Nice of the PO to let me know it was wrecked before I got it !

Current Notes: At least it was just doll clothes...

Got an eBay win in today. The seller noted that the tracking didn’t seem to be working – I’d noticed that, too – and asked me to let her know if there were any problems. It arrived today, as you can see. Right on time, but… wow. The front looks much the same, but miraculously, the address wasn’t scraped or stained at all. I told Beloved Hubby it looked like it’d been run over by a mail truck, he said it looked more like it’d been flattened by a mail plane !

The goodies inside – a doll garment and shoes  – were safe and sound, mostly because the seller put it all in a zipper-lock bag inside the bubble mailer. If you look closely, you can see the paper mailer is torn in several places large enough for a doll shoe to escape. This is kind of why I’ve been hesitant about Chinese auctions. This item only had to traverse three states !

Believe it or not, I’m doing laundry today. Yup, less than a week after conquering a mountain of it, there’s three or four loads built up again. The piles seem to come from nowhere ! At least this time, I can use the washer and dryer at home, but even then, it’ll take two days. Don’t wanna flood the Garpartment, so I’ll take some time and let it drain. 

If there's multiples of a doll prop, 90% of the time, it's a cardboard cutout...

 Current Notes: Stella’s Design Studio ! Too pricey at Mal-Wart, just right at Tuesday Morning. Can’t wait to rip into it.

Had another attack of lazy, but I wanted to get out of the house too much to follow it completely. So we went to the thrift, but didn’t find much. Got four pair of pants for Dearest Son and one for Beloved Hubby, and a set of two finger-sized skateboards. I figured Slo Mo might wanna go with the rest of the guys sometime, and for a quarter, why not ?

Finishing up some Library books to take back tomorrow or Tuesday. It’s gonna sound strange, but I want a day, perhaps Monday, to not go anywhere. Since I wear house clothes and change whenever I leave, it gets to be a bit of a production.

I’m also thinking about my MH fandom. Now that I have Slo Mo – and love him allll to bits ! – I find m’self hanging around the message boards a lot less, and thinking I really should go through them all, dust and redress, reseat, and reorganize. Thinking of cutting down a bit, especially dolls I have many multiples of, save for Ghoulia. I’m a little melancholy about those wild days ending, but also OK with it. Too much else for me to spend limited energy on ! 

Saturday is play day !

Current Notes: What they don't tell you is, most 'magic carpets'
are more like mug rugs, and are so small, ya gotta
fly standing up !  

I had dolls all over our bed today, and had so much fun ! Some doll clothes I ordered came in, and it was a blast to try things on and play ! One of the pieces I got was the toddler ‘Elsa’ dress from the wide-release Tollytots doll – it barely fits the Cinderella Tollytots doll I got from the thrift, the one we call Cinderelsa. While the dress doesn’t close in the back, it still looks good on her, especially with her ‘glass’ glitter slippers !

The main reason I wanted the lot I bought was for a pair of Playmates interactive Jasmine harem pants. Long ago, I had the Belle interactive doll, but had to let her and her wardrobe go. I still have a pair of her shoes, which, regrettably, don’t fit DP&M dolls. Still, I wondered if those Playmates clothes would fit the Jakks Pacific Belle and Tia I now have. Turns out, the pants at least are a perfect fit ! But I think the Jasmine top goes to a toddler doll, not the interactive one, as it gaps about a half inch from closing in the back, and doesn’t really match. I’ve seen the interactive doll still in box, that’s not even the same top she wears. It’ll work for photos, though !

Belle’s yellow slippers (from the toddler Playmates doll, grin) looked pretty good with the harem outfit, but I liked it better with Tia barefoot. That meant I had to do something about the awful pedicure she came home with. Luckily for me, it was just nail polish, and a cotton ball of remover took it right off. I think she makes a lovely Jasmine, don’t you ?

I also discovered that the Playmates toddler dolls’ dresses fit the DP&M dolls, too, they’re just a bit too high-waisted and much too ‘young looking’ for them to suit. It’s easy for clothes to fit, it’s often much harder for them to suit, people or dolls. Luckily, Princess Dorrie can wear them, although I now have two of the same Belle dress.

After lunch, I decided to finally sit still in one place and actually watch Frozen. Loved it ! For all the critics who say it was thin on plot, well, if you want the truth, so’s Jaws and Citizen Kane. Relax and enjoy what you can on this blue Earth. But you know I can’t just watch a movie, I have to do something, and I’d just had lunch, so munching was right out. So I sewed a second pair of DP&M panties, this time using the yellow fabric I sewed Belle’s first dress from.

