Today's Schedule is Hit or Miss - I'm Hoping for More Hit than Miss

I found myself chasing my own tail with DH's website yesterday. Tasks I had easily accomplished on Wednesday just weren't working on Thursday. I'll set up again today and give it another go, but I also know I'll be interrupted today and have to run into the shop quickly, so my schedule is a mess anyway. 

My schedule for today is totally messed up, which 
isn't creating much joy for me right now. I need to 
be semi-available at quick notice to run to the 
shop, and it's hard to do Ogre Juice and bake 
some chicken thighs when I need to drop 
everything on a phone call. *sigh*

I have an out-of-town customer who used to live in our area and be a regular shopper. "B" moved to California, and is traveling through on business. She placed a "pick-up" order with us on Wednesday and Chickie and I worked on it yesterday, getting it put together and ready to go. It's a LOT of beads, and I know she'll be picking out others while she's in the shop. "B"'s still got her tax ID number on file with us, and she'll qualify for a quantity discount. She's hoping for an additional discount, but I'm not sure I can go that far. Chickie will call me when "B" arrives in the shop, and I'll put aside whatever I'm working on and head over to assist and to ring her out. We'll see where things go from there, but her main order is packed and ready to be sold. 

I'm pretty good with time management, but sometimes 
things just don't work out well. Not knowing when "B" 
will show up at the shop is really messing with my 
schedule today. 

One of our last customers of the day was obnoxious and I know stole a spool of thread from us, and there wasn't really anything I could do about it, although we certainly called her on it. The customer expressed an interest in seed beads, and seriously stripped our sample boards. We called a halt to the random sweep and gather after one bucket had been filled, and Chickie discussed needles and threads with her while I finished up with another customer, a sweet, elderly woman buying a few things to fix some jewelry she had broken. 

She didn't steal the big spools, but the small one "somehow" 
found it's way into the front pocket of her cut-off jeans. 
We could see it, the empty baggie was on the counter, 
and we called her on it, but she huffed and puffed and I 
wasn't in the mood to lock her in and call the cops on 
a $5 theft, so I let it ride ... this time. I know her now. 
This won't happen again. 

Although Chickie and I could quite clearly see the outline of the spool of thread in her cut-off's pocket, she claimed it was a roll of coins. We know it was BS, but it wasn't worth the effort. I'll remember her - if she hadn't made such a big fuss and mess, we would have caught her earlier. I didn't want to get into a fight for a spool of thread that costs less than $5, so I let it ride ... THIS time. *sigh* Most of our customers are fantastic people, but there are exceptions to that, unfortunately. 

My life would be easier if I didn't have to develop DH's 
website in between the other things on my plate, but I 
do. Yesterday I was cruising along, and it was going well, 
but I had to help a customer and what I was working on 
disappeared. I couldn't bring it back, and couldn't find 
the graphic I had been working on, so I called it quits for 
the day. I'll tackle it again today. *sigh*

Still, it was a good day, and I have hopes that my issues with the website design will be resolved today. I'll find out in a few hours. I have a lot to do, and running to the shop to help "B" is also going to cut into my day. What a mess. I have things I have to roast in the oven, and I don't dare start that until I'm finished with "B". I hope she comes in quite early - I'd like to get her out of the way so that I can actually accomplish what I need to today. On that note, I'm out of here. Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

An Internet Wormhole - So Easy To Jump Down Into Possibilities

Occasionally I can get sucked down an internet wormhole, just like most of us. Today I had a little extra time and a thought in my head about a possibility for this year's Holiday Card. I started searching Google for a pivoting connection point and before I know it I was sucked into shapes, color and Origami structures. 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could include something 
super kewl like this in my annual Holiday Card? Of 
course, I have absolutely NO talent for Origami. 

Now, I fully admit that being able to put an Origami piece into everyone's Holiday Card this year would be excellent, but I also know that of the many skills I do possess, Origami has never been high on that list. I've tried it on and off throughout the years, but it's not one of my talents. Which is a shame, because there are some super interesting things that can be done with folded paper. 

My mother was extremely crafty and talented in many 
different media, and so am I. But Origami was never a 
strong skill set for me. I tried it, of course, many times. 
But I can't even manage to successfully make one 
of these guys - the paper crane. Almost everyone can 
successfully make one of these - not me. Total FAIL. 

