Whoo-hoo ! I did what I said I was gonna today !

 

Current Mood : Jubilantly tired 

 

 

Busy, busy day. Thank Everything for leftovers, or I might not have found time to eat ! But I got everything done I wanted to - there's a small box, packed tight and full of goodies, ready for Beloved Hubby to mail to my super-patient swap partner tomorrow ! Sure, it's a month and  week late, but...(sigh) I still feel bad about that, but I kept jamming on it, trying to think of the most perfectly elaborate and wonderful things I could make for her. And when I tried to sew them, they were total craft fail ! She's an expert, wonderful sewist, who adds the most incredible tiny touches that really bring her creations to life. It's kinda hard to make your own  kinda stuff for someone who makes the gorgeous.

 

 

I have to keep learning over and over, I can't be perfect. Can barely even try. It's important to do my best, of course, but when it interferes with me doing anything at all, well, it's time to re-think things. It's better for a gift to be simple and well-made than elaborate and crappy. I just hope she thinks her goodies are (1) worth this ridiculous wait and (2) are the former, not the latter.

 

 

I confess to being a twinge proud. And I can't wait to rip into mine ! You'll get lotsa photos of what she sent me, I promise !

 

 

And, as you can imagine, my desk is a dump, my sewing area is beyond salvage, and the tops of the washer and dryer are trashed and scattered. Housework in general has been neglected, but I can't blame that on sewing - I'm sure I would have neglected it anyway.

 

 

I did have to take things a bit easy - we had darn near gale force winds and a super-high pollen count, so my breathing wasn't asthmatic, but I was tight-chested. So I did the most time consuming thing first, then took a break, then the next, right on down the line.

 

 

Beloved's Airsoft game was a mixed bag. Honestly, I'd call it a crappy day, but you know that a day spent doing a hobby is always better than a day doing almost anything else. Heck, even I can't sleep forever ! He came home with chips and a sore back - plus an assortment of semi-functional Airsoft weaponry - so I did the 'sofa stuff' and kept him company. To me, 'sofa stuff' is whatever I can do in the living room while I'm doing something else. Tonight, it was sewing snaps on skirts and bows on...well, I don't wanna ruin my swap partner's surprise. But I got to hear it all, before one of his friends called and I overheard the rest. I'm glad he called it an 'OK day'. I have other, more descriptive words that begin with 'cluster' and end in works I don't use here.

 

 

We're watching the BBC series, Hyperdrive, featuring Nick Frost. If you've seen anything from Simon Pegg, you're already well acquainted with Nick Frost. It's imaginative and entertaining, and possibly the most expensive series the BBC has ever green-lit, but not the laugh-riot it's billed as. Earlier today, Dearest Son selected Cats Don't Dance, a film I'd meant to see back in my 'all animation is art' phase, and loved it so much, we watched it together tonight. It was cute and occasionally witty - with some sly gems tossed to the adult audience - but ultimately, not something I'd watch repeatedly. I'm glad Dearest loved it, though. I really should find some Shirley Temple movies, so he knows who someone on the writing staff had it in for - whoo. They pull out all the stops in making the Darla Dimple character a bright pink bit of bad news.

 

 

Well, I need some rest. Hope your Sunday was fun and active - without the wind and pollen, though !

Still have to work on zori sandals and tabi socks...

 

Current Mood : Giggly happy 

 

 

Finishing up my swap package today - Beloved Hubby promised to mail it Monday. Now all I have to do is re-make Ghoulia's kimono with better stitching and better fabric, stitch up one or two more little things, make a couple pairs of inserts, and print off an updated copy of the kimono 'pattern'. It's mostly directions and measurements to cut out, except for the sleeve pattern. I just hope she can make sense of it.

 

 

Today's image kimono simply isn't good enough. The sleeves still pull a bit at the underarm, the color is funky, and the collar is still 'rip it out twice before you get it right' off, but if the collar is hand-sewn, it'll probably work the first time. I hate hand-sewing, but the pattern itself is fairly solid. It's basically the wrap dress from Miss B's Couture, with a collar and sleeves added. Not surprisingly, that's where the issues are, the sleeves and collar !

 

 

But it felt good to sew and get everything typed up. About all I had this morning was the pieces, no directions or anything. Need to make a better obi, too, but that can wait. I'm gonna get a package mailed off Monday if it kills me ! It's a month late already, I certainly don't wanna make her wait even longer !

