The internet's back!

Yay! And I survived. There was stuff I needed to do, people to contact, but all in all, I survived. It is a relief though to have it back. We were only without it for what, 4 or 5 days? Still felt like a long time. You see, I woke up the morning that this whole thing started to no internet signal. The modem was plugged in, but no lights. I unplugged it, plugged it back in twice, and finally the lights came back on, but no internet signal, and our network wasn't even on the list of available connections. I reset the modem, same result.  (This also happened to same day as the one lone cellphone we have in the house died from heat stroke, so we had to find a phone too.) The hope was that since we got this at the Ogden mall, we could simply take it in there, explain what happened and maybe they would exchange it for us. We drove the mall (on one of the hottest days of the summer - 105 degrees O.o) only to find they weren't there. We found out that they moved to Layton Hills mall, about 30 minutes away. That might be doable. Luckily we were able to pull up the Xfinity 1 hour free pass to activate the new cell phone, since, you know, you have to have either the internet or another phone to call to activate it.

Later on that night, I had the fun experience of talking to CenturyLink while she tried this and that to test it to see if the modem was bad or not. (And I had to turn off the fans to be able to hear which meant sitting there sweating bullets.) 30 minutes or so later, it was determined that the modem was bad. I asked her if it would be possible to exchange the bad modem at the mall, and she said it would be fine if they had one with the same serial number. After some conversation back and forth with me telling her where the mall was, and her asking me for the number (which I didn't have) and the zip code for Layton (which I didn't know and couldn't find in the phone book since apparently the Ogden phone books don't list other county or near by city zips like they do in Owensboro), she simply looked it up herself and called them to see if they had what we were looking for. No one answered (it was about 7 or so in the evening) so she gave me the number and told me to call them the next day. And, if they didn't have what we needed, to call her back via her direct phone number which she gave me.

The next day, we found out that they did have 2 modems in stock, but they were no longer in Layton. They had moved to Murray, which is in SLC and way too long of a drive. Next step was to call CenturyLink again to tell them we would need one mailed. After another 20 minute conversation with the same lady going through the same steps we had gone through the night before, she determined again that the modem was bad. I shouldn't have gotten irritated, but I did. It didn't seem to matter to her that we had already gone through this all the night before. I guess though that our account hadn't gotten updated. And I figured that she was just doing her job, and it would really suck to be in customer service, so there was no good reason to not be anything but polite. She was after all, very nice, and while a little hard to understand the thicker her Asian accent got, she was a pleasant employee to deal with. (We have all dealt with those that make calling in about a problem feel like we had just committed a serious crime to which there is no pardon.)

And surprise, surprise, the box appeared today before lunch. :D So now, I can get caught up with all the internet-y type of things I have going on.

I haven't posted since when?

Wow, it's been awhile! I have had stuff going on since then I could have posted about, but just didn't. Dang, I don't even remember what my last post was about. :/

Well, let's see, what has been going on? Not too much lately, but I am happy to say that my DZ Coral and Eudora are about halfway paid off now. I made the payment on Monday, I think, after getting the payment for 2 commissioned dresses for AG dolls through AG Playthings. Though the purchase was made via my Etsy. I've been in bed all week, so I haven't started on any of the pattern drafting yet. I am hoping to see a different week starting next Monday where I can go back to doing things I want and need to do.

I am very excited to work on the dresses. They are from the Marie-Grace paperdolls, a red floral dress for MG and Cecile's Work Dress. I need to get back to my buyer and let her know something. My plan is to draw out s design to show her to make sure I am understanding the design changes she wants to make them more historically accurate. (She is awesome to work with - she really knows this era of clothing, so I am truly enjoying working with her.) I just haven't felt like doing that either. :(

It's so annoying to have Blythe dresses all finished up and waiting to have pictures taken for my store, but it just isn't happening. I came up with a new pattern last week, and made 2 for my shop. I have 1 more in that style cut out, and one partially sewn. I also have 2 bubble dresses finished sans snaps and plans for more.

I WANT TO FEEL BETTER NOW!!!!

BJD Collecting vs Blythe Collecting

I was thinking about this the other day. Both can be expensive (if you think Blythe is cheap, think again. Unless you don't mind a TBL or Factory Blythe, expect to pay well over $100, if not over $300.) Some BJDs can be under $200, but only Chinese companies (not dissing them here) or a tiny doll like a Pipos Jr. PI. (Unless your fortune is another's misfortune and you get an amazing steal on DoA or eBay.) Both types of dolls can be customized. BJDs can have their eyes changed any time you want to very easily, though the eyes themselves can be expensive. Blythe can have her eye chips changed, but they are permanent, until you go to a dramatic length to change them out again for whatever reason. Then there's the wigs. I've seen Blythe wigs, but how many people actually buy them? All the dolls I have seen have swapped scalps, the original scalps, or complete re-roots. And then the clothes. BJDs can have expensive company clothes. People make and sell them of various qualities and prices. Some dolls are impossible to find clothes that actually fit them. Blythes have their stock outfits, not too sure about company clothing. But here again, you can find lots of variety of clothing made by hobbyists, some very cheap, some not as much, but lots to choose from. Both dolls have their make up (or faces) painted on with acrylics and pastels and then sealed. Blythes can have their faces carved, BJDs can be modded with sanding and epoxy. There is so much similar and yet tons of differences.

