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HoofPrints Newsletter
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May 13, 2012
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ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THIS NEWSLETTERFarriers Greeting Cards was started by Gina Keesling in 1986 (in a very small way) to provide helpful promotional materials for farrier husband Rob. Along the way we became HoofPrints.com, too, adding a selection of fun horse and dog products geared toward women of a certain age. This newsletter is emailed to subscribers a few times a month, depending on how often I have something to share. Watch for special sales, interesting stories, uplifting quotes and more.
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20% OFF Your Entire Order!
REMINDER: SALE ENDS FRIDAY 5/18: We are offering a gift of 20% OFF every order placed.
All year we field calls and emails from customers asking how they can get a COUPON CODE that is requested online for special discounts/sales. The truth is, we don't do that very often. We pretty much need to sell our items for full price in order to maintain our business. Click here to download a short, but very enlightening article about how consumer-driven discounting ultimately has become a vicious cycle that's undermined the stability of our economy, and has cost more than anyone could have ever imagined. Then, before you order, view this coupon code NOT AS A DISCOUNT, but as a GIFT OF APPRECIATION from us to you.
With that said, in celebration of the successful completion of yet another year - we are offering this gift to all of you who've supported us along the way. We are especially grateful for the opportunity to work with Sarah K. Andrew on the Horses & Hope Calendar (photo shown above is from April). My assessment of the experience is here, along with more details about the project and volunteers involved.
Click here to get started with your shopping. Remember, you need to enter the coupon code MAY20 in the special box at checkout time in order to get the discount. The coupon code also works on our CLOSEOUT ITEMS and HALF PRICE ITEMS - so you get even more savings on those already marked-down products!
The fine print: Offer ends 5/18/12, and canNOT be used on previously placed orders.
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 I need a little help with this project...
Last month I announced that HoofPrints would be taking over the production of the popular Blacksmith Calendar here. Unlike my predecessor Gill Fahrenwald, who is a lifelong collector of Blacksmith images, I have little to draw upon in my personal stash. An exhaustive search of historical photos online has yielded some very interesting results, along with a lot of questions concerning image selection. Shown here is a portion of an image (�NYPL) of the Catholic Church at Consenvoye, France. It was taken during World War 1, and part of the church is being used as a blacksmith shop. Personally, I find the image fascinating; the juxtaposition of Holy with that of the Blacksmith trade during what it obviously a time of social upheaval. It makes me think of all the young men (and the horses) who did what was called of them in the line of duty. The sacrifices made by all, etc. But I could see where folks could find this picture upsetting, and might not want to look at it for a month. What say you? Tribute to veterans or disturbing reminder of the spoils of war? Here's another one. It's a circa 1910 political cartoon by L. M. Glackens featuring Theodore Roosevelt (�LOC). This is just a portion of the image that I've cropped for detail; the whole thing has about a dozen different characters (both man and beast), each representing and commenting on a political issue of the day. It's beautifully rendered, but carries with it a great deal of unrest and tension that's common surrounding political matters. What say you? Interesting social commentary involving the blacksmith trade or desecration of the same by politicizing?
Email gina@hoofprints.com with your comments about the above images.
I had asked before for submission of photos for consideration for the calendar here. I've received several (thanks to all who responded). I've been out of the office for a couple weeks and am still sorting through a backlog of emails (you know, mostly unsolicited newsletters and correspondence like this one). Anyway, I am still working on the calendar project and will keep everyone posted on the progress via newsletter updates. Meanwhile, you can check out the fantastic selection of back issues priced at 50% off an more here. Remember to use the MAY20 coupon code at checkout for an additional 20% off! |
 Preserve your horsey memories! Shown here is a sample scrapbook page using products from hoofprints.com
The headline reads: "All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be loved by a little girl" (even if that 'little girl' is 50 years old)
Even the "ordinary" story of taking a guided trail ride on vacation is potential scrapbook material. Shown above are scrapbook pages of HoofPrints' owner Gina Keeslings' mementos of a very big souvenir brought home from a South Dakota vacation. Old, worn-out Quarter Horse Billy earned himself a cushy retirement by doing his job well, carrying Keesling on a fun trail ride through the Black Hills. And silly stuff that you'd ordinarily toss has the potential to incite the fondest memories years down the road. Billy's sales receipt (an official document needed by the hauler for transport from South Dakota to Indiana) was scribbled on a restaurant receipt. A picture of Billy at his old job was found on former owner's trail ride business website. A photo of the picturesque highway leading into the vacation destination town was found via a Google search. The borders, stickers "r-i-d-e", "howdy", etc, are from our Cowgirls Scrapbook Kit (sold here) And, the lovely photo backgrounds are pages from the Horses and Hope Calendar here, which fit perfectly into our Tooled Leather Scrapbook Binder (order that here).