 

 

Plus, I really wanna open what she sent me ! It's been patiently waiting right here, but I didn't feel right to get treats when I hadn't sent any. So I'm really looking forward to taking pictures of all the gorgeousness I know is in there....mmmm, gorgeousness....

 

 

And I got a slate of projects bugging me, too. I'm getting begged to write up a tutorial for Ghoulia's hair, I owe Beloved two embroidery stitch-outs and a camo dress for his Frankie, I haven't gone near either of my websites since last year, want to try my hand at making my own purse, and there's a couple other sewing techniques I want to learn - actually re-learn, since attempts a few years ago were miserable failures. But, this package comes first, goss knows she's been patient long enough !

 

 

So, like yesterday, I'm looking forward to tomorrow - another day with KJ and another go at the kimono. We'll see what I can get done after that...I got another idea...

Had enough jokes at Chez Insanity today - not gonna play any on ya'll !

 

Current Mood : Crafty 

 

Spent on black soft Velcro (tm): $1.94

Spent on 16 little paper cocktail umbrellas : $1.08

 

 

 

Another quiet day. Beloved Hubby was home early, and he's busy all weekend. So we had a bit of a prowl today, instead. Ended up at Hobby Lobby, which I wasn't sure about - I had the coupons printed, but forgot to take a pattern I wanted to use along. Ah, well.

 

 

The 'Barbie on the Runway' tote I made into purse a couple years ago is showing serious wear. And since I'm not as much into Barbie as I used to be, I'm debating what I want in a new handbag. Not that I really use them, but I'd like to. Haven't seen anything yet in the thrifts, and my old purse box hasn't surfaced yet. I think it's behind a stack of sheets all shoved into the hall closet. Really should dig through all that...

 

 

Anyway, there's been two purses that I've really liked through the years. One was a neon-paint splashed denim hobo bag, the other was a bright pink plastic roll bag with a fun raised dot texture, and 'Candies' logos hanging off the straps and zipper pulls, and tags sewn into the seams. What can I say, I was young and really enjoyed the 80s.

 

 

So when I found a pattern for a roll bag purse, Butterick #6678, a couple years ago, I snapped it up ! Well, at least I thought it was a purse. Measuring 13 inches tall and 24 inches long, it was more like luggage ! Actually forgot I had the pattern, and tried to figure it out for myself. More years pass, and last year, I not only made a miniature roll bag - thanks to Obsessively Stitching - but I figured out how to make it smaller, or in fact, any size I wanted. Whoo-hoo ! Only problem was, I remembered that I did it, not how. I also remembered typing up the directions, but darn if I could find them.

 

 

Until I could figure that out, I could look at and price fabric, decide what I wanted, but it'd potentially be a waste of cash to buy any until I knew what I needed. Priced denim and cotton duck - both are around $8./yd at HLobby. A little under five bucks a yard with the often-available 40% off coupon, but again, I really didn't know what I wanted. A black purse with hot pink, embroidered ends ? An all-denim one -they had about six shades of it.

 

 

Just kinda ranks that you can buy a purse darn near anywhere for less than ten bucks, ready to go - but between fabric, zipper, d-rings and interfacing for the straps, and other notions, it can easily cost twice that to make it. Such is the price for having something unique. I'm giving serious consideration to a black purse with green ends - embroidered with the Monster High logo on one end, the Skullette on the other. Maybe with initials on the front...

 

 

In the end, I just bought more soft Velcro (tm). But it was on sale, and they have black in stock, which the Hancock Fabrics down the street never has, so I was pleased. This HLobby still has some of the colored knock-off stuff, but the colors - medium blue, shamrock green, khaki, hot pink, red, and purple - seemed a bit bright for my uses these days. It's also the same cheap hard stuff, but heck, I know how to use it now. (chortle) It's gone up to $1.49, too. Usta be just 99c...

 

 

Dearest Son selected a die-cast model and we were on our way...to Dollar Tree in the same strip. We needed shampoo and a particular bathroom cleaner, bad. On a whim, I picked up a package of little cocktail umbrellas. I love those things. They're almost always too small for dolls, but I enjoy having them. The little bands holding them closed make neat doll bangle bracelets, and I can probably use the smaller 'stay up' rings for Clawdeen's earrings - if she doesn't mind sets of all pink ones.

 

 

Oh, and I forgot - Beloved came home with two surprises for me. Another piece of that plastic window stuff that he left behind earlier, and a RedBox copy of Tangled. I really liked it. We definitely want our own copy of it, and he says he'll cut the last sheet for me as soon as he can. That made Dearest happy, too.

