Spent on Ghoulia-cool fabric : $1.07
Meanwhile, many fans had taken the frequent little messages to mean that TRU and Mal-Wart had been sitting on stocks of both new dolls for days/weeks/months, and they'd be released early this morning...so they made plans to be there and be the first. Too bad that the release dates for the new girls isn't until sometime in June and August...which they also didn't state until well into the afternoon.
Shortly after the photos and dates (June for Spectra, August for Abbey) were posted, the hue and cry went up. How could Mattel possibly make their fans wait soooo long ??! It's just not fair !!1! (sigh) Ya'll, it's the middle of May. It'll be June in two weeks. I'm sure you can somehow find a way to drag yourself over the tortured landscape of your life, and somehow get through the days between now and then without these dolls for company during it.
Geez, and I thought I was looking forward a bit too much for MH merch... I have no drama at all in me, compared with some of these rabid fans. Maybe it's having so many MH dolls right at my elbows (seriously, I have that many, they swamp both joints !), but aside from hair and clothes, I don't see anything truly unique here. They're pretty, but I bet they're recycled head molds. I really want to like them, even with that nasty business over the leaked prototype (?) photos, but I just don't feel anything at all like that 'spark' I got last summer. I look at the images and shrug. I really don't want to feel that way, but I do. At least they're still wildly inventive with the original cast !
Still, though, the anger kinda shocked me. I know Mattel hasn't done the best job promoting this line - heck, they really haven't been promoting it at all, IMhO - but some of these 'fans' were getting threatening. Just 'cause it takes three months concept-to-retail shelf for a collector Barbie doesn't mean MH is subject to the same time frame. Since Mattel tends to use the most static doll body they have for collector dolls (gambling that the doll will never leave the box), those can be done waaaay ahead of time - about the only thing that puts a Barbie at collector level is an ornate dress and limited numbers. MH is not the same - the bodies alone are pretty tech, and I bet are a real witch (ha-ha) to assemble. And even so, that doesn't give anyone the right to be a bully over toys. I'm the last person on the planet to tell someone else to grow up, but I hope some of these people survive puberty - and Heaven help us all if they're already on the 'making car payments' side of it.
Anyway... Brody and I finished embroidering the last of the badges today. Hooray ! Did I mention they needed to have Velcro (tm) sewn to the backs ? *All* of them ? I'm sure Beloved Hubby told me, but I completely forgot. Beloved noted my weariness and volunteered to do it, but he had major problems. After the third volley of curses and scary thumps coming out of KJ, I nudged him out of my chair and took over. He was impressed with how fast and accurate I was with the Velcro - to me, I was unbearably slow, but it was short sides and long curves, with a narrow valley of correct (i.e., not showing) placement, so I had to take my time.
Got about halfway done with the set I was working on - the ones I'd just finished that morning - when we ran out of the Velcro (tm) he'd bought for both sets. And Hancock Fabrics closed in an hour. So we printed up the 40% off notions and a cut of fabric coupons they always e-mail me and dashed over. Bought the last strip of matching Velcro they had - enough to finish one set of badges, not enough to complete both. Since the larger badges (those in the first set I finished on Thursday) have to be mailed Monday, we'll have tomorrow night to work on 'em. There's also three other Hancock's we can check for more Velcro (tm). The smaller badges go to their new owner at tomorrow's Airsoft game, so we got those done. There went the afternoon and into tonight. Whew. Good thing I learned how to sew the hook (hard) side of Velcro last month ! I also got a ton of small scraps - fabric and Velcro - for my own sewing. I love little bonuses ! I even got to give my unused 40% off fabric coupon to the nice lady behind me in line. I love doing that.
What kinda ranks is, now I know how to make badges, and can attach Velcro to the backs. New skill. If I weren't so tired of these, I'd love to make some of my own !
Found an adorable fat quarter that's perfect for Ghoulia, and since it was on sale for 99c, snagged it. Beloved also replenished my Fray-Check (although the Airsoft projects used less than a quarter bottle, he wanted to get me a fresh new one) and got me six yards of 15-inch wide Pellon lightweight interfacing, for cutaway stabilizer. The past couple days completely emptied my stock of used dryer sheets and whatever those weird 'in a tissue box, but not Kleenex' things I got from the hospital years and years ago. I can only assume they were disposable washcloths or something, all I know is, they got included in my things when I was discharged, and they made fantastic stabilizer. Wish I knew how to secure more. All that remains are small scraps barely big enough for another tiny MH logo.
But the Pellon looks to be just as good. Softer, and without deep folds in it. And it was on sale - 77c for each three-yard package. Even when it's not on sale, it's only 99c. So if it works on the next experiment, I know what I'll stock up on ! I also saw a battery-powered Pintastic - you toss glass-head pins into the hopper, and it feeds 'em to you, heads-up. Push the small lever, and they pop up to you a bit. I was entranced, but $30. is a bit much, and with my sewing, kinda hard to justify. Hmf. Seems like June Taylor is the only online distributor, and they're having a special - $45. ! Whatevs. If you'd like to see it, go here - http://store.junetailor.com/store/p-176-pintastic-automatic-pin-dispenser.aspx . (bonks self on head) Oh, it was on Edit, not Compose - that's why I had to futz over and over with the link and image ! Well, live and learn...or die !
I may do some embroidery experiments tomorrow, while Beloved's at the Airsoft field. I'll have all morning and most of the afternoon to m'self and Dearest Son. Not sure what I'll do yet. Right now, I'm tired of both sewing and embroidery. I may watch movies or enjoy some doll time.
Oh ! Ya'll will be so proud of me, I gotta tell you this ! The very last set of badges was running in Brody, and was about 1/3 done, when I remembered - that bobbin wasn't a new, full one. It'd probably run out at any minute, and I didn't have any ready to go. With Brody still stitching away, I grabbed the 70wt bobbin thread and an empty Brody bobbin - and wound it on KJ. KJ's winder is not automatic - ya gotta use the foot pedal. So, for a brief period today, I was running both Brody and KJ at the same time. I felt such power...
Unfortunately that glorious power has got up and gone. Gonna catch some well-deserved sleep. Kinda proud of me today...(yawn) G'night ! Hope you sleep well tonight.
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