Project Runway Has Gone to the Dogs

Last week was extra busy here at Laura Bee: Visitors in town, the fall line to prepare. And of course our favorite activity, working with lovely clients on custom orders. So with that said, we are posting an abbreviated version of our usual Project Runway blog installment. Episode 4 airs tomorrow (Wednesday) night.

We were thrilled to see that the mysterious “fashion accessory” alluded to last week was the pocket pooch. Each designer chose a small dog from a cute assortment that included a pug, a Boston terrier, and two toy poodles, among others. (In a matter of shameless self-promotion, I – Ashley – do have to say that I called it!) We were entertained watching the designers choose their doggie clients.

Of course we were fond of the charming winner: Einstein the pug! (And his designer Uli, of course.) Both Laura and I were excited to see Uli finally get some recognition. The juxtaposition of fabrics she used on her dress was inspired and tricky to pull off.

My personal favorite canine was Stanley, who was paired with rumpled designer Bradley. They had an uncanny resemblance. Listen to Tim Gunn’s Episode 3 podcast and hear him repeatedly saying “my precious Stanley” in his signature lock jaw – hilarious! Laura was of course partial to Einstein the pug, but had a soft spot for ‘precious Stanley’ as well.

On to the garments for the humans! Once again Michael received no recognition for a beautiful design! Also, Bradley’s skirt and bubble top was somewhat of a repeat of Daniel V.’s orchid-inspired dress from Season Two. And Angela… ohhhh Angela. A Parisian art camp for 6 year olds taught by a woman from England who totes her dog wherever she goes and wears belly-baring sleeveless tops and a skimpy, crazy bubble skirts? The back story alone should have been enough to get her canned. Ah well, at least she continues to make some good TV drama.

Tune in tomorrow night to see which designer breaks the rules and is ushered off the show! We’ve been dying to find out since the first previews for the season came out back in June.

- Ashley

(Note from Laura: Check out this blog, written by a Project Runway producer, who details the inside scoop on actually making this reality phenom. He's funny too.)

We're in!

Small Notes

This weekend I made these little three inch by three inch notecards using scraps of cotton. I stitched along the top of each fabric square, so that it flutters like a tiny flag.


We'll use these cards for gift messages in the packages we ship. Many customers who order through the website have us mail their orders directly to their friends for birthdays, holidays, or other special events. We hand write each gift message for a personal touch.

Pattern Maker

My husband Jeff is a woodworker who generously uses his various tools to make acrylic patterns for us. In this photo he's transferring my original 8-gore skirt pattern (made of interfacing) onto an acrylic sheet.


Next stop, the table saw to cut the angled sides of the pattern.


Finally, he trims the bottom curve on his bandsaw. The patterns are so fantastic. Because they are clear, we can see exactly what we are doing as we slide the rotary cutter along each edge.

Project Runway: Episode Deux

Time for our weekly Project Runway review installment! You would think the challenge of designing a Miss Universe Pageant gown for the reigning Miss USA would be interesting enough, but the drama between the designers this week only upped the usual must-see factor. Laura and I have both already re-watched the episode several times on the Bravo re-runs, and we’re happy to say that NBC is picking up the first few episodes of the show to air Monday nights at 8pm PST. Just see if you can resist getting cable tv after that…

For some great behind-the-scenes dish, this is a great week to check out Tim Gunn’s podcast (linked to the previous P.R. blog entry). Apparently, there were juicy details the viewers didn’t get to see! Also, see the winning gown in action at the Miss Universe Pageant, airing this Sunday at 9pm PST on NBC.

What was your favorite garment this week?
Ashley: My fave was Kayne, and I was so glad he won. Talk about making his career! It doesn’t even matter now if he lasts a long time on the show, he’s the designer for Miss USA’s Miss Universe Pageant gown! And think of if she wins…

Laura: I have to admit that pageants are not my thing, so I’m hardly qualified to analyze this week’s garments. I thought that Laura and Michael’s off white gown was really lovely – clean and fluid. However, it was probably too simple for the pageant world. I certainly think that Kayne and Robert deserved to win. I enjoyed seeing Kayne tweak the clients ‘earth-tones’ request to something a little more showy. That is true designer work – listen to the customer and then insert your own vision to make something surprising and yet familiar.

Who is emerging as your early favorite?
Laura: I have liked both of Uli’s dresses quite a bit. I think she might be a sleeper a la Daniel V. from last season. At this stage of the show, there are so many characters, I don’t feel that we know them very well yet. I’m curious to see more from Robert and Michael especially.

