Collector's Corner: Tony and Erica

Destination Vinylmation: How long have you been collecting?
Tony and Erica: Just This year...Started with Pixar1 and Robots 3. We did have a few from our last Disney trip. But wasn't "collecting" then. We got hooked when we pulled the Pixar chaser with our 1st blox.

DV: How many do you have in your collection?
T&E: We currently have 195 and hope to be at 200 soon!

DV: Which is your favorite vinyl?
Erica: Jack and Sally from the 1st NBC set (first purchase) Tony: I like the darker Mickey's Runaway Brain, Monster, and the BTM2 Mickey...

DV: Which of your Vinylmation is the most treasured?
Erica: Ariel custom by Panonboard Customs Tony: The new Black Cauldron Chaser from V4 (Personal connection to that movie)

DV: Which vinyl was the hardest to get?
T&E: The Little Mermaid pass holder exclusive. They wouldn't sell it to me (didn't understand why at the time)

DV: Who is your favorite Disney artist?
T&E: There are so many good ones. Enrique Pita has done some of our favorites Favorite custom (if you have) and favorite custom artist? Its hard to choose.

DV: How about Custom Artists?
T&E: We LOVE our Panonboard custom (Great work). But Ryan Branoff, and Mike Ventrone have had AMAZING sets come out recently!

DV: Hardest display to create?
T&E: None were hard really. I make wood frame inserts that slide into ANY empty tray. I can make one using the measurements, paint, slide into the tray, DONE! I have shared how to do this with about 50 people by now via Facebook. Its so easy and quick. Its Fun!

DV: Figure you're most looking for?
Erica: Si and Am Japan ETO Tony: Paint Drip Mickey and 3D Mickey

DV: Anything else you would like to add?
T&E: There are so many great people that we've met doing this, and so many great artists. We are excited to keep collecting and growing our collection. Our son loves them. And my sister is absolutely hooked. Its really brought us together.

DV: Thanks for your time and for sharing your impressive collection!

Collector's Corner: Matt Schlien

Today's collection is a big one. Check it out.

Collection Stats:
Name: Matt Schlien   

Hometown:
Coconut Creek, FL

Collection Count:
426
3" =410
9" =6
Jrs =9
Park Starz =1
Customs =0

How long have you been collecting?
Since 2010

What is your favorite figure that you own?
Woody from Toy Story because he was the first one I purchased.

What is your favorite figure that you don’t own?
Park 2 Snow White because I miss that attraction and I feel that vinyl represents that ride.

Which of these is the best feeling about collecting vinyl?
Pulling a figure from a blind box with my 4 year old daughter and getting the one I want is the best feeling! However, one day I picked the Park 5 Haunted Mansion from a mystery box at Hollywood Studios and the artist was actually there that day so I was super stoked!

Thanks for your showing off your collection Matt!

If anyone else would like to show off their collection just contact us.

Collector's Corner: Jay Valles

We saw Jay's work on the internet and knew we had to show it off. Just look at the time and energy Jay put into making this a great display!

DV: How long have you been collecting?
Jay: I've been a collector since 2009, my first vinyl was the Little Green Man from Park 2

DV: What's your favorite Disney Vinylmation in your collection?
Jay: That's a tough question, if I had to pick just one it would probably have to be my Food & Wine Festival Figure "Tony."  My best friend and I went together for the F&W Festival and he picked it up for me as a surprise to commemorate our trip.  It is such a great design and holds a lot of memories of the amazing time we had while there.

DV: Who is your favorite Disney Artist?
Jay: When I first started collection my favorite artist was Randy Noble, but I haven't seen any figures designed by him lately.  Not sure what happened. Right now, it would definitely have to be Gerald Mendez and Ron Cohee.  Gerald puts some great detailing and shadows into all of his figures, and Ron's use of the ears and the mold as a whole is just remarkable.  Both are truly talented artists.

DV: Nick loves Ron a lot these days. Speaking of artists, do you own any customs?
Jay: None at this time. I might buy one in the near future but right now I just like to look at them especially during the trade events. There are some truly talented designers out there and I often find myself asking how are you not on Disney's design team?

