Mood:  bright

Thought I already posted this, but I guess not. So I'll just retype and back-date it, it's not in the 'Draft' folder or anything.

Still going through all the old Doll World magazines. I've tabbed all the patterns I wanna scan with torn Post-It notes - 36 magazines, 60 patterns. And that's not all the patterns in them, just the ones I want that I don't already have six different ways. I mean, I'm not much on sunbonnets. But I have eight patterns for them, scaled to fit everybody from Gracie and Casey to Kim Possible. 

So this weekend's gonna be busy. Last time I scanned 47 patterns, it took me six hours, almost non-stop. I'll probably start Friday after Granddad and Granny pick up Dearest Son. Once it's all done, I'll back it up to CD-Rs. Last back-up took three of 'em to contain everything. Wonder if all the new stuff will bump it up to four ? 

When the scanning gets to be too much, I can always clean out fabric ! 

Beloved Hubby defragged our computer last night. We have a 70gig hard drive, have had it for about two years now. It's still not half full. Since we don't play many games or store entire movies on it, we'll probably keep it going as long as possible. Although he was talking about updating our system, new processors and memory, that kind of upgrade, we instead bought a new monitor - oh, and it is *gorgeous* ! - and CD-DVD drive, which is enough of an update for now !  

 And I need some food ! I don't scan well without chow. Hope you get to do some stuff you've been meaning to do today !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CST

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Mood:  a-ok

Where is the year going ? Seems like we just got Dearest Son in school, and it's almost time for Thanksgiving ! That's my second favorite holiday. What's not to like about cooking, then sitting around and eating all day ? :)

Slowly but surely catching up on neglected housework. Put away Mt. Clean Laundry, did three loads of dirty clothes. It's all air-drying - I hang everything up on racks and chair backs, it keeps clothes nicer longer, adds moisture to the often dry air, and saves on the electric bill. Takes a while, but when you can drift from room to room the next morning, picking out your wardrobe of the day, it's kind of fun.

Oh, and I forgot to mention it 'til yesterday, but I won a boxload of doll magazines. 42 in all, mostly Doll World from the late 70s through to the mid 80s. I've barely had time to leaf through 'em, but today I started really going through 'em for scanning. Averaging two patterns per magazine - often more. Most of what I'm finding is for either the Crissy family or the Disney Princesses, but occasionally there's a treat for Timey and Dottie, with two so far for Baby Chrissy. Amazingly, there's darn little for Barbie. 

Not long ago, I won fifteen Doll World, Doll Designs, and Doll Crafter magazines, and those yielded 47 patterns that I could use. Took me an entire Saturday to get everything scanned. So you can imagine what I got looking at me right now ! I've used two, a shirt crafted from a dress pattern for Crissy, and a pair of capris for Mia and the Disney Princesses that was originally for the Fisher-Price My Friend dolls. The capris took some minor alterations, mostly in the crotch curve - there's a big difference between the soft-body My Friends and the vinyl Princesses ! Mia's wearing them in the Halloween Greetings photo on the home page. Hmf. I need to change that tomorrow...when there's time ! 

Still have about 25 magazines to sort through. Last time, I just leafed and scanned as I went. This time, I'm marking the pages with Post-It flags with the name of the doll I hope the patterns fit. I'm hoping it'll save some time.  I can only do about ten in the wait to pick Son up from school. So the rest of this week is about taken care of - I don't like to be bored waiting !

Not a lot else going on. In a few days, I'm going to have another fabric clean-out - Son's therapist was thrilled with our last donation. Some of the kids love the texture books volunteers make them from all the fabrics. So on this clean-out, I'm going for fabrics that feel distinctive. Not just the soft stuff, either. Guess I'll finally move some of this tulle outta here ! :)

But I think I'll be scanning this weekend. I've already got a backlog of magazines ready for it. Much as I hate scanning, you'd think I'd get to sewing ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 8:26 PM CST

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Mood:  hug me

...maybe I needed it or something. Beloved Hubby's business has been beyond the concept of 'busy', so I've been helping in any ways I can find. One day last week, I balanced his business checkbook, glazed 30-some cabinet doors, and took Dearest Son to an appointment. Slept well that night !

