The thing about those Evil Genius types - they always need more cords !

Current Mood : Slightly Unsettled, which is kinda strange, really. 

Never found the original one, but the embroidery sewing machine place about six blocks away had one to replace it - just fifteen bucks ! And it works perfectly ! I've embroidered three pieces already, including the test and what I'd originally wanted to do Saturday, and you know I'm eager for more. Never fails, at least for me. I can be bored out of my head, nothing to do, but if the power goes out, I can think of a thousand things I *could* be enjoying, if only the electricity would come back on. I never appreciate - or use - anything as much as I do when I lose it, then get it back.

It's not the same place as the ten-blocks-away quilting shop I told ya'll about last month. For a small town, there's clearly a lotta sewing going on ! Nope, I'd never been to this place before today. You may wonder why I knew there was an embroidery sewing machine place within walking distance and had yet to visit, and I wouldn't blame you. Facts are, I visited their sister store in Capital City years and years ago, so far back that USB had not yet become part of everyday Life in the US yet. I was curious about those fancy machines, so I went in - the store was totally empty of other customers, so I asked if I could have a few questions answered.

And I got a clear 'If I must... (sigh)' vibe from all three of the clustered employees, so direct it may as well have been said in words. I definitely heard the sighing. Maybe it was my not-expensive clothes and car that said I wasn't gonna lay out $5000. that day. Perhaps the store had been ridiculously busy ten minutes before I arrived. It's possible my awed expression of wonder may have marked me as a rube. Or it was too close to Christmas, or their ability to do anything but heave sighs died earlier that week and they were mourning the loss as best they could. Whatever it was, I was treated so condescendingly, I only asked two questions, made note of a few of the very rare prices listed, and left quickly. I had a bad taste in my mouth about embroidery sewing machines for years afterward.

Only reason I went for Brody the way I did was because he was within my price range, I could order him online without any snotty salespeople running down my price range and sniffing at me, and he was the first every machine to have a USB port that would keep me from having to buy the stupid-expensive and frequently faulty card-reading system that all machines used until him. I've avoided stores that sell sewing machines as their main business ever since. Even repair places, since the one I visited was mostly a lure to facilitate bigger, more expensive machine sales. Frankly, I don't think they'd even put on display a machine as inexpensive as Brody, for fear of cutting into sales of the big-ticket ones.

I kinda figured that even though the tech had changed a bit, the sales tactics hadn't, and I wasn't eager to put m'self through that again. This store was a bit nicer, but every machine they had was well over $3000. To put it in a bit of perspective, Brody was $500. - still a lotta money, but for the budget minded, much easier to obtain. I'm glad the cord was reasonable, because they were waaaay overpriced on just about everything else. Even the card reader stuff.

I guess they figured all I'd want was the cord, because they didn't ask if I needed anything else or would like to see anything demonstrated. In short, after determining which cord I needed, they didn't really speak to me at all. Ah, well. Maybe I just have 'that kind' of face or something.

Catch you on the rebound on the med side...(Airplane!, 1980)

Goin' on hiatus today - decided to dedicate the day to rest and recovery, since I made it through the night. Thanks mostly to Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son for that ! Truthfully, all I did today was watch junk on Netflix, go through old craft books, and try to make sense of things. Interesting enough to me, but not something I can easily describe here. 

Back tomorrow, since by then, I'll be so bored, I may actually accomplish something ! Sofa-rest isn't as easy as it sounds...

Lagoona's lovely !

Current Mood : In love with Monster High again

Looked around today, and, while we have two currently-empty plastic drawer sets, we are completely out of plastic shoe boxes. Here's hoping I can fix this at Dollar Tree soon !

Can't lay claim to the drawer sets - they belong to Beloved Hubby's art supplies, most of which are still in the boxes used to move them. I'd take care of it for him, but that stuff's best left to the owner to distribute. And frankly, if I redid his cabinets, I'd to a full clean-out in there,  and who knows what I'd accidentally ditch ! Papers everywhere. Nope, it's best for a happy relationship to continue being a happy relationship, beginning with me staying out of it all ! Sooner or later, he'll get tired of wading through it himself, and take on the challenge of getting it done. I'll stand in a safe zone and hand him trash bags 'til he's finished. 

Right now, I'd have to do that sitting. I'm still out of it. WTH ? It was all I could do to get Lagoona out of her plastic prison, and I still needed scissors. Her stand is just a twinge lighter than Frankie's, which is a bit sad. I was hoping for blue and turquoise, instead of blue and slightly darker blue. But heck, they're both that translucent I like, so it's still a 'win' all around !

And I am in love with her little 'bro' frog. The sculptor did a fantastic job on him, and the 'glass' jar he resides in. Lid fits and everything, and there's a skullie design molded into it. Wow. My favorite, though, has to be the slightly cracked gargoyle egg, adorably reflective of 'Hatch Me If You Can', a webisode from last December. There's a second outfit - you get a photo of it soon ! - and a notebook and pen for Lagoona, too. Lots of great props in the Locker series. Wouldn't surprise me if this line is the best seller of 2011, due to the fun accessories included !

Some fans are mixed about her shoes. Many are planning on cutting the leg-wrapping lace, but I sort of like it. It brings out her leg fins - which surprise me too, since both Locker and Hydration Station's fins stay in much better than my originals' ever did. A closer look shows they're engineered to only fit in one way now, and the pegs have been redone. Very nice. 

It's funny how we're always happy when it seems like Mattel is listening to us. At the same time, though, I can't help but feel a little creeped out about it....

Smidge is the sweetest ! Love everything - thank you !!

Current Mood : Delighted !

July. Finally. I'm hoping all the health issues that drove me insane and sleepless can clear up this month ! Plus, my silly birthday is between today and the 4th - I'm usually coy about the exact date 'cause I don't want anyone to feel they gotta do anything. Heck, I barely do anything on 'my day', why does anyone else feel they have to ?

That said, Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son offered to do whatever I wanted, get me anything I liked today, but it's the same ole story - what I want isn't available yet, so I'll have it as soon as it is. Meanwhile, I'm still fairly weak and my jaw continued to hurt, so as far as any celebrations going on today, forget it !

Meant to tell ya'll - I had a bid on a small Ghoulia lot from her 'Dawn of the Dance' doll that ended today. It was the DVD of 'New Ghoul in School', her red iCoffin, and the much-wanted red glasses. Since it started at a mere 99c with free shipping, I totted up numbers and put in my max of $10. or $11. - still kind of a lot, but still cheaper than either of the new red-glasses Ghoulia dolls out there, and Dearest wants the DVD. During the last hour, I fell asleep on the sofa...so I totally missed that the auction closed at over $22. !

I couldn't believe it ! Twenty-two bucks and change for a lousy 30-minute DVD, a tiny plastic phone, and a pair of doll glasses ? That was all there was ! No doll, no clothes, no shoes, just those three tiny things. Sheesh. Now I'm glad I lost, since I can ask for 'Dead Tired' Ghoulia for my 'tide you over' birthday present, while I'm waiting on the Classroom ('locker') dolls. And since the DTs are $12.99 at TRU this weekend, I'll have the glasses for much cheaper - and a whole outfit and a new doll, too !

But that can wait. Because shortly after my crushing 'loss', Dearest brought in an envelope for me. Awww - Smidge-chan sent me the glasses from her LIV dolls - and more goodies besides ! There for a minute, it was like my birthday ! She thoughtfully included a baggie of various doll shoes, in hopes that some would fit the Monster High crew - and some do ! - and three awesome pairs of glasses, in pink, blue, and 'Deal With It' Wayfarer black. There was also a lovely sundress, a skirt, and a shirt I've been trying to snag since the first time I saw it on a LIV girl, because I had a similar one in the very late 80s - now I had it, and I didn't even ask ! Smidge is psychic...

Sorry my photo isn't up to my usual bad standards, but I did the best I could - I just don't have any mental ability for lengthy Photoshop corrections today. I have hopes...But I do love this sundress. I may take it up a bit on the sides, it's a bit large, but it looks great on Ghoulia - thank you so much, dear Smidge-chan ! I'll post the rest of the goodies tomorrow. She really sent me a fantastic package, enough to bump me off the Great  Ghoulia Glasses Hunt for at least a few days !

It's said a great gift gives to many - and I bet my Beloved Hubby loves this, too ! He enjoys anything that keeps him away from TRU on weekends. My eyes are all starry and filled with hearts. I can't thank you enough, but know that I love it all - and especially your thoughtfulness !

There's always more...

Current Mood : Weirded out.

Kind of in a mood today. Just one of those things. Trying not to take things personal, but...(sigh) Twice in a week, when I've simply voiced my own stupid opinion that Mattel might possibly could handle things a bit better than they seem to be doing - I mean, crap, they're making the same mistakes everyone was screaming about last year all over again -  I've been told to be quiet and be grateful. Once on my own Flickr page, once on the LiveJournal one, and on the LJ, I chimed in my support of an idea presented twice before in the same message, and a few million times everywhere else, yet only my words got stomped on.

And look. I am grateful. After three weeks of insomnia so bad, I get circular lurid nightmares when I do sleep, I still found something positive in the whole mess. When I get down about being broke, I make stuff. I know how bad things can get, I've experienced them fairly recently, so I don't need a buncha people telling me I need to learn gratitude and patience. I wasn't the one buying a $40. toy for $70. so I could have it two weeks early, and I wasn't at TRU when it opened so I could glom on to everything after telling someone else to chill out and wait a while longer. I'm the one practicing all the stuff I get accused of not doing - by the very people who are impatient and impulsive. Yet I'm the one with the issues ?

It's gotten so I'm getting timid of my own opinions again, and that's not good. Since all I can ever do on Barbie boards is complement everyone else's recent buys and just-finished creations - and get ignored when I post - I soon lost interest in Barbie. I'm not sure where all these Mattel apologists are coming from. Is it time for another Consumer Advisory Board selection ? You may have heard of this useless crap - every year or so, Mattel asks for applications to its Barbie Collector Advisory panel, there's an application online and everything. Here's the link to this year's, although deadlines have passed - http://www.barbiecollector.com/news/join-2011-collector-advisory-panel . Non-cheerleaders need not apply. And make sure you can afford to hie yourself to El Segundo for a day. Well, they prefer three - the day of, and the days before and after, just to be on the safe side. Given the 'let your application reflect your passion for Barbie' guideline, do you think they wanna hear anything negative ? Given what keeps getting dished at me this week, evidently the fans can't handle mild criticism of Mattel, either.

(sigh) I can't help but think I've been through this crap before, and the end result was, I withdrew from everything public and let everyone else fight and scrap and be over-invested on their own time and sites. I refused - and still refuse - to let my fun and my dolls be tainted by negative people trying to tell me to be positive their way. Looks like I may have to do that again. What is it about dolls that brings out the posturing child in so many of us...?

Anyway. If yesterday's freebie tank top pattern for Ellowyne was exciting, hold on to your threads, 'cause there's more ! Sometimes, there's actual advantages to subscribing to newsletters - how else would I have found out there were two more Ellowyne patterns, brand-sparkin'-new today, and one of 'em is free, too ? The Trendy Tee on your left is available now, for freebies, and the neat baseball shirt is available for just four bucks. Not bad at all. I think I paid four bucks for each of the three baseball shirts I had like that in high school, except mine were pink or blue sleeved on a white shirt. Possibly worthy of your consideration ! This link will take you right to the Ello patterns, all three of 'em - http://libertyjanepatterns.com/category/ellowyne-patterns  . Two out of three free ain't bad.

I also did some research, and found that there are some differences in Ello and Tyler bodies. Mostly in the head, wow. Ello's got a big one ! I remember seeing a chart of various sixteen-inch doll measurements on eBay for $3. back in the day, which I thought was ridiculous, because I already knew about http://gerrybdesigns.homestead.com/Doll_Measurement_Chart.pdf , which had tons of those measurements, lined up and ready to go for free. Basically, Tyler's bust is about 3/4" bigger, and her waist and hips are a half inch smaller. With stretchy fabrics, and a little generosity in the cutting phase, I can probably still use these. I hope to find out soon !

And yes, I say 'these' because I've already downloaded the trendy t-shirt pattern. Heck, if these work out well, I may just buy that baseball shirt ! Wouldn't it look awesome with some embroidery ? I'm tingling with possibility...

That's something I haven't felt in far too long. Happy Sunday, ya'll.

Happy June !

Current Mood : I agree with the monkey ! 

Hard to believe it's Wednesday already. Even though Beloved Hubby didn't really take Monday off, he had a short day, so it seemed like an extended weekend to me. Anyway...

Happy June ! Hard to believe it's June already, too. The local school system is moving to a year-round schedule, so the kids only have off two months this summer, and one the next. While I hated the endless summers as a kid - we lived so far out into the sticks, it was a half-hour drive to a small and crappy general store halfway to town - I kinda feel bad that they don't get much time off anymore. But heck, the kids were out of their braincases bored when we had those weeks of snow, so I figure the schools are just doin' their jobs.

One brief bit o' bad, then I'm moving as far away from it as possible - did my normal 'wake up rounds' online this morning. Nothing unusual. Read a few online comics, amass a few points at Designs By SiCK embroidery, look for new friends' photos at Flickr, check a Monster High site or two for any new news. I should have known this was coming. First MH message of the day, I kid you not : "It's June now, so Spectra BETTER be at Wal-Mart or Target today, OR ELSE !". (sigh)

Moving on...got about four hours sleep last night, which is the most I've had in so long, I can't remember ! I only needed about four 'hits' on the inhaler all day yesterday, although admittedly, I didn't do or move much on Tuesday. Still, it's an improvement, and I'll gladly take it !

Been reading 'Thrift Store Dolls' (http://thriftstoredolls.blogspot.com), and enjoying all the neat photos and brief slices of doll provenances. Makes me kinda miss my 'scoop it all up and drag boxes and bags home' yard sale and flea market Barbie days. Well, just a little. But it is nice to remember, and see someone else still getting to enjoy it all.

Couple that up with a few more episodes of Hoarders, though, and I think I was on the verge of trouble when everything hit the fan and we moved. Well, it was never as bad as what's on A&E - things were often cluttered, but the kitchen and bathrooms were never non-functional or covered in nasty, and trash may have piled up, but it was out on the curb on Trash Day - but unchecked, I could have developed behaviors very similar to what's on darn near every episode. Most of my personal junk/hoard was confined to the doll and sewing Lab, but if you knew how packed to the rafters that place was, you'd have dropped a dime to A&E on my behalf. I'm still amazed that 1) I got rid of so much when we moved and 2) I had so much to get rid of, and still have nearly 100 dolls today.

Part of me is secretly glad I don't shop like I used to - weekly flea markets and thrift store runs, and organized yard sale circuits. I already feel random twinges of guilt when I think of all I spent on stuff I don't have anymore, and don't even miss. Beloved is more philosophical about it - if I enjoyed it while I had it, then it wasn't a waste. And part of me still wants a day every week - or two - to poke around as I please, even when I know we don't have the resources yet. I'd probably be a bit more at ease if I had the mental shape to sew, but I know it's not there right now. Although I'm nearly off the inhaler, my hands still shake, and I'm still wheezing, and my mind is in a holding pattern somewhere over Dunnowhattheh#ll. I think that's near the Great Lakes - it's quite humid.

It sounds weird to say, but I'm still grateful we had a financial crisis that yanked me up by the collar before I really did some serious damage. At least now, I can look back and see things a bit more clearly than I would have otherwise. And this place is much easier to keep clean - which is a plus, since I hate cleaning ! (grin)