What this blog is all about

The purpose of this blog 
After 17 years of being at home raising my kids I feel its time to start designing again. I need to challenge my design ideas and rediscover who I am as a designer, and I need others around me to encourage me and hold me accountable.

The saying goes "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." So here goes the flattery.  I am going to take the next few months and do the challenges presented on Project Runway.    I've often thought to myself "I would love to do the show." But since this is out of my realm of possibility at this time in my life, I will be doing it myself and ( here comes the second form of flattery) like "Julie & Julia", I'm inviting you along for the journey in the form of this blog.

Anyone who would like to do more than just observe my journey is welcome to do the projects with me.  We can post our creations and ask whoever may read this blog to comment. I also need and want real honest feedback.  If the designs I do are only liked by me, that's fine, but that also tells me a lot;  it tells me I either need to change to make my designs more marketable or I need to just design for me and be happy with that.

The Rules
Time  - on the show the designers are given a certain amount of time to do each project. Since I am a mom and have family commitments I won't be able to strictly abide by the time limitations that are on the show.  However I will keep track of my hours and attempt to complete them in the same amount of work hours contestants are given.
Money - Again I'll do my best to stick within the budget.  I have yards of fabric at home so I will try to use that as well.
Resources - My understanding is that on the show they are not allowed to look at magazines etc. while doing the show. I don't think that I will be able to do that since I live in the real world and I am in stores where fashion magazines are constantly in front of me, but I will do my best to make the designs original.
Group challenges - Since I will be working by myself I obviously will not be working in groups, but I will increase the time allotment by the number of people that are on their teams.

The Set-Up
Before each project I will watch the show and here what the challenge is. I will complete the challenge before watching the shows results.

About Me
Ok now that the premise of The Fashion Project blog is set up, let me tell you a little about me.

I graduated from the University of Cincinnati in Fashion Design.  UC is a great school and has had a number of graduates do quite well.  David Meister has made it in evening wear with a lot of Celebes wearing his dresses.  For you Project Runway groupies, Althea Harper from season 7 is also a UC grad.  I feel privilege to be from this same school as these designers.

Since graduation I made the decision to be a "stay-at-home mom".  Any moms out there can tell you that this is such a huge misnomer, moms don't stay at home.  To say that they "work outside the home" is also a misnomer, moms work hard all the time.  There are just those amazing women who will work for someone else and get paid for it and manage to raise their children and keep their home too.  I am not one of those women.

Now saying all that makes it sound like I really haven't done much besides raise my kids.  But when I look at what I have done outside of my kids and with my kids I realize that I really have done a lot.  During the course of this 17 years I have started different home businesses, helped to start and run a non-prophet, written a book, home schooled my kids and several other things.

But now, as I stated earlier, I feel the desire to design again.  Last spring I spent a few days in Chicago searching for fabrics.  Cincinnati has very little to offer right now in the way of choices.  So Chicago seemed to be the closest place that I could go.  I did find a lot of great fabrics and hope to be using those in the weeks to come.

Before I begin
Before I can fully start of the projects presented in season 1, I have a project that I need to complete first. You can join me for this project as well.  On Feb. 27, my husband, Steve and I will be attending the PWC Oscar Gala.  PWC, short for People Working Cooperatively, is a non- profit that provides thousands of low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners with higher quality of living. ... with critical home repairs, energy conservation and weatherization, mobility modifications, and maintenance services. (For more info on PWC go to www.pwchomerepairs.org)


The Oscar night is their main fundraiser of the year. PWC’s annual Oscar Night event is part of Oscar Night® America (ONA). The event is one of only 52 official parties sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held across the country on Oscar Night.

PWC is the only organization to bring the real Academy Awards® to Cincinnati, live on a big screen. 

So my first project will be to create a evening gown suitable for a night at the Oscars.

stay posted for my sketches and project pictures.