But that's not really why I've been away so long. While Fall is my favorite season and Halloween is my bestest holiday, it's also a time of deep contemplation and examination for me. Especially in October, for some bizarre reason. Each year, I find myself doing stuff I used to love, but just don't do anymore. I study animation again, for a while...I read radio and TV trade publications, because that's what my degree is in, Mass Communications. The very notion of transmitting ideas and thoughts to more than just the ones you can see has always been fascinating to me. I watch foreign ads, as a window into other cultures, and possibly how a US ad agency would portray the same ideas.  When my kindergarten class went to a radio station...well, it started a lifelong dream that unfortunately I made come true. And now, radio isn't the dream anymore, it's a picked-through wasteland of shock and blah.

"There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it." - George Bernard Shaw

Anyway. Some things just hit you harder when you're older. More you have, the more you have to lose. And I saw this PSA (Public Service Announcement) that has bothered me for weeks. I hesitate to post the link, because I can gosh-darn guarantee you that it will disturb your evening. Especially if you have kids. But I also hate it when somebody talks about something but leaves me no way to see what they're yarping about. So, with misgivings, here's a YouTube.com link - http://youtube.com/watch?v=4nr9R4F_QH8

It reminds me how fragile everything is. How fast something flies beyond anyone's control, and how much each of us can lose in less than a second. I've had to build a mental blockade against thinking about it, picking apart the velocity and probability of what's portrayed. But it's still there, and even writing about it in my personal journal hasn't lessened its appearance and its effect on me. It's not like I've ever driven drunk - I don't drink, and the older I get, the less I enjoy driving. But it's been a painfully powerful PSA.

So I've been pretty morose and upset lately, and haven't gone near my dolls, even for solace, in weeks. I  hesitated sharing this with you because I didn't want you troubled and I knew I'd have to share the link. Odd, how an idea that really shouldn't affect me this much has shaped my days these last coupla weeks. 

I'm just now coming back to myself. Beloved Hubby and I finished Dearest Son's Halloween costume Thurs. night - his school did the parties/costume thing on Friday - and he adored it. I made him a racing suit, complete with a big '53' and his name as 'Driver' on the front, and Hubby decorated a Big Trash Day scavenged Power Wheels Beetle as Herbie, the Love Bug. We removed the mechanisms, repainted it, and even made a custom license plate for it. Straps allowed Son to 'drive' Herbie, and if there was a happier boy around Friday, I'd like to meet him. It was like Christmas to Son, and just seeing his joy was balm to my psyche. 

So Halloween - and my Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son - saved my spirit. In truth, I wasn't much good in the mood I was in, to anyone. Hence the absence. I'm still screwed up, but I'm more my own kind of screwed up than I've been in a while. So, there's more to look forward to, especially since I won a metric ton of old doll magazines in an auction !  :)  

Are these sudden existential psych-dramas what they mean when people talk about  'having a mid-life crisis' ? Frankly, they suck... 

Posted by dorriebelle at 6:52 PM CST

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Mood:  happy

Super-busy today - yesterday, we had a school meeting for Dearest Son that ran over an hour, so Beloved Hubby got a bit further behind on a major piece of work that's due to be delivered tomorrow. I've been asking if there's any way I could help, and last night, he took me up on it. 

So today, I submitted m'self for glazing training after Son got to school. It's not that hard, but there was a heckuva lotta doors to do ! Armed with my $25. MP3 player loaded with music, I got to it and barely looked up until I was all done. Whew. It wasn't that hard, there was just a lot of it. Made sure to stretch from one door to another. Took me about four and a half hours, but that's time Hubby had to spend on finishing other pieces. He's still hard at work, and I hope all this effort is appreciated by the client.  

And on the plus side, I can glaze now ! He says he'll definitely call on me to do this again, and it was kind of fun. I feel really good because I helped. Gonna sleep good tonight.

Which is good, as Dearest Son is off from school Thurday and Friday. Have no idea what we're gonna do. I just hope I'll have some doll time tomorrow. Although I'm not sure what I wanna do with them, either ! Well, I do have some photos to take and put up on the site...

Lemme go see how Beloved's doing. He's probably hungry by now ! Hope your day was satisfying, even if it wasn't precisely what you might have wanted.  

Posted by dorriebelle at 6:52 PM CDT

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Mood:  bright

Ever come across something that makes you cringe, because it's been sitting around soooooo long, waiting ? A cute idea you had but didn't have a chance to finish, something you barely started ? And then it got buried under a ton of newer ideas and goodies. Happens to me all the darn time.

