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Dorrie's Doll Diaries
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
YATTA !!!
Now Playing: Well, 'Yatta', of course.
Current Mood : Was happy, until I had to deal with constant Tripod screw-ups ! Tinkerbell is here ! The exchange was smooth and easy, and everyone's happy. The one I had a bid on closed today, $10. more than my high bid, plus another $10. in shipping - but I paid less and already have my Tink in my hot little hands. Yatta ! Today was Laundry Day at Chez Insanity, mostly so I could get BIL's blasted robes ready. Just think, it's almost over. I keep thinking that. It's almost over, it's almost over...I've adjusted the sleeves and gotten the button loops sewn on. About all I have left is some minor alterations to the cloak he sprung on me - it's been in our garage for over a year, hence the laundry - and hand-sewing the buttons. I'll do that tomorrow. Saw these ads today - you've probably already seen ‘em, but we don't have TV here, so... I thought, for a heartless huge conglomco, Mattel does some sweet advertising. Vintage Barbie dolls, too ! http://youtube.com/watch?v=wpabulxYjuw - Mattel ‘Have Fun' ad http://youtube.com/watch?v=0oXwEwZtPME&feature=related - longer version And just for your viewing pleasure, something weird, but oddly uplifting, from Japan. May I present to you, the Green Leaves -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At-pfAFUldE May be unsafe for work (men in their tightie whities), but very cheerful ! Long as you have one leaf on - and that leaf is ‘Hope' - everything is all right. Yatta !
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:40 PM CDT
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
More of the catalog you've been waiting for...
Now Playing: Beloved shuffling stuff around in a drawer, looking for something
Current Mood : What, the first or the fifth time I tried to get this entered ? (we're currently on Try #6) Back to the old grind. Had to run some errands again today, so I took Dearest Son to Dollar Tree. He found some small trophies in the Party section, and has them displayed with the one Beloved Hubby and I got him, as racing awards. He also selected a second ceramic-with-fuzz cat, but I'm not sure why. I got a little silly and bought the Disney Princess pencils I've been wanting, now that they're in stock for back-to-school shopping. I had one for the longest time, Dearest came home from school with it, for some reason, and I loved looking at it. Last time we went to DTree, I bought DP mechanical pencils, but these are six of your basic wood ones with matching ‘Enchanted Tales' graphics. They also had Cars and Tinkerbell packs, but Dearest wasn't interested, and I felt silly enough getting the girly princess pencils. But if Tink's are still there next week... You may laugh at me for this, but while I was there, I bought a comb and brush set for the dolls. Green handles, of course. I actually tore the large all-purpose house brush, trying to pull it through Belle/Dorrie's hair. So now they have their own, and I won't be tearing up the Lab and living room looking for the family hairbrushes on school days. It didn't improve her hair, but at least I won't have to stop and fix the big brush every second stroke. It still works fine on human hair. And, with that, the ‘Dorriefication' of Belle began. I'll probably do a web page on it, so I took pictures. With her wild and wooly hair as well-groomed as I could get it, I decided to thin it a bit by making her some bangs. Arranged some front locks the way I liked, then gathered the rest into a ponytail in back, and anchored down the bangs-to-be with another rubber band. Arranged them again, and put on some water to boil. Poured it over her hair, and she's currently drying. I won't cut it until I see what I got. But I'll have to cut it to get the pageboy style for the rest of her hair. Might actually get to that this week ! Once her hair gets cut, even just the bangs, I'm gonna quit calling her Belle. From her first haircut on, she's gonna be Dorrie ! And getting my first custom Princess started makes me wanna finish BIL's mess up, so I can get back to working on her ! So I did all the dishes and cleaned most of the kitchen today. Tomorrow, I'll do some laundry while working on the BIL stuff. I'm hoping it won't take long. Not sure what dress I'll make for her. Probably a simple day dress to begin with. Problem is finding dark green fabric with stars on it ! I'm sure I have some, though... let's face it, if it exists, I probably have it at this point !
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:40 PM CDT
Monday, 7 July 2008
On the bounce !
Now Playing: "I Like To Move It (Move It)" - Reel 2 Real featuring Mad Stuntman (Madagascar)
 Current Mood : Getting it all done...whew !
