Fun with migraines...
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: XM 150 - Uncensored Comedy - I need the laughs.

 

Never again will I wonder : "Is this just a bad sinus/tension/whatever headache, or might I have migraines ? " Now I bloody know. I had one for two whole days, and I'm here to tell anybody who doesn't already know, that if you have migraines, you darn well know it ! If the headache goes away on its own in a few hours, nope. If you can gulp down a couple ibuprofen or acetaminophen and it goes away, no. If, after six hours of throbbing, nauseous pain wreathing your head, you're wondering who you can borrow a gun from, so the pain will go away, then you probably have a migraine. 

 

I already know what caused it, and why women have 'em more than men. Don't wanna squick anyone out with too much information, but remember, I'm 40. While I'm not yet in that 'certain stage of life', I'm in the 'gearing up for it' sequence, definitely.

 

That was Tuesday and Wednesday. Friday, my eyes weren't quite focusing right, was still hypersensitive to noise and light, and was exhausted. Beloved Hubby made sure I got to lie down during, but you'd think I'd be well-rested by the time it wound down and thoughts of weaponry started to fade. Nope. Luckily, Dearest Son had Friday off, so we could take it easy together. In fact, I think he enjoyed Mommy being sick a little, because he snuggled with me the whole time, telling me more about his school and days than he usually does.  

 

What kind of makes it funny, in a black humor sort of way, is that Tuesday, I had...well, again, since I don't want you to squick through TMI, I'll use the medical term - violent gastroenteritis. While I somehow got Son to school and therapy Wed. and Thurs., Hubby took him Tuesday, as I was in the midst of a full system expulsion at the time. I'd have been in the van if Hubby hadn't volunteered. Yikes.

 

Also bought another cheep pair of socks - I've stumbled on a new set of sweater-from-a-sock directions, and want to test 'em. These would have sleeves from another source, to either match or contrast the sweater chest, so that might be fun. Directions are from an ancient magazine I've had floating around, found several during Monday's studio clean-out. Maybe I'll have time to work 'em out tomorrow.

 

So, despite being absolutely miserable for most of the week, I was lucky and fortunate enough to have family who took wonderful care of me. It felt odd, because I'm usually the one urging naps and broth and warm blankies and cold washcloths. Hubby said it was his honor to return the favor, because just Monday, his legs were sunburned, and I made sure he was in a comfy space in bed, on clean sheets, early.

 

Another fun thing about migraines, at least the one I had, was that I could 'read', but words didn't make sense. It was like the 'imagination/visualization' part of my head was switched off. Words just washed over me without meaning. Weird.

 

But I'm a lot better now, and Friday evening, Beloved Hubby took me out for Chinese - I had Peking duck on a sampler platter ! He kept making A Christmas Story jokes about it, and I could barely eat it for laughing. I got to leaf through the latest Haute Doll and again left it at the store. Three Barbie-size patterns that I already have, numerous times, and the only Elphie project was a potting bench. It's nice, but I don't have space for more doll furniture. The rest was more stuff I either couldn't afford or didn't want, so that $10. went back into a pocket. 

 

Then I bought a few silly things at Dollar Tree. Dearest Son loves to get 'good job' stickers at school. So I got a package of them to give him at home. Amazing when you can buy 780 of anything for a buck ! I also bought a much smaller package of them for me, with a Disney Princess theme. Yeah, it's silly, but I liked them.

 

I also have a small collection of mirror ball decorations in my sewing studio. They all have real mirrors glued to spheres, and a cheap ornament-type hanger. Had two - a big one from DTree, a small one from the costume shop, and kind of wanted a third when I found a Christmas tree ornament set. It was three graduated sized mirror balls on a single hanger, sort of like a mirror icicle. Two of 'em in a package. So I selected the best one and it's already hanging up with the others. I love it. So pretty. Loved those things during the disco years, my skating years...always wanted one. Now I have several ! All I need now is a motor to turn 'em, and a few spotlights ! And I have a spare for the tree ! :) Yeah, they're tacky as anything, but they make me happy. 

 

Donated the big bag 'o fabric to our therapist. She marvelled at the different textures - that's where most of pieces are going. Some of the patients have fabric books, because touching the various textures is soothing. So, I'll do another clean-out in November, see how much velvet I can scare up.  And some fleece and tulle. While I've thinned out - and donated - that crap-catching fabric sorter, there's still too much in here.

 

So that's been my week. Missed you ! I wish I was somehow absorbing and dealing with the world's pain, but a migraine, while awful, wouldn't be nearly so bad as that. Hope your week was pain-free and fun !

Studio maintenance day
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: XM 24 'Sunny' - "Hello, It's Me", Todd Rundgren

 

It's funny how a fix in one place ends up encouraging other changes. Last month, I bought this lovely small cabinet from GoodWill, mostly to liberate the fabric I couldn't access. It was all in two large tubs, and I had pounds of other stuff on top of 'em. Once I wrestled the 'new' cabinet inside, I had to redo about half the studio so it would fit. Whole studio's much nicer now.  Easier to access nearly everything, and I can see most of it from the sewing machine, too. Even freed up a bit of floor space.

 

Which just left one problem. Last summer, I bought a three-section laundry sorter at a yard sale. I was using it for the bits and pieces and scraps, and any new fabric would get thrown on top. But eventually, it became a crap-catcher. I lost more stuff in there ! School forms, the camera, my wallet, doll props, a hairbrush, you name it, it ended up in there eventually. And it was too deep for fabric storage, I could never find what I knew was in there. I'd have to toss half of it out so I could root around !

 

And once I got the rest of the studio redone, that laundry sorter was just in the way. Took away from the 'clean' look the cabinet gave it.  Just last week it got illustrated -  I knew the fabric I wanted to use for Fiyero's Fall Ball shirt was there, but it took 20 - 30 minutes to find it. So clearly, it had to go. But what in the world was I gonna do with all the fabric in it ?

 

CLEAN OUT !! D@mn, didn't I just *do* this a few weeks ago ? Nevertheless, it was time to do it again. The few people clothes I bought second-hand to remake that hadn't been picked apart yet got donated. Some fabric got reconsidered, and a Mart sack of scraps got set aside for Dearest Son's school or therapy, whoever wants it. Another sack of damaged, tiny bits got trashed. Ended up getting the whole thing down to one small tote and two milk crates. Whew.  Milk crates were left from the 'L & L Show', they've been in the backyard since those days. Quick aside - we have another 'big trash day' coming up. And I don't have a darn thing to put out this time. JOY !!

 

That gives me a total of 9 milk crates, one tote, and two former zipper bedding-bags fulla fabric. The bedding bags are mostly fabric for home and me clothes projects...but still, that's an amazing amount. Is it any wonder that I didn't read the latest Hancock Fabrics' ad that came out last week until today ? It helps that the milk crates are only half full - lots of air circulation - but still, that's a ton. I need to stop looking around at more ! What else can possibly be out there that I don't already have ? 

 

Whatever it is, I'm sure to find it eventually - and knowing me, I'll probably buy a half a yard, just in case ! Just not anytime soon. Every time I go on a cleaning binge, I end up going on a shopping one three months later. But for those three months, I can remember every thread of what I already own. And you won't find me anywhere *near* Hancock's, Hobby Lobby, or even the fabric section at the Mart, unless I need one very specific item. Like a precise shade of thread or something. I have pounds of every other notion available !

 

Next project is to store all the patterns I've used. I got 'em scattered everywhere. There's some Fiyero pieces on the sewing machine table, and Mia and Elphie's are all mixed up with the directions from one of mine. Love having 'em nice and neat and stored, easy to find and great for ideas...just hate storing 'em. Go figure.

 

Had fun taking our beloved Matriarch shopping this morning. I think she had fun, too. We'll have to do it again sometime. Since I didn't buy anything, I treated Dearest Son to an Icee and a snack after school. That was even more fun. Our neighbors include a boy who's 9 - he gave Son a box of cars he didn't want anymore. Talk about a happy boy ! I know our neighbor likes Teen Titan Robin, and I know this place that has large-size action figures... :)

 

So it's been a 'happy all around' day. Hope yours was, too !  

