Please Buy This for Me

Size small, in the pewter. Please and thank you.

Now, why on Earth would I ask everyone in blogger-dom to buy me this maxi sundress from Garnet Hill ? Blame it on a dream I had last night.

I KNOW! Enough with the dreams, already!

But this dream was...more real. Does that make sense? Often times my dreams are of everyday tasks and activities, but this one was less everyday and more real. I'll ask again: does that make sense?

So, I'm wearing this dress, and I'm dancing with someone (can't tell who at this point). Slow dancing to a band. We're at a cantina-ish place, with the rough-hewn post & beam type patio space, lanterns hanging everywhere with warm light. It must be somewhere warm (definitely not in the Upper Peninsula!), because everyone else is dressed beachy. Okay, you know the scene in the movie version of Eat Pray Love where Liz first meets whatshisname at a party after doing all those shots of tequila? It was like that, minus the tequila. Back to the dream: I'm dancing, but all I see is the dress, all fabric and floating and swirling and twisting with the movements of my body, glimpses of my arms & shoulders. The music from the band is coming to an end, and I feel myself being put into a dip- bodies close, one leg hiked up, the works. I look up and see my partner for the first time in this dream: its Shall Remain Nameless from this post.

WTF?! Shall Remain Nameless hasn't made an appearance in my dreams since that first dream, and honestly, I've been too busy with oh, life to focus on anyone or anything other than what's in front of me at the moment (right now? Coffee.). But let me tell you this: it was in-tense. Just like that first dream. It felt like it was something that should really happen, you know? An omen, perhaps.

Whatever. All I know is that I now must have that dress.

Its About Time!

I know, I know, I know. Its been two long months since my last post. It was the frantic holiday season! I was swamped at work! I had issues at home! I had another marathon to run! I....I...I...am out of excuses. Whoops.

But lets get down to business, shall we? Season 7 of Project Runway started this week, and thank goodness this batch of designers has some personality! Last season was so blaaaahhhhhh, and I really didn't care for the way it ended. Icky. But now we have pizazz in the personality department and fantastically diverse design views. I think its going to be a good season!

And (of course) I called the winner and loser of Week 1 via text with Tha Doctah. *pat on back* I know I'm the only one keeping score, but I have to tell someone!

The dress that Emilio designed was so pretty- the details of the construction were amazing, and I'm really looking forward to what else he shows. Other designers that I liked this week? Well, let's just run down the whole gamut:

Jesse- No. Just, no.

Jay- the three flower puffs are bad. What woman wants those in those spots?

Christiane- there's a reason she went home. Bad fabric, poor construction, poor taste.

Ben- Meh. I like the "comic book" design okay, but think the fabric choice was wrong.

Anthony- Ick! Old lady fabric plus that extra hip? Bad bad bad.

Janeane Marie- I like this outfit and styling a lot. I think she did great for starting over completely in the 11th hour. The crybaby act, however needs to stop.

Jesus- a leather full-length evening gown with halter neck piece? Let's call it "S & M Lite."

Jonathan- Love this dress- the bodice, back, and belt are fantastic, but the skirt is a bit on the short side for me.

Amy- Strange poofs of fabric, plus that weird boob thing. No, thank you.

Maya- another big poofy thing attached in an unflattering place. WTF?

Mila- nothing exciting, just some nice separates with a bit of retro flair.

Pamela- hot pink mess of volume meets poor styling choices. And the back of the dress was all wrong.

Ping- I like this outfit quite a bit. Would I wear it? No, but its interesting and unlike anything else going on.

Seth Aaron- punk/rockabilly? Um, no. No.

Last notes: I'd really like the big ruffle in various shapes and sizes trend to go away. Four different designers had these fabric appendages, and none of them made them work. Oy.

In other news, I received notification that I was accepted to the graduate degree program I applied to. YAY! So, now I'm a grad student at the University of Illinois. Tuition donations can be sent to my PayPal account...

And lastly, my New Year's Resolutions (because I make lots of them every year, hoping that at least one will be accomplished): 1) learn to play golf (seriously); 2) run faster; 3) get rid of clutter; and 4) cook more for family & friends. I also promise to keep my blog updated more frequently than I have in the past few months, okay? Have a great week!

