they can be so annoying

I slept all day yesterday. Literally. It's almost a miracle that I took a photo. Good thing the girls did something to annoy the crap out of me and make me want to snap a photo to remember it by...

139 of 365: What????


The thing they're crushing... oh wait I meant sitting on... is a three foot tall My Little Pony plush doll. It came through a mail order point system. It's worth a decent chunk of change. When its intact. >.<>

Beautiful Brown Balloons

Time for another Holly custom. I've got a couple blogs today, so I figured start with her ;)

Alright, so this pony comes with a story. It's a long one, so I'll try to abbreviate. Most of my friends agree that I *love* brown balloons. And by love, I mean loathe. Actually, after all these years, I kind of enjoy them... but at the time this all started... well....

It all started at the second annual My Little Pony Convention (Yes, there's conventions. Yes I have gone to them. I actually was on the convention staff for 4 years. I have no shame here.) So I'm friends with Holly, who at the time was on the staff of the convention, and she invites me along to help with setup. There were two people blowing up balloons, and two people hanging them, and myself running in between the sets of people handing off balloons. Somewhere in the process, someone inflated a brown balloon.

Now if you know me, you know that once I get started ranting, I'm off and ranting. So I start ranting about the brown balloons. I mean really, what is the purpose of a brown balloon? When I buy myself an assorted package of rainbow colored balloons, should I really be finding brown in there? Am I graduating from some high school with brown as one of my school colors? Or at a clowns funeral? Because if not, I can't find a reason for brown to be appropriate. I rant like that for the entire time we're setting up. My friend Slugs husband (yes her name is slug) who was also helping out, found me amusing, and during the actual convention rounded up all the brown balloons, and (unknown to me) hung them all at my stall. And managed to photograph me with them.

Told you it was a long story... but it was a set-up for the pony. Holly is best known for her zebras. I wouldn't be shocked if she's made over a hundred of them. And I had longed for one for years. Holly, ever the jokester, made me this beauty.

I love her and all of her brown glory. She sheens a pretty reddish brown outside. I just love her and her brown goodness!

another Holly classic

This one my first! She's going to be so mad when she see's this custom (mostly because I'm sure she's forgotten about it... plus she's improved her craft significantly since making it.) But who cares what she thinks! I mean this project is just about me cheering her up! Oh wait...

Lily Hopper

Like I said, she's my first Holly custom... but she's also the first custom I ever owned that I didn't make myself. I got her by swapping customs with Holly before I ever knew her (if she really wanted to be evil, Holly could post mine... I remember what I made, and I'm positive it hasn't aged well) When I got Lily Hopper in the mail, I just remember being stunned by the small brushwork... this teeny tiny painting on a pony. I'd never seen brushwork so smooth before (even though she's even better at it now.) I loved her and love her, even if the red in her paint is bleeding over time (the poor thing)

**told you you'd hate me Holly LOL!!**

because Holly is insane

Holly has decided she is an uninspiring MLP customizer... which is nuts. I love her stuff (she'll say its because I'm her friend... well yeah, and because she's amazing!) and I do think she goes unrecognized more often then she should. So I'm going to photograph some of my fav Hollys. Starting with my most recent... My first 'commission' (I put that in quotes, because really, other then "Hey I'd like a custom with a lamb and a bunny," Holly had free reign. Because I trust her)

How is this uninspiring!? Look at all that scrolling!

Even the lamb has a teeny tiny platypus!!! The detail is crazy!!

Holly, you are insane!! Love you!

The MLP Photohunt

Well I took the time to take all of the photos, and I'm pleased with how they came out. So I'm showing them off... regardless of the fact that there are My Little Ponies in the photos LOL! I'll post the steps so you know why I took each photo.

Step 1: Ponies at work/school. Let's see those ponies doing your job for you!

I can't bring a camera to my real job, so I went with my second job. I submitted two pictures, because I wasn't sure if I could include a photo with myself in it.

Step 2: Ponies at the playground. Your photo must include at least 1 adult and 1 baby.

There's the horse! Its cool, right!

Step 3: Ponies and food. Are they in the freezer? Or cooking? Maybe raiding the cookie jar? We'll see - as long as their symbol is food related.

This ponies symbol is popcorn... so she's going after the popcorn. Yeah, I'm that witty.

Step 4: Ponies and the mail! Lets see those G3's climbing a mailbox.

G3 refers to the generation of pony. There are three generations - the third being the generation out now. I primarily collect the first and second generation, but there a few G3's that I really like.

Step 5: Ponies go shopping. Are they window shoppers? Or maybe they like to ride in the cart!

It's steps like this that show who's playing for fun and who's playing for real. I have no shame in walking into Walmart with a camera and a pony, and taking my time setting up a photo. Last year there was a step where I had to set ponies in produce... waaaay more in the open then the card isle. Easy peasy man!

Step 6: Ponies on fire duty! I want to see your ponies on a fire hydrant or fire extinguisher!

I have a hydrant right out front of my house, but the surroundings are pretty ugly (ie: the bad neighbors house/car.) I wanted a simple plain background - so I actually went searching for this fire hydrant. Such a dork am I!!

Step 7: Ponies surfing the Arena. We all love it - so do our ponies! Gotta see the Arena on your computer.

The Arena is one of two rather large message boards that MLP Collectors go to (the other is the mlptp.com) The Arena is the one hosting this hunt.

Step 8: Ponies getting clean. Are they cleaning the house, or themselves? Who knows? Only you!

Hey I didn't write the steps, just followed them (could they be any cornier!?)

Step 9: Ponies with pets. Do your ponies like to go for a walk too?

Pet steps are the worst to me, because my pets suck at cooperating for anything. Luckily Jo was just lying around... maybe setting this up easier on me.

Step 10: Ponies dressed up! Maybe it's going out for dinner, or getting ready to trick-or-treat. Let's see those glamour (or horror!) shots!

Play with depth of focus on this one. I love that lion costume (yeah yeah, keep laughing... but I do! It's cute!!)