I shoulda known this was coming when I said, 'No more dolls !'

 

Current Mood : Havin' fun !

Spent on dolls :  $4.31

Spent on doll food props : $2.16

 

Ya'll are sooo gonna laugh at me, but when I saw that broadcloth was 99c/yd at Hancock Fabrics, I knew I had to go. I'm nearly completely out of black ! I didn't toss any during last year's big clean out, since I know you can always use more 1) black, 2) white 3) most any solid color - it's the prints ya gotta watch, for scale and color and everything. Most every fabric I tossed was a print of some sort, in knit, in woven, didn't matter. Mostly florals, because those go from ‘neat' to ‘oversized' to ‘downright gaudy' really fast. Plus, it's easy to end up with a huge collection of prints without even trying. Solid colors often look boring folded up, and don't often inspire as much, but ya gotta have solids ! They come in handy for nearly everything, and broadcloth is a great weight for nearly anything.

 

Plus, the cheapest I've seen broadcloth is $1.20/yd ($2. minus a 40% off coupon), although about once every four to six months, Hancock's marks it down. It's just that I haven't needed any, since it's not like I could inventory that mess I had. Our local Mal-Wart has a selection of broadcloth colors all day long for $1.87, but I noticed it went up a bit at that store that only has pre-cut ‘Celebrations' fabric. Bah.

 

I also decided I wanted to check Michael's Crafts, see if they ever got more 6mm foam sheets in stock. Then hit the thrift, and do a bit of grocery shopping. I was getting dressed when it hit me - today's the 3^rd. Broadcloth sale starts on the 4^th. (sigh) So I called Michael's, and they remain out of stock on the foam sheets. Well, no point in driving across town today, so we'll keep things small with the thrift and groceries.

 

At least I knew before driving all the way there, right ? I had to pop poor Molly-chan's hood open twice to break up the ice and snow enough to slide it off, then repeated the action with her trunk, but at least that only took one good slam. Dearest Son helped. Twenty minutes and four frozen hands later, we were ready to go. Too bad Molly-chan didn't start. Oh, well.  Hooked up the battery charger and went back inside for a half-hour. Shoot, I thought. I'll barely get her out of the driveway before Friday - when we're expecting snow again.

 

But once on the way, everything went well. Dearest found a neat police truck that's precisely in scale with his DeLorean for $2.99, and it worked perfectly, soon as we got fresh batteries in it. We saw the exact vehicle a few minutes later at Mal-Wart for $25.

 

And here's another, bigger laugh - I scored a bag of dolls (sigh) for $3.99. Got today's nude crown-attached Ken, with two Prince-type outfits with boots, and a pretty blonde SuperStar, with a purple party dress. I just can't resist the good-lookin' guys, and the dress was really pretty. I also got two more packages of those food-shaped, Barbie-sized erasers. What can I say, I'm a total sucker for those bento-box lunches ! 

 

Once the groceries were put away, I had some fun with an empty candy box - and enjoyed emptying it, too - and the new guy. And I started in on a new ‘do for ‘Gabrielle'. Yup, it's gonna go shorter and hopefully not so cotton candy-like. Oh, and Beloved Hubby wants to go with me to Hancock's Friday, since he wants to create something. Awesome !

Icicle ! Icicle ! Icicle ! (yeah, again with the 'Bicycle Race' theme)

 

Current Mood : Slightly giggly - we rented Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. Full of sight gags.

 

Current Image Notes : It's gone now - Beloved Hubby knocked it down before it fell down and possibly hurt someone, since snow and ice are melting fast now - but isn't this an amazing icicle formation ? 

 

Quiet but happy day here at Chez Insanity. I'm still a bit dazed, but I'm feeling much better. Still had to kinda take it easy, but Dearest Son and I worked together for over an hour, and got the living room all cleaned up. All it needs now is a run-through with the vacuum. I feel so much better about life in general, when the kitchen and living room are in fairly decent shape. He joked about doing our own ‘Clean House' while straightening up his desk and play table, so I had to grin.

