Auto Parts Runway

Just thinking about a rubber dress makes me sweat, and the designers on Project Runway tonight were really sweatin' it when they were challenged to make garments from Saturn auto parts. All I could think of was to use upholstery fabric, but these smarties used everything! Leanne won the challenge with this amazing rubber dress. I loved how she took seat belts and cut them in zigzags and frayed them to make the sexy fringe around the bustier.

Suede shined with the crazy creative use of rubber mats for the fitted top, and then used the shiny material for a fringed skirt. I'll bet his fingers were wrecked from pushing a needle through that!

I fell in love with Kenley's flirty peplum made with filters. She's always the girly girl, and her style always makes a statement.

Scott's favorite was Korto's classy coat, designed with seated belts woven into an unbelievable tailored garment that the judges fell in love with. I'll bet it weighed 15 lbs. and the model couldn't mover her arms, but who cares? It's fashion, baybeeee....

Quilts, Friends, & Bloody Marys

Quilts, Friends, and Bloody Marys?
Yes, you read it right. The 2008 American Quilter's Society Quilt Expo was in Nashville this week at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center. Teresa and I took off on Friday afternoon and headed up the highway to see what all the excitement was about.

We were one of the show sponsors with our EZ Quilt Tools by Wrights, and our buddies, Mimi Shimp, Darlene Zimmerman, and Michele Muska worked their little bunnies off at the show. Scott and I hosted a little cocktail party at our house for the girls, because they deserved it after all that hard work. The Bloody Marys were terrific, as Scott served us as our bar tender and made sure that Darlene's drink was a virgin.
*giggle*
We laughed and talked about Darlene signing dozens of autographs, and of course we oohed and ahhed over all of the gorgeous quilts we saw.

I just laughed out loud when I saw this sassy quilt with the high heel shoes. It says, "If the shoe fits, buy it in every color."

This one cracked me up! Check out the iron lady with scissor hands and rotary cutters for hair. Preeeety creative, I have to say.

And this one with the laundry was a hoot! The clothesline is an actual cord, sewn to the quilt. The quilts were all incredible, and there just wasn't enough time to really absorb every quilt. Plus, there was shopping to do! Teresa and I snagged some nice Christmas gifts and loved browsing through all of the fabulous fabrics.

Of course, there's always a rogue bunch of musicians pickin' and grinnin' at the local hangs, and these guys were at the most popular place in the county for barbecue, at Martin's Bar-B-Que.

You won't believe it unless you see it,

but this place is half barbecue joint and half auto repair!

And then there's the gang that hangs out in Nashville, and Chant found out that if she put her head under a hanging lamp, it looked like a hat! This was at the Spaghetti Factory in downtown Nashville with a bunch of peeps from the office.

Howard is looking good, and sporting a happy smile.


I must have had shaky hands when I took this pic of Robyn under the lamp shade. Sorry Robyn!

Okay, I couldn't help it, I had to do the lampshade trick too.
There's nothing like have fun friends in Nashville!

Good Queen Fun!

It was good Queen fun tonight on Project Runway! The queens were clothed in everything from lettuce green to hot pink and radiant red costumes that would catch anyone's hair on fire!


I had a hard time picking out my fave outfit, but I have to say I liked the huge red costume with the removable skirt.

The perky pink sailor jumpsuit was outrageous, with the big belt hiding the candy, but revealing the Ann Margaret personality that sailed down the runway.

But, really, my vote was for the Marilyn va-va-voom with the sparkle farkle and feather boas. Yes! It was too much fun tonight, and it was a blast to see Chris back to strut his stuff as he gave the designers a nudge to strut their desigh-ner muscles.

Woohoo! Project Runway is a hoot! And I'm a fan.

Repurposed Egg Cartons

I've always been fascinated with crafts from repurposed objects. I went nuts when I saw this fairy chain of lights made from recycled egg cartons on Typepad. I've made some pretty neat things from toss aways, but this one is so cool! I like how they punched holes around the edges for a little extra design pizazz.

Coffee Filter Fashion!

I heart Project Runway! Did you see the first episode where they had to go to the grocery store and choose things to make into garments? Oh man! Love, love, loved it. This one did not win, but it won my heart.

The designer took vacuum cleaner bags, flattened them, and dyed them with streaks of color and turned them into a fab skirt. Then, THEN she used coffee filters to design the corset style top.

I got so excited, that I jumped up and made one myself. Don't laugh. It was totally fun, and I gave it to my gal pal Karen Brandon the next day at work. She loved it!

Okay, so after I made my little rendition of coffee filter art, I googled the snot out of the words "coffee filter dress" and found these coolio ideas. This ruffled dress is amazing. Just think of the work, my gosh!

Is this not beautiful? Who would have thought you could create roses out of coffee filters? This certainly is crafting to the inth degree.

Teeheee, look at the kitty. Another coffee filter lover like me.

This dress is not just coffee filters, but newspapers, too. How Fun! Okay, gotta get ready to watch this week's Project Runway. What will they think of next?

