I love what you do ! Whatever it is !

Ain’t no sewin’ for the lazy ! After successfully whizzing away an entire Saturday, I had the most solid intentions of sewing today. But a chance comment from Dearest Son – that he wanted to take drawing lessons from Beloved Hubby, to improve his art – had us completely redoing the living room, relocating unused computers, finding old hardware, finding the dust rhinos a new preserve in the trash can, and moving furniture. Luckily, we’d had a big bacon, egg, and biscuit/toast breakfast beforehand !

I benefit, too – it cleared enough space to use my Wii Fit again ! You know, like I’ve promised my cardiologists’ and doctors that I’d start up again back in November ? All I need are some batteries and determination, and I can buy the batteries.

It’s true what they say – change your view, improve your outlook ! I really like this new, improved living area. Just need to clean my incredibly cluttered sewing table (that’s had all this new and new-to-me fabric tossed on it !). I’m also hoping to snag an underbed box for Ms. Elsa’s wardrobe sometime this week. I actually measured the gown she came in, to get the right length. I’m insane. . .

Also hoping to soon snag a new bedside table. Mine’s an old, kinda wobbly TV tray, put there by Beloved back when I was nearly bedridden. Measured that too, in case I stumble over something good on my prowls.

Ahh, a new week begins. Hope it’s a good one for all of us !

Yup, finally found AG clones I like !

You won’t believe this, but after staying up ‘til nearly 2am – Beloved Hubby and I had some serious winding down to do, and it’s always fun to watch Far Cry game play and eat pretzels – I slept ‘til 12:30 this afternoon. He and Dearest Son went for sodas, and he brought me back a packet of mixed nuts. We shared it for breakfast.

A while later, I made a late lunch, more ham steaks, eggs, and toast. Added cheese and ‘ham juice’ to the eggs, they were so delicious ! Dearest came back for seconds on the ham.

Promised I’d tell you about the Old Navy infant dress. Well, we have a local church-run thrift that I rarely went to, but this summer, I did. They had a small room full of huge piles of clothing, simply priced – stuff a Mal-Wart sized sack for $5. There were three of us down there, sweating in the heat, working together. One thin lady was looking for clothes to fit her, another was searching for back-to-school kid clothes, I was there for interesting pieces, small prints, and stuff to fit my guys. If we unearthed something we thought the others might like, we tossed it their way.

I left with two super-stuffed bags over an hour later. I can get a LOT in a sack ! The other mom and I were giving the young lady tips on how to get the most in a bag, and she did quite well. Other mom had four bulging sacks to her credit ! My bags included a Cuisinart apron, an Old Navy hoodie (Beloved’s favorite this winter) and a grey sweatshirt, a pair of jeans for him and Dearest, two tees for Dearest, a blouse for me, and a ton of kids’ clothes. I got red velvet, cute prints, and many fabrics I don’t often work with. So worth it !

The starry dress was the Old Navy infant one. I basically made the back the front, and pinch fitted it until it worked. Made machine embroidery shoes from the cutaway. The Belle nightgown was a Disney Store kids’ shirt that was also cut to fit, and there was enough of the rose sleeve fabric left to make panties and shorts. Another black-with-red-hearts print kids’ tee made a blouse and shorts for dolls this same size, plus two ‘Curvy’ Barbie pieces. I make the most out of my upcycling !

As for the dolls, green-eyed brunette Autumn was a Mal-Wart markdown, although for those eyes, I’d have gladly paid full price. I traded the other doll – also a M-W doll on deep discount – for a nearly identical doll from Goodwill. The one I have now is named Summer, as she wore only a flower in her hair when I found her. She reminded me of Donna Summer, with her long wavy hair. Haven’t done a lot of sewing for them, just a few separates and a sofa, but I’m starting to get that urge to create once more. (grin) The sofa is a beanbag idea that I cut wrong, out of flea market 4yds for $1. fabric, and it’s stuffed with collected fabric scraps with some tulle from a neighbor’s wedding. I’ll have to show you that soon, too.

Darn, but I’ve missed this and you !

Poor Unfortunate tire. . .

Sorry to vanish on you, but there was just no way to make yesterday’s  ‘Slept all day and did dishes’ interesting ! Although the markdown ham steaks and mac & cheese with corn muffins for dinner were delicious !

Took Dearest Son out for a prowl – he found two MLP-scale playsets and a ‘We Love Fine’ MLP ‘Derpy’ shirt at Goodwill. Somebody paid $30. for that shirt ! Even if it shrinks – it doesn’t look at all worn – he wanted it, and I said I could always make a pillow out of it. It goes in the washer tomorrow.