 

 

The lovely and talented Smidge Girl - of the stunningly realistic Smidge House of Etsy - generously offered me some Liv Girls glasses she has from earlier purchases. Check out her blog for a lovely blue-haired dream she's been working on, the stunning Chase ! http://smidgehouse.blogspot.com  Take that, eBay ! Now, what can I make for her that would do justice to her works...? Hmmm...    

 

 

With Dearest at his grandparents', and Beloved at work, I'm looking forward to a fun Saturday of sewing ! Maybe while KJ's wheels are humming, the ones in my mind will spin something out - at least, that's my hope ! 

 

Peer pressure and praise addiction...

 

Current Mood : Very sleepy. 

 

Current Image Notes : Sorry for giving you more of the same, but won't Clarice and Ghoulia look great as blondes ? Went to Google Chrome after FireFox bellied up last time, and you can score some free apps. One is BeFunky Photo Effects, and I played with it for a bit. Nowhere near as powerful and versatile as PaintShopPro X, but there's lots of fun filters to play with ! This is Cyanotype. There's also frames and objects, too. Whee !

 

 

 

Clarice is quite the popular girl ! I think she's changed a couple people's minds about Ghoulia dolls, and maybe inspired a few more. And that's really what I want - for folks to see my stumbling efforts and know they can do the same, and better, in whatever they want to. Thanks, Clarice ! That reminds me... now that her hair is so different from Ghoulia's, I can remove that mark from the bottom of her foot - the one I was using to tell them apart !

 

 

Tried to color her eyes yesterday, too, and it simply didn't work. Used a dark green pen from that set we bought at Hobby Lobby a couple weeks ago. Looked OK when I started, but soon, it looked like I'd redrawn her pupil into a weird shape. Luckily, the ink came off with a careful application of a slightly damp cotton swab, so her eyes are back to Mattel standard. Which is fine with me, her new hairstyle really brings them out, and having them green probably would have looked weird.

 

 

Tabitha (hey, girl !) let me know that Liv Girls glasses and sunglasses fit the MH girls well, if I was OK with the shapes they use. Yaaay ! Buying more official Ghoulia glasses would really get expensive fast ! And while the Liv ones aren't exactly cheap either, at least I can bag the ones I like for about $8. each on eBay. Just not a big fan of the chief seller. You know the ones who buy a $15. doll on markdown for $10., then sell the nude doll for $10., her blouse for $5., her pants/skirt for $7., her shoes for $6., and any other accessories for another $5. each. I shouldn't whine, the doll may be hard to find or discontinued, and most of us would rather pay $5. for the shirt if that's all we want rather than buy a $15. doll that sits around until you get enough to donate or sell. I'm simply a cheap witch that hates paying $3. to ship a doll blouse that would fit in a letter envelope and mail for the price of a single stamp - since that's invariably how it arrives.

 

 

But before I offer any bids or hit the Buy It Now button, it goes without saying that I gotta go through the Barbie accessory bin first. Most eyewear they have are simply too narrow for MH, but I found two that work, including the pink sunglasses I used on a photo of Clawdeen last year, so I snagged 'em. Also got a cute idea for embroidery and sewing that I hope to implement this weekend.

 

 

Nothin' like some 'use it or lose it' food and a semi-clean kitchen to encourage recipe experiments ! Today, I tossed a can of kidney beans, some sausage/hamburger mix, and some leftover rice together, added Cajun Spice, sautéed them in butter, and had a great lunch. Tonight, I dug out the can of tomato sauce that's been in various cabinets for years and made my own spaghetti sauce. Everyone liked it ! I may attack that can of cherries tomorrow...

 

 

Some bad news. Beloved Hubby knew I'd salvage a piece of that plastic window stuff. What I used behind yesterday's Clarice image. He offered to cut me a more even piece tonight, which I gratefully accepted. The one I cut is a bit small. Dug a large sheet out of the trash - pick-up day today ! - and propped it up against the house, behind where the cans usually reside. Later, I saw Dearest Son playing with it, and asked him to put it down, since one side was still sharp and jagged. Not a toy. He put it on the porch...until later, I saw a much smaller piece in the hands of our next-door neighbors. Not the across-the-street neighbors, the others who never wave back, whose kids don't seem to understand when I tell them Dearest has to come in so they need to go home, never let him in their yard, and keep asking for ice cream. I then tracked fragments of it all over the front and backyards. (sigh) And the rest of it was long gone, picked up hours prior.

