It was a couple of hours before I got a chance to see the “Festive Filigree” Blind Bag Stablemates, and I was genuinely surprised that they were still available when I looked.
I took a deep breath… and decided to take a pass. I went shopping for cactus seeds instead: I saw my first snowflakes of the season yesterday and my thoughts immediately turned to hot weather and growing things. While I’m planning on a Victorian-themed flower garden next year, I think cactus will be my primary winter growing project. I haven’t tried them before, and I am up for a challenge.
When I came back from my desert-plant shopping sojourn (lithops are adorable!), the Blind Bags were sold out, much to my relief.
It’s bad enough I still have other several other Stablemates to catch up on, including (apparently) another series of Walmart Unicorns that includes a shrunken Prince Charming resin as the Chase Piece. I haven’t even finished documenting most of this year’s(!) arrivals yet.
But I decided to jump off this crazy train of year-end specials (and Stablemates in particular) because, paperwork aside, I am depressingly familiar with this routine by now.
In a few weeks/months, I should be able to secure one of the less desirable ones – which look to be the Red Florentine Smart Chic Olena and/or the Green Florentine Croi Damsha – for not much more than the original asking price.
The others (Brishen and the Lipizzan) will remain pricey for several months, even after everyone who desperately needs them all has either acquired them, or has decided to move on to something else. Then their prices will drift back down to Earth, albeit more gradually because many sellers don’t want to be the first to “undersell” their investment.
(Heck, I’m just happy if I get my money back!)
Funny thing was that earlier in the week, I had been thinking that it had been a bit since Reeves sprung some “Christmas Decorators” on us. I was hoping that it included Matte Red and Green Wedgwood horses instead of the Gold Florentine and Silver Filigree that have become their other default Christmassy colors, but that was not my call to make.
Since the Collector’s Club Appreciation Sale was gotten out of the way early, only other holiday offer that I am looking forward to at this point is the Holiday Animal (crossing fingers for that Silver Charm Elk! A Kitten or one of the Dogs would also be acceptable.)
I’m moderately curious about the Christmas Day Special, but unless they figure out a way to keep one buyer from getting two of the Coal models (Which has happened twice, in two years? Not a good look, guys.) or do away with that concept entirely, I’m definitely dialing down my enthusiasm.
9 comments:
I am SO GLAD I found your Blog all these years ago! You have helped to keep me grounded! I was a "Gotta' have 'em all!" collector for a long time and have slowly come to realize that that isn't going to happen any more - and I'm sorta' okay with it now. I really wanted to buy 4 of the SM Christmas horses, but settled for 2 and was rather happy to see them sell out before temptation hit again. Will just wait until folks move on to the next Flavor of the Month and I can purchase them at a reasonable price. Breyer is laying it on thick lately and there is just no way to maintain a complete collection AND my sanity!
As one who collects deer and buffalo, I have to ask: What do you mean, "that Silver Charm Elk!" ??
Issue
or Dream?
(either is acceptable)
I adore Lithops! I can't seem to avoid over-watering the little guys...I've given up on them, but I'd love to hear how you do. I've kept succulents for the past 20 years, but I've never grown them from seed. Cactus seedlings look adorable!
Another non-completist collector here. I am focusing on acquiring each of the models sculpted by Hess, instead of worrying about a selection of colors for an individual statue. Thanks to this new direction, I'm appreciating horses I didn't even consider before. Plus I guess I'm approaching the little kid fantasy of owning every horse in the 1980 Collector's Manual.
I've never been able to be a completist due to monetary and space restrictions. Way back in the early days of the internet, on some probably long-gone model horse chat group, I remember that a few younger collectors were bitterly complaining about "How can I keep buying All The Breyers if Breyer keeps releasing SO MANY?!" and a longtime friend posted a very wise statement:
"Buy what you like. In other words, buy what YOU like. In other other words, buy what you LIKE."
That statement has been my collecting mantra ever since.
A Silver Charm Elk has been a long-time fantasy/proposal of mine. Along with a Glow-in-the-Dark Vampire Kitten (the Traditional mold, none of this Companion Animal nonsense!), a Wedgewood Blue Polled Hereford Bull, and a 1980's-style lemon-yellow Palomino Traditional Man o' War.
Oh, I would ADORE a glow-in-the-dark vampire kitten! He could have a little cape and a hat or something........that would be awesome! I hope the powers-that-be will take notice! And what a "purrfect" Halloween release he would make!
I like the idea of a 1980's style lemon yellow palomino traditional Man O' War!
I too used to be a "completist" collector. I collected everything whether I liked it or not, Breyer-wise that is. I still am to a degree as a die-hard variation collector-but more or less buy what I like since I don't have the money or space to buy everything that comes along. Only problem is when you want a series to remain complete that means keeping or acquiring some models that you may not like as much!
Unfortunately, I AM a die-hard BUY ALL THE STABLEMATES person. I am able to keep the Traditional monster at bay, and since most Classics and none of the LBs appeal to me anymore, I'm good there. But I gotta have my SMs, and yes, I bought four of these.
Post a Comment