I hope you've all been good!

And I hope none of you might be expecting a lump of coal in your stocking, or a Birch switch come Christmas morning. ;-) With a certain man's visit to good boys and girls around the world fast approaching, and I have it on good authority that the reindeer have been particularly frisky the last several days or so, here is yet another classic image of Saint Nicholas for your seasonal enjoyment.

For those of you with a more painterly frame of mind, I can report that I did get in about two hours last night to apply a couple of coats of Future/Klear to some more finished fusiliers. I also painted a bunch of bases green and applied flesh to a dozen more faces and twenty-four more hands. Christmas Day and a family visit not withstanding, I plan to slip into high gear with painting, finishing the Action at Pickelhaubewicz with Jonathan, and working some more on my languishing book project in the next week.

Finally, here is a better photograph of the Grand Duchess and me this past Saturday when we played hooky and went skiing in Wisconsin. It was a glorious day!

Comments

DestoFante said…

Stokes,
next time you drove through Chicago, we should arrange to get a coffee together!
I will have quite some traveling over the holidays, from family-in-Florida to family-in-Italy, so I'm afraid there won't be much painting progress for me for a couple of weeks. Good for you!

11:06 AM

Bluebear Jeff said…

Aha! My sharp eyes have detected the name of the author on a couple of those books that "the Man in Red" is carrying.

The author's name? Why Charles Grant, of course.

May you and your lovely Grand Duchess enjoy a wonderful Christmas Week.

-- Jeff

11:42 AM

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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