Rollin', rollin', rollin'....keep those craft ideas a-rollin'....new cart !

Current Mood : Thrilled

 

You may find this hard to believe, but Beloved Hubby and I were so wiped out from the day's labors yesterday that we were both in bed at 9pm. Best sleep I've had in weeks. But it was really hard to get going for another day in the garage - especially when I had nothin' to sell this time.

 

But a promise is a promise, so off I went - and was back home an hour later. Uncle said it was gonna be too slow for both of us to be there, bored out of our brain-cases, so he'd sit it, and I could have the day. How sweet ! I wished him luck and skittered off, once things were set out the way he liked, and he had a book and a beverage. I like to make sure everyone's comfy. He called us two hours later, to say he'd made $27. and was shutting it down.

 

So I had a whole free day ! And Beloved Hubby's scheduled job got delayed 'til Monday since the tile guys weren't done yet. Wow. We *both* had a whole day off unexpectedly. What to do with it ?

 

We ended up going shopping - even to some thrift stores - in a nearby military town. Beloved wanted to look for camo clothes, for AirSoft, I wanted to look at...well, everything. But about the only thing that I really liked were some really old - like 1940s old - patterns. Too bad they had price stickers all over the envelopes. I would have tried to make something from them otherwise. But I may yet go back for some. They really were awesome.

 

Yeah, after selling nearly 30 dolls and a buncha props and the Castle, I wasn't really in much of a mood to shop for more. But Beloved insisted that the cash from the garage sale was mine to spend, any way I wanted. So far, I'd only bought breakfast. I figured that, once we were done at the Army/Navy surplus, I'd hit Mal-Wart, and pick out which fan I wanted for the Lab. I could get the repro floor one, that I'd always considered too expensive at $40. It was all I could think of that I wanted. Even if it was raining and the coldest day of Spring so far.

 

But first, we peeked into Michael's Crafts. I'm still on the hunt for more 6mm craft foam, and Beloved wanted to look around too. We were actually on our way out - no foam -  when I noted the 50% off sale on 'scrapbooking' storage and furniture. And I really liked that cart ! Three fabric pull-out drawers on a white MDF frame, a buncha cubbies on top, with wheels and a ribbon dispenser side. Hmmm... half-off $89.99...is doable !

 

So, soon Beloved had the camo he wanted, and was more than happy to put my new rolling cabinet together. It's great ! Rolls pretty well, even on carpet. For some reason, one of the pull-out drawer bottom pieces was missing, but Beloved cut a square from the box it came in, and that works well. I'm using a photo from the box it came in because I don't have mine filled up yet ! I get some serious Lab time tomorrow, since Beloved's got AirSoft - and a new camo set for it.

 

I'm amazed at how much bigger the computer area and Beloved's Studio look without all the dining room chairs around. Yup, sold 'em - they were one of the first items gone. We barely finished getting 'em out of his truck. Beloved's now re-thinking his computer desk and Studio furniture...

Yard sale is a 'go' ! And happily, most of it went !

 

Current Mood : Tired but pleased

Spent on fabric and patterns : $17.86

 

Since it only rained a bit, and even then it was two minutes at a time, the garage sale was a 'go' - and I'm glad. I sold pretty much everything I brought, and made a bit over $60. ! Cleared quite a bit of space, too. Uncle had one customer who bought darn near everything, and kept coming back for more. He'll be back tomorrow to pick up a table he was using for display, and I'd bet what I made that he'll pick up just a few more things.

 

Beloved Hubby was so sweet. Since he was working locally, he swung by and picked me up for lunch and a break, my first one since we got there. The sale was scheduled from 8am to 2pm - and when we rolled up at 7:40, there were already shoppers on the sidewalk ! I got Uncle while Beloved unloaded our stuff, and it was go-go-go from there. We really didn't have much sit-down time at all, the whole day. Luckily, though, it was raining when we brought our lunches back, and we three had a little picnic with Taco Bell. BTW, the XL Chalupas are delicious.

 

Uncle must've thanked me a dozen times, and offered me some extra cash for helping, but that's not why I was there. I had a good time, and I wanted to help him start his new life with as many bucks as possible - and since I couldn't give him money, what I could give was time. So I refused, and said I'd had too much fun to want cash for it... but it sure felt good to make a few bucks on the stuff I'd normally donate, or trade it to Brenda for about half of what I got today, and that in credit for already overpriced stuff.

