Breyerfest 2017 Haul

As I said in a previous post, I went to Breyerfest again this year! I saved up since last July, and am very happy with what I got. I tried to go for quality over quantity and think I succeeded. :) I apologize for some of the bad photos, we are in the middle of moving and a lot of my equipment is packed.

Thursday night I bought this vintage CM North Light resin. He was shown successfully in his day as 'Thor' and will probably be a shelf sitter and occasionally a performance horse. I have a little collection of vintage customs and resins and he fits in nicely.

On Friday, I showed at the open show and won this lovely glossy Banks Vanilla. Her name is RRS Rochambeau and I can't wait to show her in January.

Also on Friday I bought these two customs from Sarah Tregay, who wrote the book Painting Pastel Champions, which helped me immensely when I started painting. 

First is RRS Alastair, a resculpt from the standing TB who has had a new headset, slightly resculpted legs, and a new mane.

This is RRS Mishamigo, who is probably my favorite custom mini I own. His resculpting is fantastic and his color is amazing. His dapples just look SO soft. <3

I had my first Special Run times on Saturday, where first I got a glossy Saffron who is unnamed...

And for my first surprise, I pulled a chestnut in matte, who I just started calling Mycroft. He'll probably get a more dignified name, however. :P

My next surprise I got another glossy Saffron to sell, and pulled a matte bay tobiano who is also unnamed.

At my last SR time, I just got a surprise, and let the person behind me take my other ticket spot. Unfortunently I got another matte tobiano, but a fellow hobbyist offered to trade her matte buckskin for my guy. 

She had gotten a full set, but had to buy quite a few of the surprises to do so. Since she had so many left over, she let anybody really trade. Her logic was they would sell the same, and to make another person happy gave them good karma for the next year (and it's the nice thing to do!) People like her make our hobby awesome.

I really didn't care for the pintaloosa, so I'm very happy with getting the surprises I did. Of course gloss would have been nice... but I think the glossy gods used all there power in 2014, where I pulled the glossy appaloosa Pop the Cork. :P

Also on Saturday I went through the Breyer store and picked up this SR set from 2002. I didn't have a wolf or cougar and for the price, I had to get them!

The only model I didn't buy was Illuminati, which my mom surprised me with. Illuminati confirmed is her favorite meme... so she had to get him. He is super cool!

The only model I got from the Artisan's Gallery was this girl, who was customized and painted by Kimberly Bleeker. "RRS Theodosia" has a resculpted face and new ribbons.

The brand new mold this year was Tushar, a single day stablemate. Unnamed here will be added to my shoestring. He's so adorable. 

From wearing a name tag, I got two awesome SM scale busts! Gonna paint one as a portrait for a friend, and decapitate the other one even further and use it on a CM.

@da.vinci.creations on Instagram reworked his Patrick resin into a rearing mini gelding, and I was one of lucky 50 people to get one! 

I already finished his base coat of paint, just gotta do details! Any color would look good on him... but I love me a good dark bay.

My 'big' purchase was this drastic custom Carrick with a saddlebred head by Austin Reid. Austin also painted my Moxie. But without further ado... this is RRS Easy Street or "Lucille."

She's gonna be a performance beast, can't wait to get her into the ring!

Before and after!

And that's it! I had a great time this year, but am not trying to brag or anything. Hope you all had a great weekend, whether you were in Kentucky or not! :)

Factory Goofs + No Self Control

About a week ago I ordered a SM American Pharoah direct from Breyer. I needed a bit of retail therapy but couldn't be bothered to get one at our local tack shop... so direct it was.

He came in the mail this morning and as I took him out of the box, I thought that he looked quite glossy... but passed it off as the plastic from his blister pack. In general Emma style, I completely destroyed the package.

I had a small heart attack when I saw him. GLOSSY!!!!

He isn't sticky, no weird texture... his gloss is identical to an intentionally glossed model.

Different lighting.

I'm pretty sure he's just a factory goof who wasn't matte sprayed before he left the factory. But still super cool!

Another model I need to show off is my new Moxie resin. She was sculpted by Sarah Rose and painted by Austin deSheilds.

She's unfortunately super hard to photograph... I apologize for the bad photos!

