemate, a lovely wild dunskin sabino Wintersong.

You can see them here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170594717299

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170594721730

Thanks for looking! Stay warm! :-)

Revamped website and general update

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:35:00 +0000

Work has been beyond insane for the last 6 weeks or so, giving me much less internet time than usual. But I have managed to give my website a much needed overhaul at last, and while I don't code anything fancier than basic HTML, I think it's an improvement. The Gallery is now organized by color rather than breed (which in retrospect makes so much more sense):

http://www.whitehorseproductions.com/gallery.html

I also have updated my Progress page of current commissions. I had hoped to have everything done by the end of October, but I was under the weather for a bit as well as overwhelmed by the real job, so I'm going to have to push my goal out to the end of the year.

http://www.whitehorseproductions.com/progress.html

My books are open for new commissions if anyone is interested.

http://www.whitehorseproductions.com/custom_info.html

I am also willing to offer very generous trade credit for anything on my want list (especially any Sarah M-B resins or a glossy Rachel Alexandra).

http://www.whitehorseproductions.com/wantlist.html

I hope those of you who watched the Breeders Cup enjoyed it! I was thrilled to see Goldikova make history by becoming the first horse to win three Breeders Cup races. She has cemented her place in history beside Brigadier Gerard as one of the best, if not the best, milers of all time. Her groom's reaction as she roared down the stretch to victory is one of the neatest BC moments I've ever seen. Serious warm fuzzies, let me tell ya. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W70SzJtkQwk

I know many people were sad to see Zenyatta's unbeaten streak broken in the Classic, but she put in such a game effort that I was more impressed by her loss than any of her wins. It's kind of mind-blowing to think that these last 2 years have brought us 3 of the most talented mares I've ever seen---Rachel Alexandra, the fastest filly since Ruffian; Zenyatta, the most consistent since Personal Ensign; and Goldikova, who utterly defies description. I feel so incredibly lucky to be alive to see these goddesses of the turf.

Zenyatta portrait to ebay

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 04:52:00 +0000

I've been so busy working on commissions that I haven't had anytime to blog. But I have had a few spare moments to complete a sales piece in between orders, too. :)

She's on ebay now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170563587346

Thanks for looking! :)

Flying Heart Fundraiser donation!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:25:00 +0000

I'm sure you've all heard by now about the Flying Heart Fundraiser to benefit Melissa and Herman Gaulding who are struggling with mounting medical bills, so much so that Melissa announced she was going to be selling her beloved clinkie collection. Since then, hobbyists have more than risen to the occassion to help Melly and her busband, raising nearly $11,000 to date. I think Karen Gerhardt expressed it best when she said, "if a large number of people sold one precious item from their collection, then maybe Melly wouldn't have to sell ALL of hers. We are all bearing her pain just a little by spreading it out and maybe making it not hurt so much."

I have just finished a fun little donation horse, and he's up on Auction Barn now. 100% of the proceeds go to Melly. :)

Cutthroat customizing

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:31:00 +0000

Yes, I pulled a Sweeney Todd on a Peter Stone Arab, and I am not sorry. It's gruesome. You may want to avert your eyes.

Don't say I didn't warn you. Ha ha.

I haven't done alot of customizing, and what I have done has been super simple. My friend Tiffany Purdy has been blogging alot about it lately though, and she's had some really excellent tips, so feeling inspired, I thought I'd have a go at the above PS Arab. Once I'd...er...slit his throat and turned his head, I thought I might as well do something to fix his muzzle since it has always bothered me as being too wide and too big in general. I cut his head almost completely in half with a dremel cutting disk...

...trimmed a tiny bit of plastic off each side of the cut, and then bound the head back together with pink embroidery floss (it's a color I'm never otherwise going to use). Once the head halves were secured tightly, I filled in the gaps with two-part epoxy glue and Gapoxio and let it sit for a couple of days to dry. (Sorry the picture below is so awful. It was the only one I got, and I didn't realize I had accidentally goofed up the camera settings. Doh!)

I also cut the tail loose from the hock, heated it up (in boiling water because I am still that primitive) to move it out a bit, and then cut off and resculpted the end of the tail. I still need to finish filling in the neck and throatlatch and finesse the tail a bit more, but this guy is getting pretty close to being ready to paint. I haven't decided whether he'll be a purebred or a partbred color yet. I'm open to suggestions!

Personal Ensign 1984 - 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:01:00 +0000

The great mare Personal Ensign has died. Twenty-six is a ripe old age, and she had a pampered life, but it is still so sad to know that she's gone. We have truly lost a legend.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/112052.html

Personal Ensign was one of those very rare mares who excelled not only on the track but also as a broodmare. She put together a string of 13 victories from 13 starts, including a G1 win over males, and she closed out her racing career with one of the most thrilling performances in Breeders Cup history. The 1988 BC Distaff was her final race, and she had to overcome not only the 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors but also a wet, muddy track that she did not like. For much of the race, it looked like Personal Ensign was going to be beaten for the first time, and it wasn't until the very last stride that she managed to get her nose in front right at the wire. Watching that performance never fails to give me chills.

As a broodmare, Personal Ensign's sons included G1 winners Miner's Mark and Traditionally and G1 placed Our Emblem (sire of KY Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem). Her best daughter My Flag won the 1995 BC Juvenile Fillies and won three G1s as a three year-old, including the prestigious Coaching Club American Oaks. Her daughter Storm Flag Flying became a third generation BC winner when she gamely won the 2002 BC Juvenile Fillies after being passed in the stretch and then coming on again late to take the lead. She had a very successful career as an older mare, winning 3 more G1s, including (fittingly) the Personal Ensign Handicap, and she ran 2nd in the 2004 BC Distaff as well. She showed the same grit and determination in all of her starts that her grand-dam did. Hopefully her sons and daughters will help carry on the line.

It seems only fitting that the undefeated Zenyatta is running today and taking over the torch that Personal Ensign has handed off.

Holy Grail achieved

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:56:00 +0000

I can hardly believe it, but I am now the proud owner of a Woodgrain Proud Arabian Mare! The PAM is the only mold I ~~obsessively~~ actively conga, and having been on the lookout for a woodgrain for a number of years, I didn't really expect to find one I could afford any time soon. As is often the case with rare Breyers, the market is either feast or famine. No woody PAMs show up for years on ebay, and then in the span of two weeks, two come up for sale.

I got lucky in that my PAM had been "improved" by a previous owner who gave her socks and a blaze to make her more realistic (one assumes anyway). Not that woodgrains are a plausible horse color in the first place... But anyway, I got her for a song, and she arrived in my hands ready for some much-needed TLC.

Up until I received this PAM, I had done some minor restoration work for myself and for friends, both on CMs and OFs. Most of it was touching up small rubs and dings, sometimes on rarer models like a friend's 4-Eyed Misty or my own test run 5-Gaiter. I had never tackled anything as major or as rare as this PAM, and I was definitely apprehensive about taking sandpaper, airbrush, and fixative to her. But once I got started, even with a few false starts mixing color, it all came together quite nicely, and I am thrilled with the results.

And now that her legs and face are properly restored, it really makes her sensational woodgrain coloring pop. High quality turquoise is said to have "zat" or great eye appeal, and I like to describe woodgrains with really attractive contrasting color as having "zat" as well. This mare's zat goes right off the scale.

Medaglia D'oro

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:42:00 +0000

Anyone who's met me or read my ramblings online knows I'm a devoted fan of horse racing. I love the excitement of a good race, of course, but I love the history and the pedigrees and the personalities as well. That's what drew me to Medaglia D'oro in 2002. He is a son of El Prado who himself is by Sadler's Wells, one of the greatest sires of the last century (and one of my favorites). Most horses of the Sadler's Wells line race on turf in Europe, and to see one running on the dirt in the USA was a bit of a novelty. MDO was not a great racehorse. He ran second almost as much as he won, but he was a really good race horse who proved his class against a number of tough and talented rivals. He faced some of the best older runners I've seen and acquited himself well.

MDO was a bit of a late bloomer, starting only once as a 2 year-old. Though he was somewhat inexperienced, he earned a spot in the 2002 Kentucky Derby and closed gamely despite traffic to run fourth. He finished off the board in the Preakness, and then came roaring back to challenge Sarava all the way down the long stretch at Belmont. He finished second, but sometimes that really endears a horse to a girl, especially when you can tell he's running his heart out.

MDO went on to win the Jim Dandy and Travers at Saratoga, winning the Travers gamely over a dogged Repent in the mud and rain. His seconditis caught up with him in the Woodward and again in the Breeders Cup at Arlington where he (and the rest of the field) were stunned by upset winner Volponi.

As a four year-old, he won the G1 Whitney as well as the storied G2 Strub. In the G1 Pacific Classic, he met up with the Argentine champion Candy Ride who put on the performance of his life, winning in a new track record of 1:59.11. MDO was a game second 3.25 lengths behind, meaning he too ran a sub-2:00 mile and a quarter, the sign of a really stellar horse in my book. The 2003 Breeders Cup Classic looked like it would be MDO's, but after dueling the talented Congaree much of the way, he was caught in the final sixteenth by Pleasantly Perfect.

