Mood:  happy

 OK, so she's a Happy Meal doll. But isn't she the cutest ? McDonald's has a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle/Madame Alexander Wizard of Oz Dolls promotion on, for their kiddie meals. I've known about it since the last toys - they always put the next one on the bottom of the box or bag, if there is a special one.

If it sounds interesting, I hit their website. So I've wanted this little charmer for about a month now. It kinda bugged me that my brother-in-law (yup, same dude who gave me Harley Quinn that Christmas !) got his before I got mine, but he was a lot more determined than I. He called around to the 12+ chains around here - I just asked at the drive-thru last night.

I'd planned on taking a series of cute photos of Tiny Witch here with Elphie, but the weather didn't cooperate much. Pouring down rain all day, ruined the shot I wanted. Darn it. So I took this one a few minutes ago. I can't get Tiny to stand by herself, so she's leaning against a plastic Chinese take-out box I bought for a bit over a buck at Hobby Lobby Monday. I think it makes a great background for her !

Her legs, shoes, and even her little molded-underwear clad bottom are all black plastic, and her skirt is inexpensive rayon with a ribbon belt. You could take the skirt off with scissors or a seam ripper, if you're so inclined, or wish to make her a different wardrobe. It's sewn into a slot on her back, so you'd need a *good* seam ripper. Her legs, jointed at the hips, allow her a wide seated pose, and her arms and head move, too. Her hands appear to be painted, and her head is, of course, green plastic with a non-removeable matching black witch hat and a bit of darn-near-impossible-to-style black hair.

Actually, the Happy Meal MAs almost all have some sort of headgear you'd need a hammer and air wrench to remove. Once, a long time ago, I got bored and took the plastic hat off one MA, she was from a yard sale lot, I think. Anyway, the hat held on her hair and was the top of her head. If I'm not mistaken, there was a screw I could get to on that one. I can't find it here, but I figure the basic construction's the same. Just don't count on Tiny here losing her head any time soon ! She's just toooooo cute !

Sometimes, it's darn amazing what you can get in a $3. Happy Meal.  Besides a light snack. This must do well for MAlexander, because I imagine it costs quite a bit. The toys are made and paid for by the toy company,  and provided to McD's - Ronald certainly doesn't pay for 'em. They also decide whether or not to pay for packaging, which is why sometimes there's a nice box, sometimes it's a specially decorated small sack, occasionally, just a regular small sack. There's also a WW of the East, but with fair skin and blonde hair, I wasn't interested. 

With all this *&%$ing rain, I still can't start my studio projects. So I've scanned all three of the doll patterns I bought Monday - Simplicity #3886, #4271, and #5419. Each was surprising in its own way. #3886 had 17 pieces - in each size ! 51 pattern pieces total. That'll keep you standing at the scanner a while ! It was also printed rather faintly, which meant I had a lot of redrawing to do. #4271 was just one size, for 15-inch dolls. Although it doesn't say so, the drawings on the envelope indicate it's for Bitty Baby Twins - and it had 37 pieces ! #5419, though, was done in a completely different font, and only had 8 pieces for each of the three sizes it serves - and those pieces were HUGE ! One piece had to be arranged five times on the scanner bed so I could get it all. Whew ! 

So here's hoping the weather improves ! I'm gonna go play with my Tiny Witch and Elphie - hope your night is quiet and peaceful ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 7:36 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 9:57 AM CDT

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Mood:  chillin'

Woke up today with my right arm singing. Guess I slept on it wrong. Gosh knows once I got to bed last night, I didn't move until the alarm went off !

Even though the humidity is still heck-high, it's a nice day out. Got to test out my new clothesline ! Beloved Hubby got it strung for me today - the old wires were toast. I love hanging out laundry. Just have to remember to soften jeans and towels in the dryer before I put 'em away. Summer's coming, so the less heat I have in the house, the more I like it !

Got Simplicity #4271 scanned today. Took 2.5 hours to do just the pattern pieces and envelope. Usually does - most of yer Barbie-scale ones take three hours. I'm debating whether or not to scan the directions. Last time I didn't, I flipped through the pattern box 'til I had it and lifted the directions from it. Worked out fine, but I'd hate to lose the info sheets. I'd have to wait for another 99c pattern sale to replace 'em !

