Ashley Wins Project Runway!

This was Ashley's season.  You always knew it.  Kelly popped out of the wood work and won the last four challenges and then lost it all with her wood grain print fabric.  But you always knew that Ashley was going to win.

I didn't think that any of the finale shows were outstanding.  Edmond choked.  NYFW is a time to take a risk, but not to lose who you are, and Edmond is sexy, form-fitting dresses.  His best pieces for his collection weren't the form fitting ones.  Edmond OUT.

Candice and Kelly gave Ashley a run for her money, but utimately Ashley had the most cohesive collection.  Her inspiration was the most inspiring.  Her risk with the floral headpieces was totally girly and totally her.

Sometimes I wonder if the judges asked, "Why should you win Project Runway?" at the beginning of the season, then we would know the winner in advance.  Designers like Ashley with her niche in plus size designing, Mondo with his prints (okay he didn't win his season, but he won the All Stars following), Christian Siriano with his volume, and Leanne Marshall with her sustainable fabrics, all knew what they stood for at the beginning of the season and how their work was going to be viable in the real world.  And then they won.

I am sure that we'll see more from Kelly Dempsey.  I am a little worried that Ashley Nell Tipton won't keep pushing herself unless she gets a lot of validation in the coming years.  But I'm glad she won.  She earned it.

Season 14 OUT.

Project Runway Finale, Part 1 - Season 14 Dunzo!

Of course they would let Edmond back in.  Of course.  Because they led him on with auditions for thirteen years and finally let him on.  And then even though he's not good enough to win, they still let him go to NYFW.  I'll admit that I do want to see his line, but after seeing the hints shown in Part 1 of the finale, I see that I was right - he just doesn't have what it takes.  I love you, Edmond, and you're a great designer, but winning Project Runway is just not your destiny.

Candace is totally failing me.  I have no idea where her rocking hourglass shaped dresses went.  I really don't like her red and black line, and even though she's slightly improving the looks making the red into black, I think she just got lost en route to designing the biggest show of her life.  I really like what she's designing with wood, though.  She and Kelly should have worked with the 3D printer thing.

Kelly's runway show is going to be so hideous it just might work.  Does anyone want to wear wood-grain fabric?  Especially when it's skin tight and paired with a fanny pack?  Does Kelly even understand what a runway show's supposed to look like?  I always knew that if she made it to the end, she'd be 50-50 for hideous or so-hideous-it-works clothes.  The jury's still out on this one.  Did I mention that I like the shoes she's got going?  They're on the edge of stripper and utilitarian, and they kinda work.

Speaking of accessories...Ashley Nell Tipton.  I ADORE her inspiration.  I really felt like she was on the right track.  Fifties Mexico City inspires girly looks with a lot of detail, and she totally nailed it with some of the things she's doing with sequins.  The floral headpieces are pretty good for what they are, but she went a little too girly - floral headpieces just aren't a great thing.  Period.  And if you're going to do a plus sized show, make your clothing fit the ladies!  I think she'll pull it together for NYFW, but it was a really bad idea to put a model in an ill-fitting garment to show the judges.  I loved how that purple dress just worked for her model, making her legs look super sexy.

It's between Kelly and Ashley...finale coming up this Thursday!!!!

Project Runway 3D and L.A. Red Carpet FINALLY

I am still really bummed about Swapnil going home.  Now that Tim didn't use his save on Swapnil, I assume that he won't use it at all.

The 3D design challenge was really cool, and I've been wondering when they would finally use 3D printers.  The winner was the person who used the printers best.  I think most of the designers didn't really have a fair concept of what the printers are capable of, so they didn't know what to design.  Yet Candace knocked it out of the park with multiple raised diamond designs.  Merline and Ashley struggled with the looks the most, and Merline made really basic mountains with the printers while Ashley made bridge-inspired arcs.  They were blah.  But Merline paired her shapes with boring fabric and didn't make an avant-garde look at all.  Merline went home - FINALLY!

For the next challenge, the designers are sent to L.A.  It's the last challenge to qualify for Fashion Week, and the designers have to make a red carpet design.   Everyone is freaking out because they don't want to mess up.

Edmond stares at this pretty sequined fabric he bought for hours.  Ashley goes too over the top with crazy sequins.  Kelly is, well, Kelly and goes with a jumpsuit that she dreams of Katy Perry wearing.  And Candace reins herself in and goes modest with a look.  Or is she playing it safe?

