CCA returns, and the last of my Breyerfest models!

 Good news, everyone! I had a feeling something was going to happen today, and something did - the Collector Club Appreciation event returns! 

I actually ordered some merchandise this time since I haven't bought any pins lately. Hopefully I get a glossy Riptide this time! 

And in other news, my last Breyerfest models for this year finally arrived! (I waited a while to have them shipped here so I could combine them with other stuff) Behold, it's the matte Oseberg I got from the second chance sale: 

And my Uff Da:

And I was lucky enough to get both colors of Hygge:

I like how the pink one still has a dorsal stripe! 

And let's not forget the Mr. Shining Gun I ordered on Breyerfest morning:

Side note: I like his color, but the speckles in his paint job are so tiny they legit look like dust stuck in his finish, and I spent longer than I probably should have trying to rub them off. 

Lastly, here's the mini Spectre I got from a friend!  

Another view:

I love his little ghosts! So cute. 

So now I get to wait and see if I get a glossy Riptide with the CCA sale. Good luck to everyone ordering! I hope everyone gets what they're looking for! 

Drifter is now available for purchase, and more New Arrivals!

 Exciting news, Vintage Club members! The latest release, Drifter, is now available for purchase! 

He's nothing I need, but those colors are pretty. I hope everyone gets the color(s) they want! 

And in other news, we have more New Arrivals! Behold: 

The beautiful glossy Oseberg! I'm so happy I was able to get this one with my VIP ticket. The matte one should be much easier to acquire for a decent price on the secondary market later. He looks so great in gloss! A beautiful color for my favorite Traditional mold. And I was even able to squeeze him onto the shelves with my other Othello models! Not sure what I'm going to do if/when I find a matte one, but I'll worry about that later. 

Next is the underrated Midnattssol, who got kinda overlooked in the Oseberg/Wanderer/Litha craze. Another one that would have looked great in gloss! I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record here, but it's true. We needed one of the special runs to be glossy-only! I guess I'm Team Glossy after all. Anyway, Cosimo looks great in this color! I love his blue eye. Do we think Cosimo will be next year's Celebration Model? It would be great to see Carletto as the Celebration Horse, though unlikely since he's based in Europe. There is a blue roan Murgese stallion in Montana, though. Guess we'll find out in a few months! 

This isn't a Breyerfest model, but they had plenty of them in the Breyer store when I went through, so I snagged one. It's Fuego, this year's Halloween model! Dragons aren't really the first thing I think of when I think about Halloween, but I suppose bats and ghosts are pretty played out at this point. And since longboi is long, you can fit some pretty big dragons on him! Very nice. Ooh, and when they do a blind bag Stablemate version of this guy in a few years, they can use Darley, since he's basically the Stablemate longboi! Winners all around. 

That's it for today! Check back later for more New Arrivals! And hopefully they'll get around to announcing the Scandi Surprise run numbers one of these days...

Breyerfest sale and special run splits!

 Exciting news today, readers! The Breyerfest warehouse sale is happening now! 

There's nothing terribly interesting in the sale, and some of it is sold out already, but if you happen to have some money burning a hole in your pocket, knock yourself out. 

In other exciting news, Breyer decided to announce the Breyerfest special run splits ahead of time! Ticket sales must be down. And I'm not sure it's the first time they've done it, because I remember them announcing the splits in 2020 when we were all filling out preference lists for the first time.  Anyways, as many people suspected due to the "glossy" wording (later removed) in his initial announcement, Oseburg will be a matte/glossy split! 

Mmm, he looks great in gloss. Hope I can get one! 

Next, there's a tail variation on Aquavit! This will also be a 50/50 split: 

Many people were expecting a bell tail to eventually show up, so it's not that much of a surprise! Cool-looking, but still nothing I need. 

And lastly, Litha has a rare variation! 

Oooooooh, I really want this one! I love the colors. 30% of the 2200-piece run will be in this color, so that works out to 660 models. Decent odds of getting one, I guess? Maybe I need to buy some more tickets...

Oseburg, and the Lisboa selections!

 Good news, readers! We got a reveal for the teaser from last Friday, and what a reveal it is! Meet Oseburg: 

Oh boy, a new Othello! The conga demands he join. Now I'm thinking about getting a VIP ticket just for this one...but that depends on what the last two reveals are, I guess. 

