Giving up on Project Runway?

I think I may have given up on Project Runway.  It doesn't hold the appeal that it use to and I'm getting a little bored by everyone.  I stuck with it through the last awful season and so I can't help feeling like I should stick it out this season too.  But it has lost it's it, that something that made it great before.  I think it has something to do with the move to Lifetime though I can't say why.  The move just didn't do the show any favors.

Run for Your Life, er, "Run for Cover"

Mila complains that no one was happy for her last challenge. Maybe it's about jealously she says. Maybe it's about you walking into the room singing "Top two, top two." Ass. Anthony is just happy not to be at the bottom.
Challenge: Create a look to be worn by a celebrity on the cover of Marie Claire
Heidi is the celebrity. They act happy, but I don't know if they really are. At least she won't be pregnant by then.
Interesting that some designers use the little computer notepads and others use regular paper notebooks. Let me say now, that I really don't care about this challenge. It seems so blah. I don't know, but so far nothing is really so great about this season. It's better than the last one though.
Every time I see Anna Marie I think how she looks like Jewel Staite. It's weird, but one of the models looks like Uma Thurman and one looks like Maggie Gyllenhall. Celebrity look-a-likes abound!
Tim comes in, tries to encourage the designers. The designers don't help him since none of them seem to know exactly what they are doing. Apparently they didn't hear earlier about using patterns because everything seems to be too much for a cover. Well, except Anna Marie seems to have a "cooler" look. Emilio's looks interesting. Jay is using white which is so stupid for a cover unless they use a colored background. Does Marie Clair do that? I don't know, don't read it.

Judges: Heidi, Michael, Nina, and Joanna Coles (Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire)

Runway:
Amy - strapless, multi-colored print asymmetrical dress with a giant fabric corsage
Seth Aaron - pant suit, shiny
Jesse - green ruffled dress with plunging neckline
Anna Marie - blue tank, short, silver vest, meh
Anthony - blue ruffled dress with one shoulder, pretty color
Janeane - has no confidence in her dress. I agree. silvery white fitted dress
Mila - short, with lots of cleavage, and a arrow type pattern
Emilio - red dress with a cool criss cross around bust and lacing. I like it.
Jay - huge dress with one shoulder, white striped. It looks like a nightgown.
Jonathan - oh, no. gold hot pants romper with flowy sleeves. I can't even...no.  How did this not make the bottom 3, I don't know?
Maya - blue and tan dress, high collar
Ben - yellow brown, teal, interesting

Top 3:

Ben
Anthony
Emilio though they make him cut the straps off, and take the model's ponytail down. It looks much better.

Bottom 3:

Anna Marie
Janeane
Mila

Winner: Anthony (!) (I love him! He is my favorite.) He makes everyone laugh and they all seem genuinely happy for him.
Out:  Anna Marie.  I figured it since her outfit was so off base.  Aw.  She was nice.

Eat Your, I mean, "Design Your Heart Out"

Last week Ping was out.  I'm disappointed about missing posting about that epsiode because I really wanted her gone.  She only also interesting for her crazy clothes.  She herself was boring.
Heidi looks like she just had some morning sickness or something.
So this week the challenge is  Create a signature dress for the Campbell's Address Your Heart Program.  Red must be prominent and Campbell brand must be present.  The models are women who have been impacted by heart disease.  Jay's lady makes him cry.  They have amazing stories.  Anthony's mom had heart surgery so he and his lady cry together.  I don't know how the Campbell's fabric is going to work out because it is going to look stupid unless used just so.  It's a one day challenge.  Most of the designers are struggling with making dresses for people who are not stick thin.  Ping would have just draped some crappy fabric and called it a dress.  Moving on...
Tim = harbinger of doom, etc. The designer are freaking out by the non-proportional non-size 2 women.  Stupid designers.
Has anyone ever wanted to use the Bluefly.com wall erroneously like on purpose?  Doubt it.

Judges: Heidi, Michel, Nina, Georgina Chapman (Designer and Co-founder of Marchesa)

Runway:
Jonathan - long multi-tiere dress tied at the waist with the Campbell's fabric, I like the high neckline a lot. The bust looks weird though.
Emilio - short cocktail dress with emprie waist and the Campbell's fabric at the top of the waist, shiny polka dots, eh
Maya - knee length, gold fabric that wraps from right breast to waist that is sort of heart shaped, lot of ruching, Campbell purse
Anthony - red bottom and vest, Campbell pattern top, eh
Amy - long flowy dress, Campbell tie under bust,
Jesus - short, tight dress that is way too young for his lady. Campbell fabric down the side, rhinestone straps, very The Body Shop or something cheap
Anna Marie - oh sweet baby girl, no.  knee length dress with a flowy bottom and a v-top with sheer?/nude fabric under.  It just looks so wrong.
Jay - long strapless dress with Campbell fabric in a very subtle roll at waist, layered sweetheart top, very cute
Jessie - knee length red skirt, white jacket, Campbell rose brooch thing, cute, model seems to like it.
Ben - long dress with high slit, halter top, gold belt, Campbell fabric is a subtle lining at the edge of slit
Mila - long red dress with Campbell white star cutouts and Campbell fabric trim halter top, eh
Jeneane - mid calf, spaghetti straps, white ruffle detail with Campbell rose, bottom layer of off white with the same fabric at top, almost like a dress on top of a dress
Seth Aaron - black bottom, red top, Campbell bell belt and edging on cross over top, model likes it


Top three:

Mila - fun and classic, job well done
Amy - beautiful, elegant
Maya - something interesting, nice shape, draping

Bottom three:

Jessie - boring
Jesus - Michael's face is like oh, honey no.  Cheap.  He needs to learn to edit.
Anna Marie - top is a no, makes her look broad

Winner: Amy! Very good, her dress was really great.