Ashley: I love Kayne, and his partner from this week, Robert Best. I have to give Laura all the credit there, she has been into the two of them since the Road to the Runway special! But I also still really like Michael, the designer from Atlanta. I’m excited to see what he will do next.

Angela vs. Vincent: Who’s side are you on?
Ashley: I really think I dislike them both equally, although I was totally disgusted by Angela’s unprofessional shredding of Vincent in front of the judges. At least he toned down his anger when speaking to them. Tim Gunn’s extra information on the subject on his podcast is WELL worth listening to – there was a lot more going on we didn’t see!

Laura: They are both total lunatics. I second Ashley’s pitch that you listed to Tim Gunn’s podcast on the subject. The producers had to actually remove Tim from the work room because he was so frustrated with Vincent. Since Tim is always right, I think I have to side with Angela on this one.

What was your favorite moment from this week’s show?
Ashley: It’s not really a happy moment since he ended up being ‘out’, but I really liked hearing Malan’s back story and getting to know him a little more. By the time the show ended I was really sad to see him go! Laura and I have discussed our belated new-found love for him many times since the show aired. He was on the Today show though yesterday and he seems to be doing well and has several high-profile clients, so he wasn’t daunted by his dismissal from the show. Yay!

Laura: I agree with Ashley. Malan seemed like an arrogant jerk early on. But on this show, I realized that he is just one of those guys who probably had a rough go of it in his early school years. He probably listened to a lot of The Smiths in his room while he sewed incredibly detailed garments. He probably didn’t fit in. I wish we had the chance to see more from him; he seemed really talented and skilled to me. I have to give props to those who are true to themselves, weirdness and all. Austin Scarlett was the ground breaker in this area.

Tool of the Month - Lint Roller

Little threads and fibers float in the air around here. They stick to our clothes, workspace, and projects. The humble lint roller is the perfect tool to handle the stray threads (and pug hairs).

Dupioni silk is especially pesky, and we've been using it quite a lot lately for bridal party purses and other elegant projects. The picture shows Ashley's roller after use - it's a sampler of the day's projects.

Make it work!

We are proudly addicted to Project Runway. Have you seen the reality show on Bravo? Season Three just started on Wednesday night, so Ashley and I have a renewed obsession with mentor Tim Gunn and the creative process showcased on PR. (Of course we don’t mind the drama either.)

Each week we’re going to add our own comments to the Project Runway blog world. If you’re looking for more check out:

Tim Gunn’s podcast
Blogging Project Runway
Offical Project Runway Website

What do you love about this show?
Laura: I love the show because, despite all of the drama, it is really about the creative process. I love the episode structure – surprise challenge, quick design brainstorm, shop for materials, sew, and then - ta da - runway show. It’s endlessly entertaining to see how several people respond to the same design challenge.

Ashley: Well… everything! What I DON’T love is this new situation of Bravo using the last commercial break to post three choices for cell phone users to vote on to decide who will get kicked off. They phrase it as “which of these bottom three will be out?” Horrible! I don’t want to know who’s in the bottom three, that’s the fun of the show!

What’s your favorite moment from a past season?
Ashley: I really loved the Postal Service episode from Season 1. The designers had to combine fashion and function, while working within some pretty set-in-stone parameters of color, tradition, and modesty. Plus Austin Scarlett got to model for Jay, and who didn’t love seeing him in his element!

Laura: Santino’s impersonation of Tim Gunn is up there at the top of a long list of favorites. “Where’s Andre?”

Ashley: Oh man, that’s a good one. I second that! No one can say “Red Lobster” like “Tim”.

Which designers intrigue you on the new season?
Ashley: It’s hard to narrow it down at this point, they’re all such characters! I’m interested in the woman from Ohio and the guy from Atlanta, just because they seem to have such niche styles. I also am intrigued by the architect since she seems to have a flair for the dramatic.

Laura: My favorites are Robert Best, the Barbie clothing designer because he’s talented and funny, and I also am curious so see what Kayne, the prom and pagent dress designer will do for the challenges that don’t involve sparkle.


What was your favorite garment in the recent episode? Least favorite?
Ashley: I l.o.v.e.d. the coffee filter dress! Maybe it was too simple of a shape for the judges or something, but I thought it was the perfect example of beauty and innovation. My least favorite was Vincent’s hideous gray shift with the crazy basket hat. It was ill-fitting and, like Nina, all I could look at was that hat! I did love that he told the judges it was an afterthought though, after all the footage was shown of him obsessing over the “hat”. Hilarious.