But I know my limitations. I'm also not sure if what I really loved as a concept to send to my friends and relations would actually fold flat enough for the cards, and be able to be reconstituted by the receiver at the end of the long trip across town or across the world. I might have to try a few experiments. I've certainly got paper, I'm quite sure I could experiment. But, it comes down to time, image, and whether or not it's really going to be worth it. 

Something like this in my cards would be super fun, but 
I'm already way down the wormhole. This is so far 
away from my original concept as to be in a different 
country. It's probably time to climb out of the 
internet wormhole and set my steps back on my 
original idea once again. I think that would at 
least be attainable and a reasonable time sink. 

Of course, that pulled me completely away from my original concept. I guess I'll have to research rivets and eyelets, because I think that's really much closer to what I'm looking at for the card's final twist this year. Of course, I have no idea if this brain tickle can lead to a finished project. But it's intriguing enough to jump down this rabbit hole for a bit and discover where it might lead me. It's April and I don't have to be working on the cards until June. 

The entire wormhole stated because I was 
looking up paper fasteners. I'm not sure if 
this type will be the look I want, but it's a 
possibility. More research and a test or two 
are needed before I can decide on components. 

So, I'm off to the pool for my final swim of the week. I hope you have a fantastic Thursday and that you move one step closer to making your dreams come true. I'll be thinking about construction techniques - maybe dreams can come true for all of us today. I'll be back tomorrow, in the meanwhile, Peace and Slava Ukraini. 

Dresses and Gowns and Dreams of Days Past - Sharing Fashion

Among the things I did yesterday was bring my dress form upstairs into my living room and photograph the six dresses I had from my mother's collection. She was a bit smaller than I am - 5 feet, 2 inches to my current 5'4". I set the dials to my current measurements to see if the dresses would be wearable (although I think I'll actually sell them as "Vintage Handmade Clothing" on Etsy instead of keeping them). I promised I would share, so here's a heavy photo blog for you on this very cold day. 

Starting with a plain, black sheath cocktail dress. 
I rather like this one - not very ornamental, but 
very functional and looking quite comfortable. 

A detail look at the bodice allows you to see the 
lace panels and the plain satin or silk (I think it's 
satin). It would be a lovely dress when worn. 

The green lace cocktail dress with sequins and 
beadwork at the bodice and on the attached 
scarf is a bit more elaborate. That's not a sleeve 
on the left, that's the bottom of the very long 
attached scarf that I wrapped around the neck and 
finally allowed to drape down. 

When this was first made, it must have sparkled 
brilliantly. The dull white sparkles are actually 
a clear, silver-lined bead. Like all S/L beads, it 
tarnishes over time and becomes more dull. 
It's a lovely dress, though and also has a separate 
shawl of the green lace. Prepared for any 
occasion with this gown. 

This cocktail dress is my favorite gown. 
It's a light colored satin completely 
covered by lace and the top then has 
velvet embellishments all around it. It's 
a stunning dress. 

Looking closer, you can see the leaf structure she 
designed for the bodice. Four leaves in the front, and 
another four leaves in the back. I'm looking forward 
to seeing how well this dress cleans up. 

The blue split front dress has a lightweight 
underskirt which is WAY too small for me. The 
dress itself, however, would fit fine. Since the 
underskirt joins in the back and would be 
totally invisible at that point, the waistband 
could be extended with bias tape to make the 
ensemble wearable by my size. Again, this 
is a cocktail length dress. 

The bodice on this gown has a small top split 
to mirror the larger bottom split. It's really well 
designed and well made. I think it will be 
stunning on the right person - someone who 
adores vintage clothing. 

This is the only dress in the collection that 
I've actually worn. This one doesn't have a 
zipper, instead it buttons completely up the 
front with fabric-covered buttons. I'm missing 
one button, which might be a problem, but 
there might be enough of a seam allowance 
in the interior to spare fabric for a replacement. 

