Who goes there? Please leave comments so (An Aries Knows)!
On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the three finalists left L.A. to go home and work on their final collections. Tim Gunn did home visits to check on their progress. Later, the designers headed to New York for Fashion Week.
Meanwhile, in Houston…
I am a big dork who managed to forget that since Greg was going to be in Houston for a signing, it might be a good idea to order a couple of hardcover copies of his new title. Of course there were paperback copies available at Murder By the Book, and Tim and I each bought one there to give as gifts, because we’ll always support our local independent bookstore. But when Insight Out makes special-edition hardcovers available, we indulge ourselves. Anyway, as you can see, they arrived today, so the next time we see Greg, we’ll get them signed. As Greg has pointed out, the cover photo is clearly from the French Quarter, whereas the title informs us that the murder is in the Garden District. Vexing to an author, but very few of us have input or approval of our covers. And as Greg also pointed out at his signing, at least it’s not a Chinese takeout cover on a novel that has nothing whatsoever to do with Chinese takeout. Our writer fiends friends never tire of mocking our poor Three Fortunes cover.
Here are a couple of photos from Greg’s signing:
Writers Gavin Atlas and Greg Herren; me with Greg and Timothy J. Lambert
This past Thursday, we not only didn’t have Survivor night (which I still haven’t seen, although it’s recorded), but I didn’t get to see the first episode of the Project Runway finale. We were attending Scout’s Honor Rescue‘s Movie Night and Silent Auction. The Epicure Café provided space for the auction, and California Pizza Kitchen was the site of an after-party. It’s always fun to see a movie at the historic River Oaks Theater, and I’ll admit that I giggled all the way through Beverly Hills Chihuahua. It’s amazing how the Scout’s Honor volunteers put such a great night together, and how many donors contribute art, sports memorabilia, culinary treats, jewelry, wines, and other items to the auction. The event is underwritten by the fantastic Don Puryear of Happy Tails Dog Spa and RE/MAX Metro.
More photos from the evening:
Lindsey, Rhonda, Kathy, Tom, and Tim
Tim holding one of the gift bags given to all the guests
I’ve been working a lot on the setting for my Runway Monday final collection, but I wasn’t willing to start designing and sewing until I saw what challenges/guidelines the Project Runway contestants would be given. I have a theme and some fabric and was thinking I’d be doing five, maybe six, looks. Imagine my surprise when we watched the recorded episode Friday night to learn that the designers were expected to do twelve looks! Then, at the last minute, they were told they’d be doing a thirteenth! Some of the eliminated contestants came back to assist them, but I don’t have any cutting and sewing elves. However, last year’s runway judge Michelle Hors scoffed at the idea that I couldn’t design a dozen-plus outfits. She’s right; I can do it. But I can’t promise when they’ll be done. The PR designers get several months. I may need at least a couple of weeks, but I won’t let you down. And neither will my own version of Mood. Wish us luck!
On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were taken to the Getty Center in Los Angeles. They were given a tour of the J. Paul Getty Museum as well as the center’s grounds. The designers were then asked to create a look inspired by any part of the center, including paintings, sculpture, and furniture from the museum’s collections, architectural features of the building, or the center’s breathtaking views.
As much as I wanted to jet to Los Angeles and go to the Getty Museum (which opened since my last trip to California, or Jim would have taken me there), I could only look at its collections online. I’d almost decided to work from one of my favorite paintings by Raphael when I saw this wonderful mid-1720s pastel from Italian artist Rosalba Carriera.
From the Getty web site: Famous throughout Europe for her portraits and teste di fantasia (fanciful renderings of beautiful women in allegorical or mythological guise), Rosalba Carriera made the pastel, above, at the ducal court in Modena, Italy.
I’m always talking about my muses, and Carriera’s painting provided another one. I was inspired by the leaves in the woman’s hair, the ethereal fabric of her bodice, and the colors. I wanted to create a very feminine portrayal of nature’s beauty. Did I succeed?
I don’t know how fashion photographers do it. Even when your models are dolls, they’re hard to photograph in a group. You know nobody will have her eyes closed, or be making a weird face, or sneeze, but during this shoot, I had several hair disasters, a couple of models who insisted on falling over (if they were real, I’d be wondering, poor nutrition? substance abuse?), and two bracelets broke and had to be repaired. Then I thought I had them all posed the same, and only after I saw the photos did I realize a hand is misplaced here, the legs aren’t the same there–even plastic models are a pain! Of course, most photographers have assistants to take care of the details, and I only had Margot and Guinness. While they offer loads of moral support, they can’t ensure that no model has a stray hair in front of her face.
Here are the Birthstone Barbies I used for my Halloween shoot in order of the months of the year. I combed out the ridiculous curls Mattel gives the dolls and put them all in black body suits that I sewed for them. (I like the way the models on Project Runway look so uniform in their black slips; this is my version of that.)
If you click here, you can see an embiggened version. Lisa asked the other day how I remember their names, and the easiest answer, for these twelve and the thirteen Top Models I own, is that I give them names that mean something to me, and once named, they become characters. Their characters aren’t fully developed with storylines, but every name has a few details connected to it, and enough of them are named for real people to make those connections more memorable to me.
I had the greatest conversation in Jo-Ann Fabrics with a four-year-old boy the other day who was just dumbfounded that I had a doll with me and NO DAUGHTER. That’s YOUR doll? You PLAY with it? And though I assured him that I don’t play with her, just dress her, I did realize later that in a way, I do “play” with the dolls, and that my year of not writing hasn’t really been that at all. The writing is going on in my head as I make stories to match these dolls and their fashions.