 

Plus, we got rent paid and did a bit of window-shopping at TRU while Beloved Hubby picked up a door for his clients. Dearest still wants a ‘Search and Protect' Eve, to go with his Christmas ‘U-Repair' Wall-e gift, so we headed straight for where we bought Wall-e. Nope. Not a single toy from that line anywhere in the whole store. We checked the entire section, and points beyond, three times, and once more, when Beloved arrived to pick us up. Dearest was a bit disappointed, but I knew at least two places to order her from, plus he's still earning tickets for her. By the time she arrives, he'll probably have enough, and some to sock aside for the $32. remote control Ben 10 car he also fell in love with.

 

I got a quick peek at the doll aisles and markdown shelves, and there was flat nothing there I hadn't seen elsewhere, usually cheaper. While they had a larger selection of Barbie Basics, I'm happy with Triana, and don't want another. The only reason I was interested in the Swirl repro was the record player and ‘Dancing Doll' dress, and I can make the latter, and won the former from In The Pink already. Don't need to spend $45. there.

 

I still think about snagging that Pan-Am stewardess repro, but again, with some serious attention to detail, I can probably make it m'self, since I decided earlier this week that the last thing I need on this planet is another doll. Don't get me wrong, I love Charlotte's unique look, but I think I have finally hit doll saturation. Unless Mattel seriously pulls out something new and amazing in the next couple weeks, or I find a brunette #1 at a flea market, I think I'm out of the doll market for a while.

 

Oh, there's still plenty for me to want, but I really don't have space for much anymore. I am not allowing m'self to return to such an over-crowded Lab again, not ever. I still wanna go back to Michael's, see if they got any more of those 6mm foam sheets back in stock, and hit the thrifts, but that's about it for shopping.

 

Evidently, our DVR has decided I don't need to see many more episodes of Clean House, since it's been recording either one to eight minutes of an episode, or recording something completely different, like Whose Wedding is it Anyway ? instead. At least it got Hoarders right. Kinda painful, that show. Most of the family and friends trying to help don't really understand, they just wanna trash everything they find and be done with it. Loving intent is usually there, but all it really does is make the hoarder cling tighter to what he or she has, or insist on going through every single bag and box. That one guy's mother wasn't even really listening to him at all, and his sister had a snide smirk on her face the whole time. I really felt for him.

 

Getting sleepy again. Hope your day was good - I hope to hit some thrifts with our tomorrow !

Ugh.... that's it, just 'ugh'. Oh, and Happy February.

 

Current Mood : Drowning fish

 

Not having a very good day today. My asthma's back, and it's in a foul mood. I sat in the lab for a while, and finally redid the lace and ribbon I had overpacked in a plastic shelf set, which used to be a night-stand. It's still crammed pretty tight, but now it's not stuff scattered any-which-way. There's a lace drawer (seriously crammed full), a ribbon one (partially empty), and a trim drawer, with bias tape, some sequin stuff, and other delights. At least now, if I ever decide to use any of it, I'll be able to find it.

 

Sorry this is late and not much, but I'm not really up to moving around, so I haven't done much else today. I keep falling asleep, too, which is pretty weird considering I'm sucking down steroids via the inhaler.

 

Hope your day's going better !

Day wasn't a total waste - the Lab's clean !

 

Current Mood : Nostalgic - Used Cars is on. 

 

Well, there's the 10c formerly silverware hanging rack - as you can see, it now holds scissors and tools. Works pretty well, and fits just right on the cutting table.

 

We got to sleep in a bit, and enjoyed a quiet day. Beloved fixed my stereo speakers, although he had to take them apart to do so. One had a loose wire, but the other was fine. Turns out the selector switch on the radio / DVD / aux unit is screwing up. Oh, well. My MP3 player worked just fine hooked up to it this afternoon, so I'll enjoy it as long as I can.

 

Long as I was in the Lab, I got it all cleaned up from the last couple projects. Put the two Barbie bags of stabilizer away, put some doll shoes and props away, re-folded some fabric, found a couple of pins on the floor - and not with my feet this time !

 

And I finally found a place for the clamp-lamp. I couldn't find a single overhang on the desk, but it turns out the slightly protruding eaves on the fabric-storage dollhouse are just big enough for the clamp to grip on to, and the angle is perfect for some extra light on the sewing machines. Exactly what I needed. It's even far back out of the way enough so I don't hit it when I'm cutting fabric. Now I'm glad I bought it again ! I hate to waste three bucks...

 

Not much going on. Thanks for all your praise on the doll dress - I may actually keep it ! What saved my sewing butt was that the collar piece was cut on the bias, so it had some give and stretch. Normally, I don't pay much attention to fabric grain, but I didn't want to take a chance this time. Besides, how do you determine grain on the tulle Modern Art uses ?

 

Michelle, I think it'd be awesome if you made your own Princess and the Frog characters - there's plenty of neat dolls already out there for both ladies ! In fact, a Christie of my acquaintance has lovely big brown eyes, and would make a great Tiana. I'm actually thinking of finding a good Steven and calling him Naveen, since I prefer Steven's sweet face to the character's very pointed chin. His doll, in some ways, looks like the Milo one from Disney's Atlantis. I'm still working up the gumption to take my Tiana's hair down, it's so perfect the way it is, I haven't yet.

 

Well, it's getting a bit late, and Dearest Son's home tomorrow. We already got word that school's closed tomorrow, roads are re-freezing tonight. Can't wait to show you the icicle hanging off our front porch ! Dearest knocked them all off Friday, but this monster grew back today.

 

Hope everyone's warm and safe and dry ! Hi, E !

We got a half inch of ice and eight inches of snow this week !

 

Current Mood : Drowzy, but craft-happy.

 

Well, there it is, the Aileen's Petite Fashions pattern #43, Pak Silk Sheath. Very busy fabric - now I know why the Mattel ones were sold in solid colors only. I get a little dizzy looking at it. Modeling is a headless straight-leg vintage body, too badly damaged and too dirty to use any other way. It's nice to use as a fitting dummy, since it's the original body, and it's all harder vinyl, clothes slide off and on easily, once I get ‘em past her sharp fingers and over her missing pinky. The photo flatters the dress, since you can't see the weird fabric bulges by the bustline.

 

Didn't get out much, but we did actually leave, for a late lunch and to pick up a few things. Thank Everything that Beloved Hubby's big truck is 4WD, although the roads weren't that bad. Parking lots and driveways, however, were skating rinks !

 

Dearest Son got to go with his Grand-dad today, for a day of fun at their house. DFIL is all interested in Beloved's AirSoft stuff, so perhaps they'll get to go play next Sunday. I think it'd be wonderful if DFIL, Beloved, and Dearest all got to play together one day !

 

As for me, I spent another glorious day goofing off, cuddling with DC, watching useless cable, playing with Friday, and working in some minor cleaning and laundry. The snow and ice are just starting to melt, and with nothing new falling tomorrow - and temps near the low 40s ! - it'll be back to normal in no time for us. I don't envy the Eastern Seaboard in the next couple of days, though.

 

About 10pm I realized that, while I'd spent a lot of time digitizing designs and wrestling with Stitch Era Universal, I hadn't embroidered anything. Well, shoot. So, at 10:30, I decide to use one of the appliqué designs in Brody's memory, installed months ago. It was a simple set of initials, for Dearest, that I'd gotten free - one of those ‘get a letter every day, collect the set' annoyances from last year. Stitched up really well, though, and I got to use some scraps from the first milk-crate slipcover that I hadn't cleaned from the cutting table yet.

 

Still, starting a t-shirt design at 10:30 at night seemed stupid. I was kinda sleepy and hadn't really planned on doing it right that moment, but I wanted to keep my goal going... and surprisingly, it only took an hour, start to finish, from deciding which color thread and fabric to use, to daubing off chalk positioning marks and ironing on stitch-shield on the underside. Normally hooping alone takes about a half hour for knit fabrics, but it just hummed right along. Hm. Maybe I am over-thinking (read : worrying) my stitching sometimes.

 

Hoping to do some dolls in the snow photography tomorrow, and I need to ‘reset' the Lab for another week of crafting. I just love how my Lab looks still ! The desk really makes it. I just need to figure out how to position that clamp-lamp so I can use it on either machine. For all its ‘cubbiness' and shelves, there's very few places I can clamp the lamp. Beloved's gonna have a look at my stereo, the speakers aren't working very well anymore. I hope he can fix them - it's only three or four years old, but then again, we only paid $30. for it !

 

Snow !

 

Current Mood : Snow !

Spent on embroidery designs (sigh) : $5.48

 

We woke up to snow this morning, and it really started in early this afternoon. It slowed down around 6pm, and is now mostly just drifting. Dearest Son and Friday went out to play in it this afternoon, and their tracks were covered within two hours. We start the big thaw tomorrow, but I hope to get a couple doll photos first. It's just been too cold for me to go outside these past few days.

