A New Member of the Team ... or ... Steph Did It Again!

   I have three sisters. One of them, Stephanie, has, since she got married and had two children,  also become an avid animal collector. She also likes to "help" others collect animals.
   When I had to put my dearly-loved and much-missed mare to sleep, Steph found a rescue horse for me. Carlo was quite handsome, but wanted NOTHING to do with the riding game. After he tossed me hard, and fractured my pelvis, he was returned to the rescue people. He is now being "used" as a companion horse - NO riding for him!
   Then her husband bought two chinchillas. [previously mentioned in this blog] Steph refused to keep them in their cage. Whenever you visited her house, you could hear the scurry of feet and the gnawing of teeth on anything, and see the occasional flash of grey. After six months, I got a slightly teary phone call, asking if I would take the chins. I did. They chewed a saddle, a bridle and my bathroom!!!! I've had the bathroom re-done, and the tack did not fit my new horse, but ...

DO you mind?

Nothing better than I warm horse blanket

Hmmmmm?!!!

Definitely worth investigating

   Now I have Pumpkin. She is a very adorable brown tabby with her own agenda. She has taken over my bed, and the bathroom. And she is showing a few quirks. She does not glide gracefully and quietly, as most cats do, she THUMPS! She is an avid tap-watcher; she loves to watch and drink running water. I have a sick feeling, she is probably an art critic, too, and is only biding her time to let me know what she thinks of my painting.

Yes, I Started Again ... or ...Buddy the Second

2nd time going much faster

All body colors laid in

Intensifying colors

I am here, and it is starting to look like Buddy

   With the first "Buddy", I got to a point where the brown points looked too dark and orange, so I started again. The flip side will be used for a trial of another idea I want to pursue about my farrier. In retrospect, the original would probably have worked, with a bit of careful lifting here and there, but it's all a learning experience. I'll be working on the head details now. I don't quite like his left leg; I think if I "mould" his body color a bit more, it will look more like a leg than a flipper. Any ideas??