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Carl Kent-Smith

@clearwithguts

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Steven’s Gofundme - https://gofund.me/f932d5597
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Colin Wobble, family, friends, music, toys and art.

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Everyone has a story - and mine is no different - other than it being personal to me and my family. So Altho it’s January 3rd 2026 it feels like the first day of the year on repeat. The continual gray skies and rain remind me of home.

Today I opened the door to a beautiful vase of mourning flowers in white. A gift from my work colleagues and friends - which is truly welcomed and i am truly thankful for. I’ve taken an extended break with bereavement and the holiday season - so I feel rusty and have some trepidation. This helps. Thank you.

The last years have seen my family numbers reduce significantly; my beautiful niece Charlotte in 2008, my dad in 2013, Aunt Marjory in 2018, Colin in 2021, David and my mum Dorothy in 2025. I miss them and think of one or all of them every single day, although I try to focus my thoughts on the living much like an Indian prayer my nephew and close friend Mark surfaced for both his dad and his Grandma’s funerals. It’s a beautiful prayer.

So I thank my friends at work, my living family and pay tribute to my deceased family with this post on the third day of 2026. I Love you. taken in Silver Lake by @clearwithguts

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7 months ago

The last 4 years have been filled with loss, not just for my family and me, but for many.

2 months ago we lost my brave brother in law David to his long struggle with leukemia. And in the last few weeks my mum Dorothy left this mortal coil.

One constant in both their lives was my nephew Mark - a man who redefines selfless-ness and love. He looked after both my mum and his dad. My mum would never have reached the age she did without his love and care. Speaking of which, she was just 6 weeks away from her 102nd birthday - and upto the very last day able to walk up and down the 28 stairs to her second floor flat. She had an amazingly long life - no doubt lengthened by the constant companionship and care from her Grandson.

I’m sad my mum is no longer here, but I like to think that despite a very tough early life and some hardships that may have broken other families, that she had a good life, created a beautiful family and is now released to be free from the constraints that an aging body bring. That she is there with her beloved family - especially grand daughter Charlotte, husband Ken, twin sister Marjory and son-in-laws David and Colin - all of whom were close to Dorothy and left us too soon over the last few years.

I think someone is always with us as long as the memory of them lives on. So I post this tribute to Dorothy, and all my fallen loved ones, and will continue to do so as long as I am able.

Dorothy was a beautiful, dignified woman. Tough because she had to be, yet kind and loving. I hope some of the photos presented here give others a window into her being and the changing times she lived thru from 1924 to 2025.

Love you mum XXXXX taken in Sheffield, England, United Kingdom by @clearwithguts

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7 months ago

Without hesitation I can truly say Colin that I love you forever and you will never be forgotten. ♥️♥️♥️

26 years together. And today would have been 9 years married.

Tonight I was sent this picture that I hadn’t seen before, but it’s the moment we exchanged vows. Thank you. taken in Silver Lake by @clearwithguts

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8 months ago

‘Nuff said

#nazipunksfuckoff

#sofvi #sofubi #softvinyl #deadkennedys by @clearwithguts

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19 hours ago

These are the funnest toys I had the pleasure to receive in quite a while. And are so different from my mostly neo-kaiju focused collection. I am smitten. Wonderful toys by @d.d.d_ninjaruko that capture a playful vintage vibe with tons of detail and charm. Yea, I think that is the right word, they are charming. When I was a teen we lived across from the race course, I could see the horses running on the tv, and disappear behind an obstruction, but look out of my parents window and see the unobstructed view - which I found novel and fun. Another reason these appeal.

These took a little longer to arrive than other peoples posts would indicate. And when they did arrive the box was crushed. The toys inside survived unscathed, but the wonderfully designed vintage style box did not. Still looks great tho. With box, print, card AND metal wheels so I can zoom these across the floor (if I wanted to, but shhh, may already have done so) - the attention to detail and craft is fantastic. I look forward to more of these so we can have a full on kaiju horse race - but without the horses getting injured.

