Happy Thanksgiving

To all my United States of America followers, I hope you all had a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. Mine was ok, nothing eventful. Good food with my family. It was an odd one as well with certain things just throwing off the balance of things, but for the most part it was good. Woke up and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, some wonderful talent in the parade this year. And then I just mostly worked on articles that won't be of any use really for 365 days, and helped with dinner.

So I wanted to take a moment to say openly what I am thankful for this year. I'm very thankful that I got to have another year with my family. Earlier this year it didn't look like we may have another Thanksgiving together with my mom's health, but we did. Now I start my hoping for another year together. I never did fully update about my mom. So it seems she had two mini strokes one right after the other, one on each side of her head. On top of that none of the medicine they gave her to calm her heart down worked, so she got a pacemaker too. Since then, her heart hasn't calmed down much, and her pacemaker had to give her a slight shock once, she was not to fond of that. She's been bruising and having headaches lately, which she worries is a side effect to one of the medicines keeping her alive. I hope not, because on tv every other commercial is one of those commercials talking about becoming part of a lawsuit to sue for wrongful death due to the very same medicine she is taking. Her doctor swears she is fine. We are still working on getting her healthy, but its hard around the holidays to break her of old habits. But we won't give up.

I'm thankful I made it to another Thanksgiving. My stomach has been giving me more issues, one bad episode a few weeks ago made me 100% sure I would be dying that night. Well, I made it through and I'm fine...ish...fine-ish. My stomach still gives me issues, but I am not giving up on getting healthy either. I'm forcing myself to return back to things I love like dolls and blogging, and just trying to ignore the tummy pain and discomfort. What doesn't kill us only make us stronger, right?

I'm thankful for all I have right now. Of course we all strive to have more, but I am very thankful for what I have. It may not be much, in United States terms, but it's more than I really should have. So I refuse to complain about what I'm missing in life, because I have the basics of food, water, shelter, and clothes on my back, I truly have all I need right there and have no room to complain.

I'm thankful for all of you who read my blog. I know the past couple of years have barely had any updates due to me not feeling good, but I truly do thank all of you for sticking around. In the next year I plan to do more updating as I relearn how to have fun in the hobby again. Ugh, and I still owe some people some things as well, I'm so behind on things, but I will get there. I'm also thankful for doll people in general. From you I have learned so much and have been so entertained for the last 13 years since my return to the hobby. Please continue to be awesome and continue to teach me more about the plastic little things that we so happily let take over our lives.

And lastly, I'm thankful for this life. I may feel depressed about certain things going on with me, but this life given to me was a precious gift and I'm thankful for it. I can and will make it better again, and will continue to appreciate it with each day I am given.

I feel I have forgotten a lot, but in the end, whatever I've forgotten, I am thankful for. I hope all of you are well, and if you go out tonight or tomorrow to shop for some super deals, please please please be safe. Unfortunately we all know we will hear about someone being seriously hurt tomorrow, but I hope no one loses their lives. Just be cautious and courteous. Nothing is worth knocking a few dollars off an item. You will get another deal again, just let it go if it means someone might get hurt or worse. Ok? Ok.

Alright, big hugs and kisses to you all and I will talk to you in the next post. Bye for now. And again, Happy Thanksgiving!!! Bye for now.

Feeling sleepy from eating turkey,
Michelle

Image Source

Look what I got?

My sister bought me this a while back but I just now got a chance to share it. So, what did she get me?  A My Little Pony Friendship is Magic calendar.  LOL!  Why?  She insists on calling me a brony, and yes I know I’m not a brony, it’s her way to tease me.  So yeah, she felt I needed a calendar with the ponies.  I think it’s super cute and can’t wait to put it up in a month.

Cute, right?  And for a dollar you can’t be that.  LOL!  Yes, I know, I refuse to grow up.  LOL!  Oh well, I’m happy being me.    Ok, returning to real life again.  I’ll be back next week.  Be good until then.  Bye for now.

