"My Son thinks you're a great teacher. Here's a shoe" - holiday eviltry...
Now Playing: menfolk snoring
 

Current Mood : Slightly stressed

Explanation of today's weird image : None. Read on.

 

Well, I'm all set for my turns at Dearest Son's school book fair next week. Three shifts, maybe more. Seems his new school doesn't get the volunteers his old school did. Could be any number of reasons why, I'm just lucky I get to give something back.

 

Only problem is...(sigh) I got a note from the Homeroom parent coordinator. If this job paid, she'd be my first line supervisor. While the general-issue note thanked us all and urged us to enjoy planning the Winter party, to please not forget the numerous other teachers our students have. And Dearest has legion, due to his special educational needs. I would love to do something special and meaningful for all of them, but...if I thanked everyone they listed and all the specialty teachers and staff with a tacky $2. thing, it'd still set us back about $60. And if participation is the same for the Fall party, I need to make sure to have about $20. available for that.

 

So, honestly, I don't want to do anything, since I can't do everything. I realize that's childish and defeatist, but *&^%. Maybe I'll make more shoe pincushions or something, I don't know. Kind of stupid for the P.E. teacher, but I guess he can adjust. The shoe pincushion is just a ‘Cinderella' plastic wedding favor, shaped like a shoe, with a twice-thick tube of sand-stuffed fabric glued in where the mints would normally go. A matching silk rosebud or bow is glued at the toe and a matching fabric bag that ties with ribbon wraps it up. Costs about 50c and an hour to make. I usually add some pins and a needle or two, so folks won't wonder why they got a sand-stuffed shoe for Christmas, with no idea what it's supposed to be.

 

Dollar Tree sells a pack of these shoes, six for a buck, but I prefer the larger ones from Hobby Lobby. Those are 3/$1., and the 40% off coupon will only work for one of ‘em. Hardly worth the effort. I may have to see who has what in stock and compare. I can get craft sand from DTree, but if that's out of stock, I can score a 50lb sack from Lowe's for $3.50. With winter coming, you can always use the extra sand on the driveway or steps or something.

 

Sorry. I know this should be about dolls, and I sort of started thinking while I was typing. Guess I know what I'm doing next week. So far, I need 18 shoes at least, without any embarrassment-covering spares. At least I have plenty of fabric and lots of hot glue. Few years ago, I bought a couple of these shoes, thinking they were neat in an odd way, I just didn't know what to do with 'em. One day, I made a pincushion, and that's the one pictured up there. I always keep the first prototype. 

 

It'd be a lot easier to get everyone a $5. McD's gift card, but nobody ever claims to eat there, and we just don't have the cash ! Even if they think a shoe pincushion ranks, polite folks can't say anything bad about homemade gifts. And once given, it's up to them if they regift it, burn it in effigy, or trash it.

 

Holidays always bring out the evil in me...

Thrift store circuit rambling
Now Playing: Some idiot's booming radio at 7-11. I can only assume they're deaf and lacking in self-esteem...
 

Current Mood - studious

Spent on dolls/sewing here and there - $2.14

Current Pattern Notes - Yup, haven't made this one either, although it has several I want to. Bought this one back in my early Barbie days, '02, I think. I just love the 'instant' adjective - like you stir the pattern with fabric in water, and poof ! Doll clothes.

Don't we all wish...

 

Today was the ‘thrift store' circuit run - not that I'm really looking for anything, I just wanted to be out for a while. I don't have much holiday shopping to do, since we pretty much cut all gifts last Christmas, when everyone was broke. Well, Dearest Son did OK, but for the rest of us adults, we were happier at not having to fight crowds and traffic and worry about gifts than we would have been with a tangible one. I make something small and inexpensive for the three elders in the family - simple fleece throws, bed jackets, stuff like that - but the rest of us are happy with not having to shop.

 

This is kind of an iffy time for thrift stores. It's cold, so folks wanna stay inside, and the clutter soon gets to be too much. But who wants to get out in the crappy weather to take it to the thrift ? Plus, with Christmas approaching, dumping the 72 dolls Cayitlynnette got last year because she'll get 83 this year makes sense, especially if she barely played with 64 of them. Charity is as close to the heart as shopping, I like to think.