Out:  Jesus!  Thank Goodness because he really didn't do that well.  Cheap, tacky, tight, shiny = all the things Michael, Nina, and Heidi hate more than anything.  The dress can be ugly as hell as long as it doesn't look cheap.

Old MacDonald had some designers (or "The Fashion Farm") EIEIO

So everyone is excited or disappointed by last week's challenge.  Heidi gives some vague instructions and then they all go to a farm.
Challenge: Create a party look from a burlap potato sack

The models are the clients and they will wear the outfit to an industry party.  The models get to pick the designers.  The models mostly mostly stay with their designers.  There is some minor upset.  It is a one day challenge.  There is a lot of embellishment to choose from.  Emilio is happy to have immunity.  I can't blame him.  I must say this is one of the more interesting challenges in recent history.  After the last two seasons of pure blah and repetition regarding the challenges.  At least, they are throwing some a little new up.  Anyway, Tim comes around to give the side-eye and the "worrieds" and so on.  Jesus might be in trouble, especially if he doesn't listen to Tim.  Mila can't get over Alexis changing designers. I don't know how I feel about Ping.  She irritates me for some reason and her dress is worrisome, to borrow a Gunnism.

Judges: Heidi, Nina, Michael, Lauren Hutton (wow)

Runway:
Anthony - red, strapless, short dress, very cocktail, pretty
Ping - burlap dress with a fitted top and this skirt that flares at the hips and OMG her butt HANGING out.
Ben - red, short dress with one shoulder and a poofy skirt, pretty
Mila - very tight, silvery dress, very short with a nice detail down the front and back
Anna Marie - greenish (?) knee length almost sundress with potato prints all over that looks textured
Jesse - pants outfit, lined in pink with a button up top, sort of jockey like
Seth Aaron - short dress with a hood and a modish feel
Amy - did a petal like skirt that she dyed the edges of, with a cowl neck top
Janeane - grey and red cocktail dress
Jay - feathery type skirt, v neck top, cute
Emilio - knee length fitted cocktail dress, burlap interlaced with red and leopard (?) stripes
Jesus - green ribbon skirt, brown burlap top, pretty but no real burlap there
Jonathan - slip like dress with black lace
Maya - I don't know
Pamela - short blue strapless dress, NO

Top Three:

Jay - made burlap look expensive
Mila - gaps but looks good
Amy - love it all around

Bottom Three:

Pamela - too short and too tight, not sophisticated
Ping - yeah, her butt is hanging out
Jesus - something cooler, younger.  Heidi not happy about the lack of burlap

Winner:  Jay (!) (His was the best, I agree)
They kept Ping.  WHY?!
Out:  Pamela (aw)

Models of the Runway:

The models are ultra-impressed with Lauren Hutton.  Heidi is not comforting.  Hopefully that girl won't wear that dress because it looks trashy, but she does.  Some of the girls don't understand what mingling means.  There is a lot of mixing up which is unusual and it comes down to Seth Aaron who picks Sarah leaving Elzaveth or whatever to go home.  She was nice but not a strong walker.  Of course, she was modeling Ping's crappy dresses.

Welcome to the Runway (or "Back to New York")

So it's back to New York for this season.  Thank God.  Maybe it won't suck this season, especially. since Michael and Nina are back full time.
So we are introduced to Seth Henderson who wants to be a fashion icon and has a star tattoo on his neck, Janeane Ceccanti who cries at the thought of Bryant Park and can't work a revolving door, Ping Wu who is a physical therapist, Ben Chmura who went to school for comic book illustration which is very cool, Anthony Williams who is from 'Bama and wants to be pageant designer a la Kane and I'm pretty sure is made of win.  Next up is Jay Sario who has nothing interesting to say, Pamela Ptak who used to be in advertising, Anna Marie Lynett who reminds me of Jewe Strait look wise, Jonathan Peters who reminds me of Nick and uses the phrase "gritty meets pretty," Jesse Lenoir who used to be Jack Sparrow and then became a designer.  Then we meet Mila Hermanovsi who is a costume designer for TV mostly, Maya Luz, Christiane King who is from the Ivory Coast, Jesus Estrada, Emilio Sosa who is a costume designer, and Amy Sarabi.   All the designers go up to the roof to meet Heidi, who is pregnant in this season with little Lou, and Tim Gunn.

They go to Central Park where they are tons of fabrics laying around.  They have to design a representative look and have three minutes to grab what they want.  Then they have to select five fabrics from what they grabbed.  Wow, they get flat screen notebooks.  That's a serious upgrade.

It's so cute how they are still fresh and haven't been worked to the bone yet as they will later.  We meet the models, but we will have a bigger introduction later.  I don't know if I'm going to watch the Model show.  It was ridiculously boring last time.  Anyway, Tim goes around and corrects everyone.  There is some freaking out.  Some of it looks really nice.  Some, not so much.