 

 

Well, Dearest was definitely in for the rest of the day. I asked him why he went against what I asked, and how he would like it if I let the neighbor kids destroy something he liked. Wish I could say we came to a better understanding, but he was clueless why I was upset. It wasn't the plastic that was upsetting me, it was that he knew I didn't want him playing with it and why, but he did it anyway. I think he needs a little time away from the next door neighbors for a bit. And maybe a bit more 'resisting when your friends ask you to do something wrong' roleplay.

 

 

Oh, well. At least I still have my taped-up piece, and it'll be fine. Still, I may treat m'self to something along the line of new glasses for Ghoulia and Clarice soon !

I just couldn't wait any longer !

 

Current Mood : Joyful ! 

 

 

I confess, it took me forever to work up the courage just to get Ghoulia2 - now Clarice - out of her box, because I knew, once I did, I'd have to make good on all those alterations I said I'd try. If I didn't, I was wasting money, and ya'll know I hate not marshalling our resources well. So, once out of the box, I started with the simple stuff. Separating the blouse from the bodysuit, and making both independently wearable was fairly easy. Altering her knicker-pants into a skirt took a bit more effort, but not much. Painting her glasses black took numerous coats of spay paint, hence numerous chances to muck them up, so it was almost a challenge of nerves more than skill. They didn't come out perfect, but I'm happy with them.

 

 

It really became a test of will to boil-perm and cut her hair. Heck, I didn't even want to take down those front pieces from their clear elastic at the nape of her neck, much less even try a whole new style - that would only work if I cut it ! Yikes. This wasn't some yard-sale Barbie with chewed hands, after all. I really care about this doll. But yesterday, I suddenly had the urge to do it, so sharp it was almost a need. So I cleared the decks and started rolling a tube of fabric to make that classic bob curl-under.

 

 

It was probably my nervous trembling that kept making the tube-rolling go so wonky. After cutting fabric and bending and shaping it over and over, it still came undone and wasn't even. Estimated that I wanted the curl about the shape of one of my fingers, so I ended up sewing a tube about that size, turning it right side out, and stuffing it full of other fabric bits. I used all white material, in hopes of avoiding any stains.

 

 

Secured the tube around her neck, and shaped her long hair over it, including the just-freed front sides. That was a serious leap of faith, right there. It took four clear elastics and some shifting and shaping, but I soon had it arranged in a way I hoped would be pleasing, and put some water on to boil.

 

 

I let her dry as long as I could stand. I had to know, before her hair was fully dry, what it might look like. So I grabbed the good scissors, removed the elastics and tube and started cutting.

 

 

A few short minutes later, I was in love - and found myself hoping like anything her hair would still look like that when it was dry. Wow. To me, she even looked happier, and, well, before I knew it, I had her new name echo through my besotted brain. Clarice. Clarice Yelps. Well, it could be worse...

 

 

Not yet sure about altering her eye color, I may let that one go, along with her shoes. I'm such a silly creature. When I got Ghoulia last year, her knee-high-top sneaker-boots were almost impossible to remove that first time. I honestly feared I'd break her legs getting them off her ! The pair that came on Clarice are bigger, softer, and thinner, and go on and off easily. There's my quandary. I don't want to alter the first issue boots, but the second are so much better, I don't want to alter them, either. Arrrgh !

 

 

Her backdrop was salvaged just today. Beloved Hubby cleaned out his Diesel truck's bed, scrapping seemingly endless sheets of this faceted plastic. You see it fairly frequently in bathroom windows, or any other place you want sunlight, but also privacy. I selected one of the smaller pieces and spirited it inside. Once I learned it could be cut with household scissors, I started to carve out an even smaller section, free of the larger cracks and streaks of yellow discoloring. I quickly discovered it splinters like anything and cracks twice as easily when a newly-freed facet popped me in the cheek. Luckily, we have dozens of yellow safety glasses around, so I grabbed a pair and finished up. I was able to keep the smooth bottom edge, but the other three sides had to be bound with masking tape, since they're sharp and even jagged in places.

 

 

All I know is, with all the fantastic and amazingly beautiful custom dolls I've seen lately, Mattel'd best step up their game and release their own. Or else we'll have already made what we want by the time the shelves are restocked !

 

It was a tangled day - that ended with no "Tangled" !

 

Current Mood : Relaxed.

 

 

Have you ever blocked someone ?

