Friday, December 31, 2021

Bury your poverty, dig up your wealth 2021-2022

 It's New Year's Eve 2021!! It's time to Bury your Poverty and Dig up your wealth! 



I stole this concept from Chris Wallbruch and I tried it in 2013 and it was an OK year overall.

I tried it again in 2014 and while it was a rough year - this DID work for me. 

I did this in 2015 and while the end of the year was not what I expected - it was a very good year overall - I still had income after I had been let go from a job and I was very glad to not be homeless. 

2016 was just a bitch and while I had no great windfall I have always had the funds to pay what needed to be paid. 

2017 I managed to get a little more than I needed, but again no windfall. 

2018 I have had a very good year - no windfall- but all the bills paid and I actually have $10 in my savings account (This is saying something considering I have had a $0 balance for a while). 

2019 brought a lot of change in aspects of my life and while again no windfall, I have managed to pay my bills (a little late sometimes) but again I have money in savings and a money market now! 

2020 was a suck year with the Coronavirus, the East Troublesome Fire Thompson zone, Cameron Peak Fire and so much more - but I was given a gift of money to get a new rental home, pay my bills - all on time, help with my evacuation and pay for the things that I wanted and needed and overtime at work. I have to say that I have been helped this year more than any other and I am so very grateful. 

2021 has been the most generous and not so generous year to me. I struggled still from the Coronavirus issues like the rest of the world. I busted my butt at a job that did not appreciate me, I traveled, paid my bills and in October, lost my step-dad. I then proceeded to get a job that actually makes me feel appreciated and pays me well. It feels unbelievable, but I am SO grateful! This year, my cup hath runneth over. It may not be a windfall, but it is a wage and environment that is positive and good for me and that's better than the largest lottery win. 





It is time to bury your poverty!



For those of you who are unfamiliar with this tradition, what you do is bury a dollar (or any amount above a dollar that you want) in the soil on New Year's Eve. This can be in a houseplant if the ground is frozen or inaccessible, but I like to go outside, dig a hole, and drop my dollar in. (I put it in a plastic bag). As you bury said dollar, say out loud, "I am burying my poverty!" TIP - if you do this outside, make sure you place some sort of marker where you bury your buck so that you can find it again!

On New Year's Day, dig UP the dollar, and as you do so, say out loud, "I am unburying my wealth!"

You can't spend the money- you can either keep it or give it away to charity. Giving it away is the best so you are less likely to spend it. For me, each year I have given the $1 to a local Estes Park charity. This year I hope to be able to bury more than $1 and give the local EP Charity more $$ when I dig it up.  

This tradition is supposed to give you an unexpected windfall of money during the year.

I have had money come to me the 9 years I have done this and I have always had money that helped me out of tough times so I am NOT complaining.

It is a tradition I plan on keeping every year and I thank Chris for pointing me to it!! Go bury that poverty and dig up your wealth! 


Dig up your wealth!



Bridle Tree Barn Raising Challenge 2021

 


See the rules HERE. My goal for this challenge is to paint and build my stablemate barn and fenced pasture.

This is the barn I was modeling it after: 






So I was able to start the barn around the 4th of December. 




I did a second round of primer on the 11th. 



Then I put base brown paint on it. 




Then the weather turned and since I could not use my wood spray in the house - my barn as just sat in pieces. 

And it is still not finished - it will have to wait until warmer weather for me to get it done - but this was further than I expected to get! 


Sunday, December 26, 2021

Estes Park Police Department Blue Santa

Every holiday season, the Blue Santa Program collects non-perishable food, gifts and hygiene products for disabled, shut-in and elderly community members who need a little extra cheer during the holiday season. Blue Santa is sponsored by the Estes Park Police Auxiliary.


From 2019 Tree Lighting.

The Estes Park Police Department and the Estes Park Police Auxiliary handle the event annually. They do canned food donation drives across the Estes Valley, as well as monetary donations. Local businesses set up donation boxes or jars and the Auxiliary handles the pick up, sorting, and delivery (along with EPPD members) to those on the list of being in need for the holiday season. 

Each year the Auxiliary and PD deliver between 75 and 100 boxes of food and gifts in the Estes Valley. It is done around the 1-2nd Saturday of December. 

From 2019 Delivery.
 
To nominate a disabled, shut-in or elderly community member in need, please contact Captain Corey Pass at the Estes Park Police Department, at 970-577-3828 or go online to at the Blue Santa website



Saturday, December 4, 2021

International Customizing Equine Event 2021

 


The idea of this event is to motivate artists and non-artists if all skill levels to challenge themselves in a supportive community to customize a model in 2 months, October AND November (61 days).

This is to tie in with Jennifer Bray Buxton’s NaMoPaiMo (National Model Painting Month), so that all customizing and prepping has been completed by February 1 and then continue on to  National Tack Month (April) for a Triple Crown in modeling.

Project model must be 50% or more horse "body". Completed model is to be equine, other Equids (mule, donkey, zebra, etc.) or equine-like (unicorn, pegasus, hippocampus, seahorse, centaur and other mythical or fantasy horse-like creature).

Only 3-D models will be included in the project model category.

However, ICEE encourages participants to also complete any number of 2-D and non-equine projects for the "I Also Made This!" category they wish within the 2 month period of the Event.


For 2021, I decided to do one of my favorite Stablemate molds as a horse from the Star Wars the Rise of Skywalker movies - an Orbak!! 


This requires me to do a TON of sculpting!! Then Paint it for NAMOPAIMO in February 2022 and make the tack for it in April 2022!! 

Right after I joined the ICEE for 2021, my step dad passed away, I spent a few days with my mom and then I came home, worked a ton of hours at my old job and I interviewed about a new job, got that job and have been in training since 11/1/21. 

Finally, in November, I I was able to start working on this fellow. 

Well, it's November 28, 2021 and I haven't gotten any farther on my sculpting - I was ill and in the hospital and I have been working a ton of hours. I am just exhausted and not artistic at the moment. This is not a failure, just a set back. I still hope to complete him before the end of they year.