At five, he returned to the track in prime form, romping in a hand ride in the G1 Donn by open lengths in a quick 1:47.68, and beating 2003 KY Derby winner Funny Cide in the process. He then was flown to Dubai for the $5 million Dubai World Cup where he faced Pleasantly Perfect once again. It was probably his best performance ever even though he was beaten. It took everything Pleasantly Perfect had to get by MDO, and the smaller horse kept coming at him all down the stretch, finally finishing half a length behind.

That race ended up being his last (he wasn't injured, but the trip to and from Dubai takes alot out of a horse). He was retired to stud at Stonewall Farm, and I was thrilled to visit him in July 2006. He was just being brought in from the pasture for the hot afternoon when I arrived, and I will never forget the presence this horse has. He was snorty, full of himself, dancing on his toes, but a gentleman, too. He knew he was being admired, and he surely is one of the handsomest stallions I've seen. After my visit, I wrote in my journal that he was "a fabulous piece of horseflesh, and oh so beautiful. I want to buy a mare to send to him---if his foals look as good and run even half as well as he does/did, he'll be a top sire." Nobody knew then that a filly of his born a few months earlier was going to set the racing world on fire in a few years, making him the hottest sire in the country.

Because of Rachel Alexandra's success on the track, as well as that of MDO's other talented daughters (he has quite a number of them), he was sold to Darley this past summer, the American branch of the Godolphin racing empire. My most favorite mare, Ipi Tombe, happens to be carrying a foal by MDO and is due very soon.

So how does this long-winded post relate to model horses? Being the fan girl that I am, I painted a portrait of MDO in March 2005 and showed him at GLC here in Chicago. He won Reserve Champ CM Light/Sport Breed and though I had to sell him, he has continued his winning ways in the show ring, including a Top Ten in CM TBs at NAN in 2008. I spied him for sale on MH$P (link) this morning and thought I would pass along the link. I'm half-tempted to buy him back myself. I still think he's one of the nicest bays I've ever painted.

CM Esprit is now on ebay!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:44:00 +0000

Two posts in as many days! Must be a new record for me. :D

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170450243075

Sneak peek!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:43:00 +0000

The new Breyer Esprit model is a wonderful, dynamically posed horse that looks like it will lend itself well to any number of colors. I had not intended to paint my first one bay tobiano, but I just couldn't resist.

I am hoping to have this guy finished up by tomorrow evening to list in ebay. I need to sell him to buy more Esprits! :D

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:18:00 +0000

I don't generally make New Year's resolutions. I'm not very good at keeping them. But this year, I think some hobby related resolutions are in order. The first and most important is to finish the last few custom orders I have. I'm down to about 5 traditional models and a handful of minis with 4 more models completed or nearly so that I hope to mail out this week. Here's a mini Eberl Warmblood I painted for a customer in the UK:

I apologize for the photo being so dark. I love my photo cube, but I have got to upgrade my lighting system and get some new fabric to use for backgrounds. The backdops that came with the cube are impossible to unwrinkle, and ironing only melts them (not that I know that firsthand...) Ahem. I'm planning to hit JoAnn Fabrics tomorrow after a trip to the movie theatre to see Avatar. I'm thinking blue. :D

Besides boxing up finished horses and daring holiday weekend traffic, I'm going to be working on a new venture to get the Model Horse History website up and running for real. This is a project that has been in limbo for several years, but with the help and enthusiasm of other hobbyists, I am really excited to work on it again. At the moment, I've set up a Facebook page for the website where hobbyists can share memories, photos, etc, while I work on building the site itself. I've found what I think will be a good hosting plan, and I intend to transfer all the websites I currently run to it in the near future. More on that once I figure it all out.

And last but not least, I am resolving to update this blog more frequently this year. I hope to have some new sales items to offer in the near future as well as some fun contests and raffles. Stay tuned!

Trick or treat!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Treat yourself to a pretty PAM this Halloween! This lovely gal is on ebay through Saturday night (10/31):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170398788805

Pirate ponies

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:07:00 +0000

As it's "Talk Like A Pirate Day," I thought it fitting to post a picture of a recently finished commission on his improvised base, heehee.

Also, I have a cute leopard appaloosa CM Flash on ebay at the moment. He ought to be a fun halter and performance horse: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170384756369

I have had a busy summer, but I have been working steadily on custom orders and will have a few more to ship out this week. Pictures coming soon!

