January 2022 Miscellaneous Odds n’ Ends, Part 2

 

Zoinks Scoob, I have fallen behind! Between work, working on the farm, and other daily living activities, I have not been able to keep up with the blog as I’d like. I’ve been tossing up the Breyerfest reveals, but I have a slew of draft posts that I *need* to finish and get up. Faux Zugspitze has had no progress since his last update, and I am hoping to be able to do some work on him this week. I did buy the larger bags to put him in, 2.5 gallon to be precise. The 2 gallon bags were nowhere to be found. I’m just glad I was able to get larger bags period. The 1 gallon size was just too small, so we’ll see what these 2.5 bags can do. Moving forward, Breyer also gave us a Sneak Peek Strip, which we can assume will be one of the Breyerfest raffle models since those have not yet made an appearance. Here is the ‘strip’ Sneak Peak:

Honestly, I can’t even venture a guess as to whom it may be. Just way too tired, hahaha. The January 2022 Collectors Club Newsletter came out and mentioned the new Breyer Breeds series, the feature story is about the cream gene, the My Collector Story is in it, and the giveaway model, which is the glossy palomino Quarter Horse from the new Breyer Breeds series. Oh, and we got a Sneak Peek Square of an obviously Valentine Day themed plush:

One thing I am waiting on is any news about Honeybear, the pinto Georg who is one of the Collector Club models (non-lottery, but the first come, first serve variety). I sincerely hope that Breyer does a repeat of what they did with last year’s Lafayette, having an ordering window allowing more collectors to snag one. I would be happy to wait for a Honeybear. Hopefully Honeybear is on the horizon! 

Breyerfest 2022 Plushie Reveal: Strudel

 

Lederhosen fans, fear not, Breyer didn’t let you down:

Not just lederhosen, but a matching hat too! This Limited Edition plush is priced at $20 and is a Limited Edition of 2,500 pieces. 

*Photo of Strudel is from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 Plushie Sneak Peek Square

 

With a blog post titled “Sew Cool,” we all figured out the plushie is going to be the next reveal. We got a Sneak Peek Square of an embroidered patch with Prost and folksy flowers on it:

I think everyone will be disappointed if the plushie isn’t wearing lederhosen, but seeing the green background for the Prost patch means it may be lederhosen (although I believe lederhosen are traditionally brown). Interestingly Breyer states in the blog post, “Check back later this week on the Breyerfest Blog for the reveal!” Usually we see the reveal the next day, except for weekends of course, so we may or may not see the reveal today. There isn’t much left in the reveal department, other than the crystal model, and the LE Stablemates set, I think. Breyer needs to get everything shown before the VIP tickets are put on sale since VIPers have to make and pay for their selections in February (if we follow last year’s pattern). Now we wait to see if a lederhosen clad plushie becomes reality!

*Sneak Peek Prost Square is from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 LE Reveal: Black Forest

 

Friday we were given a Sneak Peek Strip (? What happened to the squares?) of a glossy black and white something:

Some speculated it was a bovine of some sort, but we’d already had the non-equine reveal of the candy cubs. Today Breyer unveiled that their Breyer Bakery (from a previous post) is still making sweet stuff, this time a cake, or rather a slice of cake. Meet Black Forest:

Black Forest is a Limited Edition on the Classic/Freedom Series Shire mold (head-up version), and he looks kind of underbaked (unfinished) to me. His eyes look to be the same color as his coat, and his mane bobs and tail ribbons are unpainted. I do need to return to the head-up shire statement above. In Breyer’s blog post about him, they refer to the mold as #627B, but isn’t #627B the tucked head shire which was introduced in 2003, a year after #627A? Hmmm, Breyer…

For my readers who are newer to the hobby, here is the difference in the shires:

Mold #627A, head up shire demonstrated on the Flurry model (notice that his head is up and turned slightly towards the right side):

Mold #627B, head tucked shire demonstrated on the Flurry model (head is straight, and tucked):

I was also waiting for Breyer to put Black Forest’s pictures up under the Exclusive Models section, but unfortunately they only put up one side of him. I really wanted to see his other side, darn it. He is one that I do want to get, underbaked or not because I love the mold (both versions). Black Forest is priced at $30 and will be a run of 3,000 pieces.

