Burford Designs

For Delicate Male Sensibilities

Here at our Ugly Christmas Sweater headquarters, the staff (consisting of Mommy and me) got into making some really over-the-top sweaters and simply could not leave off making ones for men, specifically men who enjoy more juvenile, 13-year-old boy humor. We, however, enjoyed making them just as much as any of the others.

The first two sweaters are inspired by the Duck Dynasty guys. The first sweater came about because we had a bunch of vintage faux fur laying around and four snowmen sitting on the table just begging to be made into the Robertson’s likenesses.

(The Beards Are Snowmen – my image)

The second one is decorated front and back and actually has a musical farting mooning Santa. (I know, I know.) These characters are handmade by Mommy using soft sculpture methods (something she used to do in the eighties!).

(Hairy Christmas – my image) 

An additional sweater with a mooning Santa (or elf) on it also has an older weight lifting stuffie and an angry talking golfer. (He has three phrases.)

A quick aside - I just asked Mommy if she remembered what the phrases were and she said, “I don’t know, I think it’s something like ‘hit my ass’ and ‘make me feel good.’” If I didn’t know better, I would think that she’s been reading too many romance novels, of the 50 Shades variety. Even thought she has never read it, yet.

(It’s a Man’s World – my image)

Seriously, I can’t believe the amount of empty booze bottles (even if they are miniatures) we have used… and none of us drink!

(Go Elf Yourself – my image)

Another aside – while reading this post to Mommy she asked what sweaters I was writing about and I mentioned the title for the sweater above “Go Elf Yourself” and Mommy gave me a scrunched up face look to which I replied, “whoa, you just said that the golfer phrases were ‘hit my ass’ and ‘make me feel good’ and you don’t like ‘Go Elf Yourself?’”

Too funny!

This final sweater, for today’s post, came about because of all of the dog shaming/ dog confessions we’ve seen on social media sites like Facebook… so we couldn’t resist.

(Dog Shame – my image) 

Of course, if you would like to see any of our other eBay offerings you can click the following link, search by username “libbynell” or click on one of the other links in this post and search “see other items.”

Announcement from Grosgrain

This week Kathleen, from Grosgrain, will be offering a glimpse into a new (free) series she plans on offering next month. The series will be called From Semi-Scratch Sewing: Using small patterns to transform your wardrobe.  It will consist of individual patterns to use for thrift store refashions... something that I really love to do.

She will be taking a thrift store find and using a new sleeve or collar or skirt pattern that she has designed to transform the piece into something new and amazing and she will be offering that pattern in PDF for you to use yourself. 

 

This is what Kathleen wrote about her new series, “I really like the concept of taking an already sewn piece because it's a great way for beginners to start in their sewing journey without feeling overwhelmed. AND it's a great way to have a new piece in a much shorter time than sewing from scratch.”

 

She just finished up her latest series, Free Pattern Month, of free tutorials and patterns from guest bloggers and you can see any and or all of them on the sidebar at her Grosgrain Fabulous blog.

 

I know that I will be following along... how about you?

Farm Chicks and Physical Therapy

After participating in the annual Farm Chicks show for the past couple of years, this year we had to, unfortunately, opt out.  Mommy hasn’t been up to doing shows, physically, and each time she had to really push it and in essence put herself in harm’s way.  When we had to make a decision about doing the Farm Chicks show this year, it was difficult and time consuming, finally we had to choose Mommy’s health and turn down this fabulous show. 

 

Instead of getting ready for the show we got Mommy ready.  I researched exercises and physical therapy for her and made up a workout program for her to start.  She became very diligent in her daily workouts so when the show came in June we were able to go and explore it as shoppers instead of vendors for the first time. 

 

I am so proud to announce that Mommy is doing wonderfully and is looking mighty beautiful.  This is a photo I took when her sister’s were visiting.  She had to go to a mystery theater lunch and her part was of a mourning daughter.  I made her up, quickly sewed a bird cage veil out of some veiling I had in my room and let her borrow my gorgeous Vera Wang necklace…

 

I love being her stylist and with someone who looks this good (especially for 60!) it can be pretty easy.