From the blog: 

The Oseberg ship burial is one of only a few of these types of burial mounds uncovered from the middle ages. Buried originally around 834 and excavated during 1904 and 1905, it’s been researched heavily in the last 120 years. This burial mound contained extensive quantities of grave goods, including four sleighs, a cart, bedposts, chests, household goods, and tools.  It also contained the remains of 14 horses, an ox, and three dogs, all alongside the remains of two very richly-dressed women of stature and tucked inside the hull of a 70-foot-long longship. This archaeological masterpiece has been an incredible glimpse into the past, and one of the few instances of textiles to be recovered from the period.

He certainly matches the color of aged wood! I love him. I like the little snip on his nose, too. There's supposed to be another Breyerfest reveal tomorrow - I'm guessing it's another Limited Edition. I hope it's something exciting! 

In other news, the Lisboa selections went out today, and I was lucky enough to be drawn on my main account! Surprisingly, the $10 coupon I got for the Black Friday debacle worked on him. Which was good, because the shipping to NZ was $65. Might have to just send all my upcoming purchases to a US address and collect them later, because whew, that's a lot. Now I get to see how long it takes for him to get here! 

The first batch of auction models!

Exciting news today, readers - the first batch of auction model photos has been posted on the blog! Behold:

Be still, my heart. I’m sure this one will be out of my price range, but it’s nice to dream. I’m not planning on bidding on any auction models this year, anyway. 

Ooh, a handsome black splash (I think?) Wyatt! Nothing I need, though. 

Interesting color on this one, but still nothing I need. It kind of reminds me of the roan pinto Stagecoach Surprise, actually.

I’m pretty meh on this one, honestly, but I’ve never been a fan of True North. Needs more white, I think. Or a coat of gloss. This group is sadly lacking in the gloss department.

That’s it for this week - dare I hope we get more auction models this week? I wish they still did the one-model-per-day countdown, though - I feel like it helped build excitement way better. 

Finally, an update!

 Well, readers, it looks like we've reached the February doldrums again. Most of the Breyerfest reveals are over (other than the raffle and prize models, presumably), so there hasn't been a whole lot to post about...until today! I'll start with this year's first Vintage Club release, which was revealed today:

His name is Scorpion! What a handsome boy, although nothing I need. There was apparently a bit of a snafu right after he was released - some of the promotional copy was apparently not vetted well enough and called him a dunalino (I think) and said he would come with leg wraps. As far as I can tell, that wording has now been removed from the website. Still, uh, proofreading is a valuable skill, guys! Maybe give it a try sometime? 

Anyway, here's Scorpion's box! 

Wow, the model matches the picture on that box pretty well. 

In other exciting news, there's a new St. Patrick's Day plush! 

He's cute, and kinda reminds me of the plushie from Breyerfest 2020. Nothing I need, fortunately. 

In other, other news, my Heath came today! Woohoo! 

The sun wasn't quite down when I took the pics, but I didn't want to wait any longer to photograph him! He's a beauty. 

Definitely one of the best colors they've done on this mold - I'm excited to see what he looks like next to Saltire and Rainier. 

Of course, the big controversy surrounding this release (other than the release-day delay) has been the honeycomb paper he was wrapped in. For some reason, whoever wrapped these guys at the factory apparently forgot that you have to stretch out the honeycomb paper before you use it, so it'll, you know, protect the model. There's absolutely no protection if you don't use the paper properly - you might as well wrap it in Walmart bags or tissue paper. The technique can't be that hard, as it was used to good effect at last year's Breyerfest (though the glue on those paper bags needed to be stronger). So... what happened? While the Heaths were still packed in a plastic bag before the paper was wrapped around their heads and tails, many of them suffered rubs to the left ear due to the ear poking through the plastic bag and rubbing on the tightly-wrapped paper. When I opened my Heath, his ear had indeed poked through the bag, and while I think the ear does have a small rub, the paint on the edge of that ear is thinner than in other places, which effectively camouflages the rub and makes it hard to see unless you're looking from the right angle. 

So how do we fix this? Clearly whoever's packing the models needs to actually stretch out the honeycomb paper (for economics' sake, if nothing else; you use a lot more of it if you don't stretch it first), but they need to either use thicker bags on the models or wrap the heads less tightly (or go back to bubble wrap, but we're trying to be environmentally conscious, here). This issue has been pretty much all anyone can talk about for the last couple of days, so hopefully Breyer got the message. 

