GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Pony Name: Kalavista

Real Name: Tara

Location: Iowa

Age: 28

Occupation: Student/freelance writer

If you could be a cookie what kind would you be? Ooey gooey chocolate chip!

Pants or no pants? Pants, all the time long pants!!

What do you like/dislike most about yourself? I’m a smart, talented person and I feel good about who I am and where I’m headed with my life. I dislike my tendency to over-analyze and worry about minor details.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Oregon. Hubby and I are headed there as soon as we’re done with school.

Do you collect anything other than ponies? Panties from Victoria’s Secret Pink collection. I am so serious – I swear I have every color of the rainbow and I just can’t stop buying them. Also cosmetics – I am such a make-up hound!

PONY BASICS

Collecting Since: Oh heavens, like 1983?! Does my childhood count? I was buying ponies with my allowance as far back as I can remember. I quit for a few years (and gave away a MIMIC OMG) but started up again around age 14 or 15.

Who was your first pony, EVER? How did you get it? How old were you? First pony was Powder, I’m sure purchased by my parents; I was really little, so it was probably when that set was first released or maybe a year after.

What generation(s) do you primarily collect? All gens. I am nuts over rare/special G1’s, this past year I fell hard for G2’s, and I’ve adored G3’s since they came out.

Who is your favorite pony and why? Definitely Ice Crystal, though if I ever get Rapunzel, it will be a close race. Icey rules because he’s so insanely gorgeous – hello, best color combo ever – and I wanted him for YEARS before finally getting one (who I adore but am trying to upgrade).

Who is your favorite "Nirvana?" Oh man – I just got bitten by the Nirvana bug. If money were no object, I’d snatch up a French Moondancer, a Greek Baby Minty, and one of those crazy Columbian boys. Oh, and an alternate pose Mexican boy.

Who is your least favorite pony and why? I think we all have ponies we just can’t love; my nemesis is Magic Message Windy. I don’t like that pose (except if it’s Brazil Sugarberry, DROOL), I hate her color combo, and I had about a million of her pass through my collection. Gag!!

What's the one question about ponies or pony stuff that you've always been too embarrassed to ask? What is the meaning of OOAK? I just found out and I am so embarrassed I couldn’t figure it out, especially since I AM a customizer (it means one of a kind to anyone who doesn’t know).

What are your thoughts on.....

- G1s? Ah, the ponies of my childhood … though compared to G2’s and G3’s, they kinda look fat to me now. Like they all need Weight Watchers. *ducks from fakies* I still love them, though, especially the boys, babies, and of course those hawt anorexic sweetheart sisters.

- G2s? Big kisses!! Hated them for years; now I just adore their perky little faces and their happy little smiles. EEK – so cute!! I have a bunch of the HTF Euro ones and I just treasure them.

- G3s? Love love love!!!!!!!!! My favorites are the art ponies and fair exclusives. Thank you Hasbro!!! I love the unicorns and pegasai too, though I wish they were more plentiful.

- G3.5s or whatever they're being called today? They are growing on me. Do Newborn Cuties fall under this category? Not sure; but I just WUV my NBCs. They are too, too adorable. And I like those new mommy ponies – they look a little more streamlined than the other bobble-heads.

- Ponyville? Meh. I have a handful. I like the Valentine ones, but as a whole, Ponyville isn’t really my thing, especially all those annoying little accessories – I just can’t have them in my house, what with my 2-year-old.

What do you REALLY think happened to the Breezies? They were ingested by the G3.5’s – that’s why those heads are so bulbous.

Who is the one pony you have sworn you'll NEVER OWN IN A MILLION YEARS and why? Probably one of those creepy Spanish piggy ponies. I KNOW, I know – they are hugely popular, insanely rare Nirvana gold – I just hate them. *ducks fakies again* Plus they’re so expensive!