Dancing and derails...
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: XM 71 - Watercolors (light jazz)

 

I have a bad habit of leaving my dolls in their poses well after I've taken the photo I wanted. I did that last night, and woke up this morning to find that Fiyero had leaned over a bit more, and it looked as though he was about to give Elphie a kiss on her temple. She looked rather unsure about how to react to that...

 

There's a new photo on the home page - Happy October ! - of the dance. I ended up taking two photos I liked, so here's the other I actually prefer :

 

You can just barely see her earrings, they're made from the same trim as  the hem of her dress. I used two bead strands that partially broke during sewing, threaded and tied to silver eye pins, with a bit of Fray Check to anchor the knots. I then bent they eye hole to a 45 degree angle until it rested flush with Elphie's ears.  Barbie had similar earrings in her earliest years, but I didn't care for the eye sticking so far out. Very easy, quite cheap. I'd do a 'how to', but it's soooo easy. I might do it anyway, just for fun.

 

Also scanned another Doll Reader pattern, this one for Crissy and Cinnamon. It's been knocking around a while, about time I got that done so I could put it away. 

 

Tomorrow, I'm taking the family matriarch shopping while Dearest Son is in school. So I'm not sure if I'll have any doll time - her daughter can shop me under the vehicle any day of the week !

 

Took Dearest Son out today - Beloved Hubby was working - and told him he could pick out the Thomas the Tank Engine toy of his choice. Since he already had all the engines/whatever for his larger set, I thought he'd choose a new piece for the smaller 'Take Along' magnetic set. We wanted to get him something special - last night, he took one of the discarded cardboards from the poster-backdrops and started writing his alphabet on it ! He got all the way from A to F when I noticed, and continued on his own to M ! I guess he got tired, because he then did 'X' 'Y' and  'Z' and was done. Wow. We're so proud of him !

 

So, off to the Mart this morning. The magnet trains didn't enchant, but he found a new piece to the plastic Ultimate set - a crane that lifts errant engines back onto the tracks ! He was making up stories about it in the van, and has been happily playing with it all day.

 

Then, this evening, he snagged another cardboard and wrote his numbers, 1 through 11 ! I didn't know he knew that yet ! So forgive the heavy-duty bragging, I'm just really happy and proud of him.  

 

I hope your day was happy - and didn't have any derailed trains !  

New for you !
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: XM 150 - Uncensored Comedy

 

Yet another 'special', just for you. I'm trying out a semi-new background. The ones you're familiar with are Dollar Tree posters, encased in plastic on their boards. Today, I got tired of 'flash bounce' and got two foam core sheets (again from DTree). Took all the posters out, glue-sticked 'em to the foam core, and the bounce is much subdued. So now, I have three backgrounds and one large white one. 

 

Still not sure how I'm gonna do the next photo I want. I may have to wait until dark for it.  Love how the dissimilar fabrics match, though. It really shows in that image. 

 

Not a lot else going on.  I'm thinking of going through some doll clothes tomorrow, weed out some stuff. Another donation coming up.

 

Well, Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son should be home soon. I'd best get my relaxing in ! Hope your weekend is the best of Fall !  

Errata and other odd words...
Mood:  irritated
Now Playing: XM 150 - Uncensored Comedy (so I can hear somebody swear besides me !)

 

Made a slight correction to my Saturday (9/23) entry. I finally found the Belle doll that 'donated' her dress to Leia in the 'My Belles' photo. She's from Playmates' "Perfectly Princess" line, and there's one on eBay right now. Just look up "Perfectly Princess Belle", and it should show up. Tried to post a link, but it made my entry vanish three times, so I won't be doing that again. Just disregard the tiny ones from the same-named Hasbro line. Although, now that I think about it, wouldn't it be cool if an action-figure Leia could wear those clothes ? :) 

 

Fiyero's clothes for the second part of 'Fall Ball Follies' are finished, I just am too tired and frustrated to do the photos right now. I worked up his mandarin jacket once, only to be reminded after a lot of work, that I'd forgotten to alter some measurements in Doll Shop Deluxe, so the first one I had a great start on...well, there was no way it'd ever fit. Had to scrap it, print up a new pattern with the alterations, and start again.

