Updates on Breyer, Nashie, (a New) Me, & More!

Second Post of the Day

Enjoy these updates on Breyer happenings, Nash, me, and more!

The BreyerFest Warehouse Sale

Last week Breyer announced that a warehouse sale of items from past BreyerFests would be held sometime this week. It dropped at 2:00 Thursday afternoon and by 2:02, the one thing I was mildly interested in was already sold out. 

Other things did not sell as quickly and for the most part, social media posts expressed disappointment at what had been offered. Out of the 35 offerings, I already had the 9 I'd most wanted. I looked at it all a couple of times and then moved back into the sewing room to work on the quiet book.

As of this morning when I took those screen shots, 10 of the 35 have sold out. Apparently I am not the only one who didn't find anything that they needed.

Buenos Aires, Third Release of the Exotic Destinations Series

Buenos Aires, the third release in the Exotic Destinations series was offered on Monday.

With a paint job designed by Lesli Kathman and on the popular Smarty Jones mold, my guess is that this will be a popular and coveted piece.

Screenshot from Breyer's web site.

There are 600 pieces available at a purchase price of $199. Entries closed last night and winners will be contacted in the next 24-36 hours.

I entered for him - I like polo ponies and while that is not an Appaloosa pattern that he sports (it is a manchado pinto) it is close enough and I really like it. Still, that price point makes me a bit leery. Much as I love my collection, $200 is a lot of money. We shall see.

Here There Be Dragons Dogs

Nash is still grieving Molly's passing but we see signs of normalcy surfacing . He spends every day with us right now, instead of the Wednesdays/Fridays routine we were on when Mama was with us. (Gosh, I'm welling up with tears as I write her name. I miss her so!)

But there is still some sadness, some loneliness, that you can see in his body language. He's a joy de vivre kind of dog, and for the most part, that's missing. However, there are signs that he is doing better.

Lying on my feet? That's Pepper, not Nash.

But wanting to also lie on a pillow while he lies on my feet? Oh, that's very much our Nashie-boi.

Hogging the best sun puddle in the house? Nashie-boi! 

Don't worry; Tammo got it back and has Nash's favorite toy, too.

Ready to join me for an afternoon nap? Oh, yes! Not that there is any room for me like that. Someone is going to have to move so I can lie down, too.

Normally when I find a model tipped over, I'm not too happy.

But this is a sign that Nash and Tammo got rowdy together on the upstairs overlook, and I am fine with that. (Besides, that's my carpet herd Man O'War and he's already been through a lot of play time with me.)

Here there be dragons dogs and those dragons dogs were clearly happy.

So am I.

A Gift from Belle

I don't talk about it much, but in November, 2024, I started working on my health and losing weight. It's been a year and a half, and I am at goal. 

I am really happy about that.

I have been going through my summer clothes and nothing fits. And honestly, I am not a shopping girl. I have never been someone who wandered the mall or did a lot of clothes shopping. (Antique malls and shopping for HSOs? That's different!!) Add in clothes shopping and using dressing rooms while using a walker, and it's pretty intimidating to me.

Luckily there is online shopping and I am looking for things now. There are also friends who surprise you with gifts.

Like this shirt from Belle. 

She and her family were at my Kentucky Derby Watch party and she was wearing this shirt. I complimented her on it, and she asked my size and said she'd just order it for me. Except that when it arrived, she would not accept any money. "It's a gift!" she declared.

Thank you, Belle. I love it. And now we can twinsie together!

A Quiet Book Sneak Peek

Jessica just sent me a few things to use for the quiet book. 

 She's a dental hygienist and sent me a pack of baby toothbrushes, two carrot appliqués,

and an apple appliqué.

I'll be working on the page for those today. Any guesses as to how they will be used?

Stay 'tooned!

Breyer, Barns, & Books

Lots of bits and pieces to share today!

Breyer

First, Breyer made an announcement yesterday acknowledging the issues their shipping department is having. Here's that announcement from Breyer's Facebook page.

It's a good beginning and I think it was wise that Breyer do so, but my experience has been that the problem is bigger and has more facets than what they are addressing in this email. (Remember my Christmas Blanket Debacle post?) Yes, shipping is a problem, but so have been other things, too,  in CCG.

