Mood:  accident prone

(sigh) Mondays. This morning, as Beloved Hubby vacated the terminal to get ready for work, the monitor suddenly lurched off the stand and hit the keyboard. The $70. Microsoft Natural keyboard. Sheared the little easel stands on the back of it right off - of the four pins, no two of them broke the same way. Nothing really damaged, though. Monitor's back on, more securely this time, and the keyboard is still usable, if flat. In short, a typical Monday morning in Chez Insanity.

Posted the 'bra cup' jacket photo on the Barbie page, with Leia modeling. I'm seriously considering doing the 'Barbie and the Bra' page now. Just gotta find another bra to take apart on camera.

Hit another inertia bubble, and opted to trawl eBay instead of sew. I think I'm getting a little apprehensive, now that school's gonna start up soon. You gotta wonder about me, I spent most of summer wishing it'd hurry up already ! I worry about our Dearest Son, and what school will be like for him this year. I confess, I don't remember much of my younger years, which is probably a blessing. High school was only mildly kind to me - all us 'nerd girls' banded together after the misery that was Junior High. We weren't popular, but at least the hazing was at a minimum, as there were so many of us.  

Anyway, eBay. Hit one of my favorite auctions. The one where the doll is coyly posed with only arm showing, with the seller confiding that he or she knows 'next to nothing' about Barbie dolls. He or she does know, however, which type of Midge doll this is, that her swimsuit is the wrong color for her hair, that the toenail polish is mostly a memory, and that there's no  chews, missing hair plugs, green ear, or neck splits. And he/she's priced Midge at exactly what the current pricebook says she's worth. Wow. Imagine if the seller actually *knew* what he or she was selling !

I know, it's a ploy. Fully half the dolls up for new homes on any self-auction site are sold by completely ignorant folks who somehow manage to include the parlance of the collectable and offer it not at a yard-sale bargain-bin price, but what the going values are. That way, when someone buys it and finds that the doll lacks a left arm, the seller can say, "Honestly, I didn't know it didn't come like that from the factory. It's up to you to notice the arm's not there in the picture ! I don't know nothin' 'bout no Barbie dolls !" and try to get away with it.

Vocabulary word of the day : Baka. Japanese, means idiot. Baaa-kaaa, two syllables. It has a very satisfying bite in it when spoken. Baka baka baka.  

Got the grocery shopping done early today - still have to find DSon a lunchbox. I found what was probably the last Herbie: Fully Loaded toy in the county, a wide-body soft Herbie with plastic tires that revs and screeches  when the top is pressed. I wrestled with it a bit - yeah, Son would love it, but it was noisy, and do I really need to feed his Herbie addiction ? I sighed again, and into the cart it went. After all, I didn't need to feed my fabric addiction Saturday, but I did. Of course, he loves it, and has thanked us a few dozen times for 'new Herbie'. Yep. Worth it.

Not a lot else going on. I may do a new 'portrait Barbie' for Son's speech therapist. Long time ago, I gave him a Hasbro Maxie doll, but he's not interested. It kind of resembles her, I'd just have to cut her hair and make a custom t-shirt bearing the center's logo. Simple enough, scan the brochure we have, use some of the iron-on transfer sheets we have. It's a thought.  

I'm thinking of making something, now that dinner's over and evening approaches. Gonna start getting Son adjusted to school hours, not that he's been sleeping in much these last months. To get him to class on time, he'll have to be up at 6:30am, though. This is gonna be fun...

Sleep tight tonight.  

Posted by dorriebelle at 6:52 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 14 August 2006 6:54 PM CDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Sorry this one's late. Beloved  Hubby came home, got on the terminal, and stayed there ! Let's pretend it's still Sunday for a few minutes...

Kind of a busy day. Decided to get Leia's 'Poncho' pattern from the toysrgus.com site, line and bleach it for a new one. Went straight to 200% increase - it worked, was simple, and came out right, long as I studied the photo for seams. But the finished item was...not good. Looks like they used a stiffer felt for a reason. My cotton blend looks like something worn in those horrible Guantanamo Bay photos...and for everything that's holy, don't make it in white ! That hood is...evocative. Yikes.  

So, next time I'm out, I hope to score some felt. Needed some anyway, for the Monarch costume I want to make Fiyero (Venture Bros.). Hancock Fabrics sells it by the yard, although I'm hoping to avoid going over there for another week or two. 

