That Awkward Post Where I Re-emerge After a Nearly 7 Year Hiatus...

You're back?! Do you even collect anymore? How's that newest My Little Pony Collector Inventory book coming along?

Yes, I realize that this blog has essentially been abandoned since late 2018. I wish a had a good story about why that happened, or where the heck I've been all this time. The short answer is that I don't. Somewhere between planning Pony Fair events, my second child being born and the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic times, I simply dropped everything that wasn't a vital task. I look back on this time and I realize that like many, I was stuck in a loop of daily survival and much of what I had previously enjoyed doing (like updating this very blog) got pushed to the side and forgotten. It's been a weirdly surreal and disconnected period of my life, but I do think that I'm on the other side of it. I'm feeling optimistic about my own little corner of the world, even if it does seem like things outside of my little corner are currently in chaos.

Today I pulled out the notebooks, colorful pens, and long neglected "pony planner" and I've been brainstorming and compiling lists. So far, I have some rough goals for the summer outlined. These include actionable tasks that will create some fun and useful resources for my fellow pony collectors as well as a few other bigger projects that I'm not quite ready to announce. 

I'm feeling optimistic about jumping back into all things My Little Pony and I hope that with a little focus and perseverance, I can regain a little of that "pony magic" that has been missing for far too long.

 

Pantone Announces their Color of the Year: Living Coral

While many of us are surrounded by the red and green hues of the holidays and trying to wish away the cold weather, Pantone has announced their Color of the Year and there is nothing chilly about it.

Living Coral, a lovely warm color, brings to mind warm sunny days and sandy beaches. I'm completely on board with this year's choice and I'm currently trying to brainstorm ways Pony Fair staff can incorporate it into this year's event branding! You'll just have to wait and see what we come up with!



The 2019 Pony Fair will take place in Tampa, Florida on July 27th and 28th. For more information on our event, visit www.mylittleponycon.com

The Inside Scoop: Where to Stay for Pony Fair 2019

We are so very happy to share with you that Pony Fair will be back in 2019! We've been hard at work negotiating a great room block rate and special perks for our attendees.

Where should I stay?

The 2019 Pony Fair will take place on July 27th and 28th at the Double Tree Tampa Airport Hotel in Tampa, Florida.

This year's official hotel is the Double Tree Tampa Airport Hotel. We ask that attendees consider staying at the host hotel if possible to help us fill our contracted room block.

Does The Pony Fair offer a discounted group rate?

Yes. The Pony Fair has negotiated a discounted rate and added amenities for Fair attendees. In addition to a complimentary airport shuttle, and a shuttle that take guests within a 2 mile radius, we have also negotiated breakfast vouchers for those staying on property.

    

                    

How can I make RESERVATIONS?

Attendees may use the following link to make room reservations:

www.TampaDoubleTree.com  using the code LPF

Attendees may also call 1-800-514-3956 to make reservations. Be sure to tell them that you are part of the MY LITTLE PONY Fair group (group code: LPF). 

A First Look At Fair Feathers, the 2018 Pony Fair Mascot Figure

After months of waiting, she's here! What started out as a whim along with a late night designing session in Microsoft Paint, is now in my hands. Researching tropical color palettes, all things flamingo, and messaging  back and forth with both Mary and Jenny when we should have all been in bed, resulted in designing our Pony Fair mascot that we are now calling, Fair Feathers.

Once details were settled with the HQG1C Project peeps, she could be actually put into production and the waiting began. Each step of the way, every detail had to be approved.  Body shade, symbol colors, symbol positions, and scale determined. Hair shades, hair texture, and length were all decided.

Then, we waited and we waited some more.

Names were submitted by community members and this pretty filly was given her own name that both gives a nod to the event she represents as well as incorporating the details of her "backcard story" that will be revealed at this year's event in Orlando.

We hope you love her as much as we do, but even more so because of the amazing community that she represents.

-Summer

My Little Pony and The Legacy Brand Effect

This year, My Little Pony celebrates its 35th anniversary. Hasbro licensee, Basic Fun, has decided to capitalize on the inherent nostalgia of women who are now in their thirties and forties by releasing a special anniversary collection of the original six ponies that galloped into our hearts so many years ago. The collection is impeccable with beautiful window boxes that showcase each pony packaged with a replica comb and a satin ribbon.

In the past month, long time collectors have been scooping up any stock they can find in a palpable frenzy.

Basic Fun (formerly known as Bridge Direct) is not new to the nostalgia based toy game, having released multiple vintage Strawberry Shortcake dolls over the past few years. If these dolls are any indication of what Basic Fun can produce when tasked with recreating vintage My Little Ponies, then collectors are in for a treat. Several other vintage reproduction My Little Ponies were on full display last week at New York Toy Fair  and are slated for release in the coming year. These include Rainbow Ponies, a Unicorn and Pegasus set, as well as The My Little Pony Pretty Parlor.

I often refer to My Little Pony as a legacy brand when talking with others within the toy industry due to its long standing product presence and multigenerational appeal. Other toy brands that would fall under this category include Barbie, GI Joe, Star Wars, Care Bears, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Strawberry Shortcake, and Mr. Potato Head.

It is not uncommon to have mothers and grandmothers purchasing My Little Pony toys for their children or grandchildren and in turn, creating new generations of Pony enthusiasts. There is something safe and familiar with a brand that has nostalgic appeal for consumers. They can not only recall the name of the product and place it within a specific period of time in relation to their own lives, but often have the ability to invoke  personal memories before the pressures and expectations of adulthood consumed them.

While the aesthetic of the current G4 incarnation of My Little Pony is quite different than the soft pastel chubby Ponies of the 1980s, the imaginative component of play is much the same with castles, and magic, and quests.

I hope that the legacy continues to live on for generations to come so they too can find their own piece of the magic.

My Little Piece of the Rainbow

Over the past month, we've opened our home to several friends (who also happen to be fellow collectors) from various parts of the world and across the country. Knowing that all these guests would need a place to stay, I was motivated to finally unpack the spare bedroom where much of my collection has been waiting in boxes since we moved in late 2016.

I decided to focus solely on my G1 collection for display to avoid the Ponyroom chaos that plagued me at our last home. Having items stacked to the ceiling and filling every available space was not something that appeals to me. I envisioned an area that I could relax in and enjoy while still being a little piece of the My Little Pony rainbow.

All other generations, aside from G1, got banished to storage.

I'm happy with how it turned out and how it adheres to my less is more approach to living... even if that means I still have an entire loft of My Little Pony toys.

I enjoy looking at the collections of others and I hope that you enjoy a glimpse into mine.

-Summer Hayes

Pony Fair 2018 Guest Announcement: Bonnie Zacherle!

GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: The legendary Bonnie Zacherle is set to join us for Pony Fair 2018! For those of us that have had the pleasure of spending time with the creator of My Little Pony at past Fairs, we can say from experience, that meeting her is not to be missed. We ❤ Bonnie!