My First Love: Fashion

Yes, friends, its true. Fashion has always been my first love. I remember clothing from my childhood, remember favorite outfits, favorite dresses, favorite hand-me-downs. That's me, age 4, and the caption on the back of the photo reads "Birthday dress from Daddy" in my mother's unmistakable script. My earliest memory of fashion is probably when my family lived in Brownsville, TX. I remember sitting on a chair in our living room, looking at these beautiful stamps I found. They were Christmas Seals with very ornate pictures of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus in rich blues, deep reds, and gold. I decided that they would look best...on my legs. Rip, lick, attach, repeat. Improvised textured tights at age 3!

Other highlights from my childhood include thinking about how genius Garanimals were and thinking that the "L" and "R" on my tennies were for "Lisa" and "Rachel," not left and right. I liked dressing in the same clothes as my sister, like we were twins. See?

Even at such a young age, I could appreciate the classical nuances of a nautical-themed outfit. I remember one dress in particular that I absolutely hated. I was in first or second grade, and my mother asked me to try on a dress. I balked, scrunched up my face and refused. It was ugly, I said. Just try it on, begged my mother. I relented, and hated it even more. My mother gushed at how "smart" I looked. This dress was a drop-waisted number with long sleeves, bib collar, and the skirt was pleated. It was done up in a brown, pea green, and burnt orange paisley. Yes, this was ca. 1978. I took the thing off as fast as I could, and probably cried when my mother told me I'd be wearing it for my school pictures. What?! Not. Happy. At. All. When I look at that picture now, I see the beginnings of a very good actress.

Why all this talk about fashion, dear readers? Well, last night's Project Runway episode left so much to be desired. Boring boring boring! Nothing exciting or new. Plus, I'm still a bit pissy that Icky Nicolas won last week's challenge. I'd like him to go away now, please.

So I've been catching up on the Spring runway shows in Milan via the New York Times and Cathy Horyn, and must say that I am in love with Bottega Veneta's collection. And that led me to a blog I've heard of and visited in the past, but never really followed. Well, that's all changed now! Please get your daily fashion fix at The Sartorialist. Its worth the time, promise.

Have a great weekend everyone.

A Couple of Pieces

So, every year our local arts center, the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center, hosts a juried exhibit of Upper Peninsula artists. I entered three pieces this year, and well, we'll see what happens. The first piece (above) is from late 2006/early 2007 and is felted wool. It's title is Glance (David).

Next up is a piece I titled Roots or Wings. Its a collection of smaller pieces that I intend for viewers to "read" from the top left to the bottom right, like a person would text. I know its hard to see all of the individual frames, so I've also included a detail shot. The medium used for this piece is a mix of some watercolor pencil, acrylics, embossed stamps, and machine stitching.


The last piece I entered for consideration is titled Happy Little. It is hand embroidery at its most detailed and labor intensive (for me, anyway).


As I mentioned before in a previous post, I'm working on two new pieces. I'm also trying out a new handbag pattern, with the potential for a craft show with my pseudo sister, Hanukkah (she makes fabulous jewelry , and in her spare time, teaches junior high art in the Chicago area), and my actual sister, Katie (yes, she of the "dragging my feet to the finish line" school of marathon training). It's tempting to commit, even though I'm busy as all get out. For one, they are two fantastic ladies, and we have a blast doing this show; two, I'd get in a visit to the fam before the holidays; and three, I'd get to meet Baby Grace. I'm 80% there...

In a bit of spousal bragging, I'm also posting pics of the three paintings Mr. Fix submitted to the same juried exhibit. For your viewing pleasure, please to enjoy (top to bottom): Media Generated Viruscape, Avocado CP3PO, and SOTA.001. All three are acrylic on panel, and are pretty big compared to my baby fiber pieces.




And lastly, I'm not forgetting, but I am still thinking about Project Runway and how the final three panned out. I guess I knew the judges/producers kept Bipolar Stupid Kenley around for a reason, but boy oh boy did I wanna see Jerrel's designs walk the runway! Did you see those gowns? So much bling! So much shiny shiny to attract a magpie Sagittarius like myself!

Well anyways, my money is still on Leanne. That wedding gown was just gorgeous. Makes me almost want to get married again. Almost. Check it out below.


The photo doesn't even begin to do it justice- it was striking. The other designer to make it to Bryant Park was Korto. And as I have been in the past, I was a bit underwhelmed. Didn't like the wedding dress, but loved the bodice of the bridesmaid's dress. Lastly, Leanne has an Etsy account/store! The Devil forwarded me the address, and I'm more than happy to share it with y'all. Go here .

Now, I'm off to find some nourishment for myself and Daughter #2. Have a great weekend.

Yay!

The image kinda says it all: Girls Rock!

