On into 2012

This would be a hobby blog without a look back at the previous year or a look forward to the coming year, so here we are to see my part of the unwritten moral contract...

In previous years I've either set out a list of projects to complete or, heaven help me, used definite statements such as "this will be done by June" which still never saw completion!

"Paint us, paint us..."

This year the watch word is, again some would say, frugal. Last years accounting process was quite interesting for me. It's funny how that even with an overall mind to spend less you still end up spending more than expected. This year I aim to do much less speculative spending. Purse strings are tight for many at the
moment, so I'm looking to really look at using what I have first and shoot at projects I've already spent on. It also means trying to maintain some discipline of when I purchase items. I'm finding myself looking at paints for my British and German WWII figures at the moment. But I must, under my new guidelines, hold off hitting that "confirm" button until I'm actually ready to start painting them. The hope is that if I get the relevant/missing pieces just as I need them there will be some enthusiasm riding into the project and not a "getting round to it" type of mentality. Last years average monthly spend was around £35. I hope to lower that this year, especially as I have less to sell from my hobby shed clearance scheme this year although there are still a few items lurking that can hopefully bolster the coffers.

This approach does also lead to only planning shorter term, which considering my previous track records should be more practical. Or at least feeling less like fraud.

Rpging in the New Year

I've a couple of things already on the workbench. First in the priority list is a hobbit figure for my RPG gaming which should start in a couple of weeks. One of my RPG buddies is starting up the new "The One Ring: Adventures over the Edge of the Wild" game and I decided that what the Dwarf Slayers and Elven Academics needed was heavy smoking Hobbit. So now I need to paint one up. I also need to be finishing off a pool of beastmen for a figure pool on the proposed second "Songs of Blades and Heroes" campaign.

These are to be done first before moving onto the next painting project. This should be a start into Urban War as nearly a quarter of last years spend was on this, but, whilst it's high on the list I'll see nearer the time. We'll see how those Airfix soldiers are calling at the time...