This seems to be a time of year when some big internet retailers offer really good discounts on "little stuff." Someone recently posted about really good prices on diecast cars (particularly M. B. Klein's due to an announced Yat Ming wholesaler closing), and I noticed in my weekly round through all the retail web sites last week that figures - people, animals, etc. - were also really discounted.
Anyway, people have posted and e-mailed about how I find and pose people in my vignettes. Yes, I cut and reglue arms and legs and heads to get just the look I want, but it starts with having lots of options so I can find a figure like I want. So, last week I ordered a lot of figures while prices were low: I particularly like Klein's site because I can sort and search by brand and lowest to highest price. I ended up with several specialty sets - race mechanics meant for Formula 1 vignettes, a set of firemen, etc., that I will keep separate, but I the idea was to get variety and the rule was price < $1 per figure. I ended up with a mix of Woodland Scenics, Prieser, MTH, Bachmann, Model Power, Like Like, whatever, and in assorted sets and types. I opened and poured them into this box this morning (Photo 1). The only other goal I had was to get more of the figure I call Veranda Turbine (photo 2) who comes in one of the Railking pacs, and who will be seen more than just the one place on my layout (Photo 3, with John Beresford Tipton III - son of the richest man in town, and her future husband).
Over the next few weeks I will be adding a lot of these people to my layout as I begin to work on the second part of my downtown area.
I got four Verandas . . .
Here is Veranda on my layout, edited as to clothing: wearing her "evening dress."