I am, of course, referring to the newest girl member of my family: Grace Elizabeth, born October 4th and weighing in at a not-too-traumatizing 8 lb. 7 oz. (considering her older brothers came in at 10+ lbs. each) and a respectable 18 1/2" long. Mother is my sister, Sissy and she and hubby Jack have two sons, Jake and Connor. Finally, some estrogen! Congrats! Now I need to start on that cashmere sweater for Grace!...

What else is up? Well, I'm all done with shiva for Paul Newman. He was so fantastic. I am now recovering from a 16 mile run I skipped last week because I was still sick. I'm better now, and I was talking to my friend, Fast Jessica, and thought out loud that training and running for a marathon is a lot like child birth; months of work and preparation, and right at the tail end of things, you ask yourself "Why am I doing this?" and hobble your way through 16-18-20+ mile runs. The reward is, of course, in the final product (baby or finisher's medal...which do you prefer?). And, inevitably you have that bout of selective amnesia and forget all about the pain you went through just moments ago and begin planning your next race. Or child. Whatever.

Project Runway had such a shitastic ending this week. I could just feel the judges wanting so very badly to punch Kenley in the mouth. And honestly, if I had that reach-through television I've been dreaming about, I'd have offered up my ubiquitous Bucket of Bricks to the judges so they could throw them at Kenley, too. Now we just have to wait and see the finale...are we taking bets on winners? I'm gonna go with...Leanne. Just a hunch, and plus, I like her stuff. Honestly, I'll be happy with anyone except Bipolar Kenley (The Doctah pointed out some very interesting similarities between Kenley and people who suffer from bipolar disorder).

Okay peeps, I'm outta here. Have a great week!

The Home Stretch

WOW! So not only are we down to the last five designers on Project Runway , but we are counting down the games until my beloved Cubbies win their division title and make it one step closer to a (hold your breath and cross your fingers) World Series! Cue that cheesy song...

And now let's strut back to the runway. Interesting challenge, I think. Some people might think it was boring, and may have asked, "What's so hard about designing an outfit for these college grads?" Well, from the judges' comments Wednesday night, there were some designers who just did not get it! Let's dish:

The Losers: We'll start with Leanne and her dreary teacher's dress. I agree with the judges that it looked better with OUT the jacket. I don't understand why on Earth Leanne decided to go with- and the girl agreed with- a dress. Everyone knows that elementary teachers need to be five thousand places at once (metaphorically speaking), and that sheath just doesn't cut it. A smart, chic outfit with knit on top and trousers on the bottom would have been much better, even if is a cliche to dress teachers in dowdy double knit. Let's move on to...Suede. Ms. Fix thinks that Suede has questionable taste. Ms. Fix says that Suede would have to totally answer to Ms. Fix if he designed that 1989 jacket and Forever 21 dress for her daughter! Ms. Fix doesn't like Suede too much this week. And now the big loser, Joe. Nina Garcia was so right: he hit every cliche. But boy, did I wish I had that reach-through television again when stupid Kenley started laughing. She is just so annoyingly wrong wrong wrong.

The Winners: While we're on the subject of Kenley...I hated it. Obviously a cop-out for her, as she just made something for herself and decided for her client it was perfect. It was well made, though, and a great style for the grad's line of work. Next up is Korto: I loved the jacket. I liked the dress. I hated how short the dress was. The girl didn't have the legs to pull off something that short, and those closed round-toe pumps made her legs look even schlumpier. Our big winner- second week in a row!- is our Sagittarius friend, Jerrel. It was absolutely spot on. I'm so glad he didn't mess with the girl's hair (other than to get rid of that skunk stripe), since it totally played into her personality. The outfit was divine- great classic pencil skirt, shiny and feminine blouse (with a bit of sex kitten peek-a-boo fabric on top), and then that knit cardigan that screamed "I watched Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and loved it!"
Behold the winning design (below).



My predictions for the Final Three designers (who, at this point in the real world, have already shown at New York's Fashion Week) are Jerrel, Korto, and Leanne. Are we wagering bets???

Other news? Well, today was National Native American Day, so I didn't have to work...but I did anyway. I'm pretty bad at the whole "time off" thing. What else? Dunno. I'm supposed to go clean up a local ski hill that has for the past dozen years or so been used as a garbage dump (illegally, of course). My mother-in-law spearheaded the clean-up campaign, so I kinda feel obligated, but we'll see. I may have other things to do besides help the environment.