Laura: I agree, the coffee filter dress was sadly overlooked by the judges. I liked Uli (the German’s) white halter dress with citrus green draped beads, and Robert Best’s built in jewelry with red bow dress. I thought that the judges over-rated the winning navy blue dress. The challenge was about innovation, so using a bedsheet to make a dress was not as creative as so many of the other garments. Plus, that guy is so high on himself that he gets on my nerves.

Do you have a favorite moment from the episode?
Ashley: Other than every minute of Tim Gunn airtime? The group coming back to their ravaged apartment.

Laura: I loved the Road to Runway special that showed all of the crazy wanna-be designers, as well as the old footage of favorites from other seasons. (I still love Jay McCarroll.)

Tell us what you think! Post your own comments here. We want to know who you love, and who you love to hate!

Orange Peel Enamel

Jenny from Orange Peel Enamel carefully crafts each of these disk pendants in her Ballard studio. She layers powdered glass onto copper, and then fires each piece in a kiln. Each pendant has sterling findings and a coated stainless cable.


We're excited to carry Jenny's lovely line in our store - she just dropped off the first batch over the weekend. Priced at $36, these little works of art will make beautiful gifts, or treats for yourself!

Woodland Park Zoo

Each summer we make photo bag for the Woodland Park Zoo to auction off at their annual summer extravaganza. This year Ashley used a zoo image of two mystery animals (does anyone know what these guys are?) complemented by rust microsuede with glossy black trim.

The Chocolate House

I grew up a few blocks from this amazing candy shop in Rochester. They've been in business since 1946, making the candy upstairs, and selling it on the first floor. They don't have a website, or sell to other stores. Instead, they have become a neighborhood institution.

My mother sends us Stever's candy for the major holidays - white paper boxes filled with cocoa coated almonds, cinnamon and dark chocolate patties, and orange chocolate meltaways. When I visit my hometown, I always make a pilgrimage to Stever's. The scent of melted chocolate is impossible to resist.

Buried Treasure

I'm in my hometown of Rochester, New York visiting some old haunts. Today my mother and I visited Fabrics & Findings. I have many childhood memories of going there, browsing among the remnants and trims. As a teenager, I'd ride my bike to the store to select various 1980s prints for my handmade blouses. I love the big warehouse windows and creaky wood floors of the building.


Last June I went crazy digging through the piles of material and shipped a bunch of stuff back to the studio in Seattle. This year was a little more tame, but I did pick up several great finds, which I'll photograph later.

Day of Rest

Last week was busy and crazy. First off, we went a fabulous tour of Theo Chocolates, a Seattle organic chocolate factory. We're going to sell some of their chocolate bars at the shop, so it was great fun to get a firsthand intro to their product.

Then we had various procurement issues - why are our vendors out of all of the things we need, all at the same time? For a small business, we have tons of supplies, and keeping everything well stocked can be tricky. I trust that this week we'll get lots of great stuff delivered on time!

Then poor Ashley came down with a serious case of cooties and was home sick for two days. Otis especially missed his Auntie - she spoils him all day long.

In any case Otis Bee and I are ready for a day parked on the couch. I think I'll venture out to buy this amazing looking book 52 Projects. I heard the author interviewed on CraftSanity and I've obsessively wanted this book ever since.

Unfurled

Yesterday Ashley made an Oxblood and pink Kate tote that is bound for the Bay Area. Here's a snap of the bag in its flat state - you can see both the outside, and the lining of the purse - all trimmed in a lovely pink and chocolate jacquard ribbon.

The Kate is our biggest style, so at this point in the construction, its well over five feet long! That's the top of Ashley's face at the top and her little toes poking out the bottom.

The next step in production is folding and pinning the bag inside out, installing a magnetic snap closure, sewing around the perimeter, turning right side out, and - voila - big, lovely tote.

Vintage Inspirations

Busy Bees

She Totes!

Recently a customer ordered this bag - our Natalie shape with chestnut microsuede, light blue Naugahyde, and butter yellow lining. The bright floral rectangle hides a roomy exterior zipper pocket. She plans to use the bag to carry her laptop.

One of the best ways to help a customer put together a custom bag order is it have them begin by choosing their focal fabric. Usually this is a patterned fabric that will be the centerpiece of their purse. For this tote, our customer chose the bold, large-scale floral that had many lovely colors.

Next step is to choose the accent fabrics. She chose to emphasize the chestnut brown that is a secondary color on the print. We happened to have a rich suede in this color that added a sophisticated vibe to the print. She chose the ice blue Naugahyde for a light, springy final touch.

