Sunday June 8 2008
Picture: Art by Alexandra R.
I literally wrapped up Terrain Fest at midnight last night.
I slept ever so well, waking up with little hands on each cheek. I opened my eyes. Griffin was looking at me earnestly. “Dad, I want to pick a show.” So, I put on some Ben 10: Alien Force and went to sleep again on the couch.
I am reading the High Elf arm book again. I am really hankering to play a game of Warhammer Fantasy.
(On Saturday afternoon I ran into my good friend James M. at the grocery store and maybe I’ll get in a game with him).
I was called like five times this morning for various church stuff, including two requests to sub in primary classes. I ended up teaching Jonah’s class which was pretty fun. I’m really good at working with puppets and that holds the little ankle-biters’ attention.
The only thing that could make this day perfect would be to have a copy of the new Fourth Edition D&D books. I’d love to run an adventure.
My wife is going to spend the next few days with her sister (who is having major surgery), so I’m left home alone. As usual it will be fun at first then I will miss them terribly.
This afternoon I made an “Orange Cream Float” with double vanilla ice cream and orange soda. It was heavenly, you should really try it.
Saturday June 7 2008 Another Land
Hey all. Did you think I was dead?
Well, it was Terrain Fest and I’ve fallen very behind on my regular duties.
I had on the agenda about four display boards, but ran into a snag with materials so all of those have been delayed. I’m ordering materials on Monday. I may do a mini-Terrain Fest next weekend.
Shawn
Thursday June 5 2008 Terrain Fest Day One
Picture: one of Renn’s Possessed for his “Yellow Devils” army.
I am beat.
My life is sweet.
I am working my way through the inbox on odd moments, so be patient. I encourage you, if you have a quick question, to give me a call at 801 372 8545 it will be a lot easier since I can talk to you while I am working on the giant Terrain project.
We are very much hoping to find buyers for all the terrain.
An average table takes about 12 pieces of terrain and would cost $200. Shipping is $15. Keep your eyes peeled a lot of good stuff is coming.
I made an army list for my beloved Hero Sky Raiders army. I thought I only had 1200 pts but I was deeeelighted to find that it was 2000 (without any magic items). So, I’m holding on to it and maybe even adding some pieces.
Did I mention that my gorgeous pregnant wife and I went to see Prince Caspian. I really liked it. It was sweet, sensible, and had some great action sequences but wasn’t overdone. The characters and plot were convincing.
Aaaand, Tamie went in for her first ultrasound. It’s too early to tell gender (yes, we both like to know) only the due date: December 28. Now, I absolutely refuse to let this child get shafted for their birthday getting eclipsed by Christmas. We all know how that works.
Wednesday June 4 2008 Undead Deal
Picture: a Pyre Troll from the game of Hordes.
See more pics here.
Hear the commentary of the Artist here.
Right now it’s about 11pm and I’m sitting at my living room desk, typing, while my two beautiful snooches eat popcorn and watch the pilot episode of Star Trek Enterprise with me. They are a delight. I can’t get enought of them.
Flash back 21 hours. At 2:30am this morning I woke up from a deep slumber, refreshed, and so I ate some pasta, fired up the laptop and took care of some emails. Then I went back to sleep until about 8am.
The family was all sleeping in. It had rained last night, but was green and wet and quiet this morning. I checked on the rabbits. One of them is still running around.
I got to the studio around 10am and started cracking. I didn’t get around to unpacking so I still have three packages un-opened there. However, almost all of the projects that were in digital photography are all the way through.
As of June 10 (next Tuesday) I have an Assembler idle. I’d love to get a project going there. He’s new, so you don’t get to meet him. I will say this, though, he is quite the expert at green stuff. I was amazed to find him putting scale-work on some Alpha Legion tanks this morning. He’s got a real talent. He’s even completed and cast some scratch models– they are a little rough for publication, but I think that you’ll see some good things from him in the future. You won’t get to meet him for about three more months, though.
I picked up a Vampire Counts army, but the deal fell through. So, I have a lot of figures on hand. If you want to commission them, the cost for the models would be 50% off. I am also still running the L2 core-tastic special. It’s a really good deal.
Get price guides for Vampire Counts here.
Now, if you’ve read this far, I have one more plug. I’m making a LOAD of terrain the next three days. If you want some now’s a good time to set that up.
Space Marine Upcoming Releases
Sergeant Chronus of the Ultramarines
Scout Sergeant Tellius of the Ultramarines (I think the U logo could easily be removed, making this into a unique piece.
Ultramarines Sergeant Sicarius
Techmarine and Thunderfire Cannon
Tank Commander upgrade.
Sternguard Veterans with jump packs.
Sternguard Veterans
Codex front cover
Land Speeder variant.