 

So it translates as ‘feast or famine' for some thrifts. One will have 68 almost-new dolls, the next won't have so much as a scrap of a hint of an ink-tattooed limp baby doll. Saw three small toddler dolls, two of which wore identical red cheongsams, but $6. was a bit high, especially when I doubt the dresses or shoes will fit anyone here, and I can make cheongsams easy, just can't find the tiny floral brocade fabric.

 

About the only thing I bought was a simple silver candle stand that'll make a good table for Elphie and Fiyero, 49c. It's a bit too tall for Barbie-scale, but those are plentiful out there, too. Just have to file down the sharp candle peg in the middle and find a good surface. Maybe a square of linoleum, cut in a larger circle, or an AOL CD spray-painted. I'm getting better with spray paint !

 

I'm thinking of donating my nearly-new but second-hand My Scene dolls to the Center where Dearest Son was getting treatment earlier this year. I saw a donation box at a 7-11 for the Center, so they got my change. But I want to do more, and frankly, after years of donating to thrift stores that don't even put them out until March, I'm tired of deluding myself that my efforts make anyone's holidays happier. Plus, Toys For Tots only wants new things. I understand that, even respect it somewhat, but it does make me a bit sad.

 

Oh, and I forgot. During Monday's grocery run, I snagged a plastic shoe box for all that new-to-me wooden spool thread (the tin it was in was rusting) and two 25c remnants. I can't resist 25c fabric bits. One was navy with a sort of starburst pattern, the other was a vaguely Japanese cherry blossom. Wheee !

 

The inexpensive yet superior quality of DVDs have made VHS movies nearly obsolete - and very, very cheap used. Bought three for 50c each. Can't even rent ‘em that cheaply. And when I go second-hand shopping at flea markets and other venues, I see ‘em selling. One favorite flea booth has well over a thousand at a buck each. It's a very busy booth. Sure, if you have a $25. DVD player - and most of us do - you'd probably rather have Thank God It's Friday on disc. But when it's not much more than a fond memory, or a curiosity, $1. is a safer bet than $14.

 

Even the high-tech DVD players are getting cheap. Saw one (HD ? BluRay? Can't remember) for $200. the other day. It's funny how the VHS/Beta (or Windows/Apple) wars and strategies are still being played out. VHS and Windows are considered inferior - Beta and Apple performs better, sharper, longer, etc. But VHS and Windows became the standards because they were cheaper and more readily available. The Beta format for videotape required licensing and royalties. Apple operating systems were more difficult and more expensive to obtain. VHS was royalty-free, so in the infancy of blockbuster home movie tapes, movie distributors soon chose to market more movies on the VHS standard rather than Beta. Kind of the same for Windows - any IBM clone could host Windows cheaply, while Apple remained a proprietary product. Both W's may be inferior, that's a call I don't have to make. But they're the standard even now, twenty plus years later, mostly because they were cheaper.  

 

Well, now that I've had a rant and you've had a history lesson on trivial stuff, I'm gonna bolt. Gotta get that new fabric washed ! And send up another ‘thank you' to the universe about not having to Christmas shop for anyone but Dearest !

Rut, rut, rut
Now Playing: "Sidehackers" - always an MST3K fave
 

Current Mood : Grateful, but a bit dazed 

 

I seem to be stuck in a non-sewing rut this week. You'd think I'd bust butt so I could post the ‘Han Project' photo on the main site, but it just ain't there. I'm not holiday-addled (yet), distracted by worry (right this minute), or over-busy, I'm just...withdrawn. At the interest bank.

 

Oh, I got stuff done. Bought a cute flat luggage-like case at a yard sale a few weeks ago - aluminum with a lenticular band/dance club scene. Pretty neat, but the previous owner had evidently used it to carry around crayons and markers. The slightly fuzzy pale pink interior was covered in little crayon marks. I ripped out the cardboard lining panels and sewed new fabric (a nighttime sky with glittery stars) over the pink fuzz. Better, but that left the sides, still forlornly pink and marked up. More marker didn't cover it, and an eraser just stripped the fuzzy, leaving bare plastic behind. Somehow, that was even worse.

