BLUES AND ROYALS: HORSING AROUND

 I've started work on the horse's tack for my Blue and Royals.

Boy, are there a lot of straps and reins!

Beginning at the nose I'm working backwards whittling bits as I go.

Some small wheels and axle make a decent bit.

The bit's curly flourishes came courtesy of this dolls house sofa.

Bit and curls together.

Old USB cabling turned out to be great for the many black straps on the neck.

... including this slightly wider one, which I stuck a goldish insignia too for the top of the horse's head.

A couple of metal charms from the Missus' drawers added a nice touch to some gold braid.

More to follow after a tomato cuppa soup [I've got a cold so my appetites off!].

SAM PETRUCCI: GI JOE-ACTION MAN BOX ARTIST

 With Action man uniforms on my mind I got to looking at another of my favourites, one of many favourites, the Palitoy Russian Infantry. I was in love with the box art as a kid.

There's just something about the bent leg and the turned body. Like all that early Action Man box art, it captures the movement brilliantly.

Googling a bit more about this box art I came across this amazing image on Reddit.

It features someone modelling for the original Hasbro GI Joe Russian Infantry box art! Its all there, the bent leg and the turned waist.

That someone turned out to be one Sam Petrucci, a name I've not come across before. You? Mr. Petrucci was none other than the GI Joe box artist! How cool is that!

I'm thrilled to know who the GI Joe/ Action Man artist was at last.

Sam sadly passed away in 2013 but his memory lived on on all the GI Joe forums and sites, not to mention his family's memorial site to his work.

https://www.sampetrucci.com/

Which was your favourite GI Joe-Action Man box art? What was the action doll called in your country?

Sam did much more besides GI Joe and I feel another post coming on!

BILL EV'S GRANDMOTHER

Hi,

Re. Bill Ev's Thunderbirds Memories

.... not my Zero-X Action Man, but further information about my Gran. 

Some time ago, I decided to have my Grandmother's chair restored. Fortunately there is a furniture restorer in Bridgend, and this craftsman is as exacting as the people in the TV series the Repair Shop.

When he examined the chair together with the upholsterer, it was determined that the chair was 90 years old. I thought it was manufactured in the 1940s at the earliest.

What is special about this chair to me is that I often used to sit in it to watch Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds and other great TV shows of the 1960s and very early 70s. I particularly remember watching the Dangerman episode "Not So Jolly Roger". Attached are two photos of the chair, before and after...

Plus a picture of my Gran taken in 1920. She would have been about 20 years old then. Recent advances in graphics restoration software have enabled the photograph to be properly colourised.

So I can see I come from a long line of Redheads!

SiG

Bill Ev~

UK

Blues and Royals: Man Done

 Well, my home-made Blues and Royals Action Man figure is done.

See what you think.

He just needs a horse now.

Ps. I only have one boot! 

Blues and Royals: Don't Lose Your Head!

 The Blues and Royals project is coming along.

After discovering my current figures head was too big for the helmet I set about transplanting it with a smaller modern Action Man's head.

Heads up! 

The helmet brush bristles plume had nicely glued around a pen top, so I began colouring it.

Using a red Sharpie it came out OK.

A small red pom pom tidied up the messy tip and voila!

It's Operation Sword and scabbard next!

ED'S HAULERS: MARX TRANSPORTER

Woodsy and Fellow Moonbasers,

Here's a wonderful Marx auto hauler I've had for many a moon now. The first attachment is a page from a '50s Montgomery Wards Christmas Wishbook featuring this hauler as part of a larger service station playset (BTW, I have that playset but haven't yet taken photos of it). 

This hauler is designed such that the upper deck actually tilts down to accommodate unloading of the cars. I have two of these haulers, but the second one is missing its unloading ramp. Unlike the other transporters I've sent photos of, this one is about the right size for a 3-rail O-gauge train layout. 

However, due to space limitations, we tend to make the roads on our layouts quite narrow, making this piece more of a display piece to set off to one side.

From Fast Eddie's Used Car Lot

Ed

USA

*Google is limiting my image downloading - until I create more storage - so I have had too screenshot Ed's photos this time. Sorry.

PETE'S BEARS

Our final AirBnB accommodation in Kingsbridge was indeed a rare find.

An extended and converted garage transformed into a lovely compact studio, we loved it.

Over three days, we really enjoyed this private pad's sunny space. We never made it up the ladder into the mezzanine but we adored the owner Pete's own art scattered round the place.

Wanting to share the paintings, I snapped them for the blog. Hope you like them too.

This bear and girl had us mesmerised. It reminded me of John Schoenherr's bears.

I was really taken with this thoughtful astronaut.

The biggest piece on display, this stag and forest was so fabulously striking.

High up on a shelf was this second and bigger bear, a beautiful portrait.

You can read more about Peter's art and his fascination with bears and other wildlife on his own page.

https://peteodonnellart.weebly.com/about.html

Operation Blues and Royals: A Plume with a View

 I've made some post-holiday progress on the Blues and Royals.

After scalping a miniature Barbie, a complete misfire, I raided the house brush and plucked a few tufts, which I hope will form a decent top helmet plume. More hair work to be done on this and they'll all need reddening.

The metal letter opener sword has been repainted silver and the hand grip has been whitened. A white 'leather' guard has been inserted inside the hilt.

The original scabbard and helmet have been re-chromed.

Bisecting a spare Palitoy belt the scabbard has been given new straps.

More to come including a critical action man head issue.

Coffee first!