Scheduled to do a 16 mile run on Sunday, and let me tell you, it'll be S-L-O-W. I'm battling this hellacious head cold right now and can't seem to go three minutes without needing to grab a Vicks-infused Kleenex. The Devil is still out of town, so my runs have been solo. Only six more weeks until the "Sweetest Sponsored Race This Fall!" I may find time to post again this weekend, should anything amazing happen. Have a great weekend!

The Sagittarians are on FIRE!

Read carefully the "good" and "bad" of my astrological sign, and file away for future reference. It will help you understand the mysteries of the Sagittarian mind...

Okay, that was complete bullshit. :o)

Kind of a cool challenge this week on Project Runway . I'm not sure that I like when the producers bring back the designers who have already been eliminated from competition, but it sure caused a bit of someone's diva behavior to come on out! (Uh, yeah, that would be Donna Summer and Utah Gay Keith.)

Let's get down to business, shall we?

The Losers: Blayne-licious and his "pooping fabric" design were awful from conception. Stupid Stella certainly didn't help by having such shiteous taste, either. Icky. Kenley's mish-mash monstrosity was so much costume, so not avant garde, I wanted very badly for "reach-through television" to be a reality so I could pound her in the head and call her that word My Favorite Redhead and I are not supposed to say (but we said anyway at Maple Beach!). And gee, her ousted partner, Wesley, was such a lively personality- I wanted to reach through and smack some life into him. (All that ugliness makes me a wee bit aggressive.) Suede and Jerry's Aquarius mess was so boring. That outfit is like the outfits you see on the Butterick 99 cent patterns: Sewing 101. And then Donna Summer (Terri) and Utah Gay Keith's Leo design- strike that, it was all Terri. That was one of those designs that looks great only from very very far away and out of focus. Otherwise you could feel the cheapness of the materials through the television waves. Again, reach-through tv would have come in handy to smack the diva right out of Ms. Summer. Auf to Blayne and Terri.

The Winners: I got that Korto and Kelly used Aquarius for their inspiration, but what were those crepe paper streamer thingies across the bodice? Confusing. Joe and Daniel's dress was very pretty; I loved the fabric that looked like some sort of horse's hide print- and I mean that even though I hate the animals- so "natural" yet so glam. Leanne and Emily's Scorpio was great. I, too (just like Master Guru Gunn), was sold on the exoskeleton idea. And I thought that the way the black came up and over and around the one side to totally cocoon the model's head was right on. And so that leaves us with the big winners: Jerell and Jennifer's super sassy Sagittarius creation. Where do we start? Well, during the work time part of the show, My Favorite Local Celebrity and The Doctah and me all went "Ohhhhhh!" when we saw the shiny fabric with the men's wear skirt. That jacket was to die for. And (always important to me) the finished product/styling/presentation was flawless. He used a twisted arrow as a headpiece! Brilliant (below)!



Hmmmkay...what else is there to write about? Well, Nona Bologna is reportedly visiting tomorrow night, and I think that The Doctah and me will be bringing her to see Daughter #1 play in the marching band. Hey- don't you think that its kinda an obligation for a high school marching band to play "Gonna Fly Now (the theme from "Rocky")?" I DO! I've been lobbying Daughter #1 to get it on the playlist, to no avail. They do, however, play some Cirque du Soleil stuff that only _______ (insert word Red and I are not supposed to say) really like. Sorry, Katie, but its true.

And remember the other day when I posted that the temperature was only 48 degrees? Well, another sure sign of cold weather came to me via US Postal Service: I got my rates guide from Ski Brule . I'm thinking that a long weekend for New Year's Eve would be fun, and am trying to get Brother Peaches and family to get on board.

The Devil is out of town on business, so I'm on my own for running tomorrow. Here's hoping that your weekend starts off as energetically as my own!

Can You Believe No One Made A Wrap Dress?

Above: From Diane Von Furstenberg's Fall 2008 collection.

Time for my weekly Project Runway rant!

Seriously now, Diane VonFurstenberg is known for her wrap dresses, and not a single designer chose to create one for this challenge? Did they think that they'd be chastised for taking an easy route or something? I think a wrap dress would have been a welcome sight, especially after seeing what they DID come up with!

The Losers: Blayne's bloomers were terrible! Most women are curvy and to place the band of those pants right under the knee creates such a definite line- who wants their legs cut off there? His top half was great, though, as was his styling. Jerell's get-up was too much and not enough for me. Too much when put together like he did, and not enough on their own (boring!) to really make a positive impression. Joe took the "Shanghai-ness" a bit too far. Maybe he was still channeling his inner drag queen? Costume-y, poor construction (really, at this point you still can't get your seams to line up? Go back to home ec. class!), and incongruous design elements- blech! And the biggest "lose-ah," Stella: All that fantastic fabric in DVF's studio and all she used was a boring tweed and shiny black leathah stuff? Aside from the fact I'm over her attitude and shizz, the design was not there. Boring trousers, "magician's cape," (HA! That was an awesome comment by the judges!) and that crazy bloused top, which to me looked like a sleeveless polo shirt gone terribly, terribly wrong. As one judge said, "Stella wasn't stellar tonight."

