I Have a Headache...

...and it is not from grooming.  :)

Well, it does have something to do with grooming.

I have mentioned a couple of times before that I will be competing at Groom Expo in Hershey PA, in the creative grooming.

The Expo is 3 weeks away.

My girl 'Hanna has been growing out since January.

This is her in February.

I love Poodle feet, but I have let her feet grow out, because shaving feet takes time in a competition, and I need all of the time I can get.

In February I started putting my design on her.

Sorry, this is all I can let you see.

I don't want anyone to see the final design until she is on the stage at Hershey.  :)

In March I did a little more detailed on the design.

Around that time, 'Hanna' was having trouble with her ears.

She ripped a lot of hair out of her ears, and really thinned the top of them out.

My daughter finally talked me into scissoring them short so that the ears could grow back out evenly.

It killed me.

I love her long ears.

Boy...I sound like my customers, don't I?

The problem is, her ears take forever to grow back.

If that was not bad enough, in June, 'Hanna' had a reaction to the Advantage spot on flea treatment, and lost a 3"x 5" patch of hair right between her shoulder blades.

I mean she was almost totally bald where the Advantage was put on.

Thankfully, it is in an area where it will not effect the design.

I just have to tell the Judges about it before the competition.

I have tested out the colors on her.

I have tried to time myself.

I had everything figured out.

I had an order in which I was going to groom her.

Then Barkleigh put out the Program for Groom Expo.

They changed the way they are doing the Creative competition.

The competition has always been a 31/2 hour competition, with a 15 minute 'Sally Break'.

This year the competition is starting earlier, at 10:30.

We will groom from 10:30 to noon, and then take an hour lunch break.

At 1pm we will start grooming again for two more hours.

I had to totally rethink the order in which I was going to do things.

I have to say that I am a little worried about 'Hanna' laying down for that hour and messing up everything I groomed in the first hour and a half.

Oh well, I don't expect to win anyway.

I know, I know.

That is not the way you are supposed to think, and if I think that way, why am I competing?

Because, I like the grooming challenge.

Even though it is stressful, it is fun too.

So why the headache?

For the next three weeks I will be painting, gluing and writing.

I have written my poem for the presentation.

I still need to tweak it.

I have to say that I hate the presentation part.

Well, I don't really hate it, but it is certainly not my favorite part.

It is not easy to stand up in front of all of those people and put on a presentation.

How do I do it?

I really don't know.

I just try not to think about it.

I have always had the motto for things I don't like, 'just get it done and over with'.

The grooming on stage is easy.

When I am grooming, I get into a zone.

My kids are always telling me that they have to call my name 3 or 4 times to get my attention.

So when I am up there grooming, I turn everything off except what I am doing.

It doesn't even bother me when people flash a camera.  :)

I will also be building my background.

I have drawn it, now I just have to try to bring it to life.

Sorry I missed the Tuesday tip.

I was gluing.

That is where I got the headache.

Glue spray.

Ugh.  :(

I was gluing again tonight.

What was I gluing?

Some of my props for the competition.

Think you can guess what it is supposed to be?

This is how it starts.

Then I start spraying on the glue.

And spraying.

And spraying.

Do you know what it is yet?

Now????

I'll give you a little time....

Tap, tap... are you still there?

Still don't have any idea?

No!

It's not a matted  model dog!

See, it has some blue on it.

Can you guess now?

No..

Really?!..

Is it that bad?

 Maybe now?

It was getting dark outside and I had to stop.

I have three made, and three more to go.

Okay! Okay!

Stop yelling.

I'll tell you what it is supposed to be.

A CLOUD.

Can you see it now?

Just humor me.

Please!

Just say, "Oh yeah, I see it now."

Thank you, that makes me feel a little better.

I have been taking pictures of the whole process.

The drawings, scissoring the design, testing the colors.

After the competition, I will blog about everything I did.

I have also decided to hold off on my Clipping True or False test till after Hershey, because I have so much to do in the next few weeks.

Some of the test answers may get involved and I want to take time on them.

I'll still blog as I get time. 

Hopefully no more headaches.  :)

Happy Grooming, MFF