Current Mood : Lazy, yet still critical

As it turned out, I didn't have to go anywhere for new curtain hardware. Beloved Hubby had a discarded dowel from a closet redo he worked on, and it took him maybe 15 minutes in his Shop to fashion wooden hooks for it. Still had some silver spray paint from the star box and star pegs I made for the Lab back when it was the Studio, so we painted ‘em to match. Poof ! Great new curtains and hardware, with a matching chair cover, and a blanket and dust ruffle, all for $5. I really like it !

While you don't see it in the photo, these go nearly to the floor, and the 'planets' print is bordered top and bottom by the same 'stars' fabric you see at the top. It even hides the ironing board hooks. Sweeet !

We sort of took the rest of the day off. Sorted and stored all the stuff I bought yesterday - it took me nearly an hour to wind the bag of lace up. Had no idea some of those strips were so long, because they were wadded up in a bunch ! It twisted like a cyclone, too. But there's plenty of it, and it's not in a tangled wad anymore, so it'll be easier to use. Still have to cheap-serge the new fabric, though. I didn't even fill up the stuff-a-sacks, but I certainly got a lot of it all. Scored a blouse I have no use for, but the lace on it was gorgeous. So I'll pick that off while waiting for Dearest Son's bus this week. I like to have little projects like that, so the wait doesn't seem so long.

We'd promised to get Dearest a certain movie, so we headed out to the book/video/music store. And I got a copy of Fashion Doll Quarterly, Summer 2008. It has a couple patterns - fake fur coat for Tyler, slinky-tight dress for Sybarites (how big are they, anyway ?), and a room divider ‘screen' for FR/Barbie size décor. It also features multi-page ‘articles' (coughCatalogs) about companies and events that have amazingly taken out full-page color ads ! What are the odds ?

I was really underwhelmed at that screen. Here's the directions : ‘Paste (design) onto foamcore and tape together for an instant budoir (sic) delight'. Guess I shouldn't expect much from an editor that lets misspellings like that go by -  especially when the ‘article' is only three sentences long. It further advises using a scanner to enlarge it for the bigger dolls. Of course, the one in the magazine looks great. The white edges of the foamcore don't show at all ! Even if you buy black foamcore (at roughly $6. vs. the white stuff at Dollar Tree), the inside is white, but somehow, gluing paper to it dyes the inside. Ingenious ! And every time I've cut foamcore, I've sort of bent the posterboard edges in a bit, even when I used a knife or rotary. Amazing again how that doesn't happen here, especially when you're using three pieces...and it also balances perfectly.

That's one reason I haven't bought a room divider screen thing. I love ‘em, and love to have one, but ready-made ones are too expensive, the wrong scale, or not really the kind I'd like. I had a pattern for one that involved covering foam core with a fabric sort of slipcover, and joining the pieces with ribbon, but I haven't done it yet, because I didn't see how it'd work. Kind of like here...

The Elphie-size fur coat is interesting, but rather bulky. It actually looks better on a 19-inch doll ! I may try it with some simple broadcloth, maybe it'll look better if it doesn't overwhelm the doll so much. And I doubt any of my dolls would fit the Sybarite pattern. Mine kind of enjoy being able to sit down.

So why did I shell out $10. for a magazine I can barely use ? Well, I was kind of desperate for something new to read, and the new ‘Ultimate Basic Tyler' ad intrigued me. Sadly, the only multi-page Tonner articles were about the new Company Store opening and a pretend doll ‘feud' between Tyler and Voss, another imaginary designer. I so love it when a doll company creates a play situation for me, so I don't have to use my own imagination. Heck, I might play with their product wrong ! There was also a rather hack BJD photo-story and pages of artfully-lit Sybarite photos. I don't know which repelled me more.

What sold it was a three page article with a sort of hidden pattern, under the heading ‘Midge Can Be Glamorous, Too !'. Well, I'd cross out ‘can be' and write ‘IS', but you know I have a soft spot for Midge the size of my whale heart. And even though the pattern is very simple, the photos are pretty and gave me ideas. Maybe I'll have time this week to sew a bit - summer school starts Tuesday !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:26 PM CDT

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Current Mood : LAB REVAMP !  