As usual, the first time I sew something, it’s perfect. The second time, I always screw up. Top thread ran out, fabric didn’t catch in the hem stitching – twice ! – crotch pieces didn’t quite match… the usual. They’re still usable, and if I keep to tradition, the third and all subsequent editions will work just fine. Since most of the cottons I buy are quite thin, I’m gonna try to make a matching pair of undies with every outfit I sew. It’s rare for me not to have a few scraps to piece together, after all.

It was a beautiful day out – funny to watch Frozen with the sun beaming and a gentle warm breeze slipping in from the open front door ! – so I got to watch Dearest Son ride his bike a little. That was great, as he’d just mastered a two-wheeler right before we moved and winter made it too cold to play outside. They say you never forget, and I think it’s true – all I gotta do is get over the new balance and slight fear, and get on mine. It’s just a bit too tall for me, and with my ‘fat body’ new balance and my body’s memory of my ‘much thinner, younger body’  confusing things, not being able to put my feet flat on the ground makes me nervous. Only way through it is, well, through it, so I gotta put on my big girl shoes – the thick soled ones that make me a little taller ! – and get out there already.

Just… tomorrow, okay ? If the weather’s nice. 

My new-to-me sewing chair is great !

Current Notes: More fun with Crissy patterns ! 

I finally sewed something ! At last ! Tested out the new-to-me sewing chair and everything. True, it only took about 20 minutes, and it wasn’t anything the DP&M girls really needed but… I now know I have a perfect pattern for their panties ! One of them agreed to model today, if I agreed not to show her face. So let’s preserve her modesty, since we don't know who she is, okay ?

It’s a freebie from the Crissy and Beth site, and I wasn’t sure how well it’d work. It made me smile that the paper-towel print the pattern was originally crafted from came through in the printout. It actually looked like I was using a paper towel, too ! Now that I know how great it is, I’m gonna cut it from box plastic, or some cardboard. Got plenty of both around here ! Beth made them from a semi-destroyed original Crissy pair. So glad I kept all my Crissy patterns – between the freebies on her site and my own scans and paper patterns, I can sew forever and not sew the same thing twice . And that’s just for the DP&M  girls ! 

Beware the roving stoves !

Current Notes: Smell that ? It's the stink of pure annoyance...

A minor tragedy unfolded in the living room early this morning. A roving stove collided with my left foot, injuring one. Me. Two hours later, I caved and took two knockoff Tylenol, as the pain had subsided some, but still hurt. We were trying to wrest the new-to-us (free !!) oven inside, in case of rain not in the forecast, and my big toe got in the way. On the plus side, Hasbro and Mattel are in the midst of bidding wars over who gets intellectual property rights to the unusual pinkish purple color that now covers my swollen extremity.

No rest for the wicked, though. By the time I could walk, it was past time to start showering and getting ready for Game Day at the PreviousCity Library. No chance of skipping, it’s Dearest Son’s big event, the one he really looks forward to, his main opportunity to socialize with his friends. Their parents, however, abandoned me to kids’ caretaker once again, forming a klatch at the other end of the Library where they can’t even see their kids, which makes it difficult for me to really appreciate the day. Today was special, though – the newest member again asked me to watch her daughter while she picked up her other kids from school. No problem, did it for her last Game Day. Only problem was, my foot was really starting to hurt again, Dearest was ready to leave at 3:30, a half hour before GD ends, and Mom was nowhere in sight. She called me at 4:25, saying she was on the way. We finally got to leave, long after everyone else had (yes, the other parents abandoned me again). At 4:45.

Yeah, I was pretty ticked. Dearest and I both had opted for a light early lunch before we left for GD and a little prowling around PreviousCity, thinking we’d be home around 4 to feast on a later, bigger lunch. We were home at 5:30, due to traffic. Grrrr. Next Game Day, I’ll probably say we’re leaving for an appointment at 3:30 or something.

Other than that, though, it was a nice day. Dearest picked his two places to prowl – Hastings and a thrift shop – and I opted for Joann’s. We kinda came up empty on his picks, although I stuffed a bag with some neat clothes just begging to be torn up into doll apparel for a buck. Let’s see – I scored two jackets (one for each of my guys), a skirt, and four sweaters. I can stuff a lot into a standard Mal-Wart sack. If I’d have been in a greedier mood, I could have crammed at least one more shirt or sweater in there.

Joann’s, despite all their ads, is still pretty pricey. I found some green striped fabric for $4. a yard, and decided against numerous pretty fat quarters – at $2. each, for basic woven cottons ! Yikes. I’d better stick to Mal-Wart. Scored four pair of stretchy gloves on markdown for 50¢ each (two standard black pair for the winter stash, since we all wear and lose them, two pair in purple and grey striped for doll clothes), and one double pair for 99¢. The double pair is like a regular pink pair, with a fingerless pair, striped in matching pink and black, worn on top. Yaaay !

