Saturday, May 16, 2015

Saturday happenings

Wow.... so apparently I will only be blogging on days off, it appears. I drive 45 minutes one way to work, and between that and things that need to be done around the house, I don't seem to find time to blog more than once a week right now (twice if you count Jaelin's blog, as she just reminded me). So I'm sorry, but bear with me, lol.

I had a blast last Friday! One of the groups I am a part of on Facebook, American Girl before and after, did an Oscars Friday!! I couldn't participate, partly because I don't have or haven't made any fancy dresses, and partly because I was working all day (10:30-8pm). But I had so much fun reading the "Drama at the Oscars" and seeing all the beautiful designs. These people are all so nice, and they inspire me to learn more about sewing. I need to go do some of that today.

Also, AGBAA has some amazing tutorials. I just restrung my old GT2 (her body was so big that she didn't fit any of the clothes I have, she was big even when I'd gotten her. I told TechGuy she was getting a tummy tuck... he just shook his head at me) based off their tutorial... and I have to say, it was so much easier than I anticipated! I am hoping to get up the nerve to repaint some eyes (perhaps one of the dolls I have listed below...) because, while I don't mind doing eyeswaps, I tried to remove an eye disk from a tlc Kit... and destroyed the eye instead. The only driving motivator for me is that I watch to make some galaxy eyes like one of the women on the AGBAA group did. So we may try again next week.

Another big event this week: I sold my pre-mattel Kit, to get 2 dolls! Someone was looking for a Pre-Mattel PC Kit with full meet attire, and the only thing I didn't have was her compass necklace. I feel like it went well, as I was not only able to make a little girl happy, but I was able to buy Josefina and another Elizabeth off Ebay, and only had to spend about $15-20 of my own money! (The only thing I'm not sure about is Josefina's wig... it looks an awful lot like Kaya's with the short hair in the back for braid separation... but for $50 including shipping... I think I can either live with that or get a new wig.) Linnea is getting a twin sister, who will be revealed hopefully around the same time as Josefina. Just saving up the tip money for her wig!

Something is clearly up with this Elizabeth's eye.  Going to have to see if I can fix it.

I am both loving and hating where they took Once Upon a Time! SPOILERS!! I loved the author, Isaac, trying to break the rules, since we got to see everyone in reverse, the heroes as villians, and the villians as heroes. I love that once again, "True Love" wasn't just between a man and a woman romantically. Once is really good about emphasis on family. However, I definitely wasn't expecting the lead-in to Season 5!

(TechGuy has ruined me for good.  Used to be that when a mushy moment came on in a movie, something ridiculously romantic, I'd make fun of it.  Now, during Once, Emma needed to find the nerve to say she loved Hook, and couldn't do it... and I was mad at her for not being able to.  He has ruined me, I tell you!)

I was going to review some of Agents of Shield, but Jaelin is telling me that I need to let her interview Alanna after she gets back from the doll hospital this week, and has a chance to catch up on the Season. Alanna is our resident Action Movie and Comic Book Buff.  She loves anything having to do with either of those, and she dreams of being a stunt double... but more on that once I get her profile up!  Alanna (Marisol) and Linnea (Elizabeth #1) were taken by me and the dachshund to the AGP DC store the end of March... but due to the backup, we just got a call on them Thursday night. I had them replace Alanna's head (her unattached weft piece was definitely getting caught in my brush), but decided that I would just rather get Linnea a new wig with her twin, so that they match... kinda. More on the two of them when I get everyone settled this week.

I also have a veggie garden to try to get planted today, in addition to sewing and laundry, so I think I will leave this as is for now, and will try to write another post (or edit one of Jaelin's) soon. Have a great Saturday!

