Same Painting Station…Different Location

Today we moved things around in the lounge, my painting station changed walls, not to mention getting a bit of a tidy up in the process.

With a family film and other bits and bobs then I never got any painting done. I did order myself a paint rack to go on the top of the station. I am storing the Army Painter inside at the minute and it is taking up a lot of room inside. I went for a rack that will only hold 24 bottles but that will be enough for my mettalics and washes and the odd other bottle.

I still have the MDF boxes to make to sit on the lower shelves, this is more to make it look  tidy than for necessity. It also stops the kittens trashing whatever is on there.

I did have to do a bit of rehashing to make the desk light sit nearby to allow the lid to close without having to remove the light each time. Unfortunately the light has a clamp base that means it can only sit on a horizontal surface.

I have also started thinking about consolidating what I have. Actually getting a good old piece if cash for Christmas made me get all excited about a new project here or there, but then I sat and thought about everything I have sitting around already in either a physical sense or else in an electronic form. Or in some cases still to be downloaded or arrive in the post.

My Starship Troopers stuff has already got a buyer in the new year. I bought it three years ago and it us still sitting there as grey plastic…some of the boxes still have cellophane on.

As you can see I am trying to be a bit of a grown up, let’s see how long it lasts.

Topiary…sort of

Topiary is the art of clipping evergreen trees and shrubs into symmetrical shapes to create ornamental garden features. Topiary clipping is as old as gardening itself dating back to ancient Egypt.

I, however, decided to let my Bush grow wild…no trimming allowed…I did make some a bit bigger or smaller to increase variety.

I would have got a lot further but we stopped for family game time. I did however get a first coat on the cave after thus photo was taken. I am doing these for my mate.

I haven’t forgotten my 6mm Italian wars stuff, I just needed to ease my way back into painting.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had an awesome Christmas.

My main present was the Ironclads kickstarter which drops mid January. So I got a funky Mr Grumpy mug and some fudge so that I had something to open today. The kids got me a nice selection of Contrast paints.

The kids enjoyed their presents and my wife loved her fishy stitch markers…

She also liked her bag and new wool that I got her.

I hope you got some cool things too. Having an early night tonight as I am a bit popped again.

Christmas 2021

Well Santa is already on his way and He will soon be with some of you… evidently according toNORAD he is over Budapest as I type this… you can track him here: Where is Santa?My family are all watching Nativity, evidently it is funny, but I really cannot be bothered with it this evening. I am sitting in bed working out a force list for Silver Bayonet… I have my Flintloque Ferach.. AKA French as well as some Spannish guerrillas… I need to get some regulars to boost the Spaniards.

I actually managed to get out in the car today, I drove into town to get some stocking fillers. I also managed to get the presents wrapped and went to do the horse too. Looks like I am definitely onntge mend… totally knackered now 😉

While I was getting some of the hidden gifts out I came across one of my Christmas presents from 1973… I reckon presents have changed since then 😀…

As Christmas Eve draws on I just want to say a Merry Christmas to you all and hope Santa is good to you this year wherever you are… in case you live in Krakow, Poland…he is nearly there…

Surprisingly I managed to avoid Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’… must be a record…okay I have been in bed for over two weeks and not been out the house in three weeks.

Speaking of Christmas songs or Carol’s to be more specific, this has a special place in my heart. When I was still south I was in Durham on a freezing, snowy night and was passing the Cathedral, the light shone through the windows colouring the snow. This was coming out of the building as the choir practiced. I went and sat at the back and it was one if the most magical sounds I have ever heard and this is from someone who isn’t that religious…https://youtu.be/RPMTjEKHR00

And just because this has to be the best advert ever….https://youtu.be/NWF2JBb1bvM

And Finally… my sing along Favourite Christmas song…All together now…One, two, three. four…

All the Best, Stephen

Air Dried Fish

Well I am a bit more upright today and have managed to get bits and pieces done without the need for a lie down, the cough is still there, but not like it was.

I managed to get my wife’s home made bit of her present done… she is well into her knitting and tropical fish so I made her some stitch markers (a knitting thingy) in the shape of some tropical fish.

I found the STL’s on MyMiniFactory and printed them out yesterday and got them painted today.

I used a small drill bit to make a hole in the nose end and then superglued in a small ring with a screw thread. Isnt it amazing how it is, that as soon as you add superglue after a dry fit then all he’ll breaks loose.These were then sprayed white with masking tape covering the metal bit.

I then cracked open the Contrast Paint and set to work. The best way to describe this was an absolute bastard. They were tiny and fiddly and then they fell on the floor as my butter fingers got in the way. I then couldn’t put them down as the design for most wouldn’t allow them to sit. Luckily I had my broom shank bristles sitting there so they went in the ring to allow them to be hung up and air dry.

I then added a jump ring to the original ring and added a small clip as well.

Here they all are sitting on a plastic bristle ready to be put onto the card…

Unfortunately we are filling in an insurance claim as my wife hit a car on a roundabout this evening. Police came and sent her home saying… “it was an accident, they happen.” It was a black car, in the rain and dark, surrounded by Christmas lights and a super bright halogen light that shines straight in your eyes as you approach the roundabout. Luckily we have insurance for this. It will be up to ours and theirs to sort it out.

Still Some Disruption

Although I am definitely on the mend, I am still not 100%. I didn’t sleep well last night due to coughing, so slept in until 11.30 but I have been able to stay up all day and actually managed to potter about doing bits and bobs in the house.

I also managed to get some slicing done, I have an idea for my wife’s Christmas present and as they are all going out tomorrow, my plan is to try and get it done then.

I have got into Battlefield V on the console and there is a mix of people, some who think a tank is indestructible and charge into the enemy positions and others who play a tank like a tank should be played, carefully without infantry support.

I usually play as a medic and do my best to help my team mates, unfortunately not everyone thinks the same and will run past my riddled body to go and claim the flag. If you want to do that play as an assault trooper, not a medic. I reckon my blood pressure is up this evening because of knackers.

Service Disruption… still

So I managed a day of working from home today. Meant I was a bit pooped so this evening I grabbed this to read…

I don’t play 40k but my son was given a pile of codex. So this was my reading material of choice this evening.

I am now off for the Christmas break… still have presents to buy 😭

Service Disruption XVI

Well I evidently overdid things yesterday and paid the price today. Totally flattened and in and out of bed today.

I am working from home tomorrow as I doubt I would manage the drive across to work to do paperwork in the office.

Service Disruption XVI

I have now lost my voice… thus is getting silly. I have gone very squeaky…Still feeling crap if I do too much, I am signed off tomorrow and have only Tuesday before I break up for the Christmas break. I am going to try and get back for the last day.

I did manage a bit of painting this evening, I got this lot done to this level in about an hour this evening…

Things were speeded up by the use of contrast paint and also reducing the amount of paints used. Pretty much the same paints were used across all four miniatures. In fact the only colour used on only one was the yellow on the dwarf on the painting handle.