Finally, back in New York, the designers face the judges.  They are asked why they should go to Fashion Week and which two designers should come with.  Everyone agrees that Kelly should go.  She wins the challenge.  Candace gets away with her safe look, and she's going to Fashion Week, too.

SPOILER: the judges cut Edmond.  I am gonna say it again: FINALLY!!  Edmond is of Kelly's level of taste, but he hasn't progressed on the show like she has.  The judges hated to do it because they would like to see his runway show, and I agree.  But I also agree that they had to be fair, and this week his look was the worst.  He's out!

So it's our chance to see Ashley Nell Tipton's Plus Size Show at New York Fashion Week.  Good luck to her and Kelly and Candace!

Project Runway - Crew's All In S14 Ep10

Who is even left on Project Runway?  We've got the quintessential panderer, Edmond.  The trailer-park-goes-glam chick, Kelly.  The crazy, pretending to be architectural, Merline.  Sassy Swapnil.  Purple Queen Frostine Ashley Nell Tipton.  Femme fatale Candace Cuoco.  And that's it!  We're definitely down to only the good people (minus Merline and Edmond of course!  Whoops!  Did I say that?).

It's finally the Real Woman challenge, and Ashley's chance to shine.  This year's ladies are the PR crew.  After the fiasco of trying to get normal people to agree to a makeover last season, the producers decided to force their employees to participate.  And the ladies didn't even get to pick their designer.  Ashleigh is a cute blonde wearing overalls, and her designer Kelly starts to make her some fancier "work" overalls.  Done.  Easy.

Merline and Swapnil have to work on day-to-night looks.  Not easy.  Katie hates Merline's standard shoulder pad look, and Merline has to go back to the drawing board.  But her model is ready to do a full makeover, including a half-shaved head.  Merline's in the clear.

Tim calls Candace's look for Monique "oatmeal" and "H&M."  So Candace ends up going lady of the night rather than bland.  Is she taking a trashy page out of Kelly's book?

Ashley works with a petite plus who is adorable.  She picks an ugly pink and purple textile, and then continues to butcher her model's body.  Where is the Ashley we all know and love?  She doesn't even have a crying moment this week until the runway...producers must be losing their minds!!!

Edmond struggles with making his look runway and real.  Tim is kinda mean about it.  But then Tim goes to Swapnil and cusses at him for not trying hard enough.  The model says she "doesn't love it."  She doesn't give any other pointers.  Tim says these looks are supposed to be marriages, but if Swapnil and Jennifer are married, she's giving him the silent treatment.  And Tim's angry outburst (that matches his skin lately) didn't help.

SPOILER: Swapnil goes home. And I don't love him.  I know he has been bad for a couple of weeks, but I REALLY, REALLY wanted to see his designs for Fashion Week.  I was hoping that Tim might feel bad for cussing at Swapnil and use his Tim Gunn save.  I mean, we know if the judges had sent Ashley home this week for choking on her challenge, Tim would have saved her.  But since they didn't because this is Ashley's season, I wished Tim would save Swapnil.  Now all we have to look forward to is Merline's elimination!   Kudos to Swapnil for never saying anything mean about his model or Tim.  We'll miss ya, man!

Book Review: Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick

Do you ever start reading a book because you just know you're going to love it?  And then you don't love it?

I am trying so hard to love Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick.  I really liked her Mother-Daughter Book Club series, so I hoped this would be a classic, too.  I read the first 20 pages and almost nothing happened.  Then I got to 50 pages and thought something had to happen soon.  And now I'm at 100 pages.  A hint of something happening in the next 50 pages has kept me reading,  but honestly I don't know why I don't give up already.  

Truly is boring.  She is military so she moves a lot and goes into "stealth mode" to avoid always being the new kid.  Blah blah blah.  SO overdone!  Her parents are hurting for money.  Frederick did that in Pies and Prejudice.  She truly (sorry, I had to do that somewhere in this post) loves birds.  Really?  I can't even.  She is so darn boring.

I swear, if the plot doesn't pick up ASAP, I won't ever read another book by Heather Vogel Frederick.  Get to the point already!!




REVISITED:  I skimmed to the end.  It was okay.  But not great.  I should have trusted my gut and put this book down at 20 pages.  The 20-page test works!