P.S. I was trying to come up with some cute names for my Lindsey, who has informed me that, while that may have been the name she was created under, she wants a name that would have been popular from the 1920s. I think we have it, though she is sitting her laughing at me, telling me that just because I am obsessed with Firefly, that wasn't her reason for going with the name we did. I disagree. Oh well... onto more doll profiles for you guys, hope to get them up today!  Maybe even some more pics too! Here's a pic of her and Iris to hold you guys over..,

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Long Weekend in Massachusetts

Gosh, it's been a busy 10 or so days! Sorry it took me so long to write another post, but it's sure to be a long one so that I can chronicle it all.  I am going to write about my trip to see my friends here, and I will do another post about the various parts of my week later on today.

Friday, TechGuy (my guy) and I drove most of the day, first to get a jacket he'd left 1.5 hours from home at a client's business (he repairs coffee machines for a living), then spent the next 8 hours (thanks to traffic) driving to Massachusetts to see one of my oldest friends, S.  We brought my long haired Dachshund, Houdini (or just Dini for short... though he has about 6-8 other nicknames he will answer to). He goes everywhere I can take him.  We had a moment when, since I had buckled the dolls I brought with me in so they didn't go flying all over the car, that Dini crawled over top of them to see out the window.  They were behind me, so I had to ask TechGuy if he was stepping on the dolls. His response to me: "He's... in their laps.  He's an equal opportunity 'lappist'."



S's mom confirmed this weekend that she was 8 and I was 10.5 years old when we met. S has 3 kids now, a set of 5 year old twins (who I adore) and a 7 month old little girl (who was sick and who loved TechGuy, but didn't like me until she felt better... I'm not usually baby friendly, I think).

S is a hair stylist, and lives above her salon, so while we were there, she cut TechGuy's hair, and trimmed and added blue and purple streaks in mine, which I will have to get a picture of.

I brought 3 of my dolls with me for the girls to play with (under supervision), (left to right in above pic): Dahlia (Julie), Siobhan (Felicity), and Jaelin (MAG #25). I don't usually share my dolls, since A) they're collectors, and B) they're expensive, even if I got 2 of those listed off E-bay. But S's daughters were, for 5 year olds, careful.  Somehow, Siobhan's left eyelash went missing... but other than that, I think everyone had fun, and the girls were pretty good with the dolls, other than that one mishap, which they both apologized for profusely.  I do know that once I get their rooms set up, I may not be allowing any of them to be played with anymore, as I'm just too nervous about anyone else getting messed up. I will have to introduce you guys to my dolls in another post (as well as just add a link to a doll page... if I can ever figure out how to use this blogging site to its full extent).

Anyways, we were there until Monday afternoon, and it was a nice but full weekend. Friday we didn't get in until around 9:30 or so at night, so I didn't get to see the twins until the next day, though the Baby was up with S and her husband A. Dini was nervous about being in their house because it's an old house with steep steps, and his little legs just don't do well on those.

Saturday morning, we got up, had breakfast, and S did my hair while having girl time. Her mom took the twins out, and I was excited to see her, as I hadn't seen any of them in 3 years, and her mom was a second mom to me until they moved when I was a teenager. We went into Boston (an hour drive), to a restaurant called FiRE + iCE. It was so neat! It's a Mongolian Grill (where you pick your food and sauces from raw bars, then take it to a chef in the center of the room. They cook it on a huge circular cast iron grill - usually big enough to do 20 or more meals at once) and I have decided that I will definitely have to visit one again. I had been to one before, in DC, but it had been easily 5 years since.

(BTW, I have their mom's permission to share pics of them, I would NEVER share pics of anyone without their consent!)

Twin B, me, and Twin A

Me and TechGuy

Twin A with Lemon on left, Twin B with TechGuy on Right

Sunday, Techguy and I ran out to do a bit of essentials shopping while S was at a baby shower. We all had lunch with her parents, and went to see Avengers: Age of Ultron. Great movie, btw, if you don't follow the comics. Good if you do, and don't mind a bit of crossover that we don't usually see with the X-Men right now, as Quiksilver and Scarlet Witch are from X-Men originally... sorry, I can honestly say I didn't know that until I talked to a co-worker who knows SOOOOO much more about comics than I do (though Alanna and My Grace doll - who is getting a rewig and a new name, since I don't like her bangs - will probably school me, as they both LOVE Marvel - and Alanna is a researcher when she likes something. She had to have her own laptop since she loves research so much, lol).

Avengers was something that we all walked out of with this great feeling! I love action movies, and I love how the end of every movie has a little glimpse of a coming movie in a small scene. This one included, I believe, Thanos. Techguy and I love all the characters (I'm a sucker for Captain America/Steve Rogers... he's a hunk and a gentleman... and Techguy loves Tony Stark), but I must say, the changeup to the Avengers at the end of the movie wasn't exactly what I was expecting. If you want to go see it, be aware that it is PG-13 because of violence, not nudity. Get a parent's permission if you are under 13.



Sunday night, we introduced A and S to Firefly, one of my alltime favorite shows! It only had one season, but the fans loved it so much that a movie was made to tie up some of the loose ends. S was hooked, I'm not sure about A, but then, he's not into Scifi so much, though no one (save one character) are remotely "different" like some other space shows. It's a "Space Cowboys" show, according to TechGuy, and I've always described it to people as "Star Trek meets Wild West, only not as high tech".



Monday, I made french toast for everyone, using my dad's recipe, and we all took a trip to the American Girl Doll Store in Natick, MA. The DC store let me wander through with my Dachshund on my back, in his backpack. This store didn't let us, so TechGuy ended up taking my backpacked pup with him to the Lego Store and then to wander outside the mall while S, A, the girls, and I all explored the store. It was their first time, and my second, and we had a blast. I saw several dolls I would like at a later date (as I knew I only had money to buy one), but i found a cute outfit I loved that is now Dahlia's signature outfit in her Meet Dahlia photo that will be on my doll page. S and A went outside to feed the baby and watch Dini for a few minutes while TechGuy came in and wandered around with me before he picked, from the 4 dolls I wanted, Grace. I'd had my eye on Dahlia's outfit, but after deciding I was going to definitely get a doll, I sent to put it back, and TechGuy told me he would take care of it, and to go pick my doll. He ended up buying it for me. He is so sweet to me, always has been, since day 1.
American Girl Candy Counter in the Bistro

Seats for your dolls to sit with you in the Bistro

Twin A and Twin B in front of MAG #60 and MAG #30, the two they looked the most like, with their "slanted eyes" (as their dad A called it) and blue eyes. Need to find a way to A) afford two Jess molds and B) add blue eyes when they are old enough to be gentle with the dolls.  Future Project  

Twin B and Twin A at Grace's Display

I have to start by saying that , when I went to the DC store, I wasn't impressed with Grace. I love the Josefina mold (I think, counting Grace now, I have 5 now, as I just rescued a Josefina herself off Ebay last night), but something just seemed off with her, when I looked at all the dolls on display. So, I still thought I might want her... but I wasn't as sure as I was with most of the other dolls I have seen and fallen for. We walk into the Natick store, I have just got done saying that I wasn't impressed with her... and I saw her in the entrance, in, of all things, a pink dress (I usually dislike pink greatly... growing up in a Pepto Bismo Pink room will do that to you). She was sooooo cute! But other than her, only one other Grace in the store caught my eye. I've read online that not all the dolls have the exact make-up, or that sometimes, you have to go through all the dolls before you find "your" doll. I went through, no joke, 23, and kept going back to one of them. And this store had the tunic outfit in stock, the one that is only $14 with a purchase of $100 or more. Needless to say, I got it! I LOVE Grace in it, this is probably going to be her Meet outfit, at least until she gets a new wig, and then I see what I think of it. I know some people didn't like the outfit together, but I will say I love it. I think it's adorable.

Grace in her redressed glory... a new wig and name are still in the works...

So, the drive home involved spending time with the Dini dog, redressing Grace, researching new wig styles for her, and a stop at TechGuy's favorite restaurant, TGI Fridays. We got home around midnight, crashed into bed, and started our work weeks.


That's all for now, will update the rest of the week, which included viewing Once Upon a Time and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., two of my favorite shows.