Tag: fashion

LJ Runway Monday: Hard Wear (PR 7:7)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were asked to create an unconventional look using materials they could get from a trip to the hardware store. They also had to create an accessory to go with it. I went to Houston’s fantastic Southland Hardware. This is one of my favorite places–since it’s in a neighborhood full of old homes, we can always count on them to stock things for our eighty-year-old house–or know where we can get what we need.

Southland also provides little bags of popcorn free to their customers, and since Tim and his boss were with me for part of my shopping trip, I helped The Big H discover the delights of my favorite snack.

Then I picked up a few things:


Dry wall repair kit, skid-proof shelf liner, silver chain, furniture repair kit, paint cones.

I wasn’t too worried about coming up with a design. After all, I’ve used unconventional materials before, and Summer has always…

Oh, yeah. Summer. I heard from her and she said she’s so busy she’s barely keeping afloat these days. Translation:

Does anyone remember the second season of Charlie’s Angels? The first episode, when we find out Jill Munroe won’t be returning? Jill Munroe, who was played by the late Farrah Fawcett? The same Farrah Fawcett who was WRONGLY NOT INCLUDED in the tribute section of Sunday night’s Oscars?

But I digress. As the second season begins, although Jill will no longer be helping the other angels, she’s sent someone in her place: younger sister Kris Munroe, played by Cheryl Ladd.

No, Cheryl Ladd isn’t this week’s model. Ready to find out who is?

Then please click here.

LJ Runway Monday: A Little Bit of Fashion (PR 7:6)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were asked to create a look for children. My child model is a friend of Kelly, Barbie’s preschool-age sister, and is named, coincidentally, Becky.

Of course, as is usual with Project Runway, the day after getting their challenge, the designers were presented with a twist. They were also expected to create a companion piece for their models.

Models… No one who knows Summer thinks she wouldn’t be where the action is. Yep:


Vancouver! Before you start wondering why Summer’s with a different guy every week, I should tell you that this Olympic medalist is only a close friend.

Fortunately, the beautiful Gina was available to walk with little Becky down the runway. How do they look?

Please click here to see.

LJ Runway Monday: Run for Cover (PR 7:5)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were asked to create a look for a very special client: PR’s own Heidi Klum! Even better, Heidi would wear the winning design on the April cover of Marie Claire magazine.

When I heard about this wonderful opportunity, I knew exactly who I wanted to dress for the runway. So I was almost sad to hear from Summer. What if she wanted to be my model for this challenge? Turns out she was just e-mailing to say hello and send a photo that was taken as she was leaving for her Valentine’s Day weekend getaway.

So who would be wearing my design on the runway?

Please click here to see.

Good grief

I have been trying to post ALL day but keep getting distracted. I have the attention span of–squirrel!

There was an odd noise this morning somewhere in the bungalow. Tom said it sounded like a weird gurgling in the hot water heater. I thought it sounded like an armadillo doing calisthenics in the refrigerator. It’s possible it may have been the sound of life ending for some rats in the attic (Namaste, rats). But nobody’s going up there until Exterminator 2: Judgment Day plays here in a few days.

Poor Margot has a sick foot and had to go to the vet. Tim picked her up after her appointment and also brought The Big H for a visit.


A rat for me to play with?!?


I love rats!


Tasty, tasty rats.

The wienerbrats were MOSTLY good girls today. They picked up a few bad habits from whoever raised them, but I firmly believe that you CAN teach old dogs new behaviors, so I’m working on it. One thing they must stop doing is terrorizing Pixie. Just because she’s five times their size doesn’t mean she doesn’t get her feelings hurt when they conspire, then on a signal none of the rest of us sees, full-on charge her with ears flapping and gums yapping.

Some more shots behind the cut if you click here.

LJ Runway Monday: Design Your Heart Out (PR 7:4)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers had to create their looks in partnership with Campbell Soup’s campaign to raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women” movement. Their models this week were heart disease survivors, whose stories the designers found inspirational. The women would be wearing their dresses to a gala event to benefit heart health. The designs also became part of Campbell’s “AdDress Your Heart” campaign, which has enlisted top fashion designers for the last four years to create the red dresses that are now symbols of women’s heart health.

I was unable to find any of the Campbell Soup fabric that the designers were encouraged to incorporate into their designs, but I did use elements of Campbell Soup’s logo.

According to Summer’s agent, she was already booked for a photo shoot for another client. Translation:

No problem; I actually didn’t want Summer for this design. Instead, I chose Tanya as my model. Tanya is named for a woman who I still think of as my little sister. Although her primary health problem isn’t her heart, she has struggled with a life-threatening, chronic illness from a very young age. Her refusal to let health issues daunt her, along with her humor and common-sense approach to life, taught me lessons as a teenager that I still use every day. My design is a tribute to her and to all strong women who deal with health challenges.

And how does that design look? Please click here to see.

