7/2/2010
MODEL HORSE MUSEUM UPDATE
I am still amazed and overwhelmed by the number of friends who continue their support. Some people I would consider to be key in having a part of this remission. Some people will never know the huge impact they have had in supporting me. It maybe a small thing, like taking the time to email or call... but sometimes timing is everything, and many of you did so at times when it was pretty rough. I could never repay any of you for the love, prayers, and good thoughts sent my way.
June 2010: A few weeks ago, longtime model horse friend Heather Wells stopped by and in the course of a long gab-fest... she mentioned it was so much fun to have everyone get together at our open houses in so. California. (yes, those were fun!). Since I'm renovating the collection, we thought it might be a good time to have a Grand Re-Opening of the new section! This was thought of 2 weeks before I had this latest good news. So, I'm thinking that Sept. 25-26 *SEE BELOW would be a good time to invite all our friends, model horse and real horse both, to come visit for a Open House of the Collection, BBQ, and on Sunday be filled with model horse guest speakers/demos. A little closer to the date, will post a page with info. This will also give me a target date to finish the project of the warehouse.
 |
I haven't wasted much time on that... the structure was up within a few days of the last update. Much of the inventory has been moved out...sold or moved to one of the horse stalls. The mezzanine "shrank" a bit... the orig. size was just too big! Right at 12 x 14', it gives lots of wall space to line inside and outside with display shelves. |
|
South wall I've started the support wall for the glass sliders. Hopefully a good weekend's work will get the rough framing done and able to measure for glass and track for the glass doors. |
 |
UPDATE: Julty 13 Coming right along.... |
 |
Mezzanine is 14 x 12' and already has flooring in, plus carpet (I got a "deal" on a casino carpet...very WILD!
To me this carpet just screams "model horse"! |
 |
At the same auction I got the wild carpet, I got several pallets of travertine 4 x 4" squares, and a pallet of granite tile... so am using them! |
 |
Neat huh? Already have a gas fireplace insert for the north side of the building, which may get done before the open house...or not. Stairs are this weekend's project I think. Ceiling on the inside of the deck will be glue up faux tin ceiling panels. Floor is going to be a decorative concrete stain to match the granite tile color. Should be nifty. Am doing a little at a time, taking plenty of breaks to rest...but its getting done. |
 |
8/10/2010 French doors in, framed out opening.... |
 |
8/10 STAIRS!!! Who knew...not as hard as I thought it was going to be to make. |
 |
Fireplace in the corner is rough framed now...has some backerboard on... but need to get fireplace gas hooked up and electricity there before setting the insert and doing the travertine tile front and granite hearth. I have been blessed with some great deals off Craigslist, yard sales and auctions...none of this could have been done without a good dose of cheap finds. |
 |
Got the faux tin ceiling installed that weekend...pretty cool. |
 |
outside wall rough opening getting worked on.... Oh, in case you missed this... I'm working on this myself (with the help of my husband Peter at nights after work). I can piddle around working on things I'm able to do...take rests... and start and stop as I feel up to it. But the rough carpentry, drywall, paint, tile and stuff...all things I've done. Peter is in charge of the electrical stuff and lighting tho...not my cup of tea. |
 |
8/17/2010 OK... I know I told everyone I wasn't going to tile the floor... but.... a "too good to pass up" yard sale tile purchase meant that I couldn't resist at least some area in tile! Cost on all that tile and granite... a whopping $40 and I have 3 boxes left over!!!! How could I not... took me a day to set the tile...next day grouted it. |
 |
Too cool eh? Those were my first set of cabinet doors I've made...used left over stuff to make the storage area doors... I could get into this woodworking thing. |
 |
8/21/2010 Started unboxing... and unboxing... and unboxing... By the time I finished unboxing 60' of Stones... I was not liking the Stones very much. But once out... OK, I'm not mad at them any more. One complete truck load of cardboard to the dump to get them unboxed. |
 |
But that was nothing compared to the hate I have felt for Breyer PACKAGING! Hundreds of boxes I've unboxed... no year the same...sometimes with zip ties (best of the newer packaging)... to the WORST... Made In China ones with a hundred wireties on them. How is a child supposed to open these boxes when an adult (me!) can barely do it? (I feel no love for them at the moment as I am WORN OUT with unboxing new Breyers!) |
 |
Right side of vault (aka "temple"). This is currently just a staging area for them... no idea who is going to go where until I get the numbers (translates to feet) of each mold. |
 |
Have to work on this area this weekend...finish building the short wall to hold glass and top of the display cases... yes, those are Marx horses out there! I've never had a place to put them... and they really didn't go with the rest of the collection in terms of quality... but they are nostalgic. |
 |
South wall...24' of wall to work with. Am staging this area to see who all fits. Will unbox all the Trad stuff.... then work on the classics... then Little Bits, then finally, will figure out somewhere to put SM. |
 |
Better view of the Stones. I am missing a box or two of first run colors... as I know I have them here... just don't have a clue where...probably in a mismarked box (*sigh*). |
 |
It isn't just move around this stuff I had in boxes...oh no... that would have been too easy. It requires moving things around in the main china area as well (this is a wing on my house..about 1000 square foot area). I moved out some stuff... and was able to move my Royal Worcesters to their own cabinet (all except the HUGE Cheltingham piece which may have to go on top of the case). The idea was to consolidate Breyer plastics by MOLD to certain areas. Then be able to spread out the chinas a bit instead of double rowing them in display cases. Will see what ends up...a definate work in progress... |
UPDATE:8/30/2010
Plans are on hold for Open House at this time.
