Current Mood : Mild frustration, abating quickly. Our power's back on, and I don't hafta deal with Pink Lady for a whole month !

Current Image Notes : This is either 'bubble' or 'perfume' Princess Jasmine. I can tell from the correct shoes - all the rest have wedge feet - and the hole between her shoulders. She's wearing an altered Cinderella wedding gown (it should have long sleeves), but I think she's lovely.

Well, that was exciting. I'd just finished telling ya'll that we were in a hailstorm when the power went out. Well, shoot. Not what I had planned for the evening ! But we were OK - thanks to last year's ice storm wake-up call, we had lanterns and candles ready to go. So we cuddled up with the new blankets Aunt and Uncle gave us, and took turns reading one of Dearest Son's new books. Two hours later, the power was back, Dearest'd been asleep for over an hour, and everything was good. I'd already sent Beloved Hubby to bed, but since the lanterns run on kerosene and we had candles, someone had to stay awake, just in case. Dearest can't sleep in a dark room, so... I took first watch. I'd had a heckuva day I needed to decompress and repack in my mind...

So, OK, here's the ultimately meaningless deal. Last year, I did a volunteer turn as a folder counter at Dearest's school. For some reason, the Board of Ed. OK's a few hundred solicits during the school year, and these handbills - for Parks & Recreation, for church group festivals, for Little League, for museum days, for karate classes, you name it, it's been sent home - have to be distributed to the teachers, who stuff ‘em in weekly folders. Most of ours end up as scrap paper, colored craft paper, or used for pattern print-outs if one side is blank. I get at least a ream a year of this crap.

In any case, the office ladies showed me how to do it, in a way that everyone's used to, and it's fast and easy. I can do about eight to ten solicits for a nearly 500 student school in less than two hours, filed, collated, done. I'm the fastest, most accurate counter they have. No brag, they've told me so. I came in one week a month, on the busiest week, and everyone was happy. While I hated sorting commercial solicits, it was something that really helped out, so I did it, got it done, and got outta there.

Can you see it coming ? Evidently, I was also the only dependable one, because this year there's four people doing this every week, and as a consequence, no one knows what anyone's doing - and I'm the only one with last year experience. (heavy sigh) I arrived today to find some odd woman we'll call Pink Lady spreading papers all over the office floor. Why ? No one knew. We had a big huge counter in the resource room to do counting, and I never used a tenth of that space. Having papers all in the office space looked bad, was in everybody's way, and no one could tell what she was doing. When asked, she said she had a system, and that no one could disturb it.

OK. So. I'm not the supervisor here. I find her, and basically ask, ‘OMG, WTF ?' and she's at a bigger loss than I am. Pink Lady's been at it since 8am (!) and no one can tell what she's doing or how she's doing it. Just that she has paper everywhere and that it's some system that only makes sense to her. She also takes breaks about every 20 minutes and walks into her son's classroom, for some reason.

I am beyond understanding. I just know I can't do my work because Pink Lady's got it half-azzed done, and she can't even explain what she has done or what needs doing. The office ladies are beyond pizzed because their office looks like a paper-strewn shack, the supervisor doesn't know what to do with her, Pink Lady gets affronted every time someone tries to figure out what she's doing, and her son is now glued to her side. No school for him today, evidently. He even lied about hitting his head - um, I saw him, he was in the middle of the hallway, walking along fine until he spied Pink Lady Momma. Then he bellowed like a fire truck that he'd hit his head ( on air ?) and screamed bloody murder. He actually rolled around on the floor. And he's older than Dearest, who's always slightly embarrassed whenever his Momma's at his school. Bizarre.

Well, you know me - the Army tried to teach me diplomacy, but it just didn't graft. I told her point-blank that we weren't supposed to count in the office, and that the way they liked it done was ‘this way'. She said she had her own way and that no one told her about not using the office. Um, I heard both our ‘supervisor' and Ms. A. tell her to take it to the Resource Room, and that's where the handouts are stored, but she muttered and whined about her system. I said that her system probably worked for her, but it was confusing to everyone else who'd done it ‘this way' for the last six or eight years. Bear in mind, she did NOT volunteer for this last year, so I have no idea where this system of hers came from. When I asked, even she could not explain her system. WTF ?!

Well, my lack of diplomacy didn't work either, because I finished my work in less than an hour, and at 2pm, she was still working on her ankle-deep paper piles all over the office floor. Also, for the first time ever, there weren't enough of some of the handbills. Um, normally there's at least 50 extra of each one. We ended up making more copies rather than go through what she'd already done. While it ranked to use up more resources, it was much easier and less time consuming than going through that mess of hers.

So. What's gonna happen next week, and next month, when it's my turn again ? Well, the office ladies have already decided this will not be repeated. So they're holding most of the work for me and the supervisor. Pink Lady will get one or two sets, but that's it, and she will be told to stay in the Resource Room. We'll see. I saw her again at Book Fair - that was my second volunteer task today - and her son got her to buy $48. worth of stuff, mostly toys and three $4. books. I noted how well he'd recovered from what had to be almost a concussive head injury, and I could tell from the stink-eye expression he gave me that he was aware that I knew the truth. Sometimes, I really have to be reminded what a treasure Dearest is...

I got to see him at Book Fair, and we got the Disney Pixar story collection he wanted, along with a Clone Wars last-minute find. Saw one of the books his teacher selected, and it was just beautiful. So his class now has Maybe, My Baby. I also found a book about hospital Emergency Rooms, the doctors and specialists, equipment and diagnoses, and it was on the discount table, so I snagged it and donated it to the library. I can be so generous, because I get a book credit for volunteering.

