Spotted Dreams Fun Week

Let's do something fun! This blog has been too serious lately, so let's shake it up! This week is the most exciting of the year for the model horse world. BreyerFest!! So much fun. Even for those who don't collect OF Plastic, BF is an energetic meeting for all pony lovers. Sadly, I will not be attending live this year, (maybe next year!), but I will be there virtually. FOMO is really kicking in, so I thought, why not do a fun day week on the blog? Since most people are very busy this week, it will be held next week. The week after BF is one of the saddest (for virtual people there aren't even new ponies to play with!), so the blog bash will be something to look forward to.

What will be included, you ask?

Well, fun, model horse nerdy things of course. :D There will be a flash fun photo shows, a Q&A (through comments and a pre-written list), a model horse meme/joke contest, model horse guessing riddles, breed quizzes, name one of my models, and daily challenges. No physical prizes for this year (possibly in the future if this goes well!) but digital ones will be available for select contests.

Full schedule below (all times are EST). Please note that I may change the schedule as I see fit and the times are approximate estimates. I am only human and may be a little late or early depending on the day. Some activities depend on participation, so they may be omitted if no one shows interest (let's prevent that from happening!).

Monday, July 17 2023:

• Daily Challenge ~ 7am
• Flash Fun Photo Show "Your Least Favorite Herd Member".  ~ 11:30am
• Breed Quiz #1 ~ 3pm

Tuesday, July 18, 2023:

• Daily Challenge ~ 7am
• Model Horse Meme/Joke Contest ~ 11:30am
• Results of Breed Quiz #1 ~ 3pm
• Breed Quiz #2 ~ 3pm
• Results from Monday's Flash Fun Photo Show ~ 3pm

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

• Daily Challenge ~ 7am
• Model Horse Riddle #1 ~ 11:30am
• Name my Model ~ 3pm
• Results from Model Horse Meme/Joke Contest ~ 3pm
• Results of Breed Quiz #2 ~ 3pm

Thursday, July 20, 2023

• Daily Challenge ~ 7am
• Questions Received for Friday's Q&A ~ 11:30am
• Flash Fun Photo Show "AFV Video in the Making" ~ 11:30am
• Results of Model Horse Riddle #1 ~ 3pm

Friday, July 21, 2023

• Daily Challenge ~ 7am
• Q&A ~ 11:30am
• Model Horse Riddle #2 ~ 3pm
• Results of Thursday's Photo Show ~ 3pm

Saturday, July 22, 2023

• Daily Challenge ~ 7am
• Results of Wednesday's Name My Model ~ 7am
• Results of Model Horse Riddle #2 ~ 11:30am
• Awarding Certificates To Winners ~ 3pm
• Summing Up the Week ~ 3pm

Explanation of Events:

Daily Challenges are not judged. They are a challenge issued to you as a hobbyist to do something out of your typical comfort zone each day. It can be anything from "learn how to paint chestnuts" to "thank your hobby mentor".

Flash Fun Photo Shows are creative photo shows that run from their announcement (11:30am on applicable days) to midnight of that same day. Entries can be emailed to me or linked in the comments (like a google file). One entry consisting of one photo per contestant. Entries will be judged by what I like best.

Breed Quizzes are a set of three questions about a specific breed. They can be obscure or common. Give your answers in the comments. This is all about speed, as the first person to comment with the correct answers wins. You may "Google" the answers. Speed, speed, speed!

An example (with answers in parenthesis) would be:

1. Where does the Kaimanawa horse originate?   (New Zealand)
2. How many were known to exist on the range in 1979?   (174)
   
3. In what year did the government in their native country step in to help protect them?   (1982)

Model Horse Meme/Joke Contest  is a silly one. Make a model horse meme or joke and share it with me. Jokes may be written in the comments, and memes may be emailed to me or linked in the comments. Please, only family friendly memes and jokes in good taste. Memes and jokes must be your own.

Model Horse Riddles are similar to breed quizzes. There will be a set of three clues that will guide you to a specific Breyer mold. Once you think you know it, comment your answer! First person to guess correctly wins.

Name My Model is a comment voting to decide the name of one of my models. There will be a list of options to choose from, and readers may vote for their favorite in the comments.

Questions Received for Q&A and Q&A are sort of a matched set. You will have 24hrs from Thursday at 11:30am to Friday at 11:30am to post any questions you have for me in the comments of Thursday's post. I will answer them on Friday. I will also answer some questions from a pre-written list I printed from Chestnut Ridge.

Awarding Certificates for Winners will be when I release the printable awards onto the blog for the winners. I won't be emailing them individually, so you will have to save them directly from the blog this time. No physical awards for anything! Just digital ones. :)

Summing Up is when I will go back over the highlights of the week and decide whether or not this will be a yearly thing. :)

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS: DURING THIS FUN WEEK, ANYTHING YOU COMMENT, EMAIL ME, OR LINK TO CAN BE USED ON THE BLOG. BY ENTERING YOUR PHOTOS, MEMES, JOKES, ETC IN CONTESTS, YOU ARE GIVING ME CONSENT TO USE THEM HERE. I WILL CREDIT EVERYTHING USED TO ITS ORGINAL OWNER.