Today was basically ‘get off your butt' day - I finally got the ‘Alpha Chi' paint off the two oversize bowl-mugs I bought a couple weeks (months ?) ago at a yard sale. I also went through my pattern cabinet and got it straightened out a bit. Ran a few errands, hit the Community Thrift. Found a great bag of scrap fabric that I just couldn't resist - I saw starry fabric, and I'm a slave to it. Also found an unusual soft-side lunchbox. Yes, more Disney Princess junk (BIL refers to it as my personal ‘dark side' - hopelessly attracted to it, even though it's not really ‘me', he says), but instead of the usual triumvirate of Cinderella, Aurora, and Belle, this bag had Jasmine, Aurora, and Snow White. It's rare to see this arrangement, and it was a good size and was in good shape, so for 79c, it came home with me. The Cinderella shoe zipper pull was kind of odd, too, since Cindy wasn't on this one. Was pretty, though. Inside, someone'd gone crazy with a Sharpie - at one point, this lunch bag must've been a gift, and if all the names are an indication, it was a present from half her family ! I may write something encouraging on the inside of Dearest Son's next lunchbag. He usually rips heck out of the plastic inside mid-year anyway. This one's still intact, if written on. A few new Cabbage Patch Kids decorated the toy section shelves, but nothing else was new. They have quite a CPK collection now. When I was noodling around with that CPK pattern for Timey and Dottie, I kinda wanted to find one, so I could compare measurements. Now I don't need one, and the second-hand venues are overflowing with ‘em. Makes me wonder how many dozens of AmericanGirl doll clones will hit the thrifts in a few years. I'd write, ‘How many actual AG dolls will hit the thrifts ?', but from what I've heard out of parents who shelled $80. for them, those dolls are getting packed away for Kaiytylynne's daughter someday, not tossed out. Of course, a good number of the ‘real thing' turn up on eBay, but the sellers want new-doll prices for half-bald, usually nude ones. Isn't that always the way ? Even on Craigslist, I saw a decent-shape Samantha AG, and the seller wanted $50., plus $50. for the bed, $60. for the clothes... There are times it's truly wonderful to enjoy dolls that can be purchased for as little as 25c...
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Tuesday, 8 July 2008 6:10 PM CDT
Sunday, 6 July 2008
A bushy, bushy brown hair-do...(humming "Surfin' USA")
Now Playing: an odd sort of tractor/mower across the street
Current Mood : Invigorated ! BIL came by - he just appeared, and I was runnin' around in a houserobe, with a late lunch in my hand - so I hashed out the rest of these cursed robes with him. I already know I won't work on them Monday, just because I want a bit more of a break from them, and he's not expecting them to be ready ‘til Thursday, so... Otherwise, not a lot happened today. For some reason, I was completely wiped out, and despite sleeping in late, I took a three hour nap as well. At least Dearest Son finally got enough time on the computer ! Beloved Hubby was a bit restless, too, so he made a splendid occasional table for the living room. It's now covered in Lego people and soda cans. It never takes us long... I'd unpacked the DPrincess dolls last week, but hadn't had much time to play with them. So today, I started brushing my duplicate Belle's hair - as she'll soon become Princess Dorrie. I'm glad I chose this one, as she's gonna need a haircut. Her hair is as wooly as a sheep's ! I actually hurt my arm trying to get all the tangles out, and still didn't succeed. I could probably pass the bottom three inches of her hair off as a shrubbery, to those Knights (ni !) out in the woods. For now, it's tied back, and I'll try a boil perm test later this week. I'm nearly afraid of the other four dolls ! Her hair really is this thick, all the way around. It's not pushed forward for the photo. So you see, I darn near have to make her over ! It's not vanity or anything ! (cough, ahem) Oh, and just this morning, I got outbid on that Tinkerbell doll I was ‘winning' on eBay. Looks like there's two others slugging it out for her, so I'm well out of it. What a relief ! I'm so excited about getting mine. Her wings are intact and everything, but her shoes are missing. No big deal - shoes are NOT Playmates Toys' strong point. Late this afternoon, I got the idea that, since the outside of my pattern cabinet looked so pretty, I really should clean up the inside. After all, Beloved had to shuffle stuff and move things to drill the screw holes, and that wasn't good. So I went after it...and had the bright idea to take those stupid headbands off the ‘Beauty Cuties' hair I'd kept. After all, the useless headbands - too tight on my head, too big on every doll in here - were in two pieces, and the hair was probably attached to something in between. Yup. Sewn to thin, clear plastic. The headbands popped apart - sometimes with the aid of a screwdriver - and I easily liberated the rather nice hair pinned inside. Much easier to store now, and easier to access when I'm ready to reroot a doll with it. Takes up a lot less space, too. Other than that, it's been a rather boring day. Just what I needed !