Loves ya,
Mouse

Doll PSA

Attention to all whom this may concern, Monster High doll shoes fit Liv doll feet.  Just thought you would like to know.  That is all.  Be good.  Bye for now. 

Loves ya,
Mouse

Dollar Store Projects and Christmas Presents

So after Monday, when I may or may not deal with something I am dreading, I’ll be free to focus on the doll world again.  So far I’ve got several projects set up for myself already.

The first thing I have on my list is making a few gifts.  One I have owed for a while, yep I feel bad not getting to it sooner, and two for my mom and sister.  All of these projects are doll clothing that I will sew.  Now for my mom and sister I came up with an idea based on a doll my sister recently got.

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Remember Bei?  Yeah, so she is just a beautiful doll.  She’s a nice small yet big size.  She’s small, but not so small you’d lose her.  Now one thing about her is she can fit in Barbie clothing, but she has these club hands that won’t fit in certain sleeves.  My sister has a few items of clothing she got from a Liv doll wig and clothing pack from Target, but that’s about it.  So I came up with the idea that she needs a wardrobe.  Now I know I should have started a long time ago on this, but I am thinking if I just stick with some basic separates I can make it happen.

With the separates I am thinking of copying two different plans.  My mom loaned me a vintage sewing magazine that tells you what basic things you should have in your wardrobe that will carry you from season to season and can be mixed and matched easily to make a variety of outfits.  I also want to follow this image I found online.

Kind of gives you an idea of what things should be in a simple wardrobe that stays fresh from season to season, year to year.  Now the gift I am making for my mom runs in the same circle except it will be for a Liv doll.  I may have “accidentally” got her hooked on collecting them and she’s always looking for new clothes for them to wear.  So I figured I’d make her wardrobe as well.  Yep, biting off a lot here.  Add on to this I have another gift to make that is wayyy overdo and well…Christmas may drag into January.  Hey it works for my mom, her birthday is on January 5th. 

But along with these clothes, a couple of weeks ago I tried to figure out how to force myself to sew more so I can practice more on it.  I wanted to work on all my crafts more actually.  But I wanted to do it on the cheap since I’m not working right now.  Then it hit me.  I’ve seen people do dollar store crafts with amazing results, and I thought I could do that too.  So I went to the Dollar Tree and looked around for doll clothes I could use to work my sewing skills, and just so happens on this day I struck gold.  I present to you my lucky find. Warning, image heavy.

I found these packages of clothing.  Each package came with two outfits.  The next few pictures will be the individual packages with a Liv doll wearing it showing a front and back view of the outfit.

Yes those are stitches going down the center of the front.  I’m not sure what I will do about that.
















Horrbile snags from the velcro.  *sigh*  I’ll make it work.



This picture is to show the cute denim detail in the skirt part of the dress.

Legwarmers!!!

















This fabric isn’t really fabric at all.  It’s that crunchy stiff rayon stuff, which is so super sad because I love the strawberry dress.

The part that goes around the neck obviously couldn’t go on.  Not a fan of it anyway.




This dress wouldn't go all the way up.





I wanted to show how this dress looked on a doll so I put it on a Monster High doll.  Still a bad fit.  I might try it on a Blythe to see it she will be a good fit.

The back is sewn horribly.  I’ll work with it.

So as you can see, these are not the best fabrics or the best shape of dress which in turn creates the challenge.  I’m eager to see what I can do with these dresses.  I think a lot of them will be changed from their original.  The one outfit that bothers me the most is the last dress.  It doesn’t fit an 11.5 inch doll with Barbie measurements.  The fabric is supreme crap.  And the sewing is just nasty.  I’m excited to see what I can make from these.  Stay tuned for updates on this project.

And now I’m off.  I hope you are all having a lovely holiday today.  I will talk to you all soon. Be good until then.  Bye for now.

Loves ya,
Mouse

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you and yours are having a happy and safe Thanksgiving.  And if you are thinking of going out into that mess tomorrow please be extra careful and safe.  And so I don’t come the “table empty handed” I bring you a neat vintage Barbie commercial for your entertainment.