 

The iridescent fabric is from a picked-apart evening gown I got at a yard sale for 50c. PITA fabric, that stuff. Like sewing paper. Frayed like you don't wanna know about, and was very difficult to handle. By the time I'd made the thing twice, I didn't wanna look at it anymore.

 

While both their formal wear for 'FBF' was made from discarded people clothes, sometimes I really question the wisdom of doing that. Sure, it's always good to recycle, but that gown had seams everywhere, and it took  a large piece of it for a darn small shirt, to avoid the darts, needle holes, and pressings. You'd think there'd be about three yards of usable material there, but there's actually only about a yard or so. And it requires serious attention and playing to use. Everything I took apart had to be immediately cheap-serged, lest it fray into strings while awaiting use. The gown broke down into eight pieces, and it had to be completely cheap-serged everywhere. Sometimes it's really not worth it.

 

So, while it's always good to recycle, I'd actually advise against it, unless you have something specific in mind, there's no other way to get that material, or it's sentimental. It's just easier - and often cheaper, time-wise - to just buy a half yard and go for it. The gown also had numerous water and other invisible-until-I-sewed-with-it stains.  

 

Anyway, to take my mind off the frustration, I made two 'banner' ads if anyone wants to link to the mess I call my site, they're on the Home page. I also added a link to a cool 'Dusty' doll page on Leia's, in case anyone had any curiosity about the doll I keep talking about when I go on about my Leia. So it's been a busy day.

 

I promise to have the next installment of 'Fall Ball Follies' up tomorrow. I'm just too tired to mess with much right now. :) 

I'm back to Elphie's story !
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: XM 80s - ' Perfect World', Huey Lewis and the News

I used a different photo on the Home page, but I actually prefer this one, so I wanted to share it with you here.  I like to save the good stuff for  you, when I have it. 

 

Anyway, as mentioned, a similar image is at Home, with a story. Don't worry, it's a happy ending ! Just hope I have time to sew it !

 

This was a women's blouse - or maybe a girls', it was darn small ! In either case, the nice lady only charged me for a kids' shirt, so that was nice. The trim around Elphie's ankles was already on it, but I took it off and redid it, to get the angle I wanted. I only kinda got it, but it was fun !

 

As you can tell, it's a simple tube, angled at the ankles. The blouse already had elastic at the top, so I used it. Took me longer to get two good photos - that didn't reflect of Elphie's left eye - than it did to sew the dress. I really need to get her some plain black pumps. The ones here are OK, but sleek solid black would probably look better.

 

The chaise she's sitting on was also at GoodWill. I have no idea who it was made for, it looks like something Gene would have. Elphie's bare feet dangle about a half-inch off the ground when she's sitting all the way back, so it definitely wasn't made for the shorter Gene. But it certainly is pretty !

 

Packed a new-to-me case - it's a square see-through one, clear and silver, like a squared-off footlocker, with a handle - full of everything I'd need to sew snaps while I waited for Dearest Son's class-day to end. Got the needle all threaded to install snaps on Mia's jumper when - "Mraahiow ?". Tuna had hitched a ride and didn't let me know she was there until we got to school ! It was too late to take her home and come back, and one van window is permanently down now, so it was a tense few minutes. If she jumped out while I was getting Son buckled in, there was no way I'd be able to chase and catch her.

 

But I guess she understood that, because she curled up on a seat and slept. Son thought it a wonderful lark, and laughed about it all the way home. He wouldn't have been so happy if he knew I'd planned on taking him to Dollar Tree after school, and Tuna's presence required us to go straight home !

 

Did a few more snaps, and that was about it for excitement and doll stuff for the day. I hope to make Elphie's matching earrings and a second outfit for another doll - I wonder who ? - tomorrow. Hope your sleep is sweet tonight !  

My back hurts...
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: XM 80s - 'Bang a Gong', Power Station

 

...but it's a good kind of hurt, the kind that's temporary, and was earned doing something fun. Just spent an hour and some more cleaning all the sixth-scale (i.e., Barbie size) dolls. The dust on Naru and Neffy was pretty thick, I noticed, so today, I cleaned everybody. Shelves, too. Last time I did that, I think, was the time Dearest Son got a hold of the cornstarch powder and applied it liberally to all my dolls ! 

