Little this, little that

Okay, that was a longer than expected hiatus. Got bit by a cat, had to get a tetanus shot the next day, then a couple days after that the doctor decided to take a bit of blood from me (different reason). All of this happened on my right arm, so it is a little sore. I also got involved in redoing a fanfiction I was working on a few years ago, never got too far in it so there isn't much to tweak. Those things along with being on an antibiotic that my body doesn't take kindly to kept me from opening my laptop-the fanfiction is on my phone so it was in easier access.

First things first, I told y'all that I would show off my childhood holy grail. Here he is!

 

Northern Lights was the first decorator I was introduced to back when I was eight, and my mom would only buy me Stablemates, so I was out of luck. I now have him, 14 years later, and he is still in his box, fat white zip ties and all! DeEtta has already tried to nibble at the box, so I'm definitely keeping him in there for now. He sits on my dresser where I see him when I wake up and giggle at my fortune. If only it was that easy to find all my childhood holy grails...

I also got around to photographing my little Hartland foals.

 

They're so darn cute!

They are both the Arabian foal mold unpainted, but they have a few differences. The color is the most obvious. Little pale fella's head is also facing downwards more than its darker companion. then there's these mold marks I know nothing about.

 

"D"

 

 

"A"

I know nothing about Hartlands, so it might be something simple. For now I don't know. In a way they do remind me of the youngest and most rambunctious kitties of the house, and I managed to get a picture of them together without them moving. They are both alike, but have their own unique quirks.

 

DeEtta is quickly catching up to Gizmo. 

I have other things I've been working on, but will save for another time when I don't have hormonal kitties crawling all over me. (Gizmo is in heat, and Bear is acting like she will be soon also...)

 

One crazy week

Well life threw a few twists. The weather has been causing my nerve endings and other neurological tweaks to go haywire to the point of my non medical remedy for my sleep seizures to not work. I've thankfully gone three nights without one, but very exhausted nonetheless. I ripped my pants picking up Snoopy (the 18 pound bundle of ornery at the shelter), and he seemed to find it amusing.

 

Here he was telling me that he had nothing to do with it.

Work was bustling like crazy, I thought I was going to have dreams of all the customers who were saying "We're from Fairbanks!" "Do you have a Fairbanks special?" "Why don't you guys open an Arbys up in Fairbanks?" (There was an Arbys in Fairbanks, but it got no business at all so it got shut down), and then the good 'ol "I'll have (insert multiples of 10) roast beef sandwiches/sliders." I'm still not sure what in the world was going on to have alot of people from Interior Alaska down here, but it was nuts. With how often we get asked for a Fairbanks special, which is something we stopped doing 8 years ago, I have strongly considered doing a group of decorator custom stablemates and call them "The Fairbanks Special."

I have also managed to create jeweled Egyptian Arabian halters, nothing too fancy but they turned out way better than I expected. Honeysuckle and Sundown really like them.

 

Honeysuckle's bald face does not like my camera at all.

Spot also gave us a huge scare. She started acting lethargic and uninterested in everything, and the Bengal kittens were watching over her intently. Because she's the leader of the little "colony" and was showing a great deal of weakness, Bear kept on attempting to attack her but was foiled by DeEtta's speed and Gizmo's size every time; so my service animal in training decided to be Spot's body guard. We started to get worried when she stopped grooming herself and was turning down the offer of treats, and started wondering if she needed a vet visit on Friday.

Between Friday night and Saturday morning things took a very bad turn. Spot had been sleeping on my bed since Wednesday by DeEtta's beckoning so I got used to sleeping like a corkscrew. Around the midnight hours going into Saturday I woke up to a very upset and distressed DeEtta who was mewing up a storm and worriedly mothering Spot with Gizmo sitting on the floor upset also. I turned on my light and found Spot bleeding all over my bed and herself and barely responding to the Bengals. Fast forward to a few hours later and we had the vet telling us she has pyometra, basically the cat form of endometriosis, and they were giving her a very small chance of survival. For those who don't know what pyometra and endometriosis are, and are too lazy to look, they are basically infections of the uterus and are very life threatening.