Another concern I have is the Customer Service department. No doubt they are buried in emails and phone calls; I get that. But it isn't much of a confidence builder when the automated response to your email comes back tagged as SPAM!

You start wondering if your email really was received and read. (I mentioned in the post about the blanket debacle that I emailed Breyer about having received a blanket that I had not ordered or paid for and asking how to return it. Crickets. That blanket is still here.)

Regardless, kudos to Breyer for updating collectors on the situation - they've taken some heat and gotten some snark for their efforts, but I think it is a step in the right direction and hope that that continues. It never, ever hurts to communicate and keep people in the loop. Thanks, Breyer.

Two more guest horses were announced via the BreyerFest blog, both of them  returning guests. 

HD Darkness (he's 27 years old!) will be in attendance and Breyer will have a limited number of models of him for sale on site. (I really like this mold.)

Buckeye will be back, too, although no models will be available of him.

Barns

I love barns in all their variety. (I'm talking the old wooden ones, not the metal pole barns.) This little info sheet about various barn types crossed my social media feed yesterday so I took a screen shot of it. I do not have the original source; it was just shared by a woman in a group.

Farmyard Palace Barn? Hmmm, quite the description! Around here our barns are related most closely to the Western Prairie Barn, the Dutch Gambrel Roof Barn, and the Pioneer Barn with a few Round Barns added to the mix.

Tim has the beautiful new barn with its indoor arena, stalls, lounge, office, and tack room, but I have always chosen the old barn as the place I most like to be when I am out there. 

Abby, Sultanna, and Diablo thundering out of the old barn to come get some peppermints.

There is just something about the wood creaking as the wind gusts against it, the hay mow overhead with its fragrance drifting down, and the gentle snorts, stomps, and chuffs as the horses take shelter from the heat and the cold.

Books

Pony Pal Mila and her mama invited me to read a book with them. "There's a horse in it named 'Butter', Grammy!" (Guess why. Just try. LOL)

The photo I sent Mila and Vanessa to let them know that I'd gotten the book and could begin reading.

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is a really good book and one that I would've included in my classroom library were I still teaching. 

In an interesting coincidence, Emily texted Teacher Daughter Lisa and me a day later and asked if we had any book recommendations for Pony Pals Julie, Kate, and Susan. Easy peasy - at the end of their two years with me (I taught a multiage class of 4th and 5th graders) the outgoing students always created a list for the incoming 4th graders of their recommendations of Children's Classics to read.

I opened my teaching files and pulled out one of them and emailed it to her. (This list does have a book I removed from the suggestions due to the author's use of the F-word.)

There is nothing like hearing a child giggle aloud at their desk as they read and you know that they have just seen through Tom Sawyer's ruse to get his friends to paint that fence for him! (Oh, the fond memories of reading books with kids!)

So, if you are interested in a variety of good literature that both adults and children will enjoy, there you go!

Bye! (Hah! Couldn't resist adding in that fourth letter B!)

Disappearing or Not Appearing Orders

If you are like me, you check your Breyer account periodically, especially when you have placed an order.

Recently I have noticed something odd - my Snickerdoodle/Holiday Play Set set does not show up anywhere on my order list even though I received it over a month ago.

And Brunhilde is still showing as unfulfilled even though she arrived a few weeks ago. (Sorry for the poor quality screen shot.)

When I saw those discrepancies, I went over to PayPal to check the payment status on the two orders.

Both show as having been paid for.

Clearly, something is wrong, but is a missing order on the list, one that was fulfilled, important? Or an order that was received but still listed as not having been sent a reason to worry?

Yes and no. I got my models, true, but what about the next time this happens? What if an order that I make never appears on my order list and Breyer says they have no record of it and I am out of luck? (PayPal will be proof, but still...)

I feel uncomfortable about the situation and will be monitoring my orders far more closely from now on.

Christmas Card Picture of the Day

Mountain Mama Jessica sent me this photo of her backyard after a snowfall last week. I just had to share - that snowy yard and mountain are so lovely!

Circus Time: Breyer Plastics

The Breyer porcelain circus horses are well known, but Breyer also produced  some other, lesser known circus themed pieces in plastic.

For example, BreyerFest 2006 was called Summer Carnival and included several circus themed offerings.