Looking at the detail, you can see how it fastens. 
There is actually a zig/zag row of formed fabric 
extending from the bodice at the right, and 
attaching to each individual button on the left. 
This is a style of button and fastening that my 
Mom used on a lot of different outfits. It's a 
classy way to have a "button hole" since it's 
not a hole, but another design effect. 

This dress is a true gown, extending to ankle 
length. Perfect for the opera or theatre. It 
features a dropped shoulder and gentle 
V-neck on a three-tiered skirt. Lots of lace 
on this. I could easily see Mom in the 
audience watching La Boheme wearing 
this dress and holding on to her opera 
glasses. 

A closer look at the bodice and you can see it is 
all tulle and lacework. The top dropped sleep 
portion needs a bit of repair, but it's actually 
in pretty good shape. 

Taking a closer look at the bottom, you can see 
where there is some mildew at the lowest tier, 
and obviously there are a LOT of wrinkles, but 
this might be absolutely stunning after a proper 
press and clean. 

Apparently there is one more dress that DH set aside that has a lot of pearls and beads. I'll make him chase that up and add it to the collection when he does. I'll have to do a bit of research on vintage gowns. I suspect these are all from the 1950's - I'm pretty darned sure Mom didn't run away from Hitler to shelter in Britain with a suitcase of clothes of this vintage. When Mom moved to Denver, she and my aunt Vera set up a dress-makers business and were quite successful. Eventually they closed their doors and went into separate careers - Mom to teach piano and do custom sewing, Tante Vera to teach dance. 

So, it's darned cold outside and I have to get to the pool. I hope you enjoyed this small fashion show of dresses my Mom left for me. I'll get these cleaned up, research the pricing for vintage clothing, and get them up on Etsy. The gowns, although they fit me, won't really do me any good these days. I'm more of a jeans and a t-shirt kind of gal - LOL. Have an excellent day and I'll be back tomorrow (provided I don't freeze into a block of ice!). 

It's Post 3500! Where Has The Time Gone?

I truly have no idea when I first posted in my blog. I tried to look it up, but didn't really feel like spending what seemed like forever moving down listings of previously published content. Blogger keeps track of number of posts, however, so I know that today is rather momentous - Post Number 3500! 

Today is the 3500th post in my blog, so I'm celebrating 
with all of you. I write my blog six days a week most 
weeks, approximately 300 posts in an average year. That 
means I've been posting for almost twelve years now. 
I guess I can call this a habit. 

If you're astonished that I could find so much to blab on about for such a long time ... I am too. I never really thought I would start this and allow it to become a habit, but it's actually a good one for me. It allows me to clear my mind, organize my thoughts, and touch base with people. I suppose if I don't post for a few days and I haven't announced a vacation or other reason beforehand, the police should be called. LOL

The small wall at the upper right side is a new 
addition DH made on Saturday. Fortunately his 
saw made the two cuts he needed before it died. 
*sigh* It's another part of our never-ending 
fight with water and drainage and will help keep 
moisture away from our house foundations. 

DH and I worked on the woodshed for most of yesterday. He had hoped to get the roof put onto it, but we didn't get quite that far. Still, we got the rafters cut properly and affixed, and the fascia attached, front and back. I took photos and I'll share them a bit later in the week. We have the shed all wrapped up again now, and he said he'll start work on the second unit on Tuesday, weather permitting. He's never made something with a roof before, so it's a learning experience for him. 

On the lower yard, he extended the water 
system we already had worked on earlier this 
summer, pulling it across the yard and towards 
the creek. We're not sure we like this, and it 
may not have to be this extensive. We'll 
re-evaluate this and might pull it back out 
to where the final curve begins on the left. 

On Saturday, since it was supposed to be a rainy day (which barely happened), he concentrated on a small upper wall improvement and an extension to the drainage ditch that we may pull back out again. Or not. Crossing the extension is a PITA and he needs to bring wheelbarrows across regularly, so unless he builds a bridge (also on his "maybe" list), we'll probably pull the extension back out and replace the soil. 

On that note, I'm off to find pictures for this and then eat breakfast and leave for work. Have an excellent Monday and enjoy your day. Be kind, be safe, and please wear a mask. 

