Current Mood : Slight miffedness 

Learned something yesterday. Cross-posted yesterday's catalog cover image on a Barbie-only board, thinking somebody might be interested in seeing what's next with Playline, or at least be a bit happy that Mattel's rethinking small catalogs. You know, I thought a Barbie catalog would be of interest to readers of a Barbie message board. Got not one response at all. The link to a Hallmark Christmas ornament catalog - with miniature Silkstones in it - had responses within an hour of the original post. Cheapest ornament in there is more than I paid for most of my collection - most are more than Little Alice !

Oh, well. Now I know they're more ‘into' more expensive dolls there, so I shouldn't post mine. After all, mine are 50c at yard sales and $1. at flea markets and $2. at thrift stores...unlikely venues to find $$$ designer dolls, which seems to be what they want. Even the daily featured doll photo displays are all Silkies, something I'm just not into. I feel bad when I laud someone's Malibu, but say nothing about someone else's Silkie. I don't wanna lie and gush when I simply don't care about that doll type, but I hate ignoring anyone... Mine are also mostly ten or twenty years old -  not old enough for vintage, too old for latest and greatest. So I don't really fit in there, either.

I don't mean it as a criticism of the board. I just needed to know what they're ‘into' over there, so I don't make an idiot out of myself. And I'm seriously considering starting my own - no Fashion Royalty, no SuperDoll, no Sybarites, no Silkstones, no BJDs. No "Limited Edition Dilithium Release Platinum Circle Members Only" crap. No triple-digit price dolls, either. Just dolls from yer childhood, or used ones from second-hand venues, or fresh off the Mal-Wart shelves. Kinda hard to enforce those rules, and I'd hate to restrict anyone right out of the gate, but I get so tired of feeling out of place on the other boards, and there's not one much like what I'd like. Closest was "Eclectic Blender", when they first started out, but they're mostly FR now. "Apartment 16" was intriguing, but it's been shut down since April.

Problem is, the other boards that cater to FR and Sybarites and high-end Tonner fans seem to be doing quite well. Part of me is still smarting from the ‘Spaghetti Sauce Site' debacle. I've never felt so unwanted in my life - astounding when you think this is among grown adults who play with dolls ! So I doubt there's even a need or interest in what I'm imagining. Go me, I'd have my own board to sound off on ! And where I'd find time to moderate if anyone else did post is anyone's guess.

Besides, I haven't updated the darn site since March ! I need to focus on keeping what I have running, not going out for more !

Learned something today, too. There's not a really good way to reheat leftover Sonic onion rings. Microwaved, they're mushy. Oven baked, they're rock-hard and still cold in the center. Maybe I should try to pan fry ‘em next time.

Posted by dorriebelle at 9:25 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:32 PM CDT

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Now that I've had overnight to think about it, I'm not sorry at all I bought Alice. Aside from a few issues with her dress (more to come), she's a lovely doll with fair skin and pretty eyes. Her ‘Cheshire Cat' pal not only has poseable ‘arms', but a fluffy tail that can also be slightly posed. Cute ! I just wish they'd had more teacups and less ‘unbirthday' cake. I'm gonna hafta find a lotta miniature teacups soon...

Her dress really was a disappointment. Threads everywhere, and not from packing and presentation. Simply uncut threads, including some visible outside the sleeve ! What I couldn't figure out was why her dress was pulled up on the right. You can even see it in yesterday's photo - her left sleeve is much lower than the left. Turns out, sewing the underarm seam caught the trim from the sleeve, hitching the whole dress up on that side. I'm amazed no one caught that. It made getting the dress off her for examination much more difficult than it should have been.

I'm also gonna have to iron that collar down - it won't lie flat - and amazingly, the ribbon at her waist isn't a tie-back apron. The ribbon is the waist. Like the blue costume (read : polyester) satin is so expensive, saving a half inch of it is worthwhile, the bodice and skirt are attached to ribbon, not each other. Wild. Her hosiery bags awfully at her ankles, and doesn't meet at the crotch. Pulling it up to remove the slack is impossible, it's already that tight. While I love the shoes, and they're improved from 2002 Belle's loose ribbon-tie ones, these really are cheaply made. Seriously. I could make these. But I shouldn't whine - the doll and all, including licensing and packaging and everything else, is less than $20. new. And the doll is well-made, even if I got a poor example of the costuming. And I'm here for the doll, ya know !