DV: I agree, there's great talent out there. What's your favorite custom?
Jay: I don't have a specific figure, but I will say that Mark Hoffman has done some incredible pieces! And he has a very unique style. You can just look at one of his figures and know that it's a design by Mark Hoffman. I think that is an indicator of a great artist, someone who can take something familiar, like a Disney character, and make it their own while still staying true to the essence of what inspired their design.

DV: What is one Vinylmation that you don't own that you want to own?
Jay: Right now I am really looking for the Killer Whale Disney Cruise Line vinylmation figure. It is a Little Mermaid inspired vinyl and that is my favorite film of all time. Plus it's a great design with Ariel's silhouette in the ear, what's not to like?

DV: I'm sure Zoe is looking for that one too. Back to your work, what inspired your display?
Jay: My display sits over my desk and I wanted something clean looking that didn't look too cluttered (or like I belong on an episode of Hoarders).  It took me a long time to settle on this specific set up.  I hated trashing the boxes because some of the art work on the boxes is awesome (some leave something to be desired *looking at Animation and Pixar*) and I wanted to keep figures within a set together so I took those two requirements and that is how my display was born.

DV: That's brilliant, what did you do to make it?
Jay: The shelves and the frames are all from IKEA and the black stands are from The Container Store. I took the 3-tiered figurine shelves they sell there and tossed out the bases and just used the steps. I used Legos to prop up the back rows to the height I wanted.  The shelves are designed to hold up photo frames so they have a lip on the front of them. I used Legos on the front figures to raise them up so they are sitting flush with that lip. It's a very complex process (not really) but it did take me a while to figure things out.

DV: I enjoy the use of lego! A perfect combo. Any other thing you'd like to say?
Jay: Well again thank you for allowing me to share my collection and I just want to remind everyone to Make Fun, Not War.  That is what hobbies are all about right?  Having fun!  So let's have fun with it!

DV: Exactly, and everyone, Keep On Collecting!

 

Collector's Corner: Crazy4Vinyls

Today we are featuring the collection of a custom artist we know. Here is Crazy4Vinyls's collection.

How long have you been collecting?
I bought my first blind boxes during a trip to WDW when Park 2 was released.  I didn't buy another one until another trip to WDW in January of 2011, when I came home with 40 more.  So I would say I have been collecting since January 2011.

How many Vinylmation do you have?
I think I am a little over 550 at this point.

Who is your favorite Disney Artist?
I would say my favorite artist is Randy Noble.   He is probably most famous for the Park 1 balloon chaser but he also designed my favorite vinylmation.

Favorite Disney Vinylmation you own?
I think that is pretty easy to tell.  It's the Park 2 little green man from toy story.  This was my first vinylmation I ever bought.

Favorite custom you own?
My favorite custom is the LGM candy bowl created by Celeste.  When she was showing off her candy bowl series, I knew I had to have one.  So I contacted her and asked if she could create a claw coming out of the head.  It looks wonderful!

The piece you don't have yet, but consider your holy grail?
That's a hard one because I have many pieces in my collection that would probably top the list of grails.  The one that I am looking to add to my collection is the last tin that I need which would be the Cinderella Tin.

Upcoming set you're most looking forward too?
I'm an old mold collector.  I don't get too excited for many of the new sets that are coming out.  I only have 2 new mold sets in my collection-Furry Friends and Robots 3.   So how about this, I am looking forward to trying to get all of the old mold variants next to add to my collection.

Collector's Corner: Steven

This week we talk to our friend Steven. Here is his collection...

Destination Vinylmation: Great collection. How long have you been collecting?
Steven: I've been seriously collecting when Pixar series one came out, I had most of the toy story ones so I finished both of those sets at the same time.

DV: First vinyl ever?
S: My first vinyl ever was park 2 little green men I was on the DCL and had a gift card and didn't know what to get so I decided to try the Vinylmation blind box and got the one I really wanted.

DV: Favorite Disney vinyl?
S: My favorite Disney vinyl is little green men as you can tell in the picture.