After that, I was cleaning. Ugh. But cleaning the 'studio' is kinda fun, and this time it paid off a bit. Usually when I rend a yard-sale bra down to component elements, I toss the cups. There's not much fabric, and even when it's pretty, that particular area usually shows frequent wear and has pilled. During last month's 'Bra Fest', I took apart one lacy, odd-shade-of-fuschia brassiere - and for some reason, the cups didn't get tossed like normal. They ended up alongside the 'Scrap' bin. Played with one a bit, and before long, I made a cute lace jacket from one !

*Very* easy. Took me longer to wind a bobbin than it did to make the jacket.  Even had thread to match. It was from a cheap "20 Tiny Spools for $1." assortment that I got on sale for 69c (99c store going out of business), but that ten yards was more than enough. After re-sewing the hem (removed earlier to get at the elastic), I simply sewed a straight line two inches up from the bottom edge and an inch or so over. Done ! Leia's modeling on the Barbie page, if you wanna see front and back views. It fits a Barbie better, but I just can't refuse Leia these days !  

Just wish I knew what size that bra was. I imagine that a smaller size wouldn't work for a Barbie doll. One day, I really will have to do that 'Barbie & The Bra' page. Just for kicks. Did you know that Ruth Handler, the debatable inventor of the American Barbie, also created and marketed breast prostheses for mastectomy patients ? She would joke in interviews, when the reporters wanted to talk Babs, that breasts seemed to always be in the center of her life. Her products and designs, called 'Nearly Me', are still in production today.

And, after that, I leafed through an old Doll Reader magazine. I'd bought a good-size lot of 'em off eBay a while back. Found a subscription card with a color DR cover, so I made Elphie her own magazine. Cut the back - card wasn't big enough - from a doll ad response card. Looks pretty good, and the shiny tape gave the cover a glossy look. 

So, busy day. Still lots of cleaning for me to do tomorrow. Think I'll treat m'self to some Goldfish crackers... 

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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Mood:  lazy

Sorry if I made anyone worry. Not sure what it was, but after the Flight Suit Challenge - which isn't quite over yet, I wanna make another one in *good* fabric - and finishing the 'Leia Red' fabric, I hit such a wall of inertia. I didn't wanna do anything. And I succeded admirably. BTW, inertia feels like Jell-o. A mostly-solid, quivering wall of Jell-o. In case you weren't acquainted, I feel you should know of this. 

Now, usually when I go on these little breaks, I catch up on housework or family stuff. Nope. Didn't do that, either. My only major accomplishment between Wednesday and Friday was that I ate an entire bag of Goldfish crackers. By myself.  I got dishes and doll stuff everywhere. Enjoyed the #ell out of those Goldfish, too.

And what did I do today ? Went out and blew $5. in fabric ! (sigh) I guess it had to be done to get me off my rumpus room. When I went to the last Hancock Fabrics' "half-off the wall" sale, I fell in love with this fat quarter. Striped, would make good male doll clothes. Didn't get it, as I'd already burned through $10. in buttons, snap fasteners, and Fray-Check. But I thought about it. (and, guess what, HF has another 'half off the notions wall' sale next month. (sigh))

Since that's one sign I truly want something, I made plans to buy it today. After errands. Found a lovely green/blue striped fabric bolt at W-Mart (had to return some school supplies bought in error when I grabbed the wrong list...but it's not too bright to have a school with the same name as the county, guys !), and got half a yard for a buck. Off to Hancock's.

They were having a massive one-day sale, and were busy. They still had the fat quarter...but on closer examination, I really didn't like it. My mind thought the stripes were sharper, and these were varigated. Not what I wanted after all. Looked around some and found some gorgeous corduroy - half off. Snagged half a yard. Then I found some delightful 'space age' material...probably too big for dolls. But since when does that matter to me ? I usually 'test' prints by wrapping them around two fingers (Barbie size skirt), three fingers (Elphie skirt), or four fingers curved in a bit (front half of a Fiyero shirt). It'd be great for Fiyero, and possibly cute as a Leia skirt, I thought...so that came along, too - half-price is my buddy !

Well, I got it home and found I didn't get the discount on the space fabric. Not worth the buck to drive all the way back to get it fixed. I'll just have to remember to double-check the cutting table receipt next time. Got it cheap-serged and in the (also neglected) laundry.