I've gotta start BIL's robe - he needs it for an upcoming trip in July, and I haven't even washed the fabric, or read the pattern. Been too blasted sick ! So I can't start any new projects, save the catalog scanning, until I get those done. (sigh)  There's a test one, then a final. I don't know what I'm gonna say if he wants more. Maybe I'll keep track of how long all this is gonna take me...

Posted by dorriebelle at 5:59 PM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:32 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Jubilant ! 

So today was another thunderboomer morning, and Beloved Hubby was home - he even made breakfast ! He encouraged me to visit TRU after Dearest Son came home from school, as a treat. We'd done Beloved stuff all weekend, due to his birthday and Father's Day, so he wanted me to have some time of my own. By then, the rainstorm would be over and he was looking forward to some quality Wii time with Dearest. Plus, I had to go to Sam's Club anyway for a few specialties, and it was right over there. We all know that I was going just to see if they had any Toddler Princess dolls yet, and I've been in a itching lather to go for the last week. Still, I kvetched and tried to discourage m'self from operating in such a selfish frame of mind (dollsdollsdolls!), but it was no use. I hadn't been on a retail doll hunt in months, and really wanted this one.

I had in mind a more circuitous route than just TRU then Sam's. I planned to hit Target first, then the high-side Mal-Wart...after that, I'd visit the other stops. I just had to hit with quick, surgical precision, and not get distracted, so I wouldn't be out all afternoon. Beloved didn't mind how much time I took, but I didn't wanna be out in clouds like these for long. Target was a negative on dolls, but I did find a lovely Ariel hardback locking diary in the Dollar Spot. I sort of liked the Ariel gel pens and the fuzzy mini-poster coloring set, but not enough to snag either. They also had some infant t-shirts in patriotic themes, and I may go back for one or two later. They'd look cute on Gracie and Casey, the My Size Barbie girls. Maybe even Charmin' Chatty. I don't think I should get the ‘Made in the USA' ones, though - most of my dolls were made overseas !

The high-side Mal-Wart is where I lost it. Literally. They actually had Little Alice ! I'd never seen her before...and while Alice in Wonderland is not my favorite book/film/animation/anything, she was a pretty doll. $16.88, huh ? Wellll....she's not a princess. I can exclude her from the collection using that rule, if I wanted. Even the box didn't skitter around that - it had the familiar Diz logo, but not the DPrincess one. And she doesn't show up at all on the www.playmatestoys.com site. Honestly, I'm not even sure why Playmates chose this character. It's not like this line extension is severely lacking in blue-eyed blondes. That's why I didn't buy the Tinkerbell one I now really want...I already had Cinderella. Well, anyway. Decisions, decisions. I said I'd stick to only used dolls, but...

We both know she came home with me today. New rules : she's either a used doll, or she's less than $20. total, shipping and all. Of the ten Playmates Disney Toddlers, I now lack three. And two of them are being re-released this fall. So I predict a merry chase this summer for Little Pocahontas...

I'd also seen some lovely Tinkerbell print fabric used for doll dresses and bedding during my online hunts. So I checked the local Mal-Wart for it yesterday, and this one today. Nope. Found out the high-side Wart's fabric section is closing, which ranks. That one is bigger, with a better selection than the local one, which isn't closing. Still, they've been threatening to close it for two years now, so I shouldn't be surprised. Taking note of the 50% off signage, I picked up a few bolts of starry fabric I've always liked. They kinda  cheated, though. The fabric that was $4. was marked down to $3., but ‘half off' meant it was $2. a yard. Yup, they put it back to full price before taking the discount. Oh, well, it was still cheaper than the same fabric at our local store, so I got some variegated pink with silver stars, some variegated lavender with silver stars, more of that DPrincess ‘pearl' print, and an Ariel sundress remnant. Seriously, the sundress piece is already elastic smocked, hemmed and ready to go, all it needs is a back seam. Not bad at all for $1.50 - they charged me the full remnant price for that one, the stinkers. I'm probably going to make Jasmine's costume from the lavender star piece.