*Photos of Black Forest are from Breyer’s website.*

*Photos of the Shires, Flurry and Frosty are from the Identity Your Breyer website.*

Birds of a Feather Series Fifth Release: Cardinal

 

Hahahaha, look who has migrated back to the blog for the 2022 releases of Breyer’s Birds of a Feather Series! It’s our favorite still shot from the movie The Birds returning to continue the fun. Run run run, the birds are catching up! I would love a glossy, solid black model representing a raven, but that’s not going to happen. Puffin is already a glossy, mostly black model, and a solid glossy black would be considered too simplistic a paint job. Lololol, I should do my own models-as-birds series. A raven for certain, and a flamingo would be entertaining (neon pink, y’all). Or maybe just black (or mostly black) birds? A Palm Cockatoo, red-winged blackbird, etc. 

Ahem, getting back on track here to 2022’s first web special. The fifth model in the Birds of a Feather Series is Cardinal (#712440) and is described as Breyer as having a “rich auburn coat that pops against his gleaming white stockings.”  The Shannondell/Shire Gelding mold was chosen to represent the Cardinal, so he is gonna be one of the super popular models from this series. There is a lottery for the opportunity to purchase Cardinal, who is priced at $185 plus shipping and handling. Cardinal is a run of 500 pieces, which is an increase in the production number compared to previous models in the Birds of a Feather series: 

Puffin (#712383): 380 piece run

Goldfinch (#712384): 380 piece run

Crane (#712385): 375 piece run

Meadowlark (#712386): 375 piece run

I’m glad that the run numbers have increased; more pretty ponies to go around!

The email announcing Cardinal:

Entries for Cardinal will be accepted until 11:59 pm EST January 25, 2022. Good luck to all who are entering!

*Photos of Cardinal are from Breyer’s email and website.*

Project Time: Operation Faux Zugspitze, Part 2

 

Recapping the last Project Time, we had our Theo covered in oven cleaner and bagged for approximately 24 hours. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn him over at the 12 hour mark, but it’s okay. I took him out and used a toothbrush to scrub at his paint. At first nothing happened, but then, paint began to come off. Yay! He needs to get more oven cleaner sprayed on him and bagged again, but since I knew I’d be really busy the next few days I opted to rinse him very thoroughly and let him sit out. I didn’t want him to sit in oven cleaner for more than 24 hours in case the cleaner would start to degrade the plastic, so I decided to play it safe. This is what he currently looks like:

Quite a ways to go yet, but I think I will get a stiffer toothbrush and the 2-gallon Ziploc bags to make it easier when it is sauna time for him. Stay tuned for the next installment!

Breyerfest 2022 LE Reveal: Chablis

 

The third Limited Edition Traditional model has been revealed! A portrait model of the Wurttemberger warmblood gelding Chablis, this dappled dark bay is on the Idocus/Warmblood Stallion mold: 

Chablis will be priced at $75 and is a run of 3,000 pieces. 

New: Traditional Breyer Breeds

 

Yesterday a surprise materialized on Breyer’s website - six unannounced new Traditional models! And what a treat for vintage mold lovers as the ‘youngest’ mold used is from 1990. The Breyer Breeds (Series? Collection? Whatever it is?) includes a Warmblood, Sporthorse, Thoroughbred, Trakehner, Quarter Horse, and Percheron. 

