Hand Painted Mane!

When I pulled out my bay Grazing Mare to photograph for yesterday's post, I noticed something that I had not seen before. Sharp-eyed blog reader Adah R. saw the same thing.

In the blog comments, Adah asked, "Is that a hand painted mane on the grazing mare?"

It sure is! This model was part of my sister Leslie's carpet herd and she gave it to me when she stopped collecting. I only pull it out when I dust, and I'd never really taken a close look at it. (I have given it a kiss on the nose, though. All carpet herd pieces get that!)

Hand painted manes were done on the earliest iterations of certain molds.

My buckskin Indian Pony has them. (Go here to read a blog article about her hand painted mane.)

Both my red eyed and black eyed versions 

of the Semi-Rearing Mustang have them as well.

More hand painted mane tendrils on the Grazing Mare's near side mane.

This piece was first produced in in in 1965 and my model is an early one with no USA stamp.

Finding that the Grazing mare had hand painted mane tendrils had me going through my collection and looking at models that have been in my collection forever and not gotten a close examination in years.

I was surprised at what I found.

Stay 'tooned!

That Last Little Bit

So, what did I do with that last, teeny tiny scrap of fabric that was left over from the two yards of University of Iowa fabric?

First, I measured it and trimmed it up so that it was 3/4 inches wide. Then I got some fusible interfacing from my sewing stash and fused the two pieces together to give it some stability.

And then I turned it into the tiniest haversack I have ever made. 

Closed and finished, it was about 3/4 inches square.

Way too small for Breyer's Mini Whinney 1:64 scale models.

 

But just right for an HO 1:82 scale horse.

The friend receiving this set of haversacks is a vintage Breyer lover like me

So I chose a model that was reminiscent of a vintage Breyer mold - the Grazing Mare!

All that was left of the two yards of fabric were the trimmings off that last little strip. I considered making a bookmark, but in the end I swept those pieces off my sewing table and into the trash.

Sometimes you just have to call it good!!

College Colors Haversack Order

Horsiemama's  Haversacks gets a lot of custom orders. Usually it's for fabric I already have in stock and I am asked to make the haversack to fit a specific model.

But once in a while, someone sends me a fabric that is special to them and asks me to make something from it. That happened recently, and in this case, she asked for traditional sized haversacks and then "any other size you can get with what's left."

Now that sort of sounded like a challenge.

I was able to make nine traditional sized haversacks from the bulk of what she'd sent

and then took photos of one with Steel Dust, an old Breyer Proud Arabian Mare.

I find it helps to show customers how the sack will fit their model

 

and how much overlap there is with the flap in order to keep the haversack safely closed.

The traditional sized haversacks finished, I set to work stitching up the leftover fabric. 

My friend said she didn't matter if the fabric's pattern was sideways, and that gave me a lot of leeway in using up the remnants.

Two curio - sized haversacks with models to show size.

A stablemate-sized one.

 

with model to show size.

At this point, the challenge to use every scrap was really on. After making those three smaller haversacks, I had one tiny strip  of fabric left and I was determined to use it. 

Suddenly, I had an idea. 

Stay 'tooned!

Tickets - a Comparison

First, thank you to all of you who emailed me or commented on the blog and offered to help me pick my models up at BreyerFest. Your kindness and thoughtfulness touched my heart and made me smile.

Yesterday I sat down and drew up a list of the BreyerFest models I most want:

Brahms, Rotating Draft Surprise, Gummi Bears, Black Forest, Torlinie, and Lorelei (the crystal horse.) And then I went to Breyer's web site and looked at tickets.

To my surprise, the VIP tickets were not yet sold out. (They are still available as of this writing.) I filled out the online ordering form, selecting the models I wanted, just to see what the total cost of a VIP ticket would be.

The models would tack $200 onto the $230 ticket price. Plus, I only want one of the Limited Editions but I would still have to buy another one I didn't want to complete the ticket purchase. (Strudel, which I'd give to a Pony Pal or Cowpoke.)  Finally, I'd still have to track down the Gummi Bears, Torlinie, and Lorelei for an additional cost of $125 bringing the total cost of going with the VIP option to $555.

