Now Playing: more local radio...some PSA, for the fourth time in the last two hours...
Current Mood : Hyper-Lucky and knowing it !
While things didn't start out great, I nevertheless had a great day. I was 1 for 4 on ‘yard sale sign following' - only one of the times I took the chance and turned at the roadside sign did I ever find the blasted sale. Scored a great sewing book and some ribbon at that one, though. But otherwise, the only two sales I actually found were the ones I read about on Craigslist and I had the directions to before I left the house !
Even then, the sales were underwhelming. Both advertised toys, of course, and one advertised as being a six-family combined sale. Um, I have more junk in my donate/sale decision boxes than that ‘huge' sale contained. Found some nice clothes for Dearest Son and some blouses that I only got for the strap-adjusting sliders - I love having burgundy and another clear set to use for doll belt buckles ! But that was all.
So I headed home, past the monthly flea market. I go whenever they set up, and I often find something of interest, so I went in hopeful. Looked like more of the same at first, the Barbie Car Set seller had half the space and nothing I wanted. Another seller had a 70s sewing box identical to the Avocado Green one I bought last week, but in that Harvest Gold color, and it was also full of thread, just like the one I already had. She wanted $15. for it. Yikes. Guess buying it in green for a buck last week spoiled me !
One of my favorite sellers sometimes has dolls, sometimes not. She told me they'd be back next week for the ‘Garage Sale' (yeah, whatever), so she'd bring the box of clothes she'd scored, for me to go through. Yaay - something to look forward to !
Another familiar seller didn't seem to have much - but he had dolls, which was unusual for him. Most were sun-bleached baby dolls and small, odd dimestore toddlers...oh, there's a Superstar, and a Malibu Ken...and a...a blonde Bubblecut ? And a Twist n Turn - and a Talking New Ken ! What in the world ?
I extricated them from the pile and gave each a good study. Well, Bubble was missing a pinkie finger, but I had a spare Midge/Barbie body from the Malibu dolls I bought a few months back. Her lip and eyelash paint needed a touch up, and there was some dark around her ears, but it wasn't much, and wasn't green. She wore a Mommy-made ballgown - a tube with snaps in the back and a ribbon belt to cinch it in. Good fabric.
The TNT still had curves in her hair from where her top bow used to be. She was absolutely filthy, and her lips could also use some paint. But her eyelashes were intact, her eyes looked good, and her body was in good shape under all the dirt. She wore an outfit I couldn't identify, but it reminded me of the Texaco Cheerleader doll my teen babysitter had when I was in first grade. I'd completely forgotten to check her feet underneath her high, white boots, but I was lucky - they were great, if also dirty.
Researched my new guy - he's New Good Lookin' Talking Bend-Leg Ken. Whew ! His pullstring was intact, but didn't pull out, so that didn't work. His body was in great shape, from what I could see under Guruvy Formal. Someone had pinned a huge turquoise felt bow tie to the collar, so I didn't notice the chip out of the front of his neck. But he was as good-looking even after I found it, so I didn't care. He was barefoot, and also quite dirty, but otherwise in good shape.
Back at the Flea, I anxiously pawed through the rest of the dolls, in case another treasure lingered. There was an M & S Shillman Maxi Mod, but she just didn't appeal to me. I could feel her blow-molded cheapness even as I held her, and her clothes were pretty bad. After thoroughly exploring the rest of his sales space, I nervously asked him what he wanted for the three jewels I held. He shrugged - a buck each ? That's the going rate for Barbie dolls at the Flea, except for the Barbie Car Set seller...and you know I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough. He found a Mal-Wart sack for my latest finds, and I merrily, and dazedly, headed for home. Wow !
Under Bubble's gown was a neat Mattel dress - but the belt was cinched so tight, when it melted, it was really stuck. Had to cut it off. The dress, #3347 of the Mod era, is torn, but you can't even tell when it's on her ! I'll fix it as best I can, because I rather like it. So it was like a bonus ! I'll probably replace the cut and melted white vinyl belt with a ribbon, once I've freed up the buckle.
So I was pretty happy for the rest of the day. While I wouldn't have gone after a Bubblecut, a TNT, or a Talking Ken on eBay or at a doll show, having them is very nice - especially at that price ! They all still need a good cleaning and redressing, but I've been enjoying just looking at them !
Beloved Hubby was happy for me, and we settled down to a cute anime series - hosted on Crunchyroll.com, ya can't beat free entertainment ! - about a figure skater and the deceased Canadian pilot who was currently occupying space in her body, and ordered Chinese. Yum.
Beloved was tired, but I was pretty jazzed. So I finally installed the new ink in the printer and started researching Princess Dorrie patterns. Couple years ago, I checked out The Doll's Dressmaker, by Venus A. Dodge, and scanned the whole thing, which was a big undertaking. Then I got the same book in a download from the pattern group - and theirs doesn't print right. But mine does. Go figure. The book features 120 patterns for four doll sizes (based on height), so I printed two - a super-simple A-line dress in the 14"-16" size, and the 16"-18" size. Dorrie, and the rest of the Princesses, is 15 inches tall, but I wanted to make sure I was using the right size. Some measuring and folding and marking off seam allowances, and taping later, it looks like the 14 to 16 inch size is the best for her.
Now, when the book says ‘120 patterns', it means, there's x sleeves, y bodices, z skirt designs, g pants, k underwear, etc. You basically mix and match the various elements to get the look you want. It's an interesting idea, and if this A-line works, I look forward to experimenting with it.
Of course, going just by height means the patterns are really just shape guidelines, it's up to the sewist to alter and tweak to fit. But, hey, it's not like I can complain, I didn't even buy the book ! Ordinarily, I'd start trials with Doll Shop Deluxe, but I want to completely remeasure the DPrincess dolls first. Y'see, I've recently discovered that one particular tape measure - a narrow one I liked to use for all my dolls - is off by about 1/8" before it hits the one-inch mark, so you can imagine how far it is after, say, ten or twelve inches. And yes, I did use that one for darn near all the DSD inputs. (sigh) That particular tape has been destroyed, after I verified it's screwed-upedness with six other measuring tools. Arrgh. It's entirely possible that most of my wrestling with the program is entirely due to a lousy cheap tape measure. (headdesk)
And I'm starting to crash. It's been a wonderful day ! Tomorrow, Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son are home, and there's a book sale down the street. And I'm gonna try the A-line dress for Princess Dorrie. I've got a full day ahead of me !
Hope you don't mind that I put off the big ‘reveal' of just which character that bank I bought yesterday represents ! Promise I'll post it tomorrow !
Oh and do the LGB. I would love to see the pictures from it. LGB art is so pretty. Oh and can't wait to see the front of the bank. Hummm...I wonder who it is? 
