Funny face

Funny face
Originally uploaded by craft room

Some of our favorite people are on 24th street. We go to Bernies first, and get a decaf, and a madeline cookie. Then, two doors down, we go to "Just for Fun" and have a look at the toys, and the books, and the bin of balls, and say hi to the owners dogs.
Then, we go to the custom invitations section, and she runs over to see the Elmo invitation. She pulls the package down. She holds it, and points to it, and talks about it. She jumps and sings and then, climbs up on the couches, and makes herself at home, and discusses the invitations further.
Then she jumps down, squeals and waves 'bye bye', and we go off to the park up the street.

Hat's Off!

Week 4: Hats off to you.
This challenge was based on the hats(works of art) by Philip Traecy.


The hat I picked to work with was extraordinary. And of course, the HARDEST hat to recreate. I spent an inordinate amount of time on the hat.

The proportions on ALL of these hats are extravagant. They are all bold, and over the top. And IMHO, none of the designers on the show did anything that really played with that exaggerated sense of scale.

Really, where are you going to wear one of these hats? The red carpet is about the only place where something like this can be taken seriously. (if it can be taken seriously. )
So my goal for this dress was to just GO BIG OR GO HOME. It is meant to flatter her figure, so she is not ‘lost’ in the dress,
but still have a shockingly big element.


(if this were really the show – I would have had the hair studio sweep her hair up and back so that it would not show, or compete with the hat. But I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to style her petroleum product hair, and folks, that stuff does not want to go anywhere. So, her hair is down.)

I had a lot of fun with this challenge.
In-house-Tim was not pleased with the initial hat variations, or with the dress. But in the end he was really happy, and thought that I "made it work". !

Hats Off!

Challenge 4 is to create an outfit inspired by one of the glorious hats by Philip Traecy.
Here is the hat I have selected

And Kat has chosen the "resort" hat. I can't wait to see what she is dreaming up! (Lets just say, I don't think she'll be making leather diapers.)

Challenge # 3: Party Store

This week we had to create an outfit that was made from things we found at the party store.
My challenge was to not make an ice capades costume.

This was a TOUGH one. I had a hard time in the work room.
But I will stand on the runway and defend my look.

The skirt is broken into two blocks of color, there is a green side and a white side. Then there is one green feather on the white side and one white feather on the green side.
(I think it would have come out much differently if the feathers were proportional, and not just "long". But I did not have enough feathers to cut them all down to 'size' and then arrange them into a skirt. Alas, here it is.)

The top is made from a deconstructed 'party blower'.

fitted bodice
Originally uploaded by craft room

There are wonderful darts in the bodice.

I made the hat as an accessory. It has been rejected by the house judges. : )


If this had been real life, I would have shown it to Tim and waited to see what he said. So I will submit it to you both with and without the hat, and see what you think.

The shoes are silver.


Clearly my gal Carrie is on her way to a playful evening party.
Be sure to see what this weeks winner created!

Challenge # 3: Party Store

There have been "unusual materials" challenges in past seasons.

The "news paper" challenge among them.


For our challenge this week, we had 30 minutes in a party store.

The contestants had $100, and 14 hours for their look. I spent 2.64, Kat spent $10.03. (while we only have to dress a 'barbie', you still cannot buy just one cocktail napkin.) I think we both did really well.
Now for the hard part.

I have a little Bjork swan lake thing going here.

Stay tuned. !

The first quilt is done!

The quilt is done.
Astounding.
I did not want to take on a new sport, and put it down in the ‘stash’ pile. Mission Accomplished.

I would change a few things. I will do a few things differently next time. But over-all, I am tickled pink.

The one lesson I will pass on is this: pick a backing piece that does not have an evident geometric pattern. A design is fine, but no actual lines or squares or rows.
The print does not get laid down squarely on the material. And my quilt was not ‘square’ either. (and, while the boards in the floor of our house appear to be straight, and at right angles, they are not)

I had been warned that I would hit parts of the process that I did not like. I was prepared. But I have to say I thought it was fun. I also thought this would take YEARS to finish. But I spent really precious little time on it (because that is all I have.) and I finished in about a month. (So that is a month of naps, and a few night times after bed )

I loved doing this. There will be another one in our future.

Enjoy.

Challenge 2: Larger than life

This is week 2. The designers were tasked with creating a look for "the Marie Claire Woman" that would appear on a huge billboard in Times Square. They said "The Marie Clare woman is young, intelligent, professional, sexy & fashion forward." The designers had 18 hours to complete their look.

Here is my ensemble, and my accessories from the Piperlime wall:




I am sending an updated wrap silk blouse, paired with a black skirt down the runway. I added a small side slit for extra detail. The look is a little sexy, but not vulgar. (that’s what Michael Kors said) I picture this as a work outfit. For night, the blouse can be worn more off the shoulder. And the animal print shoe. What's not to like?
This is, I might add, very similar to what I wear on a daily basis. A stay at home Mom, in San Francisco, with a toddler, in the freezing cold drizzle...yep. It screams "me"!
Definitely go check out what Kat did too.

Hold on to your hats for next week. It's one of the kooky challenges. I think we go to the dime store, and, use what? Make outfits out of gum wrappers and sun screen bottles? We shall see!

quilting progress

There has been quilting progress.

The top was finished.
I made a 'quilt sandwich', as per the directions.

I pinned.

I quilted.


The inspiration for the flower pattern came from these. But mine became much more irregular. (I kind of thought the whole reason to do flowers was to get away from the measured, geometric, repetition. So I let the flowers have more variation.

It has been an adventure.
Next step, the binding.

Week 1: and Sew it Begins

This week’s challenge was to make an outfit inspired by the clothes they were wearing. Wouldn’t you know, my Barbie came in a bikini with boy/board shorts. !



There was a WHOLE lot of learning that went on here. First of all, I doth my hat to all the Barbie clothes makers out there. That is some fiddlie little work.

There are issues with her proportions that make things difficult. Her head is huge, and her rear is huge, so great big holes need to be left in there to accommodate her when we try things on.
In Project Runway Speak: “I did not know my model’s measurements before the challenge began. So this became more about fitting her. “

I was envisioning neck line being a little more plunging. But there was not enough ribbon trim to “plunge” any further.
I would like to point out that there are French cuffs on the blouse. (crazy!) On one of the cuffs, the turn up is the fabric from the shorts. I would have to say I was just trying to incorporate more of the original outfit, just to show a good faith effort to embrace the challenge. Then, in the end, the top was just big enough for coasters. So when she goes to the party in Miami, she will have coasters to match her outfit.

Go check out how Kat did! (whew, did she have a wicked little start outfit too!)


This challenge was SO fun. It is a great creative diversion. It is a great antidote to toddler chasing.