I've been having loads of fun trying to make a saddle.    Here it is so far.   The girth is yet to be added.      Trying to find some tiny little buckles!  

Welcome Back !

Dear Followers,


I have moved 2500km to another city.  I now live in Darwin in the Northern Territory.
 
My darling husband has bought me a lovely new computer, and I have unpacked my crafting stuff.

Please email me if you would like to make suggestions, or comments for Petunia Park Stables.

PetuniaParkStables@iinet.net.au      I would love to hear from you.


Best Regards,
Michelle.

Minizoo

One of the coolest things about ordering online is the day when your package arrives !!!   

YAHOO !!!!   My order from Minizoo.   

Speedy too I might add!   I only had to wait a couple of days!!

My favourites would have to be:- 

#1  Mojo Clown Fish, very bright orange and well painted.   Very lifelike.

#2  Schleich retired Camera Girl, which actually has moving arms.   Fantastic!!!

(I didn't know that at first, I thought It was broken!)

#3  Schleich 2013 Swan with Cygnets.   Lovely.

The Safari Barak Obama model is great as well,   It's funny.   I like the flag too, it's very detailed.

Safari chickens are nice, but not as carefully painted as the President.

The boy figures are retired Schleich  

Mojo Polar Bear is nice too and was free!

Mojo and Safari finally in Australia !!!!

Free postage Australia wide !!!!

a FREE Mojo animal with any Mojo figure !!!!

Check it out !!!!

http://www.minizoo.com.au/

Calico Feed Sacks

Have you ever tried to make some Feed Sacks out of calico?     

They are very easy to make. 

I cut out some calico,  and got out some lettering stamps.    I wanted colourful designs and so I went to the local craft shop.

I wasn't sure what to buy, so I asked the lady there what I should get for my groovy project.   

so, I came home with Dew Drop, Memento Fade-resitant Dye Inks in several different colours. 

I really like the shape of these inks because they are dew drop shaped, and easy to ink up tiny stamps.  

(I lOVE the names of these colours BTW  hehehe)   

Potter's Clay

Lady Bug

Grape Jelly

Cantaloupe

Dandelion

Here is the result.   

I hand stitched the Corn bags on the left,  and the Oats bags on the right. 

The bags in the middle I did on my sewing machine.

The bags in the middle I used some rubber letters I got at a garage sale.   

The Corn and Oats bags I used a set of letters I bought at Craft Affair on Anne.

STAMPING IS SO COOL !!!!

Horse Blankets ?

Hello Cool Weather.  (well that's for us in the southern hemisphere).   Yahoo !!!!

Does your horse need a blanket to keep warm??????   Mmmmmm?   

I have just read an interesting article about this very subject.  

http://www.soulfulequine.com/to-blanket-your-horse-or-not-to-blanket-that-is-the-question/

So,   Instead of blankets to heat up your horse,   why not wear a non heating decorative  

just to look pretty?   

Beautiful hand stitched designs,  breathable, light,  pure 100% cotton with decorated edging in a lovely colour to match the main design.    

Seriously,  what else is better than spending your hard-earned pocket money (or money you got for doing nothing)  on decorating your plastic horse.    

Of course,  if you have trained your horse to have perfect getting dressed manners,  he / she will stand perfectly and patiently still while you dress him / her up in fancy pretty stuff.

  

Left:  Schleich 2005.   

Right:  Schleich 2000.   

This majestic awesome model is my most loved and favourite.  

Mojo 2010.

Cats and Ducks.   Why not?   

This lovely Zebra is Mojo 2010.

Happy Easter

Here is a photo I took at the beach on Good Friday.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE.  

Have a nice holiday, and if you would like to add your thoughts or comments, I would really like to hear from you.

Please leave a comment here,

OR

email me at PetuinaParkStables@iinet.net.au

Pony Carriage

Today (easter saturday), we took a trip to Charters Towers Toyworld.    

I finally got the Schleich Pony Carriage #42040 which was released in 2010. 

While we were there,  we also went to the cheap shop and got some groovy craft stuff,  and the op shop.  Here's the photo of my loot!

I also collect milk glass.   so, I got this cup for 50c,  and I just had to have this set of fences because   this set, Schleich #42045 Paddock Fence, has been retired for 2013. 

I was thinking of making the jars and pots into containers for molasses and bamboo sticks into poles for horse jumping.   Any other suggestions?????

Horse Feed Bags

Feedbags are a good thing to add to your collection of stuff for your horse.    There are some great  advantages to having one.  