Since trim was also half-off, I grabbed packages of silver and gold baby rick-rack, and a gorgeous emerald green pack, too. It'll look great on that Ariel fabric I already have. I was kind of in a rush, and the cutting tables were seriously backed up, so I may go back later this week, after I recycle all these soda cans. But still - I'd spent $35. there already, and that was plenty ! Heck, I should not have even gone to TRU...

But you know I did. They also had Little Alice, but M-W was a buck cheaper. No other dolls in any line I wanted, save for maybe the My Scene Roller Girl Madison. She's still $ 5. on clearance, but I was feeling guilty about spending so much already, and they had six. Maybe next week or two. I did make a minor score, though - a Barbie catalog ! Man, I haven't seen a new Barbie catalog since Fashion Avenue outfits went under. I helped myself to two from the wire rack hanging from the Fashion Fever shelf. Called the ‘Barbie Every Girl's Gotta Have It List', it's sixteen pages of Toy Fair '08, culminating in an actual checklist on the back cover. Oh, heck yeah, I'm gonna scan it ! Hope you don't mind a delay before I start posting the 70s catalog, so I can post this one ! Starts tomorrow !

After that, I was in and out of Sam's so fast, I barely registered on the security cameras. Put off opening Alice's packaging until later tonight, so I could introduce her while it's quiet. Whoo. It'll take me most of tomorrow's entry to describe her outfit...serious sewing errors here...(tsk, tsk)

Seven down, three to go ! Wheeeee !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:31 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Reflective

Current Image Notes : This is 'DC', Daddy's Cat. He really loves Beloved Hubby, is on his lap in the photo, and cuddles up to him whenever he (I think he's a 'he' !) can. Has for the last three weeks. Very sweet kitty. So he's stayin'. Now, if Miz Velvet doesn't get her crap together soon...

Kind of a quiet day – thunderstorms all morning, but a beautiful afternoon. Got dishes and some laundry done, which actually feels good when yer healthy enough to do it ! We bought two plastic underbed boxes for Dearest Son’s Lego this weekend, and today, it all got sorted and stored. Dearest’s actually rather proud of them. Another box got all his miniature cars, and it goes underbed, too. I can best appreciate the educational and creative benefits of tiny towns and freeways when I’m not steppin’ on ‘em all the blasted time !

 Got to hit the thrift, but there wasn’t much new. Bought two 50c small-toy grab bags for the miniature bright pink lunch box and a DPrincess pencil case inside ‘em. The small lunch box originally had an image of Tweety Bird on it, but it’s already been peeled off. Never was a big Tweety fan – I rooted for Sylvester ! Gonna make a Mystery Science Theater for Girls lunchbox out of it, soon as I decide how I wanna do the graphics. I can always use a zippered pencil case, and I liked the Princess image on this one – Belle, Aurora, and Snow, with roses. 

All but two of the remaining toys will be re-donated – a Beanie Baby dog Dearest liked and a tiny fairy doll. It’s probably from a Barbie Fairytopia set. I’m mostly keeping it as a toy for the TinkerBell toddler doll I’ll eventually have. That, and I wanna figure out how they did her topknot ponytail. It’s like it was rubber banded, tied in a slipknot, and banded again.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:31 PM CDT

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Current Mood : quiet peace

Current Image Notes : This is 'Onyx', and he/she already has a home. In fact, I need to remind his/her owners that they can pick him/her up at their convenience. Great attitude, beautiful eyes, and a little round belly. I'd keep him with DC if I could ! 

Aaaah...the best part of the weekend. Finding places to store all the new and new-to-us stuff that's in the house now. We had a minor toss-and-sort last week, and a box of odd leather scraps got forgotten in the hallway. I'd bought a bag of ‘em years ago, dirt cheap, intending to somehow thin the pieces down and soften ‘em up enough to use ‘em for doll clothes and accessories. Now I know better - well, at least, I realize I probably won't be able to do crap with these stiff, hard chunks. Microfiber UltraSuede looks much better, is easier to sew, comes in dozens of colors, and it's cheaper, too ! About all we've done with any of the leather bits was to add several as cushioning in a box of ammunition Beloved Hubby mailed off - we labeled them as ‘fully customizable all-leather targets', as a joke. And believe me, shipping small handgun ammo is an adventure all on its own !