Of course, most of the horses have a green “NEW” sign covering part of their heads, lol. When you click on their images you can see them without the green sign on Breyer’s website and from different angles. I will be doing individual posts on each model. I ordered the Quarter Horse and the Percheron, and later heard that there was a pricing error with the models. They were initially listed on Breyer’s website at $34.99 but were quickly changed to $44.99. I also ended up buying my third Mane Beauty (the grey named Daybreak), who was still on sale, and I used the CLUBPLUS22 code which took a couple more dollars off the sale price. That’s a good enough reason to buy one, right? Of course the answer is yes! I find it an intriguing concept that Breyer chose to use vintage molds. It will be interesting to see how well these models go over with collectors, and if we’ll see another set of Breyer Breeds in the future (I sure hope so!).

*Photos of the Breyer Breeds are from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 SR Reveal: Rapunzel

 

The latest Sneak Peek from Breyer wasn’t a square, but a strip: 

Okay, it’s a red roan something. That part obviously was figured out. But the part I didn’t figure out was this:

That would be how to fit the Astrid/Norwegian Fjord Mare into the BF lineup. Many of us suspected that this mold would be included in this year’s BF, and Breyer drew on the good old Brothers Grimm for inspiration. She is a red roan Sport Pony paying tribute to Rapunzel, whose story was recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in their 1812 book, Children’s and Household Tales. The original release on this mold had the roached mane, but Rapunzel has a long mane and a braid to be Rapunzel-y I guess. Her mane looks a bit awkward; it looks like the lower half of it (past the window mane) is swoopy:

There is a lot going on with the long mane, lol. I sure do want to acquire her, wild or tamed mane. Rapunzel is priced at $60 and there will be 2,400 pieces produced. 

*Photos of Rapunzel are from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 SR Reveal: Brahms

 

Another Sneak Peek Square was revealed from Breyer, which was black and white and spotted and glossy:

We saw more of the model in a photo in the Breyer Blog before clicking on the post for the full reveal:

It was a mold we haven’t seen in awhile - Big Ben is back as Brahms (yep, had to get some alliteration in there y’all):

The well known German composer, Johannes Brahm, has been given a nod with this model. The Big Ben mold is a glossed black leopard Appaloosa featuring a mismark (a genetic irregularity) on his right front shoulder and leg. Brahms is priced at $65 and is a run of 2,200 pieces.

*Photos of Brahms and Sneak Peek Squares are from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 SR Reveal: Franz

 

Breyer gave collectors a Sneal Peek Square of blue the day before the reveal:

I guessed it was the sky, but I was wrong!!! Gasp!!! It is a horse!!! And yes, I am being silly not serious, lol. Named after German artist Franz Marc, who painted The Blue Horse, Franz is on the Spirit mold in blue with navy socks, mane and tail:

Franz will be a run of 2,000 and his cost will be $65.

*Photos of Franz are from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 LE Reveal: Chardonnay

 

The next Limited Edition is Chardonnay, who is the second German Riding Pony to be represented at Breyerfest (remember the Celebration Horse, Nikolas, is a German Riding Pony as well). Chardonnay is a portrait model and will be portrayed on the Flash mold:

Chardonnay, as a Limited Edition model, will be available to both in-person and online ticket holders. He is limited to a run of 3,000 pieces and is priced at $75. 

*Photos of Chardonnay are from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 SR Reveal: Marzipan

 

More food inspired Prost Special Runs! Today’s morsel is Marzipan, a pretty palomino pinto presented (hahahaha, we have some alliteration action going on) on the Wyatt/Gaming Stock Horse mold:

Marzipan is a run of 2,200 models and is priced at $65.

*Photos of Marzipan are from Breyer’s website.*

Project Time: Operation Faux Zugspitze

 

Muhuhuhuhuhuhuhu, take a backseat, Dr. Frankenstein (see what I did—Stein?)!!! There’s a new mad doctor in town. Now, as I wasn’t drawn for Zugspitze, I need to make something like him. Kinda like how Victor Frankenstein made The Monster, I shall make… something, and hopefully it won’t be a monster, although the chances that it will be are fairly high. Here we have our victim, an unsuspecting Theo model just minding his business:

He shall be turned into a non-silver splatter dapple decorator, or at least that’s the plan:

