Catching Up Part 3: VIP Swag Revealed!! Prototype Spirit & Collector Club Newsletter Sneak Peak!

 A little while back, Breyer revealed the swag bag and listed what was included in it. This year's theme definitely circulates around the color purple, which can symbolize hope which slightly goes with the theme. The swag also included neon and holograph colorization which I assume goes along with hope, like light or beacon of hope again relating back to the theme.

This year's items include:

• VIP Exclusive pins (looks like only 2 so far)
• holographic tote bag
• water bottle w/ carrier
• portable fan with light up feature
• 3D desk deco light
• VIP Exclusive wristband
• Car sticker (can't fully tell by picture but I do think its the Breyerfest logo with VIP next to it)

I will say I am in love with this years swag. My fav items so far are the pins, desk light, water bottle with sling, and wristband. Can't wait to see what they look in person once I get to Breyerfest. Also can't wait to get my models. If there are variations, hoping they are something I like. The Scurry variation from last year took me by surprise not only because I got lucky in pulling it, but also found my self liking it more than the originally shown version.

A while back I came across a thread in one of the Facebook groups I follow. Someone mentioned looking for a pic pf a prototype Spirit that was advertised once and wanted to make sure they didn't dream it up as they no longer had a copy of the picture saved. A couple days later someone managed to find a pic in one of their old files and drives, and it made its rounds on social media in model horse groups. I will say to was very cool to see, and after saving a copy of the pic for my reference later, I have come up with some more thoughts and feeling about it compared to the model that was initially released.

It looks very nice. Does have more attention to detail than the official release, especially in the face, mane, and tail. Coloring has nice shading, seems much closer to the movies than the official. Sadly only this angle was shown, would've been nice if the opposite side was shown to fully see how it looked. Its whereabouts are unknown, most speculate it probably remained with the original sculptor, whom I forget the name of. I think it was listed in the thread on the post somewhere as I think it was stated it was the same who sculpted Rain, can't remember at the moment. Though there are some that think it's in Breyer's vault like other never seen models, some have come to light recently from either auctions by Breyer including web drawings, or making a quick brief appearance on Breyerfest live as many of us are curious what is all in the vault.

Though I will admit, the more I had seen this model and thought about it, the more I like it than what was officially released. I still like the official release due to all the nostalgia it brings, especially since I somewhat finally recently acquired a Spirit and Rain after years of wanting them since I was a child but sadly never got them nor any other related merch from the film. Also as some had said from the post's thread, this version does make more sense to pair with Rain as she is she's not only in an action pose, but running and so is this one. The one we got is standing, trying to match a pose from the film. I will say Rain always felt more detailed than Spirit and a tad more screen accurate compared to him. The mane hides the detail on his face as well as makes it hard to add detail since you wouldn't be able to see it anyway. 

The prototype you can see both sides of the face as the mane is windswept. Plus allowing for more detail on the face and making it closer to Spirit in the film. I always felt the official released Spirit's markings/points were a little too light in coloration. Sure in the film they aren't as dark as his mane and tail, but still a little darker than painted. The prototype does seem to be darker than the officials, again making it more screen accurate. Also the pose seems more natural to the film, where as the official seems a little too stiff. I've seen someone do a Spirit custom on the American Saddlebred mold made to look like the standing Spirit in the film and it seems a lot more accurate as its when he's on his hill looking over his herd while the wind is blowing.

A couple of days ago, the Collector Club Newsletter made its way into email boxes and gave us the usual sneak peak for a release for more than likely next month.

Definitely a deco. Many speculating a spring release as usually there's a deco released as a Spring special. Hoping its something obtainable and something I like as so far I am liking it, especially for the gold which Breyer doesn't use as often. Especially not that shade, which is better than my gold charm Pollock's surprisingly (up for trade/sale with my deco Speos currently).

More coming either tomorrow or at least the coming week and month. Over and out.

(pics belong to original owners, last photo is a screen shot from my newsletter.)

