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Friday, December 30, 2011

Coming back full force in 2012!

A pre New Year’s Eve blog post, can you handle it?  Winking smile   Wow, can you believe by the end of tomorrow we’ve all just gone through another 365 days?  Crazy right?  Here’s to another 365!  Humm, there isn’t a leap year next year is there?  Well if there is, add one more day to my cheerful wish.  Smile

Surfing around the interwebs today I found a video that is a year old, but new to me and just awesome.  The  video is an animated version of Wicked’s “Defying Gravity”.  The artist did it in an attempt to get the play done in animation instead of live action.  Seems it will be live action in the end, but I so wish I could see a full Wicked animation.  Oh and in case you were wondering, the artist who did this works for Disney.  It’s pretty awesome.  Take a look.

I just love the look of storyboards and the concept of them.  It kind of makes me think about doll photostories and the preplanning of a scene and how things will go.  I don’t do storyboards on paper, but I do do them in my head.  I really liked this work and how they did the scene.  It just makes me crave more.  Who knows, maybe one day.  *fingers crossed tight*

And on that note I will wish you all a Happy New Year, and I hope that this year ends on a good note for everyone.  Be sure to defy gravity peeps.  I know I’m going to try soaring into the air next year.  I hope you’ll join me.  Smile  See you in 2012!!!

Dreaming of soaring through the air, singing songs from famous Broadway plays,
Michelle

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas everyone!


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I hope all of you had an awesome Christmas. Mine was ok. It ended up being mostly just another day for me.  I didn’t get my gifts done because I realized late in the game a lot of stuff had to be hand sewn and while I’m getting faster at it, one item can take one or more hours. So while its no sweat to have things be a few days late, I still feel bad about it.  But I am coming up with some cute things that I think they will like.  This whole process is giving me a lot to think about when it comes to making clothing for dolls.  As soon as gifts are done and given out I will be jumping right back in making stuff to sell finally.  I think I really needed to get over this fear of creating and making a mistake and wanting it perfect the first time out.  I made TONS of mistakes on the clothing I made and I’m learning two things.  One, it can usually be undone and redone again.  Two, it’s not the end of the world and usually the mistakes are only things I will see and I am being nitpicky about.  So yeah, this whole experience is turning out to be good for me.

And I know I owed you something on the 24th, but I was busting ass to try to get those clothes done and yeah that took all day. So umm maybe it will be a New Year’s Eve treat instead. Hey it’s only a couple of more days.  Can you believe that?  A couple of more days and that’s a wrap on 2011.  I don’t even know how to describe this year for me.  It’s had ups and downs, thankfully mostly ups.  I’m hoping next year will be a better year though.  I’m hoping everyone in my life gets into better health and that I can take BIG HUGE LARGE strides towards my future.  Fingers crossed tightly.

Silly thing, my mom is kind of sad that today was kind of a bust when it comes to Christmas.  She misses how it was and had planned an old fashioned Christmas but things just didn’t turn out that way. So she said she wants a do over and has chosen Valentine’s day to do it.  Don’t ask me why Valentine’s day, she just wants it.  So I guess I might have two Christmases next year.  Who knows.  She wants to pull out the top half of the tree and put presents under it and celebrate.  LOL!  So I guess we will see.

And well that’s all for now guys and dolls.  Blog posts will still be sketchy for the next few days as I try to finish gifts, do some Winter Cleaning, and just close out the year on a hopefully good note.  So once again I hope you had a very Merry Christmas.  Smile I’ll talk to you all soon.  Be good until then.  Bye for now.  Smile

Popping another piece of candy into her mouth,
Michelle

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

One more thing…


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I know I owe people some emails and responses still, and I will still get to all that.  I haven’t forgotten, just haven’t gotten to it yet.  The year is still young, Smile, and I will get to it all before that ball drops and 2011 is a wrap.  Humm, speaking of which, did you guys know we have a year left to live as of today.  Start making the next year count people.  Winking smile  Ok, just had to pop back on and let you guys know I still remember you, and I will get back to you.  Smile  Oh and for those of you lovely peeps who have stuck by me even though I’ve been distant this past year, I have a little thank you planned for early next year.  I hope you will continue to stay tuned for that.  Smile  Ok, I’m off now for real to decided if I shall exercise or sleep.  Right now sleep is so winning out.  Damn Christmas gift making causing me to put exercise on hold.  Excuse?  Perhaps, but I shall never admit to it!  Winking smile  Be good peeps.  Bye for now.  Smile

Hearing “Uncle” in my head,
Michelle

Yep, I’m still here.