Next I looked at the All-Access tickets. Their cost was $80. Add in the models I wanted ($305) and my total would be $385, a savings of $170 over the VIP ticket.

While there are some other perks included with the VIP ticket (a 3 day parking pass, the Event Stablemates, and some swag) I'm thinking that, if I decide to go in person, I will get the All-Access ticket.

Attending virtually is still a possibility for me. Virtual Access tickets won't go on sale until March, but that is still plenty of time before the event for me to compare what it would cost me to go the virtual route with the cost of the VIP and All-Access tickets.

A Hagen Renaker Slip Tile & the Belgians

The Hagen Renaker Collector Club 2021 Annual arrived yesterday!

And tucked inside with it were goodies from Kristina.

This sticker was one of them, and I smiled to see the Disney Samson included on it.

Even more exciting was this slip test tile. 

Dated December 8, 1997, it was for the mini Belgian.

The backside of the slip tile. (The double sided tape is on the outside of the package and was used to hold the tile in its foam packaging.)

I have two of the Belgians that this slip tile was a test for.

Hagen Renaker produced it from 1999 - 2001.

The tile does not say that it is a paint test tile; it is a slip test tile. Slip is the liquid clay they pour into the molds to make the figurines.

Checking the bottom of the hooves will give you a glimpse of the slip that was used.  

A darker slip was used for the Belgian on the left and that influences his eventual color - he is darker than the one on the right. (It's also interesting to notice the different placement of the vent holes on their bellies.)

Variations are fun - look at how the mane decorations are a little bit different from each other.

The lighter Belgian has beautiful shading in his mane.

I'm not sure what that is peeking out from under the label on the darker Belgian. 

I pulled a little out from underneath and it a a very light film. (I did not want to take the label off the check - experience has shown me that once those tiny labels are removed, they tend to not stick well when reapplied.)

Thanks, Kristina, for the slip tile - it is a unique addition to my collection and it prompted a fun examination of my Belgians.

BreyerFest - a Reality Check

I have realized that this year I may not be up to the physical challenge that is BreyerFest. At least, as I currently understand how it is going to be run.

Let me explain.

Breyer has drawn up a chart to help collectors figure out which models come with or are accessible with each ticket tier. I know which pieces I want and which ticket I plan to purchase.

Chart by Breyer and found on the BreyerFest blog. 

How I actually GET those models is what has made me stop and think - I am not sure that I will be up to the challenge of picking up my models, at least as I understand how the process works.

This year, in an effort to ensure that BreyerFest participants stand in lines less, Breyer has changed how we get our models. Now, VIP, All-Access, and General Admission ticket holders get their models at the same place, the Model Handout Tent. 

Breyer posted this map on the BreyerFest blog with the location of the Model Handout Tent circled in red:

It's the Model Handout Tent that is making me rethink my Breyer plans. Why? 

First, regardless of how models are distributed, Kentucky is hot and humid in July. Since Kentucky Horse Park is huge, you do a lot of walking in that heat and humidity. I learned years ago where to find shade and water when needed, and I feel comfortable meeting that challenge. 

But the Model Handout Tent changes that. Memories of the early BreyerFest pick-up lines that stretched on and on seemingly forever come to mind. With one location and thousands of collectors clamoring to receive their models, I cannot imagine that there will not be significant lines. And I am no longer physically able to stand a long time in lines. Especially not in the heat and humidity that blast Kentucky in the summer.

The next challenge, after receiving my models, would be hauling the Celebration Horse and Special Run models back to my car. I come by myself and will somehow have to carry those boxes the long hike back to my car by myself. (Some folks bring wagons but I am not interested in dragging one through the crowds all day.)  

It is a looooong walk all the way from the Model Handout Tent (red circle) to the parking lot indicated by the red arrow. The walk to and from the parking lot has been a challenge for me the past ten years; adding carrying several big bags of models will, in all likelihood, be something that I simply cannot do.  