Gina's note: My mom is the photo-archivist in our family - she's always there snapping pictures to document every event - large or small. One of the best gifts I have EVER received in my life, bar none, is the scrapbook she presented to me as a college graduation gift. It was chronologically arranged, from my birth through all my school years, and finally college. Most of the photos had horses, and there were lots of newspaper clippings of 4-H accomplishments and what-not. Little mementos that didn't seem like they should be important enough to even save, suddenly became part of a cohesive story that documented my life from birth, until that day. What a wonderful treasure - a visual spark for hundreds of small memories that otherwise would have been forgotten. Thanks Mom! |
 Another scrapbook helper - that didn't start out that way...
Sarah K. Andrew's Horses and Hope Calendar is a work of art that is continuing to help horses with 100% of profit being donated to One Horse At A Time. Yet another awesome thing about these calendars is that they are sized (12"x12") to fit perfectly into our Scrapbook Binder pages. So, once the year is past, you can use the lovely photos as backgrounds for your creations. (That's what we did above)
Can't you just visualize the photo shown here surrounded by small newspaper clippings or other ephemera*? Each month also has an inspirational quote that could also be incorporated in the page. Many of the months have dramatic, dark backgrounds - perfect for lettering with a silver (or gold) paint marker. If you've not ordered your calendar yet (or want to get additional copies) you can do that here.
*What's ephemera? Ephemera is anything that wouldn't normally be considered something to collect, save, cherish or keep. Such as playing cards, fabric scraps, postcards, coins and paper money, ticket stubs, keys, old maps, watch parts, feathers or hair, leaves, office objects like paper clips, post-its, Rolodex cards, magazine ads, etc. More about ephemera here.
Still think you're not creative enough, or don't have enough stuff to put together an interesting scrapbook? Check out the treasure trove of ideas here. There are ideas for just about everything, including suggestions for wording, tutorials, and a whole hoard of other inspiration. They even say a good place to start looking for fun ephemera is your junk drawer! |
 More about preserving memories...
This is so incredibly important, please take a moment to consider how many times you've stumbled upon a forgotten photograph, or other momento that brought with it a flood of wonderful memories. Memories that may well have faded into obscurity had you not had a visual reminder of the time in your past.
There's no better time than the present to archive mementos from a horsewoman (or man)'s life. Many a great story has been told based on someone's "ordinary" life and the accompanying memories. Having something tangible to pass on is of utmost importance.
The wonderful story of Beautiful Jim Key would have been lost forever had author Mim Eichler Rivas not stumbled upon a dusty old trunk of mementos and newspaper clippings that Dr. Key had collected, chronicling his and his horse's life. Her discovery propelled her on a journey by which she pieced together this incredible true story of a man and his horse. Rivas' exhaustive research led her to a variety of sources, a significant amount being personal collections and mementos (scrapbooks) as well as libraries and other genealogical sources. The photo used on the cover belies it's fragile heritage - creased and frayed - it could have easily been discarded because of the damage - a snapshot of important history would have been lost forever.
The back of the book cites all these sources - a whopping 42 pages worth! So, if the story wasn't wonderful enough by itself, you can marvel at the incredible thoroughness by which the author researched the facts and wove them into a cohesive (true) tale. Here's an excerpt from the author's note at the beginning of the book:
"Initial research very quickly turned up a wealth of documentation that provided answers. But other questions emerged, questions that plagued Beautiful Jim Key even at the height of his career. Was his act a hoax? Were ten million Americans taken for a ride? On the other hand, if Bill and Jim were faking it, what kind of elaborate system allowed them to pull it off? These questions will be explored in the pages ahead. In order to both validate this story and allow readers to determine what processes were and weren't at work, I have resisted my storytelling temptation to invent scenic details and dialogue as texture to this narrative. Dialogue in quotation marks is quoted from actual sources; scenes described in detail are likewise taken from detailed documents, except in those instances where I have added connective tissue between events when certain moments have been suggested by sources but can still be considered speculative."
