I think Belle has the right idea - bedtime !

Current Mood : Tired

As last night dragged on, I did a quick Belle-to-Belle head-swap on the sofa. Ballerina Belle had yer standard squat two-prong neck stem, DP Belle featured the new, longer one that’s also in MH doll necks. Very thin, much more fragile. But I learned the hard way that, long as you don’t twist, you just gently pull, it’ll work well for both dolls. I put the altered doll in the DP box and donate her that way, for kicks. I now have my very own green-eyed, short-haired Dream Princess Belle ! It’s unlikely there’ll ever be another out there. And I’m very happy about what I have now. (grin) So much for ‘I’m thinking of getting rid of the Barbies…between my ‘custom’ Belle and the Life in the Dreamhouse Raquelle I’m wanting – if Mattel keeps that quirked smirk ! – I don’t think they’re in any danger !

Ya know what made up my mind ? I started to put the unswapped Ballerina in DP’s box – and felt so sad all of a sudden. I realized that was the face I wanted, so hair or not, it was time to swap. The ‘new’  hybrid Belle went in the box, and the box went in the Donations bag without so much of a second glance. I even repurposed a rubber band to keep her in place. If I were an obnoxious cheap twerp, I could probably get away with taking the doll back to the store and getting a refund or credit ! But that’s just plain wrong, so I’m gonna donate her – I just think the really neat packaging adds to the fun !

Well, we finally have a resolution to the tiny button saga. The whole thing started Feb. 28^th, when I ordered a bag of 200 ¼” buttons from ABCTextiles on Etsy. This company’ also sells on eBay under ABCTextiles_com. They were marked as shipped on 04 March and I got them on the 9^th. Before I ordered, I carefully read the entire ad twice, which said that if I didn’t want ‘Spring Mix’, I could request other colors, helpfully numbered and photographed next to the Spring Mix image. I dutifully listed the four colors I wanted instead on both my order page and my PayPal payment page when I ordered and paid. Of course, when they arrived – in a recycled utility bill envelope, no padding at all save for a sheet of copy paper, in a small Ziplock ™ bag, with two stamps totaling 70c, although I’d paid $1.95 for shipping – they were the darn near day-glo Spring Mix.

I read the ad at least twice more, and I’d done everything the seller said. Regretfully, I opened up a dispute saying I’d rather have the buttons I ordered at the same price, and I’d be glad to pay for what I ordered, and keep Spring Mix. If they couldn’t sell what they offered, I’d send them back. ABCTextiles didn’t respond to me or the two e-mails Etsy sent, for over two weeks. Today I get a message, telling me to send Spring Mix back for a refund. I went back to their ad, which was now denuded of any offer to sell other colors, although it still had the photo of them. Another ad offered to sell those other colors – including the ones I wanted – but I was supposed to message them first. Something that was not on the original sale offer.

I confess, I was tired of it, so I decided to just keep the Spring Mix, so I wouldn’t end up having to pay to send their error back and probably lose my original shipping fees, too. I’ll just buy what I want from another seller. Unless you want precisely what’s in the ad, I can’t recommend ABCTextiles for doll buttons. Several of them got smashed in shipping, and a couple more were stuck to the bag, and when I examined them, I noticed I’ll have to re-burn holes in about a tenth of them. Plus they go on vacation without noting it in their store, which is unprofessional, too. Not worth it, in my opinion. At least it’s done with, and I can try to use a few.

Other than that, it’s kinda boring around here. How’s your weekend going ?