About the only doll time I had today was thumbing through the various Barbie and the Diamond Castle books. (sigh) Nothing I wanted... but I at least got a short nap before dinner.

Tomorrow, I clean house and have fun. I think I earned some ‘me' time !

PS - Sorry Tues. and Wed. entries are late. I didn't have time - or electricity ! -  to take the photos until today (Thursday) ! Once this is up, I'll start work on today's !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CST

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 11:41 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Warm and snuggly - with my new blanket !

Current Image Notes : For today, and the next five days, I thought I'd photograph those six-inch dolls I got from the flea market, the Disney Musical Princesses. We start with my first one, Snow, who came in a lot I got a LDP in off eBay. I need to make her a hair ribbon... The Cinderella carriage behind this week's girls also came from the flea, I have no idea what doll it goes to. But it's sure pretty !  

Busy, busy day. Election Day here in the States - polls were backed up early, in sharp contrast to the previous voter apathy that normally illustrated our political process. Numbers are still coming in, so we'll see what we got in the morning. I'm still tired and a bit weak, and I somehow feel I'll get more out of an additional sleep hour than I will more political analysis and predicting. And digital graphics - although those are tempting...

Beloved Hubby was home part of the day, so I ran errands with him. Once Dearest Son was home, we all headed up to Aunt and Uncle's. Not sure if this is how it goes with other families, but whenever somebody updates something like furniture, if the old stuff is still in good shape, the word goes out over the grapevine until someone can use it. In this case, they got new kitchen chairs, and offered out the older ones. And, lucky us, we were the only ones in the market for such.

I have to confess, we bought a simple, cheap table and chair set after we moved. And it pretty much self-destructed within a year. We were figuring out what to do next - we didn't have the Shop at the time - when Beloved found a nice table and chair set out on the curb. We snagged it, but those chairs were rough. I mean, literally. Like a dog had chewed on the lowest rungs. They were strong enough to support my bulk when I needed to change a light bulb, but they looked awful. I'd actually found and bought a chair cover pattern at the thrift, intending to use it for them. It just seemed like a bit of a waste, though, buying $30. worth of fabric to cover $5. worth of chair. So it never got done.

And now, we have really nice chairs... that are better than our table. ‘S OK, Beloved's already designing a new table for us, which is something he's always wanted to try. Not sure what'll happen to the old chairs, they're so crappy, I hate to curb ‘em. I may stash one in the garage, and one in the Shop, for when I'm hanging around with Beloved. And curb the other two during Fall Clean Up days.

But the best part was visiting. Uncle's health isn't the greatest, and neither is Aunt's. But we all stay busy, and sometimes a phonecall is all we can manage, to stay in touch. So it felt wonderful to just sit and talk a while. They had an ATM-style bank for Dearest, which he loves... and I may hook it once in a while for doll photos, it's about the right size ! They also sent us home with several blankets they'd received but didn't want, and one was Dearest's, he made that clear before we left ! He's cuddled up to it in bed, right now.

I often make the senior members of the family simple gifts, usually using fleece. I've done lap blankets, bed jackets, pet toys, and scarves before. Uncle mentioned he'd love some mittens, and those are easy. I'd extend the gauntlet part, so bare wrists wouldn't be exposed to cold, and I'd add a Velcro strap at the wrists. Many diabetics have issues with elastic, I've read. I also yard-saled a pattern for scuff-type slippers, and those are easy, too. So, I'd best start lookin' around for some fleece sales !

Not much doll time this week, I'm afraid. I haven't had time to clean up the Lab yet ! And tomorrow's my volunteer day at Dearest's school. I swear, I stick my head up from the hole I'm in, and there's a ring of folks waiting for me ! J

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CST

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 11:41 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Pleased  

Spent on dolls :  $5.13

Spent on eBay speculating :  $3.21

Spent on sewing :  27c

It's hard for me to believe it's November. Dearest Son has this Friday off, and nearly the whole Thanksgiving week off, and I have Book Fair, Wednesday folders, Veteran's Day to attend. Glad it's a short school month !

Got to hit the thrift today when I went - gasp ! - grocery shopping. Yes, that which was completely beyond me one short week ago is already a done deal. I confess, I was a bit lightheaded, but I put that down to ‘recovery' and kept on going. Found a brand-new poets' shirt pattern in my size first thing... I really gotta sew something that I don't whine about for a week !

I'm still amazed by this, but I found another Tomy Fashion Plates set, nearly complete ! This one had all the original and ‘More Fashion Plates' sets, plus the crayon rubbing tool and three extra crayons. Wow. I debated a bit, and bought it. I needed the crayons for my set, and I can always sell the spare, to repay all I've spent this weekend ! The set I got today is only missing the coloring pencils, the directions, and the boxes. Last time I looked, a similar set went for over $50. on eBay, so I may sell this one there, too.

Nothing else new in toys, or books, or clothes. So I poked around those kids' grab bags they sell, and found two - one had a cute Flounder and another had a Happy Meal Alice in Wonderland figurine ! It's really rare to find Alice stuff, so I snapped both bags up, for my LDPs. Dearest Son scored several toys from the bags, too, so it was a good dollar spent ! As is usual with the grab bags, at least 50% - usually more- of the toys get donated right back there.