So there's not much else going on. If I get restless, I may cut out one of the other two. Right now, I'm gonna iron and store #4271. Hmmm. Or maybe I'll sew something, I'm waaaay behind in that ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 3:26 PM CDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Stayed up late last night with Beloved Hubby, at his request. He was working on a project that required a late-night to finish, and he needed help staying awake.  So I didn't get much sleep. Got the Simplicity I cut out yesterday ironed, but that's about it. Had too much housework to do. Still too humid to do the studio work either. Checked the long-range forecast - the lowest humidity won't be until Saturday, and it'll still be over 50% ! But Monday on through next week is 100% or close to it. Drat. 

Oh, and here's a tip. The well water here is very soft, which means my hair is oily-looking, even right after a shower. I heard a vinegar rinse after a shampoo would help, and DMIL confirmed it. If you ever have a day when you just can't wake up, I suggest a nice, warm shower, with a sweet-smelling shampoo...followed by a cup of cold vinegar poured over your head ! You WILL be awake ! Not just from the cold sensation of vinegar going right to your scalp, but the smell will definitely stir your senses ! 

I know that last sentence wasn't parallel. Mr. Williams (high school English) is probably feeling chest pains right now.  But I am just too tired to care much.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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Mood:  chatty

Late again. Sorry. Beloved Hubby's working on another AMV, and that does take up the computer time ! I'm just glad he's having fun.

Meanwhile, I burned through some serious cash. While cherry-picking a local grocer this morning, I found that they sold the storage tubs I wanted - cheaper ! Cheapest I'd found was a set of four, at $13.50 each. Had no idea if I needed four, but I'm sure they'd find a spot somewhere. Just kind of a big cash layout. The grocery store had 'em for $11.99 ! And I didn't have to get four ! I thought two might do it, and I was right. Closet's still fulla stuff, but it's better organized now !

From there, I hit the craft store. Three 99c doll patterns - Simplicity 3886, 4271, and 5419 - came home, along with the star pegs and a paper mache star that'll be the door sign and another project, all half off. Also scored two other 99c patterns for me, a cardboard project triptych (doll room !)at half off, and some other odds and ends.

The Mart yielded fabric to make a new for-me blouse, silver spray paint for the stars, and Krylon Matte Finish. The Krylon's for the posters, so they don't glare from camera flash. It'll also come in handy as a sealant for another project I'll tell ya about later. Also a markdown pack of tiny 80 bright-colored eyelets - they're made for scrapbooking, but I have plenty of other uses for 'em !

Totalling up just the doll, sewing, and studio stuff I bought, I burned through over $42. today ! Add the other miscellany, and it's over $50. Wow. I've been trying to keep my spending down this year - last month, I spent less than $20. for the whole thing !

And what really tanks is that I can't do my studio stuff. Humidity's too high to spray-paint the pegs and sign, darn it. I cut out one of the three patterns, #4271. It's fantastic when you get three sizes of doll clothes in one package. It's great knowing that you can probably use all three sizes on your various dolls, and you only paid 99c for a $14.95 pattern. However, it's a PITA to cut out 'Hat Facing 7' three times.

Still, it's unusual for me to cut out a pattern the same day I get it. I normally put it off to the side and rediscover it later. Because patterns have a long, hard road before I can use 'em 'round here. First, it gets cut out. Then ironed, nice and flat and straight. Then, it gets scanned. Another ironing job refolds everything, so it can be stored back in the envelope. Because it probably won't come back out of the envelope ever again. Once I have the scans, I just use them. That way, I don't lose pieces or damage the originals. It's overwhelmingly time-consuming, and I have to be of a mind to do it.  As you can imagine, that state of mind doesn't roll around every other day ! 

Oh, and I'm sure you haven't heard it from me first, but it was all the chatter everywhere I went - Hancock Fabrics is declaring bankruptcy, and our local Marts are discontinuing fabric sales. I'd be more upset, but facts are, I could shop my stash and use a new fabric every day for the rest of my life, and there'd still be plenty for the post-funeral yard sale. I actually see it as an opportunity to use what I have, instead of always searching for more. I know it leaves a lot of sewists out in the cold, though.

Two ladies at the Mart I was in today were pretty much buying up the entire dollar table fabric stocks. One bought entire bolts, including two pretty star fabrics I'd have snapped up myself. Oh, well. We talked while the staff measured and cut, over and over. They took mine in the middle of one lady's binge, and she'd amassed over 178 yards of material so far, with more to go. Bear in mind, this was no sale. They just wanted all they could get before markdowns and news-driven frenzy depleted stocks. They both made a quilt a month, often more. Wow. There was the usual chatter of hiding fabrics from spouses, etc.

