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!

A Pony Shopping Spree: Target Edition

Yesterday, Target had all toys 25% off and I went a little nuts on buying up the My Little Pony the Movie Collection. I've been holding out for a good sale, and aside from the 40% off that Toys R Us runs every so often, this was the next best thing. I'm still missing the Seaquestria Playset (which I really hope shows up for a good price on Black Friday somewhere) and a few other items, but I'm sure they'll make it into my shopping cart soon. Now onto the part where I catalogue and photograph.

A Pop of Pony Color: ColourPop My Little Pony Collection Review

My Little Pony did a fun collaboration with ColourPop and the results are magical! I purchased the whole collection which came with a cute old school tote, My Little Pony make up brushes, a sticker sheet, and metallic makeup bag embellished with the My Little Pony Logo.

I was so excited when my box arrived and couldn't wait to tear into it! ColourPop packaged their items very well with plenty of packing foam in a sturdy package to be sure everything arrived intact.

The My Little Pony product packaging is gorgeous and features retro ponies which speak directly to my collector heart! Inside, each product continues with the Pony theme with outlines of pony characters, and artwork. The eyeshadow pallet is my personal favorite, decorated with popular ponies from the past.

Each product shade is cleverly named to pay homage to the line with shades like Dream Castle, Flutter Valley, and Minty among others.

While, some of the shades are a little bright and bold for my personal taste, there is definitely something for every preference in this collection.

My only complaint with this collection would have to be that the color shade names seem to have been randomly assigned. It would make far more sense for the color shade to share an attribute with its namesake, Pony.

Here's a quick photo of my post Pony-Product make up session, because I couldn't resist playing with this stuff! (Don't mind my messy hair.)

I'll be gifting some ColorPop My Little Pony lip gloss on the My Little Pony Fair Facebook page. Just find the contest post and comment the secret words: Pony Pucker. I will be randomly choosing a couple of winners later this week.

Good luck and Happy Pony Collecting!

Bottled 80s Pony Scent? Yes, Please!

I've heard that this Coconut Mint Drop lotion smells like 80's My Little Ponies. Challenge accepted. Items ordered. I will report on my finding when they arrive.

Update 11.8.17: My box from Bath and Body Works arrived. They were having a Buy 2 get 1 Free promotion with free shipping.  You know I ordered 3, because value.  As for my report on this item and whether it smells like 80s ponies, my short answer is no it does not smell like all 80s ponies. However, there is a silver lining in that it does smell exactly like one particular 80s pony, Mint Dreams! My personal collection Mint Dreams was one of the last G1 My Little Ponies I bought in stores and I was able to open her brand new. Since I was nearing the end of the time when I actually played with ponies and was more focused on collecting them, Mint Dreams remains in amazing condition and still retains her original scent.  This Coconut Mint Drop lotion smells exactly like her and that makes me all kinds of happy. 

For those of you taking part in the MLPFair giveaway contest, the secret word is: Candy Cane. Thanks for reading!

My Lil Pony Tale

Wow! Where does the time go?! It seems like I just blinked and almost a year has flown by since my last post. I have had SO many PONY adventures and I really need to share with you all. I have literally traveled around the world because of MY LITTLE PONY this past year. It has been kind of amazing! Alas, that is the focus of another day and post. Today, I have really exciting news!!

I've been helping Bonnie Zacherle with her new book, My Lil Pony Tale, and I just received the proof copies yesterday. Bonnie wrote and illustrated this book herself and it tells the story of how she came up with the idea of MY LITTLE PONY. It will soon be available through Amazon.:)

 In the meantime, I have just listed Bonnie's book on the MY LITTLE PONY Fair Store. It is listed for the same price as Amazon and  we'll be offering Free Shipping on all preorders. Books will ship out on August 17th. Bonnie will receive a bigger royalty % from orders placed through the Fair Store than  on Amazon since Amazon takes a cut of the profits, so if you are thinking about purchasing, consider purchasing through the Fair Store. 

;) 

I'm so happy to be able to finally get Bonnie's story to you all. She is an amazing lady and she is really excited about her book. I'd love for her to get some love from collectors and maybe a nice royalty check too. Here's the link to reserve your copy! 

https://store1004005.ecwid.com/

"Bonnie Zacherle tells the story of her creation of one of the most beloved and iconic toys through her own drawings. Perfect for collectors and Pony fans alike, this charming book gives the reader a history lesson in a fun way suitable for all ages! 8.5"x 8.5" 30 full color pages. This item is pre-order and will ship August 17th. Free shipping eligible for preorder."

My Little Brony: A Book Review

It seems the Brony craze is alive and well as its culture continues to fascinate and puzzle. It permeates art, music, films, and now fiction with the book, My Little Brony An Unofficial Novel about Finding the Magic of Friendship, written by K.M. Hayes (no relation). The novel, which is written from the perspective of a high school boy struggling with social acceptance, brings the reader into the world of Bronies. The writer successfully gives a brief history of the movement while also portraying gender stereotypes and how they negatively influence the central character in both his family and social spheres. With the help of a quirky female classmate, the main character learns to embrace his love of My Little Pony ultimately resulting in a newfound self-confidence and positive outlook.

 I feel that this book would be best suited for Young Adult readers and that it may speak to those who may have encountered similar struggles in their own lives and perhaps provide them with encouragement. In fact, shortly after completing this book, I sent my copy to a friend’s son to enjoy. My only criticism, is the use of strong language in one passage of the book. While, I understand the author’s choice to convey emotion, I feel that the book could have benefited from a wider audience without utilizing words that can be polarizing and would then have been an excellent candidate for school libraries or anti-bullying curriculum. Still, this novel was an enjoyable read and I feel that Bronies will appreciate the fictionalization of their shared experience.