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Hey peeps, how have you all been?  I hope the holidays are finding you well and if not I hope that you get well soon and I send big hugs out to all of you.

So I know it’s been pretty quiet here in “the house”, but I have truly been busy with working on Christmas presents for my mom and sister, shopping for a desk, and stressing over my mom’s health and my health at the same time.  So much is going on with my mom as of late, and each new appointment makes me tense up more and more.  I mean it’s good she’s going to try to sort out what’s going on, but really they aren’t any closer to figuring it out.  They think it’s related to her diabetes, but not sure on it yet.  Surgery keeps getting tossed around and I don’t like that idea.  She’s not the healthiest gal out there and I worry I’d lose her if she did have to go under the knife.  Also she’s been having other issues that they aren’t sure if she will have to have surgery for that as well.  Add on top of that that my dad continues to smoke like a chimney and refuses to stick to some quitting aid, my sister’s health is slowly going bad, and then the stress from worrying about all that causes stomach acid which causes my issues to flare up and it quickly turns into a FML situation.

BUT, in light of all that, I just keep telling myself that in this moment right now I am truly lucky, blessed, what have you to be alive and mostly healthy.  I have my sister, mom, and dad still with me.  My boyfriend is getting better after finding out he had right lung pneumonia.  The pets are doing fairly well, Brody still needs to lose some weight but he’s doing well.  And well I’m doing better than a lot of people out there so I am trying to think positive and just focus on the positives I do have in my life.  Not trying to get preachy on you guys here, so not that kind of gal, just wanting to say that yeah I’m having some issues in my end of the world, but it could be worse so I am happy that it’s not.

Haven’t done much dollwise besides work on Christmas gifts.  A few days to go and I still have a ton to make.  I got stuck hand sewing several things because it was made with thick stretchy fabric that my machine promptly told me it wasn’t have any of.  Evil witch of a thing.  So until I start working with my cotton fabric my machine sits on my old desk mocking me as I suffer through hand sewing clothing that easily takes me a few hours to work on.  I have a few more stretchy things that I MAY be able to do on my machine and then I move on to cotton stuff, thank everything.  I am still determined to finish everything, but it would go so much faster if I did have a new desk.

On the desk front, I decided against the Walmart one.  My sister and I were in Staples the other day looking for a lap desk for her and we were by the full size desks waiting for an associate to look in the back to see if he had any in stock, and I asked her if any of the desks in the area were the size of the one at Walmart.  My mom had told me the desk was small.  My sister walked around and pointed out some that were about the size of the desk and I decided then and there that the desk was not what I wanted.  It’s weird, I keep putting off buying the desks I am interested in only to find out they wouldn’t have worked for me in the end, and I am saved from disappointment.  I found a table at Roses that was nice and big but it seemed short.  To my peeps who sew out there, you understand my being hesitant in wanting to buy it because it seemed to0 short.  I don’t want to hunch over to use it.  I want my machine a comfortable height and that table seemed low.  It was only 40 bucks though and I still think about it.  I figure I’ll check back in after the new year and if I still like it and can maybe get a chair to try out the height I might get it.

Now after Roses we ended up at Big Lots and the funniest thing happened.  My mom said I should look at the desks there.  I looked at some and didn’t like them or their prices.  I walked around to a back wall and found the desk I wanted from Walmart only it was the model from last year.  That sucker is small.  I was really glad I decided against it.  But alas, that leaves me to suffer with my desk now that as you have seen is crowded with stuff I have no place to put right now.  I need to go through that stuff and chuck some of it, but for now that is where it stays.  I really still want that table from Roses.  So much room to play with.  I didn’t see any boxes there of the table and the display one has a messed up corner, but maybe they have some in back.  I have time to think about it.

But I guess that’s it for now.  I wish I had more to share with you. I hope to share my doll clothing with you guys eventually.  One thing I learned, if you don’t use it you lose it, so umm yeah, I’m rusty right now with the sewing and I feel that it shows.  But the hand sewing is making me stronger in that department, so yayyyy!