Anyway. House is trashed from me being sick and kittens and Dearest Son home all day, digging into things from curiosity. The leather scraps were soon all over the hallway. But sometimes, it's good to have things in disarray. Ya get to look at them all over, maybe in a new way. While storing them in the box that Snow White arrived in yesterday, it occurred to me that one piece in particular was about the size of a mouse pad. And I've been needing a new one - but I didn't like the Dollar Tree cheapies, the $4. ones at Mal-Wart weren't much of an improvement, and I wasn't gonna pay $12. for one of Best Buy's deluxe models. I'd been toying with using Stitch Witchery to iron a pretty new cover onto the old one, but hadn't done it yet. Cutting leather was much easier ! Less than a minute later, the old mouse pad was in the laundry, and my new leather one graced the desk. And the rest of it's in my closet, next to the ‘Big Box of Crap Crafts'. Heck, by not buying a new M-W one, I've saved the price of the leather to begin with !

Beloved had a nice weekend - between his birthday and Father's Day, I made sure he had all the time he wanted to do whatever he wanted. Evidently, he really wanted to read and sleep ! He upgraded the memory on his laptop, and got the new cell phone he's been wanting - and upgraded the memory on it, too. We bought a few used movies and watched those together on the sofa, which was extra-nice.

I found a place to store all my new stationery, and found some unused Cars Christmas cards, so Dearest has more play stationery. Even found a box for his desk to hold it in.  I'm gonna get him a tape dispenser during tomorrow's grocery run. The kids clothes that're soon to be future doll fabric got stuffed into the ‘new' basket of material, and the clock's on my sewing table. Found out about 3am this morning that the alarm function works !

Kittens are into everything. I bet I close the CD lid on the boom box five times a day. I'm gonna miss them when they're gone, but I'm getting tired of the ankle attacks and doll commando raids right now.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:31 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Happy !

Current Image Notes : This is 'Tiger' - the most aggressive of the bunch. Seriously, whenever I look down after feeling an ankle attack, it's normally this cutie ! Love to keep this one, but I can't take all the attacks and fights.  

Got to hit the GoodWill and a couple of yard sales - spent a big, whoppin' $5. Got a buncha goodies, but no dolls. Got some new infant coat hangers for Baby Chrissy's wardrobe from a free box, too. And a new bath-mat for Beloved Hubby's office bathroom. We needed one, and you know me...I'd much rather pay a quarter than $15. !

I've found that if I have nice stationery, I actually use it, so I've been picking up pretty blank cards when I find ‘em cheaply. The large bag I bought today had everything from Christmas cards to Spiderman birthday invitations in it. Also a sealed package of pink rose decorated cards that declared that they were ‘Just a note from Charlene'. Dearest Son is now using the ‘Charlene' and Spiderman cards, for report cards and notes home when he plays school. It's always nice to have good props to play with, I think.

Got two pieces of fabric for me-clothes for just a buck each. One is a tiny rosebud print on lovely white seersucker, the other is pretty, large stars on a field of blue. Once I finish Brother-In-Law's robe, I'm goin' after that star-print !

I also stupidly bought more clothes. The sweatpants for Dearest were a good buy, but the other stuff...oh, it's for doll clothes, and I'm an idiot. But it was so cheap, and those folks clearly loved to dress their daughter in the best from various retail outlets that I'm not comfortable enough to enter. I selected a cat silhouette print blouse that coordinated with cat silhouette embroidered jeans, and blue corduroy pants (just about right for "Friday Night Date' !) that went with a rather stained ice-skater embroidered sweater I snagged for the buttons. I didn't realize the corduroys had the same skater on ‘em until I got it all home. Also scored a rosebud embroidered girls' shirt that'll make nice t-shirts for Elphie and just about any other doll I wanna use it for, and a smocked blouse of blue cotton flower print  I'll similarly cut up for projects.

Last score of the day was a great star-shaped clock. It has a few chips in the wood, but once I get those sanded down and the whole thing spray-painted, it'll be great to have in the Lab. Works beautifully, and even has an alarm function.

Hit six sales in an hour and a half, and by the last one, the heat of the day had burned off the last of Friday night's thunderstorm, making the air steamy and sticky. So I was eager to come home...and there was my Snow White doll ! Awesome ! She's absolutely beautiful - hard to believe this wasn't the one I wanted. I lost the bid on another Snow, missing her shoes and such, but had the trademark dress in pastels rather than the standard primary red/blue/yellow of the animated film dress.  Very pretty - and the close-up photo of her face was heart-melting. She went kinda high, and once out of my league, I found another ending a few hours later. Of the four of us fighting for pastel Snow, I was the only one who bid on this other gorgeous girl. Wow. You'll laugh, but the only thing she's missing is her headband ! I'm sure I can work up a red bow for her. Playmates has improved their shoe technique since Belle, definitely.