While cleaning out some stuff - mostly fabric - I found a pair of stretch corduroy slacks I made for Casey and Gracie, our customized My Size Barbies. They fit, but bagged a bit at the waist. I'd put them aside, intending to sew a dart or a hook/eye closure on 'em. And from there, they got lost.

Found them again when cleaning out a box of fabric. They got lost in the laundry sorter for a few months...that should tell you how long they've been knocking around waiting for a ten minute repair. This time, they got put into the 'repair/snaps' box that I bought last month. Today, I finally fixed 'em. Finally.

Also found a woven strip I cut from a purse strap. I was able to remove the part I wanted without damaging the purse, too ! It just had a shorter strap when I donated it.  I get a lot out of my 25c yard sale finds ! Anyway, that's been sitting around for a long time, as well, so after I got the pants done, I rooted through the baggie fulla second-hand clasps and buckles,  found a decorative piece salvaged from a 'Free' box dress... a few minutes of hand sewing later, Gracie and Casey have a sweet belt ! I just sewed one side to the belt 'buckle', and the other one got snaps added, so I could easily take it off. I can even adjust it by adding another half-snap. It was a great idea, so I have no idea what took me so long ! Well, I just got the buckle about four months ago...

Man, it's embarassing how long those things have sat around. And now they're done, and belong to a doll. There's about six more pieces in the 'repair/needs snaps' box, so hopefully those will get done soon. Not sure how I'd react to that box being empty, though !

Posted by dorriebelle at 5:42 PM CDT

Updated: Tuesday, 17 October 2006 6:06 PM CDT

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Mood:  d'oh

I've put off doing anything creative today. It's just not been a good day for anyone I know - but I hope yours was good.

Rain all weekend, raining this morning. Overslept, van wouldn't start. Beloved Hubby's current job's hit a snag. Dearest Son's therapist is ill. Van dies again during busy rush at afterschool pickup. Everyone here has a headache right now, too. House is a mess, and I barely got the groceries put away. (sigh) It doesn't sound like much, but it's been a tough day. Hubby and Son are napping. Maybe after I finish this, I'll join 'em. Hard to argue with anyone who looks as relaxed as they do...

I did some doll stuff, although I didn't trust the day - or have enough time - to sew. Instead I ripped some more lace off that 'Free' box teddy, and cleaned up and stored doll clothes. Went through the Disney Princess/Mia outfits and donated 17 dresses. Most were cheaply made and didn't really fit them in the first place, and since they have lots now that does fit, no point in keeping the not-as-good stuff. Plan on going through the Barbie clothes soon. Ironed some stray ribbon pieces and got them stored, too.

Sewed yesterday, though. After making myself a blouse this weekend, I used the cutaway scrap to make a blouse and matching pants for Crissy. There was just barely enough...and those pants are *tight* !  I hope to get that photo up, and the conclusion to the Fall Ball series, tomorrow.

I also have to write my piece on Room With A View. You may remember that it was my birthday present this year from Hubby and Son, but it's been completely absent from the site. I've repeatedly chosen to use Dollar Tree poster backdrops and chairs instead of it in photos. There's reasons. And they ain't good... Right now, it's on top of a dresser, and it's been the doll clothes repository for the last two months. So today, I cleaned and redid it, so it looks a little better. In any case, I need to write up that one. Quick take : If I had that $120. back, I'd texture and paint a foam-core tryptic (they sell 'em for school science projects), and glue cheap molding on. Then I'd spend the other $100. on Hubby and Son presents, 'cause I don't know why they put up with my nonsense sometimes. 

I'm looking around for more old National Doll World magazines, too. I can even tell about when I'll stop liking them. When the pages go from newsprint to slicks, and the masthead font changes, pretty much. In the meanwhile, I got plenty to scan and try out. Crissy's blouse is from one of the Doll Design ones. 

But for now, I think a nap is about the best outcome of this long day. Laters ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 5:49 PM CDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Sorry, sorry. I had every intention of keeping up last week, but it was frantic. Dearest Son had numerous appointments, Beloved Hubby was sort of down. I had the messiest house ever from the previous week's migraine and tummy troubles, and I don't think I've really stopped for a minute since.

No time for dolls at all. About all I've been able to do is de-lace half a damaged teddy from a yard-sale 'Free' box, and sew half the snap back on the vintage Barbie 'Day At The Fair' blouse I got from the junk shop last week. Then it was back to work or whoever needed me. I'm not gonna tell you how big Mt. Clean Laundry got this time. It's too humiliating. 