LJ Runway Monday: The Highs and Lows of Fashion (PR 7:3)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers went to the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the Charles Engelhard Court, they were given a chance to look at ten mannequins dressed in garments from the curatorial department of the Costume Institute, including looks from Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Madame Grès, Claire McCardell, Norman Norell, Pauline Trigère, and other American and European fashion icons.

The designers were then broken into teams and given the task of creating a high-end signature look that would be appropriate among the ten iconic designs. After they’d sketched, shopped, and started sewing, the designers were presented with a twist. They had to create a second look that cost less and would be accessible to a mass market. Furthermore, their second look had to be derivative of the high-end look of one of the competing teams–without copying or pirating the original design. For their signature look, they went to Mood to shop for fabric with $500. For their derivative look, they were given $50 and a second trip to Mood.

Since I can’t be part of a team and am not competing with other designers, I decided to take what I think is a high-end look in Timothy J. Lambert’s final collection from the first season of Live Journal’s Runway Monday. For both of this week’s designs, I tapped into my vast collection of fabrics. But was I up to the challenge? And would Summer be available to model either of my looks?

As some of you may recall, Summer isn’t just a model, she’s also a college journalism student. According to her agent, she can’t take any modeling assignments until she finishes a big school project.

Uh-huh. Translation:

Okay, Summer’s out. But am I in?

Please click here to see.

Hump Day Happy–Substitute Edition

Heidi Gunn here. Becks is busy finishing a project and getting her house back in order. Knowing that I’m often called upon to fill in for the ever-pregnant Heidi Klum, Becks asked if I could fill in for her. I agreed on the condition that I be allowed to wear something from her Edith Head Collection. So here I am! All you have to do is give me a page number between 1 and 611, and another number between 1 and 25, and I’ll give you something from the happiness book.

Also, while I have you–another designer, Meesh, is doing the Project Runway challenges with her beautiful model Merisel. You can see her “Back to New York” design here. As soon as she posts her design for “The Fashion Farm,” I’ll provide the link. Enjoy!

LJ Runway Monday: The Fashion Farm (PR 7:2)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were given the challenge of creating a party look from a burlap potato sack. They could use dyes, trims, and other embellishments, but the largest part of the design had to be from burlap. Since the models would be wearing the designs to an industry event, they were the designers’ clients for this challenge.

Summer’s agent once again had bad news for me. Summer had to rush to the bedside of her ailing, elderly aunt, so she couldn’t be my model this week.

Translation:

Fortunately, Ava, one of Mattel’s Birthstone Beauties who helped present my final collection last season, was available and willing to be my client. Could I prove true the old adage that a woman as beautiful as Ava would look good in a potato sack?

Click here if you’d like to see.

LJ Runway Monday: Back to New York (PR 7:1)

Boy, that was a fast break, and now Lifetime’s Project Runway has returned to New York for its seventh season. It was good to see Heidi and Tim again, and apparently Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are back to being permanent judges. This week’s theme was “Back to New York,” and Nicole Richie was the guest judge. You get to be MY guest judges, so feel free to add comments on any part of my design. The contestants–and I have no idea yet who they are; I always spend the first few episodes trying to sort them all out–were asked to create a look that provided their point of view.

Sadly, I was unable to book my model muse, Summer, for this challenge. Her agent says she’s ill. Visual translation from Agent Speak to Reality:

That’s okay. I’m sure we’ll be seeing Summer at some point this season, and my new friend Noelle was happy to work with me this week. Noelle was the model for Mattel’s 2008 Holiday Barbie, and she’s gorgeous.

I chose to go with one of my favorite dress styles with a few embellishments at the hemline and the collar. To mix things up a little, I decided to move away from the mod fabrics that I love and time travel to the 1980s.

How’d I do?

Please click here if you’d like to see.

Button Sunday


They’re baaaaack.

Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum (yes, pregnant again), Michael Kors, overlooked by Nina Garcia,
are back in New York and back on Lifetime for Project Runway Season 7.

You’ll be seeing a design from me sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. I have only one small part to finish of my first look for this spring’s LJ Runway Monday.

I LOVE my new sewing machine, but completing this challenge was not without its drama. My wonderful little rotary cutter that I got for Christmas has disappeared. I found a tiny piece of the blade, but I can’t find the rest of it. The blade is very, VERY sharp, so it seems that if Miss Pixie (the likeliest culprit) had been chewing on it, there’d have been some canine medical drama. I’ve looked under sofa cushions, under all the furniture, and inside and around the dog crates. I’ve swept all the rooms trying to find more pieces, but nada. The only thing I haven’t done is take the flashlight into the bedroom and look under the bed in Fort Emo–mainly because I don’t want to know what Margot’s been hiding under there, but also because it would probably wake up Tom.

I suppose I could break down crying like that very emotional chick on the season premiere of Project Runway.

Or not. See you on the runway!