That's all I have for today! Presumably Breyerfest tickets will go up for sale tomorrow, since Breyer said it would be this week and well, it's Thursday and nothing yet. Hey, tomorrow is payday for me, too...but I also need to pay a visit to the KHP gift shop and see if they have the 2024 new releases yet, so I shouldn't get too crazy with the spending! 

Heath-anigans

 Well, after a bit of a delay, Heath came available for sale today! 

Barely a blip in the grand scheme of things, really - at least the sale still happened today. Last time there were technical issues, it took a little while for the sale to actually happen. Hopefully Breyer will get those glitches figured out at some point? It's only been 5.5 years since they switched to this new website...

But anyway. I'm excited to see my Heath! His mane and tail almost do look pearly in these promo photos. I'm looking forward to seeing him in person! It doesn't look like he's sold out yet (as of 7:48PM EST), so they must have made plenty of them (again). Still, Othello is a pretty popular mold, so I wouldn't suggest waiting too long before you order yours, if you want one. 

Grab yourself a Heath tomorrow!

 More good news, everyone! This year's first, hotly-anticipated Collector Club model, Heath, will be released tomorrow! 

Othello is pretty much my favorite mold, so I may be biased, but he sure is a pretty boy. I wonder if his mane/tail will be pearly? I'm kinda wishing he were glossy. 

Anyways, he'll go live at 1PM EST tomorrow, so be ready to buy if you want one! He'll cost $75 plus shipping (and taxes, bleh), which isn't too terrible of a price. I suspect he won't last overly long, since Othello is such a popular mold. Happy buying! 

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 Attention, readers: after a bit of a dry spell, I come bearing some hot, fresh news! Signups for the 2024 Collector Club are now open, and these reveals may just blow your mind! I know they did mine. Check out the first special run for next year, Heath! 

Well, I guess we'll get a lot of Collector Club signups for next year - let's hope they make enough of these guys to go around, because they're going to sell like hot cakes. But they've done a pretty good job of giving people a heads-up on this year's special runs, so we probably won't need to worry about that...probably. 

The real issue here is the Stablemate for the Deluxe Collector Club...

That's right - the Othello mold has been miniaturized! I've been afraid of this! I assume next time they use the mold will be as the runner-up prize in next year's Best Customs Contest or something equally unobtainable. He is pretty, though...darn it...I was really hoping they'd use a Stablemate I don't collect next year so I wouldn't have to join the club...well, I guess I'll have to join...

Anyways, at least I have plenty of time to join the club. I have to have both of these guys! 

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

 Happy Monday, readers! It's the start to another week of exciting Breyerfest reveals - and Breyer definitely started things off with a bang! Say hello to the last Traditional Limited Edition for Breyerfest! 

From the blog:

When you think of the Drum Horse breed, the first thought that usually comes to mind is a horse carrying a large set of drums in a parade. FVA’s Grand Design, known as Tilly in the barn, is breaking the mold and showing the world just how versatile the Drum Horse can be!  

A new Othello? Say no more! He's pretty much my favorite mold, and this is the first time we've seen him as a mare, so I gotta get one. This means I don't have to worry about him being the surprise (not that I was worried anyway), and I don't think we're likely to see a glossy version of him later - I think she'll sell well enough not to need the glossy treatment. Although I wouldn't say no to a glossy preorder option. I've seen some complaints that she looks too similar to the regular run SBH Phoenix, but honestly I don't think it'll be hard to differentiate between the two, especially with the white tail on this one. 

In other news, Flamingo winners were drawn today, and I was one of the lucky winners! I really didn't think I'd get drawn for her, so that was one order I was happy to complete as fast as I could. Can't wait to see her in person! Congrats to all the winners!  

Fall releases!

 Exciting news, everyone - Breyer's Fall Releases have been revealed! Say hello to Steele, this year's brick-and-mortar special run: 

Ooh, a new Wyatt! Nothing I need, fortunately. This is the brick-and-mortar release, which means dealers aren't allowed to sell it online. So...good luck finding one in the wild, I guess! I'm just glad I don't want it, so I don't have to scramble to try to find one somewhere that's somewhat local to me. 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of this next release...