-You can keep your horses's feed up off the ground while out and about with him / her.

-You can prevent your horse from having his rations eaten by another horse.

-No waste of feed.   (saving valuable pocket money!)

HORSE FEED BAGS

Horse feed bags are also ideal for horse floats and stables, as well as out on a trail ride.     

They can come made of different materials such as cotton or nylon,  but here,  we have two lovely little bags for snacks made from cotton in pretty colours.   Ohh so cute!    Perfect accessory.    Little clip hooks on one side make the bag easy to attach and just the right amount of ventilation holes to ensure that your horse can breathe easily.   

The model on the left is a CollectA I bought ages ago.  I got it at Townsville Collectables.  

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Townsville-Collectables/418252464883041?fref=ts

It's been dragged around in my handbag for about 1 year.  
(cause I use it to measure the things I make).   

It's got loads of paint worn off in all the right places, like detailed airbrush work!

Horse Show Safety Hats

Here is Jenine showing us some of the new Safety Hats.  

They come in a range of sizes,  very elegant, lovely shape.  

  *the straps are yet to be fitted.

Below we have an example of how these safety hats offer protection when the straps properly fitted.    

Here is Scarlet,  preparing for her stunt riding show.   She always puts safety first, and wears her safety hat whenever she's on horseback.   

Scarlet says   "These safety hats are so good,  that you can fall of your horse

with a smile on your face!"

Taking care of your Unicorn.

                     How to take care of your Unicorn.
                                 Tips on keeping your favorite Unicorn happy & healthy. 

Chapter 1.   Feeding your Unicorn.  

MAIN MEALS

Unicorns are very health conscious, and without the need for having to arrange the food in silly face shapes on their plates, will happily eat their plate empty.

A suitable everyday dinner for your Unicorn will be made up of Something Round,  Something Green, Something Fluffy,  Something  Unseen.    This is a good stock standard rule to follow.   This will ensure that your Unicorn will always be healthy and of course happy.

DESERTS

When it comes to desert,  and particularly when it comes to berries, most will eat like greedy little piggies, except delicately.

When preparing a sweet dish with grass, be sure to select only Tender Topmost tips and the only greenest blades.

Tender Topmost is perfect for a desert topped with any kind of dangling berry.   (mine has preference for blue ones).
Any edible berry which can be seen to dangle off the branch is a good healthy choice.   This does include the cherry tomato.  

The Cherry,  although it does look like a berry is not.   Of course it has that big seed in the middle.   The good thing about this is that,  when a Unicorn has had a feast, he/she will spit out the seeds leaving them in a little neat pile.   That means that if you have not seen your Unicorn lately,  or accidently lost it,  you will have proof that your Unicorn is safely hanging around close by.

If, on the other hand, you are still wishing for your very own Unicorn,  you will know that your wish may becoming true.

FUSSY EATERS
Unicorns have a preference for anything with crunch.   If your unicorn has a tendency toward the fussy side,  include in the dish such things as Jellysnail,  Nutpeas & Honeyspout.   these can easily be collected in any secret garden,  secluded (freshwater) riverbank,  or behind a chicken coop.     If you do happen to have trouble finding these, one tell-tale sign to look out for is the presence of true Dandelion.   This will be a good indication that things found here will have a good deal of crunch to entice even the most fussy eaters.

If you study the leaves in the picture, you will be able to identify the true Dandelion and avoid being lead on a goose chase.   This photo of the Dandelion in my herb garden is the TRUE one.

True Dandelion 

                                             Here is a link to a good site I found.

http://herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/dandelion.html

Here is a quick warning I got off the link above,  so I do recommend you read the entire article. 

Dandelion

Propagation is by seed, and dandelion will grow under almost all conditions, thriving in dry areas, just as well as it handles the wet conditions. Dandelion will also grow in shade, although this plant family, the daisy, is always considered a sun lover. True dandelion should not be confused with Hawkbit (Leontodon Taraxocoides) or several Cats’ Ears species (Hypochoeris glabra and radicata) which is easily mistaken and is often found in lawns. The identifying points of dandelion are: pointed leaves, only one flower per stem, hollow stems and no hairs on the plant. Note, too, that although some look alike plants are often eaten; long-term use is not advisable. Recently, I had a lady call seeking true dandelion, as it is a valuable herb for horse health. Together with her husband, they run equestrian courses throughout Australia. She said, false dandelions can cause string holt in horses, which shows as jerky movements, freezing of muscles and seizures, as the kidneys cannot flush out the effect of the weed.

