Some of you know I’ve taken to costuming fashion dolls, after my stunning success of creating a Morrigan Barbie for a certain cougar last Yule. At the moment I have rough sketches and a few nekkid Barbies in a box, upon whom I’ve been practicing my painting skills to further customise them.

My second secret project is now well under way. Tal saw it last week, and when I said I was in the midst of repainting the eyes, he said, “No you aren’t,” which was incredibly satisfying because it meant he couldn’t tell the difference. What once was a purple-eyed Barbie showing her little white teeth in a plastic smile is now a dreamy green-eyed lass with a demure close-mouthed smile. I’ll let her finish drying and then varnish the paintwork to seal it. Then, ah then, I costume.

I checked the prices of sewing machines at Sears this afternoon; the mid-range model with fourteen stitches and a hard case is $249 on sale till Saturday. Hmm.

Painting and blending the exact shade of natural lip colour was precisely what I needed after alternately wanting to cry and tear things to shreds this afternoon. Writing a severe memo regarding the plagiarism issue made me want to shake the author until her teeth flew out of her head. I can’t write in this mood, but apparently I can paint.