Scout bikes, sweet.
Drop pod. Before this it was home-brew or Forge World (about $110)
Land Raider Redeemer
Crimson Fist Commander Pedro Kantor
A BTP Operative in Portugal, code name “Raptor Talon”, sent me these pics.
Terrain Fest Coming Soon
Now’s your chance to get some primo terrain for your gaming group!
On June 6-8 I will be out at my house making a metric ton of terrain for my own amusement.
If you would like me to make you A) a set of gaming terrain, or B) a display board then let’s get the ball rolling for that as follows:
A) I usually charge $15, $30, $45, or $60 per piece depending on complexity. That’s for the standard wargame table stuff that is modular, you know, terrain for a regular game. It costs $200-400 for a full table (can be spread out to two tables in most cases). You set a budget and I get to work. I ask for broad artistic license; that produces the best result. So, you might say “Make me a table of desert world terrain for $200”. If you don’t think it’s worth it when I show you the finished product I will refund your half-down deposit and gladly absorb my masterpieces into my private collection.
There is a $35 shipping charge for that on account of the huge box. Some (I think ALL) shipping services have accounting for volume in their charges.
B)
A Display Board costs $200-400. Again, you set the budget and I get to work. It has to fit in a 24″ x 24″ x 14″ box so I design them to accomodate that. However, I usually get around that restriction by using strong magnets and other tricks to make it modular.
A Display Board costs $200-400. Again, you set the budget and I get to work. It has to fit in a 24″ x 24″ x 14″ box so I design them to accomodate that. However, I usually get around that restriction by using strong magnets and other tricks to make it modular.
There is a $35 shipping charge for that on account of the huge box. Some (I think ALL) shipping services have accounting for volume in their charges.
Please contact me if you want some terrain done. My terrain is very good. It is made with high quality materials and there is a spark of creative power in them.
Shawn
Shawn
PS- What about density? A Warhammer table is 6×4′ and requires 8-12 pieces to populate decently. So, you could have denser terrain on your 4×4′ War Machine table or proportionalize the cost.
Sunday June 1 2008 Thirty-eight Years in that State
Another gorgeous Sunday.
This evening, as the sun set behind the quaking aspens, it illuminated them like a cloud of spinning jade coins, I was pushing both my sons on the swings. It was a timeless moment.
In church, both my kids have trouble paying attention. Can’t say as I blame them. Like their parents, their minds are going 100 miles an hour. I can only stand it if I’m taking notes or fiddling with something or reading a book while half-listening. It’s like a typical class or whatever only takes half my brain. So, I empathize.
Flashback to morning: I bolted upright from my couch to realize that I hadn’t visited my home-teaching families for more than a month! I went to see both of them this afternoon. I just love home-teaching. In fact, I like anything to do with coming into contact with other humans.
I came across this quote today, which I had heard before, but it sounded a bell in my soul as it did many years ago:
The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature. -E.T. Benson
On my mission in Chile I found this to be very, very true. If I may ramble for a moment? I often wonder if my progress in this life is blocked by the slums of my own soul. Maybe I’ve gotten as far as I’m going to get unless I ratchet it up. Leprosy of the heart. I am still puzzling this out.
Griffin was stung by a hornet today. His comment afterwards: “I hate bugs”. Isn’t learning fun? My heart just went out to him. I remember getting stung by a hornet when I was a young lad.
I had a dream about Griffin last night: that I was in a clean and white sea-side city. I had become separated from my family in the crowd, but then I found Griffin, standing expectantly at the top of a flight of stairs. It was a feeling of sublime relief and elation to take him in my arms again.
Saturday May 31 2008
This is one of the models (not painted by BTP– this is the product image) used as Mages in the Heru/HE army, below…
Today I had a day off, effectively.
I just swung by the grocery store and picked up snacks for Paint Fest then painted my heart out all afternoon. I finished up my Heru Sky Raiders army (using the High Elf list but Heru models from Crocodile Games). It’s about 1200 points.
Though it has a lot of wonderful conversions, and I love the look AND feel of the army, it is time to sell it off (like the Tau Drones). It’s about 1500 points. Cost is $350. I don’t need to tell you this is a good deal. I will be taking pictures and documenting it early next week. The money is financing the next army, whatever that may be.
Tonight I came home to three kids who are on summer break; dirty feet, dried ice cream on their faces, and their hair matted with twigs and grass.
I let the rabbits out in the back yard, but as of nightfall tonight one of them is still missing.
We’re eager to do more Vampire Counts armies and I’m ready to make a deal on a Tyranid army, if anyone wants to give creative license.
Can’t Get No Satisfaction
“In a wide range of studies, people have been shown to be poor predictors of their own enjoyment and happiness,” they said.