Current Mood : Crafted out ! 

 

 

Showed Beloved Hubby all the new stuff from that Spanish Toy Fair catalog I linked yesterday - he was impressed. Maybe a bit worried, lol. After seeing it all, he accurately listed the ones I wanted, and darn near got them in the right 'order of importance' too ! He thought I'd want Ghoulia's Physical Deaducation first, then Lagoona's Mad Science. Otherwise, he was spot on. I still have no idea how someone can know me as well as he does, and still love me ! (grin) Just glad he does.

 

 

Wasn't quite sure what to make today, so I pulled up the pattern and directions for that lovely poet's blouse that Tabitha made me. Again, it printed out wrong, but a quick snip-trial on a scrap of paper towel showed it looked like it would work. Sleeves were long enough to be a dress, though. Easy fix.

 

 

Instead, I ended up finishing up half-done things. Went to put away the never-altered red and gold Mulan cheongsam I had on Clawdeen for months, and decided to go ahead and get it done. Cut the top from the skirt right under the gold edge, then took in the skirt pieces at the side seams. Re-sewed a hem at the top, and added a snap. Done ! Clawdeen now has an awesome snug Chinese blouse with a matching split skirt, and they both fit great.

 

 

Several months ago, I used some heavily discounted after-Halloween bright-stripe fabric with nearly hidden skulls on it to cushion a pair of mismatched Barbie sofas. While it helps the furniture and the dolls seated on them look better, the cushions are actually there to help them keep their seats. Due to their uniquely strung bodies, unsupported MH dolls tend to sag backwards or flop over without support - especially when the couch is as low as yer average Mattel one. I made just a seat cushion for the white 'wicker' look Dream Furniture (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK9loSkXM4k), which was an error. It really needs a back cushion, too, since Holt keeps sagging off the thing unless I prop him up somewhat, he has a very floppy body. He's sitting up nice and straight now, but it took me longer to re-find the fabric than it took to sew the cushion ! One more item off the 'been meaning to' list. It's great to see him properly seated, so that he can better appreciate Frankie's short dress and Clarice's luscious pageghoul hairstyle.

 

 

And I emptied the 'cutaway scrap' bin I keep on the cutting table / clothes dryer. The bin's actually an empty oval decorator Kleenex box I bought to make a sort of Barbie bar. I just couldn't throw it away when we moved, but it had to earn its keep. It's easy to stash the little scraps inside, easy to grab 'em out when I need 'em, and even if I knock it over, the tiny bits stay inside. 

 

 

Then, I started to fill it up again, when I cut out the pieces for that poet's shirt. Beloved came home worn out, and Dearest was busy with a video game, so it was back to KJ for more fun. The shirt stitched up OK, but that neckline looked awfully small...oh. Tabitha's is split up the back, while the original design is intended to slide on over the doll's head. Not happening here, that's fer sure. Mine's a bit off, and the gathered part (everything that's not the yoke and the sleeves) is HUGE, but otherwise, the fit's OK. If you don't mind shirts you can get two dolls into. Still, not a big issue. Need to shorten the sleeves, take some out of the gathered shirt part, and possibly narrow the yoke a bit, but that's all pretty easy. And heck, today's effort is wearable, just really big. You'll get a photo tomorrow.

 

 

Mattel announced - sort of - the 2011 ComicCon exclusive today. It's a Ghoulia ! Some sort of Ghoulia super-hero named Dead Fast. They even have it trademarked. Line art appeared on the official FaceBook page, with a short blurb about the ComicCon exclusive toys being shown on G4's Attack of the Show tonight. I actually found the video, and while you can see her briefly, they're too involved with Swamp Thing and Voltron to actually name her or even pick her up. You can see the G4 show clip here - http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52683/Exclusive-Mattel-Toys-Coming-To-Comic-Con/ - and visit Monster High on FaceBook for the line art. Or just visit Flickr, I'm sure it's been posted and reposted a few hundred times by now.

 

 

Well, it's getting late, and my eyes are a bit strained. I've redone the poet's shirt pattern and scanned it, so maybe I'll get to sew it again tomorrow. Let me know if you want a photo of Clawdeen's slightly altered Mulan Cheongsam. I really need to make a master rotation list, so the same three or four dolls aren't getting all the new clothes...