Kimonos

If you've been reading my sewing blog, you'll know that I recently started working on remaking ABBA's kimonos again, for the 4th/5th for my dolls.  8 years since I made my last attempt and 6 years since I tried to make another set and ultimately abandoned the project (that's why I wrote 4th/5th attempt lol), I finally have a version of my Kimonos that are pretty accurate and that I'm satisfied with. :)

To read more detailed posts about how I made these, you can check out my sewing blog. :)

Now the question is, which costume should I attempt to remake next...?

Happy birthday, Gorel!!

Just wanted to wish the incredible Gorel Hanser a happy birthday today!  I hope she has an incredible time celebrating with her family and loved ones. :)

Greatest Hits & Arrival

I've been a fan of ABBA for 10 years now, and over the past 10 years, I've managed to collect almost all of ABBA's albums, the only studio album missing from my collection thus far is the self-titled ABBA, from 1975. 

So far, I have Ring Ring, Waterloo, and Arrival (Deluxe Edition), on CD, and The Album all the way through The Visitors, plus Greatest Hits Vol.2 on record.  Even though Vinyl Records are pretty much obsolete, I can't help but have the urge to complete my ABBA album collection on record format as well.  There's something really special about listening to ABBA's albums on the original format that it was released on.  The record player static adds to that experience, as well.

My dad had Greatest Hits Vol.2 and The Album on record, bought back in the 80s or so, and I've since bought Voulez-Vous from a cosplay convention, Super Trouper from Goodwill, and The Visitors off of eBay.  That was my first time buying a record online, and since I've heard so many horror stories about how the postal service will crush the record to fit into a mailbox and stuff, and I was so relieved when my record came safe and sound.  Seeing as that sale went smoothly, I'm no longer scared of buying records online anymore.

I'm not always on the hunt for buying ABBA records, since I don't particularly enjoy spending money and I almost always feel buyers remorse after every single purchase, but for some reason, eBay recommended to me a listing for Greatest Hits on record for $3 and $4.  And the listing said that if you buy two, the shipping will combine.  I've always had a difficult time finding Greatest Hits, I guess it's a really hard album to find nowadays, so my interest was perked.  I looked at what other albums the seller had to offer, and the only other ABBA album the seller had was Arrival.  I already had Arrival on CD, but like I said, I want to have all of ABBA's albums on record as well.  So I decided to get it. 

I delayed a little, since I don't particularly like spending money, and by the time I was ready to buy the records, the Greatest Hits listing had been sold.  So I surfed eBay, looking to see if anyone else was selling Greatest Hits for a good price, and was having no luck until I found an auction of both Greatest Hits and Arrival for a starting bid of ~$12.  I don't have very good luck when it comes to buying auctions, but I kept on eye out on this one, watching it for a week until the auction was about to end.  Surprisingly, no one bid anything, and I was the only bidder.  I got both records for a really good price, and today they arrived in the mail.

My entire record collection thus far, not including the singles that my lovely friend Eleonore got for me. <3

Both records are in good condition besides some wear and tear on the outer record slips.  I have yet to play them on the record player, but I can't wait to, and I'm really happy to have these two albums as part of my collection.

I don't know which album I'll get next on record, and when that will be, but in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy listening to these on the record player.