Friday was Full of Hobby Happenings

Who would have guessed yesterday would have been a busy hobby day...Lafayette dropped, Breyer Boot Camp started, the Breyer Collector Club Newsletter came out, and The Birds! are back.

Right, starting out with the long awaited appearance of the CC Exclusive model Lafayette. Hurray! Hurrah! Whoooooooo! I thought for sure he’d be released next week. I found him by a chance checking of the CC home page. I was on a conference call which was wrapping up, and took a gulp of water while happening to check the CC page because I was trying to pass the last few forever minutes of the meeting. I gasped when I saw Lafayette and apparently forgot how to drink water. I was coughing and sputtering as I started ordering. I vaguely heard someone ask if I had anything to add, but I just kept coughing and choking. Yes, please add  *cough*choke*sputter*cough-cough* on my behalf, thank you. I then hung up. Next I flew over to Blab (still choking) to make a new thread to alert people that he was available so people could go and order him. Mind you, I didn’t bother to read the accompanying information on his page as in the past, once these models sell out, that’s it. You have missed out. 

Turns out, there was no need for a mad dash to order him-Breyer gave the option for folks to back order him once the first batch of Lafayettes had sold out. 

Well done, Breyer! I am *so* happy they did this! Now every member of the CC can get one if they so choose. In the past, people were often disappointed because these CC exclusive models would be sold out before they even knew about the releases.  I certainly hope Breyer continues to do this!

Yesterday was also the start of Breyer Boot Camp, and unfortunately I didn’t see any of it. There were two Meet the Artist sessions, and the conclusion of the Open Photo Show Judging. I know today’s workshops are to be recorded, but I don’t know if the artist sessions are being recorded. I hope that they are.

The latest Breyer CC newsletter popped up yesterday as well. I skimmed the feature on the evolution of Brenda Breyer. I need to go back and read through it properly, but it was nice to see Brenda Breyer get some recognition.  Oh, and one more thing. Ruuuuuuuuuuuuun!!! The Birds!!!  Breyer treated us to a new sneak peek square of the upcoming model in their Birds of a Feather series:

I cannot venture a guess at the moment which model it may be, but we can see that the mane seems to be flying off of the horse’s neck, indicating a movement model. So that leaves us waiting, just like this:

Scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Birds, 1963.

*Lafayette photo from Breyer’s website, written on by me*

*Info on back ordering Lafayette from Breyer’s website*

*Sneak Peek square taken from Breyer’s CC newsletter*

*Movie still taken from The Birds, 1963*

February Hobby Stuff, Horse Blizzard Ahead!

Really late to the gate here with NaMoPaiMo, which stands for National Model Painting Month! A yearly event, hobbyists who participate are to paint a model horse during February and get it completed before the month ends. Started in 2017 by Jennifer Buxton of Braymere Custom Saddlery, NaMoPaiMo encourages hobbyists of all painting skill levels to participate. Considering February and NaMoPaiMo are almost over, there isn’t too much to say about it except prepare for next year! I didn’t participate this year nor have I in previous years, but I think I’ll aim for 2022. 

Next up is Breyer Boot Camp (aka pseudo BreyerWest) which will take place this upcoming weekend (February 26-28). I’m hoping I can attend some of the workshop webinars I signed up for. I may try to pop into some of the Meet the Artist sessions, but who knows. I’ll attend what I can, and then watch the recorded workshops at my convenience. Hopefully they will be available for a couple of weeks.

Onto the Horse Blizzard! Due to the weather last week, I have had an influx of new horses since many of the deliveries for last week were delayed. I’m from the land of ice and snow, but Texas is unaccustomed to ice storms, snow, and the uncharacteristic cold. Here are some ice pictures from my yard, before the snow:

I think my cacti are probably goners, but I’m going to wait and see. I covered them up, but the wind had ripped the covers off so the cactus became iced overnight. We had a high of 23 degrees on February 15, and a high yesterday of 84 degrees. The cactus paddles are now soft, limp, and wilted down. Their bases look somewhat okay, but time will reveal the damage done to them.