Last but not least, it was time to check the Barbie bins. Those are right by the register, and a good dig tends to put me in the way of other customers, so I usually wait for a good time to hunker down and hunt. No new dolls, but I found a pretty Best Buy-era sundress in one clothing bag, and a springtime dress with rabbits on it in another. Shinobu is very fond of rabbits. So I bought both $1.99 bags.

At the bottom of one bin was an odd sort of Barbie size dress form/ clothing hanger. It had a rose-bedecked oval head with a sort of clothes-hanger shoulders beneath. From there, it tapers to a simple pole that snaps into a matching base. Whole thing is gold-colored, and the only marking simply reads ‘China'. Well, you know how I am about dress forms ! It wasn't marked, so they charged me 29c, and everyone was happy.

Went through the Barbie clothing bags in the parking lot. In addition to the rabbit dress and the sundress, I got a generic burgundy mermaid tail, a one-shouldered gold gown with a gold and white skirt overlay, a very battered color-change Pocahontas dress, the sweater from 1999's ‘Tree Trimming Barbie' (needs shoulder repair), a pair of tan cargo shorts, a blue Fashion Fever-type blouse with a butterfly charm sewn to it, a small scrap of brown fur, and a tiny black and plaid Kelly dress. The fur had some invisible strap pieces sewn to it, but I have no idea what it was for.

I put away my new goodies and got groceries. Had fun walking through the leftover markdown Halloween stuff - our Mal-Wart got stuck with lots of costumes ! They also had many, many Disney Princess treat pails, but I wasn't surprised. The iridescent pink plastic is nearly an optical insult, and even I couldn't look straight at a shelfload of ‘em. Talk about yer eye-sear ! Since the tasty, elusive Popcorn Ball Box was on sale, I got two. We have 36 - well, 34  - popcorn balls to last us ‘til December, when they expire. C'mon over for a snack, anytime !

I also took the time to waft through Toys. I'd meant to tell ya'll that we got the new Christmas Toys R Us catalog, but we were dirt-sick when it arrived, and handed it straight to Dearest. Eventually, I got a peek, and found that the Bratz World house sets - the vanity and cabinets with dolls ones - had been marked down from $25. to $17. The furniture looks nice, but many reviewers at the website weren't impressed - drawers don't open, the armoire doesn't have a back, very thin plastic and poor detail painting, etc. I was more concerned that, since the toy is on a cardboard platform in the packaging, it'd be hard to assure scale for a Barbie, but I confess, I'm not that interested anymore. If you are, check out your Mal-Wart, ‘cause ours marked theirs down to $17. as well.

I found myself taking a closer look at Mattel's High School Musical 3 playsets. While I could give a fig for HSM and Hannah Montana (PlayAlong Toys), I will occasionally scope their stuff for my dolls ! Most of the new HSM  stuff is recast from My Scene sets, but both Sharpay's closet and Gabriella's bedroom sets look great !

Sharpay's Fashion Frenzy Closet -

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10099414

Loungin' Around Gabriella's Bedroom -

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3155352&clickid=body_rv_txt

Pretty nice - and not much pink ! Both sets were in our M-W today for $30. But if you'd rather use TRU, they may still price-match (the two stores I worked for did, but that was over a decade ago), and they offer a free kids' cheerleading dress with any $40. Hannah Montana or HSM purchase. Even if you don't know anyone who'd want the dress, it'd still be a great gift via Toys for Tots ! Along with the catalog, TRU sent us a $10. off any $100. purchase - I doubt we'll use that this year ! - and a coupon for a free $10. gift card with a $75. purchase. Guess we are a ‘Best Guest of TRU', I figured it was marketing backwash. (snortgiggle)

Oh, and one other note - the cool-to-me Hannah Montana house is also available at M-W. It's $150. there, and lacks the doll. At TRU, it's $130. with a store-exclusive doll. At least until the sale is over on 11/22/08, when it reverts to $160. Might be worth a peek if you're looking for new doll real estate that's not the same-old. Dunno how series-accurate it is, ‘cause we don't have TV. Just so you early-birds know - and can budget accordingly ! M'self, if it weren't for lucky finds at yard sales, my dolls'd be living like they did when I was a kid. In Chez Cardboard, with Kleenex curtains and paint-can-lid seating ! 

(sigh) So much to want... so much I already bloody have !

And, as promised, there's ‘before' and ‘now' images of Dancerella. She's being oxy-treated right now - and for Tari (hi, and welcome !), I'll explain it a bit. Vinyl dolls have such nice faces... but they're prone to pick up and store every sort of odd thing in their ‘skin', especially when they're stored in an attic or garage for a few decades. Pen ink, dirt, makeup, carbon paper, ink from the box or newspaper - I've seen it all. If the doll didn't have it before she was boxed up, she had it on re-emergence.

Long time ago, I read on some Barbie forums that acne medicine - with active ingredient  benzoyl peroxide 10% (like Oxy 10, but it doesn't have to be a name brand) preferably - heavily applied and left to dry could draw out some of the worst offenders, like ink and makeup. I had to try it, because I already had some dolls who needed it. ‘Cause, let's face it, a lovely doll with a wrecked face is a heartbreaker !

I learned of two methods, the ‘slap it on and toss the doll in a closet for six months' one and the ‘put the doll in direct sunlight, and apply, remove and reapply it every hour for as long as it takes' one. To be honest, I couldn't tell that reapplying it did much of a job. So I combined the two. I slather it on thick, being careful to not get it where there's paint - it'll lift paint off, too - and leave the doll in the sun from a window. I usually cover up hair so it won't bleach, but otherwise it's bare doll and acne cream ! About once or twice a week, I remove the dried-up stuff with a wet washcloth and reapply.