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:39 PM CDT
Saturday, 5 July 2008
Just keepin' swimin'...
Now Playing: local radio - even on a new stereo, it ranks.
Current Mood : Just floating Current Image Notes : This is the Ariel diary I got a few weeks ago from Target's Dollar Spot. I removed the lock, keys, and hinges easily. The inside pages are lined, with a 'happy Ariel' graphic on the right page corners. Today, I just took it easy. Watched fireworks last night as dinner finished up, and it was great. Dearest Son came home from his grandparents' this morning and we chased each other all over the house with those streamer poppers. It was funnier to lie in wait, until the victim had relaxed in front of a computer, book, or Tv...then, POP ! Strands of thin crepe paper everywhere. We had two packs of ‘em, for plenty of pranks. It was funny, though. Sixteen of ‘em in festive July 4th headers were $2. at the front of Mal-Wart's holiday display. Two aisles down, in the party section, packages of 12 were $1.27. So, yeah, we had plenty. Emptied two more thread spools with all the cheap-serging. I was tired of seeing black everywhere - black threads, black lint, black bits of fabric. Best way to get that crap out of my machine was to sew lots and lots of candy colors ! And yes, there's still more material in the box. Did two loads of laundry, and one was all fabric. It was so pretty on the line, soft prints and gentle pastels, wafting in the late-afternoon breeze. Next week, I hope to get the brighter colors washed. Then the darks ! I certainly have plenty of fabric ! You'd think that, with all the material and new dolls, I'd have hopped right on a project. But about all I did was repair a pillow that got torn in a family pillow fight last month - sewed a new ticking for it, and shredded the old one for rags. Mostly did that because I got tired of tripping over it on the floor. Not sure what's with my inertia, but I puttered around the Lab all day, just the same. Then, I took a nap. Ah, well. With everything going on last week - MIL is doing much better, her kidneys were damaged when she was ill a few months ago, and we're hoping it's not permanent - maybe it's best I take a bit of a break. Besides, two kittens are attacking my ankles, and it's hard to say ‘no' to some play !
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:38 PM CDT
Friday, 4 July 2008
Freedom !
Now Playing: town fireworks overhead, sizzling burgers to the left.
Current Mood : I'd be more contemplative if I weren't so happy ! Ding dong, the d*mn thing's done ! Whoo. Got going on Robe #2 about 9am and was finished, hems and all, about noon. Now, the last thing I said to BIL, last Friday, in the letter, and yet again when I talked to him Wednesday, was for him to call me today when he was ready to get this thing fitted, because I was running out of time to work on it. Guess who didn't call ? (sigh) Or show up ? Godiva only goes so far, dude... But anyway, I got into trouble without his butt. Earlier this week - forgot to blog it - I placed a bid on a lovely Tinkerbell doll. Yup, one of the DPrincess ones. Today, I was tooling through Craigslist.org again, and I found one there ! In great shape, and in my budget ! The owner will be in town Tuesday, for a medical appointment, and we'll meet and exchange then. Whoo-hoo ! Lucky me ! I really wasn't sure about Playmates re-releasing Tink (I'd only asked about Mulan), so it's great that I have one coming, and don't have to rely on Playmates for her. Just for Mulan now ! Only one problem. I'm still ‘currently in the lead' for the one on eBay. I kinda figure I'll get outbid, I usually do, and there's several days still to go, but it's a gamble. I don't really need two, and money's getting a bit snug. So it's a risk, but I hope it all pays off. Upshot is, I'm staying home this weekend. No yard sales. I've already received quite a bit for my birthday - brand-new stereo, yummy candy, dolls, fancy drawer pulls - and I've barely even opened most of it ! Nope, it's a good idea to stay home and enjoy the holiday. I like to think of those who've gone before. Not just the patriots and the soldiers, but friends and folks you only know via handles on web sites. I love all of you, ya know. Burgers on the grill tonight, with bacon-wrapped corn and potatoes. A feast !
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:38 PM CDT
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Not a princess...but I'm becoming a robe Empress !