ALSO NOTE: IF YOU COMMENT AS ANONYMOUS, I CANNOT TELL WHO YOU ARE IN ORDER TO ANNOUNCE WINNERS. IF YOU ARE GOING TO COMMENT AS ANONYMOUS, PLEASE LEAVE A HANDLE IN THE COMMENT, LIKE,

"BLAH BLAH BLAH - AR" THEN I WILL USE WHATEVER YOU CALL YOURSELF IN THE COMMENT. THIS CAN BE A NAME, INITIAL, NICKNAME, STUDIO/STABLE NAME, WHATEVER. THANK YOU! 💗

Feel free to ask any and all questions in the comments and I will answer them. :)

Please share the news! The more people we can include, the more likely this will happen again! Feel free to use the banner at the top of the post and put it on your social media and share it with your friends! Thank you, and happy BF week!

My 2023 Diorama Entry

I wasn't originally going to post about this, but after all the time I spent on it, I feel like it should get at least some blog mention. 😂

I entered this year's virtual diorama entry. The theme was, "Driving Through History". It took me all of 30 seconds to pick a "moment in history". World War I horse-drawn ambulance!! They aren't as well known as other war time vehicles, simply because of how shortly they were in use. Below is a copy of what I wrote to Breyer as a historical reference.

The horse-drawn ambulance was used in World War I. They were used most heavily in the first two years of the war (1914-1915) before the motor ambulance was available. Their usage slowed down in 1916-1920, where they were mainly used to access areas that were impassable to motor vehicles. Any horse that knew how to pull was eligible to be deemed "needed" by the army. This resulted in motley teams, ranging from horses used to pull circus caravans to horses trained to take farm children to school. The earliest ambulances were sometimes built from the remains of farm wagons. English horse-drawn ambulances typically said "English Ambulance" while the American type usually displayed a white circle with red cross. Any ambulance bearing this symbol helped soldiers of both sides. Photographs of real horse-drawn ambulances can be viewed at this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/V7TgPmTsDHLLRF4P8 .

I started this diorama the day the contest was announced on the BF blog (March 1) and finished it the day that the entries were due (June 23). For those who are bad at math (like me) that is exactly 115 days. The entire process was 2 steps forward, one step back. The top of the wagon (the "canvas") is made from a plain blue shop towel, painted and stiffened. The red cross picture on the side is also made from a blue shop towel. Moral of the story: Never underestimate what your supplies can do. The wagon base and harnesses (not the bridles/reins) came from a TSC gift set I got for the SM scale props when it was 50% off after Christmas. The flag is a shop towel on a toothpick. The driver is hand crafted (the rules require him to be either handmade or Breyer-made) from all sorts of doll parts and polymer clay connections. The bridles and reins are. . . bad. Really bad. I am ashamed to say that I, ummm, forgot about that bit entirely, until I picked it up to take it outside for photos. I had it halfway to the door, before looking down and realizing my mistake. It was 2hrs to the deadline, and I hadn't even composed my email yet, so I just made some (unbaked) polymer clay strips and connected it.

The base was one of the biggest challenges. I re-did it four times before I declared it finished. I could have kept at it forever. The base base is a square of plexiglass. The next layer is blue shop towels painted brown. The next layer is a smeared dirt and glue mix. I rolled the wagon over and over, wearing ruts in the "mud" and dirtying up the wheels. I shaped some little mounds, and glued down some moss that I peeled off the trees in my woods (thank you, faithful crab apple!). The cross grave marker is sculpted (shoddily) from polymer clay and weathered in acrylic paint.

The horses are Breyer RR SMs. The pinto is from the Pintos and Palominos gift set and the appy is an old blister card RR. I filthy-ed up their lower legs with watered down mud. 

The title of the diorama is "Hoof-beats of Help". The short description, required by Breyer, is:

In this scene, a horse-drawn ambulance carrying wounded men rattles down a dusty road. They are heading for a first aid tent located about nine miles from the battleground. Grave markers litter the trail. Both horses focus on their path, pulling courageously through the dust and hate that surrounds them. The spotted one was a circus mare, pulled into service by the desperate need for trained horses. The pinto was a rural minister's trusty mount. He had trained her to pull when she was young, not knowing that the same training would be why she would be taken from him.

I really enjoyed this year's theme. I loved the creative freedom it allowed. Best of luck to all who entered! May the driving-est entry win. :)

Flash Fun Photo Show Entries (Best Friends Come in All Shapes and Sizes)

Entries closed last night, so I guess that means it's time for me to post the photos! I will decide on the winner tomorrow, but I'll post the gallery today.