Ohhhh, before I go, weird thing happened.  (Warning, what I’m about to say is sad so if you aren’t into that please skip to the next paragraph.  Thanks.)  So while I hand sew I watch tv.  One show I am hooked on as of late is The Next Great Baker.  On the recent show the baker who got kicked off had an in memorandum at the end of the show.  I was shocked to see he had died and like many other people I went searching on the web to see what happened.  Get this, his body was found on a street that is literally a 5-10 minute drive from my house that I travel on all the time.  Seems he shot himself.  He was stationed here in town and was a cook for the Army.  People think he was suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome and committed suicide.  He died on Oct. 24th of this year.  It’s just so weird to see someone you were rooting for on a show had died and then to find out he died around the corner from your house at his own hand.  I feel so bad for his family.  Just another thing that makes me think that while life may be a little hectic for me at the moment it can pale in comparison to others.  But yeah, just so weird and sad.

But to try to cheer things up here, I still have a photostory to share with you guys that I took pictures for a longggg time ago.  I’ll share it on Christmas Eve.  Consider it my silly gift to you.  Smile

And on that last note I am off peeps.  I am getting tired and need to consider hopping on my exercise bike, that gave me hell yesterday by constantly popping off a pedal, and doing 10 more miles today.  Ugh!  So close to bedtime too.  Hummm, bad choice?  Perhaps.  But I need to do it.  Meh, it’s up for debate since I need to get up early.  Wish I would have done it sooner, but I was working on Christmas gifts.  Ugh!  Kind of can’t wait until I have them all done so I can get back to regular uninterrupted exercise.  Ok, enough blabbering, talk to you lovely folks on Saturday.  Be good until then.  Bye for now.

Sleepy and so ready for bed,
Michelle

Monday, December 5, 2011

Does It Play For You Too?

Hey guys, quick question, I just updated my cross-blog on Livejournal and it always takes me to the blog so I can make sure it posted right, but I am usually off the blog within 30 seconds.  Today I heard something play as I clicked off.  When I went back I heard the commercial for the Western Barbie commercial I posted about a while back playing.  Does it play for you here on Blogger as well?  I assume it does if you come directly to my blog instead of reading the post from your friendslist.  I had no idea it played, and if it’s bothersome to some of you I will put videos under a cut from now on.  Actually would you prefer I make more under cut posts for you?  I do it on Livejournal, but thought Blogger peeps wouldn’t mind.  But if you would like more post cuts I’d like to know.  Just let me know in the comments section, that I will be getting to this week I promise.  I want to make the blog as reader friendly as possible. I am thinking of switching to a plainer layout so it’s easier to read as well.  Like I said, I only spend about 30 seconds on it to check the post went up right and then I am gone, at least that is how it is for now.  You are the ones that hang out on it, so let me know how I can make it a little friendlier for you.  Thanks in advance.  Bye for now guys.  Smile

Loves ya Red heart,
Mouse

A quick post.

Hey guys, I just wanted to pop on real quick to share a few things with you I’ve been meaning to talk about.

So last week I was shopping with my mom and we popped into Tuesday morning that was still pretty bare from Black Friday a week before.  So while searching through the toy section I didn’t see much of interested in the girl’s side.  But when I turned around just to glance at the boy’s side I found something of interest.

Draculaura

Monster High Day At The Maul Draculaura.  I debated for a while on getting her.  I have wanted DLaura since the dolls debuted.  I wanted her before I wanted Frankie, but just never got her.  But there she was and at $9.99 she was a steal.  The thing that sold me on her was if I didn’t want her I knew I could sell her easily and get my money back.  That is until I got home and my sister’s keen eye caught something I hadn’t.  I must be slacking after not doll shopping for a while.  Poor DLaura has a big scratch in her eye makeup on her left eye (our right).  If that didn’t make me sad, what I found later did.  My Tuesday Morning is really dark in the toy section and only had bright light by the door.  So it wasn’t until I got her in brighter light that I noticed what I thought was off on her really was off.  The outline of her facial heart wasn’t finished on one side, and her fangs were painted on crooked.  Sad smile

Draculaura Closeup

Oh sure, I know I could still sell her as is, but it just doesn’t seem right.  I thought of taking her back, but my sister said I should just customize her.  I have been toying with the idea of customizing Frankie, so customizing DLaura wasn’t out of the question.  So I have decided to keep her and customize her.  I found a cool tutorial where someone died their DLaura with RIT dye.  So there are many possibilities of changing my girls into someone new.  But now I have an issue.  Now that I have two girls, I only have one boy.  I feel off centered now.  No, I am not going to collect these dolls because they would truly just be a collection for me and not of much use elsewise for me, so I just want to get one more boy to balance things out.  I want Holt Hyde since I have Jackson already.  I’ve wanted Holt for a while now too, so I will just get him and that will be it for Monster High for me…although…those create a monster sets look pretty cool.  *sigh*

Pink Dress

After Tuesday Morning my mom and I headed to a local Dollar Tree, also healing from the affects of Black Friday.  I went for nail polish, L. A. Colors if anyone is interested, but of course had to stop by the doll section.  Found one more set of the dress set that had the dress that would only fit a Monster High doll.

