Major Ballsup's Hobby Shed

This is the longest update for quite some time, as August has been a very successful hobby month.  Although I've been very busy in the real world too, I seem to have got into the flow and organised my time better.  I haven't agonised over things and just got them done.  I've also played a few games which I find motivates me to do more. Completed Quite a few things finished this month: Essex Miniatures15mm late 15th Castilian jinetes for the Fall of Granada project.  I started these last month and got them polished off in the first week of August.  This gives me a couple of units for the 2/3rd sized units I am initially using for Lion Rampant.  The 20mm Indian/Afghanistan buildings that I'd assembled and textured last month were next to be worked on.  Before painting them, I'd spent some time looking at photos of Punjabi buildings, some of which were very colourful, so rather than do the usual creamy white ones, I gave these very earthy tones.  The...

I started July with a much needed week away.  I took time to relax and do nothing that I'd do in a normal week.  Therefore no work (obviously),  no hobbying, no reading and apart from walks, no exercising.  It was great.   As anyone who has read this blog would know, I'm not a Summer person and usually moan about anything over 20 degrees.  But, the extremely hot weather helped in an odd way because sitting in the shade was all you manage some days and going out later in the day meant there was no one else about.  I thoroughly enjoyed the rest and it's done the world of good. Having returned I've been enjoying my hobby time and pressing on with the Fall of Granada project and also some terrain. Completed With a week away and busy with projects at work, I wasn't sure what I'd get done this month so I've pleasantly surprised myself with what I've completed: First off were four mounted Moor crossbowmen for the Fall of Granada project.  Like all o...

I lost my mojo at the end of May and this continued on through June.  It happens to all of us at times.  Sometimes a change of project or emphasis is all that's needed and sometimes you just grit your teeth and push on.  Sometimes a few days away from doing anything hobby related is all that's needed.  For the first half of the month I tried the first two of those options, but by mid June I had to use the third.  I had a couple of days of hobby cold turkey, with no hobby related activity at all including not even looking at any social media.   Then after a couple of particularly frustrating days in the real world, I felt the need to paint just to feel I was in control of something.  And that seems to have got me back on track.  I've kept up with limiting my phone use and looking at social media, news etc. and I'm finding that's helping.  There's so many arseholes out there, that even the good things can be spoilt.   The la...

May was a relatively productive month on the hobby front until the final week.  We had some really hot weather over the Whitsun Bank Holiday which put paid to any painting as my hobby table is in a South facing room.  As well as being unpleasantly hot the paint dries instantaneously!  I like the Summer for the extra light, but you can keep the stupid heat we now get thank you!  Prior to that point I'd worked on several different projects which helps to keep motivated and keeps them all ticking along.   Completed I got a few more disparate bits completed and off the table: The first item finished was the Airfix 1/72nd Bristol Blenheim.  Yes finally.  I started this back in October 2025 doing a bit each month.  At the end of last month I focused any hobby time I had to get it finished, which I did over the May Bank Holiday weekend.  It’s come out ok, but it’s very much a wargamers' model and I don't think any self respecting aero modeller ...