It's soooo green !

Current Mood : Happy with the latest finds !

It's snowing ! Hard as it is to believe, since it was warm enough today to go out short-sleeved with no jacket, it's actually coming down pretty steadily. And very, very prettily. 

As promised, Nefera and Operetta went on sale at Angelic Dreamz this morning, and about an hour or so later, it was all over, but for the congratulations and the celebrations amid the wailings and gnashing of teeth. I'm just glad I don't want anything for a while - the mood is downright feral out there today, with more stories of six and ten hour shopping odysseys that were ultimately fruitless. Or, more accurately, doll-less.

Lemme tell ya'll honestly - all three of you - that I have spent waaaay too much time in my past on doll hunts, especially for favorites in the MH line. But I know that if I spent ten hours and a tank of gas visiting every Target, TRU, Mal-Wart, K-Mart, and mom-and-pop toy shop in a 50 to 100 mile radius and had absolutely nothing to show for it... I would probably be too angry to want that doll - or any others in the line - any longer. That said, I wouldn't mess around on a hunt in January anyway. Stores are still trying to recover from the holidays.

I got to get away from it all for a while, since I accompanied Beloved Hubby on his errand run to Former Town. He has a group project in class, and had a great idea for the 'media' part of it late last night, which he implemented and had printed up *huge* today. Turns out, my doll habit occasionally benefits us both, since his idea used the damaged DracuLaura and a Flavas doll that Dearest Son broke years ago, but was still hanging around here. Once he's done with the poster for class, I'll share an image of it with you - it's very powerful for something that uses dolls as a focal point. The print shop did a stellar job.

From there, we grabbed a Circle K sausage hot dog lunch and split a soda, and ventured to Hancock Fabrics. Yaaay ! I had the mailer coupon in my purse (just in case - lol !) so the cone of black thread I wanted was even cheaper today than it would be when it goes on markdown for the Martin Luther King Day sale. I also lucked into a stand of remnants that (gasp !) actually had prices on them ! Last few times I've gone to Hancock's, the remnants had yellow labels telling me how much yardage was there and what the original by-the-yard price was...but not what the remnant itself cost. Today they'd gone the easiest route, and my favorite one - all the remnants were a dollar.

Dug around a bit, and soon found some crushed stretch velvet - in dark, foresty green. My favorite ! A little over three-quarters of a yard - awesome ! I have a special project in mind for it, and not just doll clothes. Dearest is enamored of my 'velvet' pants - hand-me-downs from Aunt S., they're either inexpensive nylon stretchy pajamas or lounging pants, either way, I only wear 'em around the house. When Dearest comes into our room to play, if I've left the pants on our bed, he'll often end up petting them like a kitten.

So, I first thought to make him a very soft pillowcase from most of it, and keep a little for my dolls. Then I had a better idea - wrap up the fabric as-is, and let him decide how I sew it. He may want a cape, or a cover for the Jem Rockin' Roadster, or the pillowcase - it'll be up to him. And of course, I'll make a sweet, simple dress for one of his MH dolls from the cutaway. I'm hoping to get a dress out of it for my ghouls, too ! Luckily, I have a pair of 10c miniature tree skirts from last year's final markdown at Dollar General that's also stretch velvet - I can use it to build up my currently non-existent skill sewing that stuff. 

Whoo-hoo ! I did it ! Long and unnecessary explanation follows !

Current Mood : Victorious ! 

Didn't sleep very well last night, not sure why. I was tired, but seemed like I woke up every half hour. (sigh) I do wish Beloved Hubby wouldn't bring me Big Gulp sodas at 10pm - he's very thoughtful, but I need some sleep !

His job site didn't need him, so he had this morning to rest, which I was happy for - he was so tired when he left, I feared he'd fall asleep driving home tonight. I'd already made the bed, but it was so nice seeing him sleep peacefully.

I also did some 'meaning to's this morning. Brushed Baby Crissy's hair, it was getting dusty and a bit snarled. Truth to tell, I was going to sell her, but I didn't, and now I'm not sure what to do with her. She doesn't really fit in with the few dolls I kept, but she's too nice to donate. It's a puzzle, but at least it's one I don't have to solve right this minute. She's fine where she is.

I also did a Monster High 'hand inventory'. Since quite a few dolls have different hand molds - and they're interchangeable ! - I've been meaning to go through all my dolls, both keep and trade, to make sure I had all the hands I wanted. Heck, I bought a Lagoona mostly for one hand and her shoes, so I'd best make sure I had that hand ! Once I sew up some simple dresses, I'll swap their clothes, too.

