Changes to the saddle pads coming

I'm going to be making some slight changes to the saddle pads.  Up until now I've been using a 14 count aida cloth to make the traditional size pads.  I just made my first classic size pad using 22 count aida cloth and I love the end result.  From now on for the traditional size pads I'll be using 18 count aida cloth.  The smaller squares/higher counts are a bit harder to work with but I'm liking the end results a lot more.  They look more in scale with the models and the stitches are a lot 'tighter'.  I was figuring it out last night and even though I'm changing the count size, I should still be able to use my patterns just as they are which will be nice.  My prices will remain the same too.  I'm curious to see what the response will be, the first pads I make with the new count will be show donations.

Slight modifications needed to be made...

Well, apparently a 20 count aida cloth isn't made!  So, I'll just have to make the classic size pads on the 22 count.  I also measured Wahoo King and even though he looks bigger (to me), he's not really any bigger than the new classic models.  I'm really liking how small the stitches are on the 22 count although my eyes don't like trying to look at those tiny stitches!  And because the pad is so small it's not taking any time to do it, should have it done in another day or so.  It's a simple pattern so I can take it with me outside and sit out in the garage with Mike and stitch away while he does his thing (did that for several hours today).  I found that all the bright lights in the garage also help me see what I'm doing too, guess when you have big halogen lights that are supposed to be outside in a small 20x24 building that tends to happen.

Now have three shows that I've agreed to make donations for.  They're all in March and April so I have plenty of time thankfully as I will be making both traditional and classic size pads for each show.  Now just need to figure out some way to put my name/logo on them, what I was doing just wasn't working as it couldn't be read very easily.....  If you have an idea of what I could do let me know, just keep in mind that it has to be something that won't scratch or leave a mark on a model.

Have started doing classic size pads

Well, I finally sat down last night and figured out what count cloth I'd need to do classic size pads and still keep my patterns the way they are.  Wow.  For the larger classic size (Scamper, Wahoo King, etc) I need a 20 count cloth and for the smaller classic size (frolic stallion, AQH mare, etc) I need 22 count cloth.  I have a package of 22 count here so I opened it and started a saddle pad.  Man, I'm going cross-eyed trying to see those tiny holes!  It's going pretty quickly though, in just a couple hours or so I have about 1/4 of the pad done.  I started with a pretty simple pattern thankfully.  And once the stitches are done they're soooo tiny you can hardly tell they're there.  I think the classic pads are going to be a success.  Stay tuned for pictures of the finished product!

Getting back into the swing of things

Well, we've been here at the new house for two months now and I'm finally starting to feel settled in.  All the pictures and such are hung up on the walls again, minus a few things that need power tools to be hung up.  I couldn't stand the flooring in the kitchen and breakfast area anymore so I spent August 26th and 27th ripping out the old flooring and laying down new.  Took me about seven hours to rip out the old and about six hours to lay the new!  Changed the whole look of the two rooms.  Next week I'm hoping to get some paint and get rid of the neon yellow walls.

A fellow model horse hobbyist has put out an ad for help with her new CD of saddle pad patterns so I've offered my services.  I'll be getting a pattern (or two or three) from her which I'll stitch, then send to her and in return I'll get a copy of her newest CD as payment!  Looking forward to doing the project.

Speaking of projects I just finished another saddle pad.  I only had a small amount left on it when we packed everything to move and it's been sitting here begging to be finished.  I finally got it done.  It's a trio of greens in my cutback Native American pattern.  It will be listed for sale along with another one I finished a while ago.

My saddle pads are now international!  I just sent one to a wonderful gal who lives in Australia as a 'thank you' gift for some recent purchases she made from me.  I don't know if she shows or not but it's still neat knowing that something I made is halfway across the globe.

I should also have an order coming up for a friend.  She wants a couple of solid color pads for a couple of roping set ups she wants to show next year.  Will be nice to know that my pads will be in the show ring.

I have also sent e-mails out to a few live show holders who are asking for donations for their upcoming shows offering either completed saddle pads or certificates or both.  Time to start doing whatever it takes to get my stuff out there and in the public eye.

Stay tuned for more updates and progress photos.

Time sure does fly!

Well, we've been here at the new place for just over a month now and things are going great.  So far we're loving the little town of Garner.  There's a great grocery store, Alco store, and Dollar General just a few blocks away so I don't usually have to even leave town now to get groceries and such!  I still have to go to Mason City at least once a month to pay rent (landlord gave me his bank account number so I just deposit it in) so I can stock up on the 'really good deals' when I'm there.

Kids start school the 23rd.  They're with their mom until the 18th, they come home, I take Dustin for his physical and Dalton to have his arm checked, and then they have their before school conferences on the 19th and then they're leaving for grandma and grandpa's until the 22nd!

Mike has Land Cruiser build #3 in the garage.  The second one was just finished last week and headed for Virginia.  This one will be staying around here (for now).  He's really starting to like these trucks, they're easy to work on and he can do them quick so he's hoping to be kept busy with them.

I haven't done much crafty stuff lately and I know I should be.  I sold one quilt on eBay recently (whohoo!).  The one I was going to make for our old neighbor's new baby isn't going to be done, she 'unfriended' me on FaceBook so since we're apparently not important enough to be friends even though we don't live across the street from one another I'll figure out something to do with that fabric later....