 

 

I never have, but I'm considering it. High Priestess from MonsterHighDolls.com found Flickr in February, and twice trolled the 'Clawd and DracuLaura' image posted on the Monster High and Monster High by Mattel groups there. First time, she was encouraging an apparent friend of hers for calling another person's response 'Bi+@h mode' , always a class act. Today she went on a solo tear outta nowhere, again telling those who don't agree with her to shut up, another favorite from her standard repertoire. She continued on by labeling the ongoing discussion as whining, and ordered those so engaged to 'get a life' and 'quit wasting our precious oxygen'.

 

 

I debated for a while, then wrote a simple reply not calling out either, a request to watch language and attitude - her buddy swears. I live in fear that one day, I'll be challenged to go a whole day without swearing. I don't think I can do it. But if I can rein in my filthy road-raging mouth here and on Flickr, so can they.

 

 

But seriously. Where are the moderators to these groups ? It isn't my job to police these people. I don't want to, either. Tired of dodging them on the MHD site, don't want to on Flickr. I'm beginning to wonder if the reason they're unchallenged is because I'm the only one who disagrees with them. No one else seems willing to do anything at all.  I'm trying hard to not think that way, because it makes me question my obsession with dolls who seem to bring out lousy attitudes.

 

 

Anyway, she is right on the 'get a life' thing, although it's hard to accept that from a troll. Since it's gonna be kinda hard to reply to a 'watch the language, there's kids here' message the way she'll probably want to, it's possible the photos I have on Flickr are gonna get slammed soon. Which is fine, don't care what she thinks, but I don't want to expose anyone else to this mess. So I'm thinking of blocking if I have to. Considered doing it now, before anything happens, but I want to give her a chance - she's probably not as bad as I'm making her out to be.

 

 

Oh, and then, mysteriously, the 'Clawd and DracuLaura' photo vanished from Flickr. A small note said it was pulled due to a claim of copyright infringement. Whoa. Makes me wonder what's really going on ! 

 

 

Otherwise, it was a busy day at Chez Insanity. My cardboard-moving-box bookshelves had fallen into such disarray that getting to bed without a light was a hazard. Magazines recovered from Molly-chan's trunk slid into various arcs, mixing in with new thrift-store acquisition books and volumes half-read rested where they fell, which was generally 'everywhere'. Several empty Monster High doll boxes had toppled over, too, adding to the general mess. Since there's a good chance Mattel's scrapped the box design I love so much, I decided to keep mine intact after all, and they're on display on top of the book-boxes. Cleaning out Dearest Son's room last week added a substantial pile to the laundry, so I got that started too.

 

 

In the midst of things. Dearest Son's friend S. came by - again without telling his folks. I didn't know until his worried father was on our porch. I gotta start asking. We also had our gas meter replaced, something we'd gotten a heads-up on earlier this month. Sewed and stuffed a tube for Ghoulia's pagegirl hairdo boil-perm, she's resting quietly from the ordeal. Hope it went well, I took the front pieces down and everything. Did enough dishes to last us a few days, there wasn't time to do 'em all !

 

 

I also reserved a copy of Tangled, which just came out today, from RedBox. I was really looking forward to seeing it. Unfortunately, when Beloved went to pick it up, the darn thing was malfunctioning. Rats ! Had to call their support number, 'cause when you reserve a DVD, they bill you for it, whether you get it out of the machine or not. They gave me two free codes, but I can't use it to reserve a DVD, and it'll be out of stock once the machine's back up for a week or two. New releases always are. Oh, well.

 

 

With Netflix and the Wii, we had plenty to watch with dinner anyway !

 

Here's lookin' at ya'll !

 

Current Mood : Drowsy 

 

 

Come take a short stroll with me for a bit...

 

 

I got to see two plays on our crappy stage in high school - The Glass Menagerie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. During Glass, I was in Drama class (wotta surprise, right ? grin) and got to act as a sort of liaison between the traveling players and the school for the whole day. I loved it. It reminded me of our silly grade-school play, centuries prior. I had a tiny 'include everyone' type part, but pretty much took over as stage manager - keeping up with props, helping with sound effects, straightening costumes, making sure the players with actual lines were cued and ready to go. Yes, I loved that, too.

 

 

Cat played the year prior, and while I was only an audience member on that one, it was the first time I caught a whiff of innuendo - and actually understood it. Until then, I'd kind of been a 'what you see = what is' kind of spectator when it came to plays and movies. Even books, if you wanna get into it. Both shows were excellent, but Glass will always hold a special place in me, for both my own experience and the content.