Much like Hancock Fabrics before they wised up, I couldn’t figure out Joann’s remnant pricing. Was it half off the price listed ? Or was the price listed already half off ? It was hard to tell, and I really didn’t see anything worth querying about. And my shoe was already starting to abrade my bruise, so I was ready to scootle over to Game Day. At least I got to sit down for nearly three hours !

You know it's spring when you see guys in shorts !

Current Notes: Ghoulia's gonna be thrilled ! 

I saw my first daffodils today, and Ginger left us a plump mouse for breakfast. Ahh, signs of Spring. I also saw my first ‘four layered shirts with jacket, booty shorts, and Ugg boots with knee socks’ 20-something in line at 7-11 yesterday. I guess she’s playing tennis in the Arctic Circle. And I thought my life was exotic.

Well, actually, it is. I have Slo Mo !!!!1!! Yes, he’s already here, and he. is. 

Awesome !! I’ve slid his makeup-brush hair over my cheek more than once, I’ll admit it. But only ‘more than once’. So there. I think his face is a pretty good version of his cartoon appearance, just a bit small, on a too-small body. But, let’s face it, I’m just happy to have him, he could look far worse and I’d still be pleased with him. 

He and Beryl, an adorable Night Fury dragon, have made fast friends, so I think he has a pet dragon now. She stole Rarity’s ill-fitting sunglasses – they don’t fit her either, but they look cute and match Slo’s purple shirt, so it’s all good.

Imagine the Beast's castle, trapped in a snow globe...

Current Notes: If the cold bothered Belle, she'd freeze in that dress !

You’re gonna laugh at me once more, but I’m used to it. I got the dress from DP&M Elsa in an online trade last week, and it’s already here. I’m sort of hoping to snag the gown Anna is wearing, but so far, no one has her, and it’s not even on eBay. S’Ok. I can probably knock off Anna’s dress a lot easier than I could Elsa’s. In any case, buying the dress pretty much insures I won’t buy the doll, and that’s kind of what I’m going for. I have two lovely dolls, Belle and Tia, and unless I thrift another, that’s plenty. I can have more fun dressing them in other dolls’ clothes than I can have with more dolls. Plus, I’vw tried – oh, how I’ve tried ! – to like the DP&M Elsa, but I simply don’t. Her eyes are just too bulgey-starey, and frankly, both Elsa and Anna’s dolls in that line freak me out a little.

Today was go-go-go. Beloved Hubby was home, but I still stuck to my plan. Dearest Son and I were out the door right at 10am to finish off laundry. I was hoping that going in the morning wouldn’t be so crowded as yesterday. I was half right. There were only two other customers, both finishing up, when I arrived, but darn near every machine was going when I left. In fact, one family put quarters in the big five-load machine I was using before I even got the clothes out !

Is it just me, or are Laundromat loads much smaller than home washer loads ? What would barely be three in the washer here at Chez Insanity would only fit in a five-load machine at the Laundromat. Regardless, the other half of our mountain of dirty clothes is now gone, and our bedroom looks less like a long-term youth hostel. I even had to go buy more coat hangers for it all. Guess Beloved threw out our breeder hangers during our last move. He always does that. Any loose hanger, no matter how big a load of dirty clothes we’re hauling, gets thrown away. Well, today it cost him $3. Local thrift doesn’t sell hangers, darn it, so I had to get those cheep plastic ones. Ah, well. At least it’s done.

Although, truth be told, it cost Dearest more than three bucks. While I was out, I picked up a tan Beanie Baby bat for 50c at the thrift, and scored the Winx ‘Stella’s Design Studio’ and the deluxe Frankie fashion set at Tuesday Morning. I did good on those. I’d wanted the Winx set for a while, mostly for the awesome sewing machine, but just couldn’t justify $23. for it at Mal-Wart. $12.99 was much better ! I bought the other three deluxe MH fashion sets as soon as Amazon listed ‘em, but didn’t care a lot about Frankie’s. Of course, as soon as I decided against getting it – I’m sorry, but I hate that shade of blue and red together – other fans made it look amazing. Then, of course, I never saw it again. Today I did – for $4.99 ! Snag !