I have started a new venture though, I'm going to try making and selling Amish Friendship Bread.  We love the stuff but because of the nature of how it's made we'd quickly be overrun with loaves if we kept it all!  Mike thinks I should take them to the Farmer's Market but those are about done for the year so maybe next year I'll give it a go there.  For now it'll be word of mouth.  I won't get rich doing it but that's not my intention.

We're moving!

Well, we don't mess around.  We'll be packing everything in the next week and moving by next weekend (the 9th).  Mike brought home 160 boxes, hopefully that's enough!  The new place needs work but we both agree that it will have to be done while we're there, having all our stuff there will make things a bit more difficult but we both want OUT of this town now.  We only have a couple of neighbors sad to see us go, everyone else is just looking for a reason to report us.

And we did find out something quite interesting (although too late).  It seems that our 'snowbird' neighbors are causing quite a stir in the neighborhood.  They moved in last fall.....  I was talking to one of our good neighbors the other night (she had just found out from the kids that we are moving) and apparently the 'snowbirds' sent her a nasty letter telling her she had five days to clean up her yard or they were reporting her.  She was appalled to say the least, they've lived here SEVEN years and have never had a problem until these 'snowbirds' moved into the neighborhood.  Likewise, we've lived here over three years and never had a problem.  Coincidence?  Perhaps.  And we've heard that the mayor must be on some kind of power trip because he's causing trouble for another of our neighbors and his family.  Fortunately, this family doesn't take things sitting down and they ARE fighting back with the best people that money can buy!  Karma is a b--ch!

Mike and I decided to buy new locks for the new place as well, previous 'renter' didn't leave any keys behind and considering the condition she left the house in I highly doubt she's going to be trying to return any.  Called the new landlord to tell him and he was relieved, he had been thinking the same thing but is stuck on the road right now.  Mike's also trying to line up a big trailer that has sides to haul the garbage out that was left behind (and clean up our stuff here) and that also made the landlord happy.  His family owns a farm with a big burn pit so he told us to take everything out there and dump it so we won't even have to pay a landfill fee!  He told me to take out whatever we thought needed to be thrown and we'd go from there (some carpet definately needs replacing).

That's the newest news around here!  Will post photos of the new house when I get some!

It's been a while!

I guess time flies when you're having fun, eh?!  Mike and I have both been plenty busy lately.  I still haven't done any quilting like I need to, I've been cross stitching saddle pads instead.  Usually about the time I get ready to put the cross stitching aside I sell a few saddle pads which then makes me want to make more!

We're taking the Land Cruiser to Kansas City this coming weekend, leaving on Monday the 4th and coming back on Tuesday.  Who hoo!  Can't wait for a little 'us' time.  This first picture is what the Crusier looked like when Mike got it....

This picture is one I took this last Sunday and is what it looks like now!

And sadly it looks like we're looking for a new place to live.  We had a meeting with the city tonight and Mike was told that he can't work on ANY vehicle, even his OWN, in his OWN garage.  According to them, a garage is for housing vehicles and such, not working on them.  If he wants to work on them, even his own, he needs to buy an industrial lot and build a building.  A few of our so called 'neighbors' were there complaining about the noise from the air compressor, grinder, etc and Mike was warned that if any of the neighbors complain he'll get a $500 ticket and possible jail time.  We called our local chief of police and had him stop by after the meeting to ask him how far it could be taken.  He said technically the noise ordinance is no noise between 10 pm and 6 am (logical and understandable) but he said that if anyone finds any kind of noise Mike does 'offensive' he'll get a ticket regardless of what time of day it is.  So, if Mike is out working and the air compressor comes on, one of the 'neighbors' could complain about it.  Even the chief of police told us that since we're not 'from here' we're not liked so now the cliques are trying to run us out of town.  He said they even tried to run him out of town years ago when he first moved here and now that he's the police chief he's not liked by the 'locals'.  Pretty pathetic if you ask us (not Mike's choice of words though).  He said there's three cliques in town - the old people, the uppity ups, and the drunks.  If you're not one of those you're not welcome.  And apparently the kids are being harrassed about things too because they're more than ready to leave town and are begging us to find a new place asap.  It's pretty sad and disheartening because we do like this town but what do you do?  Mike isn't the type to sit in the house and drink like the ones who are complaining do and if he can't be outside doing something what's the point?!

On top of that, we got a letter in the mail today from the landlord, effective Aug 1st they're raising our rent by $50 a month!  They haven't done a thing to this place in the three years we've been here and it's not worth what we've been paying, let alone more!  The only reason we took it was it was closer to Mason City for Mike and it was the first place we found that was big enough for all of us.

The other sad part is that there are a LOT of nice houses for sale cheap around here, most 4+ bedrooms, but we can't get a loan and no one will co-sign a loan with us (we're talking house payments of UNDER $300 a month for a lot of these houses).  So, we're getting the word out to as many people as we can that we're looking to rent something or do a contract for deed.  Mike has been calling everyone he can think of around here that might know of something and I'm putting ads up online.  Hopefully something will come up soon.