I'll make some coffee, and let's have a few slices of Stollen!

Today's Victorian postcard image shows another green-robed Santa Claus/Father Christmas atop a small sleigh drawn by two rather more realistic reindeer. . . in size at any rate.

We took Young Master Paul to visit Santa Claus late this morning, and he did very well. Hopped right up in Santa's lap, babbled some toddler language for a few minutes, smiled, hopped down, and thanked Santa in English and then German before taking my hand and leading me away to his mother. All in all, it was a very pleasant exchange. And I must commend Santa on his genuine white beard and deep, resonant voice, which is what you would expect from the Big Man after all.

As for the next batch of ten RSM's. . . The fleshtone has been applied. And I am pleased with the way I am gradually learning to use the brush to wipe off excess paint on the raised areas of each face (cheeks, chin, and bridge of the noses), providing an instant highlight when using a white basecoat. After supper and Young Master Paul's bedtime, it's on to the various black parts of the figures -- hats, shoes/gaiters, and cartridge pouches. Charge!

And here you are. . . One half of the Grand Duchess Sonja's Dresdner Stollen for Christmas 2011, all finished at about 1:30 this morning. We store it in two plastic boxes, but truthfully it's never around long enough to worry about it going stale. In fact, I've already informed my wife that she might, just might need to prepare and bake another one next week to carry us through New Year's! Oh, and I think this stollen is the best one yet. A bit moister and with more dried fruit. It almost melts in your mouth. Shhhhh, don't mention the amount of butter that's in this to my doctor!

Comments

Mosstrooper said…

Mmmm! looks very nice indeed.

12:55 AM

The 18th century? What's the Fascination?

Hessian musketeers by All the King's Men Toy Soldiers of Snellville, Georgia, U.S.A. Just a quick post post today, but I thought the above question might be interesting food for thought. Obviously, there is an array of possible periods, theaters, and conflicts that might catch our eyes. But what is it about the era 1700-1799 -- either real, or imagined? Is it the commanders and politics? The fairly straightforward tactics? The myriad of uniforms and flags? The variety and scope of the conflicts? The patchwork of various and sundry petty states, (at least in Central Europe)? I'm very interested to learn your thoughts. Don't be a lurker! Please leave a comment -- or even two or three. Have a nice day everyone!

An Early July Hussar Update. . .

Marginally neater in appearance with green bases, girths, and ivory horse markings added, but I need to neaten up some hooves now before moving onto the rest of the tack. W here in the world did June go? While I still ponder the answer to that question, how about a quick painting update on the first batch of 14 Minden Austrian hussars and Nadasdy? Good. I'm glad we are of a like mind. Still on the sloppy side, but I've managed to move things along, painting the green bases, white (ivory) horse markings, and beginning the miles and miles of tack adorning the various horses. I always like to begin with the girths spanning the horses' ribs which helped hold the saddles in place. Even with the figures mounted individually on temporary painting bases, these can be kind of tricky to access, but there we are. I've also used various Army Painter washes (Mid-Brown and Strong Tone) as well as their Speed Paint (Grim Black) to make the manes and tails of the horses a bit m...

Basic Reds Done at Last. . .

S till quite a way to go with the current batch of 20 human figures and a horse (of course), but they're actually starting to look like something after all of the red distinctions. Quite a bit of painting in hour-long sessions the last week as and when time has allowed. Mostly applying the basic dark red to facing areas and turnbacks followed by the inevitable touch-ups to clean up wobbly edges and those misplaced, minute splotches of Citadel Khorne Red. They're looking like so many Austrian infantry regiments of the era at this point, but the eventual flags will turn them magically into the Anhalt-Zerbst Regiment, more or less, of the AWI period. But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. One frustrating point (ahem) of sad discovery. I've started trying to use those Winsor & Newton 'Series Seven' brushes (#1 rounds) purchased last spring, and the blasted things simply will not keep a point. Very frustrating since I have heard over the y...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

Search This Blog