So I was really stoked about both 'Playboy Club' and 'PanAm'. I know they're both blatant Mad Men copycats/cashcows, but I'm glad they're copying something like Mad Men for a change, instead of 'Law & Order', 'Friends', or a 'Housewives' show.

Playboy Club: I really wanted to like it. I think it's a cool idea, and I think the narration by Hugh Hefner is campy and fun. I expected the show would have all of the charm of 'Girls Next Door' plus awesome scripted storylines and glamorous cinemetography. But instead, the writing is lazy, the mood is dark, and the storylines are the same old crap you see on any other show; they don't seem to be taking advantage in on all of the unique setting. It's only been two episodes and I already hate the main character - 'Oops, I left a bloody shirt in my room where anyone who walked in could see it.' 'Oops, I'm holding a dead guy's Playboy key which I shouldn't have, in front of a public bathroom mirror where anyone could walk in.' 'I'm talking to this guy in a dimly lit room alone when his girlfriend hates me and is crazy jealous, oooh oops she walked in!' That is LAZY writing. Embarassingly lazy.

I also think the vibe of a show about the Playboy club should be competition, fabulousness, and soapy love triangles. Instead, we get mafia bosses, murder, politics...I mean I know that underbelly is there, but I'd expect a show about Playboy Bunnies to be a lot more cotton candy guilty pleasure. If I want to watch a tough guy action/thriller I'll watch a crime show, you know? So I'm pretty over this, I think, though I'll watch for a while longer to see if it picks up.

Pan Am: LOVE! 8D This was the campy fun I was looking for! The ladies are glamorous, smart and interesting, and it is more of an ensemble piece than Playboy Club (which focuses on dopey Maureen.) There is an spy/intrigue storyline, but they carry it off realistically and keep it a very minor part. For the most part, the show is about beauty, independence, fun, and of course soapy drama.

'Playboy Club' made glad I don't live in that world. 'PanAm' made me YEARN to be a part of it! I want to be a PanAm girl! The clothes are fabulous, the hair is fabulous, the cars are fabulous, the sun is shining, and it's an bright, indulgent fantasy of the 1960s. I thought the pilot was amazing and I hope the rest of the show will be just as good. ♥

Okay, I think I'm ready to talk about the 'September Project' I've been referencing for the past year. Now that I'm certain it's definitely going to happen and not be an absolute trainwreck, lol.

I'm showing a 12 piece fashion collection at Detroit Fashion Week! :D

When I was in high school, FIDM did a presentation at my school and I fell in love with the idea of being a fashion or costume designer, but I decided it was 'too risky' and that I was going to get a 'safe' degree like English (what a mistake that was!) Then there was Project Runway, which reminded me every year what I would rather be doing than reading and writing. After college, I even applied to and was accepted - with a big scholarship because of my costuming portfolio - to FIDM. But I decided against it AGAIN because I didn't want to live in California the rest of my life and felt like going to FIDM and working in fashion might be committing to that. So I moved here, to Michigan, went to grad school and immediately dropped out (what is an English MA going to give me that an English BA couldn't, except more debt?) and have been flailing about aimlessly working crappy jobs and doing commissions. I've been happy because of Jason, but still feeling like a failure every day for not having a successful career.

So, I decided to take advantage of the fact that you can do anything in Michigan (compared to California, there is NO competition here for anything) and show a collection at Detroit Fashion Week. I started last year and have been working steadily on it between commissions since then.

I can't say I expect much to happen from this; sure, there will be buyers and boutique owners and Important People there, but I never went to design school and don't really know what I'm doing. I don't expect my life to change. But I am PROUD of myself for trying and doing something. I feel really, really happy that I'm even attempting. It's so hard for me to put myself out there for judgment; I couldn't even tell my friends and family about it for a long time! But if I try at least one fabulous, ridiculous thing a year, certainly something will succeed and I'll manage to have a creative, satisfying career? This is my attempt this year.

I hired the fabulous sparklepipsi to make a website for me and she did an amazing job. You can see my first 5 looks there: katelorenzdesign.com

The looks on the website are from a photoshoot in April. They are all the darkest looks in the collection; everything I have made since then has more color. I started sewing in the winter so I guess I was feeling black. I am going to have 12 looks, 9 evening and 3 bridal, by the end. I'm about 3/4 of the way finished and the show is on September 24th. I have the official go-ahead, I've been doing my model fittings...this is really happening! Agh!

I am okay with constructive criticism, as I know many of you on my friends list are very knowledgeable about fashion and some of you have been to design school. But, I am already anxious and terrified so be gentle, lol. I will continue to post looks as I finish them.

There is something you guys can do to support/encourage me, if you want to; I set up a Facebook and Twitter account for 'Kate Lorenz' and right now they both have 0 followers, lol. If you could follow/like me on these pages it would mean a lot...it won't be so empty when buyers/models/whoever looks at it. And I'll be less afraid to post things there knowing friends are watching ♥

Facebook Page: Kate Lorenz Design
Facebook Profile: Kate Lorenz
Twitter: klorenzdesign

So...yeah! This is why I'm not going to Dragon-Con, and why I haven't made a costume for myself in ages. I hope it goes okay...cross your fingers for me! >_>

LJ rename - After much whining that 'tavariel' was taken, I came up with 'tavarielle instead.

I am in the process of renaming all my accounts to tavariel instead of amaryllis. Easier to say and spell, hopefully. So don't unfriend me...I'm just 'ladyamaryllis.' :)

Jason and I are having a housewarming of sorts tonight, now that our house is a little more decorated