Purplethistles patch

[kpnuts]

Man after my own heart, I think models always look better in a setting.

[Purplethistle]

Resculpting of mouth in pout position with Milliput is set and gets painted. Second layer of hair on. Next up, Angus' forearms and ankle socks get built up with Milliput and the SG gets some detailing started.

[mjatx]

Looking good. Nice work on his hair.

[celt]

I like your work,I wish I could do figures like you,well tidy mun.

[Purplethistle]

Done....but I might do a version with a background!

[PGAS]

Love watching your work!

[Mr Nancy]

I was searching online for photos of Maryhill in the 70's and stumbled upon this forum and your diorama. - What?? How on earth???
Nancy (of Nancy's Gift Shop) was my mum and we both ran the shop together sharing all aspects of it, except, ..... she dealt with all the jewellry stock and I dealt with all the Airfix stock. We owned the flat above too, used as a stockroom, with stairs up to it from the back shop.
I remember that Spitfire and, I think, a similarly boxed Wellington at that time, although sailing ships were the most popular of the larger kits.
For some unknown reason the 1:72 Grumman Wildcat was a very poular buy.
Did you make the diorama from memory? If so you have freakishly accurate recall for detail (better than mine and I was there every day for years).
Or did you have a photo that you worked from?
If you have a photo I'd love to see it. It would probably be the only one of the shop in existence.

[Purplethistle]

I was searching online for photos of Maryhill in the 70's and stumbled upon this forum and your diorama. - What?? How on earth???
Nancy (of Nancy's Gift Shop) was my mum and we both ran the shop together sharing all aspects of it, except, ..... she dealt with all the jewellry stock and I dealt with all the Airfix stock. We owned the flat above too, used as a stockroom, with stairs up to it from the back shop.
I remember that Spitfire and, I think, a similarly boxed Wellington at that time, although sailing ships were the most popular of the larger kits.
For some unknown reason the 1:72 Grumman Wildcat was a very poular buy.
Did you make the diorama from memory? If so you have freakishly accurate recall for detail (better than mine and I was there every day for years).
Or did you have a photo that you worked from?
If you have a photo I'd love to see it. It would probably be the only one of the shop in existence.

Hey Paul!!!!!
How are you doing? I'm afraid it was mostly done from memory as there must have been a groove worn into the 'toy window' glass by my nose! There was one photo of the shops position in one of the Guthrie Hutton Maryhill books, as seen from the top of Bilsland Drive in the early 60s. It wasn't called Nancy's gift shop then, but all I needed was the basics of windows and neighbouring shops...I knew the gift shop like the back of my hand! I'll see if I can dig out the photo and post it here. Hope you liked the diorama even a fraction as much as I enjoyed making it....very happy memories!

[JamesPerrin]

Doesn't life throw up some wonderful coincidences

[iggie]

Doesn't life throw up some wonderful coincidences

Doesn’t it just! What a great connection

[Mr Nancy]

Now why am I surprised that you remember my name?! With your total recall you can probably remember what all the staff had for lunch on Saturdays (it was cheese pudding).
So, you're the culprit. I had to clean those windows you know.
Yes, your diorama brought back a whole load of happy memories. Such a heavily stocked shop needed some hard work to maintain, but we all enjoyed it and of course having lots of regular cusomers that would chat about their lives, the neighbouring shopkeepers, the kids from Eastpark Home, etc. etc. all went to make up a rewarding experience. Had I known the way that things were going to change I'd have put up a "Buy Now While Shops Last" sign. I'm glad to hear that you remember it as you do.
I'd love to see that photo if you can find it.

[Purplethistle]

So, you're the culprit. I had to clean those windows you know.

Of course I remember your name, so many times I got the magic answer, 'Paul has ordered some more' when I had got all of the series 1 bagged kits in stock(or series 3 if I had just got a particularly good school report card ).
I stayed just around the block in Fernie Street and moved to Cadder in '71 but I still would come back regularly for kits. Cadder was all very well with it's garden and inside toilet, but the nearest shop that sold kits only had a couple of Revell WW1 biplanes

I've just remembered a photo. Typically, I only found it after I had finished the diorama
but it shows the shop as it was in '78, viewed from up on the Bilsland Drive bridge. I've just found that I can't post it from work so I'll upload it tonight.

[Purplethistle]

As promised the photo of the Gift Shop and a close up edit along with a close up of the toy window.

[Marek]

Holy, the world is small and stories are big! Speaking of, two years ago I had to buy a kids' band-aid at the Maryhill Pharmacy there on Maryhill Rd. My little one got some scrapes on her legs from all the jumpin around with other kids she just met in a park. My wife had a conference in Glasgow then and I remember spending 8-plus hour walks/vagabonds with my then 4yrs old. Most of the time it ended with me carrying her around but she was one heck of a trooper. World is small.

[Mr Nancy]

Wow! Thanks for that. Looks like you nailed it. What a memory!
40 years ago, eh. That's the only photo showing that part of Maryhill Road that I've ever seen.
I hope the city planners are ashamed of themselves; all that demolition instead of refurbishment. Swathes of community and character (and valuable property) gone.
Wee flats in Hotspur St go for around £160K now!!
I've saved these to my photos (including your extraordinary diorama of course).
It's funny, I'd forgotten about the bagged kits. How much were they? (For some reason I feel certain you'll remember.)
Thanks again for all that, and your shared memory of it.