 

Not sure how tomorrow's gonna go - Uncle doesn't have that much stuff left to sell. I think it'll be one of those 'cruise' days, when nearly everyone drives by really slowly, but hardly anyone stops. Still, even if he doesn't make much tomorrow, he did very well today, so he should be pretty happy !

 

The 'buys everything' guy came back just as we were shuttering things, and so I ended up staying 'til nearly 3. But I decided to hit Hancock Fabrics anyway. Found the two patterns I was hunting, decided to get both. When they're 99c each, I tend to just go with it. With that decided and done, I had time to wander the rest of the temple to fabric - and I found two of the Barbie cottons I'd seen on In The Pink, the two I most wanted ! They were both kinda gaudy, really, but I bought a yard and a half of the pink, and a half-yard of the black and white. Might get more later. Just not sure if I'm making a shirt for me or a chair slipcover from the pink yet. Shoot, next 40% off coupon, I may get enough for both. Right now, with no discounts, they're $9./yd

 

Yeah, that's the latest project idea. Won't leave me alone. I've looked at about twenty versions, with or without directions, and it pretty much boils down to making a paper version, sewing a muslin, then making a final one. So far, I'm leaning towards one like this - http://lifewithmonkey.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/the-bunny-butt-chair-cover/  . I like it, but ya'll know me, I'm lazy and want someone else to do the measuring and cutting for me ! 

Yard sale... or rained out ?

 

Current Mood : Sleepy -but both eager and worried

 

Spent about three hours today getting ready for Uncle's yard sale tomorrow and Saturday. I have 32 dolls hoping to find new homes - including many Little Disney Princess duplicates. There's four Cinderellas, three Auroras, and several more. I hope someone will choose to take them home. It took me a while to find all of them clothes ! Half our living room is fulla stuff ready to go, priced and everything.

 

I'm hoping even harder that the expected rain is hard enough to encourage Uncle to cancel. Seriously, he's expecting to have it anyway, rain or shine, in the garage. Which is already crammed with stuff - I have no idea where I'd put the dolls and the Swan Lake castle, much less the six dining room chairs, three boxes of books, and a buncha this-and-that. Plus, when it rains, most bargain hunters assume yard sales have been cancelled, and don't even bother to go out, except to indoor arenas like flea markets. And if folk do go out prowling, they'll still have to run through the rain to the garage, since he's locking the entire rest of the house up. Prudent, to be sure, but it really doesn't give him much room if sale items can't be displayed on the driveway or lawn. He has no porch at all.

 

Plus, I can't say I'm really looking forward to being stuck in a single-car garage with no room to move for six to eight hours Friday and Saturday. I promised, and I'll do it, but I still don't see how it'll work if two people can barely walk around in the garage now, which doesn't have a single thing of mine in it.

 

I'd do a slammin' rain dance, if I knew how !

 

Meanwhile... Dearest Son's granddad picked him up today, so I'd be free to help Uncle. Went with Beloved Hubby to work, then to Dollar Tree and GoodWill. Nothing at GWill, but I noted that DTree now sells hair coloring.

 

And in the ole in-box, I got a message from Hancock Fabrics, detailing their latest sale. Simplicity patterns are 99c, and $1.99 for Butterick ones. Went through their sites and thought about a couple, so I then did the next logical thing - went through the patterns I had. The two me-sized ones I already have, more or less, and one of the three doll patterns was already there. I scratched those off the list and tucked the two remaining numbers into my purse for later. I can decide a bit better when I look face-to-face at the actual pattern. Since the sale runs through Sunday, I have time. And, since I had the doll pattern tote out, I put everything in order. First by doll size - Barbie, baby, Elphie, American Girl, and Others - then by pattern company. Wow. So much potential in there - most untouched. I gotta sew !

 

Well, here's hoping for tomorrow. No matter what I end up doing, I hope it works out !

So whiny, my stomach hurts...

 

Current Mood : Whiny and Useless

 

I should be getting ready for the yard sale at Uncle's this weekend, but I got lazy. Plus, I can do most of what I intend to tomorrow. So today, I rounded up the latest round of book culls and took 'em to Hastings. They took half and added $12-something to my store card, which gave Dearest Son and I $20. to play with. Yaaay !

