Hi Friends. Just a quick update for Early April 2023. Worked on updating site links in particular having to do with the Tools and Materials I use in my hobby and crafting activities. You will see a red button marked “Tools and Materials”. You be directed a page of tools and materials I use or suggest based on the crafts and projects I showcase here. This is by no means a complete list as tool and material needs will evolve over time. Most items last for more than several projects. And sometimes, you may want to just upgrade or try something new or different. It’s OK. Try it.

Also, I updated the Project page. Hopefully this will be a better way to navigate the projects moving forward. (I will probably update it again.)

I will post a project conclusion for the Airfix US Paratroops hopefully soon. Until then, check out my Instagram or YouTube links for more projects and updates.

Thanks for your feedback and support.

Happy Crafting!

Hi – Here’s a quick update on the activities. Took a quick break from the Airfix WW2 US Paratroops paint-up to work on some very last minute cosplay for a recent comic convention in Seattle. I was going for a Wild West Gunslinger cosplay theme loosely based on Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name (Fist Full of Dollars, A Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly).

The clothing was simple-ish enough. It was basically an old button down dress/business long sleeve shirt. “Denim” blue jeans worked or the bottoms. I also bought some paisley print bandanas to compliment the fit. I bought a black vest from the local thrift store. The “poncho” blanket was for another project, but it came in handy hear and was surprising nice and warm for the downtown Seattle overcast weather. I already had some Chelsea boots that could pass for tall boots. I bought the hat off Amazon, although I was contemplating making one from scratch by buying some felt, shaping and sealing it. (Couldn’t do that in a week, tho.)

The next hurdle was the pistol and gun belt including ammo. How am I going to do this while making it “read” wild west pistol and setup while being convention safe for cosplay? EVA foam floormats and craft sheets, pleather and lots of contact cement. I was dizzy from the fumes (always work in a well ventilated room) Also having access to the family sewing machine didn’t hurt either.

After researching the necessary info for the props, I set off on a 4 day journey to complete that portion of the cosplay. I mainly posted some work in progress pics on the Insta. I guess I could create a write-up here as well.

Anyways, back to some more mini painting.

Let me know if you want to see more cosplay type content on this site as well. As always, check out my other socials (I know, I have yet to post real content on YouTube. Soon-ish? Maybe?)

Happy crafting!

Welcome to the first post of 2023. The plans are to finish the Airfix WW2 US Paratroops this month (painted and based). Begin some terrain projects using various materials accumulated over the years – basically to clean out my junk pile, work on finally painting up my hobby space – tired of looking at the raw plaster wall in front of me. Start small and see where we go from there. Thanks for your support and checking out my website and other socials. Help this endeavor grow! Thanks again!

So. Welcome back? It’s been a minute since the last update on the paint-up for the Airfix WW2 Paratroops. It is the eve of Dec 30, 2022 and I have to say I have been severely procrastinating on this one. I don’t really know why. I can clearly see the models screaming for attention on my hobby desk mere 3 short feet from my computer desk. And yet they have sat for at least 1 month? 2 months? It’s been so long I don’t really know any more without looking back at photo dates.

But, here is the progress so far. Enjoy.

So I was mixing my colors on my wet palette trying to complete this Airfix WW2 US Paratroops painting project and this random thought came to mind, “Is it better to have a small set of colors to mix or just have every color paint available?”

There are a couple of schools of thought on this. On the one hand, if you only have your primary colors, you can mix to your hearts content and save money and space on your workbench. The drawback is you have to mix your colors every time and if you run out, the second batch of colors may not exactly match the first.

On the other hand, if you have a wide wide assortment of colors to choose from, you proceed with your paint project without having to stop and mix colors. The drawback of this is hobby paint can get really pricey. Even the “cheap” acrylics can cost quite a bit when you start buying numerous color bottles. And you will take up space in your hobby room, desk or wall. Not good if you are limited on space of course.

What do you think? More paint? Less Paint?

Happy crafting!

It’s been a while since I put down words and worked on my hobbies. Life will often get in the way of things you’d rather be doing. Take for example the drywall screws I discovered that the previous owners (or builder of this home I live in) drove into the ABS waste pipe in the wall of my hobby space/office. I discovered this while trying to hang shelving to display my minis and other trinkets. After cutting out the drywall, removing the screws (most of which were rusted and broke off embedded in the pipe), patching the holes with ABS cement, patching the missing drywall, the wall now sits waiting for paint.

Apparently I have to move everything out of the way if I don’t want paint splatter on them. Then came the school activities with my offspring and well…the wall is still in need of paint. Not to mention, I need to get back to my hobby project with the Paras. The troops have been sitting on my work table waiting patiently for support to arrive. Soon Commander, soon.

I have had this obsession to acquire and paint up a set of Airfix WW2 1/32 scale figures since seeing a painted set on the interwebs years ago.

This began a multi-year challenge as I soon realized that these were out of print figures. I searched many websites and Amazon to see if I could buy a set or two. I even reached out to the manufacturer, Airfix – thru its US counterpart Horby Hobbies. No luck…until…

Around late 2021, I discovered that these 1/32 figure sets were on “Pre-order” on the Airfix website. I guess there was enough interest to fire up the old molds and print out some re-issue “original, not some foreign made knock-off” of these figures.

I soon got myself on the website’s notification list and waited. And waited. And waited some more, until around early 2022 when behold I received an email stating these were now in stock in the US, ready for shipping. I bit the bullet and purchased a set of each of the ones they had available – 5 different sets in all. Each retailing for $15.99. Pricey for little “army men” that I was used to paying $0.01 each growing up. I had to have the originals.

After they arrived on my doorstep, I opened the box and straight to my pile of shame they’ve sat until October of 2022. I got off my butt and plan to paint and based each of the sets. I will be showcasing them here as well as on my other socials (IG and YouTube) – I haven’t posted a YT video in so long on my other channel. See the PROJECTS page for more details.