Working on painting

 Greetings

I have done some more work to my current painting.

It now looks like this:

There are still a few things that I want to sharpen up, so I will be carrying on...

Until next time

Adieu

Mercenary

 Greetings

Many years ago I used to make the 54 mm Airfix models, mostly of Napoleonic soldiers.

I adapted several of these ( including making a dismounted Scots Grey holding a beer mug).

I had also made a couple of  English Civil War models and , it seems I had acquired quite a few spare bits, including some bits that might be from a French Foreign legionary.

I used these to make this Science Fiction mercenary ( or possibly Strontium Dog ).

This was originally painted mostly black, with a few silver highlights and the long gun was slung across the back.

I recently decided to alter and repaint it.

I also added the gravel texture to the base.

Until next time

Adieu

Stretch 2

 Greetings

Here is the first variant of this new computer art

Until next time

Adieu

Stretch 1

 Greetings

Here is a new piece of computer art that I have been working on.

I will post other versions later...

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 13

 Greetings

Here is the last version of this piece...

Until next time

Adieu

Working on painting

 Greetings

I have done some more work to my latest oil painting.

I have added glazes to the landscape  and done more work to the figure.

it now looks like this

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 12

 Greetings

Some censorship has been applied to this version to make it appropriate for this blog...

Until next time

Adieu

More Work to Painting

 Greetings

I have been living with my latest oil painting for a while now.

It recently indicated that it need a bit more work

It now looks like this

I am probably going to do more to it.

Until next time

Adieu

Filkcon 1

 Greetings

Due to there being much unhappiness about the hotel for last year's filkcon, a new hotel had had to be found.

Thus, this time, I did not have to drive all the way up to Buxton. I did, however, have to drive deep into Norfolk- Beyond Norwich...

I turned out that most of this journey was the same as I used to drive to an annual Far Isles Medieval Society event at Letton and, despite our sat nav throwing a bit of a fit when it realised it wasn't on A roads anymore, we arrived at the Hotel without too much trouble.

I had booked a dealer's table and had brought my fimo figures and mounted prints of some of my cartoons to see how well they might sell before taking some to Eastercon. Following a last minute brainwave I had as we were packing the car, we had also brought some costume we  had outgrown to sell on.

This last proved to be a truly excellent idea, as we sold quite a few pieces of costume.

My Rifles jacket was one of the bits that went and suited the buyer very well...

One of the minor disadvantages of the new hotel was that it's primary function was to serve a golf  course, which meant it was miles from anywhere and this meant that we really had to eat there.

The food, however, was excellent and the prices were reasonable.

It is not often, gentle reader,  that I impose pictures of my food on you, but this dessert- well, see for yourself...

It was a sort of chocolate caramel brownie with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and cream, garnished with strawberry and tasted as good as it looked.

It was generally felt that the hotel was keeper and the new committee booked it for next year's convention.

The convention had excellent US and UK guests and much excellent music was made. I even managed to stay awake long enough one night to sing several songs in the circle.

As I have mentioned in a previous blog, I had a set on the Sunday ( singing A Cappella), which was very well received.

...and I sold five prints

So, all in all, a most successful event.

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 11

 Greetings

Here's another version of this computer art

Until next time

Adieu

Filkcon

 Greetings

Teddy and I recently attended the UK Filkcon in Norfolk.

I had a set on the Sunday, which went very well.

I had lots of nice comments about how good my voice was sounding!

Here is the outfit I performed in.

I was going for a Steampunk Space Navy vibe...

I will post more abut the convention later...

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 10

 Greetings

Here is another version of my latest computer art..

Until next time

Adieu

Wintertide Ball 2

 Greetings

Here are some more pictures from the Wintertide Ball

I managed to get some pictures of Teddy .

and of the beginnings of dances...

 

If I ever get any pictures of myself, you will see I am dressed in my 18th Hussar uniform with pantaloons ( rather than knee britches). I wore shoes, as one of the pills I'm taking makes my calves swell just too much to get my hessians on.