Her hair is just incredible. I'm not sure if Playmates switched to better hair for later issues - my first-year Belle had a nightmare of tangled ends, and I only rarely played with her. I ended up cutting about an inch and a half of dry ends off. Cia (Cinderella) and Ariel had similar issues. Aurora's hair is a bit end-frizzy, but it's not as bad as theirs. It's as if Aurora has two kinds of hair, shiny on top and a bit frizzed underneath. Snow and Jasmine have fantastic, smooth hair throughout, so I wonder...

After watching me carefully brush her hair, fluff out her dress, exclaim over the detachable red velvet cloak, leave glowing feedback for the seller, then dance around the house with Snow for a while, Beloved asked a dangerous question. What was I gonna do when I had all ten dolls ? Hmm. I'd take tea party photos, and playground pictures, and ...well. What would I do ? Gave it about half a minute of thought and decided I'd buy the next yard-sale Belle I found. Reroot her, recolor her eyes, create an original trademark dress, with matching headband and shoes ... and make my very own Little Princess Dorrie doll !

Beloved should really know to not ask these sort of questions...

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:30 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Lazy

Current Image Notes : I called this one 'Goose', because he/she has that look of a kid just tapped that in a game of Duck, Duck, Goose. Plus, there's Gray Goose, and she's downy like a goose. Beloved Hubby calls her Jean (yeah, he likes mutants. Sigh). Very quiet kitty - who's probably going to live with the PILs next week or so.  You also get a bit of 'Tiger', you'll see more of him tomorrow.

Beloved Hubby was home today ! And we did pretty much nothin'. Watched old anime tapes and DVDs, complained about where that hobby went, and just sort of rattled around the house for a while. We went out, but I didn't find much beyond some yard sales I'll hit tomorrow. We got more underbed plastic storage boxes for Dearest Son's overflow Lego, and a few bits and bobs, but I stayed out of the fabric section and didn't find any new dolls.  In fact, our local shops haven't had new dolls in months. Seems as though, if I wanna see anything ‘new', I have to hit thrifts and yard sales !

Surprisingly, Playmates toys wrote me back ! The ‘Sun ‘n Fun' DPrincess dolls I asked about are due out in August or September. Odd time to be stocking summer dolls, but heck, if it keeps me from paying $30. for a nude Mulan with tangled hair, I can wait ! No mention was made of toddler Tinkerbell, so I figure she'll be out about the same time. And I'll be checking TRU every couple of weeks anyway.

Darn kittens are driving me nutz ! They're climbing everything, and can get pretty much anywhere, from the kitchen counters on down. They can open most cabinets, and just love launching as-yet-unsorted doll shoes off the top of the cubby Beloved made me. They also adore Jasmine's hair, and knocking dolls off the shelves, then picking fights with siblings among piles of dolls, cheap-serged fabric, and synthetic hair. I'll miss them when they start finding new homes, but right now...Arrrgh !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:30 PM CDT

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Current Mood : kittenish !

Current Image Notes : We've nicknamed this kitty 'Stripe', because his white crest actually stands up a bit ! He and Jean (grey) are the two reclusive ones, but he looks a lot like DC. We sometimes call them 'regular' (DC) and 'extra-fluffy' (Stripe) ! 

Ironically, my breathing has stabilized. I can now breathe even lying down ! Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate, and my allergies are back, full force. So I'm blowing my nose ever 15 seconds, or coughing. (sigh) I took a decongestant, so hopefully that'll dry up. It's so nice to breathe, I wanna enjoy it !

Still weaker than I'd like to be. But I did go out for a bit, to the thrift store. Found the pants that go to the 15-inch Little Jasmine doll I bought there last month... in a bag with some other doll clothes, for $7. Sheesh. I might've considered it, if the blouse had been there, too, but heck. I'm darn near paying full price this way ! So I left it there. I think I can manage harem pants and a tank top on my own ! And for less than $7. !