DV: Do you have any custom/favorite custom vinyl?
S: My only custom is a red vinyl with orange dusting done by a good friend on another Vinylmation page. Her name is Bex Luty, her work is so cool.

DV: Vinyl you would most like to have that you don't yet?
S: I would love to have either Wall-E and Eve set or paint drip Mickey.

DV: And what unreleased vinyl are you most looking forward to?
S: I can't wait for Monsters University set to come out! I've been waiting for it for a while now.

DV: Thanks for the time. Keep on collecting!

Collector's Corner: Kimiko

How long have you been collecting? I've been collecting for 3 1/2 years, since October of 2009
How many vinyl do you have? According to Chasing Vinylmation, I have 878..... yikes!

What was your first vinylmation? Urban 2 Cosmos
What is your favorite Disney made Vinylmation? This is tough. I think my all time favorite is Park 5 flowers and fairies. I love the crystals!
Who is your favorite Disney artist? It's a 3 way tie between Thomas Scott, Maria Clapsis, and Mike Sullivan.
What is your favorite custom vinyl? I love all the customs I have, but my favorite is the Starducks custom by Red Virtue Vinylmation Arts. I'm a huge Starbucks fiend, so this was perfect for me!

Nick has one of those. He's a big drinker too. What is the vinyl you want but don't have yet? Definitely the park 1 balloon chaser!
What you are looking forward to in 2013 from Vinylmation? I'm looking forward to more Disney themed vinyls. Really looking forward to the Beauty and the Beast set!

Thanks for sharing your collection with us Kimiko. I hope you can share it again in a year and we can see how much bigger it is!

Reminder: If you'd like to share your own collection with us, just email us and your collection can be featured too!

Collector's Corner: MC

Name: MC Hometown: Orlando, FL Collection Size: 3" = 448+ 9" = 6 Jrs = 15 Park Starz = 0 Customs = 3 Pocket Watch= 1 How long have you been collecting? Since August of 2010.
Chelsey's Ninja and Celeste's Samurai lead my army of Green Army Men and Storm Troopers. (In front of my signed Star Wars case).
What is your favorite figure that you own? Chelsey made me a Ninja and gave it to me during D23.
My Evilos Carbonite Mickey is watched over by the Star Wars Boba Fett. Near by Luke and Han dress up at stormtroopers. Also seen is the great Pocket Watch from Steampunck as well as several Passholder specials. Pluto and Goofy represent my Nerds collection (AM just helped be finish them with a Daisy) and Alice in Wonderland shows up without the chaser. Also notice the signed Thomas Scott Bearded Man!
What is your favorite figure that you don’t own? Ghost Obi Wan.
The rest of the Star Wars 1 crew hang out on top of my display case under the Millennium Falcon.
What is the best feeling? Getting a figure you need from a trading box.
Unlike Nick, I only have a few of my collection out at any one time. This is the second shelf of my case. Here Urban 4 and various tins hang out. Also of note for me is the Admiral Donald and Bronze Donald DLC pieces and the Bird and Tree Trade City set. Oh, and a few various Jrs.
On the forth shelve I have the Sea Creatures, a complete Park 4, and a partial Pirates set. Also this is were I display the Park combo toppers.
On the bottom shelf I display the Day of the Dead combo from Trade city. Also, there are two years worth of Marathons and the first two Disney Afternoons (The rest are still in their boxes in storage). I also picked up the whole set of Animal Kingdom and 3" Sports (with various Sports Jrs.) Florida Project Minnie rounds out the crew.
Some other displays I have include the two incomplete cases you saw at the top of this post where I keep series I am currently working on completing. (Since this picture was taken it now includes 10 of out 12 of Park 7 and 11 or 12 Park 8s.) I also have these two hanging cases, in which I rotate sets. Right now the Park 3 set is in one and Flags is in the other. In the background is the Disneyland Ticketbook set.
And then, finally, most of my sets is in my closet packed up in various cases. (Each one hold two different sets.) This doesn't include the various sets I have no way of displaying and the hundreds of traders I still have. However, every day I "Keep on Collecting!"