Project Runway - Make it Sell

Candace won last week's challenge, and she has all the power this week.  The designers do a commercial challenge for Just Fab, and Candace gets to assign categories to all the designers.  She takes Trendsetter and gives Kelly the same category.  She assigns Ashley Girl Next Door, Laurie Modern Classic, and Merline Femme Noveau (which everyone agrees will be a stretch).  Swapnil and Edmund get Bombshell, and Edmund complains that Candace just doesn't get his style.  What category did he want?!?  I thought she chose very fairly.

At Mood, Edmund picks a hideous fabric and Kelly decides to make a faux fur vest.  Bad choices all around.  Ashley calls out Merline for still being there - "she's all over the place."

Tim gives everyone the advice that even though it's a commercial challenge, it still has to look unique and represent the designer (Read: Swapnil and Laurie need to pull it together).  Kelly admits that she didn't know how she would do on Project Runway "because of design aesthetic."  She calls herself out there.  Tim calls her exuberant.  I call it trashy.  Yes, Kelly, I do get it...it's just retro 80's from Goodwill.

In the workroom, Tim tells everyone that there's another component to the challenge.  Designers get to make a tag/logo to put in the outfit and wear on a t-shirt at the runway show.  Sorry, guys, if you haven't already thought about this, you aren't serious about having your own brand.  Luckily, most of them had, so this wasn't much of an added burden.  But did anyone else notice that Candace's logo is sorta phallic?

Laurie, Edmond, and Swapnil have to change up their looks after they see them on the model.  And then Edmond "designs" his label, which is his dad's name in basic block text.  Apparently the logo wasn't actually part of the challenge at all...because SPOILER: he wins.  I don't get it.  I don't get it at all.  Yes, his design was probably the most commercial, so I guess I'll let him have this one.  But really, judges, REALLY?  They say his red dress will look good on everyone, but it has no structure and therefore it will show everyone's flaws.  I thought Ashley should have won for her spunky outfit with a gold faux leather jacket and crop and skirt, but I guess three pieces didn't fit the Just Fab manufacturing process.

Swapnil tries again this week, and just doesn't do so well when he puts that kind of pressure on himself.  Makes me worried about him for Fashion Week.  Merline does a constructed look that I thought seemed interesting, but shows her construction problems again, and it's bad.  Laurie makes a last-minute top and doesn't cover her model's bust AGAIN.  There's no way the judges could let that one skate.  SPOILER: Laurie goes home.

My DVR died before I saw next week's previews, so I am stuck dreaming of cool challenges.  Any chance that they will do something food related again?  Or is the plus size challenge coming up so Ashley can win again?

Project Runway S14 Ep8 - Broadway or Bust

Heidi sent all the designers to see Finding Neverland on Broadway this week.  Their challenge: design something wearable inspired by Peter Pan and the Broadway musical. 

The designers mess around at Mood and then are barely back in the workroom before Tim brings them all back to reality: there are only 8 designers left, and now even very good designers will go home.  It's almost as if he knows who's going home already. 

Designers sing and dance a little bit while working, but Lindsey has a happier song and dance than usual.  She designs a green dress which will never appeal to Heidi because of its lack of décolletage exposure, but is less boring than most of her previous designs.

Swapnil decides to buckle down and get to work, and he designs an interesting long dress that doesn't look like he has put more work into it than he has on previous designs.  It has an Indian cut and it's fancy but relaxed, so we know he won't go home.

To his credit, Edmund made cigarette pants and a cute fitted crop top that fit the model like a glove.  It's pretty obvious that he's made this outfit before.  But there's no hint of whimsy or inspiration from the musical until he adds a fluffy purple jacket/vest/thing.  I thought it was BAD.  He put something really weird on top of an outfit that he's made before and skates by again. 

Kelly is inspired by the formalwear that she sees "while standing in line for the bathroom" at the play (most likely because she has never seen a live show that didn't have monster trucks...) and starts designing what looks like a fancy costume for a lady of the night.  She has immunity, so the judges compliment her fabric choice, but that's about it.  They're too busy trying not to look at Laurie's model.