Building, Cleaning and Preparing - Life In Flux

DH spent all of yesterday working hard on constructing additional top units for my secondary craft unit. He didn't finish up until almost 7:00 pm and hadn't taken a break since around 10:00 am - a very busy day in the garage/workshop. Here's an in-progress shot of what he's been building for me. 

The lower units have been mine for years now, but
the upper units are what he's busy building for me now.
They will hold magazines and books, mainly, and I
love how our Mexican pots fit at the the top. 

The bottom base units are old - I keep my bins of supplies in there - art supplies, stamping materials, pastels, etc. He's been building the top units for storage of my crafting books and magazines as well as additional bins of materials. Yes - I have a LOT of stuff - probably too much. But it's coming together really nicely! 

Continuing to the right, he's making the superstructure above
the credenza and that right-hand storage unit also. The goal
is to give me two solid workstations along with storage for
materials I have been keeping at the shop for 25+ years. 

I'm still trying to work out the logistics of adding some swimming time to my daily workout. Of course, since the indoor pool will be closed for three weeks of retiling work beginning on Monday, that may be a moot point. I'm not sure I want to swim outdoors - it's been a cool summer and the early morning temps are a bit cool for running to the outdoor pool. I may hold off on making swimming a part of my exercise regime again for a week or two more while I figure out how I can do both floor exercises and water exercises and not be late on my morning schedule. 

I'm progressing on Sharon's room, although it's still in a total mess. The
boxes at the far wall are mostly going to stay for the time being, but
I can actually see the carpet! I'm in process of moving books from
the bookcase on the left to two bookcases on the right, as I clear
away books to be sold to Half-Priced Books. 

So today I'll be fast-walking again. I do have an 8:30 am appointment with my physician to discuss my osteoporosis and her review of options/recommendations. I've already discussed this with my physical therapist, and we're addressing it, but my doctor wanted me to see her, and today is the day. 

So, everyone have a wonderful Friday. It's the end of the work week (for most people), and summer is swinging down into it's final stages. The State Fair is already gearing up and cleaning up, ready for the two-million+ people who will descend upon the fairgrounds starting on August 22nd - just a few short weeks. Summer is moving by so fast! I'll be back tomorrow! 

Too Busy To Think Today

Today is going to be a VERY busy day. I have a large shopping bag of paperwork that I'm taking to the shop for a final sort and to put into folders. When I get home, I'm picking up DH and we're off to see the accountant about our personal taxes, then I'll get back home and have just enough time to grab a quick bite before diving into Project Runway. 

I'm usually OK with schedules, but today's is a bit
cramped, even for me. 

Adding to all of that, I took it into my head to design a T-shirt for a Facebook group I belong to. I started it last night, and it should have been easy, but Photoshop was being a bear and couldn't reverse my coloring on the main design element. I'm hoping I don't have to hand-draw it. It should be simple. It's turning into a serious difficulty. Argh! 

It should be really easy to switch the image from B/W to
W/B in Photoshop. It was thwarting me at every
turn last night. GROWL. (No, this is NOT the image
I'm using.) 

We're down to the final six on Project Runway All-Stars, so I'm really looking forward to the episodes from this point forward. We're pretty much gotten rid of the dust and what remains are designers who really know how to design and construct. 

I listen to audio books while I'm swimming. I always listen to
books that I actually can also read - sometimes I need to
look something up and I enjoy reading them too. I've had
an Audible account since 2002, so I have LOTS of books. 

So, I think I need to quiet my mind. I'm really looking forward to my swim today. I'm down to the final three chapters (plus an Epilogue) in my current audio book, so that might end while I'm finishing my mile today. Then I'll have to figure out which book to start tomorrow. It's a wonderful dilemma to have - LOL. Enjoy your Thursday, and if all goes well, I'll be back with a Project Runway workshop summary tomorrow and the reveal on Saturday. 

Project Runway Fashion - SPOILERS

To recap, the designers were challenged to use only color by world famous designer Isaac Mizrahi, who assigned specific colors to each designer. I was rather amazed by how difficult many of the group found working with color. For me, color is intrinsic in my life - I embrace it and I adore it. Here, it was like pulling teeth to get the workshop group away from the white/black spectrum and deal with the rainbow. Such silly people. Well ... I have pictures, so let's review the best and worst of Episode 8 in alphabetic order of designer. 

