On the workbench. Unknown Maker figures used to illustrate the line used to slip to the front of the line at music venues…

“Sketching” with my favourite ‘doodle an idea tool’ program: Adobe Photoshop Elements 7. Two Stadden 54mm Cuirassiers posed in front of an Italeri Diorama piece. The Wall Lantern is a repurposed remnant from a Lindberg ship model’s stern that somehow ended smashed on the rocks of life tabletop and storage mishaps provide so many bits for the spare parts box.)

The Valiant Miniatures “Alien Princess and Pet” is part of their Stardate: 3000 sci-fi line, a niche but beloved series of metal miniatures from the late 20th century. While not as widely known as Valiant’s historical miniatures, the 54mm scale ‘Alien Princess and Pet’ has become a cult favorite among collectors who appreciate obscure sci-fi sculpts from the golden age of metal miniatures. Alien Princess and Pet figure was likely released in the late 1970s. The Princess is seen here in the courtyard of the Marx Toys Robin Hood pressed tin castle playset, first released in the mid-1950s, as part of Louis Marx & Co.’s iconic line of tin litho play environments. It became a cherished example of postwar American toy design, blending cinematic fantasy with durable metal craftsmanship.