Laurie TANKED.  She buys a fabric with holes in it, uses it as a tube top, and doesn't do a liner at all.  Hello...Earth to Laurie.  Did she really not think about her model flashing everyone as she walked down the runway?  Laurie also picked a boringish fabric to make a weird coat (Tim warns her against it, and rightly so) and then made a weird-looking skort that exposes her model's rear.  She sorta covers it for the runway, but the look is bad from every angle. 

Merline made a black dress which requires little to no construction, although she did use boning to make an interesting sleeve.  Ashley starts making what looks like a gorgeous design with gorgeous ombre purple fabric, but turns out sad (Nina's word). 

Candace makes this totally out-there black look with a leather bustier and tulle and TOTALLY pulls it off.  I don't have a clue how she did it in so little time, but wow.  I really liked some of the layers of the skirt.  She (of course) picked a dark moment from the play and went from there.  SPOILER: she wins.  Duh - not really a spoiler...

SPOILER FOR REAL: Lindsey goes home.  I admit that she's not my favorite, and she has deserved to go home many times before.  But not this time.  She made a ho-hum look, but at least it didn't expose her model's top front quadrant!!  Laurie will redeem herself next week, but she definitely should have been the one to go home this week.  Lindsey was also surprisingly sweet and not whiny when she left.  I felt bad.  She will probably be coming back to be a nice, encouraging sewing assistant for the final designers. 

Next week: Does anyone have a clue what those hints mean for next week?  I was baffled.

Project Runway - Haute Tech Couture S14 Ep7

We get a SECOND unconventional challenge!  I am in heaven!

In Episode 5, Tim meets the designers in a shady part of town and tells them to get their materials from a "dumpster."  Lindsey complains about germs, but it's clear that this is a designer dumpster.  It's filled with old technology like floppy discs, Rolodexes, and VHS tapes.  The designers grab all they can fit into a cart and then have to drive it back to the studio.  I liked that touch.  Candace says she can check being a bag lady off her bucket list, but more likely it was on most of the designers' list of Things To Die Before I Do...

Back in the workroom, Kelly and Ashley get to work and stick with their materials.  Ashley makes a cool textile out of Polaroids, and Kelly cuts up what looks like a dryer vent and uses rectangles of it to shape a dress.  Lindsey whines because she can't wrap her head around unconventional materials, which really means she's too lazy to be creative.  She does have a moment of clarity when she calls her critiques from the judges "disheartening" and says that if she (and her design aesthetic) were dating the judges, "It's not going well."

SPOILER: Out of nowhere, Jake leaves the show.  He leaves because he has to put down his dog.  Sorry, man, but you won't be missed.  If he parlays this into getting on the next season of Project Runway, I am gonna be so disgusted.  He CHOSE to leave...and he wasn't doing well enough to make it through another week anyway.  Not sorry to see you go.

Meanwhile, Joseph is trying really hard to make a non-matronly dress.  Laurie is making a blah dress with mouse pads and there's no way she's gonna win.  Merline is making a dress with crazy shoulders that Tim calls a "Big Bird" look, but she has immunity, so she keeps moving forward confidently.  And, no surprise, Lindsey is making something boring.  She is not inspired and it's obvious. 

Swapnil tells Candace that his game plan is to give challenges 60 percent of his talent and just try to stay in the middle and not get kicked off.  Honestly, I think it's brilliant IF you can pull it off.  Some other folks have been skating by (*cough* Joseph and Lindsey *cough*) without showing much talent or creativity.  Still, it seems like a safer idea to be proud of your looks in case the judges send you home. 

Tim tells the designers this challenge has the "potential to be the best unconventional challenge," and the runway does not disappoint.  Swapnil's top shows a TON of skin, but it's interesting, Candace made a stiff look but it still complements her model's body, Kelly's dryer vent dress is shiny and fun, and Ashley's Polaroid dress looks both vintage and futuristic.  The judges love Edmond's dress, but I think they are on crack.  It's hideous.  He made his textile look normal, but I just think it's UGLY. 

SPOILERS: Lindsey and Joseph are in the bottom, and even though they don't have to do an elimination this week because Jake left voluntarily, they still dump Joseph (finally).  Kelly wins and is cute.   I like her, but she can't win.  She just can't.  She doesn't have a taste level compatible with Fashion Week.

Next week it will be a whole new ball game.   I hope we get some better judges, though.