Anthony's color was lavender, but his dress
sure looks like a lot of yellow to me. It was
an interesting design, but there were some
serious design flaws. 

Purple and yellow are classic color combinations, so pairing yellow with lavender certainly worked. One of the judges did comment that the lavender was so pale that it almost came across as grey. I would have liked more color pop for the striping too. The design, that one-shoulder drop with a wrap-around look, was nice, but construction issues caused gaps and puckers. Great idea, poor execution. 

Edmond's color was orange and he paired it
with red. The fabrics were silky and flowed
beautifully, but the design was too simple. 

Edmond actually got to use some color - his assigned color was orange. Everybody liked the dress, but it was the simplicity of it that the judges panned. It's Project Runway - the designers are supposed to do something easier than a one-hour nightgown. Georgina called it a "simple throwaway" and Isaac called it a "pajama party". Edmond handled the color beautifully, but it was a poor design choice. 

Helen is still my dark girl, even though she was
assigned purple this week. Eggplant is purple, but
it does have a lot of black in the color. 

Helen is continuing to show strong designs. Since she couldn't use black, and her assigned color was purple, she tried to find the darkest purple she could. The blue really helped this design, and with a brighter purple instead of the eggplant, she might have had higher scores. As it was, her hi/low pant with draping half-skirt was really interesting and walked the Runway well. 

Ken was having all kinds of problems with
his dress. He didn't even add his second
color until just before the Runway. 

Ken's assigned color was red, and he chose a rather insipid pink for his accent. I would have liked more of a pop of color here, but at least it saved the basic dress from being too short. The judges liked the "flattering" design, but the zipper in the back was a mess. If he had used a hidden zipper or a zipper placket, he might have won with this design, but the zipper was the negative mentioned by all of the judges. 

Merline wanted to work with triangles this week,
and was delighted that she had something walking
the runway that was so different from everyone
else's designs. Yeah, okay there, Merline. 

Merline never has an idea when she starts. She folds fabric and tries to figure out where it should go based on the geometry. Her assigned color was blue, and Isaac liked the shade she chose, but not the yellow that she chose to go with it. Georgiana told her that she needed to get a better grasp on fabrics and how they would work in her designs, and Alyssa suggested that she make a collection based on Origami. Ouch! 

Stanley actually constructed a short tied bustle
for the skirt, to encourage the flair at the
model's hips. It worked pretty well and is a
fashion item that was used in Elizabethan
times with equal success. 

Stanley's model was a stick - way too thin. I would be interested to see how this design would translate into the real world, because I really enjoyed the asymmetry of the dropped and folded turquoise top. If you look carefully at the waistline of the skirt, you can see that he made pocket gathers instead of darts, which allowed for immediate fullness of what would have otherwise been a boring and quite normal pencil skirt. I loved the color pairing of turquoise and coral too. It's a classic color combination. 


So there you have it - the six colorful designs influenced by Isaac Mizrahi and directed by him into specific colorways. Oh - and I almost forgot. The winner of this week's challenge would get an unprecedented opportunity - designing a capsule collection with Isaac Mizrahi that would be sold at Lord + Taylor. That prize was HUGE! Now ... on to the winner and loser for the week. Can you guess who won and who was sent packing? 

The winner, for the second week in a row ... Stanley! He's certainly on a roll. 

The loser, and about time ... Merline. The one-trick pony has now left the room. 

That leaves a single female in a room of males, but Helen is fierce and an excellent designer. I hope she'll make it through the next few weeks and into the finals. 

One of the cutest interactions in last night's premier episode of
MasterChef Junior was this conversation between Gordon
Ramsey and eight-year-old Trent, one of the youngest
competitors to make it to the try-outs (also, one of the
shortest - LOL). 

MasterChef Junior started last night, so I was glued to the TV watching the 40 contestants get paired down to 24 - 12 girls and 12 boys. There seem to be a lot of very talented cooks among them, so it should be a great season. Also, the Academy Awards are on Sunday. I could care less about the awards, but I'll take a quick look through the Red Carpet photos on Monday morning and see if it's worth making a fashion post. 

Have a great weekend, everyone. If you're getting hit by the snow, be safe, be careful, and stay warm. 

