You know, there's nothing like. . .

Another lovely old illustration of the man at the North Pole, once again in blue, for the third day of Advent.

There's nothing like a mug of hot coffee with a cold piece of pumpkin pie for breakfast! Today is the Monday of the last week of classes at my small university. Hurrah! Not terribly much to do for yours truly now, just some review discussions, collecting/reading final drafts of term papers, and then submitting course grades late next week. In most instaces, it is already pretty clear how most students will do, but there are always last minute surprises.

In celebration of the coming month-long Christmas break, I picked up my painting brush in earnest on Saturday and Sunday and began paint to those 20 pledged RSM95, Minden, and Fife&Drum staff figures on foot and mounted. Just oil and black washes applied to horses, hats, and boots at this point. Flesh areas will get their treatment this evening. Let's see how far I get during the next three weeks before the painting challenge deadline on December 24th. For those painting method techies out there, I'm using primarily alkyd oils thinned with Liquin Original this time around though detailing will be picked out with acrylic hobby paints by Citadel (ex-Games Workshop).

And here is an old German Christmas greeting, showing Santa Claus/Father Christmas in dark green robs with brown fur. Old-fashioned Green Saint Nicks are my personal favorite.

Here's an RSM Painting Update

Here's a picture illustrating my (S-L-O-W) progress with the second company of Stollen's Leib (Grand Duchess Sonja's Own) Grenadiers. You can see I'm doing things a bit differently this time, altering the painting process to keep it interesting basically. This evening, I'll do the white gaiters and, if that goes reasonably quickly, and time allows, the red breeches. Still lots to do, but I like the way these fine fellows are shaping up along side the completed 1st company that's standing in formation just off camera, to the left here. Until tonight then!

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!

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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