Now Booking Projects for August
Blue Table Painting is a well-oiled machine. We have produced no less than 600 armies in the last four and a half years. We love our customers, give top service, and the best possible price the first time.
I put my face and name and reputation on what comes out of this studio. I want to win and keep you as a client long-term. I wring my hands at night about projects being on time and up to par.
The following slots are open for painting:
July 28 to August 4: Two Slots
August 4-11: Four Slots
Any project in need of Assembly can get immediate attention.
I have the following specials running:
- Tank factory
- Vampire Counts core-tastic special ($2.75 for L2 painting on basic troops/infantry)
I have the following armies for sale:
- Questing Knights (2000 pts) $950
- Dragons of Moloch (2000 pts) $950
My phone number is 801 372 8545. I will be more than happy to set up anything on the phone with you, if you want. Otherwise, just drop me an email saying what you would like done.
The inside story is that the crew is powering through projects way faster than they are coming in. The product is good. The artists are dedicated.
Sunday July 13 2008 Spilled Milk
Another beautiful Sabbath day! It’s another chance to recharge and recover.
What’s going on in Gately’s mind? My main concern is that I’m not progressing. I worry that I’m not teaching my children the gospel. What do those little eyes see? They see an impatient man, who gets all worked up over nothing. I am lax in my observance of scripture study and family home evening. I can only hope that they also see me repenting and improving.
The first time Griffin pulled the egg-breaking stunt there was quite a bit of hair pulling and jumping about. The second time we were stern, but got about the business of teaching him how to clean it up.
[For those of you wondering: as a rule we have no corporal punishment in our home.]
Well, enough griping about it. It’s pre-dawn on Monday morning and I have a whole week before me like an untouched valley that no man has ever travelled. Or a blank page. What will I write on it?
As you regular readers know, Sunday is open mic day and I get to say what I please, usually politics or religion (which I don’t think are nearly discussed enough in our society). My topic today is Forgiveness for which I will take as a text a talk by Gordon B. Hinckley the late mormon prophet. I bring this up by way of encourage-ment and not as a preach-ment.
“It becomes us as a grateful people to reach out with a spirit of forgiveness and an attitude of love and compassion toward those whom we have felt may have wronged us.
“We have need of this. The whole world has need of it. It is of the very essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He taught it. He exemplified it as none other has exemplified it. In the time of his agony on the cross of Calvary, with vile and hateful accusers before him, they who had brought him to this terrible crucifixion, he cried out “Father, forgive the; for they know now what they do” (Luke 23:34).
“No of us is called on to forgive so generously, but each of us is under a divinely spoken obligation to reach out with pardon and mercy…
“…We see the need for it in the homes of the people. Where tiny molehills of misunderstanding are fanned into mountains of argument. We see it among neighbors, where insignificant differences lead to undying bitterness. We see it in business associates who quarrel and refuse to compromise and forgive when, in most instances, if there were a willingness to sit down together to speak quietly one to another, the matter could be resolved to the blessing of all.
“How difficult it is for any of us to forgive those who have injured us. We are all prone to brood on the evil done us. That brooding becomes as a gnawing and destructive canker. Is there a virtue more in need of application in our time than the virtue of forgiving and forgetting? There are those who would look upon this as a sign of weakness. Is it? I submit that it takes neither strength nor intelligence to brood in anger over wrongs suffered, to go through life with a spirit of vindictiveness, to dissipate one’s abilities in planning retribution. There is no peace in the nursing of a grudge. There is no happiness in living for the day when you can “get even.”
(”’Of You It Is Required to Forgive,’” Ensign, November 1980, p. 61.)
For those of you with children you know the great frustration of it. I love my kids beyond what I ever imagined I would, but when they are bickering and teasing it makes my eyes pop out. My inclination is to rush into the room and put on the general “beatdown”. I have become a lot better with this.
In a family there is great opportunity. This is the place where my true self comes out. And sometimes it’s not so pretty. But on the other side of this is to see the true beauty of another soul. I know my wife ever so well. At first she was a goddess, and then a ball of neurosis, and now fourteen years later I see her as a complete soul. The combination of all of this makes her (in my eyes) something even greater; a human being who I can respect. It flows unrestrained.
Only through long dedication do you “punch through” to the other side.
