Company A of Grand Duchess Sonja's Own is Done!

Excepting the clear coat of Future floor polish, the 19 figures that comprise Company A of Stollen’s Leib (Grand Duchess Sonja’s Own) Grenadiers, plus the staff of six, are finished! The stars must have been in line Sunday afternoon and early evening. I was able to get all of those little final details done. 48 garters, and I must have painted 500+ gaiter buttons today!

Anyway, here are three new photos with better lighting. At the top is a shot of the regimental staff, including mounted colonel, ensign, and Oberfeldwebel Klatschen at the far right. The second picture shows the "doctored" Hessian infantry standard up close. It's not exactly like the one carried by Brigadier Young's Erbprinz/Poltava Guard Regiment, but close enough. Let's say that I've personalized it a bit! Finally, another photograph Company A in 'column of fours' with an as yet nameless captain and drummer at the front and a sergeant at the far rear. All officers wear white gloves, which hide the red facing color and yellow lace on their cuffs ;-).

Now, if the military miniature painting gods smile on me this evening, I'll get started base coating the second batch of 19 figures with Liquitex acrylic gesso -- Company B of Stollen's Leib (Grand Duchess Sonja's Own) Grenadiers. Charge!

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

Keepin' an Eye on the World Going By My Window . .

'The Nap at the Palace' by Jose Triado Mayol N ot much in the way of hobby-related activity happening here in the Grand Duchy lately. Sigh. And no surprise there really since there are only so many hours in the day, only so much mental and physical energy to spare, and you sometimes simply just have to give in and know when to say, um, "When!" A glass of wine and/or evening yoga by the hearth with the Grand Duchess (who has practiced for over 20 years), and then off into la-la land. Zzzzzzzzz. More immediately, I'm recovering, mentally speaking, from a grueling Friday in which I was involved with three (online) conference sessions, one right after the other, followed by a 90-minute meeting at the end of the day. Also virtual. My brain has been mush ever since, so an easy, completely unproductive Saturday watching intermittent snow fall outside (no accumulation however) and drinking coffee while the visiting handymen completed some repair work down h...

Having a "No Day". . .

F or the almost 20 years that she lived in Mexico, one of my late mother's Irish friends frequently mentioned having a "No Day." A day with no social obligations, chores, tasks, or other work that interfered with whatever personal interests took one's fancy on the day in question. Since today -- a gray and chilly Saturday -- is Mom's birthday, the Grand Duchess is out with friends, and the Young Master is ensconced on the sofa in the TV room with a cold, yours truly is taking his own such No Day. I think Mom would approve of my decision to make the world go away, as the old Eddie Arnold song intoned, even if only for a little while. So, I will spend Saturday afternoon focused on that first squadron and small regimental staff of Eureka Saxon cuirassiers. These have stood waiting untouched over on the painting table for almost three weeks while we skied and otherwise gadded about with snowy, winter outdoor activities. I hope to share a painting update Sunday...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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