 

Well, sort of. He quickly found a game to rent and a book he wanted to read, but I didn't find jack. Nothing at all. Not one bit of junk in Pop Culture Debris spoke to me, there were no interesting books or magazines new or used, no movies that I'd wanted to see, no funky odd manga or small-scaled toys I just had to have. So we got the stuff Dearest wanted and headed out. He's happy as clams, Mrs. Spoiled Writer here is miffed. I kinda wanted something for me, ya know ? Yeah, I just got Princess and the Frog yesterday, but I was kinda hoping I'd really enjoy something new.

 

Oh, well. At least now I can ditch the books Hastings didn't want to the yard sale without wondering if they're worth more. Came home, and Beloved Hubby had Friend over, so I couldn't whine to him. So I looked around for stuff to buy online, but ultimately decided against even one of the books on the ole Amazon wish list.

 

This happens every year. Just as we're coming out of our usual winter financial trials, and I actually can spend a bit...but there's nothing I want. I still have tons of supplies from the year before, for all of my hobbies, the dolls I wanna see aren't due out for months and what's on shelves has been there since before Halloween. I know of tons of books I'd like, but I'm one of those who really needs to see and handle a book before I buy it. And 'Look Inside !' on Amazon.com just doesn't cut it. And as much as I wanna buy somethin' selfish, I just can't spend money to buy just anything. I hope that makes sense.

 

So I'm in a whiny funk, don't mind me. I'll be out of it tomorrow, when I notice how much I'm giving away for the yard sale.

Busy days...but I sewed a bit !

 

Current Mood : Not sure how I'm busy all day all the time, but I somehow manage to be !

 

I swear, when my life gets busy, I get no time to write. But I'll try to keep things just a day or so late, instead of a couple weeks.

 

Still working through the never-ending dishes and laundry. Beloved Hubby came home for lunch, so that was a nice change to the day. Since we were going grocery shopping later, we discussed what was on the list and what we needed - and just plain wanted.

 

I'd also found a couple new patterns, including one for a simple, but intriguing, origami drawstring bag. The photo is here -  http://madquilter.blogspot.com/2006/12/origami-bag.html - but the link to directions isn't quite right. If you're curious too, the correct link is http://secretworkshop.com/resources/index.php?item=415746bb575b17801 . They have lots of other free patterns and projects here -> http://secretworkshop.com/resources/index.php?section=146446bb3c10a7f32.

 

I read the directions twice, and studied the photo, but could not quite figure out how it was made. Even trying it out with a paper scrap didn't quite tell me what I needed. So I headed into the Lab for some much needed experiment time. I didn't really wanna make a full-sized one just to experiment with, so I snagged two scraps from the crate I still need to slipcover, cut them to shape and went for it.

 

It always amazes me how often, for me at least, directions make no sense until I attempt them with actual fabric and thread. This was one of those projects. With the actual supplies in my hands, it made perfect logical sense, and I ended up with a simple origami bag...that didn't look much like the one in the photo. Evidently, the person who worked it up went much higher on the casing than the instructions said, or I did. Still, it looked pretty cool, and was very simple. Only problem I had was stitching the sides together where they overlap - mine was much too small to sew with KJ, I had to hand-sew it. I hate hand-sewing, and I didn't quite get it right, either. It probably would have worked better if I'd actually pressed it the way it says to, but 1)I hate ironing and 2) on this small an experiment, it seemed silly to bother with it. Along the bottom, not counting the yarn strings (I was too lazy to dig for the tons of ribbon I have), it's about three inches long. Not sure what I'll do with it, but it felt good to be in the lab, sewing.

 

Grocery shopping filled the pantry to near-bursting, and it was fun to go as a family. No  new dolls or anything I wanted, so I finally got a copy of Princess and the Frog. Still not sure if I liked it or not. Tiana was almost boring as a human, and looked too much like Belle with Jasmine's color key for me to take her seriously as an original character. And like most princes before him, Naveen was handsome if a bit one-dimensional. Visually, he was the more interesting of the two frogs - Tiana was simply a really thin frog. Um, it's not like frogs have figures - can anyone tell the gender of a random frog by looking at him/her ? The music-loving gator (crocodile ?) Louis I'd already seen before - as King Gator, in All Dogs Go To Heaven. And after spending soooo much time making sure the movie wasn't offensive in bringing Disney's first left-handed African-American princess to the screen, I kinda found firefly Ray's snaggletoothed, dirt-poor bayou family a bit much - not to mention the hunters, which were even worse. Oh, well.

