Tag: entertainment

Miscellaneous Art

It was just announced that Bravo’s Work of Art will have a second season. I’m looking forward to it and hope that some of what I perceived as flaws in the first season will have vanished.

Meanwhile, portions of final collections (including mine) are appearing on the Work of Art blog that Lindsey created and I participated in. The completed collections are due in a couple of weeks, but I know mine won’t be ready by then, because it’s part of another semi-secret project I’m working on that won’t be finished for probably a month beyond that. When it’s done, I plan to try to find a gallery that will show it. Of course I’ll talk about all that here when it’s more appropriate.

One of Work of Art’s producers is Sarah Jessica Parker’s company Pretty Matches. Sort of on that topic, I recently started watching DVDs of Sex and the City from the first season. I noticed a coffee table book on my favorite artist in SJP’s character Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment:

Over the Labor Day weekend, I also watched a favorite old movie, Trading Places with Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis plays Ophelia, and when we go inside her apartment, I spotted a Rothko poster hanging on the wall. I like watching movies and shows on my computer because I see little things I never noticed before.

LJ Runway Monday: You Can Totally Wear That Again (PR 8:6)

Heidi: On the most recent episode of–okay, wait a minute. I know we’re supposed to talk about Project Runway and introduce whatever Becks has created this week, but I have to ask: What the HELL are we wearing? She’s dressed me before in a peachy-orangey color combo and I warned her then never to do it again. And this–what IS this look?

Summer: I don’t know what you’re complaining about. At least you don’t look like a governess.

Barbie: Has anyone seen my shawl? I fear I’ve mislaid it and may catch a chill.

Heidi: Zip it, Barbie. We’re not in a Jane Austen film.

Summer: Wrong period. These dresses are the result of Becks reading Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Villette within weeks of each other.

Barbie: You left out Little Women. Who do you think I look like? Meg? Amy?

Heidi: In that frock? You look like the meadow in Twilight threw up on you. We may have to ban books from the work room if this is what happens.

Summer: Could be worse. She also read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Barbie: Brainzzzzzz.

Heidi: Eep! I guess these dresses aren’t so bad. Speaking of bad dresses, that’s what the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway was about: Bad Bridesmaid Dresses. The designers met their new models, former bridesmaids who were wearing the fashion abominations inflicted on them by cruel brides.

Summer: Using those dresses and two yards of fabric they were allowed to buy, the designers were told to create more flattering looks for their models.

Barbie: I picked Dinah as the model for this challenge. Let’s see how Dinah’s dress looked originally.

Summer: Suddenly I’m all right with the governess drag.

Heidi: When we asked Dinah if there was any part of the dress she liked, she told us the color was okay. But she felt the dress made her look like a shapeless blob.

Barbie: She also hated the one-shoulder ruffle.

Tim Gunn: Once the dress was deconstructed, thanks to the bottom ruffle, there was more fabric than one might expect. However, as I warned the designers on the show, the goal isn’t to make clothes. It’s to make fashion. Can Becks do it?

Please click here to see.

LJ Runway Monday: There is an “I” in Team (PR 8:5)

Heidi: On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were divided into teams, then asked to select from several styles and textiles to create a collection of six looks.

Summer: The styles were menswear for women, military, 1950s and ladylike shapes, and minimalism.

Barbie: The textile choices were camel, lace, leopard and cheetah prints, plaid, or gold and other metallics.

Heidi: The show’s two teams chose menswear for women in camel, and military in lace.

Barbie: We wanted Becks to do something different from any of the show’s designers.

Heidi: Since she already likes to create in 1950s and ladylike shapes, we chose something outside her comfort zone: minimalism.

Barbie: We also requested that she create her minimal looks using metallics. Those two might seem contradictory, but that’s what a challenge is all about.

Summer: Speaking of contradictory, we three thoroughly modern dolls decided to go back to Mattel’s closet for vintage tonight.

Heidi: Raspberries! I’m wearing Mattel’s “Concert in the Park” that was designed for Francie in 1966.

Summer: My look was also designed for Francie in 1966. It’s Mattel’s “Checkmates.”

Barbie: I’m not quite so retro. I’m wearing Mattel’s “Barbie Boutique Fashion Avenue Collection” from 1997.

Summer: By the way, Barbs, that outfit includes a pair of black pants. Your dress’s skirt is practically above the Mason Dixon line.

Heidi: I’d like to borrow that dress sometime. The fun of the episode was seeing if contrary personalities with different design aesthetics could put together a cohesive collection.

Summer: We figured Becks is contrary enough to create multiple looks without calling in other designers to help her.

Barbie: Plus I picked out six diverse models for her to dress.

Heidi: Let’s see what she came up with.

Designs are behind the cut.

LJ Runway Monday: Hats Off to You (PR 8:4)

Heidi: On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were asked to design an outfit inspired by a Philip Treacy hat.

Summer: We didn’t want to give Becks the unfair advantage of designing for one of the hats she’d already seen on the show.

Barbie: I don’t know why Mr. Treacy wouldn’t return our calls asking for a hat for Becks to use. Perhaps he doesn’t create for 1:6 scale.