There was, however, another gentleman there dressed as an officer of the same regiment. He had much more braid n his sleeves, so I decided he ranked me. 

(Unfortunately, I seem only to have captured a rear view...)

He had hired his rig, so I had to explain why I kept calling him 'Colonel'...

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 9

 Greetings

Yet another version...

Until next time

Adieu

Wintertide Ball 1

 Greetings

The weekend after the Burns Night Ball in Brighton we attended a Wintertide Ball in Reading.

There were no restrictions to taking pictures, so I was able to take a few. Hopefully I will eventually get copies of some taken of me by other people...

This gentleman attended in a very fine 12th (Prince of Wales) Light Dragoon uniform.

I will post more pictures later

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 8

 Greetings

Here is another version of my latest computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Burns Night Ball 3

 Greetings

The day after the ball, we had booked a 'Behind The Scenes' tour of the Royal Pavilion.

The weather had taken a turn for the worse and it was rainy and very blustery. We decided that we would do the tour and then there was no point in staying Sunday night (even though we'd booked it) but to go home in the afternoon.

On the way to the Pavilion, I spotted a wonderful suit of Samurai armour in a restaurant. 

Sadly,at that time on a Sunday, the place was closed, so I had to take pictures through the window.

Then Teddy pointed out the illuminated floor...

Anyway... we got to the Pavilion and started the tour, which took us  through the hidden corridors in and under the Pavilion and told us of many interesting facts about it's history and construction.

We were even able to go up into one of the domes.

We saw the Kings bedchamber...

Some original Chinese silk wallpaper.

before ending up with the stained glass of the grand staircase.

When we got back to the hotel, we packed and checked out, then trundled our cases to the station.

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 7

 Greetings

Here is another version of my latest computer art

Until next time

Adieu

Burns Night Ball 2

 Greetings

As promised, here are some more pictures from the ball at Brighton.

We stayed at the Old Ship, where the lift appeared to be a tardis.

On arrival at the Pavilion we had drinks in the Red Drawing Room. Here is the rear of a Rear Admiral and either a Prussian, or an Austrian officer.

Here is a rear view of our host, Zack Pinsent

A partial shot of Teddy's coat obscures evidence of the unusual shortness of a Scottish gentleman's kilt.

Here is an Austrian Officer and his lady

We then went into the Music Room for dancing. Our host, Zack, requested that we refrain from taking photos so the ambiance could be maintained.

There was, however, a discrete official photographer, so I am hoping, at some point to be able to gt permission to post pictures of the dancing (or more of myself and Teddy).

We were expecting to be eating in the Great Kitchen again, but, due to a leak ( fortunate or unfortunate depending on one's perspective) we were seated in the Dining Room.

A great time was had by all.

On the Sunday we had a 'Behind the Scenes' tour of the Pavilion, which I will post about later.

In other news... the redecorating in our Living Room is complete and we a slowly moving furniture , nicknacks, mirrors and pictures back and working out what now fits where.

Until next time

Adieu

Lunge 6

 Greetings

Here is another version of my latest computer art.

Until next time

Adieu

Burns Night Ball 1

 Greetings

last weekend Teddy, our friend, Melusine, and I attended the Burns Night Ball at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

Here is a picture of us in our finery.

Teddy wore his wedding suit again and I am (once again) in Ball Dress for His Majesty's 18th Regiment of Hussars. This time I am showing off my rather nice new Chapeaux Bras.

I will post more pictures later.

Until next time

Adieu

Scene of the crime

 Greetings

Ah, the joys of sharing the house with cats...

I came down this morning to find a partially-eaten mouse on the living room floor

I removed the body and then went back to clear up any mess

I was confronted with a scene from CSI.

Here, an arc of blood where the body lay.

And here, the gruesome evidence of struggle and a dreadful demise...

 

And then- which cat?  Both ( of course) had unbreakable alibis.

I cleaned up and it then occurred to me that, for all that, it was still not enough mouse-blood for the Ritual of Ashkente...

Until next time

Adieu