What would you like to see offered next in the G3 line? BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would you rather have :
(a) MOC Mimic
(b) Loose Ladybird
(c) MIP Carribbean Delight & Beach Belle
(d) Dude, just give me the cash! Ah man, this is HARD!!!!!!!! Definitely not C; those 2 are cute but not in the league of the first two. I would probably have to say D, give me the cash so I can upgrade my Ice Crystal. XD

How do your family and friends feel about your pony habit...or are you still in the collecting closet? Everyone thinks it’s really cute, especially since I started selling off most of my collection and making some serious cash. AND the custom thing – it’s slightly profitable (kind of – minus big bills from Dollyhair, lol). My husband loves the ponies. He says they make me who I am.

Do you ever see yourself *not* collecting anymore? What do you think would make you stop? Well, I’m not really seriously collecting at this point, aside from the random pony I’ve always wanted, etc. For example, I’m still selling almost everything I have, but I will buy the occasional custom, special things like Baby Lucky Leaf, low-priced Nirvanas, etc. However, I do so with the understanding that almost everything I buy could potentially be resold in the future, which is fine (I bought some MOC G2’s during my initial G2 craze, then didn’t love them and resold them a few months later). The reason I’m not seriously collecting is because – well, obviously finances (being a student, married to a student, with a little one) and also space. We live in a tiny apartment, though we’ll be renting a house next year.

MOC G1s Preserve them or let them free? For G1s, I gotta say keep them MOC. Even some rare G2s I wouldn’t open, and I am a *huge* opener. If you have a MOC G1 that you want to open, my advice (to myself, too): wait until you can buy or trade for a minty loose one, then sell that MOC.

Tell the truth! Do you ever still play with your ponies? Um, DUH!!!!! Don’t we all?! Otherwise what’s the point?! Though usually my playing is just petting them and combing their hair. Every night I choose different pony to join my husband and I at the dinner table. Tonight it’s NBC Sweetie Belle in her stroller!

Are you a customizer? If not, would you ever? Heck yeah! I LOVE it. Totally addicting. I should buy stock in Dollyhair.com. I’ve only been doing it a year but I get better with each custom.

What are your thoughts on custom ponies? Not surprisingly I absolutely adore custom ponies. I’ve just started doing custom swaps and that’s the most fun ever!!

What rare/popular pony just makes you ask...WHY? PIGGIES!!! CREEPY!!!!!

If you could help up Hasbro on working on a MLP line (either G1, G2 , G3 or G3.5), what job would you like to do? Design!! I would have them release G3 versions of G1 ponies!! And I’d encourage them to invent G3 boys. And G3 unicorn boys. And Pegasus boys. WOO HOO!!

Hasbro offers you a position on their MLP design team, but you must give up one of the following to get in: your collection, your friends/family, or your bank account. Which will it be? My bank account!

Which pony would you rescue in a fire? Ice Crystal!

If you had to have a pony symbol tattooed on your butt which would you pick and why? I have seriously thought about this! Probably a Baby Moondancer because she’s one of my favorites, a childhood pony, and people might actually recognize her.

If you had to pick between a fakie or a bait pony, which would it be, and why? Ugh – definitely a bait. THAT I could use. I am such a fakie snob – unless it were a really cool G3 knockoff fakie, those are pretty cute.

If you had to pick a G1 or G2 to be remade and released with the G3.5 line, who would you choose and why? EEK – too many to list. Obviously there are a zillion G1s I’d love to see as G3’s, so I’ll make it easier and pick a G2: Silver Swirl. She is just TOO pretty. I’m going to make a G3 version out of a Sweetie Belle one of these days.

How many pony meets/cons have you been to? I hosted a Midwest pony meet years ago; it was amazing and I can’t wait until I get a chance to do something like that again.

Who is your favorite artist and have you created a pony inspired by them? Well, I did create a watercolor pony inspired by Monet, though Monet isn’t my favorite artist. I think my favorite artist is Michelangelo.

What has been the worst part of collecting/customizing ponies for you? For collecting, the playsets. WHY did I ever buy any?! I hate playsets and they take up way too much space. For customizing: I hate prepping baits. I hurt myself!!

Can you leave ponies behind at boot sales/ thrift shops etc, or do you have to rescue them? I used to leave common/unwanted/bad condition G3s before, but never G1s. Now I don’t leave decent condition G3s behind because I can bait them.