As for me, I was quick to snatch up a seven-inch stuffed Ursula I found lurking in the stuffed animal rack. Missing her hang-tag, but otherwise perfect – for 99¢ ! I also found a pretty skirt with the half-off color that actually fit me (lol), and a bag of stretchy lace and other notions like sequins, jingle bells, ribbon, and poinsettia fabric. All the lace and fabric’s on top of the Derpy shirt in the hamper. Ms. Elsa scored a pair of half-off Old Navy pink jelly flats. Wonder what she’ll look like in soft pink. . .

(grin) This is about the third time I’ve found Old Navy second-hand. Only time I’ve ever set foot in the place is when I went to find sneaker-shaped keychains to fit the Tonner ‘Matt’ doll. Made a pretty dress out of an ON infant dress – hafta show you that tomorrow.

From there, we hit Mal-Wart, for soda and look-around fun. I bought two spring fat quarters – also in the hamper – and priced under-bed boxes for Ms. Elsa’s growing wardrobe. Kinda pricey, hoping to find an alternative or a sale soon. Dearest refused to spend any of ‘his’ money. Got a free sample of Mango Crasins from the machine/device, and they’re actually pretty good. Especially considering I don’t like cranberries and I hate mango.

And just a few hours ago, I had my first experience with Uber. Beloved Hubby was home kinda late, so we went out for a snack – and we had a blowout. Not on the tire I have to keep inflating, on the one opposite it. Tried to walk home, but it was 36° out and windy, and I lost breath and strength pretty quickly. We made it about halfway, and he knew I was trying but in trouble. So he arranged it, which was nice and not too expensive. Once home, we retrieved the spare, warmed up a bit (hot cider for the win !) and drove out in the Diesel. Beloved got it replaced and I drove it home. We were both wiped out, but some hot chocolate helped. Brrrrr !

I’m going to bed, to finish warming up ! Check your tires, sweet ones !

Some days, ya just gotta buy the stickers and eat the cheese crackers.

You might notice a drop in content on Wednesdays. That’s group therapy day, and while it’s only two hours plus an hour’s travel, and I get to talk about me for a good chunk of it, it is a bit tiring. Rewarded myself today with some of my new favorite cheese crackers, the Lisa Frank stickers I’ve wanted for a couple weeks, and a box of Slush Puppy pop-ice, all from Dollar General. Yeah, the stickers were silly, but they were only $1., and I really liked several of the designs. Since there were ‘Over 600 !’ in the folder, many are tiny, which will come in handy for my dolls. Just don’t tell my vast collections of Disney Princess and Frozen stickers, OK ?

Made those tasty smoked Gouda chips my reward for cleaning up the kitchen and prepping the dishes for this afternoon’s scrubbing. After a hearty lunch of potato soup – made from the corned beef stock – I fell sound asleep for nearly two hours. It’s noteworthy ‘cause I can hardly sleep these days without the C-Pap mask. Yeah, I still hate it, but I rest so much better with it, and the mask doesn’t freak me out anymore, it’s just become another thing I do, like brushing teeth or thrift shopping.

Got a good chunk of the dishes done before Beloved Hubby came home, and I’ll probably put off the rest ‘til tomorrow. We had a nice simple dinner – markdown ham steaks, mac & cheese, with corn muffins. I’m stuffed !

But I still hope to sew tomorrow. Oh, yeah – I’ve gone two entire days with no soda ! I’ll probably break down and have a single glass tomorrow, but I’d rather eat my calories than drink ‘em !

After Easter stuff. . .

Can you believe I got this, hand-stitched, framed and all, at a thrift in February, for just $5. ? It's true !

Some merry prankster – or clumsy bunny ! – decorated our sidewalks for at least four blocks with jellybeans and speckled malted milk eggs. Hope no kids picked ‘em up and ate them !

Slept late, so I didn’t get to any doll stuff today. Took Dearest Son to Dollar Tree, as we needed a few things. Cough and cold season means we tear through tissues, and I wanted to test the sweater shaver I got at the thrift this past weekend. Shaver : 25¢  Batteries : $1. Shaving a bald spot in an old towel : Awesome ! Of course, after I bought a box of chalk there, I found the pieces I’d been searching for- but it’s all good. Even if the thrifted fabric isn’t chalkboard stuff – seems to have the same texture as online photos do – that just means I have more colors to use now. Fabric works perfectly with chalk.

Selected a few small bags of discounted Easter candy, and Dearest crowed that he was getting more for his money buying chocolate rabbits on sale instead of candy bars. He even compared ounces to cost, which I didn’t learn ‘til I was out on my own.

Not a lot else going on – we got the local chicken shack’s Tuesday special for dinner, which was a nice surprise. And I have group therapy tomorrow. Maybe I can squeeze a bit of doll sewing time in between that and dishes !

Thrifted dolls - I got a LOT !