Lots of little horses heading out!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:15:00 +0000

So how about that Derby? Calvin Borel's antics still have me giggling. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! And how cool is it that Mine That Bird is a gelding? Hopefully, he'll have a nice long career.

For me, the Kentucky Oaks was even more exciting than the Derby this year. For those of you who didn't see it, here's the race on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRGvbUmqv-s

I don't know how to embed the video, but do watch it, and watch jockey Calvin Borel as they hit the turn. He looks back, but never once does he need to ask his filly, Rachel Alexandra, to run. She just draws off of her own accord and nearly breaks the stakes record in an easy gallop. Scary to think what she could do if she turned on the afterburners! I had an inkling that she would win and was working on a portrait already, but no one could have anticipated how she would win. Amazing! The portrait model is up on ebay at the moment:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170327943560

In addition to finishing up my Rachel portrait, I have been working hard on commissions, and I have 9 horses finished, boxed, and ready to ship today and tomorrow. Hooray for progress! One of those horses was an Enviado that I am particularly fond of. Such a lovely sculpture to work on, and I think he turned out exceptionally well. I love contrasting colors!

Painting up a storm!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:39:00 +0000

I had hoped to have my backlog completed by March (why do I have this weird feeling of déjà vu?), but painting always takes me alot longer than I anticipate. I am making good progress though, especially now that the weather is starting warm up a little (other than the snow today, of course).

With the racing season really getting into swing again, I thought I'd post some progress pix, including two Thoroughbred portraits, George Washington and Artax. More to come soon! :-)

My NAN auction donation piece

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:54:00 +0000

He's done at last! More pix can be viewed on my website here. Proxy bidding has begun---more info on bidding can be found on the NAN site.

Eight Belles model on ebay to benefit ReRun

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Sun, 11 May 2008 04:27:00 +0000

100% of the proceeds of this model will go to ReRun, a wonderful TB rescue.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170218267868

Triumph and tragedy

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Sun, 04 May 2008 04:59:00 +0000

Today epitomized the highs and lows of horse racing. The high of course was Big Brown's dramatic victory in the Kentucky Derby despite his inexperience, his quarter-crack prone feet, and his far outside post. I have been watching and rooting for that colt since one of my racing forum buddies, a bloodstock agent, arranged his sale to IEAH after his impressive maiden win at Saratoga last year. Naturally, I was shrieking with delight when Big Brown swept around the turn and easily accelerated away from the field. What a thrill!

And then my excitement vanished when the cameras panned to a shot of the filly, Eight Belles, down on the track. Going into the race, I honestly didn't think she had a chance, but I was pleasantly surprised to see her run a game second to Big Brown nonetheless. I was utterly shocked to see that she had fallen as she galloped out after the race, nearly a quarter-mile beyond the finish line. In my 25 years watching horse racing, I have never seen anything quite like it, and sadly, it doesn't entirely surprise me. I could go on at great length about the evils of breeding for speed and precosity at the expense of soundness because that is exactly what doomed Eight Belles---a hulking 17 hand frame on legs too fragile to support it thanks to the unsoundness issues rampant in her sire line. I can only hope breeders will start to wake up and take notice of the damage they are doing to the breed and to the sport...

Nothing could be done to save Eight Belles today, and the breeding industry isn't going to change overnight, but something can be done right now to help other Thoroughbreds in need. I am working on a portrait model of Eight Belles already, a Classic Kelso model, and I will have her for sale on ebay within the week to benefit a TB rescue or research fund. I haven't decided which one yet, but I'll post details here as soon as the model is finished.

So much for spring!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:38:00 +0000

After one of the snowiest winters on record here, we've had a lovely reprieve for the last week or so---temps above freezing, rain rather than snow, and even some sunshine.

Until today.

It's snowing again. And blowing. It's really pretty nasty for the second day of spring. Mother Nature does like her little joke. Hopefully the forecast of sun and a little warm up for tomorrow will hold. I'm ready for green grass and flowers already! :-)