A glossy rainbow Othello?! Be still, my heart...my almost-complete conga must remain almost-complete! Someone on Blab pointed out how they reversed the colors on him this time, and I really like it! What a beauty. I love the shade of purple, blue and red/pink they used. I've reserved one from the "somewhat" local dealer I found last year, so I should have one joining the herd sometime next month...or whenever they arrive from Breyer. No sign of my Thriller yet, by the by...but anyways. 

There's also a new series of Mini Whinnies blind bags! 

Interesting to note that these are all the "old" Mini Whinnies - none of the new molds from recent years are pictured here, unless this is an old picture? Not sure. 

And now for something (almost) completely different...a puzzle? 

I had to scrutinize the picture to make sure those were all releases we've seen so far, and I think they are - they all look familiar, anyway. I have to admit I'm not the biggest puzzle person, but I'm considering getting this. Hmm...maybe once Collector Club Appreciation time arrives and I'm looking to pad out my order? 

More auction models!

 Exciting news - more auction models were just posted on the blog! Let's take this from the top and start with the Othello! 

Ooh, an Othello! He's pretty much my favorite mold, so my heart sank a little when I saw this one. He reminds me of the auction Dundee from a couple years back. This one will go high, too. 

Ooh, another rainbow with gold mapping! This one looks incredible. I'd personally prefer silver mapping, but to each their own. Another one I'd love to own! 

Ooh, this one has a factory custom roached mane. Does this mean we'll get a RR or SR with roached mane in the future? I hope so. He's a beauty, too! 

I'm a little blah about this one - it's a beautiful color, with a lot of detail, but I feel like it's missing something. Maybe it should have been glossy? Who knows. 

A new zebra! Gasp! And such an electrifying (heh) color, too. It's been quite a while since Breyer used color-shift paint; maybe something new is on the horizon on that front? I hope so. 

And of course, our Saturday raffle, Bonheur. 

A point I forgot to make yesterday is that each new mold pictured here is another one knocked out of contention for the surprise model. I think it's probably safe to say the surprise won't be on the same mold as any of the auction models, since that hasn't happened since 2011 (when one of the rare surprises was in the auction). But I can't help but note that Desatado (and Forever Saige) haven't appeared in the auction yet...so hope is still alive! 

Featured Model - 1/23/21, Denim Othello

 Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model I don't own but would like to, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...the Denim Othello! 

This model was a OOAK produced as one of the centerpiece/giveaway models for the Lone Star Experience collector event in 2009. He was produced on the popular Wintersong/Othello mold sculpted by Kathleen Moody. 

This particular event was unique, in that the centerpiece models were all on different molds, making them all OOAK (one of a kind). Usually they're all the same mold, but Breyer must have decided to mix things up a little bit this time (much to our devastation). This particular model stands out because he looks kind of blah from a distance, but when you view the larger photo, you start to notice the details: he has eye whites, shading, he's glossy, his hooves are a different color than the rest of him, etc. His shoes may even be painted - it's hard to tell from that photo. And blue is my favorite color! Another one of those models I would LOOOOOVE to have in my collection - but I don't think I've ever seen any of these centerpiece models come up for sale since the event happened. Models to be jealous of, for sure. 

As for Othello, I think it's safe to say he's my favorite mold. I have most of his releases and whenever something limited comes out, I have to desperately hope it's not on Othello because then I'd have to figure out how to get one. So I was super-relieved when I was picked to volunteer at Breyerfest in 2018 and then he was the volunteer model! Those things aren't cheap either. So where will we see a new Othello? He was a Breyerfest special run last year, so he probably won't be used there for a while. My guess would be as a Collector Club special run, since he's been a web special twice (three times if you count his Christmas release). Maybe he'll be the second collector club special run this year? I guess we'll find out eventually...

New Arrivals: Oak, Ash and Glossy Red Roan Pinto Slainte Surprise

Well, it's been almost a month since Virtual Breyerfest ended, and since we haven't had any exciting new things to talk about in the last few days, I figured it was time to start talking about my Breyerfest purchases. Since we weren't there in person, I don't have as many extras to sell as I normally would have, but that's okay - less work is always a good thing. Anyway, let's get things started with Ash!



He is handsome, as all the Othellos are! He's chalky, and glossy, and a really nice dapple gray - so why doesn't he excite me as much as he should? Probably because Othello has been done in gray so many times before? Maybe if they'd given him black points and darker dapples, to portray a younger gray horse? I don't think he's been used in that shade of dapple gray before. Or a different color completely, because gray has kind of been his signature color? I don't know, maybe I'm asking for too much here. I guess he's only been done in glossy gray once before, and that one is hard to come by. This was also the only Ash I was able to get, and he has some kind of fingerprint or mark on his right flank that I'm a little irked by. Oh well.

