This week I managed to squueze in some time to work on the layout. I started a section that was begun almost a year ago. For months I just stared at this section, as if that would make it happen. The only thing that made it happen was actually doing it. It's like sketching and drawing, sometimes the blank page is intimidating...it's only when you realize that it's no big deal if it gets screwed up. The worst thing that could happen is that I would have ripped out pennies worth of plaster and paint; so what? With that attitude I finally began throwing down some plaster blobs and began carving rock, and once I'm past that part it gets easier. The work is satisfying, so that progress becomes addictive...I've been posting this progress on the MR Forum (http://kitforums.com/) and it's helped with each step, getting feedback from other modelers, instead of working in a vaccum wondering how this or that looks. Within just a few posts, modelers chimed in with thier knowledge of certain aspects of the project; from the type of rock in the region I'm modeling, to the fact that the rock behind the waterfall would be a little darker than the rest...all helpful and encouraging. And a great reminder - if I'm in a jam, the forum is there for assistance, like calling tech support, except that you get information you can actually understand and use! In other news, our second DVD will be available the first week of June - Waterfront Scenery for Your Model Railroad. It covers some rock making/carving techniques for modeling a rocky coast, weathering seawalls at low tide, riprap walls, pilings and more, it also includes video reference of real world waterfront scenes ...we'll be posting a DVD preview soon.
We have started shipping Hooper's; if you haven't got yours yet, another batch is going out Monday, May 18th, and it'll arrive by weeks end.