Wow. It's a marvel to consider that this gripping, "can't-put-it-down" story that's chock-full of rich (and historically accurate) detail, is pieced together with information gleaned from SCRAPBOOKS. |
 RECAP - From the last newsletter
Here's what we talked about last time:
Dump Him, Marry the Horse here
New Cards added to Farrier Directory here
Mother's Day Tribute to my Mom here
Cowboy 10 Commandments here
Doctor is In Horse Thermometer here
Special Mention for mothers & babies here
Cowgirl Note Cards here
PROTECT THIS RIDER pendant here
Crossroads Sculpture Father's Day Gift here
Cowboy (and Cowgirl) Cookbooks here
A Dog's Purpose book here
Play with your Dog T-shirt here
Hoof Problems Book UNDER $50! here
PAST NEWSLETTERS - See what you missed! Catch up on the news here
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WHAT'S NEW?
Cowboy 10 Commandments Sign
Sturdy Embossed Tin Sign is under $10. - order here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
Horse Breeds Playing Cards & Dice
2 Decks of Playing Cards (each card of the suit features a different breed) & 5 Dice in a felt lined collectible tin here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
SALE on Spring T's
BIG sale on Springy Horsey T-shirts less than $10 each here! |
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WHAT'S NEW?
FREE Spring Magnet
with every order shipped, while supplies last. Get one withOUT ordering by sending self addressed, stamped LONG envelope to:
HoofPrints Free Magnet Offer
13849 N 200 E
Alexandria, IN 46001
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Father's Day Gift Idea
Crossroads Sculpture here |
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WHAT'S ON SALE?
MORE stuff 50% OFF
Won't You Fix My Horse, Too? vintage art print $9.95 here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ Horse Books ~
Horse Tales from Heaven and Heavenly Horse Sense Christian Horse titles here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ Christian Products ~
Cowboy & Cowgirl Bible Pocket Partners here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ for Horsewomen ~
Horsewoman's Long Tall List of Things to Do here
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Message
We LOVE hearing from our customers. You can contact HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling via email at gina@hoofprints.com |
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Find us on facebook
Be sure to LIKE our facebook page - it's where we announce special sales, breaking news and everything else we find interesting. To see it go here |
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Our Current Catalog
Request your copy of HoofPrints Spring Catalog by clicking here |
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Memorable Quote:
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A Blacksmith's Prayer
Thou art my smith, Oh God,
Forge me into the servant that
Thou would have me be.
Heat me hot enough to brush the
scale and impurities from my life.
Draw out my life to the length
Thou would have it.
Make me tough enough to resist persecution.
And temper me so that I am hard enough
to withstand my temptations.
And Lord, as I go through life, put me
back into the fire from time to
time to repair me as I get blemished with sin.
And when my life is over and the
fires of life are all quenched,
Grant me a home with Thee in heaven
Amen.
~Phillip Box, Jr., CJF, DipWCF
About the author: Farrier Phillip Box has nearly a decade of experience working on some of the top horses in Alabama and Georgia. He has been a Certified Journeyman Farrier with the American Farriers Association since 2009, holds the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, and is an Accredited Professional Farrier with the American Association of Professional Farriers. His website is here
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Share our emails
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Viral marketing... it sounds bad, doesn't it?
You can ask my husband - a frequent topic around here is that of forwarded emails - and the psychology behind them - just WHAT prompts people to decide; "I am going to send this to everyone I know!".
We receive a lot of them. Some are pretty good, and others are dumb. Dumb in a myriad of ways... Alarmist email rumors that have been around forever - that folks keep sending "just in case it's true" Pictures of someone's butt (or worse) - don't even get me started about the firecracker butt - but at least that one was timely when it showed up around July 4. Christian messages that are uplifting - until you get to the end and you're threatened "if you're not ashamed that you love Jesus, forward this - if you are, then delete." Pictures of cute puppies and kittens (awww)
I enjoy writing these newsletters - and sharing all this stuff with you all. But the fact is, it's also a way to help us stay connected with customers and sell products during the time between catalog mailings (which is only once a year) So I really, really like it when someone new stumbles upon the newsletter and is excited to "discover" our company and the products we offer.
In all my efforts to make the newsletter interesting and forward-worthy - it never occurred to me to JUST ASK you all to send it! Duh. Sometimes the obvious is elusive, I guess. So here goes - my request to ask you to forward our email newsletter to your horsey friends. All we ask is that you please be judicious and only send to folks who might be interested. Otherwise we are no better than the "firecracker butt". Click to get started. (please note - using this form does NOT subscribe anyone to our list - it is a one-time only forward)
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