Heidi: Fortunately, another brilliant designer saved the day. Timothy J. Lambert, from our first season of LJ Runway Monday, designed a delicious hat for this challenge.

Barbie: If you sometimes feel that you could eat fashion, here’s a little taste of Timothy’s creation on this week’s model, Justine, selected for Becks by me.

And more behind the cut.

LJ Runway Monday: It’s a Party (PR 8:3)

Heidi: On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were asked to create an outfit using party store supplies.

Barbie: Whoa, hold up. I think this is the most fabric I’ve ever seen on your body, Heidi.

Summer: It doesn’t count when it’s see-through.

Heidi: Look who’s talking, Miss Yellow Fever. We decided to bring a little of the vintage to this week’s episode. I’m wearing Mattel’s Barbie Nighty Negligee, a matching gown and peignoir set that was in production from 1959 to 1964.

Barbie: My pink dotted Swiss babydoll nightie is from the same period but is probably a Mattel knockoff. No label.

Summer: My Mattel label is where it’s supposed to be on my 1964 Sweet Dreams smocked yellow bodice, but my little yellow panties are missing.

Heidi: For the sake of the censors, thank you for finding those white ones. In addition to creating a look from party store supplies, Becks was also asked to create a matching accessory. Here you can see her raw materials:

Barbie: I chose Barbie Basics 001, Model No. 10 to model whatever Becks makes of those materials.

Summer: I think you mean to say you chose Tabitha.

Barbie: [whispers] Have you noticed Tabitha’s ears make her look a little like an alien?

Summer: [whispers] Have you noticed someone forgot to bleach half of your hair?

Heidi: Have either of you noticed this is Runway Monday? You can see what Becks did with these raw materials below.

!–more Please click here for fashion.–>


Becks cut the ribbon into irregularly sized and shaped pieces and layered them over a cheesecloth skirt.


The bodice is also formed of layers of ribbon. The waist of the dress is cinched with the pink ribbon folded in a way to take advantage of its silver underside.


Using beads from the party supplies, Becks made an accessory to gather Tabitha’s hair into a thick braid.


She also used the beads to embellish the shoes from Mattel’s accessories wall.

Barbie: A million dollar look put together with an astounding three dollars.

Summer: And a little sweat, a lot of cutting, and a misfire or two with a hot glue gun.

Heidi: No hazard is too great for fashion. See you all next time on the runway!

Previous designs from this season:

PR 8:2–Larger Than Life
PR 8:1–And Sew It Begins

LJ Runway Monday: Larger Than Life (PR 8:2)

Heidi: On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were asked to create a look that defines the Marie Claire woman. The winning look would be featured on a billboard in Times Square.

Summer: To present Becks an additional challenge, we gave her some extra time but also told her she had to create looks for Heidi, Barbie, and me to wear this week.

Barbie: And we think the designs she created match our styles to perfection. Summer looks like the girl next door, I look chic, and Heidi looks like–

Heidi: [glare] –the sexy woman I am.

Barbie: Of course that’s what I was going to say.

Summer: For her model’s look this week, Becks chose fabrics of lace and sheer organza.

Barbie: And I chose the fabulous Dallas to be her model.

Heidi: Ready to see what she created?

Then click here, please.

Some of my Thursday

Seriously, you can’t take me anywhere. Tonight, I was THAT person. I got to Murder By the Book for Dean James’s signing of his new cozy mystery Murder Past Due, written as Miranda James, in time to enjoy some conversation with him and get a hug from Johnnie beforehand. Then I turned the sound off on my phone. Only I DIDN’T! I must have forgotten that vital last step, “Set,” because in the middle of Dean’s story to a VERY good crowd, my dumb cell began to ring. Which meant I had to scramble in my purse and find the thing and turn it off–it took an eternity. Sorry Dean and readers. I’m a moron.

Still, it was a wonderful night, because that’s the only way Murder By the Book knows how to do an event.


David introducing Dean with accolades from other mystery writers.


Kinley and John, two members of the best staff you’ll find at any bookseller anywhere.


Dean had a gratifyingly large audience and a long line to get books signed. In addition to Murder Past Due, he signed his Trailer Park Mystery series (written as Jimmie Ruth Evans), and his short story in the Delta Blues collection. Delta Blues includes well-loved writers (James Lee Burke, John Grisham, Ace Atkins, Charlaine Harris, Suzanne Hudson, Bill Fitzhugh, Suzann Ellingsworth, Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly, Mary Saums, Lynne Barrett, Dean James, Les Standiford, Toni L.P. Kelner, and Carolyn Haines), plus new authors (Alice Jackson, David Sheffield, Nathan Singer, Michael Lister, and Daniel Martine), and contains an introduction by Morgan Freeman. A portion of every book sold will go to Freeman’s Rock River Foundation, an organization that promotes literacy and provides grants to assist schools.

One thing I’ve found concerning recent changes to my health is that I MUST EAT when it’s time to eat or I get…cranky. Very cranky. So I was not amused to get home to find someone’s car blocking the drive into The Compound. A simple phone call and my problem would have vanished courtesy of the HPD’s choice of a tow truck. Instead, through some eel-like maneuvering, I was able to get my car inside the gate. Then I left this poster on the offending vehicle’s windshield: