Longmire Days 2022 - Hell and Back

 

I was very excited for the 2022 Longmire Days when it was announced and made sure I requested the dates off from work. 

I have to say when it posted on July 9 that only Robert, Adam and Craig would be there - I was very frustrated at first too. I had hoped to see all of my favorite actors. It ended up that Adam would not be able to attend due to working and so it was Craig and Robert. 

There was a lot of ugliness going online about it. Which is sad. I was frustrated, but I have never seen so many people who were UGLY rude and nasty, especially to Jennifer, who is the event organizer. I was amazed that people that were supposed to be fans of this show were being absolute shits about it. It kind of reminded me of all the crappy Star Wars fans who claim they are fans but whine and bitch when things don't go the way they think they should. It's okay to be frustrated, it's not okay to make accusations and bring up stuff from 5-7 years ago and try to deter new fans from attending.

I shortened my stay due to getting a new job, as I had planned to be there almost two weeks around the event and could only drive up on the 18th and home on the 21st (part way) and finish it on Monday the 22nd the rest of the way). 

I stayed at the Mansion House Motel - I love that place and it is my go to every year. 

I drove up Thursday the 18th and got in around 4 pm. I missed several events - Thursday Horse Back ride, Lunch with Craig and Robert, The Hardware of Longmire and Historic Johnson County with Craig and Robert. I checked into the Motel and I relaxed a bit before I headed to meet up with the "Walnuts" at the Ox. 

Then I met up with Jennifer and did my Volunteer duty doing check-in at the Evening event - HELL AND BACK - Craig Johnson - A Longmire Novel Event. It was great - Craig read an exerpt from his latest book (to be released Sept 2022). 

Then it was time to crash and head to bed. 

Friday started out a BUSY day with the first Autograph session. I volunteered to do check-in again and it was well attended and EVERYONE behaved and didn't have to be entertained or yelled at to keep their seats and wait their turns like in previous years. Everyone was happy and chatting and it was awesome. 

Then Craig and his agent Gail did a lovely talk on Writing a Book. (I was doing check-in for that too). It was well attended and everyone was polite and attentive. 

Then it was onto the Conversations with Craig and Robert. Again, the audience was engaged and respectful and I was doing check-in (you see the pattern right)! HAHA

The evening ended with the Charity Auction at the Occidental Motel (aka the OX). I want to say there were like 25 items up for grabs and the bidding was well about my ability to bid. I am not sure of the grand total but people bid and bought and a fun time was had by all. I was checking people in for the bidding numbers and running tickets from the auctioneer to check out. 

Saturday

The start of Saturday is always the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast. Being gluten free this year put a dent in the amount of pancakes I usually try to stuff in my face, but I still went, donated my $5 and had ham and juice. 

Then it was on to the Saturday Autograph Session. 

Vic Moretti Cosplayer Jen Kirby

The people were great taking their seats and waiting patiently, some up to 2 hours for autographs, without rushing Craig and Robert. They talked to each other and there was no drama from the attendees. It was one of the best autograph sessions I have ever worked. It was great not having to tell people 50 times to please sit down and wait their turns or deal with childish people cutting in line. This group of people was so well behaved and respectful. 

There was a large gap before the next event which involved hanging out with the Walnuts and others at Z-Bar and enjoying meeting new attendees and new fans. 

Then it was the Tale of Two Walts event - this sold roughly 700 tickets. As I have said, as someone who volunteered at Longmire Days several years, the audience attendees were some of the most respectful (I can't say this enough) and cooperative attendees ever. When the event was completed, they didn't try to rush the actors and get autographs. It was great to see a large group of people being well behaved and I heard from so many people how happy they were to attend their first year and it was great. 

The end of Saturday was the street dance. As always, you could catch Craig signing at the Bucking Buffalo and seeing everyone having a great time. 

I bailed early on that because I was exhausted. I also had to pack because I was out of my hotel on Sunday morning. 

Sunday

I loaded my truck and said goodbye to the Mansion House for 2022. I headed out to the TA Ranch to attend the horseback ride. I was so happy to get this one ticket. I love doing the ride every year and this is my one ticket I try to get because I always enjoy it. 

Met several new attendees, had a nice breakfast and then headed out on the ride. My ride this year was a grey mare named Callie. She was a pleasant horse and I enjoyed her very much. After the ride was a nice lunch, and I am grateful that the TA Ranch served food that someone who can't have gluten could eat. It was great for me. It was followed by a cutting horse demostration. I was really impressed with this growing up around cutting horses as they used a mechanical calf on ropes. It was very well done and I enjoyed seeing the two good working mares they demonstrated.

I had been going to leave after the horseback ride and try to make the drive back to Estes Park on Sunday night. I made the decision that I would stay for the Volunteer reception, so I went and had a burger at the Busy Bee. 

The Volunteer Reception was another event that I can't say enough about how polite and respectful everyone was, and they all managed to get their time with Craig and Robert. Where in previous years it was like a feeding frenzy of people trying to get autographs and talk, this was laid back and everyone gave everyone else a chance and we all sat and talked to each other. It was absolutely cool. And Jennifer, the Foundation Director, is awesome and I hope she returns next year. She put on a great event, had great staff, and managed an event that had a lot of negativity going into it and made it awesome. Dannielle was an awesome Volunteer manager and the rest of the staff was capable and awesome to be with. I can't wait for 2023. 

Then I sadly had to leave Buffalo. I made it to Casper by 7 pm, got dinner at Red Lobster and my hotel by 830 pm where I crashed and then was up and leaving to head the remaining 4 hours back to Estes Park on Monday. 

I can't say enough how good this event was and how respectful people were. 2023 - I can't wait to see it. 

Model Horse and Action Figure Monthly Art Challenge - July 2022

SUMMERTIME! WOO HOO! Let's see if I can get this one done and catch up the other ones! 
 

And I still didn't. I have been picking projects that are large and working a lot of hours at work and being far too exhausted to complete them. 

I hope to do a catch up blog of all the monthly challenge pieces and get back to completing them in a month's time and not 6 months time. 

Model Horse and Action Figure Monthly Art Challenge - June 2022

We shall see if I can get this one done and catch up on my other two challenge projects. I had hoped to do a really cool medallion set, but alas, this challenge was another one I couldn't meet due to work. 🙁

 And I did not get this months challenge completed or even started ☹️ I have the items out and hope to complete before the end of the year.

Medallion Madness Month - June 2022

Medallion Madness Month takes place in June 2022. I signed up on June 1, 2022 and I am doing my Splendid Medallion sculpted by Ashley's Equine Artistry. 

First I sculpted on some scales using Magic-Sculpt and a scale making tool. 

Then I started painting and making a "display" out of a seashell. 

I am very pleased how he turned out! And finally glad to complete a challenge. 

 

Indian Paintbrush Live Model Horse Show - May 2022

 

YEAH for model horse shows!! I am so excited to attend my first one since September of 2019. 

Indian Paintbrush Live was held in Cheyenne, Wyoming and hosted by Anna Miller. Held May 21, 2022 at LCCC Pathfinder Building. There were 29 entrants from five different states, not including Wyoming. 

I was working off an old classlist, so I left a lot of show horses at home sadly. I did get Buttercup the Yellow Ford Ranger loaded pretty well. 

The weather was snowy and icy and rainy in Estes Park when I left on Friday afternoon. The drive down Big Thompson Canyon (Hwy 34) was slow, but when I reached Fort Collins it started to clear and then by Cheyenne, it was very nice out. 

I stayed at the Days Inn. It was an interesting hotel room on the BASEMENT level floor. Nothing like looking out of my truck at the undercarriage. It was clean and had no carpet which I liked because I hate carpet, but just a little weird. 

I ws up early the next morning so that I could drive over to the show hall. I was very early but talked to my mom while I waited for it to open. 

Once the show hall opened up, I brought in my models and we started the day!

I want to thank all of the judges for a great day! 

OF Breyer: Fabian Tashúnke Ska

OF Peter Stone: Alex Aarons

OF Mini: Courtney Sadar

OF China: Cheryl Ellison

Artist Resin: Anna Kerns

Custom Plastic: Dana D'Ippolito

Medallion: Heather Malone

And I wanted to share my best placings and a surprising championship. 

I can't wait for the next show! 

International Model Tack Month - April 2022 - Tack is my Nemisis

GOAL

International Model Tack Month (abbreviated IMTM to avoid confusion with other annual challenge groups) is a community of model horse hobbyists focused on helping each other complete a self-determined tack project between the dates of April 1 and April 30. This is not a contest or a competition; there are no prizes. Everyone who completes their project as described in their registration form and uploads a finished photo to the specified location will receive a personalized completion certificate in the form of a PDF that can be printed at home.

IMTM strives to create a kind, welcoming community where we can all learn. We focus on support and education for tack makers of all skill levels, remembering that we all started somewhere. Community members are encouraged to tailor any advice, suggestions, or critique to the skill level of the person requesting it. All criticism should be positive and focused on education.

MY TACK EXPERIENCES

I have entered this challenge for like 5 of its 6 years - my first year (2018) - I did not complete my challenge - see this blog. Then I did 2019 challenge and completed my project - here. 2020 was a suck year because I had to move DURING the pandemic and IMTM - here. 2021 I failed again to complete the challenge - HERE

This year I am trying it again. I am going to try to do a circus costume for a Stablemate - AGAIN. 

And this month - I have to say was a rough month for me and as I look at the mess of my art table, I know that today being April 30, I will not be completing my project and haven't even done the basics for it. One of these years, I will succeed at this challenge - 2022 is not the year.