 

 

What this little trip down Memory Lane has to do with today, over 25 years later, is that I got to see Cat on Netflix - the one with Elizabeth Taylor. Wow. Our players were good, but it's amazing what each actor brings to their scenes and characters. The two Maggies were similar but stunningly different, too. I always thought, before, that you did the scene as it said - and I'd read both plays beforehand, since I knew what they'd present for us. I learned a lot that I didn't realize at the time.

 

 

It was also good for me to see that Ms. Taylor's opening 'Maggie' costume's skirt is nearly as snug as that grey one I made for Cleo a few weeks back. May still give it a quarter-inch or half-inch ease next time I sew it, though. I like the snugness, but it often looks strained at the wrong angle, and sitting puts serious creases in the fabric.

 

 

More wet drizzle kept Beloved Hubby home today, but at least he was well-rested. Parts to his latest new-to-him AirSoft acquisition arrived, and it's repaired and ready for action.  And, as you can see, we painted Ghoulia's glasses. Still have a bit of touch-up remaining, and they're still not precisely dry, but they should be fully done tomorrow morning. I just couldn't wait that long to take a picture ! Beloved Hubby did a great job masking off the lenses, and several light coats took most of the afternoon. But I love how they look !

 

 

I decided on black, since you can't go wrong with a black pair and a white pair. If the rumors are true, and there'll be a 'Dawn of the Dance' Ghoulia doll out later this year, we'll have a red set soon. Wish I could score a dozen more of her glasses ! I'd love a blue pair - to go with her hair !

 

Since I can't see the stars for the clouds, I'm sending ya'll some !

 

Current Mood : Resigned and sleepy.  

 

 

Another wet, drizzly day. Perfect time to post that Disney Princess creator image ! Beloved Hubby's scheduled jobsite work got cancelled, so we mostly goofed around until Dearest Son returned home. We'd planned to go out for a bit, but it was so grey and miserable outside, we ended up mostly sitting around some more.

 

 

I was reading an article on ToplessRobot.com,  a list of the most watchable Mystery Science Theater 3000 movies - those rare occurrences when the film itself wasn't total dreck, but Joel and the 'bots' additions were still quite welcome. I agreed with most, had some favorites that didn't make the cut, mostly because I just can't get 'into' Mike. I know he was with the show from the early days, but, well, I never had a crush on Mike. There, I said it again. Beloved already knows. It's been tarnished a bit since I found out Mr. Hodgson wrote for the frequently awful The Man Show, but old crushes die hard.

 

 

Anyway, was idly perusing the article's  reader comments when I noticed that several people said they'd been watching MST3K on 'instant' Netflix. Really ? Must be the download version of Netflix. We'd considered subscribing when we moved, but with the pathetic dial-up internet we had with AT&T, we couldn't get YouTube videos of cats and cardboard boxes to load without endless stalling and restarts. Streaming feature-length anything would be wasted on us.

 

 

We soon got tired of the severe limits and ditched them for Cox. They're no great shakes with cable either - FIL has them, and the complaints are legion on any message board - but we figured that if we just got DSL internet, we'd all be much happier. And we have been ! But there's almost always a new movie you'd like to see. Our nearby RedBox DVD rental kiosk is frequently empty and occasionally not working, the next closest has never worked when we visited, and unsurprisingly, the Blockbuster Video a block away started liquidation about three weeks ago.

 

 

So, learning that MST3K was available via Netflix was about all it took for me to suggest looking into it again. You'd think it'd be nearly impossible to license that show to cable or rental, given the original film's licensing and the show's, but there they are. I'd heard we could stream via the Wii, so we wouldn't all be clustered 'round a computer monitor, so I mentioned that to Beloved. That's all it took for him - the computer thing was his main objection to it, and if the free trial let us chill out in the living room, that'd be worth $7./month to him !

 

 

Our poor Wii. It couldn't connect to our Cox wireless router. Which was odd, since it found and signed in to the AT&T one at our old house by itself one day. Only reason we knew was that we could suddenly see the weather forecast on the Wii home screen. We'd tightened the Parental Controls that day. After a bit of tweaking, we realized it was probably still trying to find the old connection, instead of looking for the new one. Wiped the old settings and it found the new in seconds.