The Winners: Kenley's dress was pretty, and Michael Kors nailed it when he said that she got the "Shanghai" just right. But it was a simple dress, nothing exciting. I think she lost touch of her own style in favor of- her words!- creating something "for sale!" I think she needs to remember that she's the designer, and if her designs are worthy, people will buy them. If she only wants to make clothes "for sale," maybe she can get a job designing for Wal-Mart. Korto's dress and jacket were fantastic. I loved the shock of yellow from under the skirt, but I think it should have been a longer hem. It seemed to me that she ran out of fabric, or forgot that the model was going to be wearing heels. And for my favorite- and the judges, too- Leanne. Two weeks in a row! You go, girl! That dress was magnificent! The color was deep and rich, the draping of the neckline and the sensuous ruffle down the back of the skirt- oh, my! And then to juxtapose the nubby grey jacket with that collar with the gown? W-O-W! See for yourself (below).



So I was left wondering what the next challenge will be? Who were those shadowy figures coming out onto the runway during the previews? My curiosity is piqued!

And now on to other news...The Devil had work to do, and I have an eye appointment, so my tempo run is waiting until 11 am or so. Maybe it'll warm up by then (current temperature? 48 degrees).

Also, Mr. Fix was not one of the 120 or so people arrested in St. Paul Wednesday night; he arrived safe and sound just in time to make dinner for the family. He did, however, spend a considerable amount of time with the bottle of Febreze in the car (oh, those smokers!). Have a great weekend.

AHHHHHH!!!

That's the sound of me, relaxing. So Ms. Johnnda and I drove to Plymouth, MI to visit My Favorite Redhead last weekend. We had so much fun. Such a lovely, relaxed, no-hassle time being girls (even if Miles and The Mouth Doctah were around). We even got a sneak peek at Red's wedding dress! Beautiful, sexy, delicate, feminine, appropriately luxe. I'd love to post a picture of Red in the dress, but I'm afraid the Mouth Doctah would look, too, and we just can't have that.

So I'll post a pic of my latest shopping score: diamonds!

I know they're small and you can't really see them (its hard to take a photo of something like that when you've got smiles in your eyes!), but trust me honey, thems diamonds in that band! And with the band of my Timex sports watch, it looks tres klass-ay, no? I'm very happy with my purchase, and hope that this is just the first spot of sparkle in a long and happy relationship with my local jeweler.

And now for talk about some other kinda bling: Project Runway and the drag queens!

How fantastically bitchy were those "girls?!"Could there have been anymore sequins and body shapers? Oy, honey, this was so fantastic, I could hardly contain myself. So let's dish about the designs: my favorite was not the winner (Joe's Sequin Spangled Sailor), even though it was tops for the judges. My fave was Donna Summers' design (Teri)- it had drama, art history references, fantastic styling. It oh-so-subtly brought up the comparison of today's drag queens to performers of kabuki, fer chrissake! Check it out:


I also like Korto's Flaming Booty. And ya know, I actually kinda liked Utah Gay Keith's Stevie Nicks-meets-Freddy Kruger dress. The queen who wore it had no expression whatsoever, but I liked its punk aesthetic.

The losers: THANK THE LORD BABY JESUS THAT STUPID DANIEL IS GONE.

That's all I'm going to say on that. What did everyone think of the "text your answer" question re: who would you rather see in drag, Michael Kors or Tim Gunn? Good gravy, Michael Kors probably dresses in drag when he's home. He probably models his own clothes for himself. Master Guru Gunn is totally the one to see in drag. What kind of get-up do you think he'd wear? And what would his stage name be? Ohhh, we'll have to let that stew a bit before we shout it out loud.

Okay, so tomorrow I'm off to a local 5K (benefiting a local high school's cross county team). I'll be wearing a bridesmaid's dress. I'm not kidding. I'll post photos before I head out for a shopping trip to Appleton with Daughter #1, two of her friends, and Daughter #2. Have a great weekend!