I need to strip his original paint, so I am using the Walmart brand of the oven cleaner Easy Off as that’s what was in stock. I’ve never stripped an original finish model, so this is where the experimental part begins. First of all, I worked outside so that I wouldn’t be trapped indoors inhaling evil fumes. I got all of my stuff assembled:

Annnnnnnnd I ran into a problem before I even got started. I only had one gallon bags, which clearly are unable to accommodate Theo. I didn’t bother to pick up the 2 gallon bags at the store because I thought we had some laying around in the garage. Theo and the bag problem:

His feet are hanging out, and if placed in the bag feet first, his head is out. Being impatient and deciding that a trip to the store would waste too much time, I decided to double bag him. No matter which size bag I would have used, I don’t think that the paint will all come off on one go. I pulled my gloves on and generously sprayed the oven cleaner on him. I double bagged him and now he looks like this:

I then carefully placed him in a Breyer shipping box for stability and then placed him in a plastic bin. I will flip the shipping box over in about 12 hours so that his other side can soak in the pooled cleaner, and tomorrow morning I plan to rinse and scrub him to see how much (if any) paint comes off. Stayed tuned, more nonsense and shenanigans to come!

Breyerfest 2022 SR Reveal: Breyer Bears

 

Hahaha, I no sooner get yesterday’s post up today and Breyer kicks out the fruit leather reveal:

Bear cubs disguised as gummy bears! I have to hand it to Breyer, they did a great job with the Sneak Peek Rectangle. Everyone was guessing the obvious- textured coat equals Misty, and golly were we ever off track, but delightfully so. A nod to gummy bears, these cubs are not only vibrant, but apparently they will be scented to accompany the candy cub theme:

Hmmm, not sure what to think about the scented part. I admit it is a cute idea, but I have questions. I know nothing about scented plastic, but I’m wondering how long the scent will last, how strong it will be, will the scent degrade over time from a candy scent to a toxic waste dump with extra stinky fish scent, to the plastic itself degrading as the scent molecules deteriorate, etc. Of course, none of that will deter me from getting the candy cub set. This SR set will be in “stunning, custom packaging” according to Breyer, priced at $60, and is a run of 1,600 sets (three bears per set, one of each color).

*Photos of the Breyer Bears is from the Breyer website.*

Breyerfest 2022 Reveal: Surprise Model Hint and Fruit Leather

 

Ah yes, the ever popular Surprise Model hint has been dropped:

Rotating Draft…uhhhh, what? A merry-go-round? Lololololol. Naturally there are lots of guesses flying about, from different draft molds being offered to the physical pose (i.e., Bobbie Jo/Working Cow Horse mold is ‘rotating’), to different beers. Actually, the Draft Rotating Surpise wording is on a beer barrel. If Georg doesn’t show up as a special run or limited edition, I will be nervous that he will be the Draft Rotating Surprise. Which means I will need all the Georgs. Which means many other people will need all the Georgs. Which means a riot will ensue at the Kentucky Horse Park…oh, and the Rotating Draft Surprise models are priced at $85 each and will be a run of 7,500 pieces.

Breyer also gave us a Sneak Peek Rectangle of an upcoming reveal, and it looks like fruit leather to me:

The texture of the model is clearly visible, and many are guessing it may be a German flag Misty. I can’t quite tell if it’s clearware, but we’ll find out soon enough (the reveal is slated for today).

*Beer barrel and Sneak Peek Rectangle photos are from Breyer’s website.*

Breyerfest 2022 SR Reveal: Stein

 

We didn’t have to wait long for the first reveal this week from Breyer. To begin the workweek we had this unveiled Monday morning: 

This is Stein, a grullo on the Fireheart/Mustang Stallion mold. He is one of the Special Runs and there will be 2,300 pieces produced; he is priced at $65. He is the first one I’d definitely like to get! Of course, Breyer has only begun to reveal this year’s Breyerfest models, and I have a feeling my want list will grow…exponentially.

*Photos of Stein are from Breyer’s website.*