Wildlife

 I've finally accumulated most of the Wildlife molds - all except the bears, I think, in vintage colors.  I've actually had pretty good luck with the online Special Run wildlife - I've been drawn for the space-panda bears, Elsa the cow, the Disco Ram, and now the piebald Moose.  

 My Roddick Moose was delivered last week, and I love him.  I need to put him next to my vintage Moose.  

 

 I also need a better photo spot.  

A good tip and a lucky day

 I got a tip from a hobby friend of mine, thanks to Facebook Messenger and a local flea mall that posts pictures online.  I got off work early today and had enough time to drive out there before school pickup time, so I took a little drive.  My friend has a good eye and she was right - she spotted a Special Run in one of the booth photos - the Classic Secretariat, on the Terrang Mold, from Hobby Center Toys in 1988.  The price was a whopping $15, so I grabbed him right away.  Missing a bit of an ear tip, and a few rubs, but the original run was only 1,000.  

While I was there and had some time, I walked around the rest of the antique mall.  Most of it, anyway.  I saw a lot of overpriced (in my opinion) Breyers, including some Family Arabian Foals ($29 each) and some Classic Arabian and Quarter Horse families that I'm pretty sure were there last time I was - which was about 3 years minimum.  I did find a pair of vintage Breyers that I decided to buy - the Western Horse and Fury, both in old brown pinto, with their saddles.  The Western Horse even has the older O-link reins. 

So, not the last new ponies

 Because I managed to get a Spice Drop on Christmas morning, and it was already delivered. 

I was kind of hoping for purple, but green and gold is fine. 

And then, on the other account, I was (shock!) drawn to buy the black and gold ram, Montana.  

Totally unrealistic color, but I must have been a magpie in a former life, because the glittery flashing things appeal to me.  

And now that Breyer has revealed the horses for the Stablemates Club next year, I'm very tempted to get a second membership again.  The gambler's choice is the Fjord, and mini Fireheart is the bonus model. 

Overall, my luck is running great on the Breyer side of life.  Well, except that I can't find anyone who wants to swap a silver Christmas Clydesdale for my second cranberry one.  

Last horses of 2021 (I think)

 Last new ponies of the year (presumably)

 

Stablemates Club - Twist, and the bonus foals, times two

 

 

 

And, my luck was good - chosen to purchase Zugspitze!!  

 

Along with the accidental collection of blue horses, the silver ones seem to accumulate here too. 

 

 

 

 

 

In an odd twist, I got two boxes from Breyer today.  The first one I opened was a bit of a confusion and seems to be a mistake.  It's got a Balthazar, Arctic Grandeur ornament, Dazzle, and Le Mer.  So, tomorrow I get to call Breyer to fix that (someone's waiting for those) and ask for a replacement for the Twist who arrived with a nasty groove in one side.  

Another posting gap

Oops No pictures with this quick post, because new computer has no photos on the hard drive yet. Been on a bit of a buying spree, it seems. Last of the Vintage Club horses - a really nice Wedgwood Brighty named Nugget, and a glossy charcoal Marabella and foal (Ashley?) called Dusk and Dawn. Plus the bonus SM, a mini Smart Chic with Yellow Mount's paint job - mine was the no forearm spot version. Other purchases: Theo, a Brahma bull, a leopard Cheyenne at a price I could not cringe at, because he's missing the saddle and reins but only one small eartip. The Sucesion & Le Fire unicorns (Diadem and something) because it's the only affordable way I'll ever get that set. I thought of buying the original RR release, but passed on it, waiting for a color I liked better. Which hasn't happened.

Breyerfest 2021 - Day 1

 The official Breyerfest shopping is done.  We son't add up the grand total yet, because it won't be a calming number. 

1. Ansel
2. Knossos 
3. Kaleidoscope
4. Palette
5. Favrile
6. Apollo de Solis
7. Breyerfest SM 5-piece set
8. Pop-Up Store grab bag
9. 4-piece Stablemate set (aka the one-day horses)

Happily, I got my top two picks on the SR list, Ansel (run of 2,000) and Knossos (run of 1,000).  The new Morgan is one of my favorite of the new Premier molds lately, and I can't remember if I have a Spanish Bull or not.  And, Knossos fits with my interest in ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.  