Next, here's Oak!

Oak is also quite the looker! I was very pleased with this one, and I'm excited to see what colors they put on the mold in the future. Can you believe the price on that auction model? Oof. This guy didn't have any major flaws that I could see, so he's definitely a keeper in my book. I'm looking forward to putting him on the shelf next to Georg! (And yes, I did finally get my hands on a blue Christmas zebra! Huzzah!)

Lastly, here's the glossy red roan pinto Slainte Surprise!



Red roan is one of my favorite horse colors, so I was excited to see it used on the surprise models. And I love it when they paint roans so they look like they're made out of candy! Mmm, candy. I really should have guessed the surprise was Giselle from the beginning, especially when we got the clues on the live broadcast ("She," a popular mold, not used in a lot of colors previously), but I really wanted the surprise to be on a mold I didn't collect, for financial reasons. Well, hopefully I manage to guess it correctly next year!

That's all I have for today - check back later for more new arrivals! Also, I won't be doing my usual Breyerfest Closeups series this year, since everything was virtual and we didn't really get a lot of sneak peeks in the Collector Club "tent" this year anyway. Maybe next year!

Gotta collect 'em all!

Greetings, readers! The highly anticipated Friday reveal is finally here - observe!

Othello - my favorite mold! Gasp! And he's beautiful! Sheesh, and I thought it would be hard to get ahold of Oak. I think this guy is now the front-runner for most popular special run! We still have a few more reveals, though, so I have a feeling he may be usurped by something even more amazing.

This also knocks out Othello as the surprise model (not that I was nervous about that or anything...) and as something horrible like a live show prize or glossy prize. Woohoo! And since he's being advertised as glossy from the start, I doubt he'll turn out to be a half matte/half glossy release.

From the blog:

 Considered sacred and referenced often in Celtic mythology, figuring particularly prominently in the Celtic and North Germanic creation myths, ash trees are also part of a magical trilogy of trees associated with fairy lore. Ash trees were so revered in Ireland that even in times of strife, people refused to cut them down for firewood – except to be used in the sacred fired during Beltane celebrations in the spring.  Both Oak and Ash trees are closely related to kingship and considered sources of ancient wisdom. 

Apparently the third tree in the "tree trilogy" is the hawthorn. Interesting - I wonder if we'll get a third tree-themed special run? They used the Hawthorn name already with the woodgrain pig a while back, so I'm wondering why they didn't mention the third tree if they weren't going to use it for something. Maybe they'll spell it Hawthorne instead? I guess we'll find out. 

As for Ash himself, while the blog explained the meaning of his name, "Gotta catch 'em all!" was the first thing I thought of when I saw it. I guess that's what happens when you grow up in the '90s.

In other news, tomorrow (2/29) is the deadline for Breyerfest volunteer applications, so if you haven't gotten that done yet, make sure you get them submitted (and/or postmarked) by tomorrow! I did end up submitting an application after all, so I'm crossing my fingers I get picked! 

Featured Model - 12/21/2019, Puttin' on the Ritz

Hello and welcome to yet another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it! This week's model is...Puttin' on the Ritz!



This handsome guy was produced for the Velvet Rope Event back in 2008. He's item #712006 and was a run of 100 on the popular Othello mold sculpted by Kathleen Moody.

Puttin' on the Ritz is one of those models I thought I'd never own - the combination of a popular mold and his rarity (he's in the top 5 rarest editions, not counting auction models, that this mold has ever had) made it seem like he would be forever out of my reach - until I was able to negotiate a partial trade for my Mother Lode Lady Phase! He's one of my favorite Othello models, despite the unfortunate green tinge he (and many others) ended up with. I wish I could have gone to the Velvet Rope Event, but having this guy in my collection definitely helps make up for missing it!

As for Othello himself, his mold turned 20 years old this year! Well, the original porcelain did - he wasn't issued in plastic until 2007, so I guess the plastic mold still has a few years to go before it hits the big 2-0. Where will we see him next? Possibly at Breyerfest 2020? Hopefully not as a prize model if so. His last Breyerfest appearance was as the 2018 volunteer model, so I guess anything is possible. I wouldn't say no to seeing him in the special run line, though if any draft gets used, it'll probably be Georg. So maybe Othello will get a rest for a while! But I hope it's not for too long - I think it's safe to say he's my favorite mold.

Featured Model - 10/26/2019, Silverado

Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. This week's model is...Silverado!



This handsome guy was a Connoisseur model back in 2008. He's item #90143 on the popular Othello mold sculpted by Kathleen Moody.

Silverado is a beautiful model! One of the prettiest on the Othello mold, in my opinion. Whoever decided to produce him in silver bay definitely should have gotten a promotion for that. He has beautiful subtle dapples, and while he doesn't have any pinto areas, his blaze is still mapped. Excellent! He doesn't have the pearly mane and tail like many more modern silver bay releases, but he's totally fine without it. I feel like a coat of gloss would have been the icing on the cake, though...can you imagine? Of course, that would have driven collectors into a frenzy over him, so it's probably better that he isn't glossy.

As for Othello, where will we see him next? He was a web special in 2017, so we probably won't see him there soon. He was the volunteer model at last year's Breyerfest, and SBH Phoenix is ending his longtime run this year. Will we see glossy SBH Phoenix models at the end of the year for the Collector Club appreciation event? Sheesh, I hope not. He was last year's Christmas model, too. However, I could see him showing up in the Breyerfest special run line next year - I'm sure they could rope him into the Celtic theme pretty easily. That, or maybe he'll get another RR release - I'd be down with that too. Whatever they do, though, I hope they don't turn him into a Stablemate - he's hard enough to collect in his original size!

Featured Model - 6/22/2019, Glossy Fall

Hello and welcome to another edition of Featured Model, the weekly blog event where I pick a model from my collection, give some stats on it and provide commentary about it. In honor of our local draft horse show happening this weekend, this week's model is...Glossy Fall!

This model was part of Breyer's "Four Seasons" treasure hunt in 2010. Item #1417G, he's a regular run on the Othello mold sculpted by Kathleen Moody.

All of the colors in this treasure hunt were nice in matte, but Fall was the best glossy, with Spring a close runner-up. Whenever I see photos of him, I'm amazed at how nice they all look and how well they photograph. Although bay admittedly isn't my favorite horse color, this one was done really well. He has beautiful shading and almost mirror-like gloss. Definitely a winner!

Othello is one of Breyer's most popular molds, despite the fact that the sculpt is now so old it probably qualifies for Vintage status (he celebrates 20 years this year!). His most recent appearance was as the volunteer model Churchill at Breyerfest 2018. Where will he appear next? The prospect of him being the Breyerfest surprise model haunts my nightmares, but it doesn't seem likely; he's been used in almost every color, and I can almost guarantee fistfights in the special run line, at the Clarion, and anywhere else models are exchanged if he shows up. Such is his popularity! I hope Breyer stays well away...for my pocketbook's sake, if anything else. And don't shrink him down to Stablemate size, either! It's hard enough collecting the Traditional size version of him as it is!

My Santa Surprises are here!

After what seemed like ages, my three Santa Surprises are finally here! I was pleasantly surprised to see all three boxes stacked up outside my door today, because the one my husband bought hadn't been scheduled for delivery until tomorrow. I wanted to wait and open all three boxes at the same time, which would have meant an agonizing extra-day wait. Fortunately, that didn't need to happen!

So, here are my boxes!



What could be inside? Could there be an elusive Coal in there? Or the ultimate trifecta - all three colors in one shot? Let's open the boxes!



Well, there's no Coal, sadly...but surely I got an assortment of colors?



Nope - I got the dreaded blue trifecta. While blue is my favorite color, three is too many! So I'll be looking to trade for a yellow and green. I'm not going to lie, after I unwrapped the first one, I was hoping one or two of the others would be broken so I could exchange them and hopefully get different colors, but alas, they all survived the shipping process. Hopefully I can find some trades! They aren't too bad, quality-wise - the one I kept has maybe one small flaw (other than his crooked horn, which they all suffer from), and the other two had some dings here and there, but nothing major. I've seen a lot of them arriving broken on Facebook, though, so it should go without saying that these models should have had bigger boxes. Hopefully Breyer will learn from that mistake, but I doubt it.

It was fun ordering these, though - getting three of the same color has never happened to me before, but that's the risk you take. I wonder what they'll do for Christmas next year?