 

I found myself looking for Charlotte ('Lottie') because at least when she was on screen, the story would get funny and maniacally intense. Mamma Odie was interesting, too, sort of as a reverse of Ursula (Little Mermaid). Her snake Juju was hilarious ! It does need to be said, that Disney's first on-screen death is in here, and how new stars suddenly appear (and with enough light to distract the whole cast like spotlighting a deer) isn't explained, but there it is. Plus, Evangeline is Venus, not a star - so it'd be a whole new planet appearing suddenly.

 

But hey, I'm getting nit-picky. I think I was just expecting more, and I kinda got leftovers with a zydeco garnish. The 'Almost There' sequence was very stylish, and the art direction is lovely, even if the character design seemed uninspired and warmed over from previous efforts. I'll probably watch it again this weekend, see if my initial reaction holds. My opinions, like my thoughts, are random and subject to change ! 

 

Because you never know when you might need an embroidered gassy chicken...

Current Mood : Kinda tired, but the night's not over yet !

 

Current Image Notes : This was sent to me as a free embroidery design. It's nice, but all I could think was, "They sent me a farting rooster ?"

 

Finally got some quality time in the Lab. It was a wreck in there, has been for weeks. Selected bits going to the yard sale vie for space with unorganized 'keepers', plus the new fabrics is still in piles. I got the yard sale selections corralled up in a milk crate, then sorted and stored all that ribbon. Two second-hand ribbon lengths were stitched into bows, but I don't need big bows. Don't really need ribbon, either, but at least there's a chance I can use flat ribbon !

 

So, while I broke for lunch, I used my desk seam ripper - an old one, but it still works - to pop the stitches. Oh, forgot to tell ya. Saturday's prescription refill came in a very long child-safe prescription bottle. Unusual, since they normally just stuff the strips in a Ziplock-type plastic bag. How long was the bottle ? Big enough to fit a standard blue-handled seam ripper, complete with cap ! So I now have an orange plastic 'doll kit' in my desk drawer, containing a seam ripper, a comb, a doll brush, some yarn, a few clear elastics, a couple ponytail elastics, and a small screwdriver. I love storage solutions - especially when they're free ones !

 

Then, back to the Lab. It took me over an hour, and there's a pile of fabric with nowhere to go yet, but you can walk in and out of there now. It'll be even better once the yard sale junk is gone. Having that space in such a mess has bugged me for three weeks now, and while it's not yet exactly as I like, it's a lot closer than it was ! Now I feel like I can actually sew something in there ! That's the big problem with having a big mess in there - I don't want to clean it up because it's such a huge hassle, but I can't create anything and don't even have the spirit to do so, until it is reasonably tidy.

 

I fully confess to being a hoarder, but my psyche won't let me be what the cable shows call an 'extreme hoarder'. I always get the weirdest pictures in my mind when a voiceover describes someone as an extreme hoarder. I envision someone surfing piles of shopping bags, food packaging, stuffed animals, and Christmas decorations on a slightly greasy pizza-box surfboard ! Or skating a half-pipe of broken computers, junk mail, and never-used Mother's Day gifts on quad skates made from soup cans or a skateboard rolling on empty spaghetti sauce jars. My favorite is the winter sports edition - mountains and moguls of white trash bags getting shredded by a dreadlocked snowboarder, using a large, stained cookie sheet, wearing a ski jacket made out of Wonder Bread bags.

 

I hoard, but I love going through my excess, and making way for new stuff by re-evaluating the old. And the idea of donating or selling the excess really gets me going through those piles !

 

TLC screwed up this week. They'd advertised an update on one of their first Hoarders : Buried Alive subjects on an all-new show. Too bad the one I recorded was a repeat. Evidently I wasn't the only one to notice the error - but it's also too bad their message board is too seldom-used for anyone to note the complaints.

 

I also did some dishes, got the new water dispenser washed, filled, and placed in the fridge - we spend too much on water bottles. This evening, I tidied up the house a bit more and grabbed a shower. We were expecting company. BIL had a guest and wanted her to meet Beloved. This pretty much wiped me out, so I was glad when dinner was delivered pizza.

 

They should be here soon ! It's nice to have guests, but I'm looking forward to a more relaxed tomorrow.

A lovely, lazy Spring Sunday...

 

Current Mood : Very lazy.

Current Image Notes : Here are some lovely daffodils Dearest son picked for me from the front yard this morning. I really need to invest in a few bud vases...