Judges: Heidi, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, Nicole Richie who is also pregnant but with little Sparrow

Runway:
Jonathan - short black dress with belt and some detail around the top of the bust and shoulders
Seth - short black/white checked dress, sort of funky and hipster-ish. I think it is cute.
Jesus - long brown crocodile skin dress with one shoulder and a collar and a train
Ben - short orange sequined dress with weird shoulders
Jay - oh no.  Short strapless dress with GIANT rosettes hanging off of it
Pamela - hot pink short dress with short bell sleeves and a v neck.  It's very pretty.
Emilio - short purple/white large scale print with criss-cross pieces.  I can't describe it but it is very pretty.
Jesse- knee length houndstooth (I think) off the shoulder dress, but it turns out to have a jacket with a very red shirt underneath which makes it better
Ping - I don't know.  I just can't.  Hideous is a good word.
Christiane - pretty blue short dress with a print wrapped along it
Amy - short black/white bubble dress with a corset top that looks unfinished
Jeneane - long frumpy dress black at top white on bottom, meh
Mila - A suit like outfit with a square patterned top, a short skirt and a blue jacket.  It's like it's too many pattern
Anthony - black flower print dress with a huge ruffle on one side
Anne Marie - short gold dress with peach accents
Maya - gold dress with a giant ruffle on the shoulder

Top three:

Seth
Ping! (What the hell)
Emilio

Bottom three:

Anthony
Jesus
Christiane

Winner:  Emilio! YAY I really liked his dress.
Out:  Christiane (aw she seemed nice)

I can totally see Heidi as a mom FYI.

It's almost over (or "Finale Part I")

Last Heidi runway where they get $9,000 dollars to create their collection and like three months.  Tim Gunn and Heidi go and hip/bootie bump behind the screen which might be disturbing in real life, I don't know.  God this season is so boring.  I'm happy everyone was soooo talented but they don't make good television.  Also the judging was horrible.  Word is that next time Michael and Nina on back on every episode.  This is a very good thing.  All the mixed up judging didn't do anyone any favors.

Tim visits Carol Hannah in the suburbs of New York to view her work so far.  She was inspired by Duke University.  Her color scheme is purpley and dark mostly.  Carol Hannah's family is in and make him a dinner except he has to make biscuits.

Irina is in Upper East Side of Manhattan.  She has a small white poodle named Princess (of course, she does).  She is inspired by Coney Island.  She is making "special" t-shirts and big sweaters and some fur.  He gives her some food for thought.  They go to lunch with her parents and friends.  She and her sister look exactly alike and just like their mother.  Her parents expect her to win with no question which is nice but doesn't leave a lot of room for failure.  I see why she is so driven now.

Althea is in Dayton, Ohio.  She is inspired by science fiction movies and the strong women in them.  Tim is concerned that it is too costumey.  She needs to focus and edit.  They go visit her family and friends.  Apparently she has been sewing since the 5th grade.

Irina is apparently unfamiliar with copyright law and is apparaently also stupid because she tried to use copyrighted images on her t-shirts.  Bless.  Now she is stuck.  Althea is happy to be going to Fashion Week as is everyone else.  There is a lot of tension between the two, but not enough to be interesting.  They both do the mean girl fake nice very well.  I expect with the two of them being so pretty and catty they've had a lot of practice.  Carol Hannah is arriving late because she has a stomach virus that is contagious.

Tim goes around and questions everyone's collection.  Althea and Carol Hannah have consistency problems and Irina is having color issues and problems with her finale dress.  General cattiness between Althea and Irina abounds.  Anyway, choosing models, etc.  Nina and Micheal show up to give advice and add extra pressure.  Models, blah, blah.  Heidi come in with Tim and that never goes well.  One final suprise: they have to create one more look.  I'm so shocked (not really).  Why do they seem so shocked?  Have they never watched the show?  Honestly, I would expect this and have something in mind, at least.  Whatever.  They have help with Logan, Christopher, and Gordana.  Althea gets Logan, Irina takes Gordana, and Carol Hannah gets Christopher.  Carol Hannah looks jealous that Althea has Logan. Oh and the models get to choose the 13th model for this look.  So now I know what that episode will be about and I don't have to watch it.  I wasn't going to anyway because I'm really tired and don't care that much.

The last challenge (or "The Art of Design")

So I missed most of last week, but Logan and Koji are out and Christopher is somehow still on. I don't know why either.

Last challenge before Bryant Park and everyone is super excited. Althea and Irina are fighting because Irina is a bitch and can't shut up. Gordana is still around. Huh, who would have thought? Anyway... what's up with Heidi's hair?

The designers go to the J. Paul Getty Museum where Tim and the Mayor welcome them which is a little late. The challenge is to "create a design using the Getty Center as inspiration." Althea is inspired by the building itself, Carol Hannah chooses a French bed with blue curtains and bedding, Irina chooses a painting called "Mischief and Repose" by John William Godward, Christopher is inspired by a foundation, and Gordana chooses a Monet painting. Everyone goes to Mood and gets their stuff. Irina gets a giant, giant Scandinavian rabbit fur. Haha Tim who basically tells them there can be only one.
Gordana makes fun of Heidi's literal sensibilities. Christopher is stunned he is still around. So are the rest of us, honey.

At the apartment the ladies bitch, blah blah. At the workroom, Tim comes around. Christopher needs an editing eye, Carol Hannah shouldn't lose the sophistication, Irina worries Tim with her roadkill jacket(?), Althea perplexes Tim and needs to bring a critical eye (Irina thinks this is funny), and Gordana has achieved her look.

God, I hope Irina loses so she will shut her face. (She is good, but humility is a little something she should think about.)

Judges: Heidi, Cynthia Rowley (who doesn't write anything down), Nina Garcia, Cindy Crawford (who hasn't ages quite as well as Heidi but is still beautiful)

Althea - short gold dress with low neckline and low sides
Judges - too ambitous, skirt overworked, top underworked

Carol Hannah - long gold dress shiny at the top with a slash from hip to thigh and then a more matte material and a one shoulder braided strap
Judges - dress doesn't reflect bed, playing it too safe, but lovely 

Christopher - long gray blue dress with a little ribbon belt at the waist and a higher neck
Judges - love the top, heavy on the bottom, (he cries when Heidi asks if he is confident in this dress, something about a rock)

Gordana - long flowy white, gray, mauve dress that really does reflect that painting
Judges -  beautiful, needs to take a bigger chance

Irina - knee length green flowy dress with a gold belt and long sleeves
Judges - like the back, length old lady, too much styling

Heidi calls on everyone to explain why they should go and who should go with them.  Althea surprisingly calls for Irina and vice versa. Huh.