Tuesday Morning also had two Ghouls Alive Spectras and one Frankie for $15., and a photo day Frankie for the same price. They also had two J-Dolls for $20. each, several Bratz, more Winx, and a bunch of Only Hearts Club dolls and clothes, but from what I can tell from Presto, they don’t always fit MH particularly well, unless you’re sold on the props. I also saw the $7. pony t-shirt Barbie outfit there- for $4. (sigh) Well worth checking out if you have one nearby !

I also took MIL to the library, and ended up buying a book off their sale shelves – a copy of Dear Bess : The Letters from Harry to Bess Truman 1910 to 1959. It’s huge ! They wrote each other nearly every day. Wow. Wonder if someone will someday have their love letter e-mails published as part of history…

Monday is Laundry Day...

Current Notes: On the plus side, my sweaty shirt still smells April Fresh !

I got five large loads of laundry done today – washed, dried, put away. The garage is still a mess, and the old water heater occasionally floods the space, so I had to go to the Laundromat, but that’s OK. MIL & FIL have redone their living space, and there’s always things displaced when that happens. We’ll probably have the new-to-us water heater installed and have the last bits cleaned up by next week or so, so none of us will have to deal with the mess again !

The only thing that still ranks is… there’s more laundry to do. I only did about half of it today. Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son had clothes hidden everywhere, and by the time I got it all harvested, it was a small mountain. Oh, well. I moved half a mountain today, I’ll move the other half tomorrow. At least it doesn’t take that long, because I do all five loads at once.

On the plus side, thanks to renovations at the house where he’s working, Beloved is bringing home an electric stove – complete with vent hood ! – and a dishwasher. Free if he’ll haul them away, and they were working when they were unplugged earlier this week. I have no idea how well the dishwasher will work, the current one also floods, so I’m not excited about that. The stove, on the other hand…. wow. I can’t wait to cook a meatloaf and baked beans without one of the shelves in the toaster oven suddenly deciding the beans are heavy, brother or not, and dropping on top of the loaf. Actually having room to bake more than one layer of cake…(happy sigh) It sounds silly to be excited about that, but I am.

Transferred the last of the Slo Mo fund to PayPal, as I had a bid on one. Got outbid on him – but that’s fine, Presto snagged two, and she’s gonna send me one ! Yaaay ! No more doll hunts I really wasn’t in the mood for, what a gift ! If you’ll remember, she also found me a Mal-Wart C. A. Cupid and a Sweet 1600 Clawd when they were beyond rare around here. Come to think of it, I don’t remember ever seeing that Clawd on store shelves. Anyway. She thought of me again ! Such a sweetie. Thanks again, Presto ! Beryl has indicated she likes Slo Mo (just not like certain ghouls around here like him), and wants an introduction when he arrives. I told her it may take a day or two for him to surface from a tidal wave of lovelorn Ghoulias, but I’d make it happen.

Ok, so I confess...

Had an attack of lazy and didn’t do squat. Didn’t even go to the thrift store for the specials. Gonna hafta pick it up tomorrow, ya’ll. Sorry. 

I'm gonna getta Slo Mo !! Thanks, Presto !

Current Notes: Ok, so now we're broke. 

Whoo-hoo ! Presto snagged two Slo-Mos, and she’s sending one to me ! Alleluia ! The one I had a bid on closed at $47. plus shipping, one dollar at a time, and I gave up about twenny bucks before. And was starting to wonder if I'd ever get him. 

 Thanks, Hon !!

FIL has got to quit opening the car door before I’ve stopped. Drives me crazy. Today, I didn’t hit the brakes as soon as he did it, and actually drove a few more feet like that. He also always changes my plans once he’s in the car. ‘Just a quick drive to the grocery store’ becomes a trip to 7-11 and the grocery, plus he wants me to wait in the parking lot when I told Dearest Son right in front of FIL that I’d drop FIL off and be right back. I want to drive them, and want to feel good about it, but these antics are making me petty and a bit resentful. I’m the one with the steering wheel, you’re in my world now !

Shook it off and took Dearest to Dollar Tree just before lunch. Fun ! I got the doll clothes pictured here, and yes, the tiara is mine. Believe it or not, as much as I talk about stuff like that, I’ve never had one before. Ever. Not as a joke as an adult, and Mother didn’t allow them in the house when I was a kid, even the cheap ones I could buy with my allowance. She didn’t even like it when I made them out of cardboard. I keep joking with Beloved Hubby that one day I’ll buy some over-the-top pageant creation, or the first one I could find with five-point stars as a design center, but truthfully, I think this will be my only one ever. It’s actually rather pretty. In a chemical spill rainbow sort of way.