Current Image Notes : This is what the Lab doorway looks like now. Kinda underwhelming, but I liked it. The small white squares at the top of the door are the hangers for the ironing board stored on the other side. There's the spray-painted star pegs, and some nice fabric...and it'll all be gone tomorrow ! Can't wait !

Dearest Son was a bit bored this morning - we're trying to keep him on school hours, since Summer School starts Tuesday - so we ended up going yard saling  According to the local paper, there were over 120 sales today. He found tons of Star Wars toys and a Toy Story Mousetrap-like game. I found a lot, too !

The first sale yielded a few fluffy Barbie dresses - they'll go to the dolls I'm donating - and a pair of pink Barbie flats that I'm keeping. I got lotsa dolls who can wear those. And some random Fashion Plates pieces in bright pink. No frame or anything, just the plates. I sort of collect those, so they got scooped up. Also a stair-like cabinet shelf, it's designed to elevate canned goods in the back of pantries. Once it's cleaned well, it'll be a doll staircase, and you knew that was coming ! I was looking at the finger-skateboard stair sets, but I think they're too small for Barbie - so this'll work, and it was just a quarter !

The next sale soon had me staggering under the load. A bag advertised curtains and a duvet (like a featherbed) cover for $5. In a lovely ‘space' theme ! Mine ! When I got it home it was even more ! In addition to the duvet and curtains, there was a dust ruffle and a small lap blanket in the same fabrics. Dearest claimed the blanket for his Star Wars toys, and I draped the duvet cover over the chair in the Lab. I'll be hanging up the new curtains, soon as I get hardware for ‘em. These are tab-tops, and what I have up now - pictured above - doesn't include a dowel or curtain rod. So I'm hoping to score a set tomorrow. Much as I hate to spend $10. to hang up a $5. find, I really like these. Dearest has a new bed (we found it by a Dumpster, and it's nearly new !) that can use the dust ruffle, too ! We just have to hash through the wreckage his room is in again ! Quite a lot for $5. - I can't wait to get the new curtains up !

And I didn't neglect finding more fabric ! Found a ‘stuff a sack for a buck' sale, and proceeded to cram a bag fulla lace ! Next time I wanna try another overlay, I am beyond well-stocked ! The other was bits and pieces, but I got several brand-new thread spools, a lovely silver satin length and some fun blue stripe that looks like old mattress ticking. Figured it'd make a cute ‘Suburban Shopper' clone sometime.

At the last sale of the day - I wore Dearest out ! - he found a VHS of The Love Bug to replace our scratched DVD, and I scored another stuffed animal for 25c. A bit of research reveals that she's ‘Lila', from the Barbie Swan Lake movie. She has a battery compartment, and luckily an on/off switch, but I had to figure out how she worked from eBay ! She's about the right size for a photo or three, and I love her Brietta/Pegasus-like lashes !

All told, we spent about $10. in finds, $2. in soda and bathroom breaks, and probably $5. in gas. It was a great morning, even if I didn't find any dolls. Well, actually, the sale with the Fashion Plates had several tired SuperStar blonde Barbies, but I'm already well-populated with those !

Beloved came home early, and we've just been goofin' around. I'm hoping he goes in late tomorrow, so I can nip out for curtain hardware early !  (selfish, plotting laugh)

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:26 PM CDT

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Current Mood - A bit frustrated 

The yard sale thing kinda got nixed. Grandparents brought Dearest Son home waaaay early, and he was a bit fitful, so we just stayed home. I did get out for one sale down the street - what a rip ! They advertised dolls on Cragislist.org, but even though I was there for the opening, they had maybe three that were by no means exceptional. Oh, well.

I did find a ‘Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede' stuffed camel for pocket change. It's about the right size for a Barbie - or for Jasmine to play with ! The camel's deep wine colored embroidered saddle-blanket (where the Dixie Stampede thing was embroidered) reversed to a blank one, so I soon had that snapped and flipped. Nothin' against Dolly, just like the blank better ! My university's mascot was a camel, too, and I always kinda wanted one from the campus bookstore, but I just couldn't shell $30. for a toy back in '91. Heck, that was a monthly interest payment on one of my student loans back then !

