What To Do - The Future isn't Bright

Yesterday I received a long e.mail from Richard, firstly apologising for his lack of communication (which given his current circumstances is understandable), but more importantly stating he has put all his projects on hold!
He is effectively acting as a full time carer for his mother and says that all sculpting has effectively stopped and that even when he has time he finds he hasn't the energy to do professional sculpting justice.
This is a major blow for me and whilst he hasn't given up he has put the project on hold with no ability to predict when he can start again.
This leaves me with a predicament of what to do;-

I can sit tight and just wait - bearing in mind the project was for me originally.
I can look for some alternative sculptors - I have made some tentative enquiries but I'm not yet convinced they can match Richard's style.
I can look to sell up and possibly start all over again.
None of the decisions are easy to take as I have spent a bit of money on the project etc and have money set aside to continue the range but equally I don't just want the money to be sitting doing nothing.
Any thoughts?
Cheers.

Merry Christmas and Thankyou

Just a short note to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I would also like to thank those individuals who have purchased and supported Crann Tara through its difficult first year, the problems faced by Richard have resulted in a much delayed release schedule but as I've said before family comes first and toy soldiers some way below.

At some point in 2013 I know we will see more releases and I would be a very happy man indeed if I can get the next planned release and the Government Foot out anything above that will be a bonus, but lets see, my commitment to the project is undiminished.

All the best.

Good News

Just a short update to let people know Richard contacted me to say he has started the sculpts. No timeline on this as he still faces domestic issues but he feels he is now in a position to start, which is good.
Will keep you posted as to progress.

Latest Update on New Sculpts

I suppose the title is a bit of a misnomer actually as Richard has contacted me to explain that domestically things have got worse, his mother in law has been taken back into hospital and Richard has to do an awful lot for his mother who suffers from dementia.
As a result his sculpting at the moment has effectively ground to a halt and rather than keep feeding potential delivery dates he has just had to say he will start as soon as he can. But that my sculpts are the next set.
Whilst this is frustrating for me and for you I have told Richard that family always comes first and that at the end of the day this is a hobby! I know he will deliver eventually I just ask that you are patient until some light appears at the end of the tunnel.
As and when I receive news I will update.
In the meantime it just means you will have to get those Highlanders painted!!

Latest Update on Figures

Richard contacted me yesterday to say that due to a serious illness in the family he's around 4 weeks behind on the scultpting front, as in all these things I've told him families come first and the figures will be ready when they're ready.
Richard sounds quite positive at getting them to me as soon as possible and I reckon it will most probably be the back end of October before the next sets are available,(gives a bit more time to save up!).
It does mean that if this follows through with my colleagues Frank and Jim then the Government troops wont be available until the New Year, although I can say they will be worth waiting for....

Web Shop now open

Well in anticipation of the next sets of new figures I thought it may be easier for people if I opened a web shop.
The decision was the easy part, I'm not usually thick but I have to say that I found the setting up of this piece of modern day technology not that easy and if it hadn't been for Iain from Flags of War I would most probably sill be sitting there trying to work out how everything was supposed to come together.
The site still needs a little bit of tweaking but the cart and everything else appears to be working, so please have a look and let me know what you think and as usual I'm open to suggestions.
The blog will remain in order to discuss in more detail what's happening and to listen to comments and ideas for the future.
Speaking of which I know Richard was running slightly behind his sculpting schedule but I'm hoping he will have started on my next set by now and you will receive the updates as they come to me.

The shop can be found at www.cranntaraminiatures.co.uk
and this will appear in the links on the blog.
Thanks again.

The Pipeline and painted figures

For those people who have been in touch regarding future figures etc may I thank you.
Having given a lot of thought and for a change a little bit of business sense then in terms of future releases after the next set of sculpts I will definately be asking Richard to sculpt the Government foot.

There's a couple of reasons behind this, first the economical one in that hopefully I will sell more of these figures and those funds will contribute towards the horse to be sculpted later.

Second I am not aware of anyone who does the Government foot in campaign dress and to that end I think these figures will be a great addition and provide a slightly different view to the battlefield.

Whilst it is unfair to try and pin Richard down to set time scales I am hopeful the Government foot may just squeeze in by the end of the year.

This will leave 2013 for the horse, artillery crews, Personalties etc.

I have painted a handful of the figures in Jackets, that's i between trying the patience of Iain from Flags of War who is helping me set up a web shop.

The pics below show those figures together with a very humble start to the gathering.

I have also (due to demand) asked Richard to sculpt a couple of Highlanders firing for release in the next set.
So thanks again to all those who have supported this little project.