So going to (last year's) Fashion Week is Irina, Carol Hannah, and Althea.

Christopher is out.  Gordana is out.  No real surprises here except how Christopher made it all the way through.  He is nice enough but damn.

Location, location (or "Around the World in 2 Days")

Once again, this is written as I watch.
Blah blah blah, people gone, we are all good blah

The designers go to Rodeo Drive to meet Tim and Michael Kors who talks about locale inspiration.  Back at the workroom,  Tim lays out all the locations and the designers choose what they want.
Carol Hannah - Palm Beach
Nicolas - Greece
Althea - St. Tropez
Gordana - New York
Irina - Aspen
Christopher - Santa Fe
Logan - Hollywood

$150 - one day challenge. Usual stuff at Mood.  Logan is feeling okay, and Irina is planning a 3 piece outfit (and is bitchy).  Nicolas and Christopher worry about Michael Kors' reaction.
Tim Gunn comes in and makes his rounds.  Gordan is making a necklace and no dress.  Tim is worried.  Althea is doing a mock-up first so she can get the tailoring right on the actual dress.  Christopher has something going on.  Tim says make it fabulous.  Carol Hannah is making a print dress (it looks like a mumu) (Uli would rock Palm Beach).  Tim says cliche.  Nicholas is doing white with a pant.  Logan is making something young and "Hollywood."  Irina is making a lot.  Tim says to watch proportions.  Models come in.  Logan is struggling with fitting Celine.  Irina is very talented but crosses the patting self on the back line a lot.  Christopher is not doing well.  He cuts the dress short to try to make it better.

Runway

Judges: Heidi, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, Milla Jovovich (who tries very hard to be nice)

Logan - Hollywood - white pants with a blue tank top and a black tank sweater vest/jacket (eh)
Althea - St. Tropez - gold shorts with a white layered top and an off white shear jacket (cute)
Nicolas - Greece - gray pant with a white crisscross long sleeve top (eh)
Carol Hannah - Palm Beach - long green printed dress with cross cross rolled straps (pretty)
Christopher - Santa Fe - brown shirt with white and blue sheer top and a large belt to separate (IDK)
Irina  - Aspen - brown pant, tan cowled shirt, faux fur sleeveless jacket (nice)
Gordana - New York - silver dress with a jeweled collar (IDK)

Top 3:

Althea - sexy, surprising
Carol Hannah - love braiding, "at home glamour"
Gordana - necklace is beautiful, very Park Avenue (poor thing immediately starts defending her dress, they have her so beat down)

Bottom 3:

Christopher - costumey, belt only interesting thing
Nicolas - wrong Greece (movie), no fantasy
Logan - styling bad, not outrageous enough

Best line from Milla Jovovich: "If this was called Project I Didn't Mind It, then [Logan] would win."

Winner:  Irina
Out:  Nicolas (WTH!? I thought for sure it would be Christopher.  Ah well, Nicolas had to go at some point.)  And Milla Jovovich is crying.  Sha.

A Shiny Shiny Challenge (or "Sequins, Feathers and Fur, Oh My!)

Christopher is worried since he has been in the bottom a couple of times. Shirin is confident and Carol Hannah feels alright since she's been in the middle.
The designers go to the Museum of Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising to meet Tim Gunn and BOB MACKIE who everyone is excited to meet. Tim goes over how Bob Mackie makes shiny shiny costumes for very famous people ("Sultan of Sequins").

Challenge: Create an extravagant stage look in the manner of Bob Mackie for Christina Aguilera (2 day challenge)

Nicholas think he works like Bob Mackie apparently. Everyone runs around like crazy at Mood. They seem so excited for this one. Nicolas realized they only have 4 challenges left. This is a shiny shiny challenge. Gordana is struggling and starts over the next morning.  Tim comes around for hints and suggestions (and to crush dreams politely).  Shirin is making this huge "Hollywood glamour" dress. "Genevieve meets Vampira" is what Tim says and he doesn't like anything about it. Because Nicolas is working with all white, it is almost a redux of his Ice Queen. Irina just doesn't like Shirin. She has expressed this a lot. I have no idea what Shirin is making because it looks horrible on her model.
Logan and Carol Hannah have a little bom chicka wa wa going on.  Gordana is still losing her mind.
Nicolas says that Irina is a good designer.  Her only problem is that she is a bitch.  And she is acting like one right now about Carol Hannah, saying she is mediocre and doesn't have a great personality.  She says this to Celine who has zero personality.  Also Irina does come off very bitchy.

