Project Walkway

B"H

My teen nieces were visiting me for the summer and they got me hooked on "Project Runway". I've really gotten hooked on it -- I supposed my years of being a closet designer (ok, not too closet -- I've shown my sketches to just about anyone who'll look at them)has contributed to my mania over the show. I know that I could never do what they do (well, at least not now) because sewing just isn't my thing (I'd like to get to know this better, but it's hard for me -- When I went to F.I.T., I tried to take "flat pattern design" (I think I still have the text for it) twice (I was so far behind after a few weeks, that I dropped the class both times) and I tried draping once (again, I fell so far behind that I knew I'd never pass the class). Maybe I should have stuck with it, I don't know.

When I was in High School, I learned how to knit (I already knew how to crochet since elementary school -- was it 5th grade???) and I started creating/designing clothing for my Barbie doll (It's about as much as I had patience for). I used to bring it to a concession store in a nearby town and sell them. I didn't exactly become rich selling the clothing, but I sold a few here and there.

I've spent the vast majority of my life trying to make a living doing things I like doing. I can design (as in draw designs either on paper or on the computer) but I can't make the clothing, shoes or purses. I can make some of the jewelry I design, but I can't afford the expense of doing more than one or two designs a year or so. I've also been doing graphic design for a number of years (20ish???).

A number of years ago, someone I knew introduced me to a woman who prints t-shirts who needed an artist to help with design, so I did some work for her. That led me to create a design, ostensibly for tees, of Strong Jewish Women (scenes from the lives of biblical women) -- I started with Miriam, added Devora (Deborah) and Queen Esther. I have since added Sara, Rivka (Rebecca), Rachael (Rachel), Yocheved (Moshe, Moses's, mother), Tzippora (Moshe's wife) ,Yael, Ruth and Naomi, Hana and Another Esther.

But I'm also working on the jewelry designs (you can see a couple of them and a couple of my doll clothing designs at my etsy shop and at my Shop-it site. Maybe that's my problem? I'm not focusing in on one thing? But I love all these things so much -- I enjoy creating and selling my artistic visions.

But when I see "Project Runway", I see myself in the rolls of the people who are there designing and making their own creations. Even the ones who end up "out" (as in going home) have a vision (even if I don't like their "stuff"). I find myself right now wondering who the last three will be and who will win. I have noticed one thing -- the people who listen to the judges and make changes based on their advice rather than constantly pushing their own agenda (though "trying to please the judges" without any vision also doesn't do it -- I knew the entire episode that Keith was "out" that he was going to end up gone because he was trying too hard to please the judges without being true to his own vision) are the ones who do the best (LeAnn -- I hope I spelled her name right -- learned very well from being in the bottom two in the second week and adjusted her work to showcase her vision without sacrificing style and advice she got from the judges -- she's won the most recent two challenges including this week's Diane Von Furstenberg challenge).

To all the designers who have left or are still on right now -- good luck in the future -- my heart is with you.

Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):

Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
Ruth and Naomi
John and John Quincy Adams
Television Trivia Quiz
Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Jewish Perspective of G-d

Check out my other blogs:

Jewish Sandwich
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
Bayit and Garden

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