Red Dirt Wild Bunch

Posted on June 12, 2016 by kathousekelli70

Oklahoma State Wild Bunch Championships are done and dusted for another year. It was a hot, hot day Saturday and a little kinder today.

The Red Dirt Company of Rough Riders got together for a pic today (all those dressed in their Rough Riders outfits) but there were a couple of others yesterday that I wish had have been in today's picture.

Ten stages in all, a Fastest Pistol side match – that was a hoot, man on man shootout, and a BAM Match (Bolt Action Military).

Thanks to Hondo Tweed as Match Director and all the Territorial Marshals that helped set up, paint and tear down. John Elder and his wife for the fantastic food both days.

Stages were great and reasonable on rounds. Was a great primer for End Of Trail and Colorado State Champions coming up.

Men's Modern and 1st overall went to Shell Stuffer from (southern) Illinois, Ladies Modern and 1st overall was Missouri Mae, who along with Capt Sam Evans won the shootout.

Jackaroo placed 2nd in Modern Mens Senior! I placed 1st in Ladies Traditional, won the Ladies Fastest Pistol and Ladies BAM match.

A whole bunch of fun with a great bunch of people. Will see some at End of Trail or next on the range in Arcadia. Congratulations to all other winners, I remember some but without the scores cannot submit here correctly.

Happy shooting!

Kat xo

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Lincoln County Cowboys

Posted on June 5, 2016 by kathousekelli70

In the morning light a posse of 16 cowboys and cowgirls rolled into the Crossroads Gun Range of Cushing, Oklahoma.

The sun beat down from a bright blue sky, later giving way to an Oklahoman breeze. With a tip of the hat and the pledge of allegiance, a six stage shoot out got under way.

They listened for how the shootout would take place, gathered their guns and ammo to take down the targets as the stage was set.

There was laughter, disappointment, cussing and messing with some.

At the end of the day, the cowboys and cowgirls came together for dinner and regaled each other with their tales – all the while with smiles on their faces and looking forward to the next time they came together at the next corral.

I'll be your huckleberry.

Kat xo

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Wild Bunch Practice

Posted on May 30, 2016 by kathousekelli70

Damas y Caballeros, Bienvenidos a manojo salvaje! Or Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Wild Bunch.

Haa Haa Haa, well today was only a practice day, gearing up for Oklahoma State Wild Bunch Championships in 2 weeks time.

With 8months of not shooting this it was indeed a good time to give it a whirl and see what happens! Also, I got me a new $2 front sight (a $2 Aussie coin turned, beaten and ground) and at this stage it's still attached!

So we had a slight delay gettin' to the gate with a tree having uprooted itself and laying across the road. In comes the machinery to clear the way.

Sixteen Cowboys and one 'me' turned out to play – well we did have Krazy Kat and she did all the scoring for us, we thank you.

Practice was four stages and a shootout.

And that my friends is the day pretty much, home mid afternoon and ready to sit down briefly.

¡ Saludos! Cheers

Kat xo

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Saturday…What More Can I Say?

Posted on April 16, 2016 by kathousekelli70

I don't think too many of us performed at any sort of fantastic shooting ability (except for Winchester who took out first place, cogratulations) today but did well at getting up to more cheek than necessary.

With only 3 women shooting today, we got up to more no good than usual and certainly enjoyed ourselves doing so. 😉

Mostly Pearl Starr and myself giggling on the sidelines or in the background!

A few cheeky comments thrown in for good measure with Prairie Joy.

Well maybe this group was up to no good too or telling lies!

Jack also managed to have a short play just with pistols to check his form. He wasn't particularly happy about speed but hello! He hit all the targets AND it's still early days buddy. All in good time, all in good time.

Great stages again by Mad Dog Tannen, no procedural for me today, so that was a plus but still a few too many misses for my liking and 8 stuck in the rifle……ouch!!

Everyone had fun and by 4.00pm we had finished 6 stages.

Dinner, drinks and more banter ensued. Gotta love any day out on the range!

Kat xo

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Diary of Desire Pt 3

Posted on April 11, 2016 by kathousekelli70

Sometimes I astound myself and am feeling very pleased about the completion of the skirt for Texas Flowers gown.