The vet told us the recommended choice was surgery that had a 30% chance that was out of our budget despite getting paid the day before, and there was a smaller chance with how weak she was of it being successful. She did give us the option of trying antibiotics, but told us it had just as much of a chance of being successful, but was way cheaper; so we took that route knowing that if she wasn't better in 48 hours we had to take the sad route of euthanasia. Saturday was still scary with her, but Sunday morning we found her eating and moving around. Since then she's been improving wonderfully, and is strong enough to not need a guardian kitty and swiftly reminded Bear of her place. She still seems a little tired, but I don't blame her. Here's to hoping the next week goes smoother!

 

Sunday night she was being herself trying to make Jason stop playing Division.

Struck by stars and stripes

Guys, I am screaming. Look at this fella!

 

 He is so awesome! I've never been attracted to the translucents much, but something about this guy just draws me to him like ants to sugar water. For those who haven't heard or don't follow me for my model horse obsession, World of Model Horses revealed the 2016 4th of July Breyer horse on their Facebook page this morning, and he (maybe I should mention his name is Patriot) is a 3000 piece run that they have pre orders of already. I am just purely awestruck by him, the red points, the stars on his hindquarters like a blanket appaloosa pattern, the blue, oh that blue....I know for sure that if he's giving others such happy vibes like he is with me the pre orders will be filled quickly and he won't be cheap on the secondary market for a while.

Speaking of the secondary market, eBay has had some interesting gems. I'm not a big fan of the Breyer elephant, but these pieces are in great condition and rather neat.

 

If I was to pursue getting one, it would be a decorator like this cutie.

And here are some more with some info on them. They all were clearly from the same person who was a collector that tended to their models very well. 

 

There was also this. Not too special, but one of the "custom ideas" in this auction really threw me off and made me ask myself why someone would do such a weird idea...

 

Welp, that's all I really got for today. For those who were hoping to see kitties, I will give you eye candy of a couple of the cats I was working with at the shelter.

 

Finn and Holly were placed in the community room together since they were both declawed and possessed passive personalities. They couldn't agree on who could sit with me; Holly won until I got up and stretched then Finn did a victory prance as she hid on a shelf.

 

Sawyer was a lovebug who wanted to be everywhere but his kennel. The full time vet got a kick out of hearing me tell him we weren't going to play "The Adventures of Tomcat Sawyer"

 

Zara was one of Tuesday's transfers from the stray room, and not even a half hour later I had people wanting to adopt her. I love knowing there's people who can find room in their hearts to adopt adult kitties, makes me look forward to going back next Tuesday.

 

Unique little ponies

Why hello strangers I'm still alive! Just been busy and sick, but doing things nonetheless. Been spending alot of time on eBay acquiring horses and wishing I could get others...

 

 I am really coveting this guy, his shading is beautiful! But alas, I am already at my horsey budget for this pay period, so I had to say farewell to possibly giving him a home with me.

 And then there's this beauty that is far too above my budget. I feel honored just being able to see that he exists, very mystifying coloring for the Adios mold. Backstory included!

 

I might have missed out on some beauties, but I still have become victorious. I had two unpainted Hartland arabian foals come in the mail, each one very unique on its own, along with a couple more models en route. One is a model I identify as one of my "childhood holy grails," and I will definitely be showing him off when he arrives, and I got an older Peter Stone model coming also. Once they arrive I will be taking a respite from adding to my collection until I can get a DeEtta proof display cabinet to put them in. Something about the smell of the newer Breyers seems to scream "eat me" to the cute terror, so thankfully my vintages are safe...for now. They do have a new toy to keep them occupied for a while, I already woke up a few times last night to them enjoying it.

 

Finally a picture of all five! Sabbat at the top, Bear to the right, Gizmo on the left, DeEtta on the new toy and Spot at the bottom. The Bengal babies love it.

Speaking of Bengals, DeEtta has been getting restless and wanting to go on an adventure lately to the point of trying to walk out the door when I go to work, and Gizmo has been very clingy to me. It's almost like they know that I'm struggling with this infection with how Gizmo soothes me to sleep, DeEtta wakes me up when I stop breathing, and they greet me as soon as I get home. I even have an editor for tonight's entry, but it might be because I'm extremely exhausted from the day. On that note, I better rest up and get ready to help the shelter kitties tomorrow get love until they find forever homes.

 

Yeah, Gizmo doesn't look smug at all.

Feline shenanigans and a scary little machine

Last few days have been a hit and miss with my health, and the antibiotic was wreaking more havoc than the sickness, but I am still alive! And let's just say there were a couple kitties that kept sticking close to me, so I caught them in their "natural habitat." Please forgive the horrendous photo placement.