 

 And I embarassedly (is that a word ?) redressed a few who were still in their issue clothing. Five of my seventeen male dolls were sadly neglected, especially considering that I haven't bought a new doll in that size in over a year. So, while I was cleaning, I was dressing, too !

 

Why the male dolls ? Well, unlike the over-abundance of second-hand Barbies, it's pretty rare to find used male dolls in good shape. So most of mine were bought new on markdown , or were bought off eBay, in pristine but no-box-cheap. And often, there's not a lot to change them into ! For every hundred fashion doll dresses, there's maybe one male outfit. It was this lack that got me into sewing - but women's fashions are almost always more interesting to sew ! So only Fiyero's benefitted, and that's because he arrived nekkid and I was too broke to buy him stuff.

 

So today, First Issue Happy Family Alan (2 for 1 TRU sale), First Year Cali Guy Ken ($5.), Ken as Shaggy from Scooby Doo (50c at a yard sale), and Stars 'n Stripes Army Ken ($6. shipped, off eBay) got new clothes. Generation Guy Blaine (First Issue, $4. off eBay) remains in his cool disco outfit, because I like it.

 

Got a few surprises, too - Alan's t-shirt and the one on top of it are separate pieces - it was hard to tell, as packaging threads still held them together, and Mattel's notorious for making two-piece outfits one piece. Cali Guy Ken doesn't have the molded brief hips - he's just like the Ken I remember as a kid. With 'the bump'. You know what I'm saying. Once the gunk got rinsed out of his hair, that odd cowlick of hair smoothed down, and he had jeans instead of those rust-colored corduroys, Shaggy didn't look nearly so goofy. While Army Ken was a used-only-once headmold on a standard 1991 Ken body, he somehow looked more buff than Cali Guy and the other Ken guys. 

 

It was satisfying to get everyone cleaned up. I really enjoyed it, and I could swear, I was seeing them all over again. Switched them around, being careful to keep couples together, but trying to give everyone 'someone new to talk to' ! I know it's silly. But it's also fun ! 

 

Also redid a bit of the Barbie page. You'll be seeing more updates there, now that everyone's clean and ready for their close-ups ! I also have to get everyone redressed for Fall - I don't like my dolls catching colds or getting overheated ! 

 

For now, though, it's dinnertime, and I still have to cook it. See ya tomorrow !  

Neffy and Naru's photos - you see 'em here first !
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: XM 150 - Uncensored Comedy

 

Well, I did it. I stared at the anime images of Nephlyte and Naru (aka Neffy and Molly), and picked up the scissors. There was another reason I was unsatisfied with these dolls - Nephlyte had too much hair ! I cut out a handfull of it from the undersides, mourning how I'd cut it earlier, but before long, I was much more satisfied with the 'finished' doll.

 

But before I could do their photo shoot, I had some work to do. Spent over two hours cleaning, sorting, arranging and tossing Dearest Son's toys. Got a bagload of donations (stuff he hasn't touched except to get to other stuff since 2003) and two loads of broken pieces and assorted mixed-in trash. He still has an abundance of toys, but now it's a bit more managable.

 

At least until Christmas. (sigh) He was happy to have the 'play space' back, and agreed to help me keep it picked up. He then fell asleep two hours before his usual bedtime, on the markdown Spiderman 2 carpet/playmat I got him because it looked like city streets, and was darn well made for $5. For some reason, the day I clean up his toys, he's soooo tired !

 

Oh, and you get to see it here first - Neffy and Naru's comparison photo !

 

This is after his haircut, and I wanted you to see how they're supposed to look. It's been great to spend some time with them ! They're my favorite anime couple, and making their dolls helped me get over a few things. 

 

They both got rerooted, but only Molly/Naru got a repaint. I altered her eye color and reddened her lips a bit. I also ditched the yellow moon earrings (she was originally a Sailor Moon doll) for tiny gold stars. Her hair is pulled back and her trademark bow (it's black here) is on a pin slipped in between. Originally, her hair was held back with a brown rubber band, but it either rotted or broke (or both), so now a small snap-clip does the job. I may need to trim her hair, too. 