Judges:
Heidi, Bob Mackie, Nina Garcia (YAY) and Christina Aguilera who is tiny next to Heidi

Runway:
Althea - silver long dress with crisscrossed silver sequin pattern and a furry black jacket
Logan - short zebra print sequin dress with one shoulder and a bolero jacket
Shirin - long black dress with silver, white and black sequin ruffle things on the side of the dress and a dominatrix choker top
Christopher - short black dress (?) with bubbles on the side and a corset top and sparkly panties showing through (WHY) which turns out to be hot pants and a jacket with the corset underneath (Is that better?)
Nicolas - short strapless feathered white dress
Gordana - oh em gee, long white dress with sequins in the middle and it's a good thing she has immunity
Irina - short black with black/silver sequins on the front and a jacket
Carol Hannah - long black dress with sequins and feather, very Mortica Gomez

Top 3:
Carol Hannah - glamorous, promise to turn into something more revealing, a WOW dress
Althea - clever, looks beautiful

Nicolas - very pretty, very workable

Bottom 3:
Shirin - upscale witch outfit, Nina like the top half, the bottom is a no
Christopher - Lady Marmalade redux, aw, Christina gives E for effort, but it's still a no
Logan - Christina is getting cavewoman from the jacket, Nina is getting safe

Winner - Carol Hannah which is surprising

Out - Shirin! Thank God.  She's okay and all, but she was annoying.

Wedding Dress Throwdown (or "A Fashionable New Beginning")

So I'm a week late with this, but I'm going to live blog watching this.  I haven't read any spoilers or recaps or anything.
Everyone is sad. Blah blah blah
Irina is smug. Even Logan is tactfully like why.

New models. in wedding dresses. uh oh
Challenge: remake wedding dresses for divorced ladies

Shirin gets the dress with the least fabric or decoration.  Poor thing (not really).
One day challenge.  I'm getting tired of these.

Nicholas' client - cruelty free (sweet)

Irina's client wants a Cher costume ! and also ?

Can buy 2 yards of fabric and decorations

Gordana is divorced and is dying the dress black.  She calls her kids and is crying. :(

 Tim Gunn comes in to inspire and simultaneously be the harbinger of doom.  He is multi-talented.
Christopher is making a black and white dress.
Irina - short kimono dress
Epperson - black and white, lab coaty
Logan - tuxedo style feel, worries Tim, client doesn't like dresses
Gordana - Tim wants her to push the look, beautiful though
Shirin - looks defeated - Nicolas burst in laughter, listening to her description of her client's dress and she cries because it is ugly

Wedding dress at the core of the whole look
Epperson has to change it and so does Logan b/c they weren't using enough of the dress
Shirin decides to use thread for decoration

Runway day:
Chaos
Christopher's model doesn't want to be a fat grandma, but it seems cute.
Nicolas - one of the most hideous things he's ever made

Models have shown divorcees how to walk.
Judges: Heidi, Micheal Kors (YAY) Zanna Roberts (Senior Fashion Editor, Marie Claire) and Tamara Mellon (President of Jimmy Choo, Board Member of Halston)

Irina: knee length silvery dress with a gold tie belt and shear sleeves
Shirin - above the knee white dress with a green crisscross thread pattern and a empire waist with a green detail under the bust
Logan - wool hounds tooth pants with white ruffled top and sort of a bustier design
Carrol Hannah - above the knew gray dress with a feathery effect and a small black jacket (good model)
Althea - knee length blue dress with a gold belt at the waist and blue cups on the bust with a striped detail down the dress
Nicholas - pants outfit with a burgundy top and a small short sleeve jacket
Gordana - strapless blue gray dress with a cool pattern at a slant and some small ruffles, very rock-n-roll (fits model)
Christopher - bubble dress with a shear overlay and some sort of belt (looks weird though)
Epperson - white dress with a black crisscross pattern at the waist and a jacket that ties under the bust (cool)

Top 3:

Gordana - fits well, good job

Shirin - model not favorite, but judges like; Cher in  Half Bred moment

Irina - looks expensive, unbelievable

Bottom 3:

Christopher - too much volume, space bubble dress

Epperson - Heidi, Oktoberfest; Zanna, pirate dress

Logan - another Oktoberfest moment


Winner - Gordana!
Out -Epperson  NOOOOOOO!!!! I really thought he'd stay.  He is very gracious.

Sew blue (or "The Sky's the Limit")

The challenge is to create 2 looks using the color blue for the Inc brand at Macy's in teams of 2.  So you know what that means.  The winner gets to create a holiday dress for Macy's.  Everyone has 15 minutes to sketch and then they pitch their ideas to Marina Riardon from Macy's and the team leaders will be chosen after that.
Teams:
Irina - Gordana
Althea - Logan
Carol Hannah - Shirin
Christopher - Epperson
Louise - Nicolas

They all skip off to Mood and Louise misplaces her damn money and this is not a good start for her.  Also she is stuck with Nicolas who is going to bitch about her constantly.

So they get to work and Tim Gunn goes around being both hopeful and the harbinger of doom.  Nicolas states repeatedly that he hates ruffles.


Judges:
Heidi, Michael Kors (YAY), Zanna Roberts (from Marie Claire), Martina Riardon
You know the fact that the judges change so much is both a good and bad thing.  It's bad because they can't see what kind of talent the designers have beyond this one challenge.  It's good for the same reason.  They won't keep someone around based on a past design or personality.

Top 2:

Carol Hannah - Shirin: the color scheme is nice, both black and teal-ish blue dresses

Irinia - Gordana: business day look and a very cute striped day dress with v necks
For reasons unknown, Irina throws Gordana under and tells the judges that she doesn't know how to do anything with Irinia's direction.  It seems unnecessary. She also gives Gordana a hard time about the business wear  but the judges love it.

Bottom 2:

Christopher - Epperson:  First of all, Christopher cries a lot this time.  Of course, this is the first time they hated something he made.  The colors of the two dresses don't match to start.  They made a bubble dress and a shirt dress.  Both would have been cute except the fabric was all wrong especially the shiny material on the shirt dress.  Michael calls it a librarian shirt dress made in the 60's, LOL and also HEY.