 

Another glorious day. I could appreciate it better if I'd had a good night's sleep ! Some speeder blasting through the stoplight jumped the curb at the 7-11 across the street at 2:30am - it sounded like a three-car pile-up ! Evidently he/she either flattened tires during that little escapade, or, as Beloved Hubby believes from looking at the skid marks, curb scrapes, and torn up landscaping, they bent the truck/small SUV's frame, because a wrecker was called, adding to the noise. It drove Friday crazy.

 

We also had a close call with the microwave this weekend. I had the main dinner course in there, but was using the countdown timer to keep track of how long I'd whisked the dessert pudding...when it suddenly died. No lights, no sound, pfft. We pulled it away from the corner - so that's where all the potholders had vanished ! They'd evidently fallen behind the 'wave and blocked the vents, causing it to overheat.

 

Well, darn. At least dinner was done, but I mourned not treating my pretty microwave better. We moved it and tried a different outlet, still nothin'. (sigh) I was collecting dinner plates and finishing up dessert when I heard a familiar >beep !<. Evidently, it just needed time to cool down, 'cause now the 'wave works perfectly. What a relief ! We moved it to a better ventilated spot in the kitchen - no corners ! - and shuffled canisters and appliances around a bit. I like the new arrangement much better !

 

I also got my old TV back. I'd had it overseas when I was in the Army, and it was in Dearest's room at his grandparents'. Wasn't sure what to do with it, but it was a blast to see it again. I was idly thinking of arranging some place for it in the Lab somehow... but as it turns out, it doesn't work. Oh, well. At least I get to give it a proper send-off m'self, as it should be. I've always wondered what AirSoft pellets would do to a TV tube...

 

I've also been hoarding online tutorials to my computer. If they're not available as a PDF file, I'll simply mouse over the parts I want, hit 'control + c' to copy it, then open a blank file in Word and use 'control + v' to paste it. Instant directions and photos, saved to my hard drive. Any ads, comments, or such I don't want to save are easily edited out, but I always keep who did it and the website I got it from, so I can give credit if I can work it. I didn't do this a while ago, figuring the directions/tutorials/patterns would always be there, but websites have a way of vanishing overnight, and I lost *all* my bookmarks during last month's crash. Plus, it's a lot easier to print instructions, photos and all, than to keep runnin' back and forth between computer and Lab. Beloved ditched a magazine holder from his Studio, and I snapped it up, so I now have a place for directions sheets, small catalogs, and such in the Lab. They had a place before, but if I moved one thing, they'd slide or fall. Not anymore !

 

In essence, we all goofed off all day, and had Chinese takeout for dinner. Tomorrow I get to finish up laundry (I only have to put it away now) and restart the housework and yard sale clearing and pricing. Thursday's gonna arrive quickly, I just know it !

Yet another FrankenDolly... but she sure photographs well !

 

Current Mood : Whoo-hoo !

 

Spent on Barbie dolls and stuff : $6.

 

Today started kind of early, too - I had to pick up the single expensive prescription and wanted to get out for a bit, even though I still had laundry and didn't need to be out spendin' cash. But Beloved made sure I had a $20. just for me, and I had to go out anyway, so....

 

Hit an estate sale on the way to the pharmacy - OK, so it's the Mal-Wart pharm, we needed a couple things anyway - and snagged a pretty still-in-package nautical Barbie dress and a Barbie coloring book for a buck-fifty. Soon as I figure out how to do something, you'll be seeing that coloring book ! I also snagged two dolls - a beautiful still-dressed Barbie and the Sensations Bopsy and a wrecked-hair Twirling Ballerina Teresa for her body and pretty Fashion Avenue dress. Ordinarily, I'd have just grabbed Bopsy, for her Midge Diva face and neat outfit, but I liked Teresa's dress, and I wanted her body. Bopsy's unfortunately suffers from 'white spot legs', fairly common in dolls from that time period. So I ponied up $4. instead of $2. to get a unique 'Frankendolly' I really like. Bopsy and a

 

With my 'script secured for another month - it's since gone from $80. for two months to $55. for one month to $59. this month (sigh) - I poked around a bit. Got some leftover Reese's eggs for BIL, as a 'garage warming' gift after his move, two sets of camouflage eggs as a joke for Beloved Hubby, all on amazing markdowns. I also picked up the seam ripper I've needed for a while. I tend to dull those things fairly easily - or just plain lose 'em.