Beloved knew I was kind of upset about missing the yard sales, so he stopped off and got the dress form I liked so much at Hancock's ! How sweet he is ! He said he wanted to look at the vinyl for his project again, and he was on his way home anyway...I still think he's the best ! And the newest dress form is standing proudly in the center of my window display/collection. Gleee !

I have kittens stalking my feet as I type. It's cute as anything until one of ‘em goes for the claws. I'll be sad when they leave for new homes, but right now, my ankles look like a sharpening post for cheap pocket-knives. They really dig in when they climb - or start to slip while climbing ! Dearest has gotten better with playing and petting them. They're still timid around him, though.

We're getting near the end of this Barbie catalog. Never fear - I have a set from the 70s that just needs scanning ! Man, much as I love most of the ‘Best Buy' era, even I have to admit that even Barbie had some butt-ugly clothes during the waning Age of Aquarius years.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:25 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Chortling over new acquisitions... 

Well, that didn't take long ! Beloved Hubby's contemplating a car-based project, so we ended up at Hancock Fabrics tonight. It helped that Dearest Son's grandparents wanted him over today, instead of tomorrow. So we made a night of it - dinner out, two thrift stores, and the fabric store. While it doesn't sound like much of a fun night for Beloved, he occasionally indulges in a second-hand hunt now and again.

Only problem was, I was the only one who really found anything ! The little lavender Barbie ‘Seabutterfly' fairy doll I got in a grab-bag last week intrigued me when I realized her head, torso, legs, and wings came apart for switching with other pieces. No other parts were in the bag, though, but I did find the slightly larger ‘Ladybug Mix and Switch Fairy' set - out of box, but only missing the black antenna piece. Ladybug's body fit Seabutterfly's head well enough, although parts between the two weren't interchangeable. Oh, well. It's still kind of fun to play with - and Ladybug can even go bald ! Seriously, her hair's held on by Velcro. I kind of like a bald fairy, for kicks. I now understand the appeal of ‘Popi' - a 1963 American Character doll who also popped apart, to facilitate pose swaps and tuck-and-fold fashion creation. 

And, believe this or not, I found another Barbie case. This one looks more like a backpack, without shoulder straps. Inside, there's elastic and pockets to hold dolls and things, otherwise, I'd have thought it a school accessory. It's from the '12 Dancing Princesses' line, and I am a sucker for ballet stuff lately. I love the dancer's poses silhouettes on the sides. On the front, a green butterfly triggers tiny red lights in Barbie's skirt. The pirouette stand inside seems to be damaged, but since it's gonna go up on the Great Wall of Cases, it doesn't much matter. I shuffled the smaller cases around a bit last week, so they're more evenly spaced. Guess I need to retake photos !

Beloved found the fabric he's considering using, but since we'll need about six yards, he's waiting for the 40% off coupon in the mailer to become valid next month. The Velcro ^TM he needs goes on half-off at the same time. However, the Fashion runway fabric I wanted was already 30% off, so I quickly snagged a yard each of the two I liked best - a rather busy dress form print and an equally frantic ‘seamstress' themed piece, with fashion sketches, pattern pieces, and (I'm assuming) show catch-phrases, on a nice chocolate brown background. Whoever designed the fabric really likes brown and turquoise. Not sure how I'm gonna use either yet, but they were just irresistible !

I mentioned the expensive ‘beginners' Runway-branded sewing machine to the nice young lady who cut my fabric. To her, yes, $400. is entry-level. Hers was $1200., but she has no idea how to use the computerized functions on hers either. Is this where I sigh, or feel envy ? I'm leaning towards the ironic sigh... I probably sew more, even with my continuing slackitude, with my $89. Kenmore.

I also have my eye on a dress-form pincushion, nearly Elphie's size. It doesn't have her svelte measurements, but it would be about the right size for her to pose with. I always hate to spend $10. on my decorating collections, but it really is cute. The print is white dress forms on a black background ! Still, I have a pattern for a Gene dress form, I really should get off my lazy butt and make one.