Catching Up Part 2: Birthday Haul/Finds, Breyerfest Workshops, & Horse Appearances While Out.

 A couple/few weeks ago, in fact on my birthday week, the opportunity to sign up for workshops went live and so far looks like np hiccups like last year. I may tell that story later if I remember. Though this year it will only be me and my mom vs the whole family, thought that is for one workshop, I'll be alone for one. I signed up for two. The first workshop I signed up fro was the Spookology work shop, I love halloween, my fav halloween in fact, and it said the paints are UV ones so that really intrigued me. The last one I am doing with my mom and it is the Mosaic class, I have been trying to do that one since it was first introduced which I think was Breyerfest 2022 which had the dahla horse mold which looked cool. It surprisingly sold out that year. My mom loves mosaics and I like doing them every once in awhile, so now we finally get the chance to do it.

Luckily, the week of my birthday was my 40 hour work week and I was able to have two days off. On my second and last for the week I stopped by a tack store I discovered back around Christmas time that sells older and newer Breyers second from locals looking to get rid of models. Back during Christmas I got Spirit and Rain mini porcelains, which leaves me with just foal Spirit and his dam/mother Esperanza left and that shoudl conclude the Spirit porcelains from the Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron collection. Anyway, this time I went to see what they still had and what was new as it was my first time back since then, making it my second trip, meant to go back sooner but didn't have time. They had Marigold the classic deco from Breyerfest 2017 still so I knew I had to get him. Then I was stuck between getting a porcelain that was for a decent price or get the NIB Sunburst from Barbie Fairytopia: Magic Rainbow. Ultimately got the porcelain as I felt the price was too good and something tells me that old Barbie fairy may still be there when I go back a third time as it was there my first time. Despite the price being a steal, its not very movie accurate nor overall attractive as a doll design but it's one I wanted since that movie came out. The porcelain was the Saddlebred from the Artisan gallery series, I had a little bit ;eft over and they let me go through the bin of new arrival stablemates. I chose a red roan cantering warmblood and a grullo/grey pinto thoroughbred from 2002. Though I may have the same TB somewhere as it came in a 4 piece set which I only know the whereabouts of the palomino Andalusian stallion and bay saddlebred but not the appaloosa mold thats bay as I actually don't recall that one nor the TB. I was so little when I got that set I don't remember if and when they came in a set and where the rest maybe aside form the obvious, in storage more than likely in the rafters of the garage.

Though now to think of names for the stablemates.

Those aren't the only horse related things I found during my birthday week. So, ever since I was 5 it's been a tradition for me and my mom to go have tea for our birthdays as they are two days apart. This is the first time having tea away from home, so we had to find a place to try out since we'll be doing it down here. Not the first time we've had to change places, but not the last at the present till we find our new spot. This year we tried out the Waveland Historic Site as they host tea every Tuesday. These are the horses I saw there.

After that we went to Richmond just to check it out as we haven't explored it yet. While there we stopped at an antique shop, one of my fav things to do, and I found a cool find I knew I had to bring home.

Didn't see any Breyers but this was the closest thing to it. I was looking through a pile of old pennants, I almost went with a Knott's Berry Farm and Hershey Park ones until I came across this one and decided to that was the one to get right away, also the store was closing in a few minutes. On the way to the register I grabbed the two stickers as I couldn't decide on one and both are nice as colored and black & white.

That does it for now, until tomorrow.

(note: first two photos belong to Breyer. All other photos belong to me.)

Catching Up Part 1: Mumbai, BreyerWest Reveals of Breyerfest Models, & BF and BW Volunteer Model Reveal.

The February Collector's Club newsletter had given a sneak peak for a new upcoming release. That release was Mumbai who is apart of the new Exotic Destinations series. Mumbai is a located in India, so the Mawari mold was the best choice for said release. I originally was thinking the markings were going to represent small islands so I was thinking like the Virgin Islands or something like that. 