Project Runway - Sleep Wear Challenge - Results

Here's your warning - SPOILERS AHEAD! If you don't want to see the winning and losing looks, skip today's post completely and have a wonderful weekend. BUT, if you want to see the highs and lows of Episode 4, Season 16, read onward ...

This week's B-list celebrity was Demi Lovato. At least I've heard of her, so maybe she's more of a B+ or A- celebrity. Heidi seemed focused on sex, sex, sex. Her constant critique was that the sleep wear fashions weren't sexy enough. I guess the term "sleep wear" is a misnomer - it should actually be active wear for the bedroom since I guess it's supposed to tease and entice. Now, to be clear, my mother owned a few peignoir sets, but she was a typical 1950's housewife. I think they were in the definition of "expected" for a housewife of that time period. I'm not so sure that this type of expensive, sexy sleep wear is au courant. So ... on with the Runway.

This was quite pretty, and the decoration wasn't overboard.
Michael was inspired by the art deco of both the Empire
State Building and the Chrysler Building and it cane
through clearly in his design. His model looked comfortable
and the silk draped his model's figure in all the
right places. 

First was Michael with a pale lilac silk gown featuring silvery strategic decorations. I really liked this design, the straps in the back criss-crossed. Very art deco. What I didn't like was the center upward-facing point. It's a weakness in the designand if the nightgown tears, that's where it will rip. I would have preferred that sharp tip to be folded under, presenting a shorter, straight, neckline with a stronger geometry. Still, it was a very pretty design, and one that the judges enjoyed also.

The fabric painting and design of the image was beautiful,
but the actual fashion was a disaster. It was a very
elegant, very poorly designed and made set of overalls.
I'll stick with my denim sets, thank you. 

Aaron had been Heidi's darling in the workshop critiques. She loved what he was doing with his fabric, the design he made was a stunning nod to the classic art deco bronze heating vent cover that he found in the Empire State Building. I loved the pattern he was making, as well as his choice of color - it looked luxe in the workshop. But his end design left me totally cold. He put his model into a glorified set of overalls - a pair of shorts with an attached front panel. He wasn't happy that his fabric paint lost the drape of his fabric, I just wasn't happy with his design. And really, Aaron. It's the fashions and the models who are the stars on this Runway. Take off your translucent pants, put them into your closet, and NEVER put them on again - EVER!

Shawn, where the hell have you been hiding? Finally
gaining some confidence, Shawn found herself in the
top three instead of in the basement. The gentle,
lovely motif on the spaghetti-strapped soft top, was
mirrored by the motif at the ends of the belt. The
pants were left unadorned. It was simple, elegant, and
caught me completely by surprise. 

Shawn surprised me this week. She was still obnoxious, and is still relying on far too much help from her twin, Claire. But she designed, constructed and painted a truly lovely jumpsuit that would make an elegant daywear piece as much as a piece of sleep wear. Putting the decorative design on the top and down the belt allowed the entire piece to have an elevation of style that I haven't seen from her up to this point.

Deyonte had one of the larger models, and it was quite
apparent that he had no idea of how to design a custom
decorated fabric, or how to emphasize her curves in
a beautiful manner. That elastic waste in the fabric tunnel
was a cheap shot and certainly didn't demonstrate
excellent construction techniques. 

Deyonte added color to his silk after Heidi's workshop critique, but even adding teal couldn't save a poor design. He created a basic pull-on silk skirt with elastic inside a cased waist, and a long sleeveless top that could be tucked into the skirt or pulled out to fall to mid-thigh. His hand might still have been hurting him from his episode of a plunging sewing machine needle through his finger on Episode 3, but even though they dove right into Episode 4 after putting Episode 3 to bed (yes, that's a pun sneaking in there), I've done the same thing and it didn't cripple me. It hurts, for sure, but you get over it. With focus, the loss of one finger still leaves you with seven other fingers and two thumbs. My sympathy extended through Episode 3, but didn't stretch to Episode 4.

Kentaro had Liris as his model and she gave him some
styling and designing guidance that served him well. Instead
of hiding her figure below something shapeless, he
celebrated her curves with the removable belt, and
painted one of the better designs on the skirt bottom.
Very sassy and lightweight, it was a sweet outfit. 