 

Well, today, after a much-delayed living room tidy-fest, I found a can of dark blue spray paint Beloved Hubby bought for one of his projects. Hmm. Few minutes later, I was happily sprayin' away at the case interior - I'd never reattached the covered-over cardboard pieces, so it was easy. The blue easily covered the crayon, and looked darn good with my ‘starfield' cardboard panels. Found the spray adhesive he'd gotten me for backdrop posters, and gleefully reattached the cardboard pieces. All right ! Now *that* was much better ! I let it sit outside for the remainder of the day, to dry and dissipate any adhesive smells, and brought it in tonight. I really love it. Popped in a cotton ball soaked in vanilla before I closed it up. I think I have my reroot case ready to go !

 

Nice to know I can spray-paint *something* without it screwing up. ‘This Old Castle' is on darn near permanent hiatus, since there's been little time for it. Man, what a cluster(deleted) that was/is. I'm gonna finish it, but the interest isn't much there for that, either, and I really hate spending more money on it. Just wish most Barbie structures weren't so luridly colored...and this is coming from a woman who grew up in the ‘brown and orange' 70s, for doll's sake. 

I don't like furry phones...
Now Playing: "Manos: The Hands of Fate" - another classic MST3K, just not a family film.
 Current Mood : Happy

Spent on dolls today : $ 17.39

 

Wow ! I gotta go back and read a lot of comments ! Thanks for ‘em, everyone ! It's been one of those days around here, so reading's gonna be put off for a bit. But I didn't want you to think I didn't notice - they make me happy !

 

The phone here came with My Scene Madison, part of the Un-Fur-Gettable line. I got her for the cool ‘moon chair' that'll be sooo easy to customize. Only problem was that nearly all the props had this cheap, very low density fur glued to them somewhere. The cool phone - yup, the handset lifts off, and the cord stretches, too ! - had a strip of it along the phone base and around the handset. I ripped it off easily enough, but the glue remained. Scratching at it and soaking it in paint thinner didn't remove the glue, so I bought some Goof-Off, and that did. Now I have a neat new phone, destined for the dollhouse. I've already begun planning the furnishings and such. Can't wait ‘til Beloved finishes it.

 

Aside from housework and stuff, stripping glue off a Barbie phone is about all I got done today. But speaking of Beloved, he was home for part of the morning - and he insisted on taking me to Kohl's ! Said he wanted to keep his promise about the sweater-ornaments and he knew, left to my own devices, I wouldn't get them myself. So off we went. I got to see the Hallmark Barbie ornaments - definitely not on sale ! - but that Dream House one was adorable !

 

Picked out four - two of each - at 55% off. Whee ! Four for less than the price of two, and no waiting ! No kidding, that store was d-e-d, dead. Nobody in there, it seemed. I'll have to take photos of the sweaters before I cut them off the adorable hangers - that's right, those sweaters are sewn on there. No big deal, long as I'm careful to cut thread and not sweater yarn. I'll be sure to get measurements, too, in case you're considering them for other dolls, like BJDs. Elphie can fit patterns created for SD13s, well, at least the two I tried, they were sort of loose-fitting, so I'd assume these sweaters fit them, too. The http://www.kohls.com/ site has the ads on it, so you may wanna wait for another sale. I'll keep my eyes open for ya !

 

Well, I still have loads of other housework to do, so I'm back at it. Hope your day went well - and there was at least one nice surprise in it for you !

Han and the 'Hercules' shirt
Now Playing: "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" - wanted to watch this MST3K again
 Current Mood : wondering if belly-shirts for men are coming into vogue any time soon... 