Onward to the horses!  First up is this Hartland Arabian, whom I bought off of eBay for $2.40. It is about fives inches tall, battered, scuffed, and has been branded by someone or something. Makes me think of that Sid kid from the first Toy Story movie. I don’t know much about Hartland horses, but supposedly this one dates from the 1950s:

Surprise, Julius showed up yesterday! His tracking showed him as not moving. I was starting to get worried about him, as I had ordered him on February 8th (the first day he was available). His tracking indicated that he was in Illinois (like forever, man) and somehow he magically made it to Texas. I made room and shoved him next to his conga friends:

Notice how weird Oak’s face looks with the bendy blaze. Hahahaha! Here are some Julius (not Caesar) photos:

Another arrival this week was the Pintos and Palominos SM set; here are the package photos with individual shots of the Stablemates to be featured in an upcoming blog post:

A box of the Chasing Rainbows SM BB unicorns arrived too. No suspense here-I didn’t get a chase or super chase piece. I’ll need to get individual pictures of them later as well (sun has set and the lighting is bad).

 

Atticus #1 is in the next city over, but there is no delivery date given (at least he’s close by). Atticus #2 is showing as fulfilled on the Breyer website, but again no delivery date is given. When I click on the tracking number he seems to still be out East. My VC and PC Stablemates are showing as unfulfilled, but it shouldn’t be too long before they head out (I hope anyway). The CC model Lafayette has not made an appearance yet, but information relayed through the grapevine indicates that Lafayette was supposed to have been released on February 18 and was delayed due to the severe weather last week. I think he may be delayed until next Thursday-really hoping it’s not tomorrow! 

*Blizzard photo from free stock images and written over by me.

‘90s Throwback or ‘90s Throwup?

Yes, I know, gross title, but it was too tempting, thanks to someone’s comment that he looks like barf. This is in regard to a new 2021 Breyer Classic model. Here he is, in case you haven’t seen him yet, and yes, his name really is ‘90s Throwback:

This Classic American Saddlebred mold was first introduced to collectors as Mason, the 2018 Horse of the Year. He was painted grey with dark grey points. 

Mason popped up next as the 2019 Halloween Classic model. Named Salem, he was painted a bay pinto with images of cats hidden within his pinto pattern, and he glows in the dark. When not glowing, he is reminiscent of the Premier Club Saddlebred Hamilton. 

Pictured below is the Premier Club model Hamilton, which was debuted in 2019.  You can see how similar he looks to Salem (pictured above).

Mason appeared in the 2020 issue of JAH (Just About Horses) as Rainbow the Magical Unicorn.  He was listed under the New Products section for TSC and Walmart. Rainbow has just started to appear in Walmarts as of this writing (February 2021).  

Interestingly, three of Mason’s four releases have been non realistic horse colors (or a unicorn, in Rainbow’s case).  Two of those decorator releases are currently simultaneous, which I find a bit odd. Having Rainbow as part of the Walmart Unicorn Gang is smart because many will be impulse buys by non-collectors. “Momma! Buy me the pretty unicorn! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease!” ‘90s Throwback, having kid appeal with his bright, fantastical colors paired with an exotic pattern would probably be a smash at Walmart. However, ‘90s will be available through Breyer and Breyer dealers, and won’t have the public exposure that Rainbow has. I think that a realistically painted Mason would have been a better choice than ‘90s; ‘90s could have been put off a year or two. Certainly some collectors will like ‘90s, but other collectors are less than thrilled with what they consider a garish color combo and pattern, and do not intend to add him to their collections. They feel somewhat disappointed in another Mason decorator. ‘90s seems to be a love it or hate it kind of model. I am undecided on him as I do like the color combination; however, I have seen an in-hand photo of him still boxed up, and his colors look muted compared to the Breyer website photo. I prefer the vibrant neon version, if it exists. I will have to wait and see more in-hand pictures before I decide to purchase one. I do intend to get a Rainbow when he shows up at my local store.  

