Tag: fashion

Runway Monday All Stars: A Night at the Opera

On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway All Stars, the designers were asked to create a couture look for a night at the opera. When I think of opera and beautiful dresses, I think of Cher in one of my favorite movies, Moonstruck. So who better to model my opera fashion than Clawdeen Wolf? If she’s not inspired by the moon, no one is.


I chose a bold purple satin sprinkled with silver stars to evoke the night sky in Clawdeen’s dress.


I accessorized Clawdeen with silver-accented shoes and a silver lamé evening bag from Mattel.


The colors also compliment the purple strands in Clawdeen’s hair. Have wolf ears and fangs ever looked so adorable?


Clawdeen shows off a little leg as well as the dress’s flowing, ribbony sash in iridescent lavender.


Clawdeen is off to a howling good time at the opera. Hope we see her and you again on the runway!

Thanks to Lynne for the iridescent fabric and the runway fabric.

This season’s previous looks:
Week 1: Unconventional Challenge

Runway Monday All Stars: Unconventional Challenge

Lifetime’s Project Runway All Stars season kicked off last week with the unconventional materials challenge. Almost-winning and/or talented designers from previous seasons were sent to find materials from a 99 Cent store to be used in a look that played off a design from one of their (non-show) collections.

By popular demand–or at least Marika’s–I’ve agreed to play along once more, but this time with a twist.

To begin with, the look at left is one I created for Summer in February 2009: her red carpet Oscar gown. This remains one of my favorite looks for her. The silhouette is sleek, and the lace with its flesh-colored lining is sexy without being too revealing.

I wanted to use the color palette of metallic blues and grays and the floral motif in a younger look–perhaps something for a teen celebrity walking the red carpet at the premiere of an exciting movie. When I went discount store shopping, I found a hair accessory and some accent beads that I thought could provide a translation of Summer’s look.

To model my design: Monster High’s own Draculaura. How does she look?


Waving to the crowd like a red carpet champ.


I used the beads to embellish her hair accessory and as her earrings.


A newborn super model emerges from the petals of her dress.


Draculaura loves her rhinestone belt.


The entire outfit makes her want to jump with joy!


Or she can stride confidently in her Mattel Stardoll multi-buckled strap sandals.


Forget sparkly vampires and Gaga’s millions of little monsters. We look forward to seeing Draculaura again on the runway soon!

Thanks to Michael, Katie, and a young lady in Florida for making fashion fun for me again. And Lindsey and Rhonda for the Stardoll shoes.

Monster good Christmas

You know that old thing about how if a moth sneezes in Lampung, a hurricane blows a roof off a house in Tampa? Something like that, anyway. It’s true that you never know what all the cause-and-effect moments in your life will be.

Last Christmas, Lindsey mentioned that one of her young relatives received all of Mattel’s Monster High dolls, along with binders her family made including the dolls’ biographies. Most people know I’m not a fan of the Bratz dolls; I took a brief look at the Monster High dolls at Target, noted that their body and head sculpts were similar to Bratz, and thought no more about them.

Then one of my LJ friends told me how her granddaughter was intrigued by the fashions I was making for my Model Muses. After seeing them on my blog, this young lady decided to start sewing her own clothes for her Monster High dolls, and my friend linked me to some photos of her work. I love seeing kids get creative, and it was delightful to feel like I had a small part in that.

Because of her granddaughter, I took another look at the Monster High dolls and found myself being charmed by them. I saw a set of the Gloom Beach dolls in a store and was tempted to buy them. Then I thought: Why not put them on my Christmas list? It’s always kind of hard for me to tell people anything I want; I usually just wind up saying gift cards that I can use on the music, books, or art supplies that strike my fancy throughout the year. Maybe the Monster High dolls would be a little more fun for a gift giver.

My brother-in-law Michael drew my name, and he did get the dolls for me. His daughter saw them and loved one of the dolls in the set, which motivated her parents to embark on another shopping excursion. Because of two little girls she’ll never know, Abby now has her own Clawdeen Wolf. And nobody lost a roof.

