Happy Leap Day!

Happy Leap Day! I once had a student who was born on Leap Day and he used to joke that he was really only two and a half. He would be eight and a half now (and he has four cute kids!) I think of him every February 29, so happy birthday, Adam B!

Not gonna lie, I am glad we have reached the end of winter. I have always preferred the meteorological seasons, so that means that tomorrow is the first day of Spring. 

Overall it's been a mild winter and the horses have weathered it well. (No pun was intended when I wrote that.) After having had recent temps in the 70s, we are now back below freezing. I think I mind that shift back to cold temps more than the horses do!

Some of you have wondered about the fifth member of the herd, Dolly, and why she has not been appearing on the blog for some time. Sadly she passed away. She went peacefully while she was sleeping - a good way to go. Out of respect for her owner's wishes, I have not posted any more details. 

With Spring on the way, Tim is gearing up for more projects. I suspect this pile of dirt will be used to level the northeast pasture - there is a depression on the ground there that tends to turn into a pond when we get heavy rains. 

Speaking of water, I was filling the trough and the sound of that water flowing took me right back to my teens when I had my horses at home. I stood there and listened, then pulled out my phone to record it.

I thought you might enjoy listening, too. 

The preparation for The Kalamazoo Living History event continues. I made a third cloak, this one a hip length rather than knee length like the other two.

It's made of a very heavy grey wool with black silk ribbon ties.

The hood is lined with silk and I am really happy with how it turned out.

Lisa came over after school yesterday so I could take her measurements for a new 18th century dress, a robe a l'Anglais. (An English gown.) It will be even more difficult to make than the riding habits I made us both, so wish me luck. More on that tomorrow.

Stay 'tooned!

The Vintage Club Belly Stamps

From the Vintage Collectors Club's inception in 2012 and then through 2023, the belly stamp always featured a model for the year, one that would be included as one of that year's four club pieces. It was done in gold and seemed rather fancy - fitting (in my mind, at least) of the respect Breyer's vintage molds and models deserved.

For 2012, the very first club offering was on the Clydesdale Stallion mold and included a mini Fighting Stallion, one of Breyer's most iconic molds.

At the time we didn't know what to expect so many collectors, myself included, did not realize that the belly stamp model would always be a foreshadowing of a model to come during that year. 

Nor did we automatically expect every model to have one. King, the second 2012 model, did not. There is a foam pad under his tail and nothing on his belly, probably because it would show. (I don't know of any Kings with the belly stamp and would appreciate a heads up if any of you have seen one.)

All Vintage Club models after King, though had some sort of belly stamp.

 

Halo (the Stretch Morgan) in 2013 had Commander, the Five Gaiter, who was offered in smoke.

2014 was the Semi Rearing Mustang. (My favorite mold! I was so excited!)

2015 the Running Stallion (along with a change in ink color to black.).

2016 was the Western Prancer. Breyer surprised collectors when he was released - he was a chalky!

The Clydesdale Mare (complete with her blanket) for 2017.

Legionario in 2018.

2019's belly stamp horse was the Pacer.

The iconic Western Horse for 2020. (Gold ink!)

Brighty's belly is exposed but Breyer chose to hide his stamp in 2021 (featuring the Foundation Stallion) on his base.

Then in 2022, Breyer made a huge goof. The first two club pieces featured Smoky on the stamp, so when collectors received the third piece, we were were surprised to find this:

There had been a goof in the factory and the stamp for Kingfisher, from the Birds of a Feather series, had been put on all the Coopers!

In 2023, Thunderbird, like King in 2012, did not appear to have a stamp. Savvy collectors now knew to keep looking.

It could be found under the base of his tail, similarly to Brighty. Justin Morgan was that year's belly stamp model.

Needless to say, after twelve years of (mostly) gold belly stamps featuring a mold that would be a part of that year's four offerings, I was surprised when I flipped Scorpion over to see the 2024 belly stamp.

And I was disappointed. It's not gold and it doesn't offer a sneak peek at one of this year's pieces. It's just a plain old belly stamp and not very special. (It's also missing the "s" in the word "Collectors.")