 

So I stay inside, watch cable and Dearest and Friday, craft a bit, shop a bit (guilty blush), and sew. Finished the dress I started earlier this week. Looks OK, but there's still these fabric bulges where I don't want ‘em. You'll get photos of it tomorrow, soon as I put some closures in. Since it's not very good, I'll probably use Velcro.

 

On the plus side, I pretty much nailed the collar. I'm still not sure if I did it the way the directions said to, but it looks fairly good and isn't uneven, so I'm calling the collar part a success. And I even think I know where I messed up the bulges - I may have placed the pattern piece a bit off the fold, which would explain why the darts are also a bit off. And the armhole was on the opposite side of the pattern piece, so it may have been cut a bit small. Since so much worked - and what didn't can easily be fixed - I'll probably sew it again, carefully.

 

I didn't mess with the collar bow, or the same-fabric belt. With fabric that busy, they would have been undetectable anyway. Also skipped the hat. Maybe later, on the retry.

 

I also blew my embroidery budget. Well, that didn't take long. Embroidery Library had some irresistible designs at a great intro price - and they followed that with a ‘half-off $10.' sale ! Long story short, I now have the five newest designs I liked (two filigree sewing machines, and similar dress form, tomato pincushion, and scissor ones) , two freebies, and the two appliqué designs from my ‘Wish List', a VW Beetle and a rocket ship. Not bad for $5.48, but still, precisely what I said I wouldn't do. Oh, well. I really like those new designs, so I'm not that upset with me ! Just need to do better - and hope it'll be a while before EmbLibary comes out with something else irresistible. Then, too, it's not like I'll get to go shopping this weekend, and I'm fairly certain the Flea Market's been cancelled.

 

Oh, and I reconfigured my embroidery stabilizer storage. All the ‘tube' stuff is in the latest "First Class Doll" Barbie tote, and the stuff in envelopes and ziplock-type bags is in the "Who Cares if You're Plastic ?" one from last year. Ranks that this doesn't really display them, since they're stored under the desk, but it does keep them in use, and saves a quick $10. or so for other storage options.

 

Believe this or not, we actually got a UPS delivery today. Beloved Hubby ordered some scratch-and-dent markdown AirSoft stuff on final sale Friday, and it arrived from Atlanta this morning. So he was out in the snow getting it sighted and later, testing the minor repairs. When ya can save 2/3 by mixing epoxy and patching two small spots on the stock, I say, go for it. It's sure not affecting his accuracy - he was doing pretty well out there, from what I saw and heard. Company included some free ammo and a neat fridge magnet with their logo. It looks kind of funky on our fridge, surrounded by Barbie magnets !

Thursday... on ice !

 

Current Mood : Cold over by the windows, but I love watching the ice on the tree branches reflect light !

 

Attacking an hour's worth of dishes yesterday really seems to have helped my possibly-sewn last week finger - the cut was deeper than I thought, and the edges snagged on things I carried, but now it looks nearly healed. It was either the dishes or massaging a meatloaf into existence for dinner last night !

 

Oh, and I forgot to tell ya'll the reason Beloved Hubby bought me Charlotte. He was looking for the Prince Naveen doll - I was whining about not being able to find him - but he said his eyes were caught by Charlotte, and she just radiated ‘cute'. He also said she has my cheeks. Since there were still no Naveens, he got me what he said was the prettiest one he could find. Awwww...

 

Actually, I have a place for her. Since I'm not a huge fan of pink - like it well enough, but it's not my fave - very few of my dolls wear it. Charlotte here was made to wear pink ! I just kinda wish her body was as round as her face suggests. The imbalance makes her head look oversized. I hope to find some matching pink fabric either in my stash or next time I'm out and about. I want to make her cloche hat, since Mattel skipped it.

 

Oh, and you can already pre-order the movie DVD from disneystore.com. It's coming out March 16^th. Gee, I hope I actually like the characters all these dolls I have represent ! Her outfit is one Joanne sent me last February - I just opened it for Charlotte today. It has a small hole in the back of the hood from the plastic t-thingies holding it in the box. (sigh)

 

Looks like we got about an inch of accumulated ice. Before the storm hit, cars were moving at near lightspeed this morning. It hit about noon, and after that, I only saw a few cars, and at twilight, only sand/salt trucks were out there. Only one ambulance all day, thank Everything. We're due for anywhere from one to eight inches of snow tomorrow, which should really spice things up ! Or freeze the heck out of ‘em instead ! It's so beautiful outside, though...too bad it's too cold to really get out in it. 