 |
9/15/2010 UPDATE This past week was the first week of the new chemo treatment, which is 5 days straight...then I guess a week of feeling crummy (low platelets), then a week of recovery...then back again... a 21 day cycle. So far, OK, but the tumor in my belly sticks out and sometimes makes it painful to bend like I've been doing. Hopefully... this new chemo can shrink it fast. Anyway... have made alot of progress (I think anyway!) on the display area. |
 |
Thanks for great friend Joanie Berkwitz for flying up for a quick visit and helping me sort some models out. It goes so much easier with friends helping... the open bookshelves may or maynot stay.. right now they are staging area for the extras I have to sell as I've come across them. Lots of old Xmas SR, oldies, disc. etc. look for them up on eBay soon. |
 |
Just finishing up trim on displays...trim hides a multitude of sins... as well as grout... caulking, paint, etc. Storage is underneath.. have made the doors... just think I can do better now that my woodworking skills are a bit better... so waiting to see what to do there. Will probably concrete stain the floors before mounting doors anyway. |
 |
yes... I know there are ones laying down... some are better standers than others.. and anyway, I have to dust and clean shelves...then sticky wax the problem children...so no sense in standing them all up yet. |
 |
This area in the middle... it should have a freestanding 2 sided display case... the idea came to me about 3 AM one morning after chemo (can't sleep). I can then move my huge Hartland collection out of the house...there... and leave that cabinet upstairs for ceramics expansion! (What a concept!). I still don't have a clue on how to display all those **&^$$&(* Stablemate playsets and accessories... |
 |
The north area...lounge! Fireplace insert I found on Craigslist. Boy if it weren't for Craigslist, yard sales and cheap auctions... I'd never be able to afford this! Refridgerator goes under the stairs (theres a microwave area there as well... all the creature comforts! |
 |
Mezzanine view down towards south displays. I used the tops of the cases to make more display area for the stuff I really don't care much about... the barns, accessories, etc. |
| UPDATE: October 24, 2010 | |
 |
 |
| I haven't posted many photos lately while doing this latest chemo round...am thru 3 cycles... and have a PET scan on 11/2. The above photos are of the area under the mezzanine. I've been able to do the concrete stain in sections. I used Behr Semi Transparent Concrete Stain (tan color first, after a chem etch to prep it). I then followed the brochure's directions... using a garden sprayer to apply the brick red solor in "a circular motion". Well... the spray pattern on that garden sprayer isn't that fine... so what I ended up with when I stepped back and looked at it... was something right out of a CSI crime scene! Looked like blood spatter ... or a slaughterhouse! Definately NOT the look I was going for! So a quick grab of some paper towels, blot-blot-blot.... then changed the tan and the brick colors to small spray bottles, grabbed a bunch of peacock feathers that were handy (I have 4 birds...use the wing feathers for this!).. and VOILA! Faux Finish! I had not meant to have to faux finish the floor, but after a litle bit, it kinda grows on you. I've done this before on walls (marble), and even model horses, but not a floor. I applied feathered veining... and even got carried away and got some metalic gold accent paint and put some gold veins thru the marbling. Apply 3 coats of high gloss clear... and we have a floor! |  |
 |
I got the French doors sealed up on the side closest to the horse barn, and have a few pieces of drywall to hang now on the inside, now that the electrical is done in that wall. |
 |
Storage doors are now on, and there is room to put misc. stuff like boxes I wished to keep, and stuff that is just boring to display. |
This is a 9' long double sided display case I built. If you are interested in doing one yourself, email me and I'll detail how it was done and sources for sliding tracks. |
The Hartland case. * |
 |
|
 |
Upstairs on the lounge... I have alot of vintage horse books. Love the old kids' books and now you can see the "casino carpet" in all it's glory!
|
 |
Loft looking down on Hartland case. |
Still have the north side of the building to work on now... the fireplace install. Have the refrigerator and microwave already in, have a yard sale couch to sit on for the moment, and now will work on the next floor section to stain. Right now... I am on the hunt for something special, which I hope my model horse friends can help me search for (the hunt is the fun part). I need to find a crystal/glass.. granny style...tacky chandelier! Does not have to be an antique (would rather not), but more bling, the better. Bigger the better too! I would rather trade model horses for it... but if you have a line on something that would set off the display area , that's OK too. I've looked around here (not wanting a true antique, just the type that everyone takes OUT of the houses they buy when renovating). I am hoping some model horse fancier has something stashed away that would LOVE to trade for it! Email me if you do. Also, if you happen to visit the Reno area... plan on stopping by. The stuff isn't quite finished and dusted but it's all pretty much on display now. Will get upstairs house display new photos soon of the china room, which is my passion. |
 |
Flash! Peter went down to So. Cal. this weekend (11/7) and I talked them into going to going to one of my favorite flea markets... and his mom Astrid found this there!!!! Can't wait to get it here tomorrow! Yes...score!
2011 Museum Page continued