A new day, a new model and a surprise visitor

8:00am and I awoke to a little parcel outside my bedroom door. I knew what was in the box as I have only purchased one model in the last week.
I opened the box, pulled out my model and a whiff of soap filled my nose.

So I am pleased to show you my new model, smelling a little of soap, AAA White Poodle.

Isn't she sweet ?








I was outside taking photos of her with my rabbit, Midge, running around the garden.
After a few minutes, I heard Midge making a grunting noise. So I turned around to find her shaking her head. As I got closer, I could see something dark on her head. I put my hand closer and this "thing" jumped and landed with a audible thud on my nephew's plastic paddling pool.

 This is what had upset Midge.

This is the first grasshopper I have ever seen close up ! So I got a few pictures of it. Only taken on a camera with a small zoom so the pictures aren't great.

Don't you love surprises ?

I do !

A surprise can come in many shapes and forms. It could be meeting up with a friend by accident, you may have won a competition or a surprise could even be a hug.

Talking model animal surprises, there are so many !
It could be a new model coming out, getting a model for a lot cheaper than you thought, getting an extra model as a gift of a seller or even getting a model that was different than expected.

That happened with me a few weeks ago on eBay. I bid on a Tiger model with the Description " AAA Model, great for kids".

No mention of condition and the photo was a little dark. But being only £2, I decided to have a bid. A few days later and I was the only bidder.

A few days later, the door knocked and a parcel was handed to me. I racked my brains but couldn't think of what model it could be.

I opened the box and inside was this.

My tiger but bigger than expected !

The smaller tiger is just a few cms taller than the Schleich one so he really was a surprise !

He's got a few rubs but for £4.50, I'm not complaining :D

The C Word

No, not that C word !

Christmas

That's right, I said it. Christmas is just 118 days away !
Is it just me or does that seem too quick ? Where has the year gone ?

It only became apparent to me when my mum asked me this morning what I wanted for christmas. Well, I'm sure you can guess the answer I gave ;)

In fact, my mum has already bought me a few models for christmas, without my knowledge, but today decided to tell me to make sure that she had not bought me models which I already have (she didn't).

So in a few days time, I'll have some Schleich, Safari and Papo models on their way along with the new Breyer stablemates.

So, have you decided what models you want for christmas this year ? Do you buy them yourself ? Give a list to a family member ? Or direct them to a website ?

I have to buy my own because my mum thinks they all look the same, lol.
Even though I know what models I'm receiving, I can't wait to open them on christmas morning.

Lazy day

Today didn't go to plan.

I was suppose to go to a Agricultural show which I was very much looking forward to. But it was raining all day yesterday and this morning so we didn't go. There is another in a few weeks time.

So for the rest of the day I have blogging and trying to sort out my collection. I haven't been very successful yet as I can't seem to find my notes or information.

And now my rabbit, Milo, has started to sneeze again. Poor little thing has been on medication, which seemed to clear it up. I'll just have to keep a close eye on him. He is my handsome little lad who is in amazing shape, very muscly !

Equorum

The Equorum Model Horse Stud was created in 2008.

Equorums are movable models that are made of Latex. Their mane and tails are made of raw silk. Their legs, neck and Dock are movable. Each model is unique and is made to the customer's specifications.
Each model is collectible and should be treated as such as they can be delicate and are one of the more expensive models available to buy. 

My collection may only be small 24 ponies, 2 dogs and a cat, but they are all special to me.






My favourite Equorum is a Dapple Grey Connemara Stallion called Uylsses. I bought him already made.









One model that is very special to me is my Chestnut Skewbald Show Hunter Pony Mare, Rowan. She is a portrait of a horse that I met at a agricultural show.










And all made by one amazing person who I am very proud to call my friend. Helen Moore.

Brands

When you collect something as diverse as model animals, you come across a lot of different brands. Some you'll love, some you'll like and others you may not like. There's usually a brand to suit everyone's taste.

I collect different brands. To some people they may not be the best but I love them for what they are.

AAA, Breyer, Bullyland, CollectA, ELC, Equorum, Papo, Safari and Schleich. I also collect animals that just have Made in China stamped on them.