I was 33 when I attended my first BreyerFest. Since then, I've had my hip and both knees replaced, three other knee surgeries, three ankle surgeries, and two spinal fusions. I'm older, I'm slower, and I just don't have the mobility, energy, and strength to hike around KHP like I used to. 

Me in 2010 recovering from my first knee replacement with our dog, Zeus, keeping me company.

And just to be clear, I am NOT criticizing Breyer. I am pointing out that, for me personally, the challenges of attending BreyerFest may simply be too much for me.

BreyerFest tickets go on sale today but I'm holding off on buying mine - I want to see if Breyer posts more information on the Model Handout Tent before I do.

 And if I end up attending virtually, I am more than fine with that. I did that in 2020

and 2021, and I may end up doing the online tickets for 2022, too.

I appreciate that there is still a way that an older hobbyist with some physical challenges can still participate in a much loved event.

Favorite Disney Horses

After digging out my Sleeping Beauty Colorforms with Samson the horse, I thought it might be fun to look at a few more Disney horses.

Horses factor into many Disney movies, especially the animated ones. Some have important roles in the film; in others they are secondary to the main characters or even just part of the background.

Here are a few of my favorites.

Hallmark ornament of Nokk and Elsa; photo from Google Images.

Nokk, who is featured in Frozen II, is a Disney horse who plays an important role. Along with Elsa, he helps save the town of Arendelle from a flood and then remains with Elsa as her mount in the Enchanted Forest.

I am also very fond of Bullseye from the Toy Story films. I have a small plastic model of Bullseye 

and a stuffed Bullseye that is my stable mascot. As you can see, he is a favorite of the grands and well loved.

I may not be a unicorn lover, but I am absolutely a fan of Pegasus! He is not the brightest crayon in the box in Disney's depiction of him, but he still is fun.

This movie is full of Green mythology, art, and more. I even used it in my classroom a couple of times when teaching Greek Mythology - the kiddos loved seeing the references to the myths they had learned about.

My favorite Disney horse comes from one of my least favorite Disney movies.

Maximus from Tangled! He's strong, conscientious about his duty, and in the end, simply hilarious.

Here's a clip that always makes me laugh.

There are many more Disney horses, too many for me to write about. Want to take a look at them? Go here for a comprehensive list of every Disney Horse.

Disney Colorforms & Some Horse Color History

 Tucked away in my closet underneath a stack of my teaching bags is a flat box from my childhood.

Colorforms! A very old set of them and from the 1959 Disney movie Sleeping Beauty.

I hadn't opened the box in years and I was curious as to what was still left of the pieces.

The board was in great shape and still had a picture that I had made long ago.

Naturally I had done Samson, the horse!

I found the other horse pieces and considered changing the picture up for a moment, but then I decided to leave it alone - I liked the idea that something I had created during childhood was still intact.

I did sort out the clings and there are some missing. The clinginess is gone, too, but that is due to dust that got on the board and pieces over time. I can easily clean that off with a damp cloth.

As I looked at Samson, the horse from the film, I realized that the Colorform horse was different from the movie Samson.

The black mane and tail had been changed to a white one. (Probably to make it more visible against the background.)

Movie photo and photo of Hagen Renaker Disney pieces from Google Images.

The white horse/black mane and tail was a very popular depiction of horses in the 1950s and 1960s.

Hagen Renaker's first circus ponies were produced in the fall of 1955 through the spring of 1956. Both have white bodies with black manes and tails.

Other companies that produced model horses used the same color scheme. 

Hartland certainly did, 

and perhaps Breyer's alabaster color is a tweak on the color scheme. My old mold Proud Arabian Mare from 1958 - 1959.

Breyer's charcoal color, first seen in 1961, is a reverse of the color.

Perhaps the charcoal color was inspired by the pieces with white bodies and black manes and tails?

A recent Samson, one that was designed to be a cake topper.

I've explored the white body/black mane and tail color before. There are several blog posts about it, so instead of putting the links here, go to the search box and type in "black mane" to pull them up.

Tomorrow we will look at some other Disney horses.

Stay 'tooned!