Here are my Gloom Beach girls:


Frankie Stein, Ghoulia Yelps, Draculaura, Clawdeen Wolf, and Cleo de Nile. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll be sewing for them…but I’m guessing probably.

More hoochie mama

Here is the doll Marika said she would never buy me:

Here is the doll Marika said she would never buy me wearing an ensemble that came as part of the Stardoll fashion given to me by The Brides:

We’re not sure. Is this inspired by Gaga? Flava Flav? Hos ‘R Us? And what’s that hairpiece thing? Shriveled black bunny ears? Bow? Bat-tastic Rodent? Whatever, the boots are FAB.

Same deal as as with these dolls. Girl needs a name. Marika has provided a plethora to choose from, but she DIDN’T GIVE ME THIS DOLL. She was true to her word.

Runway Monday Finale, Part 2 (PR 9:14)

Draw near, the Tenth Muse is arriving to introduce my final collection for Lifetime’s Project Runway ninth season finale.

She’s Summer, the Muse of Fashion, and she’s here to welcome us to the court of the Fairy Queen.

As the minutes tick toward dusk and the magic of the forest night, she sees the Three Pixies approaching.

A few minutes later, the Two Sprites hurry toward the gathering place.

They await the arrival of the queen of their fairy ring.

Once they’ve all assembled, they begin to reveal the shimmering dresses designed for each of them especially for this night. All dress fabric except Laura Lee’s Dupioni silk and Summer’s synthetic blend is printed metallic georgette silk. The capes are velour and crushed velvet. Enjoy this magical night of fashion with Fairy Queen Marcella and her royal court.

The Pixie Thomasina:

The Pixie Laura Lee:

The Pixie Noelle:

The Sprite Dallas:

The Sprite Cari:

The Muse Summer:

The Fairy Queen Marcella:

Romancing the Stone:

Dancing in the Trees:

My final collection is inspired by pixie dust, Halloween, and a belief that magic is wherever we look for it. Thanks for sharing this season of Runway Monday with me. I hope you’ve enjoyed it.

Fabric for Summer’s dress is a gift from Lynne. All shoes are Mattel. Cari’s and Dallas’s necklaces designed by me. Crystals in Cari’s necklace a gift from Kathy S. Marcella’s crown modified by me from a Mattel crown. Photos were shot at Houston’s Glenwood Cemetery, most of them at the grave of my friend Tim R, who was an early champion of my creative energy, relished listening to tales of witches and vampires on tape by candlelight in his wonderful cottage, and would be delighted at providing me a quiet place to have some fun with dolls and fashion.

Previously this season:
9:13 Finale, Part 1
9:12 The Final Challenge
9:11 This Is For the Birds
9:10 Sew 70s
9:9 Image Is Everything
9:8 What Women Want
9:7 Can’t We All Just Get Along?
9:6 The Art of the Matter
9:5 Off to the Track
9:4 All About Nina
9:3 Go Big Or Go Home
9:2 My Pet Project
9:1 Come As You Are

Magnetic Poetry 365:300

I can’t believe I’m at poem 300. Only 65 more to go!

We’ve talked on here before about Victoria Holt books. It’s possible Bride of Pendorric was the first romantic suspense novel I ever read. My mother got it through her book club, and I’m not sure why she saved it through the decades when so many other books were rehomed, but she did. Her copy is now in my library. BUT–its dust jacket was long gone. Recently, Greg found a copy and sent it to me ’cause he knows it’s my favorite Victoria Holt novel. I’ve been reading it again before falling asleep each night–after watching Netflix episodes of The Vampire Diaries. Boy, are my dreams weird.

Thank you, Greg, for your thoughtful gift. As your reward, you get a sneak peek of something that’ll be part of my final collection. Mwa ha ha, just in time for Halloween.

Runway Monday: Finale, Part 1 (PR 9:13)

Oh, no. Did you visit here hoping for sneak peeks at my final collection for the season finale of Lifetime’s Project Runway? Until this past Saturday, even I had no idea what I’d be doing.

Then I made a shopping trip after input from Tim Gunn and my original Model Muse, Summer. Some rolls of High Fashion fabric inspired me.