Oh, one other thing. This is Breyer’s product description of ‘90s Throwback from their website:

I underlined the first four words of that sentence. Going to get a bit nitpicky and opinionated here, but Trapper Keepers don’t speak ‘90s to me-they scream ‘80s. Trapper Keepers first appeared in the late 1970s, were a mainstay throughout the decade of the 1980s, and endured through part of the 1990s. Obviously the wild colors and designs were from that ‘90s timeframe. Waaaaaay back in the day, I remember kids having Trapper Keepers that were just one color-green, red, or blue. Soon after we were lucky to get Trappers with pictures on them.  I had this Trapper Keeper in the 1980s:

Okay, rant time is over for now...

*Mason, ‘90s Throwback, Salem, and PC Hamilton photos are from Breyer’s website.

*Rainbow the Magical Unicorn photo is from the 2020 issue of Breyer’s Just About Horses magazine.

* ‘90s Throwback product description is from Breyer’s website.

*1980s horse Trapper Keeper photo is from Pinterest, photographer unknown.

New Book about Chincoteague Ponies!

Pictured above are Misty and Stormy, the 2019 Vintage Club Bonus Stablemates. 

I bought a new book about Chincoteague ponies, but it is not written in the Marguerite Henry style of a pony adventure story. Not that there is anything wrong with a pony adventure story, mind you. This book is nonfiction and dedicated to the kaleidoscope of Chincoteague pony colors, along with information on the genetics of coat color. Titled The Colorful Chincoteague: Chincoteague Pony Colors and Patterns, it is chock-full of photo examples of various coat colors and patterns. Photo examples are truly not skimped on; this book is brimming with different Chincoteague ponies displaying the colors and patterns found within the breed. For example, the palomino picture page (alliterations!) gives six photos of various shades of palomino, and the cryptic tobiano pinto pattern page (alliterations again!) gives six photos of different ponies to demonstrate the pattern. This book also covers hoof and eye colors found in the ponies, as well as covering basic facial and leg markings. Now let’s talk about the photo credits listed in the back of the book-the names of the ponies in the photos are listed! This book is informational, easy to understand, colorful (haha pun!), and knowing the ponies’ names makes it a bit more special. I would have loved to have had this book as a kid. I was always on the hunt for horse books, so that I could learn everything I could about horses. I had read every horse book in both the school and local library, and treasured the horse books I owned.  *Ahem* Returning to the 21st century, I would totally gift this book to a horse crazy youngster. 

Amanda Geci, the author, is a long time Chincoteague pony enthusiast and is half of the duo responsible for Misty’s Heaven, a website dedicated to Misty and her descendants. The other half of the duo is Matt DesJardins, who started the website in 1999. If you are a Misty fan and haven’t seen this website, run, run, run over there! You will be treated to a slew of information and photos of Misty and her family.

Here are a few more Misty and Stormy SM pictures because they are so darn cute:

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Misty’s Heaven, nor with author Amanda Geci. All opinions are my own.

Channel Z: Static in My Attic(us)!

 Hahahaha, had to put in a song reference from the B-52s’ 1989 album Cosmic Thing.  

 

A few days after debuting VC Julius, Breyer released the first model of the 2021 Stablemates Club. It is Atticus, the miniaturized version of the traditional Clydesdale stallion (mold #80). He has been given a new mane and tail; plaited no more, he can now be a happy hippie.  

I tend to favor matte finishes, but lately there have been some glossy temptations running about. Atticus is one of those. He was the first SM advertised for the 2021 club, and was a must have. Later it was announced that Atticus would be the matte/glossy split, so I need both finishes. Since I ordered Julius straight away, I am holding out on ordering Atticus. I may order him with Lafayette (if available before Atticus’ ordering deadline) or if the stars shower stardust on me, a Puffin off the waitlist.  Hopefully I will be able to combine shipping on some of these models.