Strawberry Dress

I decided to get one to see if that was a fluke and also so I’d have extra of the strawberry dress because I really feel that stuff is going to unravel like crazy no sooner I pull out the seams.  It was the only dress set left so I figured it was meant to be.  Oh and yes, that dress was a fluke.

While I was in the toy section I noticed these doll “heads” that I guess are meant to be hair styling doll heads.  Wish I would have gotten a picture.  When I am there this week I will get one for sure.  But these heads looked very much like Barbie heads.  I mean literally if you took away where we were, took away the packaging, you’d swear you’d seen those heads before.  I’m really surprised Mattel hasn’t gone after these people since they are so trigger happy when it comes to suing people that are trying to get in on their turf.  And there was no mistaking where these molds came from.  I know a smiling face Barbie when I see one, and these dolls had that nasty face…sorry to those who like that mold.

Bei

And last but not least, I owed you all a picture of my sister’s Bei.  Here she is in a Liv doll cotton candy wig and a dress that came with the dress set the wig came in.  It was sold at Target if you are interested.

She is so super cute and I simply must have one.  I’d love to get a tan girl one day soon.  Until then I can play with my sister’s Bei that I believe has been renamed Karina.  I’ll update you on that later as well.  Karina will be one of the dolls receiving a new wardrobe from me.  She’s got a super thick body and big hands and feet so she needs things to be altered a bit for her.  I already have some great ideas in mind.

Bei Closeup

She doesn’t really have a story or personality yet, but what I have learned about her is she likes to wear cute items…as long as they aren’t pink.  Ughhh!  How can you have cute without pink?!?  Those of you cute lovers out there who detest pink, do not attack me, I was kiddingggg.  Yes, I have my work cut out for me on this.  But like I said, I already have some ideas.  Some of course had to be killed off because I was thinking of using dark fabrics and then remembered how resin likes to absorb dye much like Blythe dolls.  So if it’s not lined it could make for a problem.  I am refusing to be the reason my sister’s doll is ruined. If she ever does get ruined I promise it won’t be because of me.  So yes, like I said before, I have my work cut out for me.

And that’s about it for this post.  Still kind of busy as of now.  I am getting things done but I still have a ton more to get done.  I hope to be back to blogging more before the end of the month, but don’t any of you dare hold me to that.  Winking smile  Just wanted to share my finds and finally show you Bei.  Sorry for the lack of good quality pictures.  I snapped these on my cell phone real quick in a darkish room at night.  LOL!  I’ll try to get some better pictures of Bei as my project continues with her.  As for DLaura, it’ll take some time before I can get to her, but her and I do have a craft date for sure.  And on that note I will talk to you lovelies later.  Be good until next we meet.  Bye for now.  Smile

Loves ya Red heart,
Mouse

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The Past Few Days


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Not that I’m super missed around the blogosphere, nope not a beg for attention there, I still thought I’d pop on real quick and tell you how my November went and how I believe it has changed some things for me.

So this month was Nanowrimo, and I had planned to be a rebel and write out the script for my doll photostories so I could start “filming” them in December and start uploading them in January.  Yeah, it didn’t work out that way at all.  It’s currently the last day of Nanowrimo with less than two hours to go and I have just under 8000 words typed up.  I needed 50000 words to win.  Yeah, not winning this year.  First time in several years I won’t be winning, and I’m ok with that.  Every year I felt I had to do Nanowrimo because I “wasn’t a serious aspiring author” if I didn’t do it.  So every year I did it.  Well this year I couldn’t think of a story I wanted to rush through for the month.  I’ve decided to really take my time and work through a plot before writing because I realized I was wasting my time by churning out crap because I wanted to rush through a story to make my 50k.  So I chose my script instead.  Well I started work on it on day one, then didn’t touch it until day 18.  I still could have won, but me dreading over something coming up at the end of the month kept me from being enthusiastic about it, so time dragged on and no typing was done.  Then came the dreaded day.

