They tell me this is not normal

Yesterday my family and horses spent the afternoon surrounded by our horse loving friends who told me that they have NEVER been to, or thrown, a birthday party for a horse. They say it's not been a common or "NORMAL" thing in their lives.

WHAT??? Huh, how odd! LOL

I have to admit that this is the first horse party we have had where we invited guests and decorated the round pen with helium balloons, but we do have horse birthday parties.

But this was a very special event because my horse, Toby, has turned 30 years old. Although horses do live to be into their 30's, it's more common that they pass in their mid 20's.

My Toby has been my best friend. He has always been patient, kind and gentle. He has heart and strength, and he will protect me at all times. I almost lost him in 2007 to colic. But once again, he endured through it with heart and strength. It was then and after last winter when he did not winter very well due to a miscalculation in our feeding amount that I determined to have a real birthday party for him when he turned 30.

Here is the beloved birthday boy all decked out for his party:

Is that hat not just the greatest??? It's actually a pinata I found at WalMart! I simply cut the bottom out of it and attached festive birthday ribbon~perfect!

I put helium balloons around the round pen, a birthday banner on the round pen gate and made him a special horse birthday cake that he could share with his pasture pals.

Guests brought gifts and Toby's vet sent him a gift and card in the mail.

With the video camera running, we all sang happy birthday. There were 11 people present.

Then we directed them to eat the cake:

Ohhh...they loved it!
From L-R are Ruger, Toby and Scout.

Here I am with my best boy!

And of course look who else showed up! Matthew!
Matthew loves Toby as much as I do and his face shows his excitement to be on Toby's back on his 30th birthday!

Matthew got down to wish Toby a very happy birthday...

pat his warm muzzle....

And give him a kiss. Awe!
Toby looks as if he is saying, "Awe gawsh, the boy loves me!"

I made a Toby look-a-like cupcake cake for our guests and served peppermint hot cocoa.

After the guests left, Toby got down in the dirt and rolled....GLORIOUS!

What a great, GREAT day!
I am so thankful for our friends coming out in the cold to celebrate this special horse on his special day. XXOO

Oh. This is Alan. He is our farrier and has been for a lot of years. Today was the first time he met Matthew~although he has heard a lot about him. He was a bit taken to the little man and there is rumor that Matthew might need to travel around with Alan taking some farrier lessons. I can see it now...a tiny anvil, a tiny hammer, a tiny baby doll holding up a giant horses foot!

New Years Day 2012 winners confirmed!

Just popping in real quick to let you all know that I have spoke with and confirmed both drawings for 2012.

Donna Duff is thrilled to have received her $600 credit towards a custom reborn so there won't be another draw. Yay Donna!

And of course Sally Snyder is very thrilled too with her 50% off custom order doll!

My heartfelt congratulations to you both!

XXOO

Day 2 of Ultra Matte Gel Testing

Oh Billy already gives me so much joy!
Things are going pretty well with the UMgel. I find that I don't need as much water in the paint mixture as with the LDC retarder. I like that because the colors are richer.

Yesterday was spent working on his creases, brows, lips, nails and his first blush.

On the side I have a Doll Dreams arm that I am tinkering with. It was looking really shiny so I took some of the UMG straight and applied it with a make up wedge, pouncing it in with a clean wedge. I really like the results of that so will do that to Billy in the end.

I'm taking today off to travel to the city to shop. This family might starve to death if I don't! My "weekend" will be spent making a cake and having a party for my 30 year old horse.

I almost lost ole' Toby in 2007 and last year he didn't come out of winter very good so I was determined that if he made it to 30 yrs old, I was going to have a real birthday party so I am!

BTW, he is going through this winter looking a lot better. The weather has been rather mild the last couple of weeks so that helps too.

See you Sunday!

Day 1 Ultra Matte Gel testing

Things are going pretty good with the Ultra Matte GEl (UMG) testing but...some shine/sheen is developing.

Here is "Billy" before I began painting him. (My BFF suggested the name for him and I think it's just right, especially since I have a Timmy and a Tommy in my collection!)

And here are his pictures after day 1.

I love how the medium carries the paint and I'm not having any problems mixing it or using it~I just really do not like sheen/shine on my dolls!

Because one can use this thick gel straight from the bottle, I am trying to create the textured brows and nail beds with it....not sure if it will ever be as good as the Genesis Matte Varnish (GMV) though.

Speaking of GMV, Stephanie Sullivan of

~HUNNYBUNS REBORN SUPPLY~

has received a new shipment of GMV and sent me a jar that arrived yesterday. It is the old formula~the perfect one! I am just thrilled.

Alright~onto day 2!

(Ps, I am still waiting for confirmation of the Customer 2012 Drawing. If she opts out of her win, there will be another drawing from the TNGUN customers of 2011)

The Ultra Matte Gel test starts today

I am trying a new product made by Liquitex.

It is an "Ultra" Matte Gel medium to be mixed right in with acrylic paints which is what the LDC paints are.

I do believe in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" saying and it applies to my LDC paints and LDC retarder. I am very happy with them. The part that is broke is the Genesis Matte Varnish (although Genesis is working on the problem) which I prime my doll kits with.

But I have another problem that is pending. I'm doing a custom portrait order and using a Linde Scherer sculpt called Rieke.

Oh my. I would not have selected this sculpt had I known the color of the vinyl!
ACK! It is dark browny-orange and the portrait baby is fair skinned!

That in itself will be a challenge but the thing I was most concerned about was using the Genesis Matte Varnish on this older, made in China kit. The vinyl is already very matte (and opaque! Double ACK!) and "stiffer" if that makes any sense. Applying matte varnish and baking this type of vinyl makes the vinyl very rough and hard.

So I want to avoid that.

One thing that I like about the Ultra Matte Gel medium is that is it semi-opaque. My thinking is that it will help me to neutralized that opaque yucky color vinyl better than I can with the LDC retarder which is very translucent.

But...before I go applying this new medium to a custom portrait kit, I need to test it some more. I was testing it on a Doll Dreams German vinyl limb but after a few layers, it became shiny. I can't have shine.

I've prepped a 1/4 limb Berenguer doll that I've been saving for myself. This baby will be a good trial for the new medium as the vinyl, although lighter in color, is similar in texture. And I will be keeping this doll so I can watch the paint over time.

The adventure begins....

Lotte takes my breath away!

I need to make sure that I spend a lot of time cuddling this little one this week as it will be hard to send her away!

Please welcome Lotte by Sebilla Bos.
She is 21 inches, 6 lbs, 4 oz of sweetness.

The Lotte doll kit is now available for pre-order!

~INTERNATIONAL at Petra's Dolls~

~IN THE USA at Creative Impressions~

~View Lotte's auction HERE~

XXOO

Drumroll again please.....

Sharon Robinson-Ullrich has asked to have another draw for the Blog Drawing as she simply does not have room for another baby.

So.....


Drumroll......

SALLY SNYDER YOU WIN!

Congratulations to you!!!!