RECIPES....... (to be updated shortly).

Cover for Schleich Stables.

Happy New Year everyone!

Here is my latest project.    I decided that since our wet season arrived here in the tropics, and is pounding down on my nice wooden stables,  that I would make a fabric cover  to help protect it from the humidity.  

Stage one.   I got some material and with the hot iron pressed on some soft stuff.    I gave the measurements of the stables to Jo in Quilters Blessing, Aitkenvale, and she sold me the right amount of material for the job.
Stage Two.   I looked around my thread stash and got out some maroon, and black and brown for the horses, and the planks.
Stage Three.   I drew up a design which I got inspiration from this little glass thing I found in the 2nd hand store some time ago.

Stage Two.   Put in the pailings.  and on a separate peice of material,  (I am using weavers cloth here),  get your punch needle and make some little topiary trees in pots to put out the front.
NOTE:  Make sure that you put in trees which are not poisonous to horses.  ( just in case one of your horses has a long neck and decides to have a quick nibble when your not looking! )

Here are some links on punch-needle embroidery, and there are many more.   Even on YouTube.   It's very easy and just like pencil coloring in, except, using thread instead.


Punchneedle Punch Needle Embroidery Lesson - Mysimplewalk ...
How to Make a Holiday Punchneedle Ornament - YouTube

It originated in Russia.    It's a very old art but coming back into fashion,  and gives such gorgeous results.
Here are my trees, still inside the embroidery hoop.    with punch-needle, you need a hoop which has an attachment that makes the surface your working on, a little higher, or you'll end up with the needle through your leg or something.  or holes in the table!    This hoop and attachment is Clover brand from Japan.

********keep checking back for more updates as the work progresses.   I'm still deciding on how to do the pots.  any ideas?  please suggest them to me!   Leave a comment.*******

Ginger Piggy Booboo

Introducing my dog Ginger, or Piggy, or Booboo. (her nicknames).   

Catalogue Links.

Here are a range of Links to online Catalogues of miniature plastic figurines.    

Mojo

http://www.mojofun.eu/catalogue/


Schleich

http://www.schleich-s.com/toys/


Papo

http://www.papo-france.com/


CollectA

http://www.collecta.biz/catalogue/


Bullyland

http://www.bullyland.de/


Safari

http://www.safariltd.com/

Introducing:-

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY of ANIMAL REPLICA COLLECTORS.

SCHLEICHTIERSAMMLER.
STS FORUM.


STS is a great place to meet other collectors all around the world.  
Awesomely friendly, and loaded with information.

Check it out!
Let me know what you think.

http://schleichtiersammler.forumieren.de/

Horse Wash Bays

Hello Hira,  thankyou for taking the time to write a comment on my blog.   You are the first to comment!

I have posted your great comment here about the stalls so other readers may benefit from your    excellent advice.  Here is the comment below.

"Thanks for post I like it me also share with you some tips hope you like Make sure your stall roofs are at least 3ft above your horse's head so if it spooks or rears up it will not injure itself. Also, the door to the stalls should be at least a metre wide (more for bigger ponies or horses) so both you and your horse can get through safely". 

Here Hira has posted a link to check out.   Very nice,  informative website.   Lots of details to consider if you want to create realistic and safe things for your plastic horses.    The images are good and clear as well.   They even have examples of Round Yards,  and even building plans, if you need a stables built from scratch.   

site.http://www.signaturestables.com.au/


http://www.signaturestables.com.au/we-build-covers-for/wash-bays/

I could definitely do with one of these!    There is quite a few models of girls made by different companies, like the one in the photo  holding gear.    Imagine this scene in miniature!   How cool! 


This is a Playmobil set.   
Horse Washing Station.   set number 4193.   
It's got a hose, and the pump there,  (which is blue, on the right),  pumps real water!

Thanks again Hira for sharing with us that awesome link.  :-)

Apollo Story

Hello All!   Here is something different!

My husband Mark, was sitting there reading a library book about Apollo.   I got dressed ready to go out and he looks up and says to me "Don't wear those trousers!  They are boring, change into something colorful!"

Well,  I took them off, took his book off him, and went to the sewing machine and did this!   I put them on and showed him,  he said "Now, that's more you!"  