Kentaro had been given a very hard time in Episode 3, with Heidi's critique focused on "black on black on black, and oh yes, more black". After Episode 3, he swore that he would use color and prove that he could. But his workshop critique was still scathing. After much uncertainty and lots of complaining and cringing every time his painted design was a little bit fuzzy, he pushed his OCD personality aside and created a really lovely painted image and a well constructed sleep wear piece. With the removable belt, he allowed Liris, the largest model at size 22, to look curvaceous and beautiful. Kentaro's piece was a total win/win in my eyes.

Kenya tried, she really did, but she failed totally. Underneath
this poorly-constructed wrap robe was a little
romper that just didn't look comfortable for
sleep wear. I love her as a designer, but this one
was a poor decision in every respect. 

Finally, we have Kenya - one of my favorite designers. This was not Kenya's week. She had lots of problems working with the silken fabric. She's a designer who constructs with structure and builds layer upon layer. She fell flat this week. The judges tried to be kind, but it was a bit of a train wreck in basic beige.

So - have you guessed who won and who lost? Here are the results.

Michael won with that lovely lilac and silver art deco design. I think I would have preferred Kintaro's design for sleep wear, and I would have taken Shawn's design for day wear. But I couldn't argue with the judges on this one. Michael's design was lovely and beautifully made and is currently available for sale on HeidiKlumIntimates dot com. (Project Runway Deco Doll)

The loser, and going home to his wife and newborn son, was Deyonte. Two poor designs in a row damned him to pack up his things and leave the workshop. I couldn't argue with this decision at all.

Here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend and I'll be back on Monday. I'm already looking forward to the outdoor pool today, even though I'll turn into a very cold critter running to the pool from the warm building. Our morning temps are now in the low 50's F and I'm a cold weather wuss.

Looking At Taillights For the Year

I'm so very ready for this year to be over. It's been a pisser of a year - we've lost so many people, famous or personal friends. It's a year I will be happy to put behind me as we accelerate into 2017. My time for posting today is quite limited, so I'm reaching into my magic hat of irrelevance and choosing: taillights as my subject because they are interesting and rather fun.

This Corvette has dual eyes above a frown. With the small nose
between the eyes (the Corvette logo), it has a true face-like look. 

When you drive, you are looking at the traffic ahead of you and oncoming traffic all the time. Keeping alert to changing conditions and your own position within the flow allows safe passage for all. I've always loved looking at the headlights and taillights of the cars around me. It's these little pieces of colored or clear glass and their shapes that bring a semblance of life to each car.

I love the triple tree lights of the 1950's vintage Ford Fairlane cars. This
light design wasn't made for many years. It's stunning at night. 

Look at the Ford Fairlane above. With its triple-bank of lights moving up the sides of those fins, this is a car who makes a statement on the road. Add the horizontal chrome base below and it's rather like a rocket ship waiting to take off. Really cool!

Here is a 1959 Ford Fairlane. Look at how different the lights were
treated in this later model. Things are more streamlined and the
lights are set so and much larger so that they show more drama. 

Here's a 1959 Ford Fairlane. By this time they were texturing the exterior ring of the light's setting, allowing a greater reflection of the colored light, they also were beginning to play with the actual light cover and here it was domed into a rounded point instead of flat. The designers replaced the chrome platform with angles and small side-curled fins to bring interest to the car. Interest equaled attention and attention cut down on accidents.

Look at these curves. Instead of the car's framework providing
the visual interest, the attention point is switching over to the
variety of LED and specialty bulbs used for the taillights. I'm
loving this new look. 

Today's modern LED lights have freed designers from incandescent light bulbs and allowed swoops and curves within the light array itself. Both headlights and taillights are becoming more interesting now. Take a look at the Toyota Camray above. This type of taillight design would have been impossible even ten years ago.

So as I begin to wrap up 2016, I'm happily waving goodbye to a year that was really crummy in so many, many ways. I'm looking for the headlights of 2017 to appear in my line of sight. Here's hoping your Thursday is excellent and that we won't have any more newsworthy deaths for the remainder of the year. At the rate we're going, however, I'm not holding my breath.