HORSE SHOW

On Saturday I rode in my first horse show! It was held at the barn I ride at and was just schooling show, so super relaxed and a great venue and day for my first show...

The day dawned pretty clear and sunny, but COLD! Tack was cleaned and oiled, boots were stripped of the many layers of mud and Griffin was groomed til he was shining in the morning sunshine. I was lucky to have Elliot, my mom and my cousin Hayley, as well as Ed and Diane, the lovely couple I board with, and Jenny, the neighbour and a friend that I ride with, coming to support me (Jenny was actually riding in the show as well!).

| Photo by Hayley Hais |

We set out to the barn, which is only 10 minutes down the road from where I board. Once we arrived I went and registered and got my number. Number 58.

#58

| Photo by Hayley Hais |

I was riding in the second class of the day, the cross rails, with 8 other girls. This included 3 rounds, two "Hunter over Fences" and one "Equitation". First it was time to warm up - and I have never been in the ring with so many people at once! And this was just a small show! It was pretty nerve racking, but we didn't get in anyones way and our practice jumps went well. I was feeling pretty good. Then it was time to learn the course - and oh my goodness I was so scared I was going to forget where I was going! I sat there on Griffin staring at this piece of paper with the course on it waiting for my turn. I think I was 4th or 5th into the ring but to be honest I don't remember!

I rode into the ring, took a circle and put Griffin into a canter, and that was when I learnt that my horse is a total show off! He absolutely LOVED that everyone was watching him! Off we went, over the first jump, around to the first diagonal, over the first line, over the next diagonal, over the second line....wait we were done! It all happend so fast! Like a blur! And it went pretty well! We lost our lead and canter once but got it back, and we didn't get lost! Out of the ring to wait for round two....

Look at those adorable ears!

| Photo by Hayley Hais |

Jump!

| Photo by Elliot Russell |

Round two went even better! I was ready for Griffs excitement and show boat attitude and we improved on our first round!

Then I came out of the ring to realize there was a DIFFERENT course for the 3rd round! PANIC! I didn't even realize that I was being judged on my equitation until I was headed into the ring and my trainer Gina whispered it to be and gave me a few tips on my seat! But instead of worrying about that I just focused on improving on our second round. And I felt we did. Thats all that mattered.

My mom giving Griff some well deserved scratches!

| Photo by Hayley Hais |

This is me trying to memorize the 3rd round course!

| Photo by Hayley Hais |

I came out of the ring and jumped off Griffin and I felt great! This was such a big accomplishment for us! You see I have only had Griffin for coming up on 4 months, so we have been adjusting to each other slowly but surely and the day before was the first time I had even cantered a full course on him! We stood there waiting for them to announce the results of each round but I wasn't expecting to place, I had done this for me and Griffin, not the ribbon. Well, I came 5th in our first round, and 4th in our second! I got a pretty yellow ribbon to pin to the board in the barn! Amazing! Such a bonus to the day!

Bum shot!

| Photo by Elliot Russell |

Canter
| Photo by Hayley Hais |

Now I know as a type this that when Elliot reads this he is going to roll his eyes and wonder what the heck he got himself into two years ago when he asked if I wanted to ride some horses for a friend of his, but I cannot wait to try a big show this Summer! I can't wait to start moving up and improving! And not for the ribbons but for me and Griffin!


Full Album of photos will be up on my Facebook! Thank you to Hayley and Elliot for documenting my first horse show so well!

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

A few days ago I decided to start this blog, and I actually wrote this as my first post before I decided I better introduce myself! So here is my first written post - second!

I recently finished designing a logo for a friend and we decided to do a trade in services. I design her a logo, and she helps me with my horrible "business sense"! You see I love designing and let me go as far as to say I am pretty good at it! But my "business sense", well, thats a different story. And for me to tell you that story I must give you a little background info...

I graduated from high school in 2005, and a month later started the Animation, Art and Design program at The Art Institute in Burnaby. Two years later I graduated and headed out into the world with my demo reel to find that this industry was just not for me. I moved back to the island and became a paramedic, but I still loved designing, and so I started doing things here and there like designing my own wedding invitations, a logo and business cards for my dad, and more wedding invitations! Over time I got asked a few times "why don't you charge for this?" and my answer "I don't know!" or "I don't think I am good enough." So I kept making wedding invitations, for my cousin, for my sister and for a friend or two, and I kept getting asked why I wasn't turning this into a business. Then, one day, and I don't really know what sparked this, I figured why not, you only live once, lets do this! And so Moments in Design was born! OK - it wasn't THAT fast! I fretted over a business name for quite a while, and then I fretted over a logo! If I was going to be a designer I had to have a good logo!

| Original logo |

I got compliments all the time on this logo! And so up until now I was almost afraid to change it. But then I sat down with Colleen from teamU.biz! I had designed her logo (to be posted later), and now it was time to sort my business out. We sat cozied up at The Buzz Coffee House one day and Colleen completely changed my view of how I have been running things! To make a long story short, she made me realize that I have been selling myself short, only just covering my expenses, never mind my time! And I am still working on that, and Colleen and I are still smoothing the details out, but I left that meeting inspired. I drove to work that night and knew I needed to revamp. So I got to work and pulled out my computer and 5 minutes later my logo was sitting in front of me! And then the doubts started! Was it TOO simple? Was it too BIG of a change? So I saved the file and walked away.

I showed it to three people before I showed it to the world, my dad, who is always honest and gives me a straight opinion of my work (you see my mom, being my mom, thinks everything I do is fabulous, and I love her for that!) and two friends. One of those friends is taking the Graphics Program at VIU so when I showed to her I was hoping she would get where I was going, and she did! Her opinion really got me excited, but still it sat as a file on my desktop, waiting to be revealed to the world....

And here it is! 

| New Logo |

And while its been on my facebook page for a couple of weeks, I am very excited to bring it, and the story of how it came to be, on my new blog!! I would love to hear what you all think!

Today is a busy day and tomorrow I have my first horse show! Pictures to come!

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG? THAT WAS THE QUESTION!

And here is my answer! Yes! I will blog!

For those of you who are finding me on the intranet - who don't already know me - here is a little bit about myself!

My name is Holly. I am 25. I work part time/full time as a paramedic! It is an amazing job. There is never a dull moment, and no shift is the same! I love it. But we have a lot of down time, so bring in the graphic design! I went to The Art Institute for Animation, Art and Design in 2007. When I look back I wish I had taken the Graphic Arts and Web Design program, but that has never stopped me from designing. I have always loved computers. Typography. Logos. Web design. You name it. And with all the down time in being a paramedic, I figured why not fill my time with something I love! And that is how Moments in Design started! More about that later...

Some other things about me! I am married to the most wonderful guy. I don't know how or why he puts up with me sometimes! 5 years of bliss and counting! My family is everything to me! We are all super close and I am not ashamed to admit my mom and my 2 sisters are counted among my closest friends. You can follow my middle sister (I am the oldest of 3) Carley on her blog here: Little Bird Lee! And one last thing, and I am not ashamed to admit this either, I am CRAZY for horses. I have been ever since I can remember, and this year, exactly 4 months ago (on March 28th), I got my first horse. A dream come true! And be sure you will see A LOT of him on this blog! When I am not at work, or cozied up the The Buzz Coffee House designing, you can find me riding! There is really no place I would rather be!

| My horse Griffin and I |

I hope to bring you a few things with this blog. My design work. My photography (mostly of my horse). And maybe more!

I hope you enjoy!