And now it's off to watch workshops and seminars.  I've managed to get the TV browser logged in to the website, and the videos will play on it, so I can watch while I delete mass amounts of email.  

Tomorrow, I've got two crafting workshops to attend - Suncatcher Stablemates, and Galaxy Stablemates.  The last of the supplies for the Galaxy workshop should be delivered today. 

Breyerfest preparation

 Breyerfest is coming up, and is all-virtual again this year.  Pandemics suck.  I entered for the VIP ticket drawing every day, but no luck.  The leftover VIP tickets, plus All Access and General Admission tickets, went on sale at noon today.  I had a VIP in my cart, but the checkout button was glitching and I didn't remember the trick.  So, All Access it is.  Then I bought the 4-pack of single-day SMs, since they're available.  Gotta have the Fighting Stallion and that purple Fjord.

Overall, I think the All Access will be adequate.  Sure, the VIP lets you pre-purchase the 2 SRs you want, instead of going for the random draw.  But I'm in a spot where I like all of the SRs, but there's not one that I've gotta have, life or death, can't live without it.  So this way, I save some money, and will likely get two horses that I like.  And the LEs (aka store specials) are open issue this year (well, most of them are), so there won't be the rush for those either.  

But I still need to make a ranked list of the SRs for the random drawing.  I think Ansel is going to be #1, then Knossos the bull and Uffington, then Pech Merle, Gran Cavallo, and Seurat.  I'm waffling on Polluck, and I'm not sure where the surprise horse will go. Tassili is my least favorite.  

For the LEs, Josie is interesting but I'm not sure how that paint job will work out. I really want Favrile, probably Apollo, maybe Rheverence, no interest in the crystal, and I'm also waffling on the SM set.  I like the Darwin and Warmblood, neutral on the Paso and Pony, and don't really like the Stargazing QH mold.

I should have bought a lottery ticket

 Breyer had two lottery Web Specials recently.  The first was a decorator pair on the newer Eberl Andalusian Mare & Foal molds:  La Molina in silver filigree, Masella the foal in blue filigree.  The other was Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (aka Space Bears!): the Bear and Cub in a panda pattern, but with pearl white, and (fuzzy) stars on the blue areas.  My luck was running good - one account got drawn for La Molina, the other got drawn for the bears, and then the first account got drawn on the bears waitlist.  But, given my past record of trying to buy things to re-sell, I just passed on the second set of bears.  

 

The Andalusian pair looks great in pictures with the blue filigree Benasque, but since I didn't win that one, my pair has to make do with the silver filigree Sherman Morgan as the stallion.  Or High Tide, or the silver filigree Callahan.  

The bears are amazing, and will fit in with my blue and space theme collections.  I do wish the stars had been crisper instead of fuzzy airbrushed spots, but oh well.  

And the herd grows again

More new horses recently.  

 

 

First, a small group from the local auction.  These were listed as "small dishes and other stuff" or something.  It's a really mixed lot - the large one is wood, from Sweden.  Then there's the metal foal, the little blue spotted one is ceramic, and the tiny brown one is some unidentifiable substance.  Maybe plastic, maybe celluloid or something.   (Mini Magnolia is there for scale)

Finally got the palomino Hamilton.  I paid about $80 for this one on eBay, and of course the next morning Breyer decided that they were going to let people order a specific model from the 70th Anniversary assortment.  Oh well.  This one does have better masking and dapples than the ones I saw early on. 

Walmart locally finally got the newest series of SM unicorns.  My feeling skills are still on point, but no purple chase yet.  And (again) the next day someone on the east coast found the series 4 unicorns, with a black and gold filigree chase. 

Breyer did another holiday SM blind bag set.  I got duplicates of the red filigree Smart Chic and gold filigree Darwin.  Managed to trade a gold Darwin for the green filigree Croi, but I don't think anyone will want to swap a red for the silver filigree Vanner. 

And, the winter Web Special is La Molina and Masella.  One of my CC accounts got drawn for a pair and they're gorgeous. Too bad I don't have the Benasque to complete the family.  They look beautiful in pictures.
 

Good grief, Breyer

 Again with "when it rains, it pours" Breyer style.  On Tuesday, the last horse for the Vintage Club this year was available.  So, $140 out the door for Zahra and a SM ride-along. I'm hoping for the glossy bay.  I'd want the palomino, but those dapples look way too obvious.

