new goals....already....

A lot has changed since my last post. I sort of feel like I have abandoned my blog...again! But, I have been spending almost every night at the barn working my leopard appaloosa pony, Goose. We attended at "do-over Dressage" clinic at the barn in February where we had the opportunity to ride a Dressage test with a caller, and then ride it again after a judge critiqued our test to see if we could get a better score. I really just decided to do it out of the blue because I thought it would be fun.

Well...it was more than fun! We loved it. And we came home with a blue ribbon.

Here's a photo of us after a few lessons. Still in my hunter tack...

Since then, we have been working with a Dressage trainer once or twice a month, and Goose is doing so great. We even entered our first Dressage show on May 2nd. My husband and I scraped our pennies together (and borrowed a little money from my dad) to buy a small two-horse trailer from Craigslist. I felt super prepared for our first show and was ready to go!

We even practiced our button braids!

Leaving the barn, Goose completely freaked out in the trailer, reared up, broke his tie, hit his head really badly, and got his leg hooked over the divider. We pulled him off the trailer right away and doctored him up. We weren't prepared for that at all. We had been practicing loading, and he had been to a couple of shows with his previous owner.

So, we've had to take a huge step back and focus on our training at home. Hopefully, we'll get to a show this Summer after we do a little bit of adjusting to our trailer.....and trailer him to a close friend's barn first.

We've made some serious progress, but we still have tons of work to do.

And by work, I mean...fix my hunter/jumper legs! :O

We just started working a lot on our canter...

To sum this post up, my goals have changed for the year already. I want to become a better rider. My biggest fear is that I'll just plateau and never get better...so I'm just going to have to work extra hard.

I would also like to try to get Goose to a show. I'm nervous to even try to haul him again, but I have purchased some Confidence EQ gel to put on his nostrils to calm him for the trailer ride...so we'll see. 

My goal is to, eventually...one day...go to the National Dressage Pony Cup in Kentucky. My Dressage trainer says that there is no point in life if you don't have dreams. So for now, we are seriously dreaming. And it's prettyyy fun.

vintage market tote

I recently finished this tote bag project. I wanted to use some of my feedsack pieces for a smaller project, and I thought a tote would be perfect to take to antique fairs and markets.

This was the first bag that I've ever sewn, so I'm quite happy with how it turned out.

goals for the new year

The new year is well underway already, but I have really been thinking about what I want to accomplish this year. I have thought of three feasible goals that I would love to reach by 2016.

one: sew a dress

Preferably out of some cute vintage feedsacks or 1930's inspired fabrics.

two: redo our bathroom

And by redo...I mean repaint, hang pictures on the wall, decorate, and sew a vintage sheet shower curtain.

three: pay off my credit card debt

Yup, that's the big one. But, it's achievable...I think...

There they are. The goals. I can't wait to see what else the year will hold!

early birthday

This week, my birthday came a little early when my mom and dad surprised me with a beautifully wrapped package. My mom shares my love of vintage, so she always finds great things for me. She really outdid herself this year.

SIX vintage feedsacks/floursacks, a mini collection of vintage Valentines, and a box of vintage Shiny Brites (with four unsilvered ones included). I love, love, LOVE it all! Especially the kitty floursack.

Thanks, Mom and Dad!