Weren't many other finds. No new patterns, very few new toys, and I haven't been there in two weeks ! Bought a stuffed polar bear for 25c, for the plastic Coca-Cola bottle sewn to his hand. It's about Crissy-size. But I had some luck ! Found ‘Derek', the cobbler turned prince in the 2006 Barbie 12 Dancing Princesses movie, in a $4. baggie with a chewed-hand Max Steel doll. I wanted him when he came out, but only saw him once. Of course, it was during a thin week, so I didn't get him - and until today, never saw him again. Very handsome guy, his head mold's only been used previously on 2002's Rapunzel wedding Prince Stephan. His head's stamped ‘2006', though. The dolls have very different hair, too. He also has the poseable body, which I like in a guy doll ! He's missing his pants (!) , the weird ‘Prince Eric' fold-top boots every Mattel prince gets these days, a generic crown, and the twelve pair of Barbie shoes he came with, but that's fine. I only wanted him anyway.

For my $4., I got a nude Max Steel, Derek in his issue tunic, a Prince Charming cream tunic (complete with braid and buckle), a camo jumpsuit from Dollar Tree, and a gorgeous olive green trenchcoat from 21^st Century Toys. It's really nice ! Has silver Army ‘Eagle' buttons on the front, a back belt, real working pockets, shoulder epaulettes, and a great collar. It's missing one of the back ‘eagle' buttons, but there's spares under the collar. The stitching is exquisite. So I think my cash was well spent, even if Max'll end up redonated wearing the camo jumpsuit next month. Trenchcoat alone was worth it, and so was Derek !

They had a couple new Barbies - it's funny, even though they're all sealed up, two to a bag, all the male dolls are in one bin, all the girls are in another - but nothing really great. Unless a My Scene ‘Barbie' or ‘Kennedy' came with raspberry colored hair, they had a couple of clones, too. I liked the dress one of the clones wore, but not enough to buy another $4. baggie.

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:30 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Relieved but exhausted 

Current Image Notes : This is the last of the 'Disney Princesses and their Underwear' exhibit (ha-ha). Next up ; Kittens !  

The road to recovery begins again. (sigh) I will be sooo glad when this is over !

Decided to run a small, short errand or two, to see how well I was doing. Um, apparently, the answer to that is ‘not'. Just ran up to the PO, for a stamp to mail a bill, and drop off library books. Erg. I had a bit of fun - while holding the PO door for an older gentleman, I mentioned that door opening for good-lookin' men was my hobby. He laughed, and said he liked that hobby !

For some reason, I couldn't remember how much postage was, so I just kept feeding change into the machine until it said I could have two stamps. I also got back a bunch of pennies - which was odd, since I hadn't given the machine any. That mission accomplished, I headed to the car, my head pounding and feeling a bit dizzy. Guess I'm weaker than I thought. Luckily, our library has drive-up book drops, so I was soon on my way home. Ready and eager for a nap !

I guess I should admit I haven't been eating. Well, when ya can't breathe, eating's a hazard, or it just doesn't occur to you. Seriously, until dinner last night, I only ate a handful of chips, to take my other meds with. I meant to have lunch, but forgot. Funny, how the simple things can trip us up...

I also researched my ongoing ‘Before Once Upon A Time' Disney Princess doll collection. (sheepishly) I broke down and ordered a really inexpensive Snow White this week. Her shipping is nearly three times what I paid for the doll, but she really is lovely. And she's still second-hand ! Hopefully, she'll be here next week. That only leaves four ‘little princess' Playmates dolls I don't have - Pocahontas, Mulan, Tinker Bell, and Alice - out of the ten I know about. Wow. Those must be the really rare four. On eBay, Poca seems to only rarely turn up at all, and Mulan's going for $10. on the opening bids. Tinker and Alice are much the same, but there's more of them. Hmph.

So I did more research. Playmates, the manufacturer, didn't have any DPrincess stuff at Toy Fair, save for some ‘Baby Come Back' type crawling infant Princesses. And that part of their website hasn't been updated since the '05 Ballerina Princess ones. So I was wondering if the whole toddler angle had been dropped. After six years, they've had a good run...but nope. Found press releases - from December '07 ! - that promised ‘Sing ‘n Style' dolls with light-up hairbrushes and ‘Sun ‘n Fun' dolls, dressed for outdoor fun. The hairplay dolls were of the usual three (Cinderella, Ariel, Belle). But the summer dolls were even more limited,  just Cinderella...and Mulan ! Whoo-hoo ! I will gladly break my ‘used only' rule (which is already kinda dented anyway) to get Mulan ! And it explains why I've found about eight Cinderellas, three Belles, and four Ariels on my secondhand haunts.