Every day is a chance for little forgivenesses. Shall I calmly teach my young six-year-old son, or just nag him? To put my hand gently on his cheek and tell him earnestly and with all the feeling of a loving father that he should not tease or bicker? And to what extent should I mingle this with tangible consequences to make the point? To give his sister a hug; to clean up the floor; to apologize to a neighbor.
I suggest that it is to understand God himself to have children. To love someone so much that you would dive headlong into a wood chipper if it would save them.
Like looking at a valley from the other side, after having travelled through it. The same place, but now part of my being.
To all those reading I give you a word of encouragement. Set the past behind. Set your face toward the coming week. Go now and give a family member a hug.
PS- I make my usual disclaimer here: I am not a very good man. Only one who is trying to do better.
Stonemarch Session 03- Shrine of Sune
The intrepid heroes enter a subterranean complex below the dragon graveyard. They are ambushed by various undead and defeat them. They solve a puzzle involving to large quartz obelisks and a leaden door with a spiral on it.
They find an ancient Ulari stone monolith in a deep cavern, but are unable to decipher it. Loose end.
The end up in a chamber of pale green stone, like a cathedral where they meet the demi-goddess Sune Firehair, a consort of Bahamut. She marks them in their right hands as champions of mankind; there are seven total. A darker power has marked nine ab-human champions. After Sune departs they find a portal that leads to the forest ten miles northwest of Winterhaven.
Items of note:
- Arck and Brack form an adventuring company.
- In the chamber of green there are seven sets of robes and slippers. Loose end.
- The party picks up an enruned plate that activates the portal.
- Arck and Brack are marked in their right shoulders.
PS- for those that haven’t noticed, I weave in elements as I see fit, from lots of different sources. The official story in the published books represents mis-information that the heroes might have heard!
Saturday July 12 2008 Simmering Pot
Hey all. As usual, my mind is brewing with ideas. But more on that later.
This blog is the story of a man’s journey. I hope you get something out of it. It’s mostly business, just like my life. I hope to put up more about the other people involved in the near future.
The idea for the Wyches of Thoth army is fully formed in my mind now. The army concept is bases around the wyches themselves; powerful sorceresses who summon various daemons. These are Heralds of Tzeentch on disc. I plan on using 60mm flying bases as an extra large disc with a cluster of tentacles underneath and curved and modified large tyranid scything talons to give the general appearance of what is now known as a disc of tzeentch.
The Wyches will be based on dark elf witch elves.
The rest of the army will be mostly tzeentch daemon types, with daemon princes (no soulgrinders), and some other daemon types sprinkled in for tactical reasons. I’m very fond of the Fiend of Slaanesh models.
A problem with most themed armies is that they collapse under their own weight. They are too complicated and expensive. I’ve found it’s best to start with cool models then make the army fit around that.
The best thing is that they can do double duty in my D&D game!
I picked up my 5th edition 40K rulebook today. It’s too early to make any comments, and I’m sure this is covered extensively in other forums. Besides, who wants to hear my opinion?
D&D 4E question
When rolling damage from a weapon you “Add the ability modifier specified in teh power description.”
Does this mean that you add your Dexterity Modifier to damage from a bow?
I am also generally confused about “Ability Modifier”. Is it just the base you get from the stat OR base plus half level?
If you answer this, can you give a page number, please?
The Emperor’s Hawgs
I have in my possession a 2300+ point army consisting entirely of bikes. They are partially assembled.
Here are some still pics. Note that these are all in varying stages.
Now the painted figure is the ONLY figure painted and is just a sample of what could be done.
They could be painted as White Scars or Ravenwing or better yet a variant of Ravenwing. There is a LOT that could be done with this army thematically. A whole lot.
If you take Sammael as an HQ then your bikes count as TROOPS. Under fifth edition this makes for a very fast moving army that can zip around and claim objectives with the best of them.
And watch how fast any object vaporizes when six attack bikes with multi-meltas home in.
The special here is the materials are 90% off if you set up the order before Friday July 18th.
- Materials $80
- Painting $988
- Assembly $568
Friday Night Hustle
Hey all. This is a general notice: I’ll be in the studio until at least 9pm on Friday (central time), wrapping up business.
Packages are going out on Saturday morning.
Please excuse any delay. I bit the bullet and took a day off with the family on Thursday. A whole day. I got to spend some good quality time with all of my children. It was a big deal, so I thank you for your indulgence.
The artists are currently short about three armies on the schedule. By all means contact me if you have something on your mind.