Bought a lot of old doll magazines from eBay, my first purchase off there in months. Just couldn't resist - eighteen magazines for $8., shipped. And it was a bonanza ! Old National Doll World and National Doll World Yearbooks, a few Doll Design issues, and a Dollmaking one. All from the late 70s and early 80s. You know. Back when no doll company made dolls for adults - and there was no eBay or internet to help you find the doll you couldn't forget from your childhood or the antique that would become the diamond of your collection.

It was an amazing experience, leafing through these old magazines. Stories of how that one doll got into this person's home - today she'd just charge it to her credit card after a BIN off eBay, but then she had to hunt doll shows, write endless doll shops, and build up a 'butter and egg money' nest-egg when/if she did find it. Endless patterns - often six or more in each magazine, for dolls claimed from a child's neglectful care, for dolls that were popular just ten years ago. No belly-wear, just nice clothes made simple, without dripping lace or dangling Swarovski crystals. Directions on how to make dolls from scraps and discards...imagine that.

It made me think of what we gained online, and what we've lost. There's darn few doll magazines left, so why share a pattern you've created when you can sell it on eBay ?  Yes, it's easier to find what you want, especially when there's so many manufacturers tailoring their product to what they believe we want, but...there's not much to create a lifelong memory from in online megastores and credit cards. Why fix anything when it's available brand-new in a box somewhere as near as your mailbox next week ? 

Believe me, I don't want to not have email and eBay anymore. But it seems as though we don't have to be happy with what we have when there's always more coming down the pike. I doubt the folks who wrote these pulp-paper articles were always happy, either. Yet, I look at slick Haute Doll and all I see is 'Buy More' and "You MUST own this if you call yourself a (Designer's Name) fan !" Make Tyler a dress from socks ? From (gasp !) DOLLAR TREE socks ?!! I think that'd make some of the Haute crowd faint. 

One creative idea fosters another. Or another twelve. And those ideas often return to the original idea and inspire anew. I just don't see anything inspiring lately. Except this old lot of newspaper-type doll magazines. I felt as though I were...coming home, somehow. That my ideas weren't so radical. They were around 20 years ago, just not now.

It's a lot easier and less time-consuming to just buy stuff. I used to wonder, when I was a kid, what the Chinese folk who made all these Garfield erasers thought of them. Another trinket for overseas. Each culture has its own silly knick-knacks and tchotchkes. But sometimes now, I wonder what the Philippine girl making Matt O'Neill blouses thinks of us at the end of the day. 

Posted by dorriebelle at 5:10 PM CDT

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Mood:  lazy

Never again will I wonder : "Is this just a bad sinus/tension/whatever headache, or might I have migraines ? " Now I bloody know. I had one for two whole days, and I'm here to tell anybody who doesn't already know, that if you have migraines, you darn well know it ! If the headache goes away on its own in a few hours, nope. If you can gulp down a couple ibuprofen or acetaminophen and it goes away, no. If, after six hours of throbbing, nauseous pain wreathing your head, you're wondering who you can borrow a gun from, so the pain will go away, then you probably have a migraine. 

I already know what caused it, and why women have 'em more than men. Don't wanna squick anyone out with too much information, but remember, I'm 40. While I'm not yet in that 'certain stage of life', I'm in the 'gearing up for it' sequence, definitely.

That was Tuesday and Wednesday. Friday, my eyes weren't quite focusing right, was still hypersensitive to noise and light, and was exhausted. Beloved Hubby made sure I got to lie down during, but you'd think I'd be well-rested by the time it wound down and thoughts of weaponry started to fade. Nope. Luckily, Dearest Son had Friday off, so we could take it easy together. In fact, I think he enjoyed Mommy being sick a little, because he snuggled with me the whole time, telling me more about his school and days than he usually does.  

What kind of makes it funny, in a black humor sort of way, is that Tuesday, I had...well, again, since I don't want you to squick through TMI, I'll use the medical term - violent gastroenteritis. While I somehow got Son to school and therapy Wed. and Thurs., Hubby took him Tuesday, as I was in the midst of a full system expulsion at the time. I'd have been in the van if Hubby hadn't volunteered. Yikes.