The best way to find out which brand you like best is to look at websites dedicated either to the brand or to model animals. You could also buy a few models and see what they are like but do not be deceived by the picture.

The stock photos of many brands, actually turned out to be different from the actual models. Some may be a different colour, pattern or finish.

My next few posts will be about the different brands I collect and a few examples of their models. Some of these brands are still available where as other may no longer be in production.

Why collect model animals ?

To some people, collecting comes naturally. They see an item, love it and want the rest of the line or similar to it.

I have always loved animals. We had a dog, then goldfish, a few hamsters and now the rabbits and guinea pigs. I've gone to college and got my Distinction  National Diploma in Animal Management, my NVQ level 1 in Small animal care and now I'm volunteering at the RSPCA (an animal rescue centre). My dream is to become a Veterinary Nurse and that may come true in the future. So animals was a no brainer for me.

Me, I've always been a collector. My first model animals I got when I was young. I played with them over the years and then put them away.

When I was about 10, I started collecting TY Beanies. I amassed around 600 of them and then grew bored of them. They just didn't bring me any joy any more. I'd get a new one, be grateful for it, spend time cataloging it and then add it to the shelf with the rest. That was it. I didn't play with them, didn't display them in imaginative ways, they just sat on the shelf in my bedroom.

Fast forward to 2007 when I discovered Breyer horses. I love horses so for me, it was easy to collect them. I wasn't picky which one I wanted, just wanted them all in good condition. And that's where the problem lay. I can't have them all, I'll never have them all and to think that was silly. There are thousands of Breyers. some are One of a Kind and others are just extremely limited. I still collect them but my mind set has changed.

2009 I came across Equorums. These cute models are made of Latex and have silk manes and tails. Each one is hand poured, painted and haired by one amazing person who I am very proud to call my friend.
With Equorums, you can't have them all because they are all unique. No two are the same.
You actually choose what breed you want and what colour ! So many doors opened because I could now pick what I wanted.
They can be pricey but when you get one in your hands and see the detail in everyone, it's well worth it !

Early 2010 and I started collecting model animals again. I had a few Schleich from my younger days, just a couple of cows and a rabbit or two, but now the collecting bug came back.

Some collectors want every last one of the brand. Others just collect their favourite animal. I tend to collect what I like and that is the most important thing when collecting something.
Collect what you like
Don't go crazy or bankrupt trying to get every last one because you may never achieve that goal. Some people have and I applaud them but some serious hard work and money went into that, it wasn't handed to them on a plate.

You have to be realistic. If you're torn between paying the bills and having a model which you really like, you have to take a step back and think. If you buy the model but don't pay the rent, then you and your models will have no where to live.
Collecting should be fun, not a chore.

Let's start with my collection

Before I start wittering about models, I thought I'd show you my collection, minus my Equorums as I can't find a picture.

It's not massive by certain standards but I'm happy with it. It tends to grow rapidly !



 These are my Breyer models with a few Schleich models on top. They have now been moved to a shelf of their own.

 

 My Horse and pony models. They can't all be seen as there are too many !

 My wild and zoo animals, well most of them.

 My farm animals, British wild life and a few other animals.










So that's my collection. A few more models have been added since these pictures were taken, about 10 days ago, so there will be more to post soon !

Seeing as it's my first post

I should introduce myself.

My name is Rhiannon (although I prefer Rio), I'm 19 and live in South Wales, UK.

I live with my family and my animals. I have 6 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs and 2 goldfish. My animals mean everything to me and I'll never be without one.

I started seriously collecting models about 3 years ago. I started with Breyer model horses, as I love horses, and then moved on to Equorum horses. In the past few months, my love for model animals was rekindled and so I started buying them.

I had many model animals when I was younger but sold most of them when I was 14. What a mistake that was !
But thanks to the internet, I've been able to reacquire these models, including a few more.

The brands that I collect are

Breyer, Equorum, Schleich, Safari, Bullyland, Papo, CollectA, AAA, ELC and a few models of various brands.

My goal with this blog is to provide an in site into my collection and what we collectors get out of our models.

So, read on to find out what really is inside the mind of this model animal collector