Project Runway - Heidi's Sleepover

This season's lingerie challenge came packaged with a runway sleepover for the designers.   Don't get me wrong- I love Bella Thorne, but isn't she a little young to be judging intimates?  And how come Heidi Klum doesn't look that old next to her?

We all knew that Blake, who has the least *erm* experience with women's lingerie was going to struggle on this one.  And struggle he did.  He has had a problem with execution and construction on previous challenges, and this one was all about construction.  Merline was pretty quiet, and looked to be in trouble, too, because she didn't use the underwire that was provided to all the designers...but by the end of the challenge she was back to her old self, hastagging EVERYTHING.  #annoying

Kelly seems to be on the right track to wooing Heidi because she's focusing on "sexy boobs."  But as soon as Heidi enters the workroom, you can tell that she won't be mincing any words today.  She calls Edmund "Mr. Tacky" which is spot  on in my opinion - not just for this challenge.  Edmund has immunity for this one, but for heaven's sake!  When is he gonna get kicked off for being Mr. Tacky?!?

Swapnil decides he's going to work with bondage straps, but he doesn't have enough white straps to complete his look.  Tim says Swapnil is making pesto without basil leaves, reminding us why Tim is who he is...because he's brilliant.  And then after the designers have a sleepover on the runway, Tim wakes them all up in his pajamas, reminding us that's he's just a man after all.

Jake has this weird sob story about how he has to give his model a real underwear, not a thong.  Wah wah.  But I appreciate that he is sorta getting to know his model.  Then I realized, the twist to the challenge was that all the designers had to make a coverup for the lingerie, and the only coverup we saw was Lindsey's.  At the last second, Jake "drapes" a sarong (READ: he tied a square piece of fabric around his model's waist).

Lindsey makes a boring top and bottom, and covers it with an even more boring peach boyfriend shirt, but at least she actually made a coverup.  She lost three hours because she needed a stitch and a tetanus shot, and she still pulled out an okay look.  Way better than most people.  Props to her this week for this moment of brilliance: "Joseph's look is boring...and that's not good because they tell me I'm boring all the time."

CHOKE: in the Sally Beauty room, Lindsey and Joseph talk to their hairdressers and after very different consultations, the picture of the same model's makeup is shown.  Watch for it!

On the runway, Swapnil's look is a "showstopper" despite its flaws, Candace's look flies under the radar and so does Merline's look, about which Candace says, "No one thinks Merline is a threat."  I agree, just not this week.  Ashley's look appears to be the most reproducible, Zac calls it "yummy," and it's in her signature lavender color.  Kelly's look is her signature trashy, but it fits the challenge okay since it's lingerie. 

SPOILER: In the end, Merline triumphs in a big coup.  She's coming into her own, despite that a look she calls architectural has no structure.  She's most likely gonna be back to her loudmouth self next week.  Cant wait for another unconventional challenge!!!
SPOILER: Blake goes home.  I don't even like him.  Why am I sad to see him go?  He was surprisingly nice in his exit interview.  He'll probably be back for sassy quotes and to be a designer's assistant in later challenges.

Project Runway Paintball S14 Ep5

Does anyone else feel like this whole season is about Queen Frostine (Ashley Nell Tipton)?  Some of it is earned - she did win TWO challenges already - and part of it is pity.  The first episode of the season touched on how Ashley always felt bullied and out of place in school, and this episode was all about it.  Seemed to me like the "bullying" was mostly manufactured...or maybe Ashley's victimhood manifesting?

Tim and Heidi showed up on the runway wearing white bodysuits and holding paintball guns.  They Let the designers pick their teams one person at a time: Blake went first and picked Swapnil, then Swapnil picked the next team member, etc.  The boys all ended up on a team plus Merline.  The girls all picked their roommates and besties until only Ashley was left.  Sad?  Yes.  But then Heidi stepped up and defended Ashley and said that the team pickers were dumb since Ashley had already won two challenges.  In an effort not to make this post all about Ashley, I will say that it was notable that Candace said she chose Amanda Returna first because Amanda had been in the bottom and she wanted to raise her confidence.  Admirable? Sure.  Smart? No - but as Heidi suggested, the girls' team did not choose wisely.