Doll clothes are, of course, cheep little things, but I can’t resist ‘em. I got one of each variety I saw on the pegs. Some of them came with black shoes, but every time I went for a black-shoe dress, there was something wrong with it. A missing line of glitter dots right down the front. A fold I can’t iron or cut out that makes the dress lopsided. An already torn-out hem. Besides, those shoes looked small even for Barbie. I’d rather have a better dress to work with than shoes I might not be able to use. Of course, it's completely opposite when it comes to Monster High...

I also got a large garden thermometer, and hung it outside where we can read it from the Study window. Beloved and I are both closet weather students, and I’ve always wanted one of those nice, big temperature gauges. I figured, if we liked and used this DTree version, it’d be a good investment to upgrade come Christmas. If not, it’s a buck’s worth of fun that’ll save me from wasting $20. I need to anchor it down at the bottom, as right now, it’s doubling as a wind indicator !

A few snacks, jars of pickles, some cleaning stuff, shampoo… still not sure how I spent almost $20., but I did. It’s rare for me to get out of there for less than $10. ! 

Friday is Thrift Day !

Current Notes: I could have shopped all day ! 

Well, believe it or not, we still have a few bucks. But just a few. Beloved Hubby encouraged me to take the debit card and any coupons I could scrounge to OfficeDepotMax, and pick m’self out a new sewing chair.

Ya’ll know me. It can’t be that simple – or expensive. Sure, I’d buy a new chair if I couldn’t find a good used one first. So I hit my local fave thrift first, the one I usually visit on Sundays. They had one chair, and I rejected it before I could even find the price tag. A chair that lists to the left and tips waaaay back is not what I need. No new dolls, unless you count some more generic babies and princess Barbies, so we moved on.

Between that thrift and OfficeWhatever is a seldom-visited Salvation Army. They never have dolls, their misc. is way expensive, and they’ll hang up a t-shirt used as an oil change rag and try to get $2.99 for it. But I decided to give it a go… and I found a chair, but most of theirs were as bad as Local thrift’s sole offering. Nearly all the chairs also had the swayback I didn’t need, and many were just barely working at all. I found one without wheels that was OK, but not really what I wanted, and was really too worn to be that expensive at $25.

I was contemplating waiting for its green tag to go on half-off next Thursday –they have a color discount calendar on the door – when a few more got wheeled out. The brown one looked like an office wars survivor, but it sat well, had a firm back, and was fairly comfy. Seemed a bit low, but I can always make a pillow for it. How much ? $13. ? Sold American !

Dearest Son found a Sony monitor he liked for $50., and it seemed OK. His current monitor has a single thin line on the left, and it’s been bugging him. The ‘on’ screen was black, so we really couldn’t check for lines. He was willing to take the risk when the manager mentioned there was a second Sony – had we checked it ? That one even had a monitor cable still attached, something the first one lacked, and the ‘on’ screen was white. No lines. We swapped them out and were on our way home. Dearest installed it without any help from me, in seconds. It works perfectly. We’re all delighted ! Now, what to do with that old monitor…

So I’m happy. We got what we both needed, for about what we would have paid for a new chair. Whoo-hoo ! 

TRU Thursday !

Current Notes: Isn't she adorable ? 

Today was so much fun ! I got to take Dearest Son to TRU, then hit Mal-Wart to pick up my MH doll case. Let me say early – no Slo Mo. The nice stock clerk at M-W said she’d opened six cases of those ‘cheerleader dolls’ and there wasn’t one guy doll in any of ‘em. And I’d been about the fourth or fifth to ask. But I was in a good mood – until it was time to retrieve my Site To Store order, more later – so I just shrugged and said to m’self, maybe next time.

TRU is the most fun when you have all afternoon to wander around. Dearest and I were in there for over an hour. And we spent about $25. total. He chose the Pinkie Pie helicopter set, I got a markdown Harumika set (mostly for the shoes and belt) and a new pet for my dolls – isn’t he adorable ? If you don’t already recognize him, he’s Toothless, from Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon series. Very catlike, impossibly cute. There’s other dragons in the series, and a crouching Toothless, but I liked this one best. Less than $5. if your TRU has him. At least, I think Toothless is a boy dragon…  Anyway, this is Beryl, who’s a catlike girl Night Fury dragon. Question resolved !

I originally got her for the DP&M girls, but she may be a bit too small for that. They’ll meet tomorrow, we’ll see then !

The doll I’d come to see was, of course, sold out. TRU had maybe five Anna fashion dolls, some tiny Anna dolls, and two Elsa kid-size dresses, that was it. What was really sad was how crammed up the Brave merch was. Really looked overstocked and under-wanted. But I got a good look at the DP&M Merida doll, and found I preferred her freckled face to Ariel’s. So if I end up with a redhead, it’ll probably be Merida. But really, with these big dolls, two really are enough… unless I find one at the thrift again !