Is there one color of pony you own more of than any other? YES – definitely white. I love love love white ponies. My favorite!!

Do you think there are some as-yet undiscovered G1s out there? Where would you imagine they'd be from? Probably some really obscure Nirvanas, like Greco-Italian flat-foot collector pose Gusty with purple hair and pink polka dots for her symbol. LOL!

YOUR COLLECTION

What got you started collecting as an adult? Ponies are sweet, fun, cute, and remind me of my childhood – where I came from and who I am.

About how many ponies are in your herd right now? Eek – the ones I’m keeping, over a hundred. Maybe more. Don’t tell hubby.

- Total? Did I mention EEK?

- From each generation? Probably 40 G1s, 20 G2s, and 40 G3s.

What is your ultimate collecting goal? RAPUNZEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's your biggest collecting accomplishment to date? I have 4 of the Mountain Boys!!! (Sunburst is a custom made from a Tex, but he is GORGEOUS – so factory, I’d swear he’s a rare variant!) Oh and I have 5 of the TAF babies, but I am just not in love with Baby Milky Way so I’m selling her.

What's your biggest collecting regret? Giving away a mint Mimic when I was 10!!!!! STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's the one pony that just seems to elude you? Lately I’ve been looking for a decent priced MB Lightning and NBBE Baby Gusty but it just isn’t happening. Oh, and an upgrade for my Icey – he keeps going out of my price range.

What is your favorite pony pose and why? For G1, I love the poses of Chief, Locket, and the “shy” SHS pose (like prom queen Sweet Sundrop). For G2, there aren’t many poses but my favorite is Silver Swirl’s. For G3’s, the standing unicorn (Brights Brightly) and the proud earth (Fun Fairy).

Who is your grail pony and why? Do you have it yet? My biggest grail ever was Ice Crystal, and I have him!!! *dances* He is gorgeous, displays very well, but is not flawless. Since he’s my favorite pony ever, I would like to upgrade him. I also REALLY REALLY want a Rapunzel someday. Hubby says I can buy one when I graduate.

Do you collect mostly MIP or loose ponies? Why do you prefer that? Definitely loose. I only get something MOC if it’s a really good deal and a really rare pony; for example I have a MOC rockin’ beat Argentina pony. I like loose because I like to touch them!!!

In your opinion, what are some acceptable and unacceptable flaws in ponies? I don’t like frizzy hair, but now that I know how to rehair, that’s not so bad. I really hate ink marks and pink highlighter marks.

Do you collect foreigns or variants? If so, what draws you to them? Oh heck yeah – I love them because they’re so rare! I like variants because they just seem special.

Who's the one pony you'd never, ever get rid of and why? Mimic. Also Scribbles and Dabble; I just adore them!

Which pony do you secretly carry around in your purse with you? Usually a NBC because they’re insanely cute, not rare, sturdy, and small.

Where's the weirdest place you've got a pony right now...and why is it there? I have them all over my computer table, in the bathroom sink, in my purse, on my nightstand … not exactly weird, but everywhere.

Quick! Close your eyes and grab a pony. Who is it and how did you get it? It’s the custom G3 Sundance I just made. She’s right by my mouse because I still need to photograph her and post her in the customs forum. She turned out really cute!!

BACK IN THE DAY...

Did you have ponies as a kid? If so, how many? Oh lord – my sister and I had zillions of ponies. It’s all we wanted for Christmas and birthdays. We even got ponies for Easter. We got them at garage sales and Goodwill too, back in the day.

Did you improve them by giving them haircuts, painting them with glitter polish, or anything else fun? The worst thing we ever did was administer careful manly haircuts to the boys. (DUMB.) Thank Heaven we decided Chief looked better with “long” hair (he’s complete except for his brush!).

Who were the stars of your childhood herd? Daddy Bright Bouquet, because he was the only boy for a long time; then Salty and Quarterback. Our leading ladies were Glittery SHS Starflash and Sundazzle Sunbeam. We loved the SHS ponies.