Well, there it is. Yikes. That V-neck didn't go near that low in the image photo ! He looks more like a syndicated Hercules doll than a Han Solo one. Oh, well, he can always wear it backwards ! I kind of figured the shirt would be in a knit fabric, the pants in a woven - closely examined, the ‘black' on each piece is slightly different in the source photo. And it mostly fits, so I can remake the shirt in a woven cotton. But first, I think I'll redo that neckline ! Not sure where I went off the rails, but I'm gonna try to stay on track better on the next one.

 

The pants fit pretty well, though. More peachskin - looks good on him ! If anything, they're a bit short. With boots on, it's not noticeable, but it is with sneakers. I'll probably add a half-inch to the pattern legs and that'll be that. Crotch is a bit low, but at least Han doesn't moon the rest of the shelf when he sits. Anymore. Those Ken pants just never fit him well. He's had to ‘make do' with a safety pin in the back and tolerance from the other shelf-dwellers.

 

And actually, the original pants may also have been short. The ones made for Han's original on-the-doll costume were about shin-length, because he had almost knee-high boots. Mine arrived in a white jumpsuit - like something a medical patient would wear in the future, with no zips, no fasteners, just wide open in the back - and nothing else, so I had to research on eBay. It could be I got the 275% increase wrong, but that darn jacket is certainly snug enough. Since the official Kenner belt seems difficult to come by, I'll probably make one from a small clip for a buckle and some ribbon. Or some of that leather I bought a few weeks ago !

 

And that's about all that got done today. Looked up the Kohl's ad, and a 50% off ornaments sale just expired. But there's another sale - 55% off, couldn't you scream ! - tomorrow. I just don't know if I'm ‘into' it enough to go. With Dearest Son having to go back to school after nearly a week off, I may have my day cut out for me already. That's a big adjustment for a kid who gets a lot of security out of routine.  

Fun with Luke's jacket !
Now Playing: "Star Wars Lego : The Complete Saga" for the Wii. For Dearest Son

Current Mood : Happy, yet still a bit bitter.

Had to get yesterday out of my system somehow. And Luke looked like he could help. So today, I test-sewed the ‘Ceremonial Outfit' pattern I printed Thursday. Since it was just a test, I used scrap fabric - pieces cut from a trashed pair of green men's jeans that Uncle was ditching - and didn't Fray-Check it. Just cut and sewed the 275% increase version. I'd forgotten how heavy denim can be - especially when it was originally ‘people' denim.  

 

Looks to be about right, though. And before I get further, I got a confession. Yes, the ‘original' part of the photo above has been cut from The Star Wars Collectors Archive website  (http://theswca.com/collectors.html) and pasted onto my hard drive for my use here. Ordinarily, I don't like posting images I've stolen off another site. I wouldn't mind if someone nicked mine, but let's face it, there's little chance of that happening !

 

But I'm gonna make an exception. I know I'm gonna sound whiny and mean for this, and I can deal with that if those are your thoughts. But the main reason I'm stealin' their image of Luke wearing what I tried to duplicate is because I gleefully informed them of my success duplicating the Leia flightsuit pattern also on their site, including links to my ongoing process images on my site (I never send unsolicited images in email) and that I'd made sure to give full credit for giving me the idea and hosting the Kenner pattern image. Last year, right after I posted the photos.

 

Didn't hear squat from ‘em. Now, I know they're under no obligation to respond. They're super-busy collecting more stuff. There may even be legal concerns. But if they really don't care and don't have time to answer, well, they probably won't mind me nickin' off with this. It's not like I'm making money off it, or telling others that Leia's suit is a 200% increase and this one is about 275% with more testing to go, or precisely just how to use an image editing program to do it yerself. But just a ‘hey, cool !' would have been nice, and would have earned them a heckuva lot more respect from me. So, I've stolen an image again. I'm mean, cruel, thoughtless, and selfish and headed for The Dark Side.

 

Aw, who am I kidding? Ya'll have known I'm evil for years now !