Louise - Nicholas:  Both were fairly awful with these ruffles just stuck on them for no real reason.  Nicolas was right.  Heidi makes the point about 5 times that Nicolas is lucky to have immunity.

Irina - WINNER
Louise - OUT

Celluloid Sewing (or "Lights, Camera, Sew!")

The designers are given a one day challenge.  Create a look based on a genre of film.  So the rest of the episode consists of various people trying to pronounce genre correctly.  Only Tim Gunn can actually do it.  Tim Gunn is made of win though. 
So here is the breakdown:
Nicolas - Science Fiction
Goradana - Period Piece
Irina - Film Noir
Epperson - Western
Logan - Action Adventure
Carroll Hannanh - Action Adventure
Ram'on - Science Fiction
Louise - Film Noir
Althea - Film Noir
Christopher - Period Piece
Shirin - Western

Ram'on is excited to get science fiction since he is a big sci-fi fan.  He decided to make his model look like some reptilian type thing.  I don't know.

Nicolas gives a version of the infamous "Not here to make friends" speech only he does it nicely for a change.  Tim Gunn comes to look around.  He is seduced by Epperson's ruffles, Ram'on's is either going to be good or a "big hot mess," Louise can take it up a notch, Nicolas needs to go bigger.  Ram'on decides to start over because no matter what it is going to be a big mess so why not make it worse?

Judging: why is Heidi dressed like a sparkly grunge person?  She continues to confuse me.
Judges: Heidi, Zoe Glassner (again), John Varvatos, Arianne Phillips (costume designer)

I'm skipping "descriptions" of the runway because frankly I really couldn't describe some of those things and it's too hard with 11 designers.

Top 3:
Nicolas - white evil Ice Queen from space gown. I have to say that with the hair and makeup, it really does look like a film costume.  The entire look is amazing.

Epperson -  Annie Get you Gun western dress made of denim with ruffles and a leather belt and gun holster, very cool

Christopher - Victorian vampire with a great bustle in the back and lots of layers, film worthy as they say

Bottom 3:

Ram'on - green reptile print dress thing, but at least he tried. Zoe (?) called it a "hot green mess" so that's not good

Louise - 20/40's flapper dress that is very confused and isn't really special

Gordana - flapper dress, very pretty, very well made but nothing over the top

Winner: Nicolas (good for him, although I liked Christopher's better but I would have been happy with any of the top three)

Out: Ram'on!!!! He was robbed because Louise's dress was not nearly as creative as he was trying to be and at least he had a story behind his dress.  And Ram'on has always been a stronger designer than Louise anyway.

All the Fashion that's Fit to Print (or "Fashion Headliners")

Heidi gave away the challenge in my opinion when she said it would be in black and white.  I knew it was going to be a newspaper challenge and shame on the designers who couldn't figure it out even when standing in the LA Times printing presses or whatever.  So the challenge is to make clothes from newspaper.  The designers grab up what they want and head back to the workspace and then everyone wanders around for a while because they are like whut? I signed up for this!  Yes, you are on Project Runway and long ago this is what the challenges were like, clever and fun to make you think outside the box.  Then Tim Gunn comes in and gives a little history of paper clothes which was interesting.

And he goes around spreading sunshine and destroying dreams.  I <3 Tim Gunn.  He is positive about Gordana, Christopher, and Irina.  He tells Johnny that, basically, his dress is awful and it looks like the (paper) birds attack the dress, not like they are carrying the dress as Johnny has so hoped.  So Johnny balls in up and starts anew all while constructing an elaborate poor me lie in his little head.  Yes!  Because later Johnny decides that the iron spit water all over his beautiful Dior-like (!?) dress and ruined it so he rushed to make an awful one instead and didn't sit around playing a crossword or anything. 
Judges: Heidi, Tommy Hilfiger (all the designers freak out a little), Zoe Glassner (Marie Claire), and Eva Longoria Parker.  Let me say now that I liked Tommy Hilfiger, but I miss Nina and Michael Kors.

Runway:

Logan - pretty bamboo looking dress
Nicholas - eh, "punk" dress that wasn't really much too look at
Christopher - pretty long ballgown type dress with a great corset and a long foory skirt
Ram'on - short, folded origami dress
Epperson - Kimono/20's dress, cool
Johnny - Short dress with squares of eyes
Gordana - Short, pretty dress that looks like a dress
Carol Hannah - long gown, eh
Shirina - ?
Irina - trench coat with a cool collar
Althea - shiny dress that reminds me of the Empire State building
Louise (whose name I can never remember) - cool high collared dress with some nice details

On the runway, Johnny is a lying liar who lies and lies that he had this amazing dress that got ruined and Nicholas starts laughing so Heidi wants the scoop.  Nicholas says it was not Dior at all and that Johnny threw it away when Tim Gunn didn't like it.

Top 3:
Christopher - comments from judges: looks like art, a WOW, too a risk and it paid off

Althea- genius

Irina- Coca Chanel 60/70s meets new, great alternative to fur

Bottom 3:

Gordana - but barely as it was too wearable and boring

Nicholas - looks like an insect, cockroaches

Johnny - Zoe was positive about it, but the rest said no

Irina is the winner!! I liked the coat, but I liked Christopher's dress better.
Johnny goes home.  Thank goodness.  Tim Gunn goes all Gossip Girl on us and is like that was a ridiculous piece of fiction.  I've never seen Tim Gunn do that before.  Johnny says that giving up a meth addiction was easier than Project Runway!  Johnny is clearly insane.

