You Know You Live In A Small Town, Part Two

I had an interesting email last week...

Hi Anna,
My name is Deborah and I am a reporter at Kansas First News (NBC, ABC and Fox) in Topeka. I read an article in the Jefferson County News about you and your business, and would also love to cover your story on our newscast.


Yup, from the frying pan to the fire! Or, rather, newspaper to television.  I'm on the quiet side and pretty shy, so the newspaper interview was a huge stretch for me.  Now it looks like I'll have cameras and a reporter to work with!  I've been emailing back and forth a bit and we're going to set up a date sometime after the 24th to do the interview.

I really enjoyed talking to the newspaper reporter (who just so happened to be my boss's daughter...remember, it's a small town!) about my hobby, which surprised me.  I think the TV interview, if it happens, will be just as fun.

In the model world, I'm still working away on Tami's saddle.  I'm doing something intelligent and carving everything I can prior to dyeing it.  Normally my workflow is a little more haphazard; I'll carve and dye in chunks, assembling things as I go.  This means that typically, the two skirts are carved and dyed first, along with the leather to cover the swells.  Once the skirts, rigging, and swells have been assembled I'll carve and dye the fenders.  Those go on, and then I construct the seat.  There's usually some fiddling with the jockeys because the pattern pieces never fit quite right.  Those are carved and dyed, usually with the cantle, and then those are added.  Stirrups are usually last, and then it's on to the bridle and other odds and ends.

I'm hoping that by dyeing everything possible in one batch, I can avoid inconsistencies in color.  One of the dyes that I am considering (Timber) for the saddle varies in color depending on how much you use.  I won't have to leave my dyeing stuff out all the time either, if I dye everything on one day and let it sit!  I'm going to be assembling Tami's saddle on camera, which is another reason to get everything done NOW.