Tomorrow - maybe some yard sales ! The local newspaper's payin' the yard sale fee our township charges this weekend, so there should be tons ! The town's annual ‘free sale' week, right before back-to-school, also really brings ‘em out.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:25 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Weary

Well, it looks like ‘Friday Night Date' will have to be postponed. The laundry took all day - and I'm not finished yet. Well, that'll happen when I haven't done it for a week and some.

In the mail, though, I got the latest Hancock Fabrics ad. Looks like they got a big tie-in to the ‘reality' show Project Runway - there's branded fabric, Simplicity patterns, and even a pair of Brother sewing machines. It's kind of funny to me, the machines are $400. and $600., computerized with 50 stitches for the less expensive one, and nearly 300 for the other. Not your basic $150. ‘new to sewing' machine. I know they're trying to inspire Joe and Jane Everyviewer to sew their own creations, but if just dipping a toe in the water was $500. out of the gate, I'd have to really think hard about adopting sewing as a hobby. Yeah, Joe and Jane can easily buy the $90. machine pictured on the next page of the ad, but you'd think whoever's coordinating the thing would go for an entry-level machine for the new sewists, and a high-end one for the more experienced ones.

Well, it could just be cheap, tightwad me. After all, for many, $400. would be entry level ! Still, my old $50. Singer (R.I.P.) and my current $89. Kenmore/Janome did a lot for me, with much more for me still to learn - I'm nowhere near outgrowing my current setup ! Plus I don't think I'm ready for computerized stitch catalogs. It'd be nice, but I'd have to win one in a contest or something, I just can't see shelling out hard-earned for one any time soon. Heck, last week I was looking at an old cam-stitch sewing machine with covet in my chest - $40. was pretty reasonable, but where would I put it ? 

The patterns were intriguing - there's even two plus-size, and they're on sale next week. But what really got my attention was the fabric. Any material that has sewing notions printed on it will intrigue sewists ! And there were fun silhouettes of women in funky clothes, and one showed dress forms ! The ad only showed a sliver of the fabric, so I hit the hancockfabrics.com site, to see if it was worth a run to the cross-town store.

Nope. Not there. Not under ‘Project Runway' or ‘New Fabrics'. A general web search didn't show much either, except that at least the ‘logo sayings' and ‘straight pin' prints were out - someone bought some, and photographed it. Of course, the ones I was most interested in weren't pictured. So maybe this weekend, I'll hop over there. It's been a while.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:25 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Plotting...

Today, I had to start back on all that housework that didn't get done while I was sick and Dearest Son's school needed me sooo desperately. If you could see the level of squalor, you'd probably wanna shake me around a bit for sewing yesterday instead of cleaning up this mess ! I'm gonna have to clean the bathroom with a rake !

But actually, now that I've done something fun and made something pretty, I'm ready to go full-bore on the housework that's waited so patiently for me. Plus, Dearest Son's home from school - he has a week before summer school starts, and since 90% of this mess is his toys, I might as well put him to work !

We spent two hours cleaning the living room enough so that I could vacuum. Toys, Lego, package wrappers, and socks everywhere. But it's done now, and Dearest knows (again) that I expect him to pick up his toys when he can't walk in there without hopping over piles and toys. Tonight, we again started the ‘pick up before bedtime' routine that's normally the first thing to go whenever I'm ill. Also got to a load of laundry and a trash roundup, which makes me feel better. Tomorrow's more laundry and dishes, whoo-hoo !

I made sure to take breaks, and printed out the next big project. It's a doozy, too. I came close to buying the recent ‘Friday Night Date' Barbie & Ken repro set several times, and it was really hard to turn it down when it was only $30. at Tuesday Morning. But I didn't really want the dolls or the CD - just wanted the props and clothes, both his and hers. I've always liked that fluffy white petticoat that goes under the jumper...and I could really go to town customizing the corduroy jumper, too. So when I put it back for the last time, I told myself that I'd make ‘Friday Night Date' myself one day.

No time like the present ! Read over the Aileen's Petite Fashions pattern for it (#36), and while there's already one part I don't quite get, I'm gonna try it anyway. It'll probably take me a day for each piece, and a third day for snaps, finishings, and photos. So it may be done in time for a real Friday night date !

