Bear Essentials

 The Grandkids have gone home but not without leaving us their creations by both Little Miss and Junior Moonbases.

Basic lego house, Shogun van, Lilo and Stitch mobile, Where's Wally Car and Plex plax tower.

Little Miss Moonbase also put together this gorgeous mini teddy bear bedroom for three bears.

Hope you like it.

🧸🧸🧸

For Your Eyes Only ( well, you can blog if you like!)

Hi Woodsy!

I really love Moonbase, as much as I'm being turned off Facebook and Instagram, I really enjoy the community of your blog.

I've almost got the first five puppets I need for my first filmed sequence.

As is fitting for my non-linear production schedule, I've already mocked up an Australian 60's style Daybill poster.

At that time they tended to go for hand drawn lithographic images, printed on Butcher's paper rather than photographic imagery.

As such, I'll be doing a coloured pencil tracing of my Photo, with coarse sandpaper under my sketchpad to simulate the rather crude (and charming) artwork.

I'm also including some real Australian Daybills to give you an idea of the look!

On we go,

Looey

Oz

ELF on the shelf

Hello Woodsy,

your ELF store display link for the Lincoln Thunderbirds toys peeked my interest.

I couldn't find a lot of information, but it certainly was a thing back in the day.

One of my research resources was a fascinating blog called space base - or something!

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2022/10/still-in-good-elf-wooden-tracy-island.html?m=1

I love those Old School production techniques, like the screen printed hardboard, vac form rocks, painted wood pieces, bent wire and celluloid windows!

Ah, those were the days!

Looey Oz Base

Anyone got one of these JR21 Thunderbirds Store Displays?

Stingray Pizza with Sides

I'm amazed by these Pizza Hut cups from 1992. I knew about the Stingray one but the other three are a surprise, especially the two strange craft I don't recall, alongside the Terrorfish.

Do you know them? 

Bill Ev's Thunderbirds Fun with AI

Woodsy,

I know it's fashionable to criticise AI. But I see it as simply an extension of the creative process. Really not too different to an electric guitar, or a sequenced synthesiser, or 3D printing as opposed to carving. [And I am both a musician and a qualified fine arts artist] and I don't object to AI...

But I digress. Here are some AI sequenced photos of our stringed friends, processed to look like real people. I recognise that not everyone will see the resemblance. But if I'd spent hours and hours trying to make them look completely realistic, the illustration would still not look right to some.

   

Plus, a meme I saw online that made me chuckle! 

Also attached is a teaser of the start of restoration work on the 1966 issue of the Dinky FAB 1.

 

When I was about 7, I broke off the radiator mascot. Having a close inspection of the original photos, I can see that the original issue had a stylised 'P' instead of 'RR' and the mascot looks remarkably like a rocket!

This looks almost identical to the FAB 1 radiator mascot in the new Thunderbirds series. Clearly WETA Digital must have been inspired by Dinky's solution to get around the image issue, whether be it for copyright reasons or product placement prohibition for children.

We'll see if my carving and filing skills with solder are still up to scratch. [Now I really could do with AI!]

Bill Ev.

S H O G U N

 Spending time with the Grandkids over the summer holidays, Moonbase Junior has just whipped up this nifty Lego camper.

He calls it Shogun on account of the Ninja driving it.

He hopes you like it.

Victorian Ron Embleton

I saw this block print of Victorian kids in a junk shop recently. It might be called Eggy Peggy.

I instantly recognized it as Ron Embleton's work. His signature's there too. I think this is one of a suite of similar paintings Ron did.

Having grown up with TV21 and The Book of Battles I know and love his unique wonderful style. 

Do you like it? 

Years ago for our first blog anniversary finale, when Century 21/ JR21 Toys box art was hot on MC, I published a post about whether Ron did the illustration for the sublime Atomic Submarine Aircraft Carrier toy. His brother Gerry Embleton kindly gave his two penneth as well. You can read it on the below.

There's conjecture about the Dinky TB2 box art and Project SWORD's Hover Tank too.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2009/10/bloggiversary-finale-box-art-of.html?m=1

Milk Jelly and Friends

 The Missus mentioned Milk Jelly this morning.

Wow!

I so remember it. Jelly made with milk. Blimey, was that delicious when I was a kid. I may just have to make some again! Remember it? 

It got me thinking about other past sweets, puddings and afters.

Instant Whip - my favourite milk pud as a kid, the best being butterscotch. I guess it's a lost brand now.

Birds Dream Topping - Lordy, how I adored this fluffy white nectar. I bet you can still get it.

Angel Delight - a lesser Instant Whip to my taste, too much air but delish nonetheless. I'm pretty sure this is still around.

Have you any forgotten puds and afters?