AJ entered four photos:

"Rescued by Rover"   AJ says: Mouse, a senior Percheron mare enjoys a cuddle with her buddy Austin in the snow. Mouse was rescued from a neglect case and was withdrawn from humans until the friendly Austin taught her trust again. They are now the best of friends and will live out their days together. 

"Guidance"  AJ says: Willow, a warmblood mare helps guide her blind pony friend, Magic. Willow was orphaned when she was just hours old, and was raised alongside Magic to provide her with company and teach her manners. As time went on Magic began to develop cataracts, eventually going blind. One day, their owner noticed the Willow seemed to be helping Magic find her way around the paddock. They continue this act of trust to this day. 

"Romeo and Starlet"  AJ says: Romeo and his mare Starlet share a sweet moment. The Morgan and Appaloosa pair are very bonded and with any luck will have a foal by next spring. Starlet has been a great mom in the past and their owner can't wait for her foal! 

"Spring Snow"  AJ says: Two young foals, Ember (the bay) and Phoenix (the chestnut) try out their new legs. Both were born only a few weeks ago, the first foals of the season at this farm. Ember and Phoenix were bred with great expectations in mind, perhaps one day becoming high level show horses. But for now they are content to play chase and kick up their heels as they explore the world.

Lynn (HorsieMama) entered one:

"Mighty Mouse"  Lynn says:  Mighty Mouse (named after the REAL Superhero, Mighty Mouse) joins the herd at Windsong Stables. Originally skeptical of his so-called superpowers, Grandie becomes a believer after a brief demonstration and soon a fast friendship blooms between the two. Could Grandie become Mighty Mouse's equine version of Polly Pureheart? Tune in Friday at 7!

 

(Reference of the "real" Mighty Mouse, submitted by Lynn)

Em entered two photos:

Em says: What’s a better friendship than a girl and her pony?

Em says: Cats! Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they aren’t much help when it comes to redecorating.

NancyK entered one:

NancyK says: What better friendship bond than between mother and daughter?

Equiden entered four:

Equiden says: The gargantuan beast looks over her newly found friend, keeping it from danger. It is in her blood, after all, to be a guardian.

*Description pending, will be updated later*

*Description pending, will be updated later*

Equiden says: Playing hide-and-seek ;)

What a great turn-out! You've made judging really hard for me lol! I'll try to have the "results" in by tomorrow or the next day. :)

I want to give a big thank you to everyone who helped to spread the word! I know three of you by name:

Thank you to Equiden, for sharing on Discord!

Thank you to HorsieMama, for re-posting it on her blog!

Thank you to AC, for posting it in the comments of Braymere's blog!

If you helped to spread the word, but I somehow missed you, please lmk! You can post a comment and I will be sure to catch it and add you to the list. :)

Flash Fun Photo Show! 2/23/23 - 2/27/23

I've been wanting to host one of these since I opened the blog, but the Breyer news was pelting so rapidly this winter that I hadn't had a chance.

The title says it, I am hosting a ONE CLASS FUN SHOW from right now through midnight EST on the 27th.

The theme/prompt for the class is "Best Friends Come in All Shapes and Sizes". I know it is an old, worn-out theme, but I want some entries and I'm hoping a generic theme will bring that in.

No entry limit! Enter as many times as you wish. No physical prizes or ribbons, however, the winner will receive a digital certificate. This is kind of a test show, to see how many entries I can get. If it goes well, I'm hoping to host more (maybe even with prizes) over the summer.

Since this is a super informal, unconventional, ridiculously relaxed show, I will just be using the "judges choice" style of judging. I do not care about your model's anatomy, color, or biomechanics. I do not care if the backdrop is a stunning diorama or if it is a messy kitchen table. I do not care if your model has more scratches and rubs than he has paint. I don't even really care about the quality and clarity of the photo. 1st place goes to the photo I personally like best.

Please remember, my blog is youth friendly. No vulgarity, foul language, or otherwise tasteless entries. Thank you.

You are welcome to add a paragraph (or more/less) explaining your entry when you enter. It will help me make my decisions.

All entries (in good taste) will be posted to my blog (unless the owner wishes to keep it private).

You can enter by emailing me your images (no videos) to SpottedDreamsStudio.mail.com. I will answer every email, so if I don't get back to you in 24hrs, email again. I probably didn't get it. Please include a title for your entry, as well as the name you would like me to use for you when I post your entry on the blog. Initials are perfectly fine. :)

Please share this post with your friends, on your blogs, on your social media, anywhere you can! Remember, the more entries I get for this "test run", the more photo shows I will host. 🙂

I'm so so excited to see what you have! Please don't hold back, I want to see all of them!

Glossy Nikko

 In my BF Haul post, I made a vague reference to another model I had received. It was a glossy Nikolas. I am thrilled with him! He is perfection, 100% flawless. I won him in the costume contest. He is a run of 60 pieces, so the rarest Breyer in my collection. 😁

SDS Fox of Nine Tails (Glossy Buckskin German Riding Pony Stallion)