 

They both got boil perms, which accounts for the waves. The perms were done in 2001, and withstood numerous brushings yesterday. Clothes are standard Mattel stuff - they're a bit smaller than Barbie and Ken, all over. 

 

I hope to have some time to redo the Barbie page tomorrow. I've never really liked it, and I'd rather shift the focus to the custom dolls rather than the clothes. After all, Babs and co. have millions of garments, but there's darn few of my customizations ! Just not sure how I'm gonna do it yet. I may instead post the dolls that mean the most to me, with a brief 'bio'. Especially when they're wearing clothes I made ! :)

 

Found the shirt I bought at that junk shop Saturday. It's from #1624,  'Fun at the Fair'. I just have the shirt, but since I only paid $1. for it on a doll, that's fine with me ! It's in remarkably good shape, just a few loose fray threads and a snap that came off on one side, but is still there. Even the faux buttons are both there. Once I get it cleaned up and fixed, I'll post the image - probably on Midge !

 

It's funny about the junk shop. I used to go about every three months. They had a wall of toys,  haphazardly tossed into various bins, any which way. It was always fun to root around in there. I found the very Maxie doll I wanted, and my #2 brunette painted-hair Ken there. I think the Maxie cost more, at $2. ! I even found a very worn 80s Ideal-made Shirley Temple once. This doll had been very well loved by a child, to be that tired ! I realize what a cultural icon Shirley is/was, but there are times I get tired of the endless articles about her in doll magazines. I'd rather read about Dusty and Crissy and gimmick Barbies, but that's just me.   

 

Anyway, when I went Saturday, it'd been a year or more since my last visit. Some things had changed, but it was still a dusty temple of hope, and I beelined it for Toys. There must have been over 200 Barbie dolls - my arms actually started to ache going through them all. Nothing vintage this time, save the blouse, but the blonde array was endless. Saw about six Kiras, about twelve Teresas, and five or six Disney Princesses, even some small-scale Skippers, but only three male dolls. Found a scratched Western Stampin' Tara, and I thought about getting her, but her legs were badly damaged, and I don't have the spare dolls to go head/body matching anymore.

 

In the end, the 'Fair' blouse was on a painted swimsuit Teresa, so I just bought her. They don't sell doll clothes separately. Teresa's been cleaned, redressed, and stored for the next charity who calls. I've been beating back the urge to go back to the junk shop with a trunk full of clothes and some good hair brushes all week. Just spend a few hours brushing hair, dressing nudes, and making them all look their best so they find homes.

 

Oh, don't I wish I could !  

 

 

Molly, Neffy, and me...together again !
Mood:  party time!
Now Playing: Dearest son snores.

 

Had a fun half-hour this evening cleaning up Nephlyte and Naru for their photo shoot tomorrow. A long time ago, I promised some folks photos of them both - although Naru is portrayed on the Barbie page, her hair has since changed - and for many reasons, I never followed through.

 

A long, long time ago - about five years now - I got tired of sighingly longing for *somebody* to make dolls of my favorite Sailor Moon characters, Naru and Nephrite (original Japanese) aka Molly and Nephlyte (English translation). Being minor characters who are seldom seen past the first season, it was unlikely they'd be produced by Bandai (the license holder in most countries) in sixth scale. Despite the fact that Sailor Moon had pretty much circumnavigated the globe, no commercially-made dolls of either character was ever made. 

 

Sailor Moon hit the North American airwaves about 1995. I bought several of the made for the US market 'no nose' Bandai dolls, but I never really liked them. A second wave of Moon madness hit in 1998 when Cartoon Network not only re-ran the previous series, but ordered more episodes from later seasons translated and dubbed. Since the original dolls and toys (which were, admittedly, on the campy side) had long since been clearanced, Irwin Toys stepped into the fray. 

 

These dolls were a *vast* improvement, IMhO. They actually had noses, the costumes and shoes were better, and they seemed to have that certain something that the first series lacked. After a big opening, however, these dolls also undersold, leading to most fans finding the entire doll series on markdowns of around $5. each. 