There are so many wonderful textiles out there...and so little time. That's why we have great fun seeing what our customers choose, day after day.

On Black and Brown

Many fashion rules about coordinating and matching have relaxed greatly. Your handbag and shoes don't need to match, you can mix patterns, and you can have fun with quirky color combinations. Isn't it more fun to stay loose and have fun with your accessories?

Many customers who visit our store want to carry a bag that will look great with both brown and black. Chocolate is such a popular neutral now, that one lingering fashion rule seems to be don't mix black and brown. One great solution is to carry a bag that doesn't have either color.

The bag above features a lovely rich glossy merlot that looks terrific with almost every color including black and brown. Another option is a green bag - in this case a colorful bag can in fact be more neutral than absence of color.

More about this bag.

Patchwork Cards

A Creative Business

The view of my desk...the much used 10-Key, plus some paper patchwork destined for greeting cards.

Fly Away Home

Ashley says that ladybugs have invaded her house, and that they can be quite pesty. You might find them to be cute and charming. If so you might like our newest 'buddy' wristlet...this lady bug is stitched to a turquoise grosgrain ribbon atop glossy black Naugahyde.

Tool of the Month - Straight Pins

The humble pin is not to be taken for granted. It holds layers of fabric in place for us to sew them together. Our bags have several layers of structure, so each pin may slide through six layers at a time.

We favor the long pins used by quilters, rather than the small short pins used by dressmakers. The quilt pins have large yellow heads and are thick and strong. Below is a sad picture of the state our pins were in recently. Having served us well, they were bent, twisted and ready to retire.

Help Wanted

We're hiring! This is basically the ad that's running on Craig's List.

We are looking for a fun-loving, crafty person to join our team. Laura Bee Designs is a custom accessory studio and retail store. We need a smart cookie who has the following qualities: great people skills, sewing experience, production prowess, design sensibility. Duties will include sewing, cutting, assembly, customer service, and assisting customers with their custom designs.

Part time position with growth opportunities. Must be willing to work Saturdays, be articulate, and sport a positive attitude. Position begins in July. Schedule and # of hours TBD. Visit our website to learn more about our company. http://www.laurabeedesigns.com No calls please.

Email your resume with cover letter that explains why you would be a good fit with our company.

PS - I have finally figured out the digital camera not talking to the computer dilemma that's been plaguing me of late. Stay tuned for more photo-filled blog entries.

Sew Geeky

A heavenly way to spend an evening:


1.) Set up laptop on bathroom counter with WIFI internet access

2.) Soak in hot tub with a fizzy bath bomb by Bliss Soaps

3.) Listen to a podcast by Jennifer of CraftSanity.

Special favorites are interviews with Denyse Schmidt and Alicia Paulson.

Check out CraftSanity.

Learn about Bliss Soaps, of Seattle.

Beta Tester

This is Stella, the fashionable French Bulldog puppy. Not only is she pals with shop dog Otis, she's our official collar tester. Yes, that's right, we're working on a line of custom dog collars and the turquoise polka dot one that Stella sports in these pictures is a prototype.



Thanks to Stella's dog mom Julie for suggesting dog collars to us as a product idea. We're having the best time developing them. Right now we're finalizing the sizes (from Pomerainian to Great Dane) and getting the adjustable hardware, etc all ready for release.

My Mother

My mother, Sharon Dwyer Buzard, taught me everything about living a creative life. When I was little, she brought me along to school with her while she worked on her MFA. I would putter on the floor with my own acrylics while she painted. Later, I'd come home from high school and she'd be teaching drawing and painting to adults in her studio in our house. On weekends we'd hit up the local antique shows - I collected antique dishes at a strangely early age.

There are other, more subtle ways of living a creative life that are tough to articulate. My mother has always appreciated the quirkiness of people. She's always had friends who are much older and much younger than she, I think because she finds something to learn from each person. Throughout her life, she's enjoyed the company of people who've emigrated from the world over - Russia, Germany, Persia. There is something creative about this kind of broad social interaction. I remember her telling me, when I was very little, "Smart people never get bored." There's too much to be curious about.

Now she works as an interior designer, and I always enjoy hearing about the cast of artisans she commissions for her projects. The seamstresses, painters, wall-paper hangers, weavers and carpenters come from all walks of life, and all earn my mother's respect. They work together to achieve a creative end - a room, apartment, piece of furniture.

I can see my mom's influence in this place that I've ended up - making things for a living, working with a great team of creative people, enjoying simple interactions with customers and vendors. I treasure every moment. Thanks Mom.