The belly stamp has been a nice perk and a fun clue into what's to come for twelve years, but I'm not participating in the Vintage Club for the belly stamps - I'm a club member for the models first and foremost. I am already looking forward to finding out what the next model will be.

Busy but Good

I knew that yesterday was going to be busy; I just didn't realize just how busy it would be.

Pepper and I went to the vet so she could receive her monthly injection of Percorten/Xycortal for her Addison's Disease.

She and I swung by the barn after that to check on the herd - Tim is traveling and has asked me to watch the horses this week. Obviously, Abby continues to avail herself of the mud spa.

Sultanna is in foal and due in May. She's a big boned mare but her pregnancy is showing.

Two Socks and Hokey were enjoying the sun over by the loafing shed.

The horses weren't the only animals at the barn who were happy about the warmth and sun that we have been having. (It got to 72 yesterday!) The birds were singing loudly all over the grounds. I pulled out my Merlin app to record and identify the birds that were singing.

The Eastern Meadowlark was really singing its heart out! And I could listen to bluebirds sing for hours. Such lovely songs.

Tim had seen couple of bald eagles on the property a few days ago, and we have a pair of red shouldered hawks that have been calling to each other in our neighborhood. (We also have a lot of bluebirds around our home, too.) Definitely the birds are enjoying this warmer weather.

Lunch with Craig, Curt, and Vanessa and then an appointment for my shoulder with the Occupational Therapist kept me busy until mid afternoon.

Breyer was busy yesterday, too. 

Tickets for BreyerFest went on sale and will be discounted until mid April. All tickets are digital this year. I haven't bought mine yet, but I will soon. (Photo from Breyer.)

But Breyer wasn't done - they announced a test run offering for Collectors Club members. (Photo from Breyer.)

It comes with two pieces and Club members can enter to be drawn for the pair. The cost for both is $1200. I don't have plans to enter for them as I am not fond of either mold even through Merrylegs is a vintage Chris Hess mold. (Photo from Breyer.)

Finally, I wrapped up the day by finishing a second cloak.

Made from green wood, it is tied with black silk ribbons. (The cloak has not yet had its final ironing.)

The hood is lined with white silk - a first for me. Like wool, silk is very expensive. It is also tricky to work with - it's hard to iron, it's slippery and slides as you stitch, and it frays easily. But it is very authentic to the 18th century so when one of my favorite fabric suppliers had some silk on sale, I bought two yards to experiment with. I love the end result; it was worth the difficulties I had in lining the hood.

I got another cloak cut out after I finished the green one. This one is hip length (the green and blue cloaks are knee length) and is made from a gray wool. It too will have a silk-lined hood. Today's plan is to work on that before we head down to Indy where we volunteer a couple of times a month. (And check the herd, too, of course.)

It's going to be another busy day, but it's going to be a good one, too. I hope yours is as well.

Some Surprises with Vintage Club Scorpion

It took a while, but at last my Vintage Club Scorpion has arrived. (The "Label Created" tag was on him for almost a week before finally it showed that he was moving through the system.)

I like the new box very much - it has clean lines and a simplicity that appeals to me.

When Heath began arriving a few weeks ago, there was a lot of chatter on social media about his protective wrapping. Breyer had used the honeycomb paper that we'd first seen at BreyerFest, but unfortunately it had not been opened and "fluffed" when packing, so collectors' Heaths were shipped in what was essentially only a few layers of wrapping paper.

My Scorpion arrived wrapped just as Heath had been.

 A very, very tight paper "cone of shame" was wrapped around his head. It was wrapped so tightly that I had to cut it to remove it. I had some pretty big concerns at this point as to how my new model had fared during his journey to me.

Fortunately, he was okay. Scorpion has a very heavy coat of gloss, heavier than any I've seen for a while, and that may have helped keep him from being damaged in transit.

 

There is a bit of extra plastic on his near eartip but that really doesn't bother me.

Doesn't Scorpion's forehead marking look like the one on Two Socks' forehead?

I'd name him Two Socks after her except he only has one. (But then, Two Socks actually has three, so...)

I really like the color of his mane and tail. Abby's (if it weren't mostly chewed off by Hokey) is the same color.