We went to a local water park called Seven Peaks. I got en-pinkened.
Picture: by this guy http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/
Stonemarch Session 02- Dragon Graveyard
Duvan Stahl
It is Springtime…
In search of their mentor, the party leaves Winterhaven following the Old King’s Road ten miles southeast where they turn on to a hunting trail going northeast. This turn is marked by a local landmark called the “green foot” a huge stone covered with moss. Uletsabe tells the tale of a colossal struggle between a local hero and a mountain giant. Or maybe it’s just an oddly shaped rock.
In a deep ravine they indeed find a mass of draconian-type bones, hidden beneath the canopy. But digging there are a few dozen savage mountain men; the Ulari. They are digging. There is a steel cage in the middle of it all. Without investigation or diplomacy, the party attacks, slaying them to a man.
They find that Duvan has been captured. Once freed, he reveals to them that there is a four foot stone block, directly below the cage itself. Below are spiral stone steps, leading down…
Duvan’s Tale
There are two tales that have led me here. As you recall, Jathor son of Padraig is my fast friend. He and I survived being stranded in a flood a few years back. While on that miserable rock, the storm raging overhead he told me something passed from father to son. He said that a wiser man than himself should know it, and would wisely keep it to himself until the right time.
There are two tales that have led me here. As you recall, Jathor son of Padraig is my fast friend. He and I survived being stranded in a flood a few years back. While on that miserable rock, the storm raging overhead he told me something passed from father to son. He said that a wiser man than himself should know it, and would wisely keep it to himself until the right time.
Seventy years ago there was a keep, north of Winterhaven. It was kept by Sir Keegan, the lord of the vale. He had a wife named Joria. For many years he faithfully kept his charge, but time and his own flaws of character clouded his judgment and he took a mistress. When the mistress became pregnant, Joria lured her into the woods and cut the child out while she was still alive. As Eleya lay dying she blessed the child, that it would bring back the keep to its honorable state.
I believe that this tale goes even deeper, that with the passing of the dragons (some say the Netherese) they placed various keeps and entrusted noble humans. Some say they are blessed of Bahamut himself. This is in keeping with the Lord of the Vale title now held by Padraig.
It is this, and various other findings, that led me here. I think this is the resting place of one of the guardian dragons. And it might hold the key to the agitation among the various enemies of Man in the region.
Tuesday July 8 2008 Clearing a Logjam
Picture: a High Elf raiding party, dark and brooding. This was a color scheme idea I had and I think it turned out nicely. I think that with some modification it would make a fabulous color scheme for some up and coming Dark Elves.
There’s an unusual phenomenon at the studio. We had a logjam there for a few weeks, but the staff is cracking at such a tremendous pace that it’s going to be cleared out really soon. As of July 15 (one week from now) I have an Assembler idle… and that’s not a good thing. Basically, at this time, a project can get immediate attention.
As I mentioned before I am especially eager to get going with Vampire Counts, Daemon, and Tyranid armies.
I have these Vampire Counts on hand:
2x boxes Blood Knights
4x boxes Crypt Ghouls
1x box Grave Guard
1x box Dire Wolves
1x Winged Vampire Lord
1x Vampire Noble/Aristocrat female
1x Wight Standard Bearer
1x Vlad
1x Varghulf
1x Corpse Cart
1x Corpse Cart
Retail of about $464.
New deal: if you commission this at L3/5 you get the models at no charge. This offer is good for the next 48 hours (expires midnight on July 10, Thursday).
I am in this business to form long-term bonds with clients. Many have become friends of the studio, and of myself personally. That’s what it’s all about. This business has changed my life for the better; through toil, hardship, and success.
As for me, I had a smooth and normal day. I got up around 6:30am and started answering client emails for a few hours while downing a few episodes of Scrubs. Then I got up the good woman, now waddling with her ever-rounding belly, and we went for a walk.
I bid you all a good night. I am humbled to be associated with this great company. It is not a solo effort. I have a good crew, who with eager hands move the wheel forward. Most of us depend on your good will to pay our rent and bills. I thank each of you ever so much for your good support.
Making Breakfast
Around 10pm tonight, Griffin got out of bed and snuck into the kitchen to “make breakfast”.
This is accomplished by taking a dozen eggs to his room and breaking them all on the carpet. Then pouring out a whole bottle of syrup. It was all over his feet and hands and shirt.
Hilarious.