Found out something interesting. If you take your fresh-from-the washer fabric and iron it dry, it's as crisp and nice as if you hosed it with spray starch.  I'm sure this won't work with all fabrics - the two I did were cotton or cotton blends - but it came out nice on both. You can see the space fabric on the Barbie page, made into a yoke-bodice dress for Leia. The lavender behind her will soon be used as Elphie's second 'Dr. Girlfriend' (The Venture Bros.) costume. 

I also tweaked the 'Barbie' page a bit. No new images besides Leia's, but some are in better focus, others are combined now. I really need to get some better photos up there - shoot, half the dolls pictured, I don't have anymore !  

Not sure what I'm doing tomorrow. Besides the kitchen ! Scanned in an old Doll Reader pattern for a 14-inch Mary Hoyer doll that might work for Elphie. Been meaning to try that one. I'd like to make the 'space age' shirt for Fiyero, and try his polo shirt pattern - I've had it for several days now, and haven't touched it to even scan it yet. There's also this tie-front blouse that fits Elphie - it came in a Barbie lot, not sure why I kept it - I want to take it apart and make a pattern from it, so I can post it on the main site.  I really should write all these projects down and get with 'em...

But, if you listen real close, you can hear the Jell-o, calling to me. It knows I'm tired, and I can hear its siren song. It knows I liked inertia. And that I'm too weary to go get Goldfish crackers. So eventually, I'll surrender... any new doll clothes around here are only a temporary victory over the lazy that is the Jell-o wall...and now I smell the 'red' flavor...

Kinda sucks that inertia doesn't come with whipped cream. 

Posted by dorriebelle at 9:46 PM CDT

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Mood:  bright

...the red fabric I've been using for Leia clothes is completely used up. Decided, on a whim, to make her matching shoes. I easily found enough for one shoe. Really had to play with the bits and pieces to find enough for the other. Just barely did.

Making easy slip-ons is fun. I use the directions - loosely - from this site : http://www.snsdolls.com/pattarch/dollshoe/shoemain.htm . I play with the fabric, make a paper version of the basic shape, then cut out four 'uppers'. Two uppers for each shoe get sewn together on the inside, and at the back. It's usually pretty tiny, so I hand-sew the cut edges of the back down, and Fray-Check the outside raw edges.

 After that, I trace the doll foot onto some fun foam, with a little extra for seam allowance. Cut two sets of 'em. Once the F-C is dry, I hand-sew the uppers to one set of fun foam soles, frequently fitting it to the doll, trying to get the gathers at the toe right. Then glue the other fun foam soles on, sandwiching the uppers between foam soles. I like to clamp 'em down while the glue dries with clothespins, but you can also find fun foam with adhesive on the back. 

Right now, I'm waiting for the Fray-check to dry. I may add a bit of heel to these, just another half-sole layer of fun foam. I'll be sure to add a photo once these are done. You can see an early effort using the same procedure on Crissy - the navy blue shoes she wears on her page.  

Oh, and while Hancock's was having its half-off sale, I saw something interesting - a cutting board cleaner. It looked like an abrasive disc with a handle. Supposedly it sands and evens out rotary cutting mats, but at $13., I gave it a pass. I only paid $10. for the Fiskars matt I use nearly every day ! 

But it did get me to thinking - is there something similar around here ? Not really, most of the stuff Beloved Hubby uses is pretty abrasive. I did find out though, that a simple, cheap gum eraser can lift out some of the imbedded fabric bits. And that some of the spots on my board aren't fabric - I've completely cut into and removed some of the board surface ! Guess 'self healing' can only go so far in the last four years.  I may 'color in' those spots, so I can avoid 'em. They make the rotary blade skip. 

Well, wish me luck on the shoes !  

Posted by dorriebelle at 4:07 PM CDT

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Mood:  irritated

Quiet day, coming down off an I-Did-It ! buzz that lasted until I fell asleep. I'm still kinda jazzed about the whole Flight Suit thing. But it's not as wild a high as it was last night. Whew ! Don't think I could have sustained it much longer anyway. 

It felt odd, throwing out Prototypes 1-3.1 this morning. Really, there's nothing I can do with them, nothing I can salvage that I'd want. Unless I want to memorialize my failed attempts (and the website's home page is already doing an admirable job of that), it doesn't make much sense to keep 'em. But the pattern's been stored in the computer and I'll soon make more of them. With some good fabric !

