Friday, April 22, 2011

What a Day for a Ride!!

Rajah paying rapt attention

Cora trotting in warm up
Finally, nice weather is here!  After trudging through snowbanks and tiptoeing across ice for MONTHS, the weather has finally submitted to the fact that spring has sprung.  I took advantage of the opportunity and rode for a couple hours the first nice day that we had, which was today!!  My horses are *so* happy to be back in action, and despite both Cora and me being completely rusty, we broke out some nice lengthened trot and a touch of half-pass, all while staying in a nice frame.  So happy!  Rajah was excited to watch us, prancing around with his head lifted watching the show.  I hope everyone else had such a fantastic day!  Back in the saddle again!  :)

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Treasure Trove of Gifts

I've been featured in some really adorable Etsy treasuries lately, here is a set of two that I especially love! 



Friday, April 8, 2011

Featured Item: DIY Stick Horse Kit

I can't beleive I never introduced you to my favorite new addition!  I created my first craft item a while back, listed it in my Etsy shop, and watched two of them fly of the (invisible, virtual) shelves within a few hours!  I had a request for a Do-It-Yourself Kit, including all of the necessary items to make one's very own personal hobby horse.  So, I created one! 

Kit Includes:
(1) Handcrafted pine stick horse head
*with 1-inch hole for dowel
*woodburned (signed) by the artist

(1) Pre-assembled, extra soft yarn mane
*forelock portion seperated for easy attachment
*your choice of color: black, cream, white, tan, grey, brown, black/grey mix, brown/red mix

(2) Pre-assembled faux leather ears
*handstitched at the base for quality
*your choice of color: black, brown, white

(1) Three foot section of rein material
*your choice of material: ribbon, twine, rawhide

You Will Need:
1" diameter wooden dowel
glue for the ears and stick
acrylic paint

This has been by far one of my most popular items, due to the lower price bracket and hands-on capabilities.  It comes wrapped up in an adorable white box, tied with a bow, all ready to give as a gift.  Here is a review of the kit from my wonderful customer, Natalie Emery of Georgia, USA:
"The [stick horse kit] package came Saturday and we painted and put it all together yesterday. My daughter is thrilled ...She loves her. Thank you for such a delightful idea and creating a kit so we could build her together."
Special items can be requested for the kits, including 'Decadent Lavender Reins', leather ears, and fringed bridle material.  Custom colors for ears, mane, etc are also available.  What a great weekend project!  Listing is available in my Etsy Shop!

 

         


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

New Certification, New Retailer! Big News!!

Painted Pony Shop is now officially a "Maine Made" company!  What are the advantages of being Made in Maine?  An excerpt from their website reads as follows:

"Maine's expansive beauty is legendary. Vast forestlands, thousands of miles of beaches, and enough lakes and mountains to lose yourself in for life.

And yet, as anyone who has been here will tell you, Maine's truest character is revealed in the details. Sunlight shafting through a spruce grove. A perfect, round stone on a beach of rugged cliffs. And a people who are resourceful, dependable and inventive.

This combination of pure material and fine detail has long characterized Maine craftsmanship. A tradition of excellence passed down for generations, "Maine Made" is recognized worldwide as a term for quality and integrity.

The unique products featured in this Web Site represent some of the finest craftsmanship available today. Over 2000 Maine companies offer a wealth of items created from wood, granite, field and farm. These products bring a sampling of Maine's rich resources right to your door. Please join us in celebrating these fine traditions. We hope you'll discover the beauty of Maine in all its detail."

I count it as such a privilege to be included with all of these fantastic artists!  Read my Maine Made Profile here:  http://www.mainemade.com/members/profile.asp?ID=3680

In further news, PPS products are now also available on the highly regarded Endeavour Toys website. Endeavour's objectives are to provide toys that are:


  • Manufactured in countries that value human rights and civil liberties

  • Fun

  • Made with environmentally sustainable materials

  • Educational

  • Meet safety requirement standards




  • Check out my Endeavour Profile and listings here:  http://www.endeavourtoys.com/Search.aspx?m=37&f=m 

    Endeavour is well known for providing high quality, safe, socially responsible toys.  All PPS designs will be appearing, including horse designs, DIY Kits, finger puppets, etc.  Well-made toys from all over the world are included on this amazing website, I am thrilled to be included!  There are no other stick horses or finger puppets by other manufacturers on this website, so all my products will be the go-to designs! I'm so glad that all of my PPS designs are starting to pick up some speed and gain a little bit of attention, I would love to share them with as many people as possible!!

    New Products! More Cute Ponies!!

     Sorry for the negligence!  I have been working my behind off, working on new designs.products, etc, trying to add items in a low price bracket to attract a larger range of customers.  I threw around the idea of pencil toppers, but they just aren't my speed!  I need something more snuggly.  So, I did some tweaking to my original plans and came up with a design for some super-soft, squishy, pettable finger puppets!  They are made from fleece, with uber-soft yarn manes (the same yarn used on the big wooden hobby horses) and tiny little pewter and seed bead eyes.  $8.50/each, $14/set of 2.  Available now on Etsy!  Currently only available in zebra and palomino, but with more colors and designs to come.  Aren't they just the cutest??