 

 

And then, in good Breyer fashion, yesterday they put the Halloween horses up.   

I've already got Apparition, but had to get the glow-in-the-dark Classic Ratsputin, and the blind bag SMs, and the free Halloween plushie.  And then today, went back for 2 more SMs so I can have a chance at the whole set.  But with today's order, the Club discount worked, so $4.99 off.  

So, I must avoid eBay for a while.  And any other temptation to buy more horses.  

The planned purchases for the rest of the year: 

• Holiday Horse - when TSC puts out stock and sends my birthday discount
• SMC Valerio x2 (the Alby gambler's choice)
• SMC #6 x2 - the new stock mare mold
• SMC bonus horse - the dapple grey mini Clydesdale Stallion
  
• Anniversary SMs - if TSC has some out so I can feel them
• maybe Barrington, the bonus VC horse
• maybe whatever surprise horse they come up with for Christmas

And I think that's it.   I hope that's it.  Quicken told me what I'd spent on Breyers for the year so far, a few weeks ago, and it was a scary and depressing and surprising number.

The Breyerfest Horses

 The Breyerfest haul arrived last month sometime (don't ask when, I'd have to look).  I ended up with:

1. Ballynoe Castle - the bay Show Jumper
2. 4-piece Single Day SMs
1. Jersey
2. Skye
3. Orkney
4. Aaran (which I think is misspelled)
3. Thorn - glossy
4. Brigid and Beltane
5. Glossy Benelli (not here yet)
6. Benelli
7. Eire
8. another Eire
9. 5-piece SM set
1. Warmblood (with horridly overlarge dapples and massive overspray)
2. Django
3. G2 Arabian
4. G2 TB
5. Rivet   

 

Conditionwise, everything looks great except a couple of the SR Stablemates with painting issues.  Oh well.  

 

 

Virtual Breyerfest Day 1

Well, Day 1 of Virtual Breyerfest was exciting and frustrating.  As expected, there were technical problems.  The SR Tent times were running about 3 hours behind, so my 3:00 ET slot ended up being available sometime between 4:30 and 6 (when I got back from the grocery pickup run).  For the Tent horses, I ended up with Brighid and Beltane, the new mare and foal set, and Thorn, the appaloosa Trakehner who's a 50/50 split between matte and glossy.  I think both of those were high on my preferences.  I like the old Trak mold, and while I would love a Georg, I have some worries that Breyer will be able to pull off the resist dappling and mottling well.  Can't wait to see who the Slainte Surprise mold is. 

Just before I left, I finally managed to refresh the Fling store and find some things in stock.  Shock!  First was an attempt to get Greenman, Eire, and Benelli - Benelli sold out while Paypal was processing, but I still got my green ponies.  Then when I went back to the store, Benelli was still in my cart, and the SM set and Mackenzie the plush were in stock, so I tried another purchase.  That ended up with only Mackenzie still available.  But, that's 3 of the 5 I wanted taken care of, with two days left to shop.  And, since Breyer's holding everything to combine shipping, it doesn't matter if I have to buy one thing at a time. 

Still trying to get Benelli and the SM set (even though I'd be reselling at least the Arabian), but Breyer's offering pre-orders of glossy Benelli, Cheesecake, and Topgun as an apology for the technical glitches.  So, I could just get a glossy Benelli and stop trying to score a matte one. 

For the rest of Breyerfest, I watched some videos.  There's a video of last year's performace of the RCMP Musical Ride.  Watched part of it last night, and am in awe of their ability to do all that riding at a sitting trot, with a double-bridle's worth of reins in one hand.  Some of them were smiling pretty hard, too.  Seeing the Ride in person is on my bucket list.

Then there are all the workshop and how-to videos.  So far, I've watched 2 on Arabian halter making, one on paint matching for touchups, and one on making braided reins.  the color matching was helpful, but I really need to know if there's a way to match the hooves without an airbrush.  The black Stretch Morgan is having hoof issues, thanks to someone with glitter nail polish somewhere in his past. 

Shopping haul so far

• Brighid & Beltane
• Thorn
• Eire
• Greenman
• Mackenzie

Candy Cane and Clubs

The first horse of 2020 (*) is Candy Cane.  Who technically isn't a horse, but an equid. 