 

I hit one more sale on the way home - no real finds, but I picked up a doll pattern. It's Marie Osmond's Butterick "Personality Doll Wardrobe", #6664. Truth be told, I already have it as Butterick's #224, but I just couldn't leave this one for a quarter. Plus, there was a bonus inside - a half-finished dress from View B ! Man, I remember my first sewing efforts, they look just like this !

 

Once home, I had fun swappin' bodies and washing miniature doll clothes. Bopsy's outfit was on Teresa - it's a Fashion Avenue I've only seen in photos. So pretty and spring-y. It bled yellow a bit in my little 'washing machine', but it came out brighter, so I was happy. Photo came out well, I think !

 

Well, I'm hoping to catch up on a bit of housework, so I'm gonna go ahead and post. Hope your Saturday was fun, too !

Hope broken dolls don't creep you out, too...

 

Current Mood : Sleepy and happy. And surrounded by clean laundry !

 

Sorry this one's late, too. I was literally too busy to write - and a lot happened. Some of it is actually interesting...

 

Promised to take Dearest Son out for a bit of a prowl - he'd earned five bucks from housework and a big toy give-up, and already had three, so he was more than ready to go ! He was hunting for a particular Bakugon figure ($5.), but after that, he was eager to see what was out there.

 

So we hit Mal-Wart first. I got some more water bottles filled. For some reason, I'm real hyper about getting all our empty ones topped off. Probably so they'll be useful and used, instead of empties in the way. He soon found his Bakugon, and we were looking idly at other offerings. I'd noticed an endcap of new Hot Wheels cars, and after finding nothing in the regular 'toy cars' section, we had a quick peek - and Dearest found a Delorean ! I'd heard that Hot Wheels had the license to do them, and a buncha folk had decided to do the evil toy thing and snap 'em all up, try to get big bucks for 'em on eBay.

 

Too bad Delorean Motor Company got wind of it. They bought thousands of the cars, and sold 'em for a buck plus shipping to whoever wanted 'em. Pretty soon, the eBay speculators were stuck, because no one was buying 'em. Personally, I loved it. The ones Dearest found (note the plural, there) were a second version, of a gold car. But fully licensed as a classic gull-wing door Delorean. The end cap must've had a dozen of 'em. Like any good collector - hey, he learns from me, both good and bad ! - he lined up six and chose two. He wanted to get one for his Daddy ! How sweet.

 

I snagged a few groceries and we were off to the nearby thrift. She had some new dolls, but I still hate to pay $4. for what is essentially two nude dolls, one dress I like, and one I don't. So I didn't get anything, and Dearest wanted to save his remaining cash for the flea market.

 

On the way there, we hit a yard sale, and he found a cute Beanie Baby plush cat for a quarter. Man, the second-hand market is choked with those things, and dirt cheap. You'd be proud of me - I turned down a $5. My Size Barbie in great shape. Has the new face, not much like the three I already have, so it wasn't too hard to say 'no' for once. The new face is pretty, but somehow not as sweet as the older ones.

 

On to the Flea ! I had hopes of getting out of there Scott-free, but it wasn't gonna happen. I was poking through the new dolls Brenda - of the car sets - had while Dearest fell in love with a Barbie red Mustang convertible. With a crack in the windshield and a missing front fender. (sigh) Brenda offered to sell it to him for $8. instead of the $12. on the sticker...arrgh. Well, we combined funds and were still a couple bucks short, but he got his car. He was happily bearing it off, back to Molly for home and lunch - when he suddenly got sick.

 

I cleaned it and him up as best as possible, asking him to tell me what was wrong. Clearly his stomach hurt, and he was pale and shaking a bit. He said he had the worst headace ever, so we hustled out and I put him on the sofa for a lie-down. He slept for two hours, then woke refreshed and hungry. I think he had a flash allergy. I get those too. While she doesn't usually wear perfume, Brenda's booth was heavily scented, a sort of old-fashioned powdery scent that's sort of floral - and almost fog-like in its density. He'd been fine and  happy all day, until he hugged her, and then was nearly instantly ill.

 

Even though he ate most of his lunch, I insisted that he hang out on the sofa until it was time for DFIL to pick him up for his weekend visit at his grandparents'. He felt much better, but I still worried. I took the couple bucks we still owed Brenda up to the Flea, and reassured her that Dearest was doing much better.

