Sunday, 8 March 2020
Saturday, 7 March 2020
Now we are sixty and a day.
I had a most enjoyable birthday. The girls took me to Scotts restaurant in South Queensferry for lunch which was an excellent meal followed by coffee/cake in the Manna House Bakery. I was also able to use my free bus travel card and senior citizen railcard to get there for the first time. People were kind in the gifts given-
I am interested in the Arts and Crafts movement and am delighted with this metal work letter stand made in Glasgow http://www.victorianweb.org/art/design/glasgow/gilmour.html
I also got some reading. The atlas is a huge book , incredibly heavy and packed with fascinating detail.
Family came round for a meal later in in the evening which the girls prepared beautifully . A great end to a great day. The last word is for Jan who would have been 58 today. It was such fun when we met to have birthdays the day after each other. She will be much in our thoughts today.
Friday, 6 March 2020
Thursday, 5 March 2020
Napoleonic Denmark and Norway
Since my first holiday in Copenhagen many years ago I have collected information about the Danish/ Norwegian Army of the Napoleonic wars. I wrote to museums, societies and individuals finding many who were willing to share their knowledge with me. This is a hobby full of big hearted individuals. I also bought books albeit not in English-
This week I received a new book in English about the army published by Helion. It is a terrific work and well worth getting. It is full of lovely illustrations as well as fascinating information. It is the book I have been waiting for, do buy it,you won’t regret it!
Heads won’t roll
The replacement heads came swiftly from Dorset Model Soldiers and arrived today allowing the highland troops restoration to continue along with some WW2 figures who were awaiting heads too.
I am also working on more battered animals which need some new legs, filler in the case of the cow and painting.
Sunday, 1 March 2020
Military repairs
Today is St David’s Day and I completed these broken figures as members of the Combrogi Guards Regiment from Albion-
The officer on the left came without a right arm but with some original paint. I added a new sword arm from my spares box and touched up his paintwork prior to varnishing. The regimental mascot and holder in the centre came headless and battered about. He had been a zoo keeper. I gave him a new head and painted him as a guardsman holding an exotic mascot got when campaigning abroad and overseas. The final figure was missing an arm when he arrived and again he was fitted out with one from the spares box prior to painting. Again I enjoyed repairing these especially the mascot bearer.
Civilian repairs
Finished some civilian figures. As today is St David’s Day I imagine them on a narrow gauge railway in Wales. Here they are-
As I am awaiting heads for the highlanders I have left them aside today and worked on some others.
The chap on the left came to me without a hand and very bent over in stance, almost crushed. I imagine he was a porter. I added a rifle to him ( defending the station against invasion) and added a dog which fitted in well with his stance. The next figure came to me minus an arm. I have chosen to give him a rifle at trail arm, again ready to defend the railway. The next figure is a local farmer and was just a little bashed about. He just needed a coat of paint and steadier base. Finally a tramp. He came to me missing most of his back. I filled the hole and added his worldly goods in the form of a ball of glue soaked paper. I think he is a spy in disguise and will use him as such. All in a an enjoyable wee project.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)