The teams went paintballing and each team had a chance to try to "capture the fabric" while the other team blasted them.  The girls went first and had no plan.  The boys went second and tried to get cool colors.  Blake hid like a little girl so he wouldn't get shot.  (and apparently Ashley has experience paintballing, so she was good...yet she still felt "unwelcome" on her team).  It didn't matter that the girls had no plan this time because Tim told them that their fabric for the challenge was their paintball bodysuits.

Back in the workroom, the girls continue to have no plan.  They start working on a textile with multiple painting techniques and multiple colors and end up with a tacky, "Easter egg print.  The boys and Merline decide to go with blue and use multiple painting and dyeing techniques and work together on a 50s concept. 

Yada yada yada Ashley doesn't feel like she's being heard on their team.  Candace, who worked so well with Ashley last week, is self-appointed team leader, but is doing little leading.  Tim tells them that they're all on the wrong track because everyone is coming up with their own individual design, not pieces in the same collection.  Eventually the ladies realize that they need a unifying theme and go with purple and pleats.  Recipe for disaster.

Then Laurie tells Ashley that if the team is in the bottom, the rest of the team is going to say that Ashley should get kicked off for working least well with the team.  Since we only have her word for it, we can assume that the other competitors want Ashley off because she's the biggest competition (no pun intended - sorry, Ashley!).  But then Blake starts calling Ashley's team "mean girls." And we have to wonder...

Finally, on the runway, the judges concur and the blue team is on top.  They let Edmund win for a gown made of the bodysuits and painted with flowers by Blake.  Is it cool? Sure.  Should it have won? No way.  I have no clue how Edmund has won two challenges so far.  He is gonna crash and burn soon.  Swapnil should have won this challenge for his clever use of the sleeves of the shirt as a belt and the shirt pocket fetchingly draped as a pocket on his dress.  But whatever - the team worked together nicely, and Merline somehow skated through without comment.

Then on the runway, the purple team gets ripped for lack of cohesion.  None of the looks are good, but Kelly's is especially tacky and Candace's is way overworked.  Kelly Osbourne (bound to agree with Ashley because they are bonded by their purple hair) calls the girls out for not working together and they're sent away for judging.

In the end, the judges decide that Amanda Returna's tent dress is the worst look and she goes home (FINALLY).  For the record, Ashley's design was terrible, too.  I am sure she will have a comeback again next week, but I hope her self-fulfilling prophecies don't overtake her before the end of the competition!  And hopefully the rest of the episodes can focus on other designers, because there are still some people who have skated by without getting called out.

The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry

I haven't watched Project Runway yet!  I am dying to!  I will comment on it tomorrow.

I just read The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry.  I picked it up because I LOOOOVED The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (not by the same author) and I hoped the two would be in the same vein.  I also know a lot of people think Dave Barry is funny.

This book isn't funny.  Sorry, Dave Barry.  It has a few amusing moments, but nothing to laugh out loud about...and I am an easy lol.  If you are looking for a good book, set this one aside and pick up The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.  You won't be disappointed.

Dave Barry's Class Trip is about Wyatt Palmer, an average middle schooler with a Cuban mother and a crush on a girl way out of his league, Suzana Delgado.  When Wyatt's class heads to Washington, D.C. for a class trip, Wyatt and his friend Matt unearth a possible terrorist plot against the White House.  The boys have to enlist the help of classmates, including the hot and popular Suzana, to foil the terrorists and keep their teachers in the dark so they don't get sent home.

This book just wasn't funny enough and the plot was unbelievable.  I would have been an easy sell - I really liked All-American Girl by Meg Cabot, and that has a similar setup.  But I just didn't buy it.  Stay home from Class Trip.  The very first story about Wyatt's dad is somewhat funny, but it all goes downhill from there. 1 Poppy for content, 3 Poppies for brevity, 4 Poppies overall.

Here's my graphic organizer of the book.  It's pretty similar to the front cover of the book, and SPOILER: don't look if you don't want to see the only funny quote of the book.  This time I started my organizer at the bottom and worked my way up to the kites.  I like how it turned out.

Project Runway S14 Ep4 - Breakdown

It's the fourth challenge, and Amanda "the Returna" Perna is freaking out.  She has been in the bottom a lot, and she's starting to lash out at the judges and other designers.  She and Gabrielle, who teamed up last week, both NEEDED Tim's approval before they got mired in their freakouts. 