 

 

Wow. It's like a video rental place opened up in the living room, and we prepaid for 'endless'. I think we're gonna keep it. The only thing that upset me was that I misread the Terms of Service, and thought that the 'Starz Play' channel would be an additional $6.99/month at the end of our free one. Nope. You can get DVDs only, streaming only, or Starz Play only, and each has a separate price. We're trying out the Unlimited bundle, which includes both the streaming and Starz Play, which together is still only $7./month. We can add DVDs later, and figure we'll upgrade to the one-disk mailer option when our freebie time is up.

 

 

Finished cleaning off my desk and got all the MH dolls together - all 17 of them. That doesn't count Dearest's two. Wow. It's a good thing I have them all already, and can give Beloved's wallet a break.

 

 

(sigh) The High Priestess of Rude over at MonsterHighDolls.com has done it again. In an update to her message, she included a link - then insulted darn near everyone by noting that some visitors to her thread 'have the mental inability to scroll up (not to be mean, but it's true) so here's the link : (redacted, I'm not giving this witch more traffic).'  You guys are sooo right, I have better things to do than read this absolute crap, and make you read it, too - and this just makes me angry for no reason. People wanna be jerks, I can point it out that their words may be read as harsh, but if they keep on keepin' on, all I can do is get m'self out of it.

 

 

I'm seriously considering starting my own forum or fan site...

Polka Dots in the Big City...

 

Current Mood : Sleepy and butt-numb 

 

Spent on soft Velcro (tm) :  $2.10

 

Spent on pink with black polka-dot fabric : $5.18

 

 

 

Today was interesting - I got to ride up to Even Bigger City, two hours each way, with Beloved Hubby ! He had an errand to run, and wanted company, and with Dearest Son at his grandparents', why not ? I'll have all day tomorrow to sew, too. Got to hit two thrifts, but no yard sales, darn it. It was sort of overcast and drizzling, not a good day for them anyway.

 

 

It's been so long since I've been in a car for more than a half-hour, my butt got numb and bored pretty quickly ! But it was nice to have the time with Beloved. We chattered about stuff, nonsense, stuff we've been meaning to discuss, and stuff we've avoided. It's funny, but away from the computers, the Airsoft, friends and neighbors, and the DVDs, we can really open up.

 

 

Didn't find anything at the thrifts - I even got to go to the one where I found Lagoona's blue glass bathtub a week or so ago. There was a $9.78 bag of Barbies that contained a Malibu Barbie and PJ, but they were packed in so tight with other dolls, in an 'open it and we won't sell it to you' bag, I couldn't tell if they were in decent shape or not. Since I already have each of them, and I really haven't been playing with any of 'em, I decided against getting the bag for the heck of it. There was also a semi-wrecked 'Dancing Princess' castle for a mere $7.96, but my castle days are behind me now !

 

 

The big bags of  miscellaneous fabric were well-stocked, including that $9. one I saw last time. Still no discount, and since we were headed to Hancock Fabrics afterwards, I figured if I didn't find anything intriguing, I'd snag some green lame fresh off the bolt. I already knew I was gonna snag another package of soft Velcro (tm) while it was on sale - gonna stock up every chance I get !

 

 

It wasn't until we were getting ready to check out that I noticed the pink and black polka dot fabric. It's bright ! But I could have lots of fun with it, and it wasn't already on sale. Great ! I had a 40% printout coupon lurking in my purse I could use. So I got a yard, Beloved found the yellowish beige fabric he needs for patches and the by-the-yard wide Velcro (tm) he wanted to match, and he used the 40% off notions coupon I also had.

 

 

Came home and pulled out the jewelry findings box - time to mess with those earrings I bought last weekend ! Well, at least one of them. I've completed the first half tonight, wish me luck on the rest of it tomorrow !

 

 

And thanks, everyone. I did check back with the thread over at MonsterHighDolls.com I responded to yesterday, and the person I was calling out sort of missed the point. Everyone else just ignored me. Ah, well. C'est la guerre. I haven't been tossed off or banned, but I don't imagine my popularity has increased any. Like that's ever mattered to me when I feel like m'self or others are getting stomped on with no opposition !

 

Gathered, or shirred ? So far, the preference is 'shirred', not gathered.

 

Current Mood : Ticked at me for engaging the lunacy. Again.  

 

 

Hope you don't mind me delaying the too-Disney Princess computer paper doll I made the other day. I actually made something good enough to share, but not good enough for the swap ! Close, though, just need a few more refinements.