 

For fun and practice, I even tried the triple-stitching decoration. Yeah, I need more practice in that ! It seems a bit snug on the bicep, but the denim's probably heavier than the sort-of lined vinyl used in the original. Luke's wearing a set of Ken's pajamas underneath, which I figured would simulate the shirt close enough for now, until I try the ‘Ceremonial Outfit' shirt and pants. They're next ! Shoulder hits about right, and the back is mostly flat - I think I got the sleeves not quite parallel. Since it's a prototype of a prototype, that'll happen.

 

On the whole, I'm happy with it, and I hope to at least start shirt and pants tomorrow. Then do it all over again in decent fabric at least once more for Han. And start again on one of the jumpsuits for Luke. Wonder if I can find some orange nylon for that X-wing flight suit...  

 

Boy, I've been really dark since midweek, haven't I ? Well, maybe another success will bring me back to sunny happy me, instead of bitter, vindictive me. Or not. Right now, there's a cardinal pair just outside the office window - can see him and her - and earlier, there was a chubby squirrel on the windowsill. I really need to ease up.

Don't Black Friday me ! <- the new 'don't taze me, bro' meme
Now Playing: "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" - classic holiday MST3K fare

Current Mood : Pizzy and bitter 

 

Well, I can add another ‘I Survived Another Black Friday' to my list of life's accomplishments. I stayed out of most of it, but traffic was so thick, even in the afternoon, even in places where there were no sales, I couldn't help but be somewhat out in it. Ugh.

 

Beloved Hubby took me to Kohl's, in plenty of time to score the sweater ornaments that fit Elphie and Fiyero on sale. They had plenty, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I mean, who spends $8.99 on one rather odd ornament ? That's right - retail price on those is $9. I figured they were about $6. or so. So much for that one comment about them not being Tonner prices. Heck, Tonner only charged about $10. more and they were custom fitted and sewn for the dolls - in scale designs and details !

 

But at 60% off, the sweaters would only be $3.60 plus tax. Not bad. What was bad was the two hour line to get to the registers. I'm not kidding here. All three queues conga-lined through the store, in and out of aisles and displays, and the folks in front said that's how long they'd waited to get this far.

 

No way. No stupid sweater decoration at any discount was worth standing around in a stuffy, humid with humanity store for two hours to pay for it. Beloved said he'd gladly pay full price for the things if I wanted them, but standing around for two hours was simply off the table. I agreed, and while we'd been chasing around the store looking for shorter lines, the one we first approached had moved ahead one person. Yup. Those people I'd asked were still pretty much where they were when we walked in ten minutes before. Oh, no way. Tossed the sweaters in with another pile of ‘rejected at the register' merchandise and got the righteous h#ll out of there, lest the insanity infect us, too.

 

And this was at about a quarter after noon. Long after most of the sales were over. You'd have thought the mad rush long gone, but I guess the real ‘ironman' part was just beginning. I doubt I'll go back, even if there's another sale. I feel rather soured on the whole thing.

 

So we went to the shooting range with Beloved, and released some rage and frustration on a hapless blue silhouette target with a .45 Ruger. The sweaters don't mean that much to me, but the sheer insanity scares and almost hurts when I think about it. Goofed off the rest of the day, watching MST3K tapes and tryin' to forget.

 

Is it too late to cancel Christmas ?

Thanks, for everything, always.
Now Playing: me snoring on the sofa...
 

Current Mood : Overstuffed

Current image notes : Stolen from Michaels.com. One day, though, I will buy or make a doll cake. I've always wanted one - with a whole doll, not a pick. 

 

We had a nice, quiet holiday. Even when ya can sleep ‘til noon, if you're normally up at 5am, yer bladder ensures that you maintain schedule. So we had quite some time before we had to get ready for the big feast at DGMil's - by showering and boiling eggs.

 

So I began work on the ‘Han Project'. Of the three prototype Kenner outfits pictured on The Star Wars Collector's Archive (http://theswca.com/collectors.html)'s pages for the Han and Luke dolls - or Large Size Action Figures, if you prefer - two are jumpsuits/flight suits/speedsuits. I really didn't want to start with one of those. Luke's "Ceremonial Outfit" was more my speed. V-neck black shirt, black pants, beige jacket, all versatile and fairly simple to sew.

 

But I could tell from first glance that this would present a bit more of a challenge than Leia's flight suit, even if both originated on the same site. Leia's pattern I could read. This one was much pictured much smaller, so I'd have to figure out which piece went to which garment on my own. Luckily, it was pretty much common sense - and I kinda figured that, like Ken ‘suit' garments by Mattel, these Kenner shirts were sleeveless. It helps the jacket go on easier, and is cheaper to produce. Of course, it could be that the solo set of sleeves pictured on SWCA went to both shirt and jacket, but that'd be kind of a pain when one goes over top of the other.

 

So I proceeded to the PaintShopPro part of the plan, and bleached the image to black and white. Can't drain the color cartridge printing prototypes, ya know ! Then I outlined it and color-filled until I had the exact same pieces as black lines on white screen. I'd to a website tutorial on how to do that, but I can't imagine anyone but cheap ole me wanting to know how !

 

Once it was down to outline, I increased it 200% and ran a draft-quality printout. Nope. Much too small. Might work for a small-body Barbie, but the back piece didn't come close to Luke or Han's neck or back. Took it back to original size and increased it by 205%. Better - a taped-together quick print was nearly there, but too short in the sleeves and too tight all around.

 

Again. Back to original, then up 300%. I could tell without a printout it was too large. Original to 275% ? Hmmm...another quick print, cut, and tape, and it looked about right. Sleeves were the right length, but underarms are always hard to tell with paper, and these 1978 dolls don't have pivoting ball-joint arms. It's straight up and down with all of ‘em.  Still, 275% looked pretty good, so I printed out and cut a fresh set.

 

Unfortunately, there wasn't time for a quick trial. We had to get the Wii ready for transport, boil a dozen eggs and assemble devilled egg ingredients, and find a good bowl for the salad. Plus showers. But a grand and glorious gourmet meal was worth it, and visiting family made it wonderful. By the time we got home, I wanted a nap !

 

Which is what I'm on my way to. Hope your day was full of things to give thanks for.

Black Friday Humbuggery
Now Playing: quiet of an 11pm home...
 

Current Mood : Sarcastic and bitter, like a good coffee.

Current Pattern Notes : I'm not sure exactly what the name of this one is. It was sent to me from the pattern group - and I love it ! It made Shinobu and Janice's clothes. Yup, whole thing's in Japanese, but the line drawings make the language unnecessary. Lots more I want to make from this !  

 

Getting better by increments. Sorry to have neglected the site and blog so much, I really had to budget my energy for a few days. There's still not much going on, but at least I got to write something !

 

Perused Black Friday ads. If you're not in the US, you may be unfamiliar with this charming tradition. Basically, large-ish stores like anything ending in Mart dump merchandise they've struggled all year to sell the day after Thanksgiving. It sells on that particular Friday - even if it didn't sell all year - because it's been discounted.

 

Now, anyone who's worked in sales can tell you  that you can easily discount something 50% if there's a 600% markup on it in the first place, and the buyer has no idea what the wholesale price is. Just that it's been on the floor gathering dust for $1000. for six months. Offer it for $750. for three hours - say, from 5am to 8am on just one day of the year - and folks will literally trample children and sacrifice family time to get it. Never mind the fact that the store only paid $500. for it to begin with...and you have a deal with Big TV Manufacturer to ‘let' these go, since the New and Improved will be hitting your store in February...

 

Yeah, I'm leaving out many important details. But here Stateside, it's less about being happy with what you have on Thanksgiving and increasingly about the hunger and hunt for more, better, and latest. And most of this stuff's not 'gifts', unless you count that big-azz TV as a 'family' one. Why else would someone start queuing for electronics as soon as they've pushed away from the bounty of treats on the table ? And it gets more ridiculous every year.