For today, though, I took it easy. At least with the doll stuff ! Had a ton of dishes and laundry that needed my attention, just like I do every other Monday. Used up the last of that red fabric to make Leia a gathered skirt, and finished my test run of that altered Fashion Doll Fun blouse. It looks cute as a jacket over the skirt, too ! Maybe I'll add the photo later.

Also bought two packages of scrapbooking 'brads' - remember those usually brass-colored 'buttons' with prongs that fastened papers together ? Well, they make those tiny these days, for crafts. I thought, what if I cut a tiny slit in a doll outfit, treated it carefully with Fray-Check, then inserted the brads as buttons or decor ? If I cut the prong length and either use it with fabric covering it or where there's a facing between prong and doll, there wouldn't be a risk of scratching, and they'd make great buttons ! Cheap, too - the ones I got were at Dollar Tree, 25 to a package. I got the classic black and white sets, but I'll be going back for the other colors. The Fray-Check works fine, and if the prongs are covered, it shouldn't damage the doll. Prongs clip easily, too.

These brads are so tiny - I think they're about the same size as the 1/8" buttons I bought. Darn buttons were half-off, and I still paid $1.20 for only ten of 'em.  So 25 for a buck is great. I think you'll be seeing some brads in action soon. And I'll look around the scrabooking sections more often !

Got the last of Dearest Son's school supply list - made W-Mart price match a Target ad and saved us a quick $7. I still don't get why one school's list is fifteen items and $20. while others are ten and $8. , when both schools are in the same county and system administration. I was lucky this year, his was one of the less-extensive ones, and we had half of it already.

Pre-registration for school was such a pain - we never received a document the admin dept. was supposed to have sent us for it. Not that we knew we were supposed to have said document...(sigh) So I get to chase around with this again tomorrow. I swear, they must lie awake at night and figure out how to make this a torture every year. I'm not even gonna get into what happened last year. All I know is, all the cash, supplies, and help I volunteer every year has about been bled out of me.

I think I need to go back and play with Leia some more... 

Posted by dorriebelle at 9:27 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 7 August 2006 8:28 PM CDT

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Mood:  on fire

I DID IT !!!!

Whoooo ! I made the Flight Suit, start to finish today, and I think it looks great ! Here she is, on the chaise I wrote about yesterday, showing off the whole, complete, new Flight Suit ! Full length photo on the site, but you know how I like to do somethin' special for ya'll ! 

I still can't believe I did it ! And I didn't change the collar or anything, I just changed how I did the facing. Y'see, without directions to go by, I use the tried-and-true order of sewing - darts and facings, then hems on what you can completely hem go first. So, I was sewing down the front facings first thing. But as it turns out, the collar completely covers the facings, and if I simply attached the collar to the garment as-is, without sewing the facing, it fits perfectly !

I'm so happy ! Took me about two and a half hours from cut to photo, and that's with measuring and cutting the elastic on my own. That always makes me nervous ! I'm not terribly good with elastic. And what I used seemed too large. While an inch of elastic would easily go over Leia's hand, it was too short to extend the width of the sleeve. So I had to use two inches. Same thing with the pant cuffs. I may see if there's thinner, stretchier elastic out there.  

But on the whole, I'm satisfied. Even wrote a note to toysrgus.com, thanking them for the photos and telling them what I did with 'em. It's still so hard to believe - what I wanted in 1978, and again when I saw the actual Kenner prototype Flight Suit in Steve Sansweet's Star Wars: From Concept to Screen to Collectible in 1992, I now have. And even better, I MADE it myself ! I'm darn near dizzy ! 

And, to add to the fun, XM Radio recently got clearance to air the America's Top 40 Coundown shows, from the 70s and 80s. So I got to listen to that while I sewed. It was so odd. Memories poured through me. I once dedicated this song to this guy in high school - had no idea he had a girlfriend already, I never saw them together, honest ! - and he at least didn't humilate me with the stupidly written 'Secret Admirer' letter I sent.  And signed. (cringe) At least I had a crush on a worthy fella. While we went our separate ways after high school, I always hoped the best for him. The more I came to know about men - at least until Beloved Hubby entered my life - the more I knew what a gentleman he was.

It was so surreal, to hear that song - it's on now, Leo Sayers' I Love You More Than I Can Say (double cringe) - and feel those weirded-out emotions again, while holding a doll from my childhood I was sewing for, and listen to my Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son laughing at Kimagure Orange Road episodes. For a moment, I didn't know whose time I was living in !