Got a few much-delayed necessaries at Mal-Wart, then went to pick up my site-to-store MH case. I figured I’d go ahead and snag one now at $15. before I have to go the collector route in six months and shell $30. Too bad this marvelous time saver was a real PITA today. I had to hit the ‘call for assistance’ button three times, as it cycled through and came back to the ‘call for assistance’ screen that many times. I ended up calling the store’s main number on my cell and asking for someone to please come help me. Sheesh. I was about to start stacking the benches on top of the counter – I’m sure that’d get someone’s darned attention ! Even then, it took a couple minutes before someone shuffled over. Then she complained at my printer’s quality – it’s a laser printer, dear – and muttered that she was just too busy. Sorry she has scheduling issues with the Powers That Be, but by the time I left, I felt like I was a burden to Mal-Wart itself, one that was not encouraged to come back. So I probably won’t for a while. I’ve already found a local grocer that’s cheaper, already bought what we’ve been needing, and am tired of looking for Slo Mo. So why burden them with my presence ?

Put a bid on one that closes in a couple days. Like usual, if it’s not a Buy It Now item – and very few Slo’s under $100. are – I bid the max I’m willing to pay, including shipping, and walk away. If I win in a few days, yaay for me. If not, maybe next time. I got into one bidding war, waaaay overpaid, and vowed never again. So far, so good on that promise.

Look what Dearest Son drew for me !

Current Notes: So pretty – I’m gonna need another frame !

Well….(nervous laugh) I didn’t get much housework done today. But the vehicle issues were sorted out early this morning, and there’s now a Toyota 4Runner that’s pretty much mine to use as I wish for the foreseeable future. Please don’t break down, Angel car !

Of course, this comes after pretty much all the doll hunt fight is drained from me. It’s all for the best, I’m sure. I doubt I’ll even make the circuit this week, I’m that tired of it all. That said, I’ve promised to take Dearest Son to TRU tomorrow, where I’m sure to not run into a boxload of Slo Mos. I am going to have a second, third, and fourth look at that DP&M Elsa. Not sure if I really want three of these dolls, but they fit in the shelf I reserved for them, so at least I have room.

It’s really strange. I should be so thrilled over all the new MH coming out, and normally when I enjoy a movie like Frozen, I’m obsessed over dolls of the characters. Heck, I even took a serious look at Hunger Games dolls, and while I liked the book and movie, neither really spoke to me. And I still haven’t really watched Frozen yet ! The promised increase in Elsa doll availability hasn’t happened yet, though.

Am I finally outgrowing obsession ? Or am I just growing old ? Well, the fact that I want to go to TRU says a little something ! 

Not lettin’ this one go !

Current Notes: And one day, I'll get to actually see this movie, not just watch it !

Up at 5am, couldn’t sleep. Was supposed to wake up at 6, so I hopped up and started the day early. Got to Mal-Wart for socks, milk, and a copy of Frozen for today’s Homeschool viewing party. Had the set that came with an Infinity Elsa figurine in my hot little paws, and it was only $6. more than the regular DVD, the only one the store had, and I would have gone for it. But it was Blu-Ray only, and I just couldn’t convince m’self that the digital version would play just as well for the party. So I reluctantly put it down and got the basic $16. straight DVD. Ah, well. That’s six bux I can put towards an Elsa doll later, the one I want, when I see her.

I dawdled a bit, failed to find Slo Mo this time either (no surprise), and consoled m’self with three new 99¢ fat quarters. It was that or a loaf of rye bread, and the only reason the fabric won is because they had some pretty new pieces that would look great as a dress for Tiana (who I’m starting to call ‘Tia’), and I wanted some roast beef, too. Maybe next time, rye bread.

The movie viewing went very well – in fact, I think some attendees weren’t members of the Homeschool group ! But it’s not like it matters. I still brought home Capri Suns, two unopened boxes. Beloved and I spent more time talking with friends and new folks than we did watching the movie. The coloring sheets were a big hit, too. I printed about 40, and they vanished quickly. I mean, we usually only have about five or six kids at these events – I figured I’d have to ask people to take the leftover sheets home. The markers and crayons vanished too, but they were parts of 25¢ thrift store grab bags, so I’m fine with it.

Everyone had a good time, and I couldn’t wait to watch the movie again once we were home. Too bad I fell asleep on the sofa ! Oh, well, maybe tomorrow.