 

I've bowed out. It's not any noble sacrifice or anything, it's self-preservation. Last Black Friday I dared to venture out, I darn near got mowed down by some huge black compensation vehicle, piloted by a woman talking on a cell phone, McBreakfast in the other hand, ruckus of kids or other shopping adults audible in the back. With all that going on, she didn't have time to pilot her ‘safety' vehicle, and I doubt she ever saw me. Also got to witness a screaming match that probably came to blows over a disputed parking space, and a fender bender. All in the same parking lot. I vowed ‘never again', and that was three years ago. Plus there aren't any good doll sales this year. (giggle)

 

Now, I may bend my own rules a bit. Kohl's has these sweater ornaments that look fantastic on Tonner dolls like Elphie and Fiyero. And Friday, they're 60% off before 1pm. So I may go out about noon, since nearly all the ‘big' sales are over by then. If I don't get ‘em, that's fine. I've come to the point where I don't want much, and even the stuff I do want isn't a big crave. Plus, of the great folks who took photos of their dolls I the sweaters, no one says how much they are ! Even the Kohl's website doesn't have ‘em. So they may be too expensive even with the discount. I'm not too upset either way.

 

Guess a good lung-rattling cold will do that to ya !   

Weird dolls and ad criticism
Now Playing: "Smokey and the Bandit 3" - of the DVD three-movie set bought cheap
 Current Mood : A bit ticked, a bit sick.

 

Current Displayed Pattern : I've actually used this one - View D is the 'racing dress' Miyako is wearing, and View C is the set Joy models. Both are on the Barbie page. Still wanna make View B's blouse and the cape from E - so 80s ! 

 

Feelin' a little better, but not much. At least I got the groceries shopped. And I don't have a big meal to cook Thursday - Thanksgiving's at DearGrandmother's (my DMil's mom's) house this year. I make my usual devilled eggs and bring a salad and some sodas. I should be able to manage that !

 

Got to play with a Blythe-like doll for a few minutes. I'm tempted - she's only $10., and really does have fantastic eyes. But they're more novelty than anything else, and I clearly remember thinking the Blythe doll I held so briefly back in the 70s was weird and putting her back on a shelf in favor of another Barbie. Anyway, they're Mattel's ‘Beauty Cuties', available at TRU and better Dollar General stores in the US. Huge head, big eyes, Bratz-like body. If I had long hair, I'd probably want one just to store hair barrettes and such on my dresser. Otherwise...naaah. More gimmick to me than potential fun play.

 

Plus, I get a bad Bratz-type vibe from any product that has 'Beauty is our Duty !' as a tag-line. Um...my 'duty' is to care for the ones I love, act in a way that is the best for all parties while maintaining my own goals and ideals, and protecting what is special and sacred to me and mine. 'Beauty' doesn't even enter the equation as an abstract idea ! How is 'beauty' a duty, anyway ? And shouldn't girls - and everybody - be encouraged to aim higher than physical attractiveness ?

 

The curious who wish visual reference can visit these Blythe/Bratz hybrids at http://beautycuties.everythinggirl.com/ . And if that is 'everything girl', may the Deity of your choice save us all.

 

Sorry I'm not more fun and stuff. I'm still really tired, and haven't even begun to work on the Han outfit yet. Had to put the ‘big girl' undies on yet again for stuff I'd really rather not do, but I handled it to the best of my abilities. I then got two more bills and a note from the other Homeroom Mom, saying we need to get started on the Christmas party at our kids' school. (sigh) Felt so overwhelmed, I haven't written her back yet, just went back to bed with a blanket over my head.

 

I mean, really. If the Halloween party taught me anything, it's to not overdo stuff with themes and such. Party's a big 30 minutes long (actually less, due to bus schedules and such), any competition-type game's not gonna end well, and even if only three parents offer snacks, we'll be fine. It's a first-grade kids' party, so we don't need Martha Stewart to cater and organize. Nice touches are great, but we don't need to shellac pecans here. Now, how do I communicate that to another Mom who clearly wants to be Ms. Stewart...?

 

Aw, heck, let her do her thing. Anybody else is gonna do what they do, and that's one thing even the real Martha can't change. I refuse to chase around and spend $20. on this party all by myself. And next year...I'll send a bag of Doritos and a tray of celery and be done with it !