In other news, Dearest went with me grocery shopping. He did quite well, only looking at Lego and Indy and Star Wars, not whining for any of it. I let him pick out his own cereal and a snack treat, so he was pretty well sated. Happily, I found packages of white and red baby rick-rack for just $1.08 each, so my small stock's improved. Of course, now that I know only the little hills are supposed to show on a ‘real' copy of Fancy Free #943, I really want to try it again, with the mid-size stuff. Just to see how it looks, and it's not like I don't have plenty of it. Maybe this weekend.

I'd earlier inventoried Dearest's crayons, and they were a sad sight. It's been a while since we bought those - he never asks for ‘em. Chunks of RoseArt colors congregated with broken-point Dollar Tree generics, while whole Crayolas - only the bizarre colors remained - proudly claimed their rightful place at the top of the plastic box. Nearly bought him a box of 64 Crayolas when I got the coloring book Sunday, but $6. seemed a bit high. Today, he got 96 for $4. at Mal-Wart. Beloved Hubby got me the ‘100 Crayolas' anniversary set several years ago, and Dearest's always wanted it. So he was happy to have his own.

Remember when the 64 box - complete with sharpener ! -  was a wealth of quiet afternoons with blank paper or coloring books of favorite characters, all redolent with that unmistakable scent and promise of artistry ? Heck, most of us only got one or two of those big boxes in our entire childhoods ! I was always glad to get those little 8-packs, because they were pristine replacements for my well-used reds, greens, and violets. I still stock up on those small packs of 16 or 24 when they're so cheap at back-to-school sales. They make great stocking stuffers, especially for adults. Dearest's school is pretty sharp - he came home with a list of the supplies he'd need this fall.

Beloved Hubby was duly impressed with the day's work, so he took us to McD's for dinner. Plus I didn't get to that wrecked kitchen today ! I'm so sneaky - even when I'm not being my usual lazy self !

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:27 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:24 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Happy !

Yaaay ! I got to sew today ! It's completely wrong, if you know what the original #943 Fancy Free is supposed to look like, but I really like my finished item. Beloved Hubby was on the computer while I sewed, so I didn't have access to pattern photos, and I was too lazy to walk 50 feet and fetch a reference book. So, I did it my way. The pockets should match the fabric on each side, and the rick-rack is supposed to be under the pieces, with just tiny little curves showing through - it's not supposed to be on top of the hem and sewing lines. As a result, mine looks a bit like a majorette dress, but I still like how it turned out.

Learned a few things on this one. One is to check your trim before you pick fabric. I figured I had tiny red rick-rack, goss knows I got tons of every other color. Or navy blue, or even white. Nope. Most of mine was human-huge, and the only tiny size I had was either orange, chartreuse, gold, or a six-inch length of white. It was pretty much gold or nothin'.

Hand-sewed the rick-rack on the bodice and waist - I simply didn't trust my sewing around all those curves and folded around the edges, and I wanted it to be ‘just so' at the waist, so there was no way around it. I had some gold metallic thread left over from my cross-stitching days, so that was lucky. That stuff's kinda hard to sew. I did, however, machine sew the hem and pocket trim. It frayed and tangled, but since I didn't need to machine-sew much of it, it didn't get that bad.

Aside from the hand-sewing, it went pretty fast and looked good fairly early. Ignored most of the directions, it seemed to go better that way. No indications of where the pockets went, so I kind of guessed, and it looks OK. Cheated and used Velcro in the back, but it looks good and is flexible, so it works for me ! It's not as snug at the waist as many other vintage dresses - I looked it up on eBay after dinner - so I actually did that right. The back kind of billows, but I guess it does on the original, too.