My blue horse herd continues, because I got the blue Candy Cane today.  Was kind of hoping for the 1-of-12 random Licorice, but then I'd feel guilty and think about selling it because that's a lot of money.

I was a little surprised to find the box in the mailbox, not on the doormat.  This is the first Zebra I've seen in person, and it's smaller than I realized. 

(*) Technically, Candy Cane was paid for on Christmas Day, but it's the first horse in the door for 2020.  And usually I date my spreadsheet by the day the critter is actually in my hands. 

In other news, I was sucked back into the Vintage Club for 2020, mostly because of the In-Between Mare.  And then Breyer announced the horses for the Stablemate Club, and the darn Mini Alborozo is the Gambler's Choice model for this year.  So after much waffling and calculating numbers, I signed up for a second membership, because I figure (as do other people) that the secondary-market prices for Alby are going to be high enough that the second membership will be cheaper than buying one on eBay or whereever. 

Figuring that the club, plus the Collector's Club membership, will run about $180, and guessing that I can sell 4 of the duplicate models for about $20 each (a loss of $5-10 each), that makes the Alby portion around $100. 

Gah.  I'm actually talking about $100 SMs without cringing. 

Lakeshore Addicts Anonymous

My "I didn't go to Breyerfest" shopping binge happened.

It all started when Cindy Neuhaus was posting about a Houdini SR of 12, in a nice glossy bay.  I resisted until gorgeous pictures turned up on Facebook.  So that happened.

And then Cindy, darn her, ran a "Breyerfest is over" sale, so I bought a chestnut RR Houdini, since they're running low and I wanted that one anyway.  Which was followed by me searching MHSP and finding the RR pinto Houdini for $45 including shipping, since it wasn't LSQ.  Since I live-show once in a blue moon, PSQ is fine, and you can't beat that price.

So yeah, my BF binge was 3 Houdinis.  For a total of 9 Lakeshores now, I think.  Five Houdinis (2 RR, 3 SR), 2 Marshalls, 2 Miz Charismas (SR and RR), and one Status Symbol (RR).

1. Chestnut Marshall RR
2. Houdini SR - matte silver grulla 1 of 14 by Linda Watson Gresham
3. Miz Charisma SR - palomino tobiano  1 of 12 by Linda Watson Gresham
4. Miz Charisma RR - bay (free from the Lakeshore Club random drawing)
5. Status Symbol RR - bay
6. Marshall SR - glossy silver grulla by Karen Grimm (with broken legs) 1 of 25
7. Houdini SR - glossy bay 1 of 12 by Linda Watson Gresham
8. Houdini RR - chestnut
9. Houdini RR - bay pinto

First one was the Marshall I bought in 2009 at a live show.  

Callahans

Three Callahans arrived.  The ride-along SMs meant boxes in good shape, unlike some of the pictures I've been seeing of the white boxes used for mailing.  Oy vey.

I got one silver filigree and a pair of silver dapple bays, so I'll be trying to swap one for the palomino. 

Good grief

Apparently, last week (5/30) one of my Collector accounts was pulled from the Rialto wait list.  And I just saw the email today. 

I've got my Rialto already, from the other account, but why couldn't I have gotten a Kaibab instead?  :)  

Oh Breyer

Beryer, Breyer, Breyer.

I know I'm not saving up for BreyerFest, and I'm not even having anyone pick up horses for me this year, but jeez.  Between the Vintage Club, SM Club, the VC "bonus" horse Tanner, getting picked for a Rialto, and good grief all the Web Specials, my willpower has taken a beating.  Because I got two Fletchers - one glossy, one matte - and Starlet, and got a gorgeous sockless Koh-i-noor before they sold out, and now Callahan is when I found out that the third Collectors account that I thought had expired?  Hadn't expired.  So next Thursday I'll be getting 3 Callahans. 

I was just on Identify Your Breyer checking on the Shire mold releases.  Only the A Shire has been a RR so far, and possibly the wagon and pair would be considered a RR.  Everything else has been limited runs, although I've been lucky enough to get a Frosty, Flurry, and Triton. 

I really need to just stop reading any emails from Breyer.  My bank account would thank me.