Answer to that was easy. I'm living in the best time ! Mr. Teen Crush was a nice guy, true, but no one is as wonderful as my Beloved Hubby. When I showed him Prototype 3.1 yesterday, I asked him to compare it to the Kenner prototype photo. He said mine looked better ! And he spent all afternoon with our Dearest Son, the sweetest Herbie fan on the planet, so I could sew Proto #4. I don't see how my life could be any better than it is.

Well, we're broke. But I don't care. Bills are paid, dinner's cooking.  House is comfy, and there's always a new challenge. I am happy. I hope my old 'ones that got away' are, too. Hope contentment reaches you, as well.

Posted by dorriebelle at 9:00 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 9:40 AM CDT

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Mood:  happy

Waaaay overspent at Hancock Fabrics' 50% off notions sale. But it'll be a long time before I need to go back there ! Scored 48 size 4/0 snaps (tiny) and 24 3/0 ones (next to tiny), twenty 1/8" buttons (10 black, 10 white), and four bottles of Fray-Check, all for $10.48 ! The Fray-Check was a major score. It was packaged as a two-bottle Bonus Pack for $3.69, but I got half off that ! In essence, I got four bottles for not much more than the price of one ! 

Didn't buy a millimeter of fabric, either. You know I looked, but nothing appealed, and I already have what I need for the projects in my mind. I did see an attractive blue stripe fat quarter that I may snag next time I go, but for now, I'm well-stocked and happy. So it'll be a while.  

And I forgot to tell you what happened yesterday. Took Dearest Son with me on errands, including the GoodWill down the street. I found something I'd wanted since I was a kid. It's nothing special...you know those wicker doll chairs that are everywhere, and have been for about twenty or thirty years ? About the same time I bought Leia, I found the set - chair, loveseat, and table - sold separately at another store, in the Craft section. It was the first time it had ever occured to me that not all potential doll stuff was located in the Toys section of the store !  

Anyway, since I had Leia, I got the chair, just for her. And she sat in it (when I wasn't playing with her) for years on my dresser.  I'd always intended to get the other two pieces - chaise and table - but it was either sold out when I had the money or in stock when I was broke. And once I was out on my own, it didn't seem important - after all, I'd long since given all my other dolls away, so why buy more doll furniture ?  Well, yesterday, I found the chaise. Happy !  That's 50c well-spent ! I don't really need the table...

Oh, and before we get into more doll stuff, be thou warned. I got an IRS phish today in my e-mail. It looked official, too, but the IRS says, right on its website, that they NEVER contact anyone via email, much less ask for checking account numbers or passwords. Mine said I was qualified for a $63.80 refund, for clicking on the link and sending them some info. No way, Jose Phish !  

Now then. I tore out the side seams to Version 3.0 of Leia's Flight Suit and added the sleeves and collar, and hemmed the pants. Sleeves went in beautifully, but that collar...(sigh) I guess collars still don't like me.  Again, it's hard to tell if the collar ends before the front opening edge or not - photo's at http://www.toysrgus.com/index.php?action=disp_item&item_id=39560 - but it looks to me as if it does. I can see that it definitely does on the companion Luke outfit 'Fatigue Suit'. Mine doesn't. And I know it enlarged at 200%, it printed on the same page as the back piece of the pattern. So I guess I get to play with it a bit. 

I forgot how hard collars that small are to sew. It took me about seven tries before I got it...well, not right, but acceptable.  Another reason I wanted to learn to sew was to make Ken clothes. Now I know why I never got far with that ! My skill level wasn't near what it needed to be to make what I wanted to. It just barely is there now !

So. If there's time tomorrow, I'm hoping to make the whole outfit, start to finish, fresh. Elastic and sleeves and collar. If there's no time, I may just add elastic to today's work. Version 3.1 is on the home page, if you wanna see. I think it won't be too long before I can post 'Challenge Met !'.  

Then, I really need to get back to the 'shoes' thing I abandoned last month. I saw the most amazing vinyl at Hancock Fabrics today... 