I may end up doing this one again. It was fun ! Just need to beef up my ‘baby rick rack' supply a bit first ! This is 'Tracey', a Friend of Barbie. She was part of a wedding pair - her groom was Todd. As you can imagine, I can't resist Steffie faces with brown hair and green eyes ! Found her at a yard sale several weeks ago, still in her slightly worn gown, for $3.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:24 PM CDT

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Busy day today. Beloved Hubby finally had time to give me a haircut, and I love the results. Long time ago, about a week after Dearest Son was born, I went to my last hair salon. My parents (sigh) ‘hated to see me looking so bad', so they sprung for it as a ‘gift'. Predictably, the stylist totally wrecked it, and I was too tired to care. Beloved fixed it when I got home, and from then on, I only trust my ‘Monsieur M' to cut my hair. True, it may have begun as a money-saving effort, but facts are, he's better with my hair than 90% of the stylists I've been to. I cut his, but since his hair mostly just needs one of those buzz-clippers, I have a much easier job of it. Best part is, I can take a shower to get rid of all those hair clippings just as soon as he's made the last cut !

 I finally got to go through Dearest Son's school backpack - his teacher sent most of his still-useable supplies back. How thoughtful ! First year I've gotten any of it back. Have no idea what they do with 20+ plastic pencil boxes and kid scissors from each class every year, though. I'd hate to think they just toss ‘em, when the kids can use ‘em during the summer. Heck, Dearest may be recycling that pencil box for next year, but I know those scissors will vanish into his room soon. His teacher also sent him home with skill builder sheets, a new book, and a package of brand-new coloring pencils. I hope Second Grade is as kind to him as Mrs. H. was.

Coloring pencils came in handy today. Dearest hadn't used the tickets he earned last week, so I took him to TRU while Beloved Hubby indulged in a late-afternoon nap. We found a massive 400 page Star Wars coloring book, destined to be ours. He soon found several bigger Star Wars toys to spark his imagination, and it was a tough decision for him. He picked up Toy #1, and we'd walk a doll aisle. He'd quietly ask to go back to the Star Wars aisle, where he'd put down #1 and snag #2. After a tour of the Lego and two more doll displays, he again asked to return to you-know-where, and #2 was traded for #3. We got to the end of the aisle when he suddenly pivoted and grabbed #1, leaving #3 in its place. I fully expected him to make a dash for it at the register, but he was happy with his new toy, and that's important. I enjoyed just having the time with him.

I found a few things I liked, but only got what I wanted, another Roller Girl Kennedy. I'd donated the last one before I realized someone I knew wanted one. And since this one was on markdown - and I'd get another pair of roller skates and the ‘Shinobu' dress I liked - for darn near nothin', no time like the present ! Toyed with a Barbie ‘Mini Kingdom' that was also on markdown, for the tiny dress form inside, but ultimately put it back. Maybe next week. Might also score the Madison Roller Girl, too, for her orange skates. They're certainly cheap enough !

Oh, and if you're wondering if that big Mach 5 - the $40. one - could possibly squeeeeeeze in a Barbie...nope. I actually took in a chopped body doll, and tried. Maybe a Stacie or one of those tiny body Susie-type dolls could, but Barbie's butt is, for once, too big for something. Scale was way off, anyway.

Once home, we sort of lazed the day away. The kittens have grown bolder this week, and you can hardly put a foot down without them at an ankle. They prefer Velvet's cat chow to their kitten chow, and Velvet...well, you can guess what she prefers. They'll be five weeks old Monday, it's hard to believe. They're each independent little characters, and I'll be sad when they go to new homes. But slightly relieved I don't have to clean kitten crap !

Read over the directions to Aileen's Petite Fashions # 014, Fancy Free. This is that color-block red-blue vintage Barbie dress (#943) with white ric-rac and pockets. It was part of the Barbie catalog, posted on April 16^th. It looks simple, and doesn't require tulle, but I've never sewn tiny trims like that before. And I rarely sew pockets. Still, it looks fairly simple and straightforward, and I'd really like to have one vintage dress pattern go well, so here's hoping. Maybe I can sew tomorrow !

Sewing might be an odd tribute to the ones who've gone before, but being free to do what I love in their memory is probably better than plastic flowers. Sorry. I get a little maudlin, living down the street from a cemetery. The traffic's been impressive, especially since there's rarely any at any other time, save Veteran's Day. 

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:24 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Relaxed 

If I got nothing else done this weekend, I got everyone's hair brushed ! And I got the lab cleaned up. I didn't have time for much else - Beloved Hubby's taking the weekend off ! We didn't do much, but sometimes broke weekends are the best ones. BIL is occasionally borrowing some of our DVDs, and when he brings them back, it's like they're new all over again !

