Posts

Model Horse Questions: Do You Like Tack and Do You Make Any?

Image
 Hello, blogging world! Long time, no see! Real life has been hectic, so not much time has been left for too many hobbies, the model horse hobby included.  This question actually gives me a bit of anxiety, or should I say, the thought of attempting to *make* tack or even put it correctly on a model horse is intimidating. Along with lack of skill (and acute fear of failure, haha...), is the lack of funds... Realistic miniature tack is usually as pricey as the real thing!  Despite not currently having a lot of tack in my miniature stable, my friend, fellow blogger, and favorite hobby enabler, Afuze, was kind enough to offer some of her handmade bridles and halters in various trades.  To make a long story short, I DO like tack, it just has to be made by someone else, at least until I get myself in gear and try to make something besides a basic halter.  Below are a few examples of my attempts starting from over 10 years ago!  Many are Schleich pieces, as that is what I mainly focused on pr
Post a Comment
Read more

Model Horse Questions: What Makes You Choose A New Model Into Your Collection?

Image
A fellow collector of miniatures, long time blogger, and very good friend of mine, who goes under the username Afuze, came up with a series of 10 questions for me to answer regarding the model horse hobby. I listed 10 different questions upon the agreement she also answer mine in a series of various blog posts.  Shown below are some photos of my first collection; I certainly have scaled down my herd since then! This first one has changed in many ways over the years, as my interests and needs for my model horse collection have developed with me going on 18 years now!  To be honest, there are a few models that have been on my wishlist for some time,but have yet to be bought either due to my own indecisive nature or financial status.  The main thing I look for in a model now is if I can tack it up properly; a forelock or mane getting in the way is a no-no for me. Of course, there are exceptions...  Along with tacking up, is there a way, tack
Post a Comment
Read more

All Eyes on Me....? I Hope NOT!

Image
At some point or another, we all feel self conscious and/or get embarrassed. This concept especially applies to toy and model photography, needless to say.  From my experience, I have yet to get any negative reactions (to my face), but more looks of curiosity, confusion, and on occasion even some positive reactions!  For example, years ago I was setting up a model horse scene in my front yard and had a very friendly and kind young boy ask if I played with toys, which at my age at the time could be seen as a bit unusual. His father and I explained to him how I tried to set up miniature scenes to be realistic for taking pictures. That interaction made my day and encouraged me to be more open in some cases about my hobby.  Sisu was one of the only toys I had handy on an impromptu trip to the nearby city. Not too shabby for phone photos!  This photo was taken in a local park field years ago. This also was one of my first experiences with both public toy photography
Post a Comment
Read more

A Cherished Treasure

Image
With the holidays fast approaching, I thought that this post could be more appropriate than ever. Many toy hobbyists also enjoy the more "serious" side of collecting; by that, I mean the less durable and meant for older collector *models*. I am no exception; Breyer horses have been a passion of mine since I was around middle school age, and have continued into my adult hobby life.  Now, I don't like to play favorites, but there is one extremely special horse in my collection. This horse has a story behind it that (I think) could easily become a scene for a heartwarming holiday movie, haha.  The model in question, the exclusive Breyer Pegasus on the fan-favorite "Silver" mold, was a gift from my brother right before he went into the hospital for a major operation. (He came out just fine, thank goodness!) I had longed for this model for quite some time, but of course, although less expensive than on today's market, it was way out of my price range. My brother
Post a Comment
Read more

Fails and Flops... (Don't give up!)

Image
 Failure and mistakes are a part of life, learning is part of... blah, blah, blah.... Before I get to sound like a broken record, as we've probably all heard about this topic before, I want to say that it 's easier to say/write than it is to experience firsthand, as we all have done! I'm using one of my favorite hobbies, toy photography, as an example. (I obviously am far from a professional, but I'm only writing this and taking photos for fun)! Often it takes multiple photos of the same subject, even still life, to get at least just one we like! I say *often*, but not *always*.... What I mean is, the end result (s) at times don't turn out how we want, no matter how many shots we take! But that's actually the beauty of it! In the words of a famous bunny officer: " We all have limitations, we all make mistakes, which means, hey, glass half full, we all have a lot in common."  (Property of Disney, quoted from Zootopia).  These photos of a clear thrift st
Post a Comment
Read more

Salutations, Greetings, Hello! (An introduction).

Image
     I must admit, I have never even considered making a blog, let alone one about something like miniature photography! Now at 30 years of age, it appears to be happening!       A special shoutout goes to my friend and fellow miniature enthusiast, who goes by the username Afuze.       Obviously, my toy and miniature interests started at a young age. Some of my favorites were the figures like animal replicas and plushes. I honestly had never heard of toy photography until my early 20s, when I experimented with an old Nikon Coolpix. That Nikon actually is what started my interest in photography in general. My first "official" toy photo was taken indoors in a "Lil' Woodzeez" (a Target version of Calico Critters/Sylvanian Families), treehouse with a few figures from my childhood. They are depicted here building a sandcastle in a sandbox together.    Now the lighting in that house was terrible for one thing, haha... aaaand it was taken (I think), on my phone at the
Post a Comment
Read more