Collections Within My Collection: Modern Customs

First Post of the Day

I've discovered that vintage means one thing to "hobbyists of a certain age" like me and something else to others who are younger. Their date line to determine vintage versus modern customs is not as recent as mine. So, some of these modern customs may seem vintage to you.

MooNet MooMates

Decades ago when Yahoo groups such as Haynet were THE place for hobby connections, there was a group called MooNet. It was begun by a woman who loved cows, thus the name. I was a member of that group for a while and one of the fun things we did was to create a "MooMate" for each other. Using a Stablemates body, of course.

Creamsicle was one of those MooMates that were gifted to me. 

The artist did not sign her work, but I am pretty sure I remember who it was and she is a well known artist and still active in the hobby. I may contact her and see if my memory is correct.

Creamsicle has won many ribbons in both live and photo shows for me.

I have two more MooMates but unfortunately I don't have a record of their names.

The model on the left is an etchy, the only etchy in my collection. 

The palomino is signed on the belly with "Otter" and then a date but I can't read it as it is too small. It did well in live shows years ago. The etchy has tiny initials; but I cannot read them even when I magnified them.

A Christmas Ornament

Jessica Swaney is a hobby friend from the 1980s and 1990s. We are still in touch via Facebook but I don't think she is collecting any more.

She is a talented artist and sculpted the holly and bells on this sassy Stablemates foal that she also painted. One year we met up at BreyerFest and shared a room with group of hobby friends, and the Christmas afterward, she sent each of us an ornament that she had made.

NaMoPaiMo Models

I will always be grateful for the opportunity that Jennifer Buxton provides hobbyists via NaMoPaiMo to gather in a large group and paint a model horse all at the same time every February.

Beth Peart offered to be my mentor the first time I painted, and I now consider her a good friend. 

I am very proud of the portrait model I created of Sultanna. There are at least 14 layers of color on her body!

Happy with that success, I joined NaMoPaiMo again, this time painting a portrait model of Hokey.

I had no idea that black was such a difficult color to do! And when doing his hooves and nostrils, I simply couldn't get the shell pink I wanted, finally giving up and letting it be.

Portrait Models from Betz Everitt

In 2024, Betz Everitt of Painted Potoo Studios asked if I minded if she painted a portrait model of Abby. Mind? I was delighted and very, very excited. I had struggled so while painting Hokey that I knew I did not yet have the skills to replicate Abby's color in paint.

Tucked in with Abby came a surprise - Two Socks! The Stablemates Scrambling  Foal mold was perfect for that girl!

Of course, no one dreamed that in a year both mares would die after being struck by lightning. That made these two models all the more special to my heart.

The portrait model of Abby is beautiful and done on the Stablemates Indian Pony mold, my favorite of all the Stablemates molds.

I love, love, love that Betz included her cheek spot

 At Midwest Mini Mayhem, her very first show, mini Abby qualified for NAN.

This portrait model of Abby is very special to me for several reasons, one of them being the kindness of Betz Everitt. Thanks, Betz!

I had thought that the modern customs post would conclude the customs section in the Collections Within My Collection series, but I have realized that I do have another collection of customs that deserve their own post.

Stay 'tooned!