Trixie, on the Stablemate Paso Fino mold, was the one day ticket holder model. She came in a silk lined box with tack, headpiece, and rings. (There was also a set of Stablemates BreyerFest attendees could purchase called "Three Ring Circus Trio," but aside from the name, there really wasn't a circus connection to them.)

The vintage mold Clydesdale Stallion was featured in a set called "Circus Extravaganza" that was released 1994 - 1995. He came with the Little Bit Clydesdale - an odd pairing since the smaller model had no circus tack or decorations and was out of scale with the other piece. 

Corky and Bimbo were characters on the popular Circus Boy television series that ran from 1956 - 1958. It starred Mickey Braddock who later was seen as Mickey Dolenz in The Monkees. Using the elephant mold, Breyer produced a set called Corky and Bimbo in 1958-1960 and Corky's face is clearly that of Mickey Dolenz.

I don't have the original Breyer Corky and Bimbo, but I do have the 2000 re-release. I've kept it in the original box. 

Also in my collection is one of the old Circus Boy books from 1958. Currently it's tucked away in a box somewhere and since I am under lifting restrictions for a while, I didn't dig it out. (Craig would do it for me, but he is already helping me so much as I recover that I am not going to ask him.)

Tomorrow we will move on to the only grail piece I have ever searched for.

Prepare to be amazed!

St. Patrick's Day Grab Bag

I've had mixed success with Breyer's grab bags. The ones that are targeted more for adult hobbyists generally have things in them that I already have or don't want. (Although I have always gotten good value for the cost of the grab bags. Every single time.)

The ones that are less expensive and targeted more towards kids? Those work better for me.

The 2021 St. Patrick's Day mini grab bag was only $20 so I took a chance on it, figuring that I could give the Cowpokes and Pony Pals things that were duplicates or that I didn't want. I am really happy with what I received.

I can see myself sitting down with a certain unicorn loving Pony Pal the next time she visits and making suncatchers!

I send all my grands little gifts at Valentine's Day, Easter, and Halloween. These Mini Whinnies Surprise bags will be nice, non candy treats to tuck into their packages.

The Collecta by Breyer line reminds me of Breyer's early models from the Chris Hess days. I don't collect them, but they do make me smile and will be passed on to the grands.

Although this gal is so cute, she may just be a keeper!

My favorite Stablemates (not that I collect them, haha!) are Darwin and the Thoroughbred. Look who was in my Mystery Surprise bag! He is staying with me, too.

Once again, I got a really good value for my money, with things to keep and things to give away.

Now, should I take another chance and go for Breyer's Easter Grab Bag...?

Stickers, Stickers Everywhere!

 Stickers are  very popular in the hobby right now. I got a lot of Christmas cards this past Christmas that had one or two tucked into them. And, I've bought my share from Breyer - sometimes I send them out myself to friends.

But recently I discovered that Cowpoke Lukie is fond of stickers, too.

And, that it might be a good idea to tuck mine away when he comes for a visit.

Because, if I don't,

then my stickers get used up really fast

and can be found everywhere that Lukie has been.

Not that I really mind.

A Word About Unkindness

After buying the web special Sassy, there was so much snarking and unkindness on a hobby blog or two and some Facebook forums that I have been limiting my time on Facebook and social media ever since. I am simply tired of (and very saddened by) the meanness. Rarely do I comment about things like that here, although I did make an exception in that Sassy post.

I thought the Sassy post would be the last comment I made about the ugliness that seems to be swamping our online hobby world. But yesterday I heard rumblings and took a quick peek online to investigate. Oh. My. Goodness. A morass of nastiness was playing out on some online sites. And that caused Breyer to make an unprecedented move. 

Never, ever did I imagine that Breyer would withdraw a model due to the escalating mean spiritedness.  But they did. You can read about it on the Breyer blog. (Apparently Intuit's owners asked that he no longer be the celebration horse. Thanks, Jennifer Buxton, for the additional information.)

Certainly I have my own opinions about the issue, some of them quite strong. But I am not commenting on my thoughts about Intuit or Breyer's choices here - I am commenting on the responses that some of us are posting in public. I'm making a plea for some kindness, better self control, and keeping in mind that we are all human with feelings and hopes and aspirations. There are ways to express opinions civilly without personal attacks and vitriol. 