Week In Review

Photo above originally posted by photo.envy on the mend on flickr. Go here .
After last weekend's activities, it was back to the grind Monday morning.
And Tuesday morning.
And Wednesday morning.
But come Wednesday afternoon, the excitement began. What could be more exciting than having one of your staff members call you and tell you that the school bus she's on- along with 30 1st and 2nd graders- is broken down? Nothing, I tell you- nothing is more exhilarating than the rush of adrenaline you get calling parents and telling them that their children are stuck on a broken-down bus in Trenary.

Thank goodness for Project Runway! Kind of a cool challenge this week. I liked the idea of designing an outfit that represents America, even if that meant way too much red, white, and blue. My biggest fear would be making something that looked like a stewardess' uniform. Oy!

But to discuss the show: I knew that the skort wouldn't win. It was too kitschy, too "uniform-y," especially with the huge "USA" down the right side of the skort- almost super hero-ish (which, I know Michael Kors pointed out that the Olympic athletes are super heroes to an extent, but its too much). So the bronze goes to the Spice Girls outfit from Joe.

Silver medalist was the stripes-and-jacket get up from our friend Donna Summer (Terri). Totally chic get up. I love how she mixed up all the stripes on top, wasn't crazy about the tuxedo stripe on the trousers, but loved the casual refinement of the look. As The Doctah said, "It reminds me of those Charlie perfume commercials from the 70's, but more modern." Agreed, Doctah, agreed! Just for funsies, refresh your memory here .

Gold medal to Korto. No argument here, and I'll break it down for ya: think about the typical female athletic form. Got it? Broad shoulders, flat boobies, small waist, no hips, muscular legs. A good tan. Korto made all of these things work well together in an outfit that was clean, contemporary, and feminine. That vest takes an athlete's broad shoulders and balances them out with the flare of the trouser leg (nicely accentuated by the red inset at the shoulder- my friends Stacey & Clinton would be pleased); the belt at the waist totally plays up the narrow waist most of the athletes have; the linen and feather-weight leather keeps them cool in the blazing hot pollution of Beijing, and the white shows off their burnished skin. Step up and get your flowers, Korto- the National Anthem is starting.

What about the losers? Jennifer totally had to go. BO-RING! Uninspired. When I saw that skirt, I thought: "awning." And did Jerell bring the crazy art school this week, or what? Little Bo Peep on acid meets Carol Burnett's Scarlett O'Hara dress.

Special mention to Keith (the one who says he's gay, but I don't get that vibe. The Devil tells me "He's Utah gay.") for an adorable and fresh outfit. Loves it.

Okay friends, I've completed my tempo run with The Devil, and now I've told my mother-in-law I'd help her pick out new frames for her glasses. We're trying to get her some hotness for the men on e-Harmony. Wish us luck, and have a great weekend!

And the Addiction Has Kicked In...

Oh friends, it has started. Sweaty palms, ignoring phone calls and email, hell- ignoring family members! Wednesdays at 9:00 pm EST, I'm a goner. The Doctah comes over (and hopefully My Favorite Local Celebrity will, too, now that she's been invited) and we watch- enraptured- and then discuss.

Its Season 5 of Project Runway , bitches!

Okay, so Episode One: I think the judges missed the mark. I liked the winning design, but do you remember Master Guru Gunn's comment during the work time? He warned the designers that they were all using "fabric substitutes" and were not very creative. So the winner has those awful coffee filters on the poor model's breasts and vacuum cleaner bags for the skirt, and those aren't fabric subs?

Easily the most innovative and chic design was Daniel's va-va-voom blue party cup dress. I'll never remember kegger parties the same way again. He was robbed.

Episode Two: Couldn't you just feel for the designers when Master Guru Gunn said the models were going shopping? Oy, I could already see that even with what, a dozen models?, there wasn't enough brain power to get what was needed for one dress, much less all twelve.

I also think that the "green" emphasis was an afterthought. I thought for sure that the judges were going to tear into Stella for her golden monstrosity (below), especially after Nina said "Short and shiny equals trashy." I've put a favorite design of mine from the episode below it for a comparison so you can see which dress should have been in the Top Three. And yes, my opinion means EVERYTHING!!!



That's all on PR for now. Other news? Mr. Fix has returned from a beer-soaked weekend in Minneapolis, soundtrack courtesy of Ween , and another birthday is done. Back to Renovation '08- and now comes The Cabinetry. This, dear ones so concerned with my mental health, will be a separate post.

As for me, I'm in full-on training mode for my fall marathon , even going so far as to make a pact with The Devil to do either tempo runs or speed work once each week. By the way, The Devil is female, blonde, and in the public relations field. She may come across as friendly and fun and a great conversationalist, but those charms are just part of her masquerade. Do not be fooled.

