Breyer MidWest Haul

Two weeks ago I quietly went to Breyer MidWest, in Salina, Kansas.  I say “quietly”, because I didn’t tell anyone I was going, except for the friend I spent the weekend with.  I’ve been distancing myself from a lot of people and “the hobby” at large for a while now, but that’s another story. 

I didn’t enter the open show or the swap meet.  Instead, I went to hang out with my friend and just “be”.  I did sign up for three workshops.  

When the swap meet came around, I wasn’t sure if I’d buy anything, but, well… 

Those are my acquisitions from the swap meet and the workshops.  

A handful of stablemates:

A handful of small resins:

Then there's this guy, he was laying in a tote with a "Free" sticker on his side.  I offered him a home and joked that I'll give him a peg leg.  They said, "maybe an eye patch?" and then I think his future was decided.

Before the swap meet, I'd mentioned to my friend that I'd like to maybe find a "Thunder" (Denver Broncos mascot Breyer) someday, because I thought a "white" (light grey) Asquar would be nice for tack and costume making.  

Then I saw this guy on a swap meet table:

Not Thunder...

However, he's the same color I was thinking of, and I couldn't say no to the price!

That was it for the swap meet. 

Though I did bring more horses home.

Here are my three horses from the workshops I took:
Introduction to Customizing with Tiffany Purdy,
Painting Flashy Appaloosas with Teddy Bates,
and Pasteling Duns with Stephanie Blaylock.

The drive home was long and I stopped for a while to walk around a couple of stores, just to have a break from the road.  One store was Runnings.  They are similar to a Farm Fleet or Tractor Supply type of place.  I peeked at their large selection of Breyers and Schleichs and immediately spotted this little foal staring boldly at me:

Is that?

Yes, the price tag said "Marwari foal".  How cool!

Next to him, I saw the "Marwari Mare" and was lukewarm about her initially.  I just didn't think she had the pizazz of the foal, haha. 

Then I saw the stallion, on a different shelf.  He was cool!  

I knew I wanted the foal, and the stallion, but I didn't want to break up the family, so you already know where this is going...

(and, by the way, the mare has grown on me)

I had also wandered through the horse tack aisle to see if there was any inspiration there.  There was, and also I made my first real horse tack for model horse reference purchase.  

This set of gaming reins was on clearance for $10: 

Then there was this set, which was only a few dollars more and I liked the colors:

Why gaming reins? 

Well, you see, I have a PILE of braided things here in the studio at the moment, and - aside from lead ropes - future gaming reins are the most numerous thing here.  I've been out of the studio way more than in it over the last few months and braiding is a good portable project, so...

Some of the ropes and reins I've braided over the past few months

Overall the trip to Kansas was a good one, despite my very mixed feelings about a lot of things ahead of time.  I'm glad I went and glad I decided to add a couple handfuls of horses, and reins, to my studio.