Only problem is, when are they due out ? I haven't seen anything new in stores in a while. The press release only said that they'd have ad saturation in spring and fall. Hmft. Doesn't make much sense to put a summer-themed doll out in October. So I wrote ‘em. Here's hoping they write back. Last time I wrote, I was whining about the ‘World Of Ariel' doll's flat feet not working with her heeled shoes. Of course, they didn't write back on that...

Oh, and they're also coming out with more Disney Fairies dolls, which will hopefully include a reissue of the Tinker Bell they're showing on their website. Evidently, there's a DVD tie-in, with a street date of October 28. The Playmates website offers computer wallpaper and a link to the Disney corp. site, where you can create your own fairy. Check ‘em out   ->  http://playmatestoys.com/disneyfairies/#

Funny...the 8" ‘Prilla' doll kind of looks like a Tyco Ariel to me...

And looks like the big 'Disney Platinum' holiday DVD release this year will be... Sleeping Beauty, including discs in Blu-Ray. So, you can expect to see lots of Aurora, also in October. I already have one more Aurora than I thought I'd ever need, so they'll have to create something exceptional for me to buy another !

Oh, and Disney Stores have their own ‘Little Princess' dolls, but I don't like them. Playmates tried to make the same head mold look unique for each character. These all look walleyed and unoriginal, and the original line had these narrowed eyes and awful smirks, like a teenager turned toddler in a princess dress. I have no idea who made the Disney Stores dolls - bodywise, they look much like the Playmates ones - but the ‘sweet innocence' is absent, in both the ‘smirk' and ‘non-smirk' versions.

And this auction for one says 'soft body'. You know me, I want all-vinyl, for some bizarre reason !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:29 PM CDT

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Current Mood : Breathing easier... 

Well, thanks to their website and the medical office, I got another thirty-day Advair inhaler. The manufacturer, Glaxo Smith-Kline, has a coupon for a free first prescription, and luckily, it worked. So this one was free, but the next one will be a bit over...are you ready for this ? $200. Yup. Two hundred bucks for thirty days. I'm hoping like anything I won't need another one. I swear, I'm gonna make the most expensive Barbie chair ever out of the empty purple devices.

While I shouldn't whine about a freebie, it also took forever to get the prescription from the office - the coupon required a written, signed script, not a phoned-in one, and my practitioner didn't come in until mid-afternoon  - but only a few minutes to get it filled. Pharmacist took one look at me wheezing and pale, and not only filled it on the spot, she brought it to me, so I wouldn't even have to walk over for the consult. So, I've only had one dose, but it's already helping. I need to knock off the static over it already. Lotta people did all they could to help me.

While I had their website up, I did a bit of research. The dose I'm on, 100/50,  is what's normally prescribed to kids. Seriously. Children as young as 4 can use this stuff, at the same dosage - there's two that're higher. So I'm glad the lowest is working for me. I wonder if the 500/50 or the 250/50 devices are even more expensive.

But really, that's about all I did today, after getting Dearest Son ready for school, waiting for the afternoon bus, and sleeping. I'm hoping I can sleep tonight. Asthma symptoms normally worsen at night, when the body naturally begins to slow down. Some nights, I can only sleep in short patches - and I end up napping half the day, when my breathing's better. Plus, there's the simple fact that when I'm asleep, I'm not miserable...

On the brighter side, Miz Velvet's using the litter box again. I have no idea why she decided Dearest's room was her new repository, but closing the door seems to have remedied the situation. She also appears to be in heat - she's extremely affectionate, and has been emitting a darn near toxic cloud of smell while being so. Her last effluvia could have felled a sequoia.

Dearest's desk and chair have been his latest delight. I dug out an old letter tray and a spinning pencil holder for him, and added the desk duster I got from Dollar Tree a few months ago. Depending of what I find this weekend, I may add a tape dispenser and other office accoutrements. It's been a while since I got to go hunting on Friday morning !

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 4:29 PM CDT

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