As an example, about a month ago, I scored a gorgeous star-cap earring Jem. With both outfits and shoes, even ! But for some reason, the thrift had wrapped her bright pink and blonde hair over her face. Once home, I saw why - carbon paper had marred her chin, her lips, her left cheek, and her nose. Arrrgh. She was otherwise almost perfect ! So, after a week or so, I started treating her, hiding her pretty hair in a discarded Dearest sock, and letting her rest on a Kleenex box under my window. It's been about three weeks since her first treatment, and the ink's nearly gone. There's so little left, it's maddening !

In contrast, two ink marks on a Charmin' Chatty's face faded to three smaller lines, but even after two months of similar treatment, the ink's not completely gone. I've heard that Remove-Zit, from Twin Pines of Maine, does a really good job removing ink from vinyl, but it's expensive and only available via mail order, so I haven't tried it. If you're curious, you can read about ‘em at http://www.twinpines.com/?VT=G9i_PF4uUFFojIi_aQ2iimfFDmdCLgK7wM_7OF4uUFe8OG_e

I even tried bleach on a junker doll, based on a recommendation in an old issue of National Doll Reader, and it didn't do squat. And I really wouldn't urge anyone else to try it - who wants to apply a caustic agent to a doll's face ? (shudder)

So, for now, I'm using good ole Mal-Wart Oxy-10. The name brand even comes with a skintone tint, but I've never messed with it. Be sure to practice on some not-important dolls first - and know that my advice is worth what I charge for it - nothing  !

I got dinner and a load of laundry done, which is less than I wanted, but more than I did last week. So life is goooood ! Hope yours is going well as we begin November...

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:10 PM CST

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 11:41 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Happily playful

Hope you enjoyed yesterday's image of my latest Ballerina Barbie ! She's in a My Scene tub in the Swan Lake Castle bathroom. Think I've mixed enough eras and lines ? Somewhere, a Mattel exec probably has a headache... Her hair is cut so short, all I could do was pull it into a tuft of a ponytail and bun it a bit in the back. Reroot !

One day soon, I'm gonna replace the Castle's built-in vanity image (a sticker of Barbie) with a real mirror. Ya can buy the plastic reflective stuff at auto repair places. We had some left from Molly-chan's repair - she came with a missing side mirror - and I carefully stored it for just this project. But then Beloved Hubby needed it when someone hit his truck, shattering the side mirror. So I'll need to buy more... or use tinfoil !

I haven't named either doll yet. My first Ballerina, a FrankenDolly from two sources in two states, is ‘Joy'. I had one of the 1975 originals, all the girls in the neighborhood got her for Christmas that year. It was more fun than you might think, for us all to have the same doll ! I loved her graceful hands, and how her arms went out to the sides a bit, not just up and down. I thought there was a big rubber band inside her shoulders, and it turned out, I wasn't far wrong ! It's just a solid cable instead of a loop. Part of me still wants the red and white ‘Aurora' ballet costume that was sold back then for her...

Hard to believe that I had no idea what a ‘Steffie' face was back then. Even until just a couple years ago, I still didn't, just knew that when I found that face, I'd buy it, every time. If the Birthstone girls hadn't been so swaybacked and overpuckered, I'd probably have bought them one at a time until I had ‘em all.

And today, here's my latest Malibu, who also hasn't told me her name yet. Her hair is much more sparse in reality, for some reason, the camera just loves it here ! She's perched on the upstairs bedroom's bed. It's attached to the castle, and folds up to a cheval mirror and a stand that spin. I need to fix the belt on her jumper - the red vinyl's peeled up on one side. Another reason I wish they'd just use ribbon instead of vinyl on doll clothes...

Quiet day, so I got zero housework and lots of fun stuff done. Got Dancerella's first oxy treatment underway. And Jem is so, sooo close to being done, it was frustrating to see the tiny traces remaining. But I gave her another treatment, too. Sooner or later, they'll both have their last treatment, I just have to be patient.

Did some research on the Musical Princesses, too. They're kinda~sorta the same size as Dawn, Family Corners, and Barbie Mini Kingdom dolls, so finding patterns for sale wasn't difficult. There was one commercial one, but the folks who sell it have uniformly deleted the manufacturer and number. Go figure. Still, one seller uses the correct pattern number for her system, so it didn't take long to find that it's McCalls 2970. There's also at least three kitchen-table type pattern makers out there who have some Dawn stuff. But you know me, I'm cheap and lazy. I soon found some free downloads, so it'll be a bit before I need to measure one for Doll Shop Deluxe. Or make my own. I read that reducing Barbie patterns to 54% works well, too. So I got loads of options.

It's just kind of funny. I bought the Barbie Mini Kingdom ‘dress shop' set on markdown, for the pink dress form. Turns out, it's the right scale for the Musical DPs, too. I was considering donating it ! You'll get their photos this week. But tomorrow is Dancerella's day !

Didn't spend much time in the Lab today. It's still pretty wrecked from the 'Candy Corn Incident'. Felt and notions everywhere ! So I got a cleanup ahead of me. So much to do, now that I'm nearly healthy and not sleeping or too weak to move much !

 I'm actually going to bed early, in hopes I can do a tenth of it all. Hope your day was good !

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:44 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 11:40 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Happy and darn near healthy !

Spent on dolls today : $9.

Thanks, everyone, for comforting me about those darn candy corn things yesterday. You're right, a couple of the kids probably enjoyed them later, and that's what I should focus on. As if to underscore your words, I looked down this morning to see Jack, our all-black kitten, apply himself totally to rubbing and fighting the one Dearest Son brought home. He's borne it off into the living room, where he alternately naps on it and tries to tear it up !

After a nice long night of sleep, everything looks better, especially when you have friendly words to read ! I got up at 11 (!) this morning, and had a light breakfast with Beloved - then I was off to the flea market again. What the heck, I wanted to see if the one seller had found any more dolls. There actually were several yard sales today, but while I felt much better, I didn't feel like dragging all over the city in search of ‘em.

Seller didn't have much new, but she did sell me a stuffed Barbie dragon for $1., a Cabbage Patch Kids doll swimsuit for 50c, two Cars toys for Dearest Son for another dollar, and the cardboard box liner from the very first Mattel Beauty and the Beast Belle doll - with the blue ‘village' dress and apron and ‘lipstick' still attached, 50c. The very first Belle doll that appeared when the movie hit theaters had a hairstyle with bangs, and came with a ‘Kissing Barbie'-like cylinder inkpad that colored her lips. The packaging read, "Belle's kiss is magic ! Her magical lipstick leaves a little ‘kiss' on his cheek !", if I remember correctly. The next year's release had a more film-accurate hairstyle - and the lip ink was completely deleted. Can you tell I had the first release doll ? (grin)

A couple more sellers were there today. Oh, and the pink Dream House got sold. I'm sure someone's very happy with it ! One new booth had some big-box Barbies, but you know me, I'm not much into ballgown ‘collector' dolls. Instead, I snagged the ‘30^th Anniversary' Barbie magazine, the one that comes with a doll dress, for $5. Kind of funny, since Babs is 50 next year ! I also bought... another doll. But this one was special. She was a heavily stained Dancerella, and she just plain needed me ! I know, I made a big deal about wanting her slightly older and much taller predecessor, Dancerina, but this brunette beauty seemed to be waiting for me. $2. , and I couldn't wait to start work on her !

It was a busy day at the Fairgrounds. In addition to the Flea, there was a craft show and a Walgreens-sponsored health screening. I drifted through the craft show, but unless I wanted candles, flagstones, or personalized music, there wasn't anything there I couldn't make myself. Although it was nice to watch that big BabyLock embroidery machine at work ! Wish I knew where they found some of that fabric, there were many designs I'd have loved to have a half-yard of, but maybe it's for the best I don't ! Lots of jewelry, some of it was gorgeous, but I always forget to wear what I already have.

Decided to do the health screening - because afterwards, ya got a bagload of freebies ! Found out my blood pressure is normal, my glucose is good, my cholesterol is low, and so is my bone density...  not much, but a bit. I gotta tackle more dairy. Oh, and I'm fat. Somehow, I forgot to tell the pre-screener, but they caught me anyway. And now I have enough Tylenol samples to keep Molly-car prepared for the next six months. Dearest scored a Cars lollipop and two Crayola markers from the bag, and there were several sample-size snacks and coupons. I was glad to get updated glucose and cholesterol numbers - I worry about diabetes, and it's been a while since I had my chol taken. 

Called  Beloved - by now, I'd been at the Fairgrounds for two hours, and I didn't want him to worry. Picked up a drive-through McLunch on the way home, and the cashier admired my pretty Dancerella. She'd had one as a kid ! I asked, ‘Would you like to hold her ?' and she stretched out her hands enthusiastically. What the heck, we were waiting on fries anyway. She played with her and pirouetted her around expertly, then handed her back when chow was ready. "I'm gonna find mine this weekend !" she told me.

Ahhh, doll love, doll memories. They can make even strangers share a happy interlude.

After lunch, I got to work on Dancerella. Research showed her hair had clearly been cut, but I liked the short style, so it was OK with me. I took down and rebraided the front pieces to hide numerous empty hair plugs, and trimmed it up a bit. A lot of whatever was staining her face came off, but she's still gonna need oxy treatment. The tape residue on her chest came right off, and her legs were nice and clean under the tights. Believe it or not, one of my old National Doll World magazines has a pattern for her leotard and tutu, even her shoes, so she's good. I even have it scanned already, from where I was hoping it'd fit a Little Disney Princess.

For now, though, she's wearing the CPK swimsuit I bought today, and it's really tight on her... but cute as anything ! I need to throw the tutu and the swimsuit in the laundry soon. You get her photo tomorrow - I bought enough stuff this weekend to have a new photo every day until the middle of next week ! So, happy November !

PS to Michelle - hope you're feeling better, too !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 11:40 PM CDT

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Spent on dolls today : $7.50

Don't mind me, I'm just bitter, and for once, it's not because I'm sick. Despite having a pretty nice, if tiring, day, finding two great Barbie dolls and five mini Disney Princess ones (more later), and being able to get out in some fresh air and feel just inches from ‘healthy', I'm still bitter.

Here's a bit of confession time. Between the candy corn project and Dearest Son's costume laundry, I was up until 2am last night. And I got up at 6. I really pushed myself through the school project, when I should have just let it go... but no one can tell me anything, once I get a notion, I'll move heaven and earth, time and space to make it happen. Done it before, will probably do similar stupid stuff ‘til I die. Normally, I wouldn't bug you guys with this information, it's enough to say I spent ‘around' eight hours on the candy corn, even when I know it's probably closer to ten, and my bedtime, sick or not, isn't something ya'll need to worry about. I always want to paint things better than they are.

Anyway. I got them dropped off, with felt to personalize them cut and ready to go. The tray of spare scraps was overflowing with cutaway from the project and six other colors from my stash. I was so happy I'd made the effort, the kids were gonna have a great party, with something neat to show off ! Dearest came home, and... the candy corn was exactly as I'd sent it, with the felt strips tucked into one side of the ‘haul bag'. Well, not exactly as I sent it, his had a wide strip of acid green frosting up the front. When I asked, he said they didn't have time for it.

(sigh) Didn't have time...Arrrgh ! What would have happened if I ‘didn't have time' last night when I was still stitching the bloody things together at 1 in the blasted morning ? If  I'd given up when my arms and fingers started to hurt ? Or I didn't have the strength to turn them in today because I was up all danged night ? My morning was a true ‘h#ll day' - more later - and there were other things I could have done with my life. I understand, not everything works as planned, but... I can't help but be a bit bitter about it. And the ‘Christmas tree' thing is right out. From now on, I'm sending a bag of Chee-tohs, and that's more than 60% of parents do for these blasted no-time school parties. I'm sorry to vent here, but it's not like I can say anything or blast at the Homeroom parent or his teacher. I busted my butt and got boned for it. Would have been nice if one or the other had called me to say they couldn't use my efforts, but they didn't, their choice, I had to hear it from our son. My mistake. It won't happen again. 

OK, I'm gonna calm down now. What's done is done, all I can do is learn and go on... back to your normal blog entry, already in progress...

Today was just one of those H#ll Days. Was up late last night with the candy corn project and prepping Dearest Son's costume, so I didn't get to lie down long, but I was asleep as soon as my head came near horizontal. Swatted the snooze until I overslept a bit, but it was just a few minutes. Dearest was cooperative, and we had fun getting him in costume. About all he has to do is swap boots for sneakers for PE.

I decided to give myself a bit of a break, and told his teacher and the Homeroom Parent I'd drop the candy corn craft stuff by the office around 10am. Originally, I'd intended to be there around 9am, but I was dirt-tired. So I took an hour's nap - I only got two campaigning idiot phonecalls during that hour ! -  and got a bite to eat. Of course, now the phone was eerily silent. Once I got all the black and white felt pieces cut out, I discovered we didn't have enough baggies, so instead, I sent ‘em along inside a small sack, with a note to the Homeroom Parent. Hey, it keeps the waste down, right ?

Had it all bagged and ready to go when I got a knock at the door. We sublet land to a nice lady for her horses. Well, Animal Protection was here to tell me one of them had gotten out ! Yikes ! I called the horses' owner, and she was here in jig time. He'd gotten back inside, somehow, and none were hurt, but what a scare ! She's checking for fence breaks.

So now, I'm a half-hour later than I said I'd be, but not much for it. The phone rang again, and it was DFIL, organizing the weekend. Necessary, and always nice to hear his voice, but... Got all that sorted out, and then I couldn't find my blasted keys !

With the candy corn finally out of my life, I realized that I forgot to take a picture of them all. D'oh ! Oh, well. Headed on to Mal-Wart for my meds of the month, when Beloved Hubby calls - since it's so close to lunch, it'd be great if I could pick up a rotisserie chicken ! Well, the juicy fowl of the day weren't quite done, so I got a few other things we needed... and then they were done, but no one had packed them up yet. Ended up standing around for 15 minutes, behind two other chicken aficionados with another behind me, waiting for someone with the skill, determination, and a quarter hour to put them into little plastic sarcophagi. I felt sorry for the guy at the head of the line, he only had 30min. for lunch !

At least he wasn't behind the nice older lady who, after having a satisfying conversation with the Express Lane cashier, remembered to dig in the Samsonite luggage that served as her purse, for her checkbook. (sigh) I wasn't that tired when I started the odyssey, but by the time I got out of Mal-Wart, I was wiped out !

But the long-awaited chicken was heartening, and I had an hour before the bus, so I headed off to the Flea Market ! Turns out it is this weekend, and I wanted to go. The nice lady I'd bought the Sew Perfect and Folding house from was there, but she didn't have any more major buys. She did have tons and piles of stuff, and I extracted a few bits and pieces from ‘em.

And, I now have another Ballerina and Malibu ! Add a Sweet Sixteen or Quick Curl, and you'd have most of my childhood, right there. They were both filthy, but cleaning ‘em is part of the fun, and it wasn't long before I had them nice and shiny. Ballerina needs a reroot - yaaay ! I've always wanted a brunette Ballerina ! - and Malibu does, too, but she's fine for now. Her legs are sooo cool ! The back of her left knee is split, but they click 5 (!) times ! They both have some foot chews, and some scrapes and stains here and there, but I love ‘em both, and a buck each was soo cheap for all this fun. Whoo-hoo ! You'll get their photo tomorrow, promise !

Few weeks ago, in an LDP lot I got off eBay, I got one of those ‘Musical Princess' dolls of Snow White. Their stands play some signature music, while the miniature 6" doll wears one of the character's iconic gowns. These started coming out around 1994, and worked through several permutations - different gowns/music, hollowed out for bubble solution and perfume, twirling stands, on and on. Without even changing the ‘Disney Princess' banner at the top, they started adding Princes to the lot, and selling paired sets that wore ice skates and had special couples stands. Very successful line for Mattel.

And before today, I only had a wrecked-hair Snow. It took a while to get her hair back to ‘Snow' from ‘Bride of Frankenstein' ! But now she can have her own tea party - for 50c each, I snagged Belle, Cinderella, two Jasmines, and Aurora ! Three of them have the sane ‘wedge' feet as Snow, but Cinda and one Jazzie actually wear character-correct molded shoes. Normally, I wouldn't have snagged two Jasmines, but one wears a white Cinderella dress ! They were all dressed, too. Just need clean-up and hair brushing. Sweeet ! I think I'm only missing an Ariel and Pocahontas, if I wanted one of each Princess character made.

I also scored an interesting Barbie figure - I'm guessing it came from a cake. You'll get her photo soon, because I don't know who she is ! Also possibly originating as dessert décor is a pretty blowing-wind gown Belle, and a Happy Meal set of Aladdin and Jasmine figures. LDP Jasmine didn't have a doll of herself, so I was happy to find them. I also got a Fisher Price Cinderella toddler figure, a Polly Pocket -size plastic Cinderella carriage, and for Dearest, a Luke Skywalker figure and a Lego Happy Meal toy of a skateboarder. All these goodies combined came to a staggering $8.50.

The booth I mentally call The Official Flea Market Barbie Store was back - she had the pink version of the A-frame Dream House, that really huge one. $65. Which is about average for it. It figures in many ‘wanted but never got' grown collector's psyches ! I bought the 1978 orange/yellow one for $15. in 2001, and for such a huge structure, it really doesn't have that much space inside. By the time I got a room set up, there was barely space for one doll, much less two. So it got left behind in The Big Move. Still, it's a nice house, and visually unique. I just prefer what I already have, much to Beloved Hubby's relief ! I'd just paid $1. each for Ballerina and Malibu, so all her modern blondes ($3.) weren't as eye-catching. Really, if I buy any Barbie dolls these days, it's either male dolls, late 80s Midges, or Steffie-faced girls. With the occasional Vintage - or near Vintage - find.

I may just stay home tomorrow... I'm kinda dizzy right now, and very, very sleepy. You'd think the four cans of soda I've had today would have kept me going, but I'm crashin' hard. Hope your Halloween was fun - mine was full of tricks and treats !

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:16 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 11:40 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Candy corn overload ! 

Who knew ? Not me. I thought ‘pseudoephedrine' meant ‘fake ephedrine', so the side-effects weren't the same. Turns out, it didn't help my symptoms much, but did keep me up all night last night. Just like real ‘speed'. (sigh) I got maybe three hours of sleep, tops. So, again, like yesterday, after Dearest Son got on the bus, my butt got back in bed. But only for two hours. I had work to do !

Beloved Hubby's still in the worst of the flu throes, came home early and got some rest with me. After three auto-dialer election reminder/campaign phonecalls, we got up and went for caffeine. Neither of us has been up to grocery shopping, and still aren't, so it was another Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino morning.

I was still very tired, so I have to confess, I didn't really even start on the candy corn project until 12:30. In two hour groupings, though, it went fast and wasn't very taxing. Took me a bit under two hours to get all the pieces cut out, and nearly that to sew the three colors together. Sewing the back and bottom seams and turning was tough work, as felt will stretch on ya if yer not careful, and that took an hour and a half. Stuffing, finishing the back seam, and adding the hanging loop, unfortunately, had to be done by hand, including the sewing, and it took forever. About three hours. All in all, not counting the pattern drafting and first prototype attempt, I've put about eight or maybe nine hours in this. Add another hour for tomorrow - I still have to cut and bag felt for the eyes and mouth, and bag it all for delivery. Whew ! I'm so glad it's nearly over !

You know, one of the reasons I really busted butt to do this was a deal I made with m'self. If I pulled this off, I could sit on my butt during the Christmas party ! Well... I'm seriously thinking of making a similar design, as a Christmas tree they can decorate. What's the old saying ? ‘Fools never learn" ...?

Anyway, that was pretty much my whole day. Dearest Son decided he wanted to repeat his ‘Bo Duke' (Dukes of Hazard) costume for this year, but up until his bedtime, he wanted his karate gi. So I had to put off finishing candy corn a bit and find the requisite jeans, blue shirt, and yellow button-down. He already knew where his boots were. That ended up with me waiting out a laundry cycle, then tossing the whole load into the dryer. Hopefully it'll all be dry tomorrow. I'm too tired for anything else ! I'll make him a new Dukes nametag in the morning.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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Current Mood : Exhaused but a little excited, too...

Ooohgh. I wish I knew where this flu was going next. Still had trouble sleeping last night, and woke up with a blinding headache. It actually hurt to open my eyes. Didn't help that I overslept, and Dearest had to wake up and start getting his rear in gear. He was NOT happy about that. I normally wake him with enough time to ease into the day.

But with a lot of help from Beloved Hubby, he was dressed and ready in time for the bus. Some Sam's Club knockoff Tylenol had taken the edge of the headache by then, but my head and lungs still pounded. So I slept until 10am, which helped a bit.

Wasn't sure if I was up to the ‘candy corn' activity I'd planned to make for Dearest's class Halloween party, but it was now or never day. I already had the pattern drawn out, just hadn't been able to sew it yet. If I couldn't, or it was simply beyond me, today was the day I had to tell the Homeroom Moms. For some reason, I just couldn't say, ‘I'm sick, I can't, I'll have to let it go.' I really should have, but I simply couldn't do it, much as I wanted to.

Luckily, it was as easy as I thought it was, and the prototype pictured today only took about a half hour, start to finish. Honestly, it turned out better than I planned. I added a hanging loop, and the back seams are good, even the part where I have to sew it with the seam out - to allow for turning and stuffing - doesn't look too bad.  Both Dearest and the Homeroom Parent I sent photos to are very enthusiastic about it.

So, since the party's Friday, you can imagine what I'm doing tomorrow. While the class is 18 kids, I wanna send at least 20, maybe one or two more. That way, his teacher and any others at the party - siblings, staff, resources folks, anybody -  can join in. Once I'm done with today's entry, I'm gonna cut stuff out as much as I can before I crash. I even made sure to stay up all day today (and it was rough going !) in hopes I'd sleep tonight and have the energy for this Thursday.

Only one problem. I didn't have enough of the orange felt. I had to shower and drive to Hobby Lobby for more. This really scared me, since I'm still suckin' down inhalers and OTC cough medicines, and driving is not a privilege I take lightly. But I hadn't come this far to wimp out now. So, I got it done. Slow and careful. And I probably gave the flu to the kids who cut in front of me in line, and the two grown men who butted in front when a new line opened. I know I'm petty and mean, but I really hope those self-important nubs caught it. I hope that one with the glasses remembers me wheezing and heaving and having to lean on the checkstand behind him in the second line to pay for one lousy yard of orange felt when he's chucking into the toilet and coughing so hard he sees stars. I hope, in my petty and mean way, that the two minutes they saved cost them each a week in sick time.

The trip was not without amusement. I got to wait behind two college girls buying fabric to hand-sew their Halloween costumes tonight. Green glitter stretch Lycra and tulle would be the basis for one young woman's Tinkerbell costume - and she planned to hand-sew it to completion tonight. She borrowed a tape measure from the staff to measure her upper bust, declaring that two yards of the Lycra should be fine. Um...she was about six inches taller than me, but not much slimmer. If she's making a simple tube, then measuring around one of her smallest points isn't gonna help her much. And hand-stitching stretch knits isn't something I'd wish on anybody, especially one who plans on using the needles from that sewing kit she saw at the registers. I know that one, some of the best hotels give out similar models. (sigh) I was afraid to ask what she was doing for thread, but luckily, I was too out of breath to do anything but mind my own business. 

I also got the ‘Made with Love By' labels in the mail, finally. At least that I could do without moving much ! Beloved Hubby had come home before I left, exhausted and trembling, and he was waiting for the bus when I got back. We passed a quiet night, and I'm gonna get a head-start on tomorrow's sew-fest. Wish me luck !

And while it was at best, a mildly amusing headache, I was glad I went to HLobby today. Being shut in for so long is dangerous. It doesn't take much, or a lot of time, before 'can't go out' becomes 'can't ever go out'. I drove OK, better than some of the presumably healthier drivers I encountered, so I should be fine. May even hit the flea market Friday, after I drop off the candy corn activity. Yep, it's back again !

Oh, and a quick PS - the 'candy corn' I'm sending is about eight inches tall, and won't have a face on it. That's the kids' activity - to cut up and glue the felt I'll include to put whatever face they design on it. I made a quick one so they'll know what I'm thinking. It's lightly stuffed, and if I hadn't gotten so ill, they'd have been dated on the back. Oh, well. Homeroom Mom is already in love with it !

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:29 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 11:39 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Edgy and whiny

Well, I got the last two weeks caught up tonight. Photos'll be up as soon as possible, I may have the energy to get some taken tomorrow. It's a rocky climb back to what I took for granted, but I'm too tired to be sick anymore. I got a load of much-needed laundry done, with manageable wheezing, so I think I'm finally on the upswing. Which is good, since the house is a complete disaster area !

On the plus side, it's done wonders to curtail my wild spending ! I haven't spent a dime on my stuff since I made that huge score at the Flea Market two weekends ago. And I still have 7/8 of a tank of gas, too. Of course, the pantry and fridge are looking a bit bare...

Hung out for a while in the Lab. When I get a bit more of my strength back, I'm gonna pull down the Hugh Jass doll furniture box and grab a few things. Might as well make the Castle inhabitable - and playable ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Sunday, 2 November 2008 4:44 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Digging out from under tissues and down time... 

We're getting better - but Beloved Hubby called in sick to his clients today, and got some much-needed rest. I'm still wheezing, but it's not as bad as before, so I have hope that I won't always be sick ! ‘Cause, ya know, I'm really getting tired of always being ill...

Dearest Son has misplaced all three of his coats, so I confess, I wasn't as understanding as I could have been... especially since I asked him yesterday if he had his coat and shoes ready for this morning. He left two at school and one at his grandparents', but that didn't help today - he had to wear a much-too-small jacket that I was surprised I hadn't ditched to Community Thrift yet. He made sure to bring back the two in his desk, and DMIL brought over the one from their house, so at least he'll be warm this week. Of course, he left his lunch bag at school today...(sigh)

The platform Beloved made for my dollhouses is just beautiful. He says it's just scrap plywood, but I see lovely ribboned Birch, lightly stained and shiny, with smooth edges and gorgeous markings. It took me a bit, but I got it placed and put the Castle on it. Wow.  It's like they got new parquet flooring... and it really reflects light up into the structure. Beloved still maintains it's scrap wood treated with whatever varnish was in the spray rig at the time, but I think it's beautiful.

Unfortunately, that's about all my doll time today. I still haven't taken 90% of the photos I need for the this, but I see that I'm already two weeks overdue. I could just slap myself for being so lazy when I had the strength to be busy !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

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