Love you Mommy!

On the Road with Austin and Santino

After Project Runway premieres on Thursday I will still be glued to my TV watching Lifetime’s new show On the Road with Austin and Santino. 

All photos courtesy of mylifetime.com

This is from their Lifetime about page…

"Project Runway" breakout stars Austin Scarlett and Santino Rice have made names for themselves on and off the catwalk with their unique styles and eyes for fashion, working with some of the biggest stars in the business. In "On the Road With Austin & Santino," the talented designers team up for the first time ever to travel to, and immerse themselves in the culture of, small towns across America to create new, dream-come-true looks for special women in unique situations as they celebrate such life milestones as anniversaries, birthdays, balls, graduations and bachelorette parties. But with differences in opinion, demanding clients ranging from a rodeo trick-rider to a military officer to a female truck driver, and no access to the latest fashions, will Austin and Santino’s designs make the cut — or will their matchup be a pattern for disaster?

For those that don’t know Austin is from season 1 and Santino is from season 2.  Wow, it doesn’t seem that long ago that I watched those first episodes.

 

Anyway, with Austin’s flair for the elegant and Santino’s flair for the dramatic this should make for good TV.

Project Runway Season 8

It is much easier to contain my excitement by writing this, that way you can’t see my Cheshire Cat grin and the fact that I am bouncing in my chair as I type, thank goodness no one is recording me right now.  In just two days Project Runway returns… yippee!

 

There are a few changes to this season and one show change.  Apparently Models of the Runway will not be back this season and I am fine with that, especially since it means that Project Runway is expanding to a ninety (90) minute format… yes, you read that correctly, an hour and a half of ProjRun every week!

 

There are also seventeen (17) designers!  Here is the list (alphabetical by first name since Casanova is simply, Casanova).  I’ve also linked their individual pages at mylifetime.com.

 

A.J. Thouvenot, 26, St. Louis, MO
Andy South, 23, Waipahu, HI
April Johnston, 21, Savannah, GA
Casanova, 33, Astoria, NY
Christopher Collins, 30, San Francisco, CA
Gretchen Jones, 28, Portland, OR
Ivy Higa, 30, New York, NY
Jason Troisi, 33, Greenwich, CT
Kristin Haskins Simms, 39, Philadelphia, PA
McKell Maddox, 29, Layton, UT
Michael Costello, 27, Palm Springs, CA
Michael Drummond, 31, St. Louis, MO
Mondo Guerra, 32, Denver, CO
Nicholas D'Aurizio, 32, New York, NY
Peach Carr, 50, Lake Forest, IL
Sarah Trost, 27, Toluca Lake, CA
Valerie Mayen, 29, Cleveland, OH

 

This year there also seems to be a lot more being offered online as well.  I’ll let this excerpt from Lifetime fill you in on all that is happening and where:

“Lifetime’s digital offerings will represent a robust collection of video content, including extended runway judging, designer and judge video blogs, and more. They will also feature full streaming episodes of the show, available only on myLifetime.com. Also returning for Season 8 are Rate the Runway photo galleries of the show’s fashions, as well as blogs by mentor Tim Gunn and fan-favorite designers from past seasons.

Other return offerings include the 2010 Webby Award–nominated Tim Gunn’s Workroom videos and Designer Portfolios. Tim Gunn’s Workroom will continue to showcase his critiques of the contestants’ garments-in-progress, and the interactive Designer Portfolios will display the designers’ previous work along with sketches made before the show and throughout the season. Roiworld.com’s popular weekly Project Runway dress-up games (which accounted for more than 4.8MM game plays in Season 7) will also return, featuring illustrated versions of the winning designs in an interactive wardrobe.

"Project Runway" enthusiasts can also interact with fellow fans, show insiders and designers by following @projectrunway on Twitter or visiting www.facebook.com/projectrunway for the latest "Project Runway" news and updates.”

 

Easy enough to know where I’ll be on Thursday…

Grosgrain Giveaway: Fashion to Figure Guest Giveaway

Since I have been away for a little while quite a few giveaways have happened over at Grosgrain Fabulous.  There are many going on right now so I will be posting a few of them today… just to get back in the groove of blogging and letting you know what is going on out there.