Now Playing: "Stand By Me" - today's $5. Mal-wart bin find
Current Mood : Approaching Robe Relief ! So, pretty happy. Well, today I got off my butt and on my sewing machine. Got the fabric cut out, cheap serged, and the basic construction of Robe #2 together. I'm saving the rest of the work - the capelet, the neck facing I botched on #1, the hems, etc. - for tomorrow. It's been really nice to have that new stereo. Got to listen to all my favorite songs on the MP3 without headphones, which is great. Reminded Beloved Hubby how much I loved it and his idea. He grinned. I learned with the first robe that the only place big and open enough for a layout/cutting was Beloved's office. I also learned that his floor is full of tiny Lego, bits of dry cat food, dust-small sharp pebbles, and other bits that hurt my knees. So I gave it a full sweep, then a vacuum. The fabric BIL picked out attracts dirt and cat hair like magic ! Very glad that won't be my problem soon ! I swear, the next time I need crap fabric, I'm gonna turn BIL loose at Hancock's again. He's uncanny ! Cutting left little bits of fabric everywhere, so I cleaned up and broke out the vacuum again. Beloved was quite happy at the sight of his office floor. ‘Leave it better than you found it' - weren't we all taught that ? This material didn't get along well with my machine, but it got sewed, and I was soon beyond caring. While it wrinkled easily enough, it also didn't want to hold a press for long, which seemed odd. I did everything but melt the fabric, but it still opened right back up as soon as I took the iron off it. So I just tucked it and sewed it. Why waste hours ironing a fabric that won't press ? Did a couple loads of laundry - my housework's slipping behind, between my birthday and these blasted robes - but that's about all I got done today. It's enough. Beloved grilled steaks on a new-to-us grill that a client gave him. It needed a serious cleaning, but the propane tank was pristine and still full. Client's hubby died seven years ago, and the grill hadn't been touched since. She wanted it to be enjoyed. Which we already have.
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:37 PM CDT
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
It's still a good day...just not quite so grand as the last few !
Now Playing: traffic and gas going up again
Current Mood : bag fulla sighs Well, don't I feel guilty. BIL came over this morning, bearing Robe #1 in one hand and a box of Godiva in the other, saying he probably completely forgot to thank me, but he really wanted me to know how much he appreciated all this work I did for him. He completely understood why I objected to some of the changes he wanted, my explanations made sense. And if I could make the second robe, just straight black would be fine. He'd found some buttons he'd like on the front openings, if I had time. Meanwhile, whenever I could get to them was fine, he really loved the first one, and couldn't wait to see the next one. Well, shoot. If he'd said that Friday, I could have gone a few days without feeling like crap. And angry. (sigh) I haven't even started #2, and with visitors coming over, it wasn't gonna happen this day either. But, heck, I've already made one, and it came out good, I wasn't worried about this one. I'd finally reached the ‘don't care' plateau, and frankly, if BIL didn't like it, it was good - maybe he'd never ask for another ! The nice young lady I'd spoken with about the kittens came over with her fiancée. She couldn't decide which one she wanted ...so she took both ! I made sure to provide her with cat food, a familiar box, and a CD of all the photos I'd taken of them - which weren't many, as I'd been sick for most of their earliest days. She was thrilled, her fiancée was happy she was happy, and they were soon headed for home. So, while it was a topsy-turvy day, it all ended well. I have Godiva ! Even the ribbon and the raffia daisy box decoration from it is reusable - the daisy already has a pin back to it ! I miss the kittens, though... I'd miss them more if we didn't have DC to keep and Jack - who I think is ours now, that family who wants him hasn't written me back in nearly two weeks.
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:37 PM CDT
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
I'm havin' a great week !