   




Gizmo was "helping" me braid...

    

I was also front row to a Bengal battle! DeEtta was having a good time lounging back, even while slapping Gizmo's paw.

I love this shot, it shows how close in size they are. Gizmo still has more muscle tone than DeEtta.

I also started working on my pony pouches again, and with a new method. It is definitely one that I'm still trying to figure out, and it has bite. So far it has pricked my innocent thumb and nearly mangled a piece of material. Who knew a handheld sewing machine could be so scary....it took me an hour to make one pouch for one stablemate. One. Hour. I would be better off hand sewing them unless I can get better at not getting attacked by the machine and making giant snarled messes somehow. It would be nice to get the pouches made for at least the stablemates so that they can quit chafing against each other in their storage tote. One step at a time, or else I will trip and fall.

 

So cute, but also intimidating...

And don't forget, tomorrow is pi(e) day!!

Triumph and trial

Well this sickness is more than I wanted. Doctor said that I have an ear infection...on top of my respiratory infection that I thought I was done with. Awesome. Hopefully the medicine I got this time around will help, because it's no fun being drained halfway through my work shift.
Despite the not so appealing health, I have some good things come my way. My recent mail has come in, and I have been stoked since I opened them.

 

I am not a child, just child like.

My two latest Breyers came in, and I have been as giddy as when I cook myself a batch of deep fried pike bites. I have since put them down but I was holding and gawking at them for the fifteen mile ride home and the first few minutes after I got in the house. It also occurred to me that my current breed crush is Arabians, I actually only had two (not counting stablemates) until a few weeks ago. For being older molds, these guys are gorgeous, especially the proud Arabian stallion I just got. Since I'm exhausted I'll end it here with pictures of my two new beauties.

 

This is the one I referred to as Tamarisk's new girlfriend, I have named her Acacia.

And say hello to Sundown.

 

Research struggles

With the near completion of one project (Stonewall Lee), I am preparing to do the research portion for another project. For being a mess up on base coloring, he is turning out gorgeous, almost like a steel gray snowflake appaloosa. Speaking of appaloosas, I have decided that will be my next project. I finally succumbed and bought a stablemate sized artist resin mare that is rolling blissfully on her back. I fell in love with her at first sight and decided that I was going to get her.

 

I might be a fool for horses that aren't the kind you would put in a winner's arena setting.

As soon as I saw her, I immediately pictured her as a leopard appaloosa. Simple enough on the basic end, white horse with spots like a dalmatian. That would be the case if I was making a doodle of a leopard appaloosa, but I want to do it right, mottled skin and all. It wasn't hard to gather reference pictures for the eyes, hooves, genitalia, and muzzle, but there one big gaping detail I'm struggling with that is out in the open on this beauty. Her belly. I know the hair is thin on parts of the belly, so pinking and mottling will show through, but I can't remember exactly where, and Google is acting like a stubborn critter about my search terms. At least it hasn't given me anything traumatizing like when I've looked for other things in the image search, I actually got lucky and found an adorable find!

 

Behold the mythical "Cataloosa"

Of course before I would go slopping paint on an artist resin with a pattern I've never done, I need a test pony. Thank god that I have a body box of beaten up models I've acquired in multiple horse lots on eBay, so I have a few to pick from. My victim of choice is a little bit/paddock pal quarter horse that was painted a yellow brown. When I removed the paint from him and his little buddies soon after I acquired them with a method I used many times before, something......strange happened. Unlike other times, I used a cheap oven cleaner which seemed to cause a very acidic reaction against the plastic; and took off not only the paint, but it dissolved the top layer of plastic in some places into a gel like mess. I managed to rescue them and clean them before too much damage was done while cussing and muttering and wondering if the cheap crap had acetone or something in it. Here I am, pulling him (well, her, his manhood was a victim of the death slime) out of the body box, and I'm debating on bathing it, it still smells like the lemon scented oven cleaner from eight months ago. If you ever decide to do the oven cleaner in a baggie method to remove acrylic paint from a Breyer, I advise using a brand name oven cleaner instead of the bargain brand stuff at the corner store, it will save you a night of wanting to rampage through a basement apartment and go upstairs to ask your landlord for a cigarette although you are trying to break the habit. I have determined that once I lightly sand down the rough edges around the resulting slime craters and put a gesso layer on him (her!) then it will be safe to practice some mottling.