But I still found time for Lab-puttering. Jasmine's hair is top-notch, even better than Belle's and Cia's. Theirs tended to dry and knot at the ends, leaving a bushy mess at the bottom. Jasmine's is smooth and sleek all the way, from roots to tips. Hardest part was getting the rubber-bands out. Decided to leave the headband in and the front part alone - it's tucked into a sort of under-ponytail beneath the main one. Belle's is similar, but it looks better on Jasmine. So I brushed out the ‘main tail' and let it fan around her shoulders. They did a really nice job here.

Then there were the four Kellys and the Happy Meal Madame Alexander. The three birthday Kelly dolls still had their cardboard hats, which looked sad and tired, so I wanted them off. Turned out, two of those awful plastic ‘I' things held them into the dolls' heads. Once snipped, the rest was easy. It was just odd that all but one of the four Kellys had basically the same straight hair-to-knees style, with a tiny bit banded and pulled up. On the blonde Kelly, it's pulled straight back, on the other two, it's off to the side. Sort of like a Swirl Ponytail Barbie, but not nearly as well-executed, and no ponytail.

It amazes me how often I see Kelly dolls in grab-bags and 25c boxes at yard sales. They're usually $5. or more, new - so why are people buying so many, just to discard them later ? About 90% of the ones I see second-hand are still wearing their issue clothing. Maybe it's just something cheap to distract Kaitlynnne for a few minutes, but it's still odd to me.

Got Jasmine redressed, but I still want to make her something. Probably in a nice orchid or lavender, to go with the headband. I also re-dressed Baby Chrissy, her mid-spring dress was getting fur and claw marks from kittens exploring. She's now wearing a pretty green with white polka-dot infant Carter's dress with built-in undies. I got it from GoodWill for $2., but saw almost the exact same one at Target last month for $8. I really have to be careful with Baby Chrissy's wardrobe - it's just too easy find so many beautiful never-worn baby outfits, dirt cheap at yard sales and thrift stores ! I'd have to change her clothes hourly or she'll never wear ‘em all !

Glad everything's going well for ya'll, Michelle and Manda ! Tomorrow, you get brushed hair photos ! For now, here's a semi-artistic image of Jasmine, the way she arrived at Chez Insanity. I added the butterflies later, for modesty. Her hair looks soo much better now !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:23 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Joyous 

Ordinarily, I'd kick off today's entry with a gentle whine about finally getting to hit some yard sales, and not finding any. Seriously. We've clouds and some rain forecast this weekend, so it's doubtful I'll hit any tomorrow, either.

But I'm not, for once, complaining. While on my massive errand circuit today, I got to hit the thrift over by Mal-Wart. And I still can't believe what I found ! This place is fond of putting several of their donated dolls in bags and selling ‘em as lots. They've even begun doing that with Barbie dolls. Annoying, and sometimes I don't get a doll because I don't want to pay $9. for the three others in the bag with her, but occasionally, I find something I want badly enough. Today was an occasional !

The bag held three dolls, including two nondescript babies, one all-vinyl, one soft-bodied. No price, though. So I asked at the register, jokingly saying I really only wanted one of ‘em, but I'd need to know how much they wanted, so I didn't buy too much this time. These ladies see me every week, and know I always re-donate what I don't want, so it's a bit of a gag. One young lady took the bag into the back, and came back holding just ‘mine'. $2.50 OK ? Oh, yeah !

So that's how my latest Disney ‘Before Once Upon A Time' Princess Jasmine came to Chez Insanity today. Whoo-hoo ! I'd never even see one of the Jasmines, even in a store before ! As is typical with my doll finds, her hair is a mess, but still has her signature headband and the factory set and rubber bands. Unusually, she's nude, but I have plenty she can wear already. I'm just wondering, though - when did lavender become her color ? I thought most of her movie wardrobe was this slightly greenish blue harem outfit. But a lot of what I see Jasmine in lately is lavender or purple.