Tomorrow is another local 5K, and Mr. Fix swears he's going blueberry picking. Have a great weekend.

Lookie What I Got!

Last Friday morning, after a terrific martini-soaked Thursday night with the girls, I detoxed at the YMCA with The Doctah. We decided to treat ourselves to a little retail therapy, too (it was the start of the weekend, after all). We ended up stopping into a new boutique in town, "Gigi's Boutique." I had heard about the place from running friends ( I had no idea that this place even existed, which is strange- usually I can smell great clothes miles and miles away), and their reviews didn't disappoint me. What you see in the photo above is my booty for the day: a cute knit tunic (left) from Free People , and an irridescent jacket with 3/4 sleeves and a bit of swing styling from BB Dakota . There was more, but all good fashionistas know that you can't show your excitement too plainly, especially on the first visit!

So that was my excitement for the start of the weekend, and the rest of the weekend was capped off by the fantasticness of the Chicago Cubs sweeping the South Side White Sox in inter league play. I annoyed the crap out of my entire family by singing, loudly and badly, Steve Goodman's "Go Cubs Go!"

Now that you can't get that song out of your head, go ahead and enjoy the rest of your work week!

FIERCE!

Doesn't that just sum up the entire last two episodes of Project Runway? Man, last night I watched both parts of the two-part finale, and was just blown away.

Well, maybe with exception of Jillian. I did like her collection, but only bits and pieces. She worried sooo much about her models looking incongruous, when she should have been more worried about her collection! I, too enjoyed the introduction of knitwear into her bag of tricks; however, nothing flowed for me- it was just a bunch of clothes that could've come out of someone's closet, and not necessarily a collection.

My early favorite, all the way back from Episode 1 (My Favorite Redhead and My Favorite Local Celebrity can vouch for this) was Rami. And let me tell you, he did not disappoint last night! I loved his collection- the seaming, the corseting details, the DRAPING, and the woven pieces were all AH-MAAAAY-ZING! I wasn't as concerned about his color choices as the judges were. His palette and even his overall vision is meant for a very specific type of woman: a bit fun, a bit more confident, and perhaps more mature (well, more mature than the women who insist at shopping at Forever 21, even when they're +30!) than the clientele the other designers would attract.

And then there is Ms. Thing himself, Christian. So, maybe I was rooting for Rami, but I do love Christain's aesthetic as well. He is a very deserving winner, I mean, didja see the collection? He has had a comprehensive, cohesive vision of what he's wanted from Day One, from what the clothes look like, to the accessories, all the way down to the type of model- and her walk! That kind of thought pattern will be pretty beneficial for him in the long run, I think. And his designs as presented on the runway, remember, are exaggerated versions of what us non-supermodels will want to be wearing in the seasons to come.

As Master Guru Gunn says, "Designers, I am SO proud of you. You made it WORK!"

Now, if I can only find something to catch my imagination and attention until Season 5...

PS- How uninteresting was Posh Spice? I was left wishing that she would bring some diva-ness to the group, but she was so...boring! Who would you like to see as a guest judge on Runway next season?

Make It Work!

Happy Valentine's Day, and didja see "Project Runway" last night? W-O-W! I have to say, I thought the judges made the right decision by allowing Rami and Chris to both continue. Rami's draping (while getting boring, sure) is to die for, so chic and flattering. Chris' costume-y pieces are so fantastic- I was thinking exactly what Roberto Cavalli said about the couture-ness of Chris' work. Who doesn't love a little drama with their fashion?

I can't believe they didn't notice (or even call to attention) Jillian's crappy hem job on that dress, though. She makes a mean jacket, and if I had mile-long legs like those models, I'd sure as hell wear that gold dress, even in the (much warmer than two days ago) 16 degree snow storm here in Upper Michigan.

Christian. Oy! Pretentious twit. Conceited. Snooty. I love him. The clothes are awesome, and the styling is impeccable. I can't wait to see what he showed at Fashion Week.

And then out goes poor Sweet P. The judges earned their money there, didn't they? Her clothes ARE wearable and flattering and commercial, but they're not that exciting. I could probably find that dress she made last night at twenty different stores, no? Double kiss, and I'm sorry, you're out.

Next week is the reunion show. Aren't those fun? I'm wondering what sort of drivel will come out of stiff Victorya's mouth (I never liked her), how that crazy Grace Jones hairdo girl will behave (I can't remember her name...), and if Ricky will cry. It's always good when someone up and leaves during the discussion, too.