 

We spent most of the day wresting with Stitch Era Universal, trying our darndest to create a patch for Beloved Hubby's AirSoft group. He ended up installing it on his system, since he blistered mine with curses all day. I'm still having problems with it, and may end up reinstalling it m'self.

 

Also gave a good try at the ‘Pak Silk Sheath' clone I cut out of some scrap Christmas cotton - it's sort of good, sort of bad. Figured out the collar, even though I didn't do it as directed, but it mostly works, but the darts don't seem to be in the right places, and there's some fabric bunching up on one side, where the armhole is just a bit too small. I'm thinking of finishing it as a dress - it's a simple, slightly gathered straight skirt - and going on from there. I also got reacquainted with why I hate tulle as an armhole facing material, and used my new scissor (formerly silverware) holder / rack. On the whole, it wasn't a difficult pattern, and the armholes looked great (until I sewed the collar !) but I confess that most of the directions mystified me. Here are some to puzzle through -

 

3) Pin the bias collar to the bodice front and back right sides together - sew through the front side -clip the collar and neck edge - turn.

 

4) Turn down back of collar and slip stitch in place finishing the collar edge.

 

Does that mean I sew one long side of the collar to the bodice, then sew it again, this time sewing the raw edges of the collar together, then turning it right side out ? I actually sewed the short edges of the collar together, turned it right side out, then sewed it to the bodice - one thickness of bodice, two of collar. I'm sure these directions made perfect sense when she wrote them, and to the right doll seamstress, but to me, they're just confusing. Heavens willing and we don't lose power, I'll work on the rest of the dress tomorrow, but I really hate those fabric ripples on one side.

 

Well, it's getting late. Did some laundry to keep the pipes warm, reserving some for tomorrow. Beloved thinks I have some prescient sense that knows when storms are coming, and I'll wait on laundry for a week or two, so I'll have plenty when we ‘need' it. That's the best excuse for my laziness I've ever heard !

 

And I actually saw two episodes of Clean House I'd never seen before - one that was so old, the opening sequence was completely foreign. I think Mark's the only ‘then to now' cast member. Still, having CH over when you've only been married three weeks seems rather odd to me. Poor guy !

Weird winter weather 2010 - take one !

 

Current Mood : Anticipatory !

 

Sorry yesterday's entry ended so abruptly. Beloved Hubby came home - with surprises ! Much as I loved the huge cake, the one just for me captured my attention. He got me Charlotte ! Isn't she adorable ? I wasn't sure if I wanted her, but I just love her now. You know, one day, I'm gonna have to go see Princess and the Frog.

 

So I never returned to work on the dress I started yesterday. We grabbed a quick dinner, rented a movie, and settled in to dinner, cake, and doll deboxing. G-Force is about some secret squirrels - no, sorry, secret guinea pigs - or something, it wasn't too engaging for me, especially when there's cake and a new doll in the same room. To me, they spent entirely too much time discussing / whining which of them (hamsters, moles, guineas) were cute, and which weren't. Great. Appearance anxiety amongst the CGI.

 

Niecy Nash also had a role, which is pretty much identical to her stint on Clean House - she saw something she didn't like, and stomped around and shrieked dramatically until someone else took care of it. At least she didn't try armchair analysis of just why the mole felt dead, and why his cage looked so bad. You'll be relieved to learn that, even in a film role, she's not without a hair-flower.

 

Ah, I'm just bein' bitter. I'll be glad to see some new CH episodes, if they ever make any. I'm erasing the same ones over and over every week.

 

In the interim, I cleaned my own house a bit today - with Beloved Hubby home Monday, I got a late start on things. But the dishes are caught up, and the laundry is slowly getting back under control. Friday has no problems going into the trash, dragging his prize into the living room and shredding it until he's caught. He looks so hurt and contrite when I yell at him to stay out of there, but within five minutes, he's digging again. I need to get a lidded can next week. I hate picking up and tossing trash once, so picking up the same empty bag from lunch meat three or four times just jumps on my nerves !