The Frist Museum

When was the last time you visited your local museum? Well, I am going to start checking out the Frist Museum in Nashville every time they change the exhibits, because I was thrilled to find out how fabulous it is! The building is an exhibit in and of itself. The Frist Museum is the former main post office right in the middle of downtown Nashville, built in 1933 in classic Art Deco. The spacious exhibition galleries and clerestory windows are astounding with cast aluminum doors and grand staircases. I felt like with a blink, I could have transported back in time to a place where men in Stetsons and women in crinolines strolled on the plank floors.

The Tiffany exhibit was incredible with 40 hand crafted lamps that were built in the early 1900's. The organic and sensuous curves of Art Nouveau style was intriguing in every single lamp as a work of art.

Color field painting as an exhibition completely took me by surprise. I'm a lover of contemporary arts, but these gigantic pieces of color took my breath away with their use of color and technique. I discovered how much impact art can have on your emotions and point of view. I encourage everyone to check out the art that is in your own area, and enjoy a bit of solitude and relaxation while you drink in the beauty.

Cute Show Home

In the neighborhood where we live there are two show homes, and my friend Susan and I just had to check them out while she was here visiting from California. We were pleasantly surprised by some really cute and crafty ideas that I've got to share with you.

The stager for the show homes cleverly took patterns and created framed collages to hang above the bed in the guest/sewing room. She threw in some pin wheels and rulers, other sewing notions. The vintage patterns were absolutely wonderful!

Another great idea was how she hung the curtains with measuring tape. I love this! They are simple linen drapes that have 18 inch lengths of fabric measuring tapes sewn to the top, every 12 inches. Then she tied them to the rod in little bows. How cute, and how fabulous!



I know, this is very predictable, but a nice touch to the entire room. The dress form is draped with more measuring tapes for fun. There was a cute sewing machine on the dresser, but it didn't come out on my camera phone. You get the picture. And I got some great ideas!

The good life in Tennessee

This weekend was hot! Just moving from California, it was a bit harsh being out in the heat on the beautiful deck at Arrington Vineyards just south of where we live in Nolensville. Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn, Winemaker Kip Summers and Fred Mindermann partnered together to bring to the Southeast this breathtaking and award winning winery. It was very hot & humid, but the music was nice, and the chardonnay was chilled, and we munched on our picnic lunch with lots of happy people.


My fave place to eat right now is Mad Donna's in East Nashville. Yummmmy garlic green beans, sweet potato enchiladas, and extreme chocolate desserts there are just amazing.

Michele Muska, Susan Faherty and I hung out there with friends after work and I had the BEST martini I've EVER had in my whole life at Mad Donna's. If you go there, ask for the stuffed olives with blue cheese in your martini...OMG they make them individually for each drink! Oh, my gosh!

We also went to Leiper's Fork on Sunday afternoon to browse through the galleries and hang with the locals. Scott and I went nuts over these unbelievable cement garden sculptures.

This one had metal bottle tops pressed into it. I am dying to learn how to make these. Do any of you know how? My mom and dad who live in Oklahoma, make the ones that look like leaves, but I don't know how these are done.

This guy cracked me up! He's about 2 feet tall and is adorable. I'm thinking about going back to snatch him up and put him in my front flower bed.

And if I figure it out, I must do one for herb gardening. They were so natural and I believe they would become more beautiful after sitting in the elements through a few seasons in Tennessee.

The bluegrass music at the Franklin Farmers Market was so sweet. We sat in lawn chairs, sipped iced tea, and did a little toe tappin'. We brought home a planter filled with basil, sage, and rosemary plants. Pizza is going to be much better now with pinches of basil, fresh tomatoes and garlic.

I'm such a lucky girl...Scott always has a nice cold drink and a snack ready for me every day when I get home from work. Ahhh, life is good in Tennessee.

We're LIVE on LifetimeTV.com!

We are LIVE on LifetimeTV.com today!

Just like I promised, there are BRAND NEW webisodes with holiday crafts that you will love to watch, and love to make!

My first holiday craft is Fourth of July Napkin Rings. There are so simple, but I have a special little technique that you might not have done before.

I know how everyone loves to play with beads, so I thought you would love to make beaded napkin rings that can either be gathered up after the party for next year, or you can give away as party favors.

Not only can you watch ME creating crafts like crazy, but you can also catch several MORE crafty experts!

They include Vickie Howell from "Stylelicious", the Crafty Chica, Leah Fung, Jennifer and Kitty O'Neil, and Leah Fung. If you go to the Home & Crafts Page on mylifetime.com, you will see all of us!

So, spread the word and tell your friends that they can watch crafting 24/7 on LifetimeTV.com right now!

Father's Day Craft

I did a search for Father's Day crafts, and lo and behold, Martha had a great idea on her site. This is so clever for the kids to do for Dad, and simple, too. The thing I like best about it, is that Dad will actual like this! Better than another tie, a pair of socks, or another gift card. Way to go, Martha!

Gotta make it!

I'm looking for an old globe so I can make this. Isn't it CRAzy? Love, love, love it. I've been redecorating my office, and I'm thinking this will really turn heads...get it? (giggle) But can I really bring myself to spray paint a lovely globe, I mean, would it feel like I'm obliterating the whole world with black chalkboard paint? Okay, over-thinking... I couldn't find a trunk to make-over. So, it's back to the thrift stores this weekend, if I don't go to Atlanta for the ICE craft show.