Also bought another cheep pair of socks - I've stumbled on a new set of sweater-from-a-sock directions, and want to test 'em. These would have sleeves from another source, to either match or contrast the sweater chest, so that might be fun. Directions are from an ancient magazine I've had floating around, found several during Monday's studio clean-out. Maybe I'll have time to work 'em out tomorrow.

So, despite being absolutely miserable for most of the week, I was lucky and fortunate enough to have family who took wonderful care of me. It felt odd, because I'm usually the one urging naps and broth and warm blankies and cold washcloths. Hubby said it was his honor to return the favor, because just Monday, his legs were sunburned, and I made sure he was in a comfy space in bed, on clean sheets, early.

Another fun thing about migraines, at least the one I had, was that I could 'read', but words didn't make sense. It was like the 'imagination/visualization' part of my head was switched off. Words just washed over me without meaning. Weird.

But I'm a lot better now, and Friday evening, Beloved Hubby took me out for Chinese - I had Peking duck on a sampler platter ! He kept making A Christmas Story jokes about it, and I could barely eat it for laughing. I got to leaf through the latest Haute Doll and again left it at the store. Three Barbie-size patterns that I already have, numerous times, and the only Elphie project was a potting bench. It's nice, but I don't have space for more doll furniture. The rest was more stuff I either couldn't afford or didn't want, so that $10. went back into a pocket. 

Then I bought a few silly things at Dollar Tree. Dearest Son loves to get 'good job' stickers at school. So I got a package of them to give him at home. Amazing when you can buy 780 of anything for a buck ! I also bought a much smaller package of them for me, with a Disney Princess theme. Yeah, it's silly, but I liked them.

I also have a small collection of mirror ball decorations in my sewing studio. They all have real mirrors glued to spheres, and a cheap ornament-type hanger. Had two - a big one from DTree, a small one from the costume shop, and kind of wanted a third when I found a Christmas tree ornament set. It was three graduated sized mirror balls on a single hanger, sort of like a mirror icicle. Two of 'em in a package. So I selected the best one and it's already hanging up with the others. I love it. So pretty. Loved those things during the disco years, my skating years...always wanted one. Now I have several ! All I need now is a motor to turn 'em, and a few spotlights ! And I have a spare for the tree ! :) Yeah, they're tacky as anything, but they make me happy. 

Donated the big bag 'o fabric to our therapist. She marvelled at the different textures - that's where most of pieces are going. Some of the patients have fabric books, because touching the various textures is soothing. So, I'll do another clean-out in November, see how much velvet I can scare up.  And some fleece and tulle. While I've thinned out - and donated - that crap-catching fabric sorter, there's still too much in here.

So that's been my week. Missed you ! I wish I was somehow absorbing and dealing with the world's pain, but a migraine, while awful, wouldn't be nearly so bad as that. Hope your week was pain-free and fun !

Posted by dorriebelle at 2:00 PM CDT

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Mood:  celebratory

It's funny how a fix in one place ends up encouraging other changes. Last month, I bought this lovely small cabinet from GoodWill, mostly to liberate the fabric I couldn't access. It was all in two large tubs, and I had pounds of other stuff on top of 'em. Once I wrestled the 'new' cabinet inside, I had to redo about half the studio so it would fit. Whole studio's much nicer now.  Easier to access nearly everything, and I can see most of it from the sewing machine, too. Even freed up a bit of floor space.

Which just left one problem. Last summer, I bought a three-section laundry sorter at a yard sale. I was using it for the bits and pieces and scraps, and any new fabric would get thrown on top. But eventually, it became a crap-catcher. I lost more stuff in there ! School forms, the camera, my wallet, doll props, a hairbrush, you name it, it ended up in there eventually. And it was too deep for fabric storage, I could never find what I knew was in there. I'd have to toss half of it out so I could root around !

And once I got the rest of the studio redone, that laundry sorter was just in the way. Took away from the 'clean' look the cabinet gave it.  Just last week it got illustrated -  I knew the fabric I wanted to use for Fiyero's Fall Ball shirt was there, but it took 20 - 30 minutes to find it. So clearly, it had to go. But what in the world was I gonna do with all the fabric in it ?