Talk to you all again soon.  Be good until then.  Bye for now. 

Loves ya,
Mouse

Black Friday Ad Scans

This post is for my USA readers.  But for those of you outside the USA who are curious, the day after Thanksgiving in the USA we have one of the biggest shopping days during the year, Black Friday.  If you are hoping to get a good deal Black Friday is the day to attempt to get it.  A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving some websites will share scans of Black Friday ads.  You can simply just Google Black Friday and find tons of websites dedicated to the day.  Granted it does further force the commercialism of the holiday, but hey a deals a deal, and if you are in the market for doll items or craft items you are in luck this year.  Tons of sales, some starting on Thanksgiving, are centered around toys and crafts.  So be sure to get your newspaper on Thanksgiving morning because some of these good sales need a coupon from the news paper.  Humm, I wonder how much the newspaper companies lose out on because you know everyone will have a coupon on Black Friday but not all of them will have paid for the newspaper it came from.  Hummm.

For your ads sneak peek click on the picture above to be taken to be taken to the ads scan page and enjoy.  I found some doll deals in the Walmart, Target, and Kohl’s paper.  AC Moore has a 30 percent off your entire purchase coupon for Thanksgiving between 4 and 10 in the evening, along with some equally good coupons for Black Friday.  Let me know if you find any equally good sales, I’m still hunting around.  Oh and there are also some awesome sales on other stuff too, so make those lists people.  You’re welcome. 

And I’m off.  Must return the real life again, but had to let you guys in on some of the cool finds I found.  Talk to you again soon.  Be good until then.  Bye for now. 

Loves ya,
Mouse

Be careful out there.

Black Friday sales have officially begun and I just want to wish those of you going out there a safe trip and I hope you find some awesome deals!

Loves ya,
Mouse

I am thankful.

I’d like to share a little with you guys about the things I am thankful for on this special day.

I am thankful for my family.  Yes we like to put the fun in dysfunction, but I’m quickly learning that’s the majority of families if not all families.  So I am very thankful to still have the little bit of family I do have.

I am thankful for Ariel.  He’s such a beautiful person and the love of my life.  I’ve known him almost 12 years and I can’t imagine life without him and I hope I never have to.

I am thankful for my house.  It’s the house I have lived in most of my life.  I remember hating living here because I wanted to “get out” and move on, and etc.  Well now through observing my people in my life and seeing my current situation with my stomach issues and anxiety I am seeing how lucky I am to even have a place to call home.  There are so many people right now who don’t have a home and I could easily be one of them if my parents weren’t as loving as they are to not mind that I am still living at home while I am trying to get myself healthy again.  I pray and hope no one is out in the cold tonight…well except for those of you nutheads braving the stores in a couple of hours.    But yes I am so thankful for having a place I can call home no matter what.

I am thankful for food.  Even though I have had to give up most of the food I love, I still have an abundance of it at my fingertips while others may go a whole day without.  I would some day love to be able to help out one day by either donating to our local food bank or helping out at a soup kitchen one day.

I am thankful for my friends.  Without you guys I would be lost and alone.  I know that some of us aren’t as close as we used to be, but I still consider you my friend and am so grateful to know you.  I’m even thankful for the friends I no longer talk to because they have also helped form my life in some way.

I am thankful for you guys out there reading my blog.  It’s nice to know that someone out there finds my words interesting.  In the new year I will be organized enough so I can return the love more often than I do.  Big cyber hugs to you guys.

And last but not least, I am thankful for my blog.  This blog gives me an outlet to talk about things I find interesting to people who may actually be interested in hearing instead of those who listen just be nice.    My blog has been my way of reaching out to the world and I plan to make it even more so in the coming year.  I’ve got plans people. 

Well that is just a small list of the things I am thankful for today.  I could go on, but I wanted to make it short and sweet.  I’ve got to return to cooking.  I had to put my bread in a the breadmaker, fingers crossed it’ll turn out good.  I’m off to work on my pie now.  Talk to you all soon.  Bye for now.  .

Loves ya,
Mouse