Please, be kind when you state your thoughts and opinions. Please, phrase them in a way that makes your point without devastating or smearing someone else. Please.

Yes, comments are accepted on this blog entry for entering the drawing. 

Customer Service & Shipping Woes

I love Breyer. I love their products, their events, their clubs... just about everything. But I don't care for their customer service. Why? Because never, ever have I received a return phone call or email. EVER. 

Until yesterday.

A week ago I had called to ask about two missing items from my BreyerFest purchases. When I checked online, my account details had listed everything as fulfilled, complete with tracking numbers. Knowing Breyer was in the middle of a mammoth job of shipping things, I waited a few days for a return call, hoping that in the meantime my missing items would show up.

Crickets. 

And no new boxes.

Three days later, with the order's status still showing as fulfilled, I emailed Breyer, explaining the problem, and including the order number and what I had not gotten.

More crickets. And still no boxes.

I waited four more days, growing more and more frustrated, especially as I saw posts on social media where people reported that they'd called Breyer, spoken to someone, and gotten results. That bothered me. Why did I never get return calls or emails? 

Wondering if the problem might be on my end, I went back to Breyer's web site and checked their contact info, then compared it to my phone log and sent emails. Everything was correct - the problem was not me.

Finally, I decided to call Breyer again and, as in the past, got the answering machine. I explained the situation, although this time I added that I had already phoned and emailed them with no response, and asked if someone would please get back to me. For whatever reason, that did the trick and I got a call from Breyer's Customer Service an hour later.

She apologized for the delay and checked my order. I was told that it was on the way and given a tracking number. I hung up happy to have finally gotten through to Breyer's Customer Service and to know that my tee and Stablemates were on the way.

Until I clicked on that tracking number and got this message.

As I looked at it trying to figure out what was wrong, I suddenly realized that she had given me the same tracking number as the one on the original box, not a new one. Now what should I do?

I tried again, hand typing the number into the search box instead of clicking on Breyer's link.

This time I got some better information. As I compared the two messages, I also noticed that the first box came UPS, while this shipment (with that identical tracking number) is coming USPS.

Call me confused about that for sure, but at least I know that my missing merchandise is on its way . And, at last I can say that, for the first time ever, I got through to Breyer's Customer Service.

That's a win on both fronts!

A Pony Named Cupcake and a Blanket without a Horse

After Cambria competed in the mutton busting competition, I discovered that she and Titan had sent me a couple of things to thank me for making their shirts and buying their boots. "Look for a package in the mail tomorrow," Mountain Mama Jessica texted, "and another one in a few days. When you get them, text me and I will send a message that the kids have for you."

The very next day, Brookside Pink Magnum arrived. (I could not believe that they bought me a Breyer that I did not already have - that's tough to do!) I texted Mountain Mama and let her know I'd received the first package and was thrilled. She texted back with Titan's message and an explanation.

I took her up on that challenge to Google pink Breyer horses. Yeesh! She was right! Then I invited Titan to help me name my new horse. I wanted to incorporate something about him in the name, so I suggested Cowboy Titan, Rodeo Titan, and Cowpoke Titan.

Titan's suggestion? Cupcake!! All righty then, Cupcake it is! (Although I think I will tag Cowboy or Cowpoke onto it, too.) 

Two days later, Cambria's gift was delivered. A Breyer blanket set! I collect Breyer blankets but I did not have this one yet. Score again for the rodeo kids in buying me something from Breyer that I didn't already have!

Once again I texted Mountain Mama to let her know that Cambria's gift had come. But her response gave me pause. Cambria said that she'd chosen a horse, but I got a blanket, not a horse.

More texts flew back and forth, and it turned out that Cambria thought she had bought me the horse modeling the blanket, not just the blanket.

Quickly at Jessie's request, I put the blanket on Bouncer (it swallowed him whole!), took a photo of it, and sent it for the kids to see. Then I started looking online to see if I could find the grey Stock Horse Mare that was wearing the blanket on the box.

Fortunately, I found and purchased one for only $13 right away. It should get here early next week and then I will put the blanket and shipping boots on it, take that photo, and send it off for Cambria to see. 

In the meantime, it sounds like a little interest in collecting has begun percolating around the rodeo kids' home. Now that's a score for Grammy!