Also unusual is that she's my first ‘color change' toddler DP. Sold as ‘Magic Color Change Surprise' dolls, these were Playmates' first line extension to their wildly successful initial release of the first three ‘little girl' DPs, in late 2002.  These 2004 dolls had water-temperature based lip and nail color changes, as well as facial and arm sort-of tattoos. You can see the shine of them even when the color's not active. An ice cube revealed the pink sparkles around Jasmine's right eye, and henna tattoos on her right wrist. Those last for a while, but the lip and nail colors don't stay long once the cold is removed. It's kind of muggy-hot here today. Pretty, though.

 According to a bit of research, their clothes also had colors that changed, but I can't verify that ! J  Since then, they've been ballerinas, singers, skaters, readers, flowers, wish granters, and even some princes were made as part of gift sets. Now there's soft-body versions and even younger babies. And nearly every starring-heroine Disney character, princess or not, has been crafted as a little-girl princess.

But there's little to no history about them. It took me about an hour to find out what little I just wrote. I'm wondering if I should make that a site adjunct. Surely a doll line that's gone strong for six years should be better documented !

Anyway. The little-girl princess population jumped by one I thought I'd never find used. Still have to get her cleaned up, brushed, and dressed. You'll get her ‘before' photo tomorrow ! And that's not all that I saw at the thrift. I found a weird transparent doll - seriously, the whole doll was made of clear plastic. She had joints and everything, and was permanently dressed in a tight jumpsuit. I figured that it was supposed to be a Fantastic Four Invisible Girl doll. Interesting, but her molded see-through hair and blank (snort) expression just didn't appeal. And I knew from childhood attempts to dress a Jane West doll in Barbie clothes - Jane was Sandra and Bonnie's doll - fabric skirts on top of molded clothing looks horrible. Freakish. And this doll already had ‘freaky' well-covered.

No interesting Barbies this week, but there were some fun finds in the small-toy grab-bags. These are 50c each, and the bags are only semi-transparent. Saw some sort of star-sprinkled wings in one bag, and while trying to get a closer look, the plastic bag tore. My fault = my purchase. Also grabbed a second bag that had a good mix of Kelly dolls and toy cars. I like to split the grab-bag finds with Dearest Son when I can.

The star-winged figure turned out to be a 2004-marked Seabutterfly doll. From the Barbie Fairytopia Mermadia series, this 5" purple-haired cutie originally had a change-around body that could be swapped for a mermaid tail and second bodice. She also came with what looks like a vanity. Mine just had the skirt-legs and detachable wings that doubled as a hair clip. Her perfectly circular cheek blush makes her resemble a Kewpie doll. Or Betty Boop. Personally, I think she'll look better once I remove it !

The other bag held three birthday party-themed Kelly dolls and a Kelly friend in a green ensemble with a backpack labeled ‘Gia'. A bit of research shows that ‘Gia' is actually ‘Sunny Day Melody' - and the backpack, that fits so well and goes so great with her outfit, was not packaged with her. It has a pawprint embossed in the plastic, so the green backpack probably goes to some Littlest Pet Shop-type toy. Huh. The three ‘party girls' are from a ‘Kelly Club 5' set. Since their names change constantly, I don't know who's who, so let's just say I got Birthday Party Pink, Blue, and Orange.

There were a few other treats in the bags - a blue hinged plastic mini dollhouse, a Happy Meal Madame Alexander pink ballerina, some tiny notepads, and some awful costume jewelry...and enough toy cars, balls, and a Toy Story Woody bendy doll to satisfy Dearest Son's interest. Not bad at all for $1. for the both of ‘em.

I really lucked out with his busdriver and monitor. Kohl's didn't have anything I wanted, but they did have gorgeous holiday star-shaped pillar candles on sale. With the card, both were free ! Wrapped them in tissue paper and twine I had at home, with a note thanking them for all they did for Dearest. All total, I passed five ‘thanks' cards today, and that felt wonderful. I used blank cards I'd bought earlier at yard sales for next to nothing - and I've come to realize that I write more when I have nice stationery. And you can never go wrong when you write someone to say ‘thanks'.

Love to send you a card that says ‘thanks for reading this mess' sometime ! I'm gonna try to de-tangle Jasmine's pretty hair - hope your Friday was tops !

Posted by dorriebelle at 11:31 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:23 PM CDT

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