Question: was there a lion maru or ninja arashi story, tokusatsu tv episode or vintage toy which inspired this set? I’d love to know.

Yeah - as the Inspirals once said - Cool as fuck.

#sofvi #sofubi #tokusatsu #lionmaru #ninjaarashi taken in Los Angeles, California by @clearwithguts

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13 days ago

This is a super fun one - micro run (2 of 5) with different @splurrt heads on a @scumpittoys leech body. Always been a fan of this cadaverous head - and he makes a super fun mashup with leech and Joe’s paint. Got him at @sofubirallynewyork - just before I went completely broke thanks to back to back soft vinyl toy events across May and June combined with a lack of self preservation and a subconscious desire to work to death.

#sofubi #splurrt #sofvi #cadavertwins #godfathers

Ps. Glows like Alan B’stard by @clearwithguts

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16 days ago

Desk mates. Ryusei test paint from @toyartgallery @darkmattertoys first come first served pop-up a couple of months ago. Fenrir one of six from @sofubirallynewyork lotto last month. Had to travel a few thousand miles and have luck on my side to complete the Devastator set. Green vinyl with metallic pink and purple sprays are a great combo. Heaven having this pair next to me each day as I work.

Soundtrack by a band who also favor green and purple.

#sofubi #softvinyl #fenrir #darkmattertoys taken in Los Angeles, California by @clearwithguts

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18 days ago

With #summerslime just around the corner it’s time to post some still pics of the the two one off @paulkaiju pieces I was lucky enough to pick up at @kaijuuberalles - #bosscarrion and Chuto from the Gobogang.

It’s amazing to me that Paul took the Gobo Gang minis and over the last 10 or so years has translated them into standard size figures - as I recall we got big boy Gobo King first , then Gyocho, then Machine Gun Ghost , then Chuto - I guess that leaves Neko May and Boss Receiver - right? Feel free to comment if I got this wrong. Anyway - fantastic designs and colors - and anyone who knows anything about my toy collection knows I can never have too many Boss Carrions.

Excited for August 1st

#sofubi #madeinjapan #paintedinsandiego taken in Los Angeles, California by @clearwithguts

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a month ago

A rainy night in Manhattan became a sunny day in Brooklyn with my beautiful friends and favorite EBG’s - Rob and Ammo. Thanks for being you 🖤🖤🖤 taken in Brookyln by @clearwithguts

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a month ago

Just over 11 years ago i took these pics of Connell and @iron_paw Emanuel at the old @toyartgallery location on Melrose with Skruffy the pug. Was thinking about #skruffyandmilhouse and these pictures popped up thanks to the wonder of hashtags. 2015 seems such a long time ago now - like a different world - Connell was here, Colin was here, #skruffyandmilhouse were here, costs were much more reasonable, no one was paying thousands of dollars for a hunk of newish soft vinyl, my work weeks weren’t 50+ hours, Trump was just a fading reality tv weird hair guy, genocide wasn’t quite so in our faces and the algorithm hadn’t yet taken us down such a dark path. What a difference 11 years makes. Miss you all. taken in Los Angeles, California by @clearwithguts

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a month ago

@darkmattertoys clean sweep at last weekends Pasadena @designercon - great designs with fantastic vivid paints - and judging by the early attended, highly animated and mergacious line snaking towards hosts @toyartgallery - a bunch of other attendees agreed. Fantastic work from LA’s own teen werewolf @mannydaggers.

With Fenrir at @sofubirallynewyork the weekend before, it’s been a great month for #darkmattertoys collection additions and some fine toy pairings.

#sofubi #sofvi #softvinyl by @clearwithguts

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a month ago

Lots of great stuff at last weekends @designercon Pasadena - this was my one of my most wanted courtesy of @jsm_sofubi and @monsterpatroltoys - digging his vintage vibe, metallic paint, and Cyclopean outlook - plus I’m always a fan of a #mechagorilla riff.

#pachikaiju #sofvi #sofubi #softvinyl taken in Pasadena, California by @clearwithguts

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a month ago