My little 2.5 yards purchase seemed downright pathetic next to the folded, tagged textile towers on both sides of the cutting table. But it's all I needed, and with all I'd already spent that day, more than adequate for me. It was just funny that they were encouraging me to root around and buy more.  Shoot, I doubt I'll even venture to Hancock's to see if our store's on the chopping block. There's fabric that's been there so long, I wave to it whenever I go. And the scrapbooking, home decor, and furniture there is just annoying. It's always on markdown, and still no one wants it. Meanwhile, there's a bolt I've been waving at since 2003. 

So it was a big day today. Tomorrow, I get to iron and scan the new pattern. That's another thing - I have to do it all in a day or two, because having it lie around outside the envelope means I'll lose some of it if I take much longer with it !  

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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Mood:  energetic

Kind of a slow Sunday. The local Marts are completely sold out of both soft Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen Easter baskets - so I'm glad I bought our LMcQ one weeks ago ! I kinda felt a bit 'taken', 'cause I paid $10. for an empty soft-sculpture car with a handle...but the generic ones at Big Lots were the same price ! So now I'm all happy about it, and I need to find out when Easter actually is...

Does it strike anyone else as odd that I get all happy about Easter baskets and when the trash truck gets *all* the garbage out of the can, and on the right day ? I do.  That stuff makes me happy. It's weird.

I've given up on the archway over my studio door idea. Most cheap 'garden' arches are at least fifteen inches wide - that eats too much into the hallway. I could put it inside the door, but your cheaper ones aren't that tall. Plus, there's the door, and I don't want to lose having a door.

So instead, I'm getting a pair of wooden pegs on star-shaped bases. They're only a buck each at Hobby Lobby. Once painted, they'll get nailed to the top corners of the door, to support a curtain-like swag over the doorway that I can change on a whim.  Heck, I can even swing Christmas lights over the pegs if I want to. And gosh knows I got plenty of fabric ! I'll probably still buy some, as what I have is normally a yard or less. I don't have to sew curtains, just hem some yardage. Or I could choose to not even do that - if I use star-printed tulle, which is cheap. Or sew my boxload of single Barbie shoes on to some netting, that'd be unique ! 

Can even make the swag the length I want. It can reach the floor or just graze the corners of the door frame. Depends on what I like. I can't wait to go shopping tomorrow ! If I buy fabric, I'll have to remember to get an extra yard or two, so I can make a matching valence for the window. Don't want more than that, the window's a main light source for the room. 

It's funny. In two days I've gone from '(sigh) I have a studio now that I don't even wanna go into.' to 'Wow ! I can't wait to customize my studio this week !'. I'm really excited about it. All because of an 'In The Pink' post and a party theme catalog I didn't even want. It's amazing where inspiration can originate.

I'm also considering adding a paper umbrella to one corner of the studio.  HLobby had big ones (they'd protect one person from rain for about ten minutes !) for less than $2., in vivid colors. They open and have a 'stay up' band, with a hanging loop on the handle. I've always loved paper umbrellas, no matter their size. Couldn't figure out how to use them until we ate out this weekend - the restaurant certainly knew how ! I'd also love to employ some paper lanterns, but I don't wanna get more ridiculous than I already have. At the rate I'm going, the studio's gonna look like a celestial-themed Chinese restaurant that serves dolls. 

 Is it bad that I think that'd actually be rather cute...? :)

Posted by dorriebelle at 11:31 AM CDT

Updated: Sunday, 25 March 2007 11:33 AM CDT

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Mood:  not sure

Busy Saturday. With the acreage that came with our new place came the job of mowing it. After reviewing web sites and manual specifications, we headed out to get a riding lawn mower.  No way could we afford a new one, so we checked the second-hand venues - newspaper classfieds and pawn shops. And ended up with a great deal ! Our new mower was less than a third of the original price, and aside from a semi-DOA battery and squishy front tire, works wonderfully. I even gave it a spin around the front yard, mowed about half of it in the '4' speed setting. '5' was just too fast for me !

Grass was pretty high, so we couldn't mow it very low, but it was noticeable wherever we cut. I had no idea a riding mower was so much fun ! I'm used to the push kind, which are no fun at all. And since the weather's so nice, I get to go walking during the week - to pick up old bottles, cans, trash, and branches, so the new mower won't get tangled up. Beloved Hubby estimates it'll take most of a weekend to get it all done, and we'll probably need to about every two or three weeks. 

What amazed me is my allergies. Or lack of. With a push mower, I'm normally itching with streaming eyes within a half hour. With our new 'go cart' (giggle), I was out there for nearly an hour, spinning around the tall grass and taller wildflowers, without so much as a sniffle. Turns out those darn crane flies breed in the clover, so I felt darn good about mowing it down. I know crane flies are harmless, but we're ankle-deep in 'em, and they keep landing on my shoulders - no matter how harmless they are, feeling one on your back is a sure creep-out !