Also, did you know that there's a Tim "Master Guru" Gunn BOBBLEHEAD (pic above)? My friend Jessica emailed me about it. It is, of course, the classiest bobblehead ever. I'm waiting to see if they have a Tim Gunn Magic 8 Ball thingy...maybe in the shape of one of those tomato pin cushions? Master Guru Gunn, do these bronze ankle strap pumps work with my new jeans, opaque black tights and Kelly green sweater? (shakeshakeshakeshakeshake)

"This worries me."

Tomorrow, a word or twenty about my new art project (yes, I still make pieces of art...that fancy schmancy degree from that fancy schmancy art school ain't going to waste! I'm too practical to waste the kind of money it cost me!).

Click HERE to get your very own Master Guru Gunn bobblehead. And smile, already- its Valentine's Day, and really, there IS somebody who loves you!

Rockin' Friday Night

Sad, but true. This is really how I spent my Friday night. Dinner at a faux-diner with Mr. Fix and Daughter #2, then home to a single beer, computer time, and then- call it, Sarah!- a visit from my friends Stacy and Clinton of TLC's "What Not To Wear."

Yes, Katie, they ARE my friends. Sarah's, too. So there.

Two evil Loft House frosted sugar cookies later, and I'm comatose under the electric blanket. Honestly, what could top beer, sugar, and fashion in the same night? Sex? Hmmm...

Does anyone else find it difficult to not make over people you see in public? I don't mean just commenting on their awful "mom jeans" or terrifically bad hair, I mean, does anyone else seriously think through how you could change a person's life if they'd just let you voice your opinions on their attire? I hope its not just me who is shallow like that. And I don't even think I'm that shallow. But for someone who loves fashion, aspired at one point to be a fashion designer (going so far as to get into art school under that guise), its very hard for me to absorb so much bad clothing when I'm out in public.

Not that I'm a fashion diva. I've been known to rock the snow boots with my pant legs tucked in (this more out of practicality than a deliberate fashion faux pas). But I do know that personal image IS important, that people DO judge you by how you look, and that you only have one chance to make a first impression. So I heed the advice of one of my favorite style gurus, and each day I try to "Make it work!" I wish more people would heed the call. Sigh.

Pretty Birds, Bubbles, and Bling

This photo is for My Favorite Local Celebrity and the new friends she made recently in Norfolk, VA. I gave her one of my tote bags as a "Good Luck" gift, and she got some compliments on it, so...

A brief word about the totes: I love making them; they are my favorite handbag to make. And now details: They are vegan (important to many people), made from vinyl and 100% cotton linings. There are two basic designs, but I have been known to create and construct custom designs (like a bowling pin/bowling ball combo).

"Pretty Bird" is, of course, the bird design. I love birds, but they do gross me out sometimes watching them feed their young and rip apart roadkill. But they can FLY! And those feathers! It also goes back to the whole "roots and wings" philosophy. Not familiar? Its a parenting thing- show your children their roots, but give them the wings to fly out on their own. (Awww...)

"Bubbles" is a reference to a guilty pleasure television show, "Dharma and Greg." There was one episode where Dharma and her mother were talking about negativity and issues that were bothering them, and then mother and daughter did what we should all try to do with our troubles: put them in a bubble, and blow them away.

The "Bling" is there because I like the sparkly, okay?

You can have your very own bag if you'd like. Email me (fixfamily@charter.net) and we'll talk.

Snow Day #2

So here's the photo I promised of Jennifer's Christmas-now-Valentine's Day- scarf. No pattern to work from, just a moss stitch (or seed stitch) worked in that great Mission Falls 1824 cotton on a size 8 needle, 17 stitsches across. My colors, for all you knitters out there, are 402 Sea, 302 Wintergreen, and 201 Coral. Funny coincidence: I was finishing this while watching tv one night, and the blanket I had across my lap (yes, I'm a cold-blooded person) was one that I've had for years. I bought it in Mexico with Jennifer. I was looking at the tv, and then glanced down at my work and noticed that the blanket and the scarf have the exact same color palette. It was meant to be.

Snow day #2 ended last night with the fabulous company of My Favorite Redhead and My Favorite Local Celebrity (yes, I'm sure she hates that label, but until she provides me with something else, that is what she will be called) drinking hot chocolate with Starbucks Coffee liquer and munching on popcorn in front of "Project Runway." How awesome was Ricky's dress? And Rami's? You're right- about as awful as those two jackets by Jillian and Victorya. Tomorrow, back to the grind.