CLEAN OUT !! D@mn, didn't I just *do* this a few weeks ago ? Nevertheless, it was time to do it again. The few people clothes I bought second-hand to remake that hadn't been picked apart yet got donated. Some fabric got reconsidered, and a Mart sack of scraps got set aside for Dearest Son's school or therapy, whoever wants it. Another sack of damaged, tiny bits got trashed. Ended up getting the whole thing down to one small tote and two milk crates. Whew.  Milk crates were left from the 'L & L Show', they've been in the backyard since those days. Quick aside - we have another 'big trash day' coming up. And I don't have a darn thing to put out this time. JOY !!

That gives me a total of 9 milk crates, one tote, and two former zipper bedding-bags fulla fabric. The bedding bags are mostly fabric for home and me clothes projects...but still, that's an amazing amount. Is it any wonder that I didn't read the latest Hancock Fabrics' ad that came out last week until today ? It helps that the milk crates are only half full - lots of air circulation - but still, that's a ton. I need to stop looking around at more ! What else can possibly be out there that I don't already have ? 

Whatever it is, I'm sure to find it eventually - and knowing me, I'll probably buy a half a yard, just in case ! Just not anytime soon. Every time I go on a cleaning binge, I end up going on a shopping one three months later. But for those three months, I can remember every thread of what I already own. And you won't find me anywhere *near* Hancock's, Hobby Lobby, or even the fabric section at the Mart, unless I need one very specific item. Like a precise shade of thread or something. I have pounds of every other notion available !

Next project is to store all the patterns I've used. I got 'em scattered everywhere. There's some Fiyero pieces on the sewing machine table, and Mia and Elphie's are all mixed up with the directions from one of mine. Love having 'em nice and neat and stored, easy to find and great for ideas...just hate storing 'em. Go figure.

Had fun taking our beloved Matriarch shopping this morning. I think she had fun, too. We'll have to do it again sometime. Since I didn't buy anything, I treated Dearest Son to an Icee and a snack after school. That was even more fun. Our neighbors include a boy who's 9 - he gave Son a box of cars he didn't want anymore. Talk about a happy boy ! I know our neighbor likes Teen Titan Robin, and I know this place that has large-size action figures... :)

So it's been a 'happy all around' day. Hope yours was, too !  

Posted by dorriebelle at 1:50 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 October 2006 4:49 PM CDT

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Mood:  happy

I have a bad habit of leaving my dolls in their poses well after I've taken the photo I wanted. I did that last night, and woke up this morning to find that Fiyero had leaned over a bit more, and it looked as though he was about to give Elphie a kiss on her temple. She looked rather unsure about how to react to that...

There's a new photo on the home page - Happy October ! - of the dance. I ended up taking two photos I liked, so here's the other I actually prefer :

You can just barely see her earrings, they're made from the same trim as  the hem of her dress. I used two bead strands that partially broke during sewing, threaded and tied to silver eye pins, with a bit of Fray Check to anchor the knots. I then bent they eye hole to a 45 degree angle until it rested flush with Elphie's ears.  Barbie had similar earrings in her earliest years, but I didn't care for the eye sticking so far out. Very easy, quite cheap. I'd do a 'how to', but it's soooo easy. I might do it anyway, just for fun.

Also scanned another Doll Reader pattern, this one for Crissy and Cinnamon. It's been knocking around a while, about time I got that done so I could put it away. 

Tomorrow, I'm taking the family matriarch shopping while Dearest Son is in school. So I'm not sure if I'll have any doll time - her daughter can shop me under the vehicle any day of the week !

Took Dearest Son out today - Beloved Hubby was working - and told him he could pick out the Thomas the Tank Engine toy of his choice. Since he already had all the engines/whatever for his larger set, I thought he'd choose a new piece for the smaller 'Take Along' magnetic set. We wanted to get him something special - last night, he took one of the discarded cardboards from the poster-backdrops and started writing his alphabet on it ! He got all the way from A to F when I noticed, and continued on his own to M ! I guess he got tired, because he then did 'X' 'Y' and  'Z' and was done. Wow. We're so proud of him !

So, off to the Mart this morning. The magnet trains didn't enchant, but he found a new piece to the plastic Ultimate set - a crane that lifts errant engines back onto the tracks ! He was making up stories about it in the van, and has been happily playing with it all day.

Then, this evening, he snagged another cardboard and wrote his numbers, 1 through 11 ! I didn't know he knew that yet ! So forgive the heavy-duty bragging, I'm just really happy and proud of him.  

I hope your day was happy - and didn't have any derailed trains !  

Posted by dorriebelle at 6:52 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 9:46 AM CDT

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