Shaking Off the Post-Holiday Lethargy. . .

A before photograph of the somewhat messy painting table here in Zum Stollenkeller.

Ok, no painting last night, so let the mockery and derision begin! However, as you know, it can be very hard to get anything accomplished when the painting table is in disarray. With that in mind, I did manage to clear a few things away that remained from the pre-Christmas wooden truck project. I next moved the Austrian/Saxon, Continental, and Grand Ducal family vignettes out of the way, so that I can concentrate my attention and efforts on the remaining English and Prussian general officer vignettes.

I remember writing somewhere in the last few years that, to keep the painting flames hot, it can be extremely helpful not to have tons of unpainted figures cluttering up the painting table. To my mind, it can be disheartening when you have a huge painting task fully visible before you. Why risk painter's block (a cousin of writer's block) after all? Far better to break a painting project down into more manageable bits, put some things to one side for a while, and tackle things in manageable stages. That's the theory at least.

So, maybe not quite so much mockery and derision from the virtual peanut gallery this morning? ;-) Let's see what transpires this evening.

An after photo once things were put away and neatened up. Ah. . . . Now let's get those painting fingers warmed up.

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...

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!

And It's the End of September!!!

Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November. With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important, I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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