On the 28th I had jury duty.  For those of you who don’t know, jury duty is when the state summons you to court to overhear cases and decide if the person is innocent or guilty.  In other words, the person charged needs to be judged by a group of their peers, and those summoned to jury duty are those peers.  There were two cases, both pretty awful crimes.  Both put stress on me because both kind of brought up bad things in my life.  I thankfully got out of both of them, but it was over two days worth of hours sitting at the courthouse, the first day I was there from before 8:30 until after 5 o’clock.  The second day I thankfully got out around noonish-1 o’clock.  But after all was said and done I honestly came away from the situation a different person.  These past two days have literally worn me out and stressed me to the point of illness to hear bits and pieces of what these two individuals did and then to hear the horrific stories of other people defending themselves on why it would be best they didn’t serve on the jury.  I don’t believe I have to tell you that I’m so glad the whole thing is over…for two years at least.  Come November 30th 2013 I could be back up at the court house, and I’m really hoping it’s a simple robbery case of they broke in, left prints, are guilty as sin.  But I won’t worry about that for now.  Let’s get past December 21, 2012 first and then we’ll revisit this topic again.  Winking smile

So now that that is all over I feel relaxed again and feel focused.  But now my script is unfinished and the whole month is gone.  Well I’ve decided I still want to “film” this upcoming month, so I am doing a super Nanowrimo by writing the script up in one to two days starting at midnight.  I know it can be done and I know I can do it.  I’ve whipped up 8-10 page essays in less time than that.  Smile  Children out there, do as I say and not as I do…get your essay’s done super early and give yourself plenty of time to work on it and make it your best work.  You’ll be so glad you did.  Winking smile  Ok, PSA over.  But yeah, I really want to focus on this script and get the story done and the pictures done and get it all uploaded so I can move on from this script.  It’s been a script in my head for YEARSSSS and well, I’m kind of over it.  But I’ve worked so hard on it, and I’ve collected so much stuff for this story alone I just can’t say “oh forget about it” and move on.  No, I have to do something with it.  So I am.  And once I am done with it I can finally move on to the story I really want to do, but refuse to think about too much because of fear I might abandon the one I am working on now.  For now I am just collecting props for that story and speaking of which, I got some today.

My most prized purchase of the day was through the Wednesday only sale at Toys R Us.  Get this, I learned about it from a TRU sales flier left on a seat at my mom’s heart monitor appointment.  What luck was that?  Now a newspaper in the place, but I found that ad, and no I wasn’t ashamed to pick up a TRU flier and look through it in a waiting room filled with people older than me looking at me.  LOL!  So the deal I was interested in was the buy one Liv doll at regular price, get the second one half off, spend 15 dollars in Liv items, get an accessory pack for free.  I’ve needed two Jake dolls since they’ve come out, but after missing the awesome half off sale on them through TRU when they came out, I just couldn’t plunk down full price for two of them.  I just felt if I waited another deal would come along, and it did.  Smile  This deal I could “Liv” with.  Hahaha, get it, because live and Liv sound the…umm yeah…so moving on.  So I got to TRU early and went straight to the doll section to the Liv doll area.  I was on a mission, to find two Jake dolls.  I knew I had to get there early because Jake’s are like rare gems around here.


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Boy was I surprised when I got the shelf and found a Jake right up front.  Mine!  But I wanted one more.  So I searched through the various female dolls and didn’t find a Jake.  I was feeling bummed and started looking at the girl dolls wondering how I could use them in my future story so I could still at least get the deal.  I kept digging and digging to find the right girl for me to take home when in the very back of the shelf I found him, a second Jake doll.  I know I don’t have to tell you this but, MINE!  So I had my two boys and now I needed an accessory pack.  Ladies and gents, do your research online before you head to the store.  It will help those of you like me who are indecisive quickly get what you want.  I found several packs online and had them polled down to two.  I decided I could easily pick between two packs, so I went on the hunt.  I only found one of the two, and I saw that it wasn’t what I expected, it was better.  I found another set I wasn’t sold on, and almost got it because at first it was the only one I saw, but I walked down further and found the other packs.  But the one I had in my hand had slippers, and shoes for these dolls are hard to come by, so I almost was sold on the set I didn’t really want due to slippers, but then I saw the pack I originally chose and saw how perfect it was for one of my main characters in my new story that I had to take it home with me instead.