Who were the bad guys? Usually other toys; we couldn’t imagine a pony being evil. Except Mommy Bright Bouquet, aka “Grandma”, who (in our herd) was old and creepy and always wanted to make out with Roger (Daddy Bright Bouqet).

Did you watch the TV show? What was your favorite episode and why? Totally! I can’t remember too many episodes but I do remember one where there was this pop star boy pony and an evil shadow life-force-sucking thing or something. And I seem to remember something about an evil pig queen obsessed with pony hair.

What's your very first pony memory? Getting my portrait taken for Christmas, and I refused to put down Sparkler (who I called Diamond). I still have the pic somewhere…

What pony were you dying to have as a kid but your mom never bought it for you? Do you have it now? Erm … I got every pony I wanted. *spoiled* We were pretty wealthy at that time, and I didn’t play with Barbies or anything else, so it was all ponies, all the time. Oh – I wanted to send in for the mail-order ponies, like the TAF babies, Tux n Tails, the pearly babies, and Scribbles and Dabble. Mom said sure, fine; but I was responsible for collecting the pony points and it just never happened. (STUPID) I have most of the TAF babies, I never did get Tux, I got the pearlies but sold them and I do have Scribbles and Dabble.

Did you have any rare ponies as a kid? Who? Just Mimic, who I GAVE AWAY. (But reacquired.)

Tell us something evil you did to your ponies: My sister left her favorite pony Starflash outside in a mud pie all winter, by accident. I found her in the mud (Starflash, not my sister) that spring, cleaned her up and surprised my sister, who was thrilled to tears; and still has her.

What's a fun or funny memory you have about ponies from when you were little? I loved the thrill of finding a huge pony stash at garage sales or Goodwill. It was better than pirate gold! I also remember going to a birthday party when I was about seven; I gave the birthday girl a Summerwing, the one with the dragonfly. On the way home from the party I cried because it was really hard to give up that pony. The next day (surprise, spoiled me) Mom bought it for me.

THE REAL WORLD


Got a photo? Paste it here!

What do you like to do for fun? Schoolwork and writing takes up most of my time; my only real hobby is customizing, but my husband often breaks up the routine by taking me for a surprise dinner-and-date movie, or to the mall, or taking the baby to the park. And I *love* playing with my baby – who’s 2, and I still call the baby.

Do you have any other hobbies? Please share! Just customizing!

What's your most embarrassing moment? Oh heavens, too many to mention. My teenage years were just horrible until about 16, when I finally started to become “cool” (I was homeschooled so a bit of a freak)

Got kids? PUNKIN MAN!!!!!!!!!! He is 2 and GORGEOUS and perfect and adorable and wonderful and did I mention perfect?!!

Would you ever name your kid(s) after a pony? If so...what? Ha – I practically named him after a Mountain Boy. My boy’s name is Thunderstorm. No, really!!!!

Got pets? Egh, no. I am not an animal person. I grew up with a million pets and now I get really sick from animal hair.

What three places are you dying to see? (NO, Pandora does not count!) No fair, I wanna see Pandora!!! Okay, #1 is the ocean – anywhere, I’ve never seen it!! Then Italy, then Greece.

What are you most proud of? My amazing husband and wonderful baby.

FILL IN THE BLANK

I would like other collectors to think of me as....... Easygoing and generous (I like to dispense freebies).

I really wish that Hasbro would...... Go back to normal G3s!!

My best eBay deal was..... UK Gypsy for $1.99!

My best thriftstore/fleamarket/garage sale find was.... Chief with his hat and bandana, mint condition. And he was FREE, because I babysat for the family having the garage sale. Oh, and I got a free mint Baby Leaper from them too.

When I was new, I didn't know any better that... Nirvanas existed.

I think that the most underappreciated pony is...... G2s in general. More G2 love!!

because...... they are insanely adorable once you get to know them.

What sets me apart as a collector is.... I only buy when it’s something really special.

And finally
Mr. Moochick: Friend or foe?[/quote] Friend!!![/quote]