Project dollway - Ellowyne at home CHALLENGE

Ellowyne is the #2 challenge of the fun and exciting “Project Dollway” on line contest.

This challenge is about the “client’ . We were told to select an Ellowyne doll.

http://www.wildeimagination.com/c-2-dressed-dolls.aspx

From this selection were to read her poem and from that we were to design her outfit baised on the tone and mood she reflected. We were to create a 5 piece out fit for her that goes from day to night.

"Bitter Green”

I like antiques and wilted flowers:

Black licorice I could eat for hours.

Standing in my house serene

With walls painted BITTER GREEN.

I was naturally drawn to this client due to the bright colors. I love color and this green is one of my current favorite.The inspiration for my color scheme came to me as a bit of left over trim from work.

The trim has a very Victorian time worn and faded appearance in Citrine green, old gold, with a cinnamon accent.
From the poem “Bitter Green” Ellowyne makes reference to wilted flowers, so I felt that a faded flower should be an accessory to this design, used both in the day and night look.
My color choice for this important accessory is cinnamon with faded gold ribbon streamers.

(the fabric selections)

As a 5 piece ensemble I knew the major color in the design should be “Bitter Green” so the asymmetric the skirt and the top are in this color. For the day look, I added a big legged pair of pants.I created a funky shrug out of the old gold with sheer poofy mutton sleeves also in old gold that could be day or night wear.

Through out the ensemble I have used a pleated accents which are present in the asymmetric skirt hem and at the placket in the pants hem. Another accent element in the skirt and blouse is applied trim in cinnamon; with sheered lace to match.I created a reversible sash (green and gold) which can be used in many applications, but here mainly as a belt for the night time look.My goal was to create a youthful contemporary collection with the time worn elegance of the Victorian age.

Project Dollway - My take on the Ellowyne Challegne

Today the Ellowyne Runway Show came on line... this is my mussing on the designs and the designers!

http://www.projectdollway.com/Ellowyne%20Challenge%20Runway.html

Do you like it!!!
That is my criteria .... this is not a real world we are creating for our dolls and of all dolls, Ellowyne is definitely not realistic in anyway. So some fun and fantasy in THIS challenge is just the ticket for me.
I want to say that this was a hard challenge to judge...(at home) I first went design by design and counted the pieces... 1 2 3 4 5.... Then.....next the criteria of “day to night –night to day.”.. la la la la... but in the end it boiled down to my “Like” and I liked Judith’s the best!!! Wow...... she did a wonderful job in all areas, by my judgment! And as a BIG plus....+++++ it was fun and had some very original thinking. Lucky also for her she was the only designer to choose “Red White and Very Blue” which for me made her a stand-out! (BTW...paint can purse...brilliant!)


All of the designers did a wonderful job with a difficult challenge. I applauded them all...

Wow... some of the workmanship was amazing.
Kimberly’s jacket...perfection and I loved that blouse... remarkable detail on such a small scale.
Leigh did a outstanding job transforming from day to night and night to day.. and that little black sweater.... yummm..meeee. so detail and perfect!
I just loved Brenda’s Bohemian styling... (Sorry it was not styled correctly for you but actually I really liked the finial pic it had a very dressed up attitude to me.) The fabric choices were impeccable, love the colors and as always the accessories were to die for.
Again José never fails to come in on top by producing an outstanding design... beautiful tailoring and fit on the hound’s-tooth pants suite and the day to night transition is perfect. (I love citrine green)
Brandon ....sooooo much detail and the scale was just perfect!! Love the collar and sleeves on the blouse, I know how difficult it is to create such a look on a small scale and you did it! WOW... it did not matter one bit about the CAPE issue..
Andrea also achieved the defiant day to night aspect of the challenge and that wonderful hat certainly captured the essence of Ellowyne for me.
Mario and Gianni ... again love that blouse... wow... to me the hardest thing to do in doll wear is a blouse.. and you guys nailed it. Great use of color too..
Considering a lot to the designers choose to used “Nevermore” I was continually please to see a variety of color palettes use along with the black. Debbie’s deep plum skirt (yummy)Jose’s citrine underskirt, Karen’s Orange (love that color too) was risky but fun and Leigh’s soft lavender.... great variety.
A few designers missed the mark on the challenge criteria but still had a wonderful showing... all of the out fits were done to perfection. I think the construction over all was much more impressive than the last challenge. Well tailored, pressed, and the fit good.
I believe, and I think I said this last challenge... that it is most important for each designer to stay true to their personal design style. The twist is to configure your style to the challenge in a way that still says ... “Who are you Wearing?”