Blake proves himself an idiot savant, not knowing how to tell time, and baffling Tim with his design.  News flash, Blake:  you're just not that good at construction.  If Tim doesn't get how it comes together, don't do it.  You're definitely not smarter than Tim.  Blake also says, "I feel bad for people who don't know about high fashion...like Lindsey."  See?  He's an idiot, but with flashes of brilliance, too.  He just said exactly what I wish I could have said.  Lindsey, step it up!

Candace is confident in the workroom, and that pisses Amanda off.  Both ladies focus on black and white - Amanda for the judges and Candace for her personal aesthetic - and the results are telling.

Why do they have  a fourth grader judging the show?  She was dressed by Betty Draper, mmkay?  And where has Merline been this whole episode?  Her look is pretty good, and she was virtually silent - Joseph really did tame her!

Amanda says as her look walks the runway, "You don't really know how things are gonna look."  No, we knew: matronly.  Way worse than Joseph's design.  And Edmund's look looks as cheap as always.  He made his model look like an Eastern European lady of the night.  No, just no.  All the safe folks are confused about who's in the top and who's in the bottom, but we can all agree that Gabrielle's super basic design and Amanda's insecure design landed them in the bottom again.  Ouch!

Lindsey is pissed that Blake is in the top.  At least he made something that you couldn't buy at Ross. She's confident in her own dowdy look, and we know she won't go home.  Candace is so confident she cries about how confident she feels about being on Project Runway.  And yet Blake, the idiot savant, wins.  Guess they don't care about execution today.

Gabrielle goes home.  She could have done a lot better.  Even Tim was shocked that she choked so bad.  Next week is another team challenge.  Buckle up for drama!

Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone

Phoebe Stone is a talented writer.  I didn't know if I was going to like this book because its title is sorta cheesy and the cover looks like it's about high schoolers getting handsy, but it was AMAZING. There's love, loss, intrigue, and World War II.  If you like WWII stories, you will like this book.

Felicity Bathburn Budwig leaves home in England with her beloved Winnie and Danny to live with the Bathburns of Bottlebay.  Her uncle, aunt, and grandmother all have quirky names and they soon give Felicity the nickname "Flissy."  Thank God the character doesn't really like that name either, or I would have had to put the book down immediately.  Soon the mystery of where Felicity's parents have gone, who the Captain is, and where Felicity will finally feel that she belongs are in full swing, and with the intriguing setting of the war, I couldn't put it down.  

With references to things I love, like The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Phoebe Stone shows that she really gets kids.  Flissy begins her own journey of love while unearthing a story of love and pain which will change her view of the world forever.  You’ll learn some cool English phrases like “not half chuffed” and you’ll hear some details of the United States during the second World War.  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt even makes a sort of cameo.  Maybe it’s unbelievable, but it just feels right.

Phoebe Stone weaves a tale of love and history and secrets that is captivating.  Growing up and learning that many blessings come in disguise with the quirky Bathburns of Bottlebay is truly entertaining.  I have to own this book.  Tell Phoebe Stone that when I think of good WWII stories, “I think of you.  I think of you.”

Here's the graphic organizer:

Project Runway S14 Ep3 - Group Cruise

This week started out with some shameless stumping for Carnival Cruises, particularly a quote from Amanda.  Is that how you got on the show (again), Amanda?  She was almost as bad as Edmund last week with the Hallmark challenge.

The challenge was to create a high-end day to night look for travelers to cruise locations.  Tim eliminated the drama of picking teams by using the button bag to choose pairs, and honestly, I would have appreciated the drama.  It's best when designers think they're going to work really well together and then they clash in the workroom and on the runway.  The clashes this time were just more sad. 

Amanda and Gabrielle picked the south of France.  They worked together pretty well, and the outfit they created had a lot of potential.  The judges HATED it.  I didn't think it was that bad.

Queen Frostine and Candace made a garment fit for wearing in Venice.  It was colorful with a mix of prints and darn well made.  Kudos, ladies.  I was impressed at how well they worked together and how no one got catty on the runway (Candace, I'm looking at you!).

Lindsey and Jake designed for Hong Kong, and Jake thought he was hot stuff because he had been to Hong Kong.  The rest of the one day they were given to design, he pulled a bunch of passive-aggressive junk and hardly made anything.  I was disgusted by him.  And I don't even like Lindsey "Taylor Swift" that much.