Here are Tim and Summer in my workroom. You won’t see anything on that rack in my final collection. I don’t think. Tune in next week to find out.

Also, Tim and Heidi thought you might enjoy a final look at the twenty-four Model Muses who walked my looks on the runway this season. Beauties, every one, and I hope I gave them more fashion hits than misses.

See you next week on the runway!

That completely adorable 1:6 scale Mood bag and sample fabrics in the top photo are gifts of Mark G. Harris. Thank you, Mark!

Previously this season:
9:12 The Final Challenge
9:11 This Is For the Birds
9:10 Sew 70s
9:9 Image Is Everything
9:8 What Women Want
9:7 Can’t We All Just Get Along?
9:6 The Art of the Matter
9:5 Off to the Track
9:4 All About Nina
9:3 Go Big Or Go Home
9:2 My Pet Project
9:1 Come As You Are

Runway Monday: The Final Challenge (PR 9:12)

Oh, Project Runway, you couldn’t cut me some slack on the last regular episode? No. You had the designers create a mini collection. They were sent to Governors Island in NYC to get inspiration from the landscape, architecture, and the sculpture installation by Mark di Suvero. Then they had to create a range of designs for three models to walk the runway. (And not to be a total bitch, but Josh, the word is “artillery,” not “artillirary.” Just sayin’.)

The show failed to send a G6 to take me to Governors Island, so I went to the Houston studio space of Texas artist David Adickes to get another look at his tree sculptures. Here are some of the photos I shot there.

I then selected my models. In the order you’ll see them, I designed for Rusty, Maia, and Sharon, with casual, daytime formal, and evening formal looks. The solid fabrics for all three designs are of Dupioni silk, with a high-quality cotton fabric evocative of Adickes’ trees used for Rusty’s halter top, Maia’s belt, and Sharon’s bodice. Rusty’s beaded belt and Maia’s jewelry are my designs. Shoes are by Mattel. Enjoy!


Rusty, Sharon, and Maia in tangerine, strawberry, and coconut concoctions inspired by David Adickes.


I’m not sure if I’ll have another post before my final collection, but at some point soon, I’ll see you on the runway!

Previously this season:
9:11 This Is For the Birds
9:10 Sew 70s
9:9 Image Is Everything
9:8 What Women Want
9:7 Can’t We All Just Get Along?
9:6 The Art of the Matter
9:5 Off to the Track
9:4 All About Nina
9:3 Go Big Or Go Home
9:2 My Pet Project
9:1 Come As You Are

Runway Monday: This Is For The Birds (PR 9:11)

On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were given a L’Oreal challenge to create a high-fashion look inspired by exotic birds, possibly using a color palette from eye shadows and other cosmetics based on each bird. The birds included an Amazon parrot, owl, raven, and cockatoo.

Below, Tim Gunn and L’Oreal Paris makeup consultant Collier Strong with feathered friends.

Since the design teams drew three of the birds, I opted to take the unused bird: owl. Here’s the limited edition eye shadow for owl:

Although PR asked each designer for two looks, only one went down the runway, so I’m showing a single design.

The owl is a bird of prey; I knew Victoria had the fierce appearance perfect to model a design with the bird’s strength but also its soft feathers.


Victoria’s cocktail dress has a bodice with layers of rick rack in alternating colors and a skirt of black crinkled chiffon.


In keeping with the predator idea, I wanted the bodice to mimic a breastplate. Then I used pickups to give a fuller and more structured look to the soft chiffon of the skirt.
The pop of gold in the bodice is matched by Mattel’s gold earrings and shoes.


A closer look at the bodice, which I deliberately left with some small cut-outs for a sexier look. When Victoria sees what she wants, she’ll go after her prey.


Meanwhile, I’ll see you next time on the runway!

Previously this season:
9:10 Sew 70s
9:9 Image Is Everything
9:8 What Women Want
9:7 Can’t We All Just Get Along?
9:6 The Art of the Matter
9:5 Off to the Track
9:4 All About Nina
9:3 Go Big Or Go Home
9:2 My Pet Project
9:1 Come As You Are