Posted by dorriebelle at 2:51 PM CDT

Updated: Saturday, 5 August 2006 5:57 PM CDT

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Mood:  chatty

Still workin' on the Leia Flight Suit project. Y'know, it's amazing I'm doing this. Not that it's difficult - it isn't, anyone could do the same thing - but I normally like for everything I spend time on to be a 'keeper', know what I mean ? And for me to make prototype jump suits knowing each one will end up in the trash when it isn't right is odd. Normally I'd try to salvage something out of my time and efforts, but on this project, it's OK to try 'til I get it right, and trash-bin anything that isn't. 

I think this project is exactly what I needed. There's lotsa stuff I've never tried because I didn't want to flub it or 'waste' the time and material. Sheesh, material I got in over-abundance. I have a full rack of thread, and a box of more, with a jar of small spools. Time I can find as needed. Skills can only be gained by effort, and until recently, I haven't wanted to invest that effort since it may or may not pay off.  It's nice to know that skirt will work, 'cause you've worked it 30 times, but even fun stuff can get boring quick if you don't add the occasional new twist or non-guaranteed gamble. 

And we all know that an easy victory is the one least celebrated. By the time I get this flight suit perfected, I'll be proud - and I'll have earned it. That's the victory we all want !

Plus, it makes me happy that I'll have something Kenner (RIP) decided I couldn't have. I know the 12-inch  'Large Size Action Figures' didn't sell well in 1978, but since they put all that effort and time and work into producing the outfits, why not just do a limited release to sell 'em ? I guess I don't understand toy marketing as well as I thought I did. Heck, even now, when the 12-inch dolls *do* mostly sell, Hasbro (who bought the remnants of Kenner when it went under, but had to negotiate Star Wars rights on its own) doesn't make clothes for them. Just makes a doll with new clothes. If you're lucky ! I still don't have a Bespin dress...

Does anyone wonder, as I do when I'm bored, that if Mattel had won the Star Wars license, would Leia and Amidala would have vast, huge wardrobes to go with their new Barbie-like bodies ? If you like to imagine alternate realities, that's a fun one. Your most favorite doll - how would he or she differ if she was made by the toy company you absolutely loathe ? Would Barbie have girl-sixpack abs and a kung-fu grip if Hasbro made her ? Would Elphie have big blue eyes and an oversize head with curly hair over at Mattel ? Would a basic Barbie suddenly cost $80. and have $15. shoes if Tonner or Madame Alexander created her ? Would Ideal Toys still exist if they had a solid property like Gene or Barbie ? 

Sorry. Leia tends to bring out my childlike daydreaming side. I remember when I got her - I was 'too old' for dolls, and all my sighing longing wasn't gonna get me one. Even saving up my allowance wasn't helping. After several sitcom-quality stunts, however, I finally had the money. A little over $10., I'd spent days computing tax and counting funds to the last penny -  and after two weeks of asking, I got to go to the one store that had her. For the first time, I noticed all dolls weren't the same, but one 'called' to me. I had 'my' Leia.

Once home, though, I faltered at the sealed tape. I was kinda old for dolls. Should I keep her always pretty in the box ? It was something to think about...but you know me, the thought didn't last. I could almost 'hear', "No ! I'm no fun in a box ! Let me out and let me live in your mind as something more than a pretty doll. I can't share adventures with you in this box !" and a few minutes later, she was out. And I've never regretted that. What I have regretted is seeing boxed Leias on eBay. Poor things. They never got any adventures.

Sure, any doll is worth the most if it's never removed from the box. But can you put a price on the memories of fun you had with the doll out of it ?  Why buy a doll just to keep it in a box ? If you wanna resell it, it probably would have been a better idea to not buy it in the first place. Doll market's too chancy to use as an investment. That's why I only buy what I adore. It's easy to lose money on a doll. It's impossible to call a loved, played with, and enjoyed doll 'a loss'. 

Posted by dorriebelle at 9:35 AM CDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Sorry this'll be late and quick. Tummy's still giving me off-and-on problems, so I'm going to give up popcorn for a while. I know, it doesn't make sense, but the day after I eat a cheesy bag from the microwave, my stomach erupts in pain. We'll see what happens when I don't go near the stuff for a week or two, then have some. I'm sure we'll know.

If you haven't been to the main site page, you may wanna. Started a new project yesterday. I'm using the 'Leia Flight Suit' never-produced Kenner prototype pictured on this site - http://www.toysrgus.com/index.php?action=disp_item&item_id=39560 - to make my own Leia Flight Suit.