 

 

I've been in a sort of 'designer' mode these past few days, trying to stay away from yet another blasted doll debate (too late, more later) by losing myself in more desirable creative endeavors. While thinking of the 'Dawn of the Dance' doll series, I created my own for another dance, and so I wouldn't copy the official Mattel 'Dance', studied the screen grabs and fan art works for the unreleased dolls. Much as I love Lagoona's 'seahorse' gown and Ghoulia's red gradient 'Seven Year Itch' dress, I kept looking at DracuLaura's cute sparkly mini-dress. I'd long wondered how that ruching effect down the middle was accomplished. Since Barbie'd had similar gowns for years, I knew it couldn't be too complicated...how else could it be stitched and sold for about five bucks ?

 

 

Plus, I figured I already had the skill, I've been gathering skirts to waistbands for years and shirring since last summer. Had to be one or the other. So, in true-to-me form, I went with the more difficult option and loaded up a fresh bobbin with elastic thread. Shirring, here we come !

 

 

Of course, I could have simply dug through the Big Box 'o Barbie Dresses, but I figured just sewing it would take less time. A lavender scrap that I know I've picked up a dozen times off the floor would be my sacrificial scrap. And, yes, it was sacrificed. I totally screwed it up. Oh, running the shirring up and down the scrap instead of left to right wasn't difficult at all. Yeah, I shoulda hemmed the top and bottom first, but live and learn. Goss, how I need to remember that !

 

 

Where I mucked it up was the width of the shirring. I sewed five lines of it ! All together, the shirring was nearly as wide as Ghoulia's chest, and the scrap was much too short and too narrow for a dress. I keep forgetting how wide the MH hips are. Hacked it into a Velcro (tm) backed blouse, but it's pretty much useless. Unless I make a fluffy skit of the same fabric, it's too thick with all the ruffly gathering to fit under most other clothing items, and too short to go with much else.

 

 

At least it used up that floor scrap ! Moved on to some off-white cotton from the thrift store bag, and grabbed the tube dress pattern I altered to fit woven cottons, originally a neat freebie from Tarja (http://tarjascrafts.blogspot.com/2010/10/clothes-for-monster-high-dolls.html) . Cut it out and again neglected to hem, but I only put in three close-together lines of elastic thread. Much better. I actually think hemming it later helps. Long as I can hold it taut, it'll hem later, just fine.

 

 

Back closure is fine until it gets to the actual back. It's a bit too tight there, as you can see on Ghoulia. So I need to tweak the pattern maybe a quarter inch wider. But it went together well, and now I know how to do it. Can even control the ruffling a bit by stretching and smoothing it out.

 

 

Learned why most dresses like this - including DracuLaura's - have a ruffle or lace at the bottom hem. Since the dress is a bit higher in front, it shows the back seam. Not very attractive, unless the fabric is lined or has lace or a ruffle. Lining can add a neat contrast, and gathered lace or ribbon adds a nice feminine, finished look. So the next attempt will have some pretty lace on it ! That's easiest...

 

 

And, yes, I stuck my nose in yet another darn doll debate. I'm an idiot. The thread's author said he/she was tired of the 'tinhattery', why were some of us so paranoid about the splendid new dolls ! Of course those are coming out, he/she's gonna laugh at us when they do, all the arguments except his/hers are flimsy, and most of all, he/she is tired of all the 10-year-olds on the site.

 

 

So, I'll say it again, I'm an idiot who responded. I may not be ten years old, but I evidently respond like one. My exact post, cut/pasted to show my complete stupidity :

 

 

     (sigh) Right now, there is not enough evidence to say conclusively if any of these new dolls are real, fake, or

     prototypes. There's evidence for each side of the argument, so about all anyone can state is their interpretation

     of the situation - in other words, his or her opinion. No one is right or wrong yet. There's just differences in opinion.

     However, the name calling ('paranoid' on this thread, 'stupid' and 'moron' on another) is beyond opinion.

     It's just plain rude. What makes anyone's opinion any better than anyone else's ? Nothing - an opinion

     isn't worth a fraction of a penny, no matter whose it is. Honestly, I feel rather sorry for those who feel obligated

     to laugh at people who doesn't believe exactly as they do, since it must be a sad and lonely thing.

     And I'm really tired of the endless, useless debates that end in insults. I'm done, and I'm moving on. Enjoy your

     fandom.

 

 

Sticking to my words this time, since I'm probably no longer welcome on MonsterHighDolls.com anyway. But heck, I'm only a ten-year-old paranoid moron, so...

 

 

Hoping to sew tomorrow, too, and put piles of junk behind me. That said, I'm hoping there's a yard sale in the neighborhood, I really wanna go for a prowl !