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Momma has not purchased many doll outfits, except from Dolls for a Cause auctions, since she began sewing doll clothes herself.

Sewing came to a screeching halt after the house fire and the destruction of Momma's serger and sewing machine. 

Then, just as she got a machine and started accumulating fabric and patterns again, she was stricken with neuropathy!

Her self-imposed moratorium on purchasing was Sorely Tested by this Cute Little Number by Jennifer at hudathotjewelry on Etsy. 

This is a simple Asian style dress. Have a tea party with your doll. The dress is a Mandarin style dress that is made with an Asian print fabric. The fabric is beige, black and brown color with Oriental writing and pictures. The dress snaps in the front. I made matching hair pins with brown beads attached to 2 stick pins. There is also a tiny tea cup and saucer that I added so you can have a tea party with your doll. Unique!  

Made with the Ming Lin pattern by Doll Tag Clothing at Pixie Faire, Momma was thrilled with the vintage Chinese newspaper fabric. She was also pleased that the neckline was the correct left-over-right neckline. 

The point of the intersection in the middle neckline encourages Chinese to be unprejudiced. It also forms a straight line on the middle of the clothes, which encourages the wearer to be an upright person.

(In Japan, kimonos always wrap left-over-right, male or female. Only the dead wear right-over-left.)

The outfit arrived safely and neatly wrapped. Jennifer finished all the seams with either zig-zag stitching or bias-tape. The pattern says the outfit closes with four snaps, but Jennifer used three. All three snaps will need to be moved slightly to accommodate My plumper Pleasant Company body. One armhole was a little hard to get the hand through, but it was doable. 

The outfit came with a lovely gold-toned Asian-inspired locket and two bejeweled hairpins. Both hairpins came with caps on the ends to prevent slipping or accidental sticks. 

Finally, a tiny cup and saucer were included! Historically teacups in China did not have handles, but the handle on this makes it easier for 18" Vinyl Americans like Me to hold and enjoy. 

Jennifer says her very favorite clothes to make are Steampunk clothes, so I'll definitely be keeping an eye on her. I think my only word of advice for Jennifer would be careful with scale and bulkiness. It is too easy to overwhelm 18" Vinyl Americans with big prints and bulky fabrics.

Thankfully, this outfit is perfect and a welcome addition to My Steampunk Wardrobe, although I think my pirate pal Madame Ching is going to steal it from Me!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/hudathotjewelry

Black Box Warrior

Dear Not-So-Gentle Reader,

I know it has been Way Too Long since I last posted, but Momma became Seriously Ill. She was hospitalized for nearly Two Weeks!

However, things became Worse after her discharge. She was given fluoroquinolone, a strong antibiotic which has been in the Market since the 1950s. 

Fluoroquinolones are antibiotic medicines that work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria that can cause illness. They are FDA-approved to prevent or treat certain serious bacterial infections.

However, within the last Few Years, the Federal Drug Administration has created a Black Box warning for drugs in its drug class. 

A boxed warning (or black box warning) is a type of warning that appears on the package insert for certain prescription drugs with a "box" or border around the text.

The usual reaction is tendon rupture, but Momma (of course) had the more unusual reaction of neuropathy, or nerve pain.

So severe that she called 9-1-1 after one pill. 

One Pill. 

One pill caused pain so severe she thought she either had a Blood Clot or was having a Heart Attack. 

The hospital said Momma had nothing "Life Threatening" and sent her home. 

Two more pills and continuing pain sent Momma into "Research Mode." She dug the pamphlet out of the trash and read it for the first time.

Bingo. Neuropathy. 

Nerve pain so bad her hands were Useless. If she did too much her arms and legs became useless, too.

So she began the month-long crusade to convince her doctors. Thankfully, the neurologist she was sent to was familiar with her side effects!

Since then Momma has had two carpal tunnel surgeries, hoping for relief. Nope. 

However, Momma is feeling a little better after nearly Four Months of pain, tears, multiple doctors, tests, prescriptions, and short-term disability from work. 

I hope to post more regularly now, especially since Phoenix Comic Fest is coming up with some exciting guests such as Tim Curry and Gail Carriger!

For more information, please go to: https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm511530.htm