Basically, I saved off the image, traced it, greyscaled it, and I'm in the process of finding the right enlargement for it to fit Leia correctly. When I'm done, I'll have a working pattern one-offed from vintage Kenner stuff, *and* as many Flight Suits as I want ! Yeah, it's just a collared jumpsuit. And I could probably crib the same thing from Doll Shop Deluxe like I did for Crissy. But it's actually been kind of fun to do it this way !

I mean, scrawling '175% ver. 1.0, 8/02/06' on a pattern is pretending. Pretending it's important, yeah, I know -  but the fantasy of being an actual professional designer is amusing, too.  Haven't you ever imagined being in the final lap of a thrilling NASCAR race at a banking turn on the way to work ? Or gave a splendid  burlesque show as you're stepping from the shower ? Same thing. I'm pretending in my own mind, and as fantasies go, it's pretty tame. But I'm enjoyin' the heck out of it !

Tomorrow, we're gonna try a 200% increase. I'm getting pretty good with these !  It's getting updated like the rest of the site, newest at the bottom. Hope you'll hang around until I get it right, although that might take a while ! :) 

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:42 PM CDT

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Mood:  energetic

Yeah, Dearest Son's beloved "My First LeapPad", a Christmas gift from his doting Grandparents, met about five drops of water  from a nearby splash yesterday. I got it cleaned off and stored upside down, in case any squeezed inside, but today, Son couldn't get it to work. I couldn't either. Pressed the 'on' button, nothing happened at all. So I changed the batteries. Still nothin'.

So I took it apart. Wasn't at all difficult, which makes me think LeapFrog allowed for this probable contingency. Noticed a tiny bead of water on the cartridge slot, and gave it a hearty shake, to make sure there wasn't any more anywhere. Then it got a thorough air-can dusting all around, in and out and under. Go figure, now it works. Sorry, Son. If momma can fix the one you have, we don't have to buy you another ! Besides, I don't think that LeapPad even makes that model anymore. It's hard to call it 'My First' when they now have a version for infants. Seriously. It's called 'Little Touch', for six-month olds. They have stuff from that age to sixth grade, probably beyond. I keep waiting for one for college students... guess that's a side effect from living too close to a 'major' university. 

You may remember I was working on an alteration for the simple blouse pattern from Fashion Doll Fun, because the one I made Leia was too tight in the arms. My first trial with the slightly enlarged version is pictured in yesterday's blog, if you can see around the belt ! Since Leia's arms are nearly the same soft, rubbery vinyl as her legs, anything snug is a real pain to get on her. Even if I use cornstarch powder.

Well, I think I finally have it. Took a ruler and marker to the current pattern, folded and cut and traced. Did a test run with the revised pattern in the omnipresent red fabric - but this time with black thread ! While I need to work on my top-stitching around curves, it came out fantastic. Still bunches a bit at the shoulders, but the original pattern does the same thing on regular Barbie-size dolls, so it's OK. And, guess what, we're nearly out of red fabric. Maybe a pair of Capri pants can be found in what's left, and afterwards, it'll all be tiny shreds. I don't know why the idea of using all of it makes me happy, but it does.

I love having all my patterns scanned and in the computer. I can print one, make changes to it, but still have the original. And then, if the alteration works, I can scan it and make more anytime, too.  Some sewists say they won't sit down to their machine without a serger. I wouldn't want to sew without a scanner/printer ! 

And I wonder - since I enlarged it, then changed the sleeves, the side seams, and the neckline, does it count as a new pattern that can be legally shared for free ? There's precious darn little for Leia dolls out there. 

Took Dearest Son to Dollar Tree. It was so funny, he told me exactly what he was gonna buy (I let him choose two things usually) before we left, and that's exactly what he did get ! It's getting harder to get me to spend money, though. I'd thought to get a special box for his baby teeth, but I remembered I had one already that was too small for what I'd intended to make for Elphie. Perfect for his teeth, though. I then toyed with the idea of getting a plastic shoebox for Leia's new wardrobe, since most of it's too big for Barbies. But then I remembered that 1) Beloved Hubby has new shoes, hence a bigger cardboard shoebox and 2) I still have a 20c pencil box from last year's back to school clearance sales that's just sitting around. 

They didn't have any sewing notions I wanted, either. So I ended up just getting some fancy herb crackers that are quite tasty.  At least those we didn't already have ! :)

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:58 AM CDT

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