Nutcrackers and No Days. . .

Finally! A couple of nutcrackers in three-cornered hats, most fitting for the Grand Duchy of Stollen, courtesy of some giftshop or other in Williamsburg, Virginia, which embraces and celebrates its colonial history.

Humph! Time for another one of those "no days" that I was going on about a few days ago. Lots going on today here at Stollen Central, including getting the Christmas trees, which we'll decorate tomorrow, and the final date of the year for my band The Indras this evening. Oh, and some final grades to tally and submit for one of my courses. Rats! It doesn't look good for getting to the painting table today. . . unless I feel particularly driven tonight once I am home again. There is, I suppose, always tomorrow morning and afternoon before we decorate the trees and living room in the evening. Oh, wait. The Grand Duchess and I have a childless date for some coffee at a local cafe tomorrow morning, and she's already arranged a babysitter for a couple of hours. Geeze! How did things get so busy so fast?

At least my shopping for gifts is all done save for two or three more small things that will be easy to pick up early next week, so perhaps I can get caught up with painting next week, but there's only a month left in our current painting challenge. The deadline is January 16th, 2012, and I'm not quite at the halfway point with those 60 RSM musketeers. It might be time for a No Day or two next week, so I can hit the painting table hard and wear out some brush bristles. As the old country and western song used to sing, "Make the world go away. . . "

I'm not sure sure how old this particular postcard image of Santa Claus/Father Christmas is, but it's certainly done in a classic style, and I like his kind face, warmed by the lantern light. The wreath of holly around his head is a nice touch too.

Comments

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

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