Help the Cedar Rapids Public Library

I was on fredflare.com (which has the cutest gifts ever!), and I read that the fred flare team is helping the Cedar Rapids Public Library, which was flooded earlier this year, to rebuild it's stock of books.
check out the details here:
http://www1.fredflare.com/blog/?p=3128#comments

You can help by purchasing a book for the library through their amazon.com wishlist.
(click here for link to wishlist)

I just donated a book about purse embroidery techniques. When I was little, I was like a tiny sponge soaking up all the information and images from books in the local public library. I still enjoy the sense of discovery and possibility when I walk into a library and all the knowledge and stories that await silently in the wooden shelves. I get all this from my mom, who is an avid readers (the fastest I know) and library aficionado. One day she hopes to build a small personal library in our house (card catalogue and all!), but until then, we can help rebuild this little public library in need.
So if you can, find a book on the list that speaks to you in some way, and share it with generations to come!

"Most Fashionable Gifts"

I usually don't head out to shop the Friday after Thanksgiving for the following reasons:

1) I live in Italy where Thanksgiving doesn't exsist, therefore neither does "Black Friday"

and

2) I prefer to shop in peace without the crowds

While I am crazy enough to camp out for things I like {ie. Saturday Night Live tickets and even at one time Nsync, which is quite embarrasing to admit seeing that I was a freshman in college at the time} I probably would not sleep outside the mall after eating Thanksgiving dinner in order to save a buck. I really enjoy making and giving presents, and I like the charm of a leisure stroll through the city to find the perfect treasure for a friend.


Anyway, I saw this commercial this morning for H&M, and I wanted to share it. It's fashionable, surreal and a true gift for the eyes!

Sketchbook Sketches

I wanted to share some of my sketches from the Suite Spring/Summer 2009 Collection. Brainstorming and sketching are some of my favorite parts of the design process. My "girls" tend to resemble a Bridget Bardot character, with teased hair and thick black eyeliner.

Backstage

Suite fashion show

A photo of my models and makeup artist from the Syracuse Stage fashion show last night. It was amazing!! Everybody looked great. I will be posting more photos as I get them.

Yankees, Southern Belles and Junkin'

This past labor day weekend I packed a suitcase and headed down south to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins in Greensboro, North Carolina.



I know I didn't pack my passport, but I think I may have ended up in another country....


My mom and I practiced our "ya'll's" on the plane, and I finalized a design for a very cute tote bag I am making, which will be available on my website next Wednesday! (keep your eyes open for that one!) Anyway, my adorable cousin, Carlee came to pick us up at airport and took us over to my aunt Michelle and uncle Don's beautiful southern home. I come from a long line of antique fiends with stylish tastes, including my grandmother, mother and aunts.

There was a treat waiting for me at the house. My aunt had purchased episode 1's paper towel dress, so there it was hanging up in the bedroom. Touching the {surprisingly} sturdy paper construction once again brought back great memories of good times at project runway. My cousin modeled the dress and we agreed that I need to make a dress out of fabric like it for her homecoming.

Then, I was told we were going bumpin' butts and junkin' in Virginia the next morning.
I needed a translation, so I included one here for you:

{Southern belle : Yankee translations}

junkin' : antique shopping

bumpin' butts : there will be some big crowds where we are going


OH, we are going antiquing at a big antique show. ok, ok. I love shopping.

Now that it was clear what we were doing, we headed out early Sunday morning for some treasure hunting. It was a great time and I got a couple cute things, including quirky salt and pepper shakers from the '50s and a trifari necklace.

Later that night we went to dinner and then watched some tv together.
Guess which show my very sharp 6 year old cousin, Jack, wanted to watch?
Project runway, of course! He told me he loves to see me on the old episodes. Then he proceeds to tell me that he couldn't remember who was the designer, but for the Olympic challenge, he thought the "design with the gold sequins at the top of the sweater was the worst in his opinion"-FYI, mine. Apparently he agreed with the judges. But I bribed him to change his vote by telling him I would bring him the finale in New York next week if he did.

He was totally pulling my leg. He has watched the episodes several times and knew exactly which garment went with each designer. So at this point, I was curious, what would Jack design for the grocery store challenge?

After a momentary pause, Jack said he would use utensils and bend and glue them onto a tablecloth. Once tablecloth left his mouth, he quickly changed his mind-"no, no tablecloth, I would glue them on paper towels."

Good plan Jack.

On Monday, we did a little more shopping. We were in a very cute store in Greensboro called Scout & Molly's (http://www.scoutandmollysofgreensboro.com/) where the salesgirl was a little surprised to see me at the store. She did the "you look like that girl from proj--" thing. I was like, "oh, I haven't been recognized much during this trip here in the Carolinas." She responded, "I'm not southern."

As we headed back to the airport, I thought about my southern experience. My new southern friends are very friendly and welcoming.

They are also fast thinkers. I asked for a medium latte at the airport and got a small (in possibly the smallest cup in the world).

"excuse me miss, I asked for a medium."

She quickly comes up with this crafty line: "our sizes are medium, large and extra large, ya'll."

I guess you can't argue with that.

Project Runway Season 5!

So it's no secret by now, I've made it onto project runway as a designer for the fifth season. After I found out I was on the show, it was perhaps the hardest secret I've had to keep in my 27 years. (Well, of course after the secret about my brother getting engaged-but I pretty much leaked that one to his future bride-sorry again sarah!)



Anyway, last wednesday was the first episode, and I have to say that watching myself greet Tim Gunn in a towel was possibly MORE embarrassing than actually greeting him that way.



I can't wait for tomorrow's episode!

Who knew that children in Italy in 1954 practiced yoga?

While poking around a flea market in Lucca, Italy on Sunday afternoon, I found a few italian "ladies" magazines from the 1950's. I mainly like checking out the fashions, but I also peruse the articles. They are ridiculous, and I LOVE them.

There are some wonderful articles from GRAZIA, July 4th, 1954 including tips on how to clean your house before leaving for an extended vacation, a romantic story entitled "Un marito si trova cosi" (This is how we find a husband) and a lovely quiz to find out: "Siete una donna ordinata?" (Are you an organized woman?)
I learned things I never knew before reading these magazines. For example, did you know that according to "american doctors" the body doesn't digest "white foods," but the same foods in the color red are digestable! Note to readers with sensitive stomachs: GRAZIA reccommends you eat red tomato sauce. (Does it even exist in white?) Oh, and are you looking for a suitcase to carry your baby to and from your beachouse? Get one in GRAZIA.

Anyway, can you believe that there is an article on yoga poses for children? Although it is not explained as yoga, there is clearly some child's pose going on there. I know yoga has existed for a long time, but in Italy? My gym only got it a few years ago.

Cocktails and Party Hats

I spent my new years at a cocktail-dinner party at a nearly 100 year old country club in a black cocktail dress and diamonds. As you can see from the photo, I got more blinged out as the night went on. The fete was as close to my dream of attending one of Holly Golightly's get togethers as you could get. There were huge crystal punch bowls of shrimp cocktails, flowing champagne, sing-a-longs at the piano, and feathered tiaras. I celebrated the new year with people who actually celebrated it in the 60's, but I got a taste of a more old-fashioned glamour. I hope your night was as fun as mine, Darh-ling!