Note:  I didn't have any stripes in my stash.   so, that's why the flag is stars and stars instead.
This is my first experiment with my new freeform embroidery foot I got yesterday at Sunlit Blooms in Townsville.    I love my sewing machine!  Thank you Kath & Liz.  Awesome service!  

Horse Garlands

Hand making little horse garlands can be lots of fun!   Shopping for little flowers to sew onto the straps is a great excuse to get out and about to the craft stores looking for flowers,  (and a whole lot of other random stuff to include in your stash)!  

* Have you ever looked on You Tube and typed in Craft Haul?   People going shopping for crafty bargains and putting them on you tube to show everyone?  

Here is my beautiful Mojo horse to show you the size of the garland and how nicely it fits.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Step #1.   Cut out some strips of pretty material from your stash.  
Step #2.   Find some pretty matching ribbon and pin the ribbons in the ends.
Step #3.   Sew the raw edges in so they don't fray.    (that is, tuck them under and press with an iron, and sew them up).  
* be sure to stitch at least 2cm of the ribbon inside.
* NOTE:  if you cut the ribbon on the diagonal, it is less likely to fray, but since it will be used to dress up, it's a good idea to put fray stopper on the ribbon ends as well.   Nail polish can be used instead of fray stopper, and it's cheaper!
Step #4.   Glue on the flowers (just to position them where you want them), and hand sew them onto the strips.  All done!
Step #5.   Have fun, and please be sure to post your results here.   I'd love to see them!   or, email Petunia Park Stables and I can post them up here with a photo of yourself with your creations!  petuniaparkstables@iinet.net.au  


  

Talent Quest

TALENT QUEST

What I like about this image is that I made use of lots of other small elements in it, making it a little different from the others.   I had fun making up this one as well.   It actually took several hours.   (well, most of my images DO take a day each).    well....... it makes me happy.   :-)

The rings are off milk bottles, wound with satin ribbon.   I put the sequin trim (I had in my craft stash)  wrapped around the bull.   The blue stand I got from a garage sale for $3.   (It's a part off a wooden tower of Pizza).    The little red rubber things under his hooves are some parts of packaging from tools that I found in the garage rubbish bin.  

The stage lights are off the christmas tree, and the stage is a breakfast in bed table.

The easel is from the Playmobil Pirate Set, and the plastic number 4 I got as part of a mathematics set I paid $2 for from the local Vinnies Store.   (That's an opp shop,  short name for St Vincent De Paul).

The polar bear judge is one of my favorite Schleich models.   It's a retired model.   I've had it for quite a while.   I really like it's pose.    I set this scene up against the dining room wall because I liked the stripes of the tongue and groove wooden wall.  

Peace Offering

PEACE OFFERING

by Mark Harper.

This image was my husbands idea.   The message here is that United Nations is giving the lion a strawberry cream cake so he will not be interested in hunting the zebra and giraffes (in the background).   Of course,  strawberry cream cake or not,  he will still go and hunt and eat the other animals.   So, the whole thing being a pointless exercise.

The Jeep is Safari, Mojo lion, Mojo Zebra and the 2 giraffes are both Schleich.   Photo taken on the dirt next to the driveway which is now baked hard, (because we are coming to the end of our tropical dry season).   I also faded the color out of the photo to make it look more like a hot African savanna.  

The cake is a Sylvanian Families (Calico Critters) Bakery Set cake.   The girl hanging out of the window of the jeep, is Wendy, from the Wendy & Friends Riding Set.  

Monday - Washing

MONDAY - WASHING

This image is one of my favorites.   I set this up in the park across the road from my house,  shortly after sunrise.    (see how long the shadows of the trees are in the background?).    

I crochet these little blankets with DMC size 8 Cotton Pearl using a pattern that I saw in a library book.   The name of the book is Teenytiny Crochet by Catherine Hirst.   This is a cute little book, and, it's illustrations are very interesting.   They are little carved balsa wooden props painted, and in each of the backgrounds, features Schleich plastic animals.   

For the cloths line, I got a couple of tent pegs out of the garage,  and little wooden pegs I got at a cheap shop for $2.50.   (packet of 50).   The little washing basket is part of a Sylvanian Families or (Calico Critters) set.   

I was walking around the local Spotlight store, and saw little squares of yellow material for .50c and I had some yellow/orange trim in my craft stash at home.   That's how I made her little apron.   I put the cloth around her waist and tied the trim in a bow to fasten it.   

If I was to improve this image, I would find some finer grass with smaller blades.   What do you think?