Class action = free lesson materials !

Wow. Today I got a postcard telling me I’d been represented in a class-action lawsuit against Justice. You know, that girls’ clothing and accessory shop that’s so sparkly-shimmery, I kept expecting to sneeze glitter hours after setting foot in the place ? Well, I bought a couple MH dolls and MLP Ty stuffies from them, years ago, during one of their frequent 40% off sales. Frankly, their prices on my targets were so high otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered with them, even for exclusive and hard-to-find dolls, not to mention the glitter thing.

The 40% off ‘sales’ are what the lawsuit’s about. The suit alleges that consumers were led astray by such claims, since the post-40% off ‘sale’ price was, in fact, the regular price. Well, duh. Ascena Retail Group, Inc  - aka, Justice - admits no wrongdoing, but a $50.8 million settlement has been reached regardless, and somehow, my name and correct address (how that got that, I have no idea, I haven’t been near the store since we moved) came up in the scrum. If I do nothing, I get a coupon for $20. off my next $25. purchase there. If I prefer, I can get a check for $13. instead, I just have to register at a website. I checked, it’s not a scam, and all the names and addresses check out. More frequent shoppers can apply for more of the settlement pie by submitting receipts, but we all know I didn’t go often or spend much, and those few receipts (suit dates encompass 1/1/12 to 2/28/15) are long gone.

Wanna take bets on how long my $13. check will take to arrive ? (lol) There’s a hearing in May, and if no one objects, the dispersal could be as quick as six months after that. So, October at the earliest. You could get pregnant and give birth between now and then. It’s darn near funny. And more valuable as a teaching tool for Dearest Son – seems my ILs are also in a class action suit against a much bigger company, and they’re expecting tons of cash out of it. They’re daydreaming like lottery winners. I’ve already told Dearest that however big the pie starts out, the lawyers get the biggest slice and the people they’re so valiantly defending divvy up the leftovers. Being able to show him the most his momma will get out of $50.8 million is $13. is priceless.

Still, if it actually happens – and I’m certainly not avoiding respiration in the meanwhile – it’ll be nice to find a surprise $13. in the mail that I will have completely forgotten about when it’s time to shop for Halloween candy. Or Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe I’ll blow it all on Christmas presents.

Sometimes, the 'doll shoes' thing even runs through the guys, too.

Another lazy day. Beloved Hubby even made breakfast and helped with dishes. After that, I had to make sure the kitchen stayed clean. I failed completely, but at least when we all went to bed, there wasn’t a pile of dishes in the sink !

Debating ordering a pair of nice- looking Dragon soldier figure boots for the Kenner Star Wars guys. Most GI Joe doll footwear is bigger than Ken shoes, but I have no idea about the highly-detailed Dragon lines’ dimensions. Only way to know is to spend the dough, so I’m considering it. It’ll rank if they don’t fit, but I’m sure I can find some doll to wear them. I’d just buy their issue shoes, like I always do, but good luck even finding ‘em, much less affording them. And I already know the later Hasbro SW line doesn’t fit without alterations.

Elphie kicks up her new heels !

Had a wild hair / hare today, while Beloved Hubby inspected all the car and tool trailer’s tires, airing ‘em up when needed, and pulled out the Big Box O’ Monster High  shoes in hopes of solving a few “I wonder if . . . ‘ s. I can tell ya that MH guy shoes, while bigger than Ken footwear, are still too small to fit my vintage Kenner Star Wars / Indiana Jones dudes. Only reason they have shoes now is I got some knockoff GI Joe and blow-molded guy dolls from regional dollar stores years and years ago. I’m gonna keep my eyes open for some similar soldier / guy dolls when I’m out and about this week, because right now, they’re wearing pretty much everything that’ll fit ‘em. While Han and Luke may be immune to the allure of vast quantities of shoes, I’m sure they’d like more than one pair from which to choose.  

I also discovered that Elphie (my much-loved but seriously neglected Tonner Wicked Witch) fits the Dollspart sandals I bought for the ‘adult’ MH dolls, years ago. I don’t know if I ever tried them on her before. Heels are much too short on both lines of MH dolls and Elphie, but they look fine from the front ! However, they’re far too small for FT Frankie, but the next size up would probably work, something to think about when I have first-of-the-month funds again.

Yup, that’s coming up again. I was in a sort of ‘mathy’ mood, so I totaled up everything, shipping and all, on my Etsy Favorites list (two pages’ worth !), and it came to just under $400. Yikes. So I think I’m gonna look for the new Barbie Fashionistas, some guy dolls, and perhaps yet another Elsa, but the Hasbro version this time. It’s wide open at this point !

She's been hanging out with FT Frankie, too.

Guess who sewed today ! Since the freebie Pinterest Alex skirt fit FT Frankie – loosely, but OK, that’s an easy alteration – I decided to try the blouse. Used the last of a fat quarter so closely, there’s barely a bit of it bigger than a postage stamp left. I remembered using the rest of it. Anyway. . . the blouse. . . did not go so well. To put it bluntly, Frankie’s bustline stopped about ¾ of an inch before the blouse did. Thanks to the deep darts, the blouse really didn’t need Frankie, to further the crass visual. (insert your favorite Sixteen Candles ‘fill the stupid bust up’ joke here) The rest, like the back and sleeves fit, but with the darts and all, it’d be easier to redraft the blouse pattern front piece from scratch than try to fix the Alex original.

Still, it took me nearly an hour, even though I did fairly well with an experimental technique on the inset sleeves, so I was reluctant to consign it to the ‘stuffing scraps’ bin or the ‘extreme frustration’ trash. So I tried it on my Tonner Wicked Witch of the West, more familiarly known as Elphie. Darts are a bit pointed, but it fits her perfectly. Skirt, too. Finally, Elphie gets new clothes – and I’m all chuffed about sewing for her again !

Why am I always most inspired when the pattern’s free ? :)

And her tail turns purple in sunlight ! Wish mine did. . .

Looks like the glue on yesterday’s ‘lucky’ find, the miniature coat rack, is holding. Not realizing it’d broken, Dearest Son picked it up and played with it a bit, no problem. Whew ! It looks good enough to be in the background of photos, maybe with something light draped over it, which is about all I wanted in the first place. So I’m happy.

Got the first set of IL cats to the vets for their ‘no kittens’ surgeries and back again. Boys first. Went pretty well, although the cat transport is now cracked (sigh). No big deal, if it survives Girl Version Saturday long enough to get the kitties home, that’s good enough. Their ‘fix’ surgery prices are pretty reasonable, so Junior-kitty might soon find hearth and home a bit more appealing than showing up to eat and run once or twice a day.

As a reward for my good DIL deeds, Beloved Hubby decided we’d have a McTreat for dinner. I went for a MLP Mighty Kids Meal. My weight’s down just a bit, so I want to keep the momentum going. A Mighty Kids Meal is about 500 calories, and once you subtract the soda (didn’t drink it), the Go-Gurt (gave it to Dearest Son), and the fries I split with Beloved Hubby, mine was probably even less. I checked out HappyMeal.com before I left, and hoped for one pony toy in particular – and I got her ! What luck, I didn’t even ask. So now, I’m the proud owner of my very own Coco Pommel ! Isn’t she adorable ?