 

Kathleen from Grosgrain has a special treat for her fuller figured fashionista fans. Fashion to Figure, an online shop which sells wonderful plus sized clothing, is offering one lucky Grosgrain reader one of their frocks shown below.

They carry very trendy and fashionable clothes at really affordable prices and are sized 12 to 26 (typically known as 0X to 3X in many stores nowadays). See size charts here.

Dresses from left to right top to bottom:

Poplin Spaghetti Strap Dress

Strapless Color Block Dress

Cotton Tiered Dress

Stud Bubble Trim Dress

Print Maxi Dress

Button Trim Ponte Dress

And check out their store for other really neat plus sized frocks! I really like the Cotton Tiered Dress.  I perused the site and found quite a few items that I would like for myself.  I also love their tag line “Bringing Fashion to the Figure”. 

 

As with all Grosgrain giveaways, please see her original post and follow the instructions to enter.

 

Good Luck!

Literally, I Die. Bananas.

Tonight is the season finale of The Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo and that saddens me a bit.  It is no big surprise that I adore fashion and have more than my fair share of guilty pleasure television viewing, and RZP fits this bill to a “t”.  Last week, Rachel and company (minus Taylor) were in Paris celebrating fashion week and it was pure eye candy with all of the fashion shows, as well as their visiting different fashion houses, stores and the OOCness (out of control-ness) of Coco Chanel’s apartment.

 

The title, as well as OCC, comes from Rachel’s vernacular, things that she, and now her staff and anyone who watches the show for even the shortest bit of time, say on a regular basis.   I know it has become a part of my lexicon, usually when I talk or write with Baby Boy; luckily my use of these phrases tends to be limited to discussions about Rachel and/ or the show.

 

I found a list from Entertainment Weekly with some Zoeisms cutely titled Zoe to Speak.

 

The fourth and final episode for The Day Before on Sundance is also happening tonight; however, there is also an airing on Sunday, October 18^th.  This installment stars France's own Jean Paul Gaultier and is a lot of fun.  Gaultier is full of energy and creativity all the while sketching his designs in the air for his staff to interpret. 

 

Loads of opportunities for your viewing pleasure.

Opal Petit Clothier

As I was perusing Kathleen Dougherty’s Grosgrain Fabulous blog, specifically the outside giveaway area on her site, I found this other marvelous blog and website from Tammi Swanson. 

Tammi is a children's clothing designer, a photographer and an amazing stylist.  I love her pictorials and how she styles not only the photo itself but also the hair, make-up and of course the clothing using her own children as well as other friends and family members.  Having been a former model in addition to a hair and make-up artist it is easy to see where her eye for a great shoot comes from.

 

One of the gorgeous items Tammi makes is a tulle skirt she calls the Mia skirt, and that is the subject of her giveaway.  This is the information directly from Tammi’s Opal Petit Clothier blog:

"Mia" tulle skirt giveaway!

Add yourself as a follower and automatically enter yourself to win the "Mia" tulle skirt! The drawing will be held November first and you will be able to choose your color and size of skirt. This is a $178.00 silk and tulle skirt with a silk underskirt or, for the smaller sizes, silk bloomers. Perfect for a special photo shoot or a wedding or family portraits or the holidays!

 

After viewing and admiring all of the various photo sessions between Tammi and Kathleen’s sites they only make me long for children of my own so that I can make clothing for them and have fun photo sessions. 

Full Frontal Fashion

In a previous post for a Hooked On Friday I wrote about my love of fashion and I specifically wrote about Fashion Documentaries.  Since that post I have watched so many documentaries and shows regarding fashion and fashion designers.

 

I loved the Sundance four part mini series The Day Before.  Documentarian Loic Prigen, who made Signe Chanel, chronicles the final thirty-six hours prior to seasonal runway shows of Sonia Rykiel, Proenza Schouler, Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld, and Jean Paul Gaultier.