 

Not sure if I'll do any housework tomorrow - I'm thinking of going buck-wild on my closet, though - since we're expecting an inch or two of ice. Not snow, ice. Fifty-two degrees out today, black ice tomorrow. Go figure. Beloved's planning on staying home, doing what he can in his Shop, so I nicked off after dinner and snagged the few groceries we needed, and a short ton of snack food. We actually needed milk (our last gallon expired Sunday) and DC's cat food, but all the rest was comfort junk. I'm sort of looking forward to things, long as we don't lose power !

 

Hope you're warm and comfy tonight !

Second-hand fun - soon to be 'spray paint fun' !

 

Current Mood : Happy lucky !

 

Spent on craft supplies : $2.16

Spent on doll stuff : 27c

Spent on Lab organization : 11c

 

Got to get out for a bit - made my twice-delayed visit to Dollar Tree today, and took Dearest Son with me. And we hit a local thrift we normally skip. Plus, I think I've decided what my next sewing effort is (hint : fools never learn !) , and I got Dearest's next embroidery design all done already. Busy morning, especially considering I really wasn't up and around until nearly 10am !

 

Currently, Dearest is entranced with the Back to the Future movies, and I think much of the appeal is the DeLorean car / time machine. He saw a ‘real live' DeLorean last weekend with his grandfather, and still talks about it. We taped all three movies, but aside from the stellar car models from Diamond Select - yes, the comic distributor - there isn't much out there for the next-gen fans. The next car, representing the third film, is due out in April, and he's already driving us crazy with advance want.

 

So we toured the DeLorean Motor Company website together, downloaded some wallpapers, and I snagged their logo for digitizing. Utter, total failure. It just has too many details that are too tiny, so it all smears together. Since most of the logo is the DMC in their signature font, over a set of checkered flags, I decided to find the font. Freebie win on the first link. And it digitized beautifully. So now that's ready to go when there's time.

 

Dollar Tree is always fun. I got two packs of craft foam, which is 1.5mm, even smaller than before, in packages of sixteen. My old pack, that got raided to make the blue box, was a pack of 20, in 2mm thickness. Oh, well. I got the last two they had, so I can't whine. The rest was Dearest's four selections and some cheep household necessities. I can't tell you how much we needed knockoff Q-tips ! And Friday loves his latest chew-toy. I can make them cheap enough, but I gotta get off my butt and get some squeakers from PetSmart first. So until then, the DTree toys are fine. And they have squeakers !

 

I actually had a major-to-me score at the Thrift. I loved the My Scene ‘Getting Ready' Nolee set when it came out - all those neat Asian décor pieces, and that awesome closet ! Never bought it though, since my toy boxes were already too full for it, but still, it was awesome. Well, you know what happened with all that build-up ! Yep, I found the green torii-style closet at the thrift, for just 25c ! I fully intend to paint it, but I'm not sure if I'll go with classic black and red, or maybe just a soft cream. Heck, I'm not that against the original green, but the plum-purple drawers aren't my fave. Anyway, score !

 

I also found a small wire rack that originally held casual flatware, but now will probably hold scissors in the Lab. Only problem with having a ‘sewing' side and an ‘embroidery' side to my desk is that shared stuff, like scissors, is always in the wrong space. Now I'll have a place to hang scissors where it's easy to get to them, no matter what side I'm using. 10c is good for convenience.

 

Dearest found a stuffed ‘princess' kitty with jeweled wings. He liked the kitty - and yes, she is cute - but not her wings. So, once home, I removed them, but their absence left a gaping hole in her back. No prob. Five minutes and a threaded hand-needle later, he was introducing a pretty white kitty to his other toys, and I was picking plastic ‘gemstones' off the wings before they got trashed. Seriously, they weren't worth saving - the pantyhose-like fabric they were made of was dirty and torn, and he didn't want them. Not sure what I'm doing with the faux gems either, but ya never know when you can use some.

 

Oh, and the pattern that's next. Well, what can I say, I may be an idiot, but I'm a stubborn one. And I still rue my numerous failures at trying to make my own Modern Art. Through several other efforts with Aileen's Petite Fashions patterns, I already know they leave steps out, and often don't quite represent the original as closely as they should. My first clue should have been that there's only pictures of the Mattel made originals with the patterns, never a photo of the pattern-made replica. To this day, I never buy a pattern that doesn't show an actual photo of what the pattern really creates, no matter how much I want the sketched design.