That done, and Beloved off to school, DFIL waved me off dish detail for today, so I had the whole afternoon free. Decided to take one of the 'biggies' off the 'meaning to' list. I have several craft totes - one was a gift, one was bought at a yard sale, a smaller one came from GoodWill. The yard sale and gift ones were identical, until I heard that MIL and AIL, after their weekly craft bees, routinely grabbed the wrong totes, which were identical to mine but for color. Mine were turquoise and pink, theirs were shades of blue. I proposed swapping my rainbow-hued one for her blue one, which would benefit everybody. A week or two later, we did the swap, but it wasn't until after I'd moved all my stuff into my 'new' blue tote that MIL told me that the handle on it was broken. (sigh)

Nothing for it, so I kept it. And wouldn't you know it, that was the very tote that lost its lid during the move, and I never found it. At first, I didn't mind, but soon, it started to collect dirt and dust because it was right by a drafty door, and where the kitties like to congregate, for some reason. I couldn't replace the lid since they're not sold separately, and a new tote is $40. brand-new. So I added 'make lid for tote' to the 'meaning to' list.

And today was the day. Wasn't entirely sure how I was gonna do it, but I was gonna. Started out by tracing the bottom from taped together freebie newspapers, then comparing it to the top and adding enough around it (more newspapers) to fit over and host an elastic casing. Ended up with a nice, big newspaper placemat, and it looked like it'd work.

So. Fabric. Fabric often trips me up, especially when I'm sewing something all-new. I hate to use really nice stuff, because there's a good chance it'll be a total FAIL. I hate to use stuff I don't really care for - although I've long since donated most of that - in case it does work...it's not like I'm gonna need a dozen tote cover-lids. So I stewed and fretted, and finally decided on some more of that 'star field' fabric. I liked it, but it'd come from a bedding set I got at a yard sale for $5. - you remember ! It became my Lab curtain, and various other pieces (duvet cover, pillowcases, etc.) became seat cushions, bedding for Dearest Son, and such. I'd taken a bed dust-ruffle apart because it never fit his bed and was much too small to fit ours, and stored the 'denim' broadcloth lined pieces. I'd get something I liked, and it'd be recycling, so it wasn't at total waste if it was a total fail.

Here's where you're gonna laugh at me. I completely forgot that it *was* a dust ruffle. So the pieces weren't nearly wide enough. Even sewn together right down the middle, there wouldn't be enough for a casing. Hrf. My eyes fell on a strip of navy blue fabric with gold glitter embedded in it. Beloved Hubby'd sewn me a slightly scratchy pillowcase from the rest of it, and this was the remnant. I wondered...how would the star-field fabric look with a strip of gold glitter blue running down the middle, topping a medium blue plastic tote ?

Not bad, actually. Luckily, the strip was just wide and long enough for what I needed. All I'd have to do is sew the strips together, add the casing, pull the elastic through, and sew the hole closed. Easy. So the near-hour I spent carefully piecing together freebie newspaper pieces for a pattern...was totally wasted. Never went near it. Ah, well. If I ever need really big oval placemats, I'm ready to go.

And, about three hours later, I had the new lid to my old tote. I think it looks pretty good. Plus, I don't have to keep the stuff inside down, I left plenty of room for stacking stuff. Threading the elastic through the casing took forever, my hands were singing with stress by the time it was done. Took most of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - with the Crimson Permanent Assurance short feature - to get it done and let me rest up before finishing up. Whew !

Now I'm ready for some doll sewing ! Wanna take more off the 'meaning to' list !

Betcha can't guess who got a new outfit today !

Current Mood : Happy 'cause I made something out of nothin' ! I needed that...

I got a special little present today. 'D', one of the more stand-offish cats here has recently become enamored of my Everything Arena chair. This is the same cat who, when I met him at a 15 foot distance three years ago, hissed at me. I've never laid a hand on him - until last night. He really wanted some attention, it was kinda late (I'd had an afternoon nap, so I was awake), and I was the only possible provider. So, when he let me scritch behind his ears, I petted his long, soft neck, and when that didn't get me eviscerated, I went head-to-tail down his back. He really liked that - I got my hand head-butted and everything.

This morning, he was curled up in the chair, happy as clams at high tide. He let me pet him some more, then decided it was time to head out. The cat door is about four feet away. So he jumped down, and I saw that he'd been saving a gift for me - a dark, long shed of claw. He hadn't 'marked' the chair - the cover would have shown claw marks easily - he just wanted me to have a little of himself.

You can probably almost hear me purr. But why any creature would choose to spend any time where my butt is parked for several hours a day sincerely kooks me out ! Every time I've been out of the chair for longer than a quick errand, he's jumped in. Not that I mind. He's behaving himself, and I admit, it was nice to have a warmed chair this morning !

Another quiet evening - almost everyone fell asleep ! Beloved Hubby's uncle (yes, the one from The Move From Hades !) found out he's a grandfather today - his son's girlfriend had a little girl, and both mom and babe are well. Whew ! Looking forward to photos soon.

I decided to sew, since my one try at a nap simply didn't work - Beloved and I kept talking instead - and saw something that jump-started me in the trash. Some out-of-state relatives sent a generous fruit basket to DMIL, who graciously shared it with us. Yumm, pears ! We emptied it before the fruit went bad (and looong before the dried fruit and almonds did !) and the neat basket got put away. The 'Harry & David' ribbon, in a luscious shade of aubergine, along with a more nondescript thin brown one, got trashed.

Ya'll know me - I'll ignore $500. worth of brand-new fabric to play with 29c worth of trashed goods, and today was no exception. I decided what I wanted to try, kinda kited it from Doll Shop Deluxe, and went after it. Too bad my first attempt at a strapless minidress didn't work. It became a top instead, but it may as well have been just a tube, it's not nearly as fitted as it should be. Decided to do the skirt part as a separate instead, and proceeded to muck that up, too. So I salvaged it the only way I could, and used about half the ribbon. Betcha can't guess who got the new outfit ! You'll see it tomorrow. It involves more black ribbon and probably almost a half-pint of Fray-Check. Grosgrain ribbon frays like a cheap sateen !

I'll probably try the strapless pattern again, in a less stiff, lighter fabric. But I'm quite proud of how it turned out - can't wait to show it to you !

As for now, I'm sleepy and warm. I hope your Sunday gave you some fun, too ! 

And they don't see him either. Darn it.

Current Mood : Heaving sighs...

After a leisurely morning spent with more cereal crunching than actual conversation, Beloved Hubby and I both realized that we needed new material to read. Most of my books are with me, but I've read 'em a few dozen times, and he's joyously in pre-college study mode. Dearest Son enjoys the nightly ritual of Granny reading to him, but he was really bored with her preferred material, the Little House on the Prairie series. He wanted to get some different books, "so she'd have something new to read". So, we were off to the library ! Well, we are pretty broke...

Ended up spending nearly two hours there ! It's smaller than the library in Former City, so I didn't think they'd have much, but they have more manga and teen vampire novels than Borders, may that book chain rest in peace. There's a whole shelf of sewing books I can investigate, and I came home with Subversive Seamster, a book of directions and tips on how to make blouses and pillowcases out of thrift store finds. I've already discovered that most of the projects don't apply to me - they kinda depend on their readers being about a size six to eight, for their 'huge size 16 man-shirt' revamps to work - but I was hoping for a few ideas anyway. I'll probably return the book when we take back the DVDs  (That Darn Cat and a Bakugan disc) next week.

I also got a couple of Mercedes Lackey books. I enjoyed the Heralds of Valdemar series - especially the Queen's Own novels - and decided I wanted to read a few of them again. Got 'em !

Afterwards, we went to a 'last spree' sort of thing at a nearby restaurant. It'll be a while before we get to go out again, so we really enjoyed it. Much as I worry about him, Dearest behaves well in restaurants, although he does get a little bored waiting for food.  Glad we had some new books to talk about !

I'm such an ink tightwad !

Current Mood : Spurred along by chills !

We had arctic blast winds last night, and evidently some got inside - I found several cut-out pattern pieces from my latest purchase, Simplicity #1955, scattered around the kitchen floor this morning. Well, when the universe wants to get something done, it often has to club me over the head to point it out. I confess, it's been sitting around quite a while, all cut out and waiting for me to scan, I've just been lazy.

Still, I'd have to drag out the ironing board and iron to flatten the pattern pieces - most were wrinkled badly enough to distort the lines, and I surely didn't wanna scan 'em that way. I gathered what I needed, waited half an hour until most of the house went back to sleep or retired to rooms to watch TV, then set up the space-hog board and antique iron. Seriously, it's from the sixties. I kinda feel 'vintage' just using the thing. 

Of course, the iron had barely heated up enough to press a pair of shots I'd repurposed for the Monster High guys when suddenly everyone needed to cross right in front of my little base of operations, over and over. I didn't get it. Everyone had breakfast already, and were either asleep or engrossed in NCIS or Burn Notice episodes for nearly an hour... I'd even waited for foot traffic to die down. (sigh)

But I got it done, and started scanning. I always scan patterns before I use 'em, so I can alter and change and even ruin the pieces simply by using them, but still not lose the originals. Sure, when they're on sale for a buck or two, they're easy to replace, but fully 3/4 of the patterns I actually own aren't in print anymore. And when it takes me nearly an hour to cut 'em out the first time, I'm not eager to repeat it because I was careless ! Luckily I hadn't lost any of 'em, so about three hours later, I had it all scanned - at least, the S (Bratz) size. It wasn't until I completely lost a pattern that I started scanning the directions, too. I still skip the layout directions, though.

I am sooo cheap, I reduce the scans to black and white, and clean up stray marks in PaintShopPro, so I don't waste ink printing greyscale pieces. I even delete other languages while I'm at it, because it makes them look cleaner, less intimidating without six different words for 'sleeve' or 'center back seam' running down them. If it helps make that overpriced ink cartridge last for a few more print jobs, I'll do it !