Models in Charge! (or "What a Woman Wants" is not an ugly dress)

I miss the old way where the show would start with the model pick and we weren't subjected to 30 minutes of the models being bored.  The only good thing about the Models of the Runway is the beginning and the end.
Anyway, this week the models are in charge and the designers have to design something for them for an industry event (and there actually is one later).  I feel like they keep doing this challenge over and over, but whatever.  It's a one day challenge.  Everyone freaked out!
The models have some strange taste even though they know it is suppose to be for a work event, Shirin's model wants a royal blue jumpsuit. What!? Althea is making a "cigarette" jacket which confuses Tim until he figures out she means a smoking jacket. Oh, so clear now.
So they get their fabric from Mood and start work.  Tim comes around with criticisms/i.e. helping (and woe to the bitch that doesn't listen).  Epperson's dress is good, Logan has a smurf prom dress, Carol Hannah's is "robbing her model of her youth."  Tim can be hardcore.  Epperson is sad because he missses his family.
Judges: Heidi, Marc Bouwer, Zoe Glassner, and Jennifer Rade
Qrystal - black sheath with a ruffle thing on the strap - pretty but boring
Nicolas - white dress with a low back - very pretty
Irina - pretty print
Gordana - gold dress with a very cool woven detail on the front
Shirin - blue dress - can't really remember this one
Logan - blue dress with black lace - very 80's prom, would have looked great in Pretty in Pink or Teen Witch
Christopher - green and black dress - eh
Epperson - brown dress with cris-crossed layers on it - very cool
Johnny - purple dress with a flower detail on the waist - eh

Althea - 3 piece "suit" - very cool, model loves it
Louise - black dress with a ruffle collar - cool, nice detail (love that Fatima talks her up later)
Ram'on - blue dress with a big flower - eh
Carol Hannah - purple/black dress with a shiny pattern on the bottom - cool

So the top designers are Carol Hannah (edgy), Epperson (sexy, cool layering), Althea (everyone want to wear it and her model was one of the best walkers) and the bottom designers are Logan (prom dress), Johnny(bridesmaid), and Qrystal (boring).

Since boring is a mortal sin on Project Runway, Qrystal goes home. *sad*
Also there was a funny thing about Heidi and Epperson's model's boobs.  Heidi wanted them to be perky and they didn't look so in that dress.  She said she worked for Victoria's Secret too long and she is obsessed with boobs.  True since she always brings it up anytime the tops don't fit right on the chest.

Models of the Runway:

I wish they would show the model side of the challenge instead of afterward.  Anyway,  the models actually go to an industry event and act like normal people (not like the Top Model models would act) and most wear what the designers made for them with the exception of Valerie (Qrystal's model) and Koji (Logan's model) which is good.  Johnny's model is so cute and stays loyal and wears her little dress and it is fine.  Christian Audigier from Ed Hardy is there and talks to various models and books Valerie for a show so good for her. Later, the designers stick with their models and Valerie goes home (again).  And that's about it.

Beachy Keen (or "Rumble on the Runway" everybody fights)

So this is very much after the show aired and I'm picking up at the third episode.  I'd like to go back one day and at least do the maternity episode since I've been waiting for it for many seasons.
Anyway this week, the designers are tasked with making California surfwear in teams of two.  Tim Gunn is flip-flops, sunglasses, and a blazer is the best thing.  So the teams are:
Shirin - Carrol Hannah
Logan - Christopher
Nicolas - Gordana
Mitchell - Ram'on (Mitchell wants Ram'on to carry him and he does, but complains the whole time)
Althea - Louise
Qristyl - Epperson (then the whole episode she complains that he is taking over and she is suppose to be the team captain)
Johnny -Irina (picked last, that sucks)

So they start work and there is some clashing and then Tim Gunn goes in and announces that they have to create a second avant garde look. And then they all freak out.  I can't really tell what is going on, but Qristyl and Epperson fight a lot and Ram'on bitches about Mitchell the whole time.  And Mitchell is useless.

Judges: Heidi, Max Azria Nina Garcia, Rachel Bilson


Long story short: Ram'on wins with this avart garde dress he basically made at the last second. Mitchell is out since he can't sew and this is a show about sewing.  Why was he here in the first place?  Heidi is like this has never happened before, a captain goes home while his helper is the winner. 

I like Shirin/Carol Hannah's outfit but whatever.  This season is not that exciting and I can't remember everybody yet.

Meanwhile, the models are very happy that Ram'on won.  There are apparently two sides about Mitchell, but he is out.  His model is nervous.  Vanessa is happy for Ram'on.
So we find out what happened with Erika, the model with the commercial. She wants to continue but goes off to the commercial instead.  This show is so sad because they have like zero control over what happens.  Anyway, models are a little boring, but it's interesting to see how invested they really are.

Are you in or out ? (or it's the finale of the most boring season yet!)

So last night's finale of Project Runway was good. I laughed very loudly when Tim Gunn was announced as the special guest judge and Kenley's mouth fell open and she said that maybe she should have dialed back the attitude a bit. Ya think!? So it's okay to be rude to someone but not if they are the guest judge on the reality contest TV show that you are on. Good to know, I will keep that in mind for the future. Also she has already alienated the main judges (Heidi) so they kinda hate her. And Kenley got her attitude back this episode as Tim Gunn does his best to help and she basically tells him to stick it, but later rethinks it and does what he says anyway. Also, Tim Gunn totally rolled his eyes at her and that was a hundred years of awesome.
So let's see, the collections:
Kenley was up first and I really what she did. It was very pretty and cool and the painting was vair well-done. The one fully painted dress was not to my taste. The dress her model wore was cute and I could see someone actually wear a smaller version of it. There was a white one that was my favorite. I thought it was a job well-done although apparently she had some pieces that were exactly like other more famous designers. Uh oh! So either she doesn't look at anything ever or she's very good at pretending not to know what's going on. Oh that wacky Kenley and her crazy hijinks!