 

 

But fools never learn. And I still want Modern Art. Just not enough to try it again right now. Instead, I'm using another Aileen's pattern to make a simple sheath with a round collar that is much like MA's, on a bodice that's also similar. The original is known as ‘Silk Pak Sheath', but I'm gonna use cotton. If I can make this, I can probably adapt it to what I really want. Or figure out where I keep fumbling MA !

 

And I can already tell it's another challenge. I've already located the missing step, and worked part of it out with paper. Wheee. Spent a few Lab minutes cutting the bodice and collar out, and half an episode of Battle Force Five coating the cut edges with Fray-Check. Hope to work on it later tonight. Wish me luck !

Hah ! See if Mattel ever encourages me to 'customize' on the side of a doll box ever again !

 

Current Mood : Head-buzzy. Maybe we're in for an early Spring ?

 

Still dazed and sleepy, but it was Dearest Son and Beloved Hubby's turns to nap the day away. Me, I still did much of nothing. Urban Threads had another freebie, a decidedly Victorian-style flying bird with a love letter in his beak, and Dorrie liked. So I snagged it, for once without buying anything else. I've decided to try to keep it down to ten, yes only 10, purchased designs this year, if at all possible. Of course, it may get amended to ‘ten per quarter-year' later, but even 40 purchased designs would be a dramatic reduction from the hundred-plus I'm sure I bought last year. I'm too chicken to go count up the designs I paid for in ‘09. This year, it's easy - one !

 

It was another bright and sunny, but rather windy, day, so I could clearly see the shiny frosty-gold eye makeup that really bugged me on Triana, from her stand on my desk. Besides the ‘reverse' Model Muse body, it was the only thing that bugged me about her. It went from her eyelid to her eyebrows, and continued in a generous swoop under her eyes, too. So I figured, since I'm sitting around anyway, and I can see it clearly, I may as well try to do something about it. Figured toothpicks and Goof-Off could do the trick, if I was uber-careful.

 

Snagged three toothpicks, and thought I should at least try a ‘dry run', before I loaded the ‘picks with chemicals that could remove the entire eye decal. And, amazingly, I found that a gentle scritch with a slightly chewed pick removed the shiny gold eye shadow without risking Triana's face or her tiny eyelashes. I had to take frequent breaks to keep my eyes in focus, but about fifteen minutes later, the over-shiny, flash-reflecting gold shimmer-paint was gone. I never even got the Goof-Off from the back porch laundry cabinet. Much better ! Now, if the next line of jointed ‘Fashionistas' dolls would just come out in her skin tone, I'd have a darn-near perfect-to-me doll !

 

You can also see my attempt to give her green eyes. Rather clumsy, but I still prefer it to the ice blue she arrived with. So far, she's had her hair cut, her eye color altered, and some of her eye paint removed. And I've yet to do a darn thing to the black dress I really don't like either !

 

Today's photo took 56 tries, and it still doesn't really show details of her ‘new' face well. Much as I love my Fuji FinePix, it's not really a macro-focus close-up camera. Closer than about a yard, and things are fuzzy no matter what I do. Ever since Mattel went to decals instead of paint for the eyes, it's been difficult to get a good photo without flash-bounce. But the decals allow for much greater detail and expression, so... ya win some, ya lose some, ya take 50 simple head-shots of a doll before you get a good one. That's just a doll hobbyist's life !

 

You'd think I'd go hang out in the Lab, but I again just vegged. Didn't even go to Dollar Tree, but there's often tomorrow. Caught up on a couple of Hoarders I hadn't seen, prowled around on line. And once this is posted, I probably will be Lab bound. Gotta select what to sew this week sometime !

 

And thanks, Michelle, Smidge, Anika, Kapreasha, and E, for your kind and always encouraging notes ! Tripod doesn't let me know you've left ‘em anymore, and I usually forget to check, but it's like getting flowers when I find ‘em ! It's so sweet to know someone thinks my meandering's worth the time to read, much less drop a few thoughtful, warm words. I value them all, and (confession corner !) often go browse through them when I need a boost. Hugs, lovelies !!

XOXOXOXOXO x 5 !