 

In 2001, I was living in the heart of outlet central. I had my choice of three stores to score the Sailor cast at that great price, and I found all but one that I wanted. Saturn was found four states away and traded with an online buddy. So I had the dolls I couldn't afford when they were Japanese imports, didn't like when they first came out...but I had a shelf fulla sailors now ! Wheee ! I found Barbie clothes and even Barbie shoes that fit, and life was good.

 

But...it wasn't enough. I still wanted Molly and Neffy. Should I dare learn to reroot and make my own ? It seemed an outrageous idea at the time. My family was quite strict about my toys when I was a kid - I once got chewed out in whispers at a PTA-based school assembly when mother-unit discovered I'd taken down Ballerina Barbie's hair. In retrospect, it was kind of silly of them to expect me to keep my dolls pristine - they were toys. And I ended up giving them away less than three years later. So the notion of removing perfectly good rooted doll hair because little ole me didn't like it, and then rerooting what I did want...it bordered on heresy !

 

Besides, everyone knew that rerooting was an expensive, exacting skill. If you wanted a doll of yours rerooted, you'd have to send it to a doll hospital a few states away and hope she came back in six months - after you paid the $300. or so bill ! So I fidgeted and thought...and bought two more markdown Sailor dolls, a Moon and a Tuxedo Mask. 

 

I decided to gain some experience before I granted my own wish, so with cheap Sally Beauty Supply hair, junker Barbie heads, and online directions, it began. As it turns out, rerooting isn't that hard. Just tedious as h#ll, and it takes time. I never got good at it enough to watch TV at the same time, but I could leisurely do a Barbie head a month, in colors I wanted. Barbie was still mostly blonde-only at that time, but Mattel was starting to sell other hair colors, too.  Still, there for a while, I was making a childhood dream come true, too - I had a brunette Barbie all my own.  Then one with lavender hair that really looked great !

 

So. It was time. I scalped Moon first, and fitted her with a temporary wig from a Dollar Tree doll - it was the first time I'd done the 'cheap wig' thing ! Yep, Molly was the basis for the 'Give Ken Some Hair' page ! I soon found out that the Irwin dolls weren't quite like Barbie - the head vinyl was thicker, and there was a sort of 'shelf' within that made guiding the needle harder. But I persevered, and when Molly was done, I started in on Neffy.

 

A month later, still in 2001, I had my Molly and Neffy. I was proud and happy. I made my own dream come true ! So...why has it taken me five years to do a simple photo shoot ? Well, there were other things going on. Had some real issues to deal with, and I took my anger and frustration and grief out on myself, and those dearest to me, Beloved Hubby, Dearest Son, and my dolls. I had to put away most of the Barbie-scale dolls - almost all I had - away, so I wouldn't hurt them. How could something I made be worth anything ? I didn't deserve to enjoy anything ! I wanted to destroy both Molly and Neffy, because they were products of me, and I was utterly worthless. So I hid them away, to protect them. 

 

 I've dealt with a lot of that since - it's not bravery or anything, I just didn't have a choice, it was interfering with my entire life ! - and while I couldn't really look at them, I had them out, and I'd have no more donated or destroyed them than I'd spray-paint the Sistine. My stuff wasn't art, but it was loved...and maybe someday I'd see that, instead of anger and frustration, instead of seeing all the errors and the badly cut hair. 

 

I guess today was that day. I took them down, gave them both a thorough dusting, and brushed their hair for the first time in years. Yeah, it's not perfect on either of them. Molly's bangs still don't cover her Sailor Moon tiara holes, and Neffy's long locks are uneven still. But I remember the surge of power I felt when they were done, the pride at doing what I didn't think I could - or even should - do, and finally having what I wanted and knowing it. There'd never be another set like mine, and that was also wonderful. 

 

So tomorrow, we're doing a photo shoot. It'll be inside, as our camera's still spazzing out at sunshine, but I'm looking forward to it. The lovers smiled at me as I cleaned them, and I felt...connected.

 

Maybe that's what I've been missing all this time.  

