Just after Christmas I was with Madame Padre at Michael’s, a big box craft store in these parts. It’s a place where determined looking housewives scout the latest Martha Stewart DIY projects, macrame sets, yarn, or hand painted signs with inspiring slogans such as “This Household Runs On Laughter” or “Dare To Follow Your Dreams”. Sometimes these women are trailed by sad-eyed, bored men glued to their smart phones. Not me. I’m scanning the shelves looking for wargaming terrain ideas.
Case in point, these plastic flowers plants which I think might do nicely as forest terrain stands for the Elven Woodland Realm. My idea is to cut up the big thing on the right to make a multitude of small shrubs, and glue them onto these round MDF bases along with the smaller shrubby looking things.
I think the plants on the left look reasonably strange and suitable for fantasy terrain, don’t you?
No clear plan yet, just thinking out lood. More to follow.
Blessings to your terrain making!
MP
An idea I saw was to squirt out a big cat turd of brown latex caulking onto some wax paper and poke the stems in very densely.
ReplyDeleteLet dry and peel off.
Voilà! Nice dense stand if foliage for jungle etc.
Depending on how big the plants on the left are, you could also use them for garden plots?
Before I had gotten to the end of your first sentence, my brain was going "cat turds, got them, check" and my second thought was "yuch!". I think I recall you showing this technique on your RIMB blog. I shall check it out.
DeleteThank you James for that idea! Coming soon to an Indo-China table near me!
DeleteExcellent find.
ReplyDeleteOf to a good start.
ReplyDeleteGood finds! These shops are useful, but sometimes a little sinister. Our nearest big branch of Hobbycraft, which seems like a UK version of Michael's, is definitely uncomfortable with male customers. Or maybe it's just me. If I ask a question at the counter there is a discernible touch of panic - I recently asked about the ranges of acrylic varnish they stocked, and I thought they might call security. Same as in music stores, the assumption is that the older males in the place must be winos who came in to keep warm. There seems to be a rationalisation of the items stocked - a move towards scrapbooking and make-your-own greeting cards, jewellery-making tools and children's paints. The serious art brushes and the model paints are being phased out - I guess they attract the wrong customers. Until recently I used to go in there to kill time when my wife was buying clothes or whatever, and I was quite happy looking at the marvellous range of Really Useful Boxes (plastic storage stuff) - guess what? - the staff could never find anything I wanted, and didn't know when more would be coming in, and on my last visit I realised that - like the Americana paints - they have cut down on stock.
ReplyDeleteI have a plan. To get my revenge, I'm going to pack in all this model soldier stuff and start making my own bead bracelets - that'll teach them.
That I look forward to seeing on your blog...
DeleteAlan
I look forward to a series of posts on bead bracelet making as well!
DeleteIt seems a universal thing that the bigger the chain store the lower the chance that any employee will know anything useful. I try not to go into Michael's looking too disreputable so I am not mistaken for someone horrible. I suppose, if one was single, big box craft stores would be a good place to meet middle aged cat ladies.
DeleteSeriously, I have now started buying some supplies at a store for serious and amateur artists called Curry's. Their brushes are better than the ones you find at hobby stores and much cheaper Craft stores like Michaels are ok for acrylic paint, if you can find what you want, but that is no longer guaranteed.
I look forward to your line of 1807 Spanish bead bracelets.
Excellent plants for an elf kingdom. Aquarium shops are well worth a look too.
ReplyDeleteMy poor elves ( who fought bravely and earned a draw in Dragon Rampant on Tuesday against Saruman completed with assorted nasties) had to sally forth from some Lemax snowy trees bought in a sale in Dobbies.I look forward to see yours amongst such lush greenery.
Alan
Alan: I was looking at some of the elves displayed on your page, they look lovely. Hoping to see some photos of them in action.
DeleteNow that lot should do the trick and I'm planning on doing something similar myself shortly, so will be watching with interest. Treat yourself to a hot glue gun, I have seen people use a big dollop of glue to affix tree or bush and then add additional 'spokes' of glue radiating out from the centre dollop to represent roots. Once your usual basing media (sand and PVA) is added these look rather splendid. Haven't tied it myself yet, but looking forward to giving it a go.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, Michael. Madame Padre does have a glue gun she might let me play with, if I ask nicely.
DeleteOf course you should have a go with the glue gun, Mike. What could possibly go wrong...
DeleteCraft stores, pet stores, hardware stores all have potentially useful bits for the hobby. "Always vigilant," I say!
ReplyDeleteI haven't gone into an aquarium store yet, that might be fun.
DeleteAgreed, always vigilant.
Good and affordable to way to get that table looking better. Elves live in dodgy places - leafy, bugs everywhere, smells like damp. You have your orders.
ReplyDeleteElves are gits.
DeleteNice find! Funny how us miniature gamers can find stuff anywhere. My wife has gotten to the point of asking me if I want something before she throws it away. The typical question now is "Do you need this for your sci-fi terrain?"
ReplyDeleteYour wife is obviously a fine woman.
DeleteThe little succulent plants are quite tasty looking. I would be sorely pressed to not eat them.
ReplyDelete