Returned the RedBox rented movies - also easy, you can return 'em to any RedBox, not just the one you rented from. The animated Hellboy was OK, but mostly made us want to see the live-action movie again. Which we lucked out on - the shop we got the mower from also had a selection of DVDs. We got the Hellboy two-disc set, in great shape, for just $5.50 ! Wow ! Price on the box was $9., and we thought that was a good deal ! 

Cinderella 3 was actually pretty good - it's the best Disney-direct-DVD sequel I've seen, but that isn't saying that it's The Empire Strikes Back or nothin'.  Just that most Diz movies with numbers suck canal water through a rusty pipe lined with asbestos. Even the sequels without numbers get pretty lame (coughhackReturnOfJafarwheeze), it's usually just a retelling of the original story with one or two new characters filling in the spaces for the defeated bad guys from the hit film. C3 isn't much of an exception, but I did enjoy it. Not enough to buy it, but I may rent it again sometime. Animation was gorgeous, and they actually gave ole Princey a personality ! He may be the first Diz prince who 'has a life' !

We lazed about for the evening. While I was out for a few groceries, I checked to see if McD's had the miniature Wicked Witch of the West Madame Alexander Happy Meal doll - nope, not yet. Ours had Glinda and Dorothy. Why in the world would I want them ? (grin) At least Dearest Son got a Ninja Turtle Happy Meal. It's a cheap hitting, kicking toy, but so are the NJ characters.

After he crashed from some good, satisfying saturated fats, Beloved Hubby started a new AMV (anime music video). He found out that three of his previous ones are in the Top 100 in Japan's YouTube. That'll encourage him for days ! :) So I was free to go tear up my studio.

Ever since I saw that one lady's doll room on 'In The Pink', I've been obsessed with being happier with mine. So I went through all the doll props - five copy-paper boxes worth - and...well, there wasn't much I wanted to give up. Six months ago, there were six boxes, I got rid of a lot then. What I have now, I want to keep. But it was taking up too much space, and made the studio look crowded. I'm still wondering how I had all this stuff at our much smaller previous place !  

So I took a tip from the ITP images in my mind, and moved all the prop boxes into the closet, and put the doll clothes on top of 'em. That makes the closet crowded as hell, but it has doors. As the weeks go by, I hope to substitute some of the worn-and-torn cardboard boxes and recycled bedding bags for nice storage containers, for the props and clothes. If I get one every week or three, it won't be such a large outlay, and it'll get me what I want. Storage that's easy to get to, that allows me to keep what I really like.

Even with this minor change, I like my studio a lot more. It doesn't look so crowded now. Oh, there's still tons of doll and sewing stuff, but a lot of it is hidden, and I know exactly where everything is. I'm even thinking of doing an archway over the door, just for fun.  Saw one I really loved in a party catalog, but I think I can emulate it for less than $99.95 plus shipping. 

Still planning on some car cleaning tomorrow. Do you know I haven't been to any of the local thrift stores since before we moved ? This place really is good for me ! :) 

Posted by dorriebelle at 11:50 PM CDT

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Mood:  caffeinated

Beloved Hubby and I got to go out for a bit tonight - we had a wonderful dinner, and did some window shopping. Our local Big Lots has the Cinderella castle (Barbie sized) marked down to $25., and I was tempted, but ultimately didn't get it. We're still pretty broke, and I already have a big Barbie castle from a yard sale.

Now that the weather's getting nice, it's about time to start work on painting it. It's a great structure - even if they did cheap out on maybe .00002 of a penny's worth of plastic so it doesn't stay folded closed for more than three seconds - but the overwhelming pink is just too much for me. Once I invest some time and energy in painting it, I'll play with it a lot more.

I also have to fix the rotating tower. Hey, something's always gonna be missing when you pay $5. for a toy that was $125. a year before.  Mattel does sell a replacement, but it's four times what I paid for the whole thing ! So I'll make something, maybe from foamcore or a Pringles potato chip can.

About the only thing we 'bought' besides dinner is a couple of movie rentals. Tried out the RedBox kiosk, you may have seen 'em at McD's or grocery stores where you live. It was kind of fun, and not at all difficult to use. And it's great to get new movies for just a buck a day ! We got the new animated Hellboy movie, and I went ahead and rented Cinderella 3, just for fun. Hubby just started one, so I'm gonna make this kinda short. 