Now Playing: "All That She Wants", Ace of Base, MP3
Current Mood : Deliriously happy ! Another wonderful day. Beloved Hubby came home with a huge Whitman's Sampler of dark chocolate goodness. It'd been a busy day, so the luxury of it was really nice. Wrote up an ad for the kittens on Craigslist.org. With four kitties and Velvet underfoot, my asthma's really been pushing it, even with the new medication. Almost immediately I had someone interested - she's coming over tomorrow evening. Guess who's cleaning house tomorrow ? While waiting for my ad to come up, I poked around Craigslist a bit. On impulse, I typed ‘crystal drawer pulls'. Y'see, about a year ago, I'd fallen in love with these silver metal and green ‘crystal' (acrylic plastic) drawer handles. They'd be perfect for my pattern cabinet ! I really hated the ones it came with - half of the drawers had those gosh-awful ‘hammered bronze' pulls you've seen on most every cabinet made in the 70s, the rest were bland but nice silver curves. I didn't mind those silver ones, but those bronze atrocities had to go ! Unfortunately, the ‘crystal' ones were $8. each, and I'd need eight. And that cabinet, simply put, wasn't worth $64. in new hardware. Target sold 4-packs, for $28., but it was still a bit much, in my opinion. Here's what I'm describing - http://tinyurl.com/5fmbtg But, looking around, I noticed that cabinet hardware wasn't cheap in any style. Nearly everything I saw was at least $5. each, usually more. Eventually, I found some clearance cup-style pulls and bought several. One thing led to another, and we never got those installed. And, when the Stimulus Package looked like it'd dump a buncha cash in our laps, I allowed m'self some daydreaming... Still, it was wise to use it to pay down bills. I could still get the drawer pulls I liked, if I could go without yard sailing for a week or two. With that on my mind, I whimsically decided to see if anyone on Craigslist had any...and I found them ! A nice lady in a neighboring town had purchased three each, of green, pink, and blue, and they didn't fit the cabinet she wanted. Since Target wouldn't take them back -she'd lost the receipt - she was offering them on Craigslist for...$20. Amazingly, she still had them, and she could meet me that afternoon ! Beloved Hubby was happy for me, and was home shortly after that, so he played Wii with Dearest Son while I headed off to the Town Next Door, a $20. clutched in my hand. I couldn't believe my luck ! Still can't. Someone else might call it putting a tiara on a mule, but I love the way they look on my pattern cabinet. They catch the morning light and toss it around, like real crystal. I know they're plastic, but they're just so pretty ! Once that and dinner was done, I realized...I hadn't started that second robe yet ! Yeek.
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:37 PM CDT
Monday, 30 June 2008
Real happy 'cause it rained !
Now Playing: trees in the breeze sounds
Current Mood : Celebratory ! We had rain today, so Beloved Hubby stayed home, and we had my birthday early. He awakened me with a Black Forest Sundae, a decadent concoction from a local restaurant - my favorite black walnut ice cream, resting on top of a dark chocolate brownie, all drenched in hot fudge, real whipped cream, and cherries. I couldn't eat the whole thing, but Dearest Son helped out. From there, the day was mine. Beloved said he'd wanted to find me a nice bookshelf-type stereo for my Lab, he was tired of me ‘making do' with whatever boombox was available. But he didn't know exactly what I wanted, either. So he pressed a nice amount of cash into my greedy little paws and said I didn't have to buy a stereo - but I was supposed to go have some fun ! Well...there wasn't much else I wanted, really. Our Economic Stimulus Package arrived and went to paying down bills, so I was happy about that, and I couldn't really think of much else I wanted. I already had almost all the markdown stuff from TRU - I'm still considering that Island Princess set, for the screen frame - and didn't want any of the stuff out now. I'd just found a bunch of stuff yard-saling, and those sewing feet I got from the Thrift taught me a bit. A new stereo for the Lab, once I could use the MP3 with, sounded pretty nice ! Thus began the hunt. Nothing at TRU. Nothing at Best Buy, unless I wanted iPod connections - no, thanks - or glorified speaker/chargers at twice what a small stereo cost. Decided to check out Hastings, more for the books and magazines than the electronics.. but, of course, that's where I found a great little system ! Speakers I can put darn near anywhere, an upright CD player (love to watch those spin !), a good radio, and a port for my MP3. It even has a remote for volume and power, and some CD functions. It even took up less space than the XM boombox, so I've gained a bit more room on the cutting table. Only problem is, I have to leave the cutting area mostly cleaned off, so the remote will work ! Picked up lunch on the way home, and got everything installed and playing. It does a great job with my MP3. Guess I can ditch the Sound Cube to Dearest, if he wants it. While enjoying lunch, we had a visitor - my Disney Princess dolls and my prize from In The Pink had arrived ! Whoo-hoo ! Even though it wasn't really my birthday, it was a fantastic day. I mostly sat around for the rest of it, enjoyed tasty Chinese for supper, and enjoyed my new stuff with my older stuff. (happy sigh) I hope everyone has a non-birthday like that ! Oh, and I haven't opened the DPrincess dolls yet. I had too much else going on !
Posted by dorriebelle
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:37 PM CDT
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