As some of you probably know, I came down with a weird viral condition in February called Bell's Palsy. Long story short, a virus attacked the main facial nerve on the right side of face, causing temporary paralysis on that side. My mouth was slack on the right, my cheek and forehead were completely immobile, my eye watered constantly, my sense of taste was off, and many sounds seemed overly loud in my right ear. After about two weeks, my eye was mostly normal again, allowing me to go back to work as well as start painting again. Nothing like two weeks of forced inactivity to get a girl's creative juices flowing! So lately, I've been painting like mad, finishing up a lot of pieces that were nearly done before the Bell's hit and starting a few new ones, too. The following are all commissions:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/lancelot_darkbay1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/lancelot_darkbay2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/lancelot_darkbay3.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/mini_nahar_flaxen_chestnut2.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/mini_nahar_flaxen_chestnut4.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/mini_optime_fleabit1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/mini_optime_fleabit2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/enviado_black_silver1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/enviado_black_silver2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/spinny_buckskin1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/spinny_buckskin2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/dinky_duke_bay_tobiano1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/dinky_duke_bay_tobiano2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/vincent_bay1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j290/whitehorsepro/new/claire_buckskin1.jpg

I'm now six weeks out from the onset of Bell's, and I'm doing quite well. My eye still doesn't close all the way, but it's much better than it was. My hearing and sense of taste seem to have returned to normal, and I'm able to wiggle my right eyebrow a bit now. I noticed last night that I can move my cheek a smidge, too. My mouth is still mostly unmoving on the right side, but hopefully this progress will continue. I feel fine, and I look normal unless I smile, so I'm grateful that of all the weird things a person can catch that I didn't get anything worse. :-)

I hope you guys are all doing well and having a warmer start to spring than me! I'm hoping to post here more regularly now that I'm nearly normal again (as normal as I ever get, anyway)---lots of projects in the offing---spring cleaning (I've actually reached a point where I have too many horses), my NAN auction piece, and several china restoration projects. Stay tuned!

Hobby hibernation

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:56:00 +0000

Seeing as we're in negative digits today with the wind chill, hibernating seems like a good idea! I did a fair amount of travelling over the holidays and then was under the weather for a bit, so I have been out of the loop hobby-wise for a while. But I am finally poking my head out and trying to catch up on orders. I have about 600 emails that need to be sorted and/or deleted (mostly deleted), and I need to do some major updates on my webpage. I am hoping to get alot of that done before the weekend so I can devote my days off to some prepping and painting. I hope to have a couple of minis for sale soon, too, including a trove of G1 Stablemates sculpted by the brilliant Maureen Love.

In other news, I have been asked to donate to the NAN auction this year, and I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to do so. The theme is "Kentucky," and given my obsession with Thoroughbreds, I can't think of anything more fitting for my first NAN piece. I will be donating a uniquely customized Valor resin with a new neck and new attitude (resculpted by my buddy, Tiffany Purdy) and painted up as a portrait of the late, great Puchilingui.

Puchi passed away last Saturday, Jan. 19th, at the age of 24 of an apparent heart attack. As a fan of colorful Thoroughbreds, he has long been a favorite of mine, and I am sorry he is gone. He leaves behind a legacy of athletic and loudly marked offspring who excel in show rings around the world.

Mini stocking stuffers

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:21:00 +0000

What better to do on a snowy weekend than listen to Frank Delaney read "Ireland" to me while I paint. It really makes the hours fly by. :-)

When I was in GA for Thanksgiving, I splurged on a bunch of the new G3 SMs at Hobby Town, and I couldn't resist painting a few of them right away. The appy Friesian cross is on ebay as is a bay roan drafter cohort of his. I will be adding a few more minis this week as well to earn a little mad money for the holiday, so please check out my auctions. I'm starting all the minis at $24.99 with no reserve.

G3 Appy Friesian:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170176013996

G3 Bay Roan Drafter:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170176012216

Another PS Chips custom to ebay

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:50:00 +0000

I am having a great deal of fun of with these PS Chips. They have superior detailing to all but the G1 Stablemates, and just like potato chips, you can't eat...er...paint...just one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170163395431

Finally! A model horse related post!

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 03:24:00 +0000

"And at the top of the stretch, a filly is in front at the Belmont! But Curlin is right there with her! These two, in a battle of the sexes in the Belmont Stakes! It's Curlin on the inside; Rags to Riches on the outside. A desperate finish! Rags to Riches and Curlin! They're coming down to the wire. It's gonna be very close! And it's gonna be.... a filly in the Belmont! Rags to Riches has beaten Curlin and a hundred years of Belmont history! The first filly to win it in over a century!"

This little gal is available on ebay from October 15-20.

John Henry 1975-2007

noreply@blogger.com (Kirsten Wellman) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 01:44:00 +0000

Eighty-three starts, 39 wins, 30 stakes wins, 7 Eclipse awards, 2 Big Caps, 2 Millions, 2 times Horse of the Year, and 32 years as a living legend. You'd hardly guess it looking at him in this photo I took in July, but I think the tail-to-the-door attitude even at age 32 said it all. John did it his way or not at all. RIP, champ.