There were two things I found really interesting, though, changes that Breyer has made to Vintage Club pieces.

First, the belly stamp does not include a tiny horse that is actually among the offerings for the year. Every year that has been a hint as to what one of the Vintage Clubs's offerings was going to be.

The entire stamp has been redone.

Here is the 2016 stamp with the Western Prancer on it and the word "Breyer" as an identifier.

And the 2019 stamp which has the Pacer and Breyer's name on it.

The other change? The numbering. I've circled Scorpion's number up in the left hand top side of his box.

Usually Breyer's model have a four digit number (occasionally more) but Scorpion's number contains two letters and two hyphens. A double check on my order confirms that that is his number. Identify Your Breyer has not yet added him to their database, but The Breyer Value Guide also has this new numbering listed as Scorpion's number.

I then began to wonder if the regular run releases had had a change in numbering, but those that I checked did not. I'm not a member of the Premier or the Stablemate Clubs but it will be interesting to see if their numbering has been changed.

I have a really busy day today, but if I get time, I want to photograph the belly stamps of my Vintage Club pieces. I've been a member since the first year of the club, so I have a sample of each. I am wondering if I will find other changes as I go from year to year.

As for the numbering, I think this is the first change among the Vintage Club pieces, and if I have any extra time, I will check that, too.

Stay 'tooned!

 

Brighty Spots!

February may be the shortest month when it comes to days, but it can feel like the longest month as it drags on and on. It is finally waning (a brighty spot in and of itself) and between the February blues and the loss of Pepper's sister, Paige, I decided that looking at the brighty spots in my life would do me some good. Here are a few that made me smile; I hope they do you, too.

Brighty Spot 1 -  JC and Jaycie got engaged!

Yes, you read that right, they do have the same first name. They call themselves "JC Squared."

They are both students at BYU Idaho and what started as friendship has turned into something much deeper.

She is standing in a heart shaped ring of tea lights and hanging on a line behind them are some of JC's favorite photos of them together.

Sarah and Todd are over the moon and our entire family is looking forward to gathering in Utah later this summer for the wedding. 

Brighty Spot 2 - Abby in the sun!

Sunshine and warmer temperatures have made the snow melt.

Which meant that Abby's mud spa was open for business!

And she took full advantage of it. (That may not be a brighty spot for me, but it sure is for her!)

Brighty Spot 3 - Titan is Recording Again

Two weeks ago Titan was back in the studio working on another project. (He's at the bottom right.)

I don't know anything about the song they are recording, but I look forward to listening to it when it is released.

Brighty Spot 4 - It's Cambria's Turn in the Recording Studio!

This is a HUGE brighty spot for Cambria. Jessica got a call from the composer who has been using Titan in the songs she has been recording ( Born to Bring us Joy, Small and Simple Faith are two of them) and this time she wanted Cambria!

Not only will she be singing, she has a solo. Cambria is so excited to have been invited to be a soloist. Wish her well Tuesday afternoon!

Brighty Spot 5 - Leslie's Book Signing

Yesterday I attended the book signing for a new book about Fort Ouiatenon, home of The Feast of the Hunters' Moon.

There are three lead authors who directed the project plus contributing authors like Leslie who wrote a chapter or two.

Leslie and the other authors.

Super proud of you, Leslie! And I can't wait to dive into your book!

(Brighty spot 5A - my jeans are hanging off me. I've lost a little weight and it is starting to show. Yasss!!)

Brighty Spot 6 - Random things that made me smile.

Playing games with family members on the weekend.

With some teasing from Lisa - I keep my cards straight and neat, and she loves to do just the opposite to make me laugh. (Works every time!)

Brave spring flowers responding to the late February warmth.

Flowers have been pushing up all over in the stepping stone garden but it was not to last.

Saturday morning we had a minor snowfall.

and the stepping stone garden's flowers had a light blanket of snow. Hopefully they will be okay.

Working on a project to help a new live show out. I love to sew and when I can combine sewing and the model horse hobby, I am all in. Thirty mini haversacks done, thirty more to make.

I'm feeling a little "brighty-er" now; sure hope you are, too!