Suffice to say it is looking very much like the original don't you think? Texas Flower will be very happy indeed.

So, only the lace to be done now.

The under gathering and pleating was done – I wasn't happy with the height of the pleating, so that got unpicked, moved and restitched. The back overskirt was hemmed, unpicked, rehemmed, pleated, undone and repeated at the sides. The ruching I could have done a bit more but left them and the origami pleats for a first time attempt turned out well.

The original gown and owner of said gown, Lonna Miller shared a picture of the stunning lace on Facebook for me. Lonna has used the original gold satin and lace from the dress, reworked in red.

In Texas Flower's and my look at this breathtaking gown at the 2014 Convention I neglected to see the beautiful detail in the lace which is actually beaded. Flower's lace will be full embroidery with just a hint of beading in the small flowers.

For now it's back to simpler tasks as I wait for my McDowell Drafting machine to come back from the US with a friend so I can start the next challenge of the bodice.

Stats: 51.5hrs, 18m/19.6yds hand stitching

Cheers

Kat xo

P.S. I think I have now finished the Historical Sew Monthly's February challenge of Tucks and Pleating, albeit a little late.

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Practice, Practice, Practice

Posted on April 2, 2016 by kathousekelli70

Clearly that's what I need to do more of after today's effort, or at least pay attention to instructions!

Misses – 2, Procedurals – 1, Pistol Reloads – 2 very messy and uncoordinated, Shotgun inadvertently opening – 1 and probably a bit ragged on rifle on 2 stages.

Despite this, raw times were good but that makes not one iota of difference if you have all the other stuff going on, now does it?

Loads of fun as usual, plenty of laughs and good company, what more could you want really.

Congratulations to Mad Dog Tannen for taking out top honours at this weekends Gamblers club match and to Ex Sighted and Prairie Joy for clean matches!

Next club match in two weeks!

Cheers

Kat xo

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Shots on Saturday

Posted on March 20, 2016 by kathousekelli70

Yes, it was a down range kinda day yesterday with 15 Cowboys and Cowgirls turning out for The Gamblers club match.

With Jack sitting on the sidelines for now, he happily video'd (people say that but is it actually a word?… I digress) and kept score.

It felt good but had a few unnecessary misses, called 'must keep your eye on the front sight'. Never mind I'm on to that.

All times were decent however and had the Dog on the run! Nice shooting with all and thanks for the challenge 'Mad Dog Tannen'!

Click on this link to see Stage 1 Video (This link is mainly for Dad and Mums sake 🙂 )

Have a good week!

Kat xo

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Guerilla? Or Just an Outlaw

Posted on January 25, 2016 by kathousekelli70

Jesse James was one of the most famous or infamous outlaws of the American west – robbing stage coaches, banks, trains, and leader of the James-Younger gang.

Why am I talking about Jesse James you might ask? And where does the guerilla bit come into it?

Well, once upon a time, in a land far far away….lol, no simple really. Jesse and his brother Frank James were confederate guerrilla's (also known as bushwackers). Road Runner, fellow Okie when we are there, requested a Jesse James guerrilla shirt.

With eyebrows slightly raised, of course I accepted the challenge and had him send me a picture. (As seen below)

Not hard really, finally found fabric that would drape nicely in the required grey, a simple black bias binding should work and found some studs that could replicate the trim.

It came time in the book to get onto this one and so I fiddled around with a pattern and created the very simple oversized guerilla shirt with slanted rounded pockets. Ta dah! Road Runner's guerilla shirt.

(Hmm they could actually have had more slant on the pockets now seeing it on the mannequin, noticeable when it's laying flat)

These shirts with their pockets shaped like that apparently made for ease of carrying extra ammo and accessibility to it. (so I've heard)

Personally I'm thinking that if you are galloping around on a horse at break neck speed you might lose it but then I thought about the drape of the fabric and figured it might well stay put due to the weight of the ammo.

The guerrilla shirts were often made by wives or sweethearts, some were elaborately embroidered, some plain, some with a placket and collar, made from various fabrics and patterns. According to civil war websites the shirts originated in Missouri but were similarly worn down through Texas.

Here are some more examples worn by the Duvall brothers and Bloody Bill Anderson.