Pre-halloween blahs?

I'm not sure what's up with us this year. We just can't get into the Halloween spirit. Maybe it was the early snow, or the fact that we still haven't put away the pool yet, or maybe because I'm not working on costumes until the last moment. Either way, we're just a bit behind. Maybe it's just the coughing going through the rest of the household.

We've got the inside of the house decorated - G was up on doing that at the beginning of October, but then we stalled on decorating up the yard. We still haven't even gotten the skeletons in the tree or the fencing. We might do a bit of an light year - no tombstones.

I should be able to get Scarecrow Jack out there - he's pretty easy to complete. Jack Skelington is still in pieces - I have to see if I can go out tomorrow and get the stuff to fix his armature.

We did jack-o-lanterns tonight. Even there, Shan and I weren't struck with inspiration at first.

Valleycon recap

We managed to get down to Valleycon last weekend. None of our friends went so it wasn’t a great time but still pretty good. At least I didn’t lose a camera this year.
The kids weren’t in the costume contest this year and were missed – by the nice person at the registration desk.

The guest, Peter Jurasik, played Londo Mollari on Babylon 5 and also Crom from Tron. He was very personable and friendly. He was very much more like the Crom character – quiet and approachable. I suppose it is a testament of just how good an actor he is that I never associated the two characters as being played by the same person. As Mollari, I always assumed the actor himself was louder and had an accent.

I had hoped to get some more KODTs, Monsterpocalypse singles, or even some Starship Troopers modules. I did get a Baneblade (for Christmas) and Ork Stormboys for 40% off. I also got West End’s Escape from the Death Star and GW Space Fleet as well as TSR Battle System 2nd edition and Skirmishes.

I was also able to get 2 Jango Fett guns - so I can work at a Jango Fett costume after all. For another year anyways.

Wizkids at NECA

It's definately official - NECA has acquired Wizkids. They have updated their website with the new info. They have the Clix lines as well as the pocketmodel lines. We'll see what they do with the rest.

The Hammer of Thor set is officially supposed to come out November 18 with a new Buy-The-Brick figure - Ragnarok Surtur. With the Chariot of Thor being sold already, we figured that they might offer a different incentive. My Chariot came in the mail from ebay this week.

Giant Apes!

Monsterpocalypse has finally updated their main website. The old one used to take forever to load - the new one is fast and useful. Even though they still don't have convenient checklists for their sets, they do finally have a figure gallery to make your own.

The new set, Monsterpocalypse Now, looks like it has six all new factions so it might be an easy way to make a break from the old set - if it wasn't for the Empire of the Apes, which has (as you may have guessed by the title of this post) Giant Apes. Plus, they work with my Terrasaurs faction.

So pretty.

Monster List update!

The Monster List of Halloween Projects is a great reference page. For anyone who makes (or would like to make) halloween props or decorations, it is a worthwhile place to check out.

They have finally updated their site for the year.
I'm on it for the meathead instructions and ingredients.

Countdown to candy day!

Here we are in October already, and I don’t have any big costume projects on the go yet. We have a few minor ones that I’m working at for G/L‘s party but nothing really big. Of course, that could change at any time – I do have three and a half weeks to play with. I expect my kids will change their minds between now and then and I’ll have to spend late nights working away. I suppose we’ll see.

I usually book off the week leading up to Halloween just in case. Also to do any more yard decorations. The tree seems to be holding up one more year. His one hand is starting to fall apart – it should hold up for this year but will probably need to be fixed next year. I also need to fix the framework for Jack. If all else holds up, I can always make a few more tombstones.

Addicted much?

For those who followed Scott Girvin's X-wing build, or for those who didn't - be sure to check out the Scale Model Addict site. He's back after taking the summer off. He is easing back into modelling with a Gee Bee Racer plane before he starts in on the King Tiger tank.

gather a posse

So I had popped into United Importers and pick up more Harry Potter boosters. I also brought the kids in so we looked around. In the back I had found some army men tubes for 24 figures for $1 each. I bought two - trying to get ones that were mostly cowboys. I had picked up a bunch of 1/72 western figures for The Rules With No Name but still haven't decided if I want that scale or 1/35. This shold give me a bunch I can try to paint and see how much space I'll need.

Cowboys/Indians – 48
Sept figures bought – 48, figures painted – 0

Running total 2009 - figures bought 134, figures painted 0