We're all done with the garage, but I never had the time - or interest, I was darn lazy today ! - to clean out the car. Sunday's usually pretty boring, so I'll probably catch up then. Spring break's nearly over, and I'm really looking forward to getting back to our normal schedule.

Truth be told, I think Dearest Son feels the same way ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Still puzzling over my repeated failures at reproducing vintage Barbie fashion #1625, Modern Art, with Aileen's Petite Fashions pattern #135. Wrote to a doll board for help, and received an idea - e-mail the current copyright holder and let her know about my issues. I already found the owner's home page, so sending a note should be no problem.

It's kind of funny. I first saw Modern Art in a Manos Barbie book The World of Barbie Dolls. I'd found it in a used book shop for less than a buck. I soon had it creased to that page - I loved the collar and the vivid green color. Actually found green fabric with tiny white roses on the dollar tables at the Mart, and couldn't wait to make my own Art. Tried to figure out how to do the collar on my own, and I had some solid ideas, but couldn't quite get the shoulders right. After a year or two of fussing, I bought the APF pattern. And then didn't use it for another year or two.

I never noticed that it wasn't just a green cotton dress. Oh, it's a green cotton dress, all right - with a layer of chiffon over it ! That's why it's rather rare and kind of expensive to find in good shape. The fragile chiffon layer didn't survive many childhoods.  It tears, stains, and pulls easily. Simply put, if it's less than $75. on eBay, it's torn in some fashion. Or just plain raggedy, fit only for a pattern. But darn it, if I'm gonna shell out for a vintage dress, I want my doll to be able to wear the thing !

So that's kind of where I still am. I studied it again, but I'll probably wait for an answer before I attempt it for about the 20th time, it seems. I played with Doll Shop Deluxe for a few minutes, printed out a new Fiyero Matthews pattern. Maybe I'll get time to work on it tomorrow.

Spring Break has just flown by ! But I've gotten a lot done ! (sigh) Still gotta scrub some toilets, though... 

Posted by dorriebelle at 9:13 PM CDT

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Mood:  chillin'

Got the last five boxes off the floor of the garage, and it's all put away, boxes are in the van for recycling. The box I planned to unpack Thursday is already in the house, too, and I forgot - there's stuff in the white car we hurriedly threw in there, gotta go through that, too. So I already know what I'm doing Thursday !

Since I got the last of the stuff out of the garage - and I'm as close to done as I can get right now - I ended up cleaning the neglected kitchen this evening.  The dishwasher, for some reason, doesn't clean the top rack at all, so I just hand-wash everything, and use the dishwasher as a drying rack. I think it actually takes less time this way. I'm just very lazy about doing dishes, 'cause I hate to.

Dearest Son asks nearly every day how much longer his Spring Break is. Right now, he's spread out the heart-themed quilt his Dearest Aunt made him, and it's Radiator Springs, with Cars characters parked and driving along it. We never found the official Mattel playsets - and from the prices I saw on eBay last Christmas, very few people did ($$$ !) - but it doesn't matter, since he makes his own. Seeing him play makes me want to, but I'm bleepin' worn out ! 

Beloved Hubby brought me a little snack-size Snickers candy bar. I really enjoyed it ! I'm starting to believe that small is better, especially when it comes to food. Been so sick lately, my 'tight jeans' are a bit loose, and my 'regular' ones need a belt. Or maybe it's just spring...

And before I forget - happy Equinox ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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Mood:  chatty

Didn't dig anything out of the garage today - put myself on 'light duty' so I could be well-rested for the heavy stuff tomorrow. Plus, my tummy still hurts from whatever I did to it yesterday, and I don't wanna make it worse. So I'm just doing regular catch-up housework instead. Swiffering the bathrooms, dishes, laundry. Boring, but needs doing all the time.

Tuna's nearly recovered from her foot injury - but one toe is still swollen. Not sure what to do about it. If it's still big next week, we'll take her back to her vet's. She can jump as high as ever, and she doesn't limp or anything. She even let me touch her foot yesterday, without flinching away or getting claw-happy. Beloved Hubby made her a cat toy yesterday, from some yarn, a bow I removed from some ratty doll hair, and the adjusting wand from some window blinds. She went after it like a feline posessed ! 

Dearest Son came home from his grandparents' early, but that was fine with me. We missed him ! And he had a ton of toys to put away from my garage sifting. Next weekend he visits, I'm gonna really have to go through his room. Big as it is, it's so fulla toys, he can barely walk through it.

So, again, not much on dolls, unless you count some growing anticipation of having a week to sew starting next Monday - if not Saturday. Sometimes it's more fun when you put it off a bit, make it something to look forward to.  

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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