Her face is just <3

I keep telling myself no more minis... but I couldn't resist!

She's really lovely. I just haven't come up with a name for her. She's shown under the name Tautology... but I might change it.

Again... I apologize for the lack of posts. I post everyday on my Instagram, @emmasmodelhorses. (we are so close to 900 followers I can't even.) I've also started Breyerfest prep, and along with school that takes up a ton of time. Stay tuned!

Trade Haul

Yesterday was a very, very good mail day, to say the least.

A friend of mine is getting out of the hobby to focus on real horses and was really just trying to get rid of her collection... So I helped her out and basically got my pick of her showstring. In exchange for these horses plus a few more still on the way, I will be painting some stablemates to look like the real horses she works and rides with.

I, of course, wanted to show you all of them! Personally, I enjoy reading and looking at people's new additions... Hopefully you enjoy!

Instead of normal halter style pictures, I decided to have some fun with it and take some that were more dynamic.

First is Zenyatta. I was told she was a body so planned on repainting her. She's really not to bad though. :)

Next came Jesse and the long mane Connemara. She also sent two Classic riders as a bonus. The long mane is probably my favorite out of all of them. The trader has very good taste in shading and dapples. :)

Another one of my favorites would be Valegro. The sculpture looks more like an artist resin or custom.

He just has a *really* nice face.

Another is Sam! He's one that I liked, but not enough to buy him. After holding one and really looking at him, I really like him.

Joker, an older Celebration model, is also really nice. The only other I have on the mold is Smart And Shiney, and I like the black and white pinto on the mold much better.

Maverick, a TSC special run, and Harley D Zip, an RR, also arrived. Maverick is still growing on me... not sure if I like him yet. Harley is really nice. This one has an almost metallic coat and great shading. Not to mention the mold is fantastic for performance!

Nearing the end! I was able to get an SBH Phoenix, who I also really like in person. I have Argyle on the mold, too. They are both awesome.

Next is the sorrel AQHA. This one is probably my least favorite, but I still like her! The mold is just eh.

Last but not least, I chose three of my favorite classic mold, the Frolicking Foal! I conga this mold and finally got some more. :)

And that's it! Now I need to go get painting so I can actually officially own these guys! 

Pay It Forward

One of my favorite websites is Model Horse Blab. I've done various gift swaps with them and I've always loved giving and receiving! :) However, the one thing I haven't done is the Pay It Forward. It's a monthly thing where you post a wishlist and if you get lucky, you might receive some stuff in the mail! I have plans to ship some things when I have a bit more cash. I didn't expect to receive anything, though...

!!!

I got lots of great performance goodies from Fastapp! Unfortunately, I didn't have a ton of time to take photos, so they aren't all the best.

First I got this awesome cross stitch saddle pad! <3

There's also a kind of matching woven cinch!

Next, I unwrapped a lasso made of waxed thread! Because it is waxed, it's posable. 

It has so much detail, and all the little knots are awesome!

There's also this breastplate. I think it is an English one, but I'm not quite sure. It's great though! :D

One of my favorite items was this english pad!

The quilting and scale is the best.

Lastly, I got a red cinch that matches my red western pad I made. 

*Correction, I also got an awesome running martingale that I forgot to take a picture of.

Again, thank you so much! This made my Monday much more bearable!!

Portrait Models

Are definitely my favorite type of custom! I recently received this amazing model in the mail. He's a custom I commissioned from Rusty Key Studios on Facebook.

He's a portrait of one of the two horses I ride in real life. He turned out perfect!

His marking is spot on.

Merlin is pretty green and one of his biggest issues is flower boxes... So I had to have him jump over some.

I highly recommend the artist. The price was great and she was very nice.

Merlin isn't my first portrait horse, though. Last Breyerfest I picked up a portrait of the paint a ride, Steps!

He was painted by Emily Foltz.

I've also painted two portrait models for Becky. One SM driving horse, and a Haflinger (who I can't find pictures of...)

One of the reasons portrait models are so special to me is that I ride lesson horses. My dad is in the army and we aren't in a position to own one. The sad thing is that horses come and go, and when you don't own them... You have no say.

Portrait models are a great way to remember! I have 2 more real horses I want in plastic, now to find painters and molds! :)