Sunday, March 13, 2011

Dolls on Parade

Well on doll on a parade saddle anyway. The horse is Skippa Latte and she is very close to a NAMHSA merit award in performance versatility. I hadn't had any idea she was so close to the award until I was counting cards and found that she just need 2 cards in "other performance" to get there. And parade is one of the classes specified in other performance.



So I decided I had to make a parade set. I have never done one before so it was a bit of a challenge. Where to start? What color? What pattern? I have made a few Western saddles over the years but nothing to this level. I can't tool and sold most of my stamps (I am not a tack maker after all. So what to do? Well put on some fabric and crystals of course!
And add a lovely doll to match.
I recently made a cheetah print and tan western pleasure doll and had a very nice response to her. So when I decided I needed to put cheetah print on the saddle I had to make a doll to go with it.
I think she is very nice and her outfit perfectly matches the seat on the parade saddle.
So now I am looking for opinions. Not totally mean harsh ones, I am not a tack maker looking to improve I just want to know what people think. Is the set OK? Does the doll match well enough? Should I be embarrassed to bring it in public (I'm going to show it next month anyway, lol).
The workmanship is not superb but I don't think it's completely atrocious (I could be wrong I guess, lol). One of the big things I was unsure of is the silver studs on the set. All I could find at the time I was looking was the domed ones but in the photos they sort of look like cheap plastic "silver" beads to me. I might just be imagining that though. It does look different in person and I do like it more when I am not looking at it in photos.
I had a lot of fun with the swarovski crystals. But I usually have fun with crystals
And I have never seen another set like this one so I am pretty sure it really is one of a kind.
I guess a fun fact about this saddle set is I followed only a few instructions and then kind of just put the rest together. But maybe that shows ☺