Korto was next and it was hit-or-miss for me. The ones that were good were very good but the ones that were bad, well let's just say not a fan. The green main dress was my favorite and so beautiful and I could definitely see it on the red carpet. She had some really great things and the dresses she made right before looked very well-made too and fit in perfectly. Although it must suck to have spent all the time at home and to realize that you need something else for your show and you have to whip out two dresses right before your big show. I liked her color palette.

Leanne was last and her collection was beautiful. I loved the colors and even though they were soft and very neutral, it still looked really great. She had a little of everything, like Micheal Kors pointed out. Some of her stuff I wasn't feeling overenthusiastic about it but the judges seemed to like it all. It was very well-made and the petals were interesting. I don't think that she is going to be a one note. I think she did the petals for this collection but I don't think that is all she can do.

So Leanne is our winner and Kenley is the ever gracious loser. Congratulations Leanne, I was rooting for you about 3/4 of the way through the season.

Wedding Dresses Glore (or bridesmaids' dresses must be ugly)

For the record, my bridesmaid's dresses were very pretty and I let them pick out their own dress so they have nothing to complain about.
Let's see. This week the designers went home and did their collections and Tim Gunn went around and acted like he had a choice in going to the homes and viewing their collections. Was it me or was Tim fascinated by Jerell's sister?
BTW, when I say collection, I just mean what I saw glimpses of. I haven't looked at the pictures online or anything. I'm being good.
Anyway, Jerell's was evening wear, very Mardi Gras ball. I didn't really like it, it was so gaudy but his wedding dress was pretty at the bottom (although I would have changed the tulle) but the top was no, just no. Tim makes a suggestion and makes the dress better but Jerell is having none of that. I actually can't remember what his bridesmaid dress looks like so that goes to show you.
Korto's collection was pretty and looked very well made and expensive (Heidi). Or at least what I saw, maybe different on runway. The green sexual dress was interesting. Her wedding dress was pretty but the bridesmaid dress was strange. I know of no one whose bridesmaids are all 6 feet tall models. Most of us would look bad in that dress.
Leanne's collection was very elegant and meticulous and you can tell. The colors were pretty. Her wedding dress was like what because that so very dress dream. The bridesmaid dress was perfect and went so well with the dress.
Kenley's collection was typical from her. Her wedding dress was very Audrey Hepburn-first wedding and soooooooooo cute. I actually really liked it. The bridesmaid dress went well with it and was cute as well. Very spring wedding.
Kenley was actually tolerable so I guess the producers had enough time off from her. She sorta half-assed apologized and tried to be civil whereas Korto and Leanne barely made eye contact and couldn't make small-talk. Awkwaaard
So Kenley and Leanne with actual wedding dresses I could see on someone stay and Korto stayed too because, although the bridesmaid dress was eh, the wedding dress was better.
Poor Jerell who should have listened to Tim says bye-bye. Why won't they listen to Tim? He knows best! That should have been the name of his show (which I don't watch cause it's a little boring) " Tim Gunn knows best."

Nature-Inspired (or haven't we seen this challenge already?)

This week on Project Runway the designers had to create a gown based on something from the New York Botanical Gardens, but not, you know, made from the New York Botanical Gardens. Is it me or are they recycling challenges left and right? Not only from past shows but from this season itself!
Anyway,
Jerell made a strapless, very pretty, could kinda see it on a red carpet dress based on a rose bush. Very nice. He sorta wins.
Korto made a orangey, lacey, sparkling dress based on a flamenco flower. I liked it but maybe there was something I didn't see. (Of course, I like Caine's dress that put him out so maybe my taste level isn't quite there.)
Leanne made a "sad and serious" dress that was pretty but needed to lose a couple of ruffles based on a lavender flower.
Kenley (oh, Kenley) made a Morticia Adams but purple snake skin dress based some leaves or something.
Kenley's attitude was the big thing this week. She has been so rude and obnoxious to everyone but expects them to be nice to her. The way she said Heidi made me what to slap her. The guest judge looked so uncomfortable.
Next week, everyone gets rejudged (word?) to see who gets to compete in the final three.
Yay!

Project Runway Music Challenge

Project Runway is my favorite show ever. It is one of the few that I watch on actual tv and will watch in copious reruns. That being said I wanted to write down what I thought of last night's show. The designers had to design for each other based on a music genre inspiration thing. It was a little confusing at first.
Jerell designed for Kenley with pop. It was cute and kinda fun but I thought that a pop star who wore it might get mocked. But I could totally see a little poplet wearing it.
Suede designed for Jerell with rock. I though it was okay, like a toned-downed Jeffery. Which I guess is why they sent him home but it was that bad.
Leanne designed for Korto with country. Eh. I thought country was really hard because it's hard not to get a little costumey. But Leanne did fine. I didn't think the skirt fit that well, but that is what the judges like the best.
Korto designed for Suede with punk. She did an excellent job and it fit really well and was made well too. It was a very punk outfit and she listened to Tim and took it to the next level in an awesome way. Also, Suede rocked that outfit down the runway. Seriously!
Kenley designed for Leanne with hip-hop. Kenley seriously aggravated me because she didn't listen to Tim and argued with him. There is a difference between defending your design and being defensive and she just doesn't take criticism well. She also had the bad luck of having LL Cool J as a judge. It seemed like another case of her trying to make the challenge fit the design instead of vice versa. I also thought it was funny that Korto and Jerell keep telling her how hip-hop it was. Vair funny!
I hope Kenley is next or she grows up.