Hey all!

Sorry for not posting for a while, I've been having "issues" with Yahoo lately.
It's actually my computer itself, it seems to have picked up some kind of bug.

Anyway, I couldn't figure out how to access my groups via the Yahoo home page,
but I finally discovered it lets me access the groups directly from past
messages, for some reason, when I hit the "visit your group" link on past
postings. Weird.

So, finally I'm able to post a message here! Argh . . . computers.

Recently I had a big mini sale with new copies of the "Working Girl" resin, and
many others! Posted them on MHSP, and the majority of them are now sold. But,
I felt bad when I couldn't get on this site to share the announcement with all
of you.

So, I have three NEW minis in the works, to be painted early next week, and I'll
be offering them via the group here first!

There are two "Bitty Bosco" resins that will be for sale. Still in progress,
but I'm planning on a dark bay with a tiny, lacy appy blanket, and a grulla
tobiano.

Also have my first copy of "Mini Ravenhill" being offered, and I'm planning on a
dark bay Overo.

Prices and other details will be forthcoming! But I'm thinking around $235-$265
for the "Bosco" copies and $275-$295 on the Mini Ravenhill, depending on how
elaborate I get with the dapples and markings and such.

Wanted to offer a sale on the remaining minis on MHSP for you guys!

First up, the lovely new buckskin "Bitty Bosco" seen here:

http://www.modelhorsesalespages.com/sales/view_details.asp?id=683598

Currently priced at $265 plus postage, for a total of $273, offered here for you
guys at the lowered price of *$225 PPD!* That's a reduction of almost $50.

Doodlebug:

http://www.modelhorsesalespages.com/sales/view_details.asp?id=683669

Next, the Appy Doodlebug. Already discounted to $175 PPD, now dropped to $160
PPD. With Paypal fees and postage factored in, that's under $150 to me.
(Paypal will take $4 out on fees.)

This means if you want to send a check instead of Paypal, and are OK with slower
"first class" mail - you can mail payment to me and get "Doodlebug" for just
*$155 PPD* and put the extra five bucks in your pocket!

Last, the mealy bay (looks like buckskin) "Finnegan"

http://www.modelhorsesalespages.com/sales/view_details.asp?id=668123

Comes with NAN card and photo references of this nifty breed that show the
unique light bay color seen on some Swedish Draft horses. I bought these resins
for about $100 plus shipping, so this is a good deal on the paint and prep, as
unpainted resin prices on this guy have stayed in the $100-$125 range.

Currently at $215 PPD, now dropped to $165 PPD. That's $50 off!

These discounts will be offered here first for one week, then I will drop the
listed prices on the MHSP ads. I've been a bad girl with the credit card last
month, and it's time to pay the piper, LOL! So I have no choice but to drop the
prices on these guys and get them outta here.

I will also be offering a copy of "Gomez" the cool new Spanish resin by Deb
McDermott. Hardly any of these guys out there right now, and I have one prepped
and basecoated to go in dapple gray when I'm done with the current sales minis
and custom orders. Look for him up on MHSP in about two weeks, maybe less?

If I sell the Gomez and these remaining minis, I may be able to make the credit
card go bye-bye before the interest racks up, LOL.

I also have one more prepped copy of "Stormwatch" here that I'd be willing to
custom paint to your choice of color, see pics of all the Stormies I've done in
my Webshots album! (user name, sommerp) Price would vary according to your
color choice, starting at $850 for solids w/o dapples up to $1500 or more for
elaborate appies, and somewhere in-between for pintos and dappley colors. I
could offer you two payments on him, half to cover the body, and the balance due
when painted.



Also - update on Custom Orders and on other stuff!

Currently, I'm working on my LAST TWO custom orders from the backlog! Whew!
What a relief. (I do actually have a CM order on a "Sadeek" still, but the
buyer told me to hold off on a while, so I'll be clear on that . . . for now . .
. lol.)

Hoping to have these done and in the mail by next Tuesday. Look for new pix in
the Webshots album around then!

You know, I'd really love to have a few free moments to take a breather, and not
have the pressure of custom orders hanging over my head for a while.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that is going to work out finacially. (Note
above comment about the credit card, ahem.)

So it looks like I'll be opening my books for custom orders again soon.
However, I will be taking fewer orders in each time to prevent such a long wait
in the future.

Since I am in the swing of things again with minis, I will probably take custom
orders for minis to start. I will price the Mini custom orders in the same way
I've been pricing the big guys - on a case by case basis.

That's because (for example) the dappled buckskin "Working Girl" I did was
incredibly difficult, a tiny mini with subtle dappling all over the entire body!
This was much more challenging than say, a sold dark bay mini with zero
dappling.

The "Finnegan" Swedish Draft, which is also a dappled buckskin (ish) color, was
much easier because he was a bigger mini, and had only a few dapples on the
barrel, not all over. Even though both minis could be called "solid buckskin".

So to have one set price for "solid colors" or "pintos" isn't really accurate.
I probably won't even offer something like the "Working Girl" buckskin paint job
for custom order, FYI, (only because I'm not sure I can duplicate it again on
demand, it was the hardest thing I've done to date.) But the other "Working
Girl" colors I did recently could be replicated on other models.

Prices for solids would start at $75 for easy colors like solid bay with no
dappling, plus prep. Prices could go as high as $150 or more, plus prep, for
elaborate paint jobs like dappled pintos, or extensive appies.

Look for the announcement on custom orders soon!



Paint Trades:

Just got a group announcement from Keeling this morning, she's working on a very
cute Arabian mini as well. (Her sister Debbi Lermond has a new standing Arab
mini coming soon, and I already have some possible paint trades on that one.)

Anyway, I'd be happy to also offer one-for-one paint trades on this Arab mini
"Majeed" whenever he comes out. (See link below.) No details on price or
release date. Keep me in mind if interested. Looking to paint trade for two or
three folks.

http://www.hallelujahbronze.com/newprojects.html

Also, the "Mini Ravenhill" edition is coming to a close soon, and I haven't had
the extra cash to buy a slew of copies like I'd originally hoped. He's
available until May 15th, and I'd be willing to take in TWO trades for solid
colors including prep.

They would have to be pretty basic orders, solids with no dapples with prep
factored in (his release price is just $95)and remember she doesn't allow them
to ship directly to the painter - she ships to whatever address is listed on the
Paypal account, so they'd go to you first, and be sent to me afterwards.

If they shipped to you, and you prepped both my copy AND yours before sending
them out to me, I'd give you credit towards some dappling or maybe minimal pinto
markings on your own copy, though! So there is a way to trade out for something
a little "fancy" on this fellow!

She isn't done shipping orders on the backlog yet, new orders could take a bit
longer, so I'd be looking at painting them in a month or two. This means I'll
still have time for some CM orders soon.

Link to order Mini Ravenhill:

http://www.tabaskeaustudio.com/catalog.php?category=33

Remember, this edition closes in about one week.


That's about it for now! On the personal side, I may be closing in on my next
new "real" horse - remember all the cool personal models I've been selling to
stash away for the horsie fund? Didn't save enough for the expensive broke mare
I was looking at, but found a couple of other fillies that look promising . . .
something may be coming home around the first of June. We'll see!

Thanks so much,

Sommer