I love both hobbies. Each one fills a completely different need (if a doll hobby can be classified as a need, that is :P) and I don't enjoy one more than the other. The difference for me though is that Blythe - while definitely being a personal expression of tastes and interests - is much easier for me to enjoy over all. The reason being that while I do not always enjoy the particular carving (I actually prefer Blythe's face left uncarved) Bythe is always just Blythe. Different hair, different style, but still Blythe.

BJDs on the other hand are so vastly different. You have the anime aesthetic, the girly-boy look, the realistic dolls, the 70cm, the 60cm, the MSDs, the YoSDs, the tinies, the anthros, the human bodies with animal heads (yeah, I know they are anthros, but different in my book) that it is SO taste specific that I don't always enjoy just looking at a wide range of dolls. I might appreciate the talent that went into the doll, but there are just some things I cannot get used to. (Nudity and overt sexuality is just not my thing.) So when you have a group be it on fb or a message board you get a wide, wide range of BJDs, some your cup of tea, and some not so much.

So, in conclusions, I find the BJD hobby to be much, much more taste specific. And it might not be for everyone.

What's wrong with Hershey's Cocoa any more?

It seems the same thing I bought back in KY tastes much different here. and I seriously doubt its my location. I am finding it extremely frustrating to bake with as it just tastes weak and chalky. I am using the same recipe I always use, with the adjustments for the altitude such as a little more baking powder and more liquid. My cakes aren't turning out dry, they are turning out chalky. My yellow cakes are normal. The only thing I can think of that could be causing this is the cocoa powder. I wonder if they are making it any differently now than they used to? I even started getting the dark chocolate cocoa, and while it is a little bit better, it just isn't chocolate-y enough. Next time I make a cake, I will try increasing the amount of cocoa. I am debating about just going with the chocolate squares to see if it gives the right flavor profile. You see, I am taking the Wilton cake decorating classes (well, I took the first and had to postpone the rest of the course until next month due to unexpected problems coming up) and I want to be sure that my cakes taste as good as they can.

I have a cake sitting un-frosted on the kitchen counter for tomorrow's decorating. I will be making my first ever homemade batch of butter cream, and I am really excited. I am going to keep practicing decorating while waiting to take the rest of the classes. It is pretty fun already, and I know it will keep getting better. I can't wait to learn how to make flowers. Might seem a little strange to like baking cakes, and to want to decorate them when I really don't want to eat them. (Partly this is due to dietary restrictions, the rest is a lack of a sweet tooth.) I just want to make these beautiful cakes I see in books and on tv. It is just another form of art I want to try. I will take some pictures of my first cake decorating adventure once it is competed tomorrow. I am hoping it turns out like it looks in my head! :P

Blythe tee shirt dress, and more Melancholia

Life lately has been trying. Absolutely and utterly trying. Nothing has been going how I wanted it to go, and in the chaos and disruption of June 2014 (please, gods of all things good and kind, make July be better!) a few good things have come about. I have managed to finish up some new things to add to the Blythe section in my Etsy shop. I made 2 more Melancholia dresses, one in purple and one in red. My camera continues to be a little temperamental in captioning red, but the pictures turned out better than I feared. Yesterday I came up with this cute little tee shirt dress. I made one for my doll (Lotus is getting really spoiled) and then cut out 3 more for my store. Here's a preview of the tee shirt dress:

It's super cute, and very versatile. I have more knit laying around to make more. I plan to do more varieties of this - different sleeves, maybe different cuts to the bottom of the skirt, and maybe even a two toned bodice. :D

Here's a link to my store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackCatsBootique

Poor Lotus....

This doll has some bad luck. First, the pale blue boots I ordered her were mislabeled by the seller, and arrived a much too large YoSD boot. I got a full refund, so no worries there. They really weren't the right color for Lotus any ways. I bought her some white Mary Jane's with blue polka dots that should be here in the next day or so, and are the right color for her. Then, her tights came today. I goofed up on the blue mesh, ordering the Middie size instead of the Blythe size. The other 2 tights - black and white stripe, and then blue and black stripe, I couldn't get on her legs. :( I contacted the seller about returning them, and she said that they put some slick leg covers on their dolls before putting on the tights. I am not certain as tight as these are on my doll to begin with there is even any room for another layer. Have to think about that.....

I got her all put back together last night. I gave her sleep eyes, as I love Blythes with their eyes closed. It's the awesomeness of those eye lids that pulled me back into the hobby any ways. Here she is all finished up:

Lotus is coming together

Yesterday I started sewing some clothes for Lotus. Years ago I had a pattern I called Melancholia that I created for Blythe. I don't have the patterns any more (another member of my graveyard of tossed or lost patterns) but I was able to pretty easily re-make it. I would make these out of gauze, and they were actually my best seller. Back in KY I bought several pieces of gauze when it was on sale at Hancocks, one being this gorgeous royal blue. Perfect for Lotus. She is my blue girl. She only wears blue, black and white. She's got 3 dresses now - a Melancholia in blue, and 2 sun dresses in blue seersucker with little white flowers. (She was only going to have one, but a mysterious slice on the lining of one made it hers.) After I made the Melancholia dress, I decided it would be more fun to sew for her if she was back together. So, I put up the sewing stuff and while waiting to start dinner I finished sand matting her face. After dinner, I started her make up.

I still need to finish it up - more pastels on her eye lids, acrylic paint detail on her eyes (I am thinking of painting black flowers on her eye lids) the eye lashes (which I am nervous as hell to do) and more color and lining on her lips. I think she looks beautiful.