 

She then had a surprise for me. While I was gone, she'd made a trade for some dolls, and didn't need this one - would I like to try to restore her ? Wow. I knew instantly that the poor dismembered, broken doll in the bag was an authentic Ideal Patti Playpal. A few weeks ago, I was reading how someone'd found one in a Dumpster, filthy but intact, and so she cleaned it up and gave it to her daughter. Idly, I wished for that sort of luck - they're very pretty, and really expensive. Well, here was my luck ! Not quite as amazing, but the Universe knows I love a challenge, and the Universe loves me. I didn't know how much until I really got a good look at this little love note...

 

The head was sunken into the chest, leaving her a literal no-neck monster. While the arms were intact, the elastic cording that originally strung them was long gone, and the substitute loop of twine was doing a less than adequate job. Her plastic had split right at the crotch, which detached both legs, but one had a flange torn so thoroughly, that even if I managed to fix the crotch, I'm not sure if the torn flange would allow the doll to just stand, much less sit or move at all. Covering the entire waist area was tape residue from cloth, masking, duct, and paper tapes, and she was both filthy and scalped. Whoo. Lotta work here, but her face was lovely, her eyes and face paint were bright. Brenda said she wouldn't blame me if I trashed the whole project, but if there was a chance for her, it was with me.

 

So. Guess what my Summer '10 project is ? (grin) I'm doing some legwork for restoration tips, because I really would like to see her pretty again.

 

Once Beloved Hubby was home, he declared Patti 'Chucky', and was a bit weirded out that she was in sections. But it's not like we were home long. Friend was moving and needed help, so off we went. Sometimes it's a pain to be the only one in the family with a large truck. After that, we had an invitation to go through the stuff up for Uncle's yard sale next weekend, and grab whatever we wanted for free. Beloved selected some tools, and I scored several small pieces of fabric. I was offered the whole box, but that's the last thing I need ! I only got the three prints and two solids I liked.

 

It was rather late when we got in, so we had a quick dinner and hit the sack. Not sure what'll happen Saturday, but today was certainly memorable !

Socks. Bane of my existence, truly...

 

Current Mood : Ready for bed !

 

Current Image Notes : Here's the 'D' from the freebie alphabet I'm collecting. So pretty ! And I experimented with PSP X2's clone stamp - something I never quite got right in 5.03 - to eliminate some clutter in the background. Yaaay - it works !

 

Another 'stay home and clean' day, which is fine with me. Our beautiful Spring has reverted to early winter for a few days, so the house is closed back up for the heat - and that always makes the enclosed spaces look cluttered and crowded. Time to work !

 

Getting rid of our dining room table was a great idea, but it didn't ditch our very nice dining room chairs - we kept those. Only problem is, six of them don't fit in easily without a table to cluster around. Beloved Hubby uses one as a computer desk chair, with another beside it, for space and seating. His desk is only about half the size of mine. I should know, since his desk used to be my sewing table. There's two more in his Studio, and one in the garage. The remaining one was in the way a lot, but it didn't have much of a choice. I'm always in and out of the pantry, but the door's usually closed. So I was constantly moving the chair in front of it, and to get to the computers or kitchen, ya had to pivot around it.

 

Too much in the way for me. At the same time, we were missing a bedside table for Beloved. The one he had just got new wheels attached and is a rolling cart for tattoo supplies in his Studio. Hmf. He fully intends to make himself a new table, but I know his schedule - by the time he gets time off, he'll be too tired to craft much of anything. I'd offer him my bedside table, but it's packed fulla various permutations of Fashion Plates. And the plastic drawer set he had before is now holding socks and underwear in Dearest Son's closet.

 

Hmmm. Spare chair. No bedside table. Solution ! Yup, I moved one of the armless chairs beside his bed, and put his lamp and book and pencils on it, with his other books and papers underneath. If he likes, he can even pivot the chair around so the cane back blocks some of the lamp's light, if it's too bright. At least it keeps his stuff from being a floor pile. And once he makes a better table, it can always migrate back to the living room or somewhere.

 

I also did a bit of advance computer work - I now have stitch guides edited and saved to the hard drive for the entire 'Lily of the Valley' embroidery design set I'm collecting. It's just up to 'J' today, but all I have to do now is just save 'em off. Editing all those images is kind of a drag, but doing it all at once streamlined it, and nearly made it fun. Still, I need to back off on the design collecting. Even if they are free.

 

Well, back to the laundry. I got six loads washed and dried - now I gotta put 'em away. And there's only two more loads left ! Whew !