 

Sonia Rykiel is the queen of couture knitwear.  She and her daughter Nathalie run the French fashion house.  Sonia designs and Nathalie runs the business.  It was amazing to see the behind the scenes of this show, particularly because it was Sonia’s fortieth anniversary.  I really loved hearing them say “budget” when they were talking about the show it makes going over my monthly budget so much nicer when I say “boo-jay”.

 

Although all four episodes have aired several times, the next two Mondays will each have one episode to show.  This Monday, October 5^th is the airing for THE DAY BEFORE: FENDI BY KARL LAGERFELD and next week, Monday, October 12^th it will be THE DAY BEFORE: JEAN PAUL GAULTIER.

I also watched RALPH RUCCI: A DESIGNER AND HIS HOUSE, LAGERFELD CONFIDENTIAL, MARC JACOBS & LOUIS VUITTON, and Valentino: The Last Emperor.

Hooked on Fashion Documentaries

I love fashion and fashion design and fashion classes, yadda, yadda, yadda.  However, I don’t think that I really want to be a fashion designer as in a big name fashion designer but I love visiting their world.  How do I do that?  By watching shows like Project Runway and the Fashion Show, but really, watching fashion documentaries over and over again.

 

I am very excited about The September Issue opening nationwide on Friday, September 11^th.  Cameras follow the amazing Anna Wintour as she and her staff put together the September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine.  It’s time to see the real Devil Wears Prada.

 

Of course this is not the first, nor the last behind the scenes of the fashion industry. 

A more recent edition to this genre aired recently on the Style Network starring Project Runway’s season one winner, Jay McCarroll titled Eleven Minutes.  Cameras and creators followed Jay as he put together his first major show to premiere at Bryant Park during fashion week.  The title is about the show itself only lasting eleven minutes although months and months of work go into it.  Mommy and I laughed at that because it’s what we say about Thanksgiving dinner… weeks of preparation, hours of cooking and fifteen minutes to eat.  I love watching Jay work and especially sketch… there are these great segments where the film is sped up and Jay is sketching and coloring the croquis and everything on the table around him is the color palette for the design.  Of course it doesn’t hurt that he is über talented and that he reminds me of someone I know so I love his personality and that I totally want the blue see through rain coat.

 

I can’t count how many times I’ve watched Signe Chanel on the Sundance Channel where cameras followed all aspects of Karl Lagerfeld and the House of Chanel putting together the Haute Couture Chanel show.  It’s in French and subtitled in English, but I could care less about what was being said, I was mesmerized by the entire show from Mr. Lagerfeld’s sketches to the cutters and sewers and then there were all the bits and pieces like the shoe maker and the lady who hand makes all the braiding on her little farm only AFTER the animals have been taken care of and her chores were finished.  I’m saddened that I’m only able to find the series available for sale overseas, however I did check out YouTube and saw that each of the five episodes have been broken up into four parts and are available here.

One movie that really started it all for me is Unzipped with another favorite of mine, Isaac Mizrahi.  It’s from the nineties and shows us some of the, then, up and coming Super Models!  The documentary is a good view into how a designer might come up with show concept and why the industry is so hush hush before a big show.

 

Another documentary called Seamless (by Douglas Keeve who also did Unzipped) is available to view or own.  It follows, then, up and coming designers (some who have made it pretty mainstream) as they try to catch a break and win the coveted award bestowed by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Vogue magazine.

Then there is the amazing Yves Saint Laurent, or YSL, there are two films that I have watched numerous times and love them… Yves Saint Laurent - His Life and Times and 5 Avenue Marceau 75116 Paris.  Quite often they are put together on one DVD.  Again, to see the behind the scenes details of a large fashion house are astounding and inspiring.

 

I was checking my television menu and saw that the Sundance Channel is showing Lagerfeld Confidential (on Saturday) and there is a new four part documentary series called The Day Before where documentarian Loic Prigen, who made Signe Chanel, chronicles the final thiry-six hours prior to seasonal runway shows of Sonia Rykiel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Proenza Schouler, and Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld.  There are several showings of each part, here are the sites details.

 

Although there are similarities, there are so many differences that make each one special and a joy to watch.  Check one out if you want to see the grunt work involved in fashion, especially if you like shows like Project Runway but would like to see more behind the scenes.