Now Playing: menfolk snoring
Current Mood : Slightly stressed
Explanation of today's weird image : None. Read on.
Well, I'm all set for my turns at Dearest Son's school book fair next week. Three shifts, maybe more. Seems his new school doesn't get the volunteers his old school did. Could be any number of reasons why, I'm just lucky I get to give something back.
Only problem is...(sigh) I got a note from the Homeroom parent coordinator. If this job paid, she'd be my first line supervisor. While the general-issue note thanked us all and urged us to enjoy planning the Winter party, to please not forget the numerous other teachers our students have. And Dearest has legion, due to his special educational needs. I would love to do something special and meaningful for all of them, but...if I thanked everyone they listed and all the specialty teachers and staff with a tacky $2. thing, it'd still set us back about $60. And if participation is the same for the Fall party, I need to make sure to have about $20. available for that.
So, honestly, I don't want to do anything, since I can't do everything. I realize that's childish and defeatist, but *&^%. Maybe I'll make more shoe pincushions or something, I don't know. Kind of stupid for the P.E. teacher, but I guess he can adjust. The shoe pincushion is just a ‘Cinderella' plastic wedding favor, shaped like a shoe, with a twice-thick tube of sand-stuffed fabric glued in where the mints would normally go. A matching silk rosebud or bow is glued at the toe and a matching fabric bag that ties with ribbon wraps it up. Costs about 50c and an hour to make. I usually add some pins and a needle or two, so folks won't wonder why they got a sand-stuffed shoe for Christmas, with no idea what it's supposed to be.
Dollar Tree sells a pack of these shoes, six for a buck, but I prefer the larger ones from Hobby Lobby. Those are 3/$1., and the 40% off coupon will only work for one of ‘em. Hardly worth the effort. I may have to see who has what in stock and compare. I can get craft sand from DTree, but if that's out of stock, I can score a 50lb sack from Lowe's for $3.50. With winter coming, you can always use the extra sand on the driveway or steps or something.
Sorry. I know this should be about dolls, and I sort of started thinking while I was typing. Guess I know what I'm doing next week. So far, I need 18 shoes at least, without any embarrassment-covering spares. At least I have plenty of fabric and lots of hot glue. Few years ago, I bought a couple of these shoes, thinking they were neat in an odd way, I just didn't know what to do with 'em. One day, I made a pincushion, and that's the one pictured up there. I always keep the first prototype.
It'd be a lot easier to get everyone a $5. McD's gift card, but nobody ever claims to eat there, and we just don't have the cash ! Even if they think a shoe pincushion ranks, polite folks can't say anything bad about homemade gifts. And once given, it's up to them if they regift it, burn it in effigy, or trash it.
Holidays always bring out the evil in me...