Update: I have checked Julius’ shipping status.  He is in Illinois, has been there for a few days, and presumably will remain there for a few more with the weather and all.  I probably should have just waited to order him, but impatience took center stage...

*Atticus photos from Breyer website

*B-52s album cover photo from Discogs

Julius Caesar! VC Julius is Heading Out!

On Monday Breyer sent out that eagerly awaited magical Vintage Club email. Julius, the first release of 2021, was available to order. I squawked like a puffin (hahaha) and ordered immediately. Yep, I insta-ordered. No regrets. Usually I wait and don’t insta-order as Breyer tends to release stuff close together and I prefer to combine orders whenever possible. The first release of the SMC and Lafayette should be popping up like snowdrops anytime now. Sorry ponies, no combining with Julius. I received a shipping notice from Breyer which had two tracking numbers on it. One is for Julius, and I am assuming the second one might be for the 2020 VC SM, but who knows? 

I know some people may be getting tired of seeing the same Julius photo over and over and over again.

I took the liberty of finding a different Julius for people to look at. He’s kinda sorta red roan-ish (minus the dark splattering):

And now back to our scheduled Georg talk...

I haven’t been this excited about a mold in a long time. Sure there were ones I looked forward to getting, but the Georg mold is my new favorite. In December 2020, I preordered a regular run horse for the first time ever (surprise! Theo). I also ended up preordering some other items too. I guess I was in preorder mode. Usually I get the RRs during the year, as there is no rush to purchase them.

Now about Theo...I was happy that Georg was in the ‘21 VC, but was thrilled to bits when I saw Theo. I could now add not one, but two new Georgs to the collection within a short timespan.  The Theos are making their way to dealers, so it shouldn’t be too long before they arrive in collectors’ hands.  

ETA:  Right on cue, Breyer released Atticus, the first SMC model today. I’m going to wait and see if Lafayette pops up before the ordering deadline for Atticus. 

*Julius and Theo photos are from the Breyer website

*Julius Caesar bust photo from National Geographic 

*Snowdrops photo from I forgot where 

New Horse Alert: Woodgrain Custom Duende by Lea Robinson!

 Saturday morning I eagerly tore open (piranha style, naturally) a box that I was expecting. Behold the woodgrain Duende, created by Lea Robinson!!!

He started out as Dominante (a bay on the Duende mold) and was transformed by Lea into this spectacular retro woodgrain. This is a meticulously done custom; he is exceedingly smooth, with no paint drips or weird gloppy areas. I really like how his white socks are feathered against the woodgrain, providing a soft transition instead of a harsh border.  

Woodgrain models were produced by Breyer starting about 1959 and continued into the early 1970s, with the bulk of them being produced during the 1960s. Horses, dogs, cattle, and even the elephant mold wore the pseudo wood pattern. Breyer put the woodgrain finish on hiatus for years. I believe Breyer didn’t use it again until Breyerfest 1999, when two BF keychains wore the decorator color (the G2 Andalusian and the G2 Clydesdale). Woodgrain has been used a few times since then, making its most recent appearance in 2020 on the miniaturized traditional Clydesdale stallion (mold #80) for the 70th Anniversary Mystery Horse Surprise SM blind bags.

Here are a few more pictures to show off the woodgrain Duende. Please ignore the background-I need to get my photo tent and photo set-up out from wherever they are hiding. In the meantime, the back porch complete with a grill shall provide a wonderfully tacky background. We’re supposed to be looking at horses anyway, right?  

But wait, there’s more!

I also happen to own a horse that has been etched by Lea. It is Shaman, a blood bay on the Mesteno mold from the America’s Wild Mustangs series. As an OF, he had a star and two hind socks as the only white markings. Take a look at him now after his makeover!

I look forward to adding more of Lea’s beautiful customs to my collection!