Last time I was at our local Mal-Wart Neighborhood Market (smaller version, pharmacy, deli, bakery, but otherwise groceries instead of merchandise), I put aside my pride just a bit and asked when the rotisserie chickens go on half-off markdown. I was told 8pm, and reassured that it was a fairly frequent question. Well, by the time we were ready for chow tonight, no one was in the mood to cook, but low funds remained an issue. So I went out, hoping to snag a discount lemon pepper bird. Score ! So. delicious. We only ate half of it, so guess what Dearest Son and I get for lunch tomorrow ? Yaaay !

I am sooo sleepy. But I’m pretty much home tomorrow, so I’m gonna get my housework done. I gotta earn my take-out rotisserie dinners and doll inspirations, ya know !

Not too bad, I think...

Current Notes: So sleepy....

Quiet day. Still having some car issues that likely won’t be solved ‘til Wednesday or Thursday, so I’m a homebody ‘til then. We are hosting a movie watch party at the Library tomorrow, though, so that’ll be fun. Already have library books ready to be returned, bagged and waiting. I bought two three-box packs of Capri Suns – on sale, 60 drinks for $6. I’m also going to print out some coloring pages I’ve found. Made sure to have a good mix of girls, guys, and animals/comic relief. But how do you color a snowman once you’re done with his nose ? 

The skirt I made yesterday from the kids’ thrift find needed a blouse, and I needed to test the alterations I made to that Crissy pattern, so I hit two needs with one white rock. Took about an hour, from finding fabric to finish, and I like how it looks with the skirt. One thing I need to work on is the slightly tight bottom edge. Like MH dolls, DP&M girls have a bit of a swayback, so my lengthened blouse is a bit snug at the very bottom just above the hip, but it’s still wearable. I’d like a better fit there. Neckline is also a bit wider than I like, so I need to nip that in just a squidge. But it was easy to cut out, sewed together quickly, and the shortened sleeves, underarm seam, and side seam alterations worked well, so I’m fairly happy with it. I also sewed down the shoulder seam allowances, which made hemming the neckline and sleeves easier, and could be a great way to add accent and color to a fairly ho-hum blouse.

It’s always great to have a go-to simple shirt pattern. I can applique it, embroider it, paint it, use transfer iron-ons with it… or just knock something out when I’m bored or feeling somehow deprived. It also justifies fabric I bought five years ago ! 

Sunday is always fun day at the thrift !

Current Notes: Most good experiments start with spending $1.99 at a thrift store...

I got to hit the thrift today ! After last week’s major score, I really shouldn’t be surprised that today, I didn’t find much – it tends to go that way – but I still had fun. Most of the dolls from last visit were gone, with really nothing new, so I’m happy they went  to new homes and I got what I wanted last week !

Found a pair of half-price work pants and a folio for Beloved Hubby, a copy of the first Imponderable book, a second copy of Real Boys we’ll gift to a friend, another book for Dearest Son, a cute 6X skirt that’ll make doll clothes, and a bag of kid craft supplies for a quarter.

Craft supply bag was fun ! I got two leatherette cuff bracelets – doll belts ! – five hanks of friendship bracelet floss, a package of three tic-tac-toe pads, a Tinkerbell notepad, Tinkerbell-themed stampers, a pencil sharpener, and stencils, a blue and silver snowflake packet with coordinating pencil, stickers, and erasers, an ‘M’ themed sticky notepad, a Mary Engelbreit mini spiral notebook, a bottle of white glue and pink fabric paint, four shoelaces (pink, purple, turquoise, white), some elastic cording, and at least three handfuls of shiny faceted plastic beads. It’s kind of like someone tossed a bunch of craft kit remnants in a bag with Tinkerbell misc. and random notepads. I think they hold some of the ‘grab bags’ for Sunday, as I never see them any other time.

Beloved watches me go through the whole bag, sifting beads through my fingers, exclaiming over the pretty snowflake set, repurposing bracelets to doll belts, and mutters, ‘It’s true. I married Ariel.’ Not really, Honey – I don’t have near enough dinglehoppers yet.

It was rainy and cloudy all day, perfect napping weather. I know Beloved got plenty of rest ! While he and Dearest Son slept, I got DP&M Tiana and started wrapping the skirt I bought around her. Found out that simple tube dresses will not work on that body – arms are so low on the chest, a straight tube is just looks inappropriate to me. Even though the dolls have no real bustline to speak of, I still like to dress my dolls on the modest side. I’ll have to stitch up camisoles instead, with curves for the underside of the arm cut out. Or get much better with straps ! Lotta dolls are engineered that way. The Timey girls are, and so are most AG style dolls, authentic or clone. I did make a sort of dress, reworking the built-in accent bow, and also a skirt that can be worn high or low, or folded over. And I still have some fabric left. I got a lot out of that two bucks ! 

What's in Finland, Sweden, Nova Scotia, and Great Britain, but not here ? The one thing you want, of course !

A British board member found a half dozen Slo Mo dolls on the shelf in one of her local shops. Posted photos and everything. I’m about to give up and wait ‘til Amazon has ‘em, and just mail order one. I don’t want to be resentful and ticked off (too late !) over what has the potential to be my last MH doll.

Anyway. Wet, miserable day – and instead of resting up and recovering, Beloved Hubby insisted on going to work. It was all I could do to stay awake, and I didn’t have surgery yesterday ! I played and looked for patterns, and found three I want to try for the DP&M girls. They’ll be easy to alter if they’re too big.

This’ll make you laugh. I’ve been patiently waiting ‘til we have the funds to get a new office chair for my sewing Arena. Or, at least, until I find a new-to-me one that will work. I’m not picky. Meanwhile, I’ve been using a kitchen chair that’s heavy and hurts my back so much, I haven’t been sewing. Well, I’ve sewn a few times off and on, and when I was cleaning and doing some mending today… my back didn’t hurt. I may not need a chair after all ! I’d still prefer one that rolls, though. Wonder if we can put casters on that chair…?

Beloved goes in for dental surgery...at a cosmetic surgeon's office. Oy meh.

Today was both a crashing bore and a frantic chase. Turns out, Beloved Hubby’s dental surgery took place at a cosmetic surgeon’s enclave. Rhinoplasty and botox brochures everywhere. I got so bored and felt so inadequate in the waiting room, I actually reached for a People magazine as a diversion – and a dozen leaflets for dermabrasion, chin implants, and liposuction fell out. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

While Beloved snoozed on the way home, my thoughts got all defensive. I know those stupid come-ons in paper weren’t there for me specifically, but &^%#. As an aside, even the cold pack they sent Dearest home with, and the tube-sock-with-Velcro ™ like wrap it was housed in, bore the cosmetic surgeon’s name, the business logo, and several phone numbers. I don’t know whether I should be impressed with his dedication to providing patients with easily accessible information or skeeved a bit at the implied vanity.

Anyway, he needed his prescriptions almost immediately, so I went on a chase for those, dropping off then picking up. Pharmacy was a never ending line to a ride that was way too expensive and no fun at all. Then a milkshake run, doctor’s orders, to take the swelling down. By the time I sat down with all my errands run, my shake was melted. Still good, though !

Beloved’s still asleep, and I hope his rest takes his pain away. Corn dogs and fries for dinner ! 

Game Day !

Current Notes: You can learn a lot, listening to your child play board games with other kids...

Well, it looks like Beloved Hubby will be using the 4Runner for a while – we’re having some license plate issues, so better safe than sorry. He had today off, but is working this weekend, so I took advantage of the morning and went on the doll run I had planned for Saturday.

Nothin’. Hit four stores – Mal-Wart, Tarzhay, Coals, and JustUs! – in an hour, and about all I found was a signature Jinafire and most of the rest of the School Spirit line. Also finally saw the M-W Die-ner exclusive – for $40. ! Wow. Much as I liked Operetta’s outfit, that was a bit too much for me. I’m glad I got the Die-ner for $23. months ago. None of the expanded Coffin Bean line, either. Ah, well. The nice young lady at J! called the flagship store in Capitol City, they don’t have any, and thought the line was discontinued. She took down my name and number, in case she opens a case and finds him. Almost makes me wish I have a daughter along with Dearest Son, so I could buy some of her clothes there.

Came home empty-handed, something Beloved must’ve anticipated, because he’d pulled out a local Chinese take-out’s menu, and phoned in our order once I made up my mind. Everyone’s been so sweet to me today !

We went to Game Day, and welcomed a new parent and her adorable daughters. Had a really nice time. It was Beloved’s first Game Day, and he was a big help. Our new mom works as a 4H leader, and when she learned I made doll clothes, asked if I could teach her daughters to sew. She does a lot, but doesn’t know to sew herself. I’ve never taught sewing before, but I could learn to teach, I’m sure…

(shaking my  head) What a concept ! That I know enough to teach anyone else about anything ! At least I can share what I got, just hard to believe anyone else knows less than I do.

Getting ready for Beloved’s surgery tomorrow. I’ll be spending most of the afternoon in an oral surgeon’s office, holding my mouth closed. I’m scared to let them see the condition of my mouth ! Luckily, I got some good books from the Library – Ruth and Me, Queen of the Air : A True Story of Love and Tragedy at the Circus, and  The Secret Lives of Girls – to pass the time.