Laurie and Swapnil chose India, even though Tim warned Swapnil that it would be a risky choice because the judges would set the bar too high.  They did a modern twist on the sari that looked really great.  I think Laurie should have gotten credit for her editing choices, especially the sari shawl fabric.  She gave credit to Swapnil.  They were both in the top.

Kelly and Blake seemed like a taste-challenged pairing.  Kelly was wearing earrings designed by WWE wrestlers, and after Blake's recent missteps, I thought they'd be in the bottom for sure.  Then their design appeared on the runway and I was floored.  Gorgeous!  But the judges put the pair in the middle, safe.

Edmund and Hanmiao were a train wreck.  Hanmiao wanted to assert her design aesthetic, and should have since Edmund had immunity and doesn't have that great of taste.  But she didn't really communicate with him, so he ended up making his own swimsuit and a skirt, and she made a terribly constructed swimsuit that they put on the runway.  It was pretty clear who was going home.  I'd be sadder if I wasn't certain that Hanmiao would have gone home once they had the next team challenge.

Merline and Joseph were the other worst team.  I'll be the first to admit that Merline is annoying, but Joseph forbid her to do a bunch of things, and in the process forbid her to be herself.  Merline was surprisingly subdued, and together they churned out a dress and cape that Joseph admitted was for older ladies.  I think he should have gone home.  They executed his design, and it was just blah and ugly.

Ashley and Candace got the FIRST EVER DOUBLE IMMUNITY.  It was amazing.   Looks like Queen Frostine is the front runner.  She's good, but she's not unbeatable.  Who's gonna step up?!?

Project Runway Episode 2 - Hallmark Fashion

Episode 2 of Project Runway Season 14 was the unconventional challenge.  Gosh I love those so much!  It really makes designers who had one bag of tricks planned for the show change it up.  That's why Taylor Swift (Lindsay Creel) didn't do so hot.

The designers had to choose their materials from Hallmark cards and envelopes in a showroom.  Needless to say, the showroom was destroyed by the end.  Blake ran for the cards with sequins and Kelly was nice and let him have them.  Does anyone else want to see her in a fight?

In the workroom, Kelly totally rocked this challenge.  She had a plan from the start and made a really cool outfit.  I thought she should have won.  Swapnil made an awesome top and then pasted flowers on a skirt.  Amanda made an awesome top and then made a skirt, too.  Somehow Swapnil was in the top and Amanda was in the bottom.  I'll admit her skirt was bad, but not as bad as the judges made it sound.  A mop?  A piñata to smash?  Harsh.

Edmond "Trying Too Hard" Newton really tried too hard.  He made a super fun wedding dress out of the card on top and some other paper they had in the workroom on the bottom.  Then he made a necklace and a bouquet for the model out of paper, and then he even wore a tuxedo t-shirt to judging.  I'll admit that the dress was fun and joyful, but it was blatant pandering that he made the dress from the Hallmark Signature logo.  The judges had to give him the win.  He was also blatantly uninterested in helping other designers, so he's not going to be a favorite after next week's challenge: the first group one - Yay!

Cuoco's metallic dress was hot and should've been in the top instead of Blake's sparkly monstrosity.  He made the same horrifying dress as last week with too much going on, and the judges are giving him too much credit for taste level.  If they questioned Kelly's for her fun skirt and hoodie crop top, they should definitely have questioned Blake for his pink-sequined party dress.  Blech.  Too much for me, just like Arruda's pink ombre dress.  You knew a vagina comment would go hand in hand with that dress. 

Daveeeed Giampiccolo got sent home for doing the challenge wrong.  Yes, his design wasn't that bad, but do you really want to see him at Fashion Week?  No.  I think they got it just right.  If you want to win Project Runway, do great on each challenge individually.  They can't judge based on your body of work, especially not as early as the second episode.

Things to look for in the future:  Why is everyone racist (Merline and Blake)?  That is gonna get to Swapnil pretty soon.  Kelly's taste level has already been questioned...methinks she's in trouble.  A group challenge means Queen Frostine is gonna cry (again), Hanmiao is going to go nuts, Edmond isn't going to help anyone, Kelly is gonna be too nice, and Swapnil is going to be his usual overbearing self (don't feel too bad about how racist everyone has been...he will show his true jerk colors soon enough).  Does anyone else feel like there are way too many people skating by in the middle?