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It’s so perfect for Lucy, my shy nerdy girl.  The phone is similar to mine expect mine is blue, the computer has a cool design on the other side, the bag really opens and you can put the computer in, there’s a mp3 player that they can really wear, and some snackage.  What’s not to love?  I almost said no on this set because the bag looked so cool but I hate sets with bags that don’t open.  When I was a kid I would have taken it without a second thought, but as an adult you can’t do much in a story with a “fake” bag.  And I want to move more towards real fabric bags instead of plastic, but this one I took a chance on because it looks so nice and it works.  So yeah I was happy with my purchase.  There’s nothing I don’t like about it.  Well…I don’t like that the strawberries are white on the sundae, but a quick swipe of the paintbrush will fix that.  Smile  So yeah, can’t wait to start using these in my new photostory after I finish the current one.  Smile

Dollar Store Project

The rest of the day was random shopping for things, a lot of nail polish for some reason. But one thing I did get was another one of the strawberry dress sets from the last few posts.  Remember the pink dress didn’t fit?  Well I got the second set to see if the pink dress in it would fit and decided if it didn’t I’d have more of the strawberry “fabric” to work with.  Something tells me it’s going to fray super bad so having a little more to work with will be nice.  And well, that’s about it for the past few days.  A lot of ups and downs, mostly downs, but I survived, I learned a few things about myself, and I’m ready to finally tackle things now that I realize that I won’t crumble and fall on the spot due to some health issue.  That’s the one pro from spending all day at jury duty without eating or drinking anything from stress.  I do not advise that people.  I almost fainted while descending four flights of stairs.  Yeah.

So, what’s next for me?  A lot.  This December is going to be a busy month, but I love being busy.  I love getting up early now and starting the day with a fresh mind and fresh start.  Speaking of which, I need to hurry this up and get my butt to bed.  Getting up around 5:3-6 so I can head out tomorrow to get some conditioner for my hair in the morning then get back here and get started on Christmas presents.  Busy, busy, busy.


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So one of the first things I need to get done is to get my desk finally.  I believe I mentioned it here that I have been on the hunt for a second desk ever since I gave up my crafting table.  I just wanted a small one for my room so I can craft in my room and on a clean surface.  My other desk I do everything on from painting to gluing then I sew on it.  So I kind of want a place to do my fabric crafts without having to check like crazy for paint or glue.  I had found two IKEA table/desk things I liked the price of, but the shipping went up and I just didn’t feel the same about them any more.  Then my mom found this desk on the Walmart website and after seeing that the curvy side is not really on the final product I was sold.  But I’ve yet to get my desk.  I’m hoping for tomorrow to get it so I can start working on Christmas presents.  I have some ideas for them, but nothing can be put down in stone until I get a proper work place.  So hopefully I will make this one mine tomorrow.  Hopefully.

So desk hunting, present making, catching upping in various things, that leaves me little time to be lazy this upcoming month.  Yay for that!  Smile  So much to do, so little time, and I’m cool with that.  I’m seeing now that spending each moment the best you can is what matters most.  Yes all of this was learned from the tortures of jury duty.  I wish I could get into more about what happened, but then it means revealing things about me that just aren’t on topic of this blog and I promise you, sharing personal stuff with a room full of strangers is embarrassing enough, I don’t think I should force myself through it again with my doll peeps.  Just know that I am seeing life through different colored lenses now and those pretty rose colored ones are in the trash forever.

And well, I believe that’s it for this post.  I’ll try to pop in sporadically this month, but don’t be surprised if Christmas Eve is the first you hear from me.  I’m telling you, busy month ahead, but that’s a good thing.  And I hope to be able to come back here with lots to show and tell.  Until then my dear lads and lassies, be good and remember your rabbits in the morning.  BunnyBunnyBunny  Smile  Bye for now.

Loves ya Red heart,
Mouse

Thursday, November 24, 2011

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 My Little Pony Calendar (front) Cute My Little Pony Calendar (back)

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.  Open-mouthed smile  Ok, returning to real life again.  I’ll be back next week.  Be good until then.  Bye for now.

Loves ya,
Mouse

Doll PSA

Monster High on Liv Doll

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.  Smile

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.  Winking smile

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.

Dollar Store Project

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.

Dollar Store Project



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

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

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

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

Dollar Store ProjectLegwarmers!!!

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store ProjectThis 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.

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

Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project
This dress wouldn't go all the way up.


Dollar Store Project

Dollar Store Project
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.
Dollar Store Project

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