Project Dollway "Red Carpet" Challenge

Project Dollway is a fun new on line contest for OOAK fashion doll designers, which was developed to resemble the Project Runway TV show. Although I was not selected as a designer in the online contest I am participating in the “AT Home” challenges each week. I simply do not have the time to spend making doll clothes at this moment in time.... but I am finding it very rewarding to brush-up on my drawing skills and work my brain to meet the challenge requirements in the form of illustration. So for the most part I will be addressing each challenge in a drawing form. http://www.projectdollway.com/MainPage.html


The First challenge was using the Gene doll as a model. The challenge was to design for an event...not a personality. The question everyone asks at a red carpet event is ...”Who are you wearing?” http://www.projectdollway.com/Gene%20Challenge%20Main%20Page.html

My approach was to go with my gut and make the color speak first to the challenge. I am an interior designer and I have access every day to what is hot it the home market and I have, as always, fallen in love with all of the newest fabrics which are coming out for the fall. Brown is the NEW black. So I knew chocolate would be the most appropriate for a formal red carpet event. Because I wanted to make a statement to WHO I, the designer, was and Lime green is my ”NEW” favorite color . Yummmmm.... that is a yummy combo of colors...so brown and citrine it is!
It is no secret that I also adore working with silk for my dolls. Nothing scales better and drapes more realistically than silk. I am a snob in this area. So I went to my fabric piles and pulled the yummiest of Citrine and the richest of chocolate to inspire my design.





My Instinct knew that the back of this gown was as important as the front. I wanted the front to look simple, yet unique, sort of Julia Roberts red carpet style. So I designed a tailored neck line with a deep cut and a empire waist. I wanted all of the emphasis to be on the back.

See for yourself and tell me what you think. I may do this gown at some point in time but not for Gene.. maybe a 11 ½” model.

This is the description I sent into Ted, the mentor, for the Project along with my drawings and fabric selections.
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Thanks for the Dollie fun!!!
Here is a description of my Home “Red Carpet Challenge”

This dark rich Hershey Chocolate taffeta silk is an over dress wrap.
The over dress meets only in back and is joined together with hooks and eyes, which are covered with a citrine color rhinestone jeweled pin. The back is then split to the hem at a slight angled and also shortened to expose more of the underskirt. The back split and hem is all banded a quarter inch with taffeta silk in citrine. The straps over the shoulders continue down the back into a deep “V”. The straps are very delicately pleated and are the same citrine silk.

Under this over dress is a skirt made of doupionie silk in a rich citrine color. This skirt is created with a multitude of flat layered folds to craft a pleated effect. (I have pleated up a sample on my idea board to visualize the look) The back is somewhat longer to affect a small train but does not show in the front of the dress.

Sunday morning musing.....

Today is one of those rare days to just messing around and maybe make some soup. I am waiting on Jack and Patricia to come over. Yesterday I made a costume for Patricia, a Princess Leia ceremonial dress, for her to wear next weekend.

I still have to hem it and do the sheer cape.
So in the mean while I am plundering through my “Stuff”. ( This particular stuff is from IFDC last summer.) Because I now have 2 empty rooms (boys away at college)... I have moved a lot of my dolly stuff to one room which has a set of shelves.

(clearly not my best photo work)After a long visit at my office I brought home my “Table Gift Dolls” and allocated a shelf JUST for them. I was missing the goodies that came with Brenda’s 60’s collection, but I knew where they were...in that “bag of IFDC goodies” that had not been sorted into proper storage.
And so it started.... don’t you hate when you get this really big mess out and then you HAVE to finish by finding a place for it all?
I keep getting stumbled up with “Playing” with things.
Like for instance ..... Table mate, Debbie, always gives us the neatest LITTLE goodies.... and “KITS” which include fun fabric collections, beads, ribbons and trims. I can never convince myself to break-up the set... and put the fabric with my other fabric... beads with bead... etc etc... To me it just must be kept together....
(neat hmmm?)
I think I still have the wonderful set she made “Plum Blossom Café” 3 years ago. OK, weird I know... but that is the artiest in me...

Now a Warning!!!!!
And in regards to IFDC.... let me give you all a word of warning.....!!!!
Beware....of what you get off of the free-be table...yes there are little hidden monsters in that pile of “FREE” stuff...
As I was digging through the free-be piles I stuck my finger on a sharp “Tool”. This tool was a sculpting tool with a sharp knife like end and the other end was a scoop-y type tool. Well it got my attention when it attacked me but in my frenzy I had a quick thought, hmmm that could be nice.. soooo I took it ...(well it was free).
Remembering the attack I thought to put it in my suitcase in a safe place...one of those side pockets..
With out any additional thought of it when I got home and unloaded my goodies I missed removing it with the other fun stuff from convention. Days later when I was putting away my luggage I did one more check to make sure it was empty. Now like most luggage the inside of mine is black. So with my hand I did a blind search. Ya..ouch.... got me again... that bugger.!!! But undaunted once again I kept it, putting it in with my bag of goodies.
Fast forward to today... remember I am “sorting” well I find it again... but this time I have the upper hand..... I see it!! And I think to myself .. “Hmmmmm, that thing is of no use to me...I must get rid of it before it cuts me again.” So into the plastic bag I have assigned as trash t goes. OK... done right?

No.. after I am done sorting I clean up my mess and take the bag in hand to take out side.... that little monster pushes it way out of the bag on the side and pokes my leg... shish.... blood is dripping down my leg as I come in from tossing it out side in the trash...
Soooo.... just a little warning to my dolly buddies who enjoy a little free-be stuff... choose wisely!