I’ve stopped feeling guilty about all the e-mail that’s come to me and Timothy James Beck this year about what’s next, when another book will be out. In ten years, I’ve written or partially written nine published novels, gotten a couple of short stories into print, written some unpublished poetry, co-edited an anthology, and edited or copy edited several writers’ novels and short stories. I’ve come to understand that it’s okay–even necessary–for a writer to take a break. One thing this break has allowed me to do is to read novels in wide-ranging genres. While I’ve enjoyed all this reading, I’ve found that I still don’t want to “write one like Author X.” I can only write what I write. But I haven’t retired. I don’t have writer’s block. I’ll write when the next story is ready to be told. I assume Timothy James Beck will, too.
That’s the most honest answer I can give.
On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the contestants were asked to create a companion piece for one of their own designs rated highest by the judges. Since I’m not competing with anyone on LJ Runway Monday, I asked my LJ, FB, and Twitter friends to vote on their favorite of my designs from this season. Though it was a dead heat between three looks for a while, my Lights, Camera, Sew! design in Episode 6 finally pulled ahead (although not because one of you voted for it three times!).
If you recall, for that challenge, my model Meggie was cast in a movie in which she time travels between current-day Manhattan and the European village of a late-nineteenth century Roma family who befriends her. During her adventures, she finds true love–though only the end of the movie reveals whether he lives during this century or a previous one.
What’s one way to end a romantic comedy? A wedding, of course! Though I had planned to create a wedding dress as part of my final collection, I decided to let Meggie’s look inspire one that in this challenge will be worn by her stunt double, Kikki. Some of you may remember Kikki as the fabulous Figaro de la Fontaine’s identical twin cousin. Figaro (on the right in this photo) was the featured model last season of Mark G. Harris, a reference that’s appropriate. I was inspired by his use of color for the wedding dress in his final collection. I was also inspired by designer Timothy J. Lambert’s fashion-forward bow for one of Nikki’s designs from last season.
Figaro in MGH’s wedding gown. Nikki in TJL’s evening gown.
So… Is any of this look MINE? Oh, I think you’ll agree that it is.
Apparently, for me, Halloween was all about the tricks. I tried for hours to upload my Halloween photo set to Flickr–a photo set I’ve been working on for several weeks just for the holiday, including costuming and setting–with help from Tom on enhancements to The Compound.
Belatedly, from our coven to yours:
If you’re interested in a closer look at the models, including all twelve Birthstone Barbies, four horses, a banshee, and representations of Greg Herren, Famous Author Rob Byrnes, Timothy J. Lambert, and me–or as we affectionately call each other: Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death–the full set may be here, depending on the whims of Flickr and Live Journal.
Sorry for being late.
On tonight’s episode of Project Runway, the contestants had to design a companion piece to go with one of their winning looks. Since I’m not competing, I don’t have a challenge winner to go by. I’m putting photos of each of my designs from this season behind a cut. Please choose the number of your favorite and put it in a comment. The look that gets the most votes will be the one I use as the companion for my next design. Comments are screened, so you won’t see any else’s votes, and my LJ DOES accept anonymous comments, so you don’t have to have a LJ account.
THANKS.
Back in August, I talked about my visit to a resale shop and some finds I made there of the doll variety. I also promised to dole out these treasures over time. Today is one of those times.
Though it’s raining outside, I asked Miss Cyrus if she’d like to go on an excursion.
“Would I?” Miley asked.
Look at that smile! She doesn’t get out much. So off we went, to take a photo for certain of my LJ friends.
On the latest episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the contestants met with designer Michael Kors, who told them that much of his work had been influenced by places he’d visited around the world. Each designer chose one from a group of cities and created a look inspired by that location. They were given a paragraph about their city and a couple of photos for guidance.
Rather than pick one of the choices from the show, I asked Tim to name a random city. His suggestion: Amsterdam. Located in the province of Holland, Amsterdam is the cultural and financial center of The Netherlands. Holland is a place that appeals to me for personal reasons. During World War II, my father (a U.S. soldier) was for a time behind German lines there and was taken care of and hidden by a Dutch family.
From the Wikipedia section on Amsterdam fashion:
Fashion brands like G-star, Gsus, BlueBlood, 10 feet and Warmenhoven & Venderbos, and fashion designers like Mart Visser, Viktor & Rolf, Marlies Dekkers and Frans Molenaar are based in Amsterdam. Modeling agencies Elite Models, Touche models and Tony Jones have opened branches in Amsterdam. Supermodels Yfke Sturm, Doutzen Kroes and Kim Noorda started their careers in Amsterdam. Amsterdam has its garment center in the World Fashion Center. Buildings which were formerly housing brothels in the red light district, have been converted to ateliers for young, up-and-coming fashion designers.
An Amsterdam location that caught my attention is Negen Straatjes: nine narrow streets with a large number of privately owned shops, many of which sell vintage fashion.
These are the two pictures that inspired my design this week:
And a trendy accessories shop in the Negen Straatjes district:
This is one of the first advertising jingles I remember. It made such an impression that when my parents came home with a new Chrysler, I cried.
Ultimately, my mother came to believe the Chrysler hated her. Ha. Should have bought a Chevrolet.
The first commercial that TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME was this one.
I don’t regret getting my Twist ‘N Turn Barbie, but oh, how I wish Mattel hadn’t enticed me to trade in my original ponytail Barbie. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!