Sometimes, I just can't stand it...
Mood:  blue
Now Playing: XM 80s - "In My Dreams", REO Speedwagon

 

I went ahead and posted Mia's new jumper photo on the Home page, because I'd written Beth Colvin (formerly Beth Gunther), author of Crissy Doll and Her Friends, to tell her of the patterns and misc. I knew. Figured she'd rather see the photos on the site rather than get unexpected photo attachments in her e-mail. To make up for that blunder, I'd like to show you a photo of my Belles..

 

Crissy is wearing Interactive Belle's ball gown (Playmates, 2002), Mia relishes modeling 'Before Once Upon A Time' toddler Belle's play dress (also Playmates 2002), and ever-lovely Princess Leia relaxes in a satin and velvet gown from the 'Perfectly Princess' line of soft Disney dolls (Playmates 2003). There is another 'Perfectly Princess' line by Hasbro, but those dolls wouldn't clothe a Leia action figure, much less mine here !

 

And now, to the title of today's notes. Sometimes I just can't stand it. Two years ago, I fell in love with a doll completely out of my league. She was bigger, more expensive, and I seriously believe any of these dolls would self-destruct before allowing herself to be found in a thrift store or yard sale. Plus, her manufacturer tended to attract *serious* doll folk, the ones who bemoan the 853 in their closet while they're pre-ordering their next 167. If I thought the 'country club' mentality of Barbie collectors got bad at times, well, these fans could teach lessons in black-belt snobbery. If they realized they were snobs, it was more of a second-nature with some of these folk. Not all, just some. 

 

Ended up buying the doll - or rather, Beloved Hubby did, as a combined anniversary present and Valentine's day gift. You know her well, her name here is Elphie.  And because of her, my thrift-store Barbie ways kind of bit the dust, along with my interest in Barbie herself. I'm still struggling with the 'Barbie and me' part of my life - does Barbie still have a place in my life ? Is my interest waning now that I truly have a doll who represents me that I'm happy with ? Or was I only into Barbie in the first place 'cause she was cheap ? I had a happy history with Barbie - but what was our future ? Was there one ? 

 

Those issues continue. There's aspects of Barbie I still love, there's others I still hate. Many of my issues are more with Mattel than with their product, but I can't separate them completely. Lotta things Mattel does just burn me up, and I react with noxious glee when I hear Barbie sales are down for the eighth or fifteenth quarter in a row. 

 

(sigh) So, while all this is going on, I find this, while I'm researching a vintage Barbie blouse I bought at a junk shop today (old habits die hard):

 http://dollattic.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product2482.html

 You really might want to go have a look at it. I'll wait here for a while. 

 

Ok, you're back. So. Evidently Mattel realized it missed the boat by ignoring all the fans who asked for a Barbie-size Wicked Witch over ten years ago, and will soon have its own out in March '07. Despite the fact that Dorothy was originally available in 1994, Glinda in 1995, they've decided to redo the entire line. Dorothy looks even worse, IMhO. http://dollattic.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product2481.html    <- Same cheap-azz rayon dress, though...'Dorothy' looks less like an innocent ingenue and more like somebody smacked Paris Hilton with a dead fish and dyed her hair while she was out cold. And Pari..I mean, 'Dorothy' is still a bit red-eyed and bleary, and not at all happy about this d@mn yellow road. 

 

Am I getting this Barbie Witch ? Oh, hell, naw. In many ways, Mattel did me a major favor by ignoring its fans once again, leading me to explore other alternatives. But I still feel like they're yet again riding other manufacturer's coat-tails. Elphie is still a vastly superior doll - even in their own studio photos, their WW is stiff armed and not as expressive. But it does look like they took careful note of Tonner's pensive expression and gave it to theirs, as well.

 

I know, it's silly of me to get upset about it. Mattel's gonna do what it always does, market and sell whatever'll make them money. The fact that it's too late and too derivative for some of their intended audience won't matter a whit to them. At least they didn't make their WW ugly - but then again, neither did Tonner, and theirs sold, big time. It's just like Mattel to rip someone else's idea, or let someone else go first before they decide to throw in. 

 

It saddens me that I'm once again disappointed in Mattel - when I thought I didn't care anymore.  (sigh)