Finding time

Every year on the NaMoPaiMo Facebook page, someone - or more accurately, several someones - writes words to this effect:  I really want to participate in NaMoPaiMo, but my life is so busy right now. I just don't have enough time.

I get it. Time management is a struggle for many people, myself definitely included.

I completely understand how a busy person could think they don't have time for NaMoPaiMo.

And perhaps you don't, at least not in the traditional I'm-going-to-take-this-horse-and-spend-an-entire-month-painting-it kind of way.

But here's the thing: You don't have to do it that way.

In 2024, Celeste Alvarez-Plitz did not have time for NaMoPaiMo. She signed up anyway.

She started painting at 9:23 PM on February 29.

She finished a couple hours later.

The tight timeline and additional challenges made things a little crazy.

But she had fun, and her horse turned out great.

Win-win.

There are so many ways to participate in NaMoPaiMo. If you want to paint a masterpiece, we are here for that. But also, we're here for all the other, less intense painting experiences, including a last minute, two hour horse painted with just four colors of paint. NaMoPaiMo is truly a Choose Your Own Adventure kind of even. There's no way to do it wrong, except to not do it at all.

Registration for NaMoPaiMo 2026 is open through the end of the month. Please join us for the world's biggest model horse painting party!

Shopuary

January is the most delusional month.

No matter how hard the previous year has been, I always think this is the year it's going to get better.

I always think this is the year I'm going to paint all these horses.

This is my roundabout way of saying that - even though my pony isn't prepped - I signed up for Tegan Davis' February workshop, Liver Chestnut in Pastels.

Hope springs eternal, right?

Tegan sent me the supply list yesterday, so today I went shopping.

For the last decade at least, all my pasteling has been done with Pan Pastels.

Those weren't on Tegan's list, so today I stocked up on Rembrandt chalk pastels.

I also bought some Pearl Ex pigments...

and paintbrushes.

Before I left, I made a lap around the store, checking selection on things I often need,

things I used to need...

and things I just plain want.

I could spend so much money at this store.

Here's what I actually did spend.

I am now ready for Tegan's class, except for that whole prepping thing. Wish me luck. I'm probably going to need it!

Practice and time

Today's guest post is for all those would-be painters who don't get started because think they will never be good enough. Thank you to long-time NaMoPaiMo mentor, Stephanie Blaylock, for sharing this powerful reminder about the importance of just doing the thing.

Practice and Time

by Stephanie Blaylock

Since NaMoPaiMo is just around the corner, I thought this would be fun to share. My husband found this while cleaning out his parent’s house. 

This is most likely the second horse I ever painted. I gifted it to my father-in-law who always had an interest in what I was doing with model horses. 

It's not dated, but I'm guessing late '90s. I was proud enough of it to gift it. I’m sure it’s spray paint and craft paints. 

I’m happy to have him as a reminder of what A LOT of practice and time can do.

There’s no timeline for expanding your skills. 

I suggest classes in the specialized way you would like to paint but there is plenty of free information out there as well. The internet is full of information. 

Supplies don’t even have to be that expensive. Case in point… 26+ years later I still love my craft paints.

NaMoPaiMo is just one week away. If you haven't already done so, please consider painting with us in February. Complete information - and the registration form - can be found on the NaMoPaiMo website.

Chicken feet redux

A couple years ago, Facebook showed me an ad for horse chicken feet.

I bought a pair, put them on Olive - who was deeply unimpressed - and shared the photos online.

After the photo shoot, I put them in the costumes tub in my tack room and forgot about them.

The same can not be said for my former co-worker, Betsy. I ran into her at a party earlier this month, and she could not stop talking about the chicken feet. I told her that just for her, I would dig them out and put them on Sage. 

So that was one of this week's projects.

Sage spent most of the summer wearing fly boots, so I didn't think this would be an issue.

I was right.

She really didn't care at all.

Of course, eventually she got bored with them.

This happened a lot with the fly boots, too.

If you take them off your legs, you have to wear them on your head.

She still doesn't care!

Good girl, Sage. I know Betsy's going to love these pictures!

My NaMoPaiMo sign-up

Registration for NaMoPaiMo 2026 is now open!

In keeping with long-standing Braymere blog tradition, I am posting an illustrated version of my sign-up here. My name is Jennifer Buxton. I am fifty seven years old and live in the United States of American.

I consider my skill level to be (semi) advanced amateur, and I have participated in all the previous NaMoPaiMo's, with varying degrees of success.

This year, I will be painting a Stone Horses Pimento resin as a portrait of Olive as a foal. 

This makes me eligible for the Stone Horses special drawings.

My painting plan involves acrylics, pastels, oils and colored pencils. Basically, I will use whatever it takes to achieve the results I'm hoping for!

Beyond painting, I am looking forward to a month of education, excitement, encouragement and - most of all - community. Please join me for the model horse hobby's biggest and best painting party!