Model Horse and Action Figure Monthly Art Challenge - February 2022

 Challenge for February: HEARTS

I chose to do a Breyer Stablemate Warmblood Unicorn for this challenge.

 

It's pictured with my NaMoPaiMo horse and the 2 horses for the MinisPaintingMinis. 

I did not get pictures along the way, but I used several different things for this - tissue paper, markers, colored pencils, acrylic paints and newspaper. 

This turned into a fun experiment of things to try to put on a model horse. 

It did not turn out that great, but it was fun trying to get things on it. 

I used tissue paper, markers, acrylic paints, colored pencils, stickers, newspaper and modpodge. 

 

Model Horse and Action Figure Monthly Art Challenge - January 2022

I started this club in late 2021 to give challenges to model horse and action figure friends. 

The first challenge of 2022 started January 1. It was the theme Firsts suggested by Kelly Dorman. 

I honestly had NO idea what I was going to do until the night of Saturday, January 8, 2022. I did not even get pictures of my piece before I started. 

I prepped, customized, and painted the model and it's nest all on Sunday, January 9. It was just like keep it rolling. From start to finish, it was 6 hours of my Sunday. I did all the prep and primer and painting today. 

I am so pleased. 

Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone - 2021

2021 has been a year of stepping out of my comfort zone. After 2020 being such a strange year for me from it being normal at the beginning of the year and doing PD Auxiliary Classes and going to a dog show to being in a pandemic and getting kicked out of my rental by people I thought were friends, to finding a place to rent in like 15 days with the help of great friends, and finding the BEST landlords in the world. The hospital being like one of the only businesses open and then the FIRES - 2020 sucked.

2021 started with somewhat the ending of 2020, but at least the fires were contained and things were slowly getting back to a semblance of what once was normal. 

I have done a ton of things on Zoom, Google Meetings, Teams and other online venues to do meetings and just "hang" with friends and family members - that was a whole new experience. 

The second week in March, I went from Sunday days and Wednesday/Thursday or Thursday/Friday nights to being a DAYWALKER - Sunday days, Thursday and Friday days. The Co-worker who had Thursday and Friday days went to the ambulance crew full time and I was given those days! Daywalking is a whole new experience. And I went for it - going after it when the opportunity would pop up - before I would not have done that. 

March also brought me spoiling myself - something I haven't done in ages - I made the plan to once per month get a massage, facial and just pamper me. Believe me I am not a girly-girl and not one to do this, but I decided that I was totally worth it and this would happen. 

April brought coming back to doing Auxiliary things as more events opened up. Community Clean Up was one of those events and like the first time in a year that the crew had been together in person. It was weird to be back together and doing "normal" things again. 

May brought about a trip to North Platte because it's 1/2 way between Estes Park and Yankton and a meet up with my model BFF Morgan Haberman. We haven't seen each other in a year and we were like the ONLY people wearing masks in the town - quite out of my comfort zone and it was an interesting experience. 

Another step out of the comfort zone in May was joining the Community Garage Sale in Estes Park - I did a very good sale in May, but June was not so good -it rained us out and I didn't do July or August or September there either due to weather and scheduling conflicts. I am not comfortable around a lot of people and while I can be social - my ADHD and RSD make it very uncomfortable if I am not in the mood for it. 

June brought the CROWNS FOR THE CARE - I did several blogs on it - so you might check past blogs to read it all - this had to be the largest STEP out of my comfort zone so far of the year.

The rest of July and August was just working, and I did apply for jobs at other places due to frustration with the hospital. Interviewing is not an easy task and puts you on the spot, but it is good to learn about yourself more and other businesses, even if they don't work out for you in the end. 

I also managed to do artwork in August and I posted on a project I started in July and finished in August. A color experiment that did not go the way I planned. In the past, I would have trashed the project and never let out a peep. Now, I am accepting that things that don't work out well aren't always bad and can be a learning experience and a step outside the comfort zone. 

September brought Longmire Days (a different version because the actors couldn't make it this year due to Covid-19 issues) and my Wilderness first responder course. While Longmire Days is not out of my comfort zone - it was the first time I traveled there alone in 4 years. My traveling buddy Rudi couldn't make it. It was scary to travel by myself, with my old truck, but we both made it there and back again and I had a total blast!!! 

The Wilderness first responder course was the second largest out of my comfort zone of the year and I have a whole blog on it. It was a lot of sweat, tears, aching muscles, learning and meeting great people! 

Late September and early October brought sadness. On September 26, 2021, my "Step Dad" Kenny passed away. He was a wonderful man and I am so sad. I went back and spent 10 days with my mother and her friend Jann. 

While I was visiting my mom, I got a call about a job I had applied for. They did a TEAMS interview with me and I drove back on October 11 to do another interview on October 12. I was offered the job on October 15, turned in my resignation at EPH on October 17, and my last full time day was Friday, October 29. I am a PRN still at the hospital, but I now work full time at UCHealth Primary Care. I am so excited for this new adventure! 

I also did some fun things like art weekends with friends, and going to a play last minute with a friend, going to movies by myself, and slowly working on my art. 

Doing all the things that are so out of my comfort zone. 

There are so many fun things outside of your comfort zone! 

Fire - the #KrugerRockFire happened on November 16, 2021 at 6:50 AM - this was the view from my office window. It brought back a lot of unwanted anxiety and PTSD from the #CameronPeak and #EastTroublesome Fires. The great firefighters got it 100% contained on 11/20/21 at 6 PM. 

Estes Park Police Auxiliary doing the Blue Santa Drive at the Tree lighting. Great time and great donations. 

Another awesome Adam Driver movie. And there were a whole 5 people in the theater. 

I am grateful for a year of going beyond what I have felt comfortable doing, making changes and ending some things. Now on to 2022. 

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! 

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. 

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.