Yeah so really funny thing, I and my parents, well I entered for them on their accounts, entered for this guy and my mom got chosen. They day after the deadline to order him before the waitlist was chosen came and went and I didn't realize till the following day when people form the waitlist were being chosen. I was so pissed at myself for not reminding my mom to order him. I immediately made an In Search Of (ISO) post for him on my insta story, later that night I got a message form some saying there was for sale at original price and would be arriving soon. I said sure and they said they'll send photos once he came. I got them and it looks like he survived Breyer's new paper packaging they still don't know how to use properly.

I get to pay for him next week and so far its looking like the transaction should go smoothly. We'll soon know once I've sent money and get a tracking/shipping confirmation. So far my luck has been good as I do want to continue this series and I do want more on the Mawari mold as Breyer sadly doesn't use often and they've also sadly done only one portrait release on it.

Breyerwest was also recently and with that means sneak peak in hand photos of some/most of the Breyerfest special run models, store special models, and two variations of the volunteer model.

The models revealed in hand are Blue Zeus, Gascon the Great, Just Like Fire, Athenian Lady, Alan A Day's Work, Always Chipper, Fighter & Survivor, Better Than Revenge, Miss Independent, Wild Things, and even Heratio and Mumbai made an appearance. So far they are looking really nice. Miss Independent still remains my number one favorite special run from this year's lineup. I know Breyer usually doesn't show all (especially not the surprise) in person at Breyerwest, but I wish I could've seen an in hand photo of Edge of Glory and Fight Song. Oh well, at least I and my family all have our tickets purchased now anyways. Here's hoping my system still works and I get all my pics on the all access tickets as I know my VIP picks are already guaranteed. 

The first two variations of the volunteered model have been revealed!!

Meet "Worth It"!!

Worth It is done on the Bluegrass Bandit mold in two shades of chestnut. One is bright red chestnut with a semi flaxen mane and tail, the other in a liver chestnut coat. A third variation will be revealed at Breyerfest once handed out to volunteers. She is more than likely named after the song of the same name by Fifth Harmony. This was a song I used to listen top quite a bit in middle school and early high school before I mainly listened to older music again. Though with this reveal, there goes another one of my guesses for the surprise mold, this one had become my top pick, just like Bobby Jo, and just like Bobby Jo they go and use to for another release making me have to redo my guess list again.

So now my top guesses for the surprise model now are:

• Just A Dream/Make A Wish
• Andalusian Mare
• Lipizzaner Mare
• Goffert
• Forever Sage
• Lonesome Glory
• Ruffian
• Strapless
• Connemara Mare
• Weather Girl
• Fell Pony
• Marabella
• Standing Thoroughbred/Emerson
• Zafirah
• Mistys Twilight
• PAM (proud arabian mare)
• FAM (family arabian mare)
• in between mare
• gaming stock horse
• Grazing Mare
• Stock Horse Mare
• Suscesion
• Thoroughbred Mare
• Touch of Class
• Firefly
• Welsh Mare

The ones on the bottom are ones I think are very unlikely despite fitting the criteria, the reason I think this is they are mostly older/vintage molds which aren't ever used for breyerfest, especially not the surprise. Also some of them require a foal as the molds go together and they rarely separate the foal form those mare molds. Also some of have been used fairly recently for breyerfest but breyer has switched up their formula before, so that somewhat doesn't matter as long as its had a release within at least the last 6 months and possibly made an appearance in the live auction lineup the previous year.

Thats it for now, until next time.

(all photos and info belong to breyer and/or original owners)

Update!!

 Sorry I have been absent this month. Had a lot going on with work and what not. I usually do this on my laptop but I had an issue with it when it got stuck in a death loop, when trying to update it for SSO. Had to take it to the local Apple Store so they could look and it and fix it. Sadly had to have it wiped, but oh well, you live and you learn and now I know what to do when I get a new laptop. At least it fixed the issue. Hoping to get in it tomorrow to catch up on posting for this week before the month is done. Any anyways that’s it for now until tomorrow.