(PS - That's my mom holding my sister, and me in the little red strawberry dress, circa 1975.)

Yo Mamma II

Yo Mamma

The Mother's Day orders have been special treats for us. Thanks to all of our customers who brought in their treasured family photos, and allowed us to create something new with them. The baby in this photo is all grown up. She brought this sweet photograph to us to make a checkbook cover for her mother. Love the plaid dress, and the old school square photo with the white border.

Introducing Alex

She's spunky and spirited, smart and stylish. Our newest big bag is vertical and roomy. The printed exterior panel hides an exterior zip pocket. The asymetrical piecing makes Alex stand out from the crowd.

Honey Bee

More earrings.

Individualists

Can you guess which wristlet is for the bride? She chose an individual color palette for each bridesmaid to carry with her neutral dress. We selected the accent ribbon for each bag and the vintage button embellishment.

Fan Mail

(Sorry if it's immodest to post these props, but it just tickles me when we receive happy customer messages, so I had to share!)

Hi,
I can't help myself, I just had to write you guys a note saying how much I LOVE my photo wallet and wristlet. It is a mother's day present and my mom is going to love it!!! I am truly amazed at how incredible the quality of your works are, the friendliness of your staff, and the speed at which these were sent to me!!!! So, I just wanted to thank Laura Bee!

Sincerely,
Zaneta

She's a Keeper

One question that people often ask is if I have a huge collection of handbags. I think they picture a huge wall of purses that I can choose from every day and change frequently like shoes. Another version of this question is, "Do you ever make something that you just have to keep for yourself."

My rather disappointing answer is that I do have a bunch of bags, but they are usually experiments that I'm testing before I sell them. Since I make all of the patterns from scratch, I often play the mad scientist with structure. I'll change materials, or hardware, add a zipper here, change a closure there. So I like to take these experimental bags for a test drive - to really throw them around - before I launch the pattern into production.

The new bag above is the Amy sample that's hanging in the store. I made a coordinating wristlet for fun. These are definite Laura colors - green, rust brown, etc, so I'm tempted to keep her. But I'd rather send her out into the world on a fresh new shoulder to be filled with a wallet and keys, and other stuff that's not mine.

Mailing List Perks

She Sells Seashells

I made these new simple earrings recently, inspired by the lovely shell disks that remind me of summer. Above, pink shell with faceted bronze glass beads. $16

These abalone shells have so many colors floating in their steely depths. Pewter lotus blossoms dangle. $16

White shell glistens in the light, and sage Swarovski pearls float beneath. $16

See more jewelry.

You are Here

These glass pebble charms by Cyn City are quite popular in our shop. Pictured above are the best-selling styles. The Seattle map is a great gift for those who've moved away from our fair city. The Ballard map references our favorite Seattle neighborhood. To know Ballard is to love it for its mix of industrial grit, water views, and Nordic history.

Now for sale on our website too.

Silver Silk

We recently made this petite purse for a bride who wanted something to match the silver accents on her white dress. The silver dupioni silk purse with tulle and sequins embellishments is something she'll be able to use in the future for an evening out. How about honeymoon dinners and anniversary celebrations?

Going to a Garden Party

Too many toys

Tool of the Month - Rotary Cutter

At LBD, we have these supremely satisfying moments of sewing nerdiness. One such moment is using a fresh new rotary blade to slice through layers of fabric. Like a pizza cutter for sewers, a rotary cutter is an indespensible tool. The dangerously sharp blade glides through stacks of fabric, and makes precision cutting a breeze. The model pictured above by Olfa is the studio favorite. It's comfortable in the hand, durable and worth the few extra dollars more than the competing models.

Rotary cutters need to be used on cutting mats that absorb the blade and protect tabletops. You can see how much cutting we do by our worn out mat in the picture above. Those hazy white areas are supposed to be crisp yellow gridlines, but have been eroded by thousands of cuts made each month in the studio.

Fever

Daylight savings time means that when I close up shop at six, it's still light outside. It means that some of our potted flowers outside the door of the shop are blooming. It means it's time to craft a bright, bold spring display.

Early next week we'll change the window and center table of the shop and the theme will be Garden Party. I've been excited about this table for a while, but I told myself it had to wait until April.

In the meantime, I've been making these tissue paper flowers to use in the display. I love the way the tissue flutters and lets the light pass through. Here are two of my favorites. I've never been much for fake flowers, but these will do just fine.

Time for a Day Off

The view next to my sewing machine after a busy week.