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HoofPrints Newsletter
November 11, 2012
Rob shoeing Rocky
ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THIS NEWSLETTER
Farriers 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.

Billy Scrapbook album pages 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 2012 Horses and Hope Calendar here, which fit perfectly into our Tooled Leather Scrapbook Binder (order that here).

Sarah's scrapbook pages
Here's another example of scrapbooking using the Horses and Hope Calendar pages as backgrounds. A treasured appaloosa pony carries his owner through a variety of classes at the county 4-H fair - complete story here. 
This is the creation of my son's girlfriend Sarah Hardin. She's made great use of a variety of ephemera (more about that below) - integrating items from our Cowgirl Scrapbook Kit - letters, ribbons, horsehead paper clip, etc. along with her own special objects; a 1st place blue ribbon, a lock of Roany's braided hair, and a touch of glitter... In the background is Horses and Hope's March (2012) which states: "Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren't any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn't be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life's challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes that matter in the world come about. So be that one person. -quote by Richard Buckminster Fuller 

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!  

SKA calendar August pageA great 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 (from the 2012 version) 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 calendars 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!  

Beautiful Jim Key Book Cover 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.   

blacksmith shop in churchNeed a Christmas gift for your farrier?
Here's a unique, and inexpensive option. Earlier this year 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 had little to draw upon in my personal stash. An exhaustive search of historical photos online has yielded some very interesting results. 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.
This image is 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. It's featured for November -
a fitting image to honor veterans. This page also features old blacksmith magazine ads featuring a forge and shoes that resemble those in the picture. At the bottom are smaller images of wartime posters, and a photo of a team of horses pulling a World War 1 Austrian army car out of a mud bog.

blacksmith Roosevelt
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. This one's shown for July - along with a patriotic flag background and an old Buffalo Forge ad featuring lady liberty.

In spite of my lack of prior knowledge on the subject - lots of kind and generous folks stepped in and offered to help. I ended up with a spectacular variety of images, and am well pleased with the result. You can see the rest (and place your order) here
Trapper Hat RECAP - From the last newsletter 
Here's what we talked about last time:
Snuggly fleece Horsewomens Trapper Hat  here
Horses and Hope Calendars in stock now here
MANURE MOVERS of America sweatshirt here
Horse Sculptures for women here
Inspirational Jewelry here
Horse Calls books here
PAST NEWSLETTERS
- See what you missed! Catch up on the news here

In This Issue
Preserve your horsey memories!
Calendar makes great scrapbook page backgrounds
More about preserving memories Beautiful Jim Key
Blacksmith Calendar makes great gift for farrier!
RECAP from last newsletter
Request a catalog
ORDER CHRISTMAS Cards Early for best selection!
2012 new cards
Our new designs have been extremely popular and some are almost gone already! We are reprinting and will have more in stock soon. Order your favorites here
WHAT'S NEW? Underwater Dogs
Underwater dogs calendar
Freakishly funny photos of dogs diving underwater to retrieve toys. A fun, creative way to enjoy the year - makes a great gift for the dog lover on your list. Order here
WHAT'S NEW?
Cowboy 10 Commandments Sign
Ten Commandments sign
Sturdy Embossed Tin Sign is under $10. - order here
WHAT'S NEW?
Horse Breeds Playing Cards & Dice
Horse Playing Cards
2 Decks of Playing Cards (each card of the suit features a different breed) & 5 Dice in a felt lined collectible tin here 
WHAT'S ON SALE?
MORE stuff 50% OFF
Crossroads Sculpture
Crossroads Sculpture now HALF PRICE here
WHAT'S NEW?
~ Horse Books ~
Ondov Book Set
Horse Tales from Heaven and Heavenly Horse Sense Christian Horse titles here
WHAT'S NEW?
~ Christian Products ~
Bible Pocket Partners
Cowboy & Cowgirl
Bible Pocket Partners here
WHAT'S NEW?
~ for Horsewomen ~
Long Tall List of Things To Do
Horsewoman's Long Tall List of Things to Do here
Message

We LOVE hearing from our customers. You can contact HoofPrints owner
Gina Keesling via email at [email protected]
 
Find us on facebook
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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
 
Our Current Catalog
2012 Fall Catalog Cover
Request your copy of
HoofPrints Holiday Edition Catalog by clicking here
 
Quick Links
Memorable Quote:
This week's quote is by Mim Eichler Rivas:

"During the late 1800's, a time that called forth for a being like Beautiful Jim Key, animal rights activists - many of the same groups who promoted such outlandish ideas as women's suffrage, racial equality, conservation, literacy, the humane reform of labor, welfare, schools, and prisons - were generally viewed as radicals and kooks. In a kind of spooky rerun, current advocates for animal and environmental protection - in fact, most progressive organizations - are once again being labeled extremists and nuisances. "Special interest groups."
 
In an age of terror, war, and plagues - by no means exclusive to our times - the values of nonviolence, tolerance, kindness, and the quest for peace on our fragile planet seem to have fallen into disrepute.

Maybe that's why this story has resurfaced now. It's possible that a horse and a man of color from Tennessee have as much to teach us today as they did at the turn of the last century. Maybe more."

from Beautiful Jim Key 

Share our emails
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)