Last month, I scored a PJ Sparkles doll, no dress or shoes, but very pretty. Her hair wasn’t much of a mess, and once I replaced her ‘Best By 2000’ 9v battery, she lit up again, flawlessly. I always liked that doll, but was ‘too old’ when she came out in 1988, so I was happy to find her at GWill. Hope to sew a simple skirt for her tomorrow !

I also acquired a Bag o’ Barbies, and after careful consideration, kept seven and put fourteen back in the bag to re-donate. It was an interesting mix. Among the ones I kept were a Skating Elsa, a pink perma-blouse Disney Aurora, a Disney Descendants ‘Coronation Gown’ Audrey, a pretty brunette Barbie with eyelashes, and a fairly recent ‘Day to Night’ rotating scalp / hair colors Barbie. Continuing their adventures elsewhere are a Dora doll with yellow duct-tape diapers, a doll that may have come with a tree stand, rifle, and deer, a Model Muse Barbie, a princess Barbie with a light-up, spinning skirt, and an Ever After Apple White missing one hand.

I’m also choosing our menu for the week, deciding what culinary delight I’ll employ to break in the ‘new’ slow-cooker. Writing up a menu really saves us money – I don’t buy as much, I can plan around sales, make the most out of leftovers, and it settles the eternal ‘what’s for dinner’ query quickly. And it’s not like we’re obligated to stick to it. Only problem is, we don’t eat out much anymore !  

In solidarity with the state teacher’s strike, Beloved Hubby was home today. So we slept in, got huge, sloppy sausage gravy biscuits, played Far Cry 5, and otherwise enjoyed the day. We talk politics a lot more now – age makes activists of us all eventually ! – but aside from keeping an eye on the strike, we didn’t much today. Hope your first Monday of April ’18 was good, too !

Hair Play Sunday - Happy Easter !

Wish my 'new' QC Barbie looked this good ! Mine does have those little hair beads though. . . 

Hard to believe it's April already ! Luckily today's only April Fool's prank was when I placed a ham sandwich in front of Beloved, telling him it was liverwurst !  

Beloved Hubby and Dearest Son loved their ‘Easter Bindles’ – Beloved had fun rubbing the tulle over my head, showering me in gold glitter. I’m not sure how I ended up with bits in my mouth and more down my bra, but glitter is considered the herpes of the crafting world for a reason ! He's using his custom Lindt ribbon as a bookmark. Dearest put his glitter tulle to work in the MLP castle, as royal rugs and a bedspread. I told him he could have more whenever he wants - thanks to another thrift score weeks ago, I got an entire spool of the stuff. How clever of the Easter Bunny, to wait ‘til he got here to use craft materials from my sewing table !

I’m still finding places for last week’s second-hand bounty. I was thrilled to find those vintage Cricket and Velvet clothes, even though I have neither doll. There are lots of free patterns for both dolls online, and I can use the issue dresses as testers on the dolls I do have, to preview if the patterns might fit.

                                                                                                   

In an effort to stop the bored-hungry – I’ve gained weight over the winter – I decided to brush out the snarled curls of the single doll who still needed it, the ‘Royal Reflection Eyes’ Elsa in a Cinderella dress. Took the dress off and realized she actually was Cinderella, as Elsa’s painted-on panties are teal while Cindy’s are light blue. Plus her hair parts differently. Same head, though. Half an hour later, her hair was at least out of the dreadlocks – it’s still floofy, but the brush passed easily through it, and my wrists were whining. Thank Everything I use a pet brush on those wrecked tresses now. Found a small one in a Flea Market ‘Free !’ box, and I swear, when I donate these dolls – I’m now allied with Dolls For Appalachia – I’m going to include a pet brush with each one. Amazing how many Disney Princess ‘toddler’ dolls show up at Goodwill with Medusa-level hair.

I also had time to play with my new Quick Curl Barbie, the one with the left leg that falls off. Had one, and QC Skipper, as a kid. A bit of research showed she was the first issue version, like my childhood one, not the ‘Deluxe’ or ‘Miss America’ one. If I can’t fix her leg, I’ll just make her a simple elastic ‘girdle’ so she can sit and pose, gosh knows I’ve done that before. Might even make the girdle into panties, just for fun. For now, her leg’s staying where I snapped it back on, but it may just be playin’ with me.

After spending so much time with more modern dolls, a a near-vintage one keeps surprising me. She has butt markings, the angled T-n-T waist, no perma-panties, her legs click and hold three times, and her joints are strictly back and forth. In fact, this one had gone so long without any play, her arms were almost stuck in the sockets. They’re fine now.

Also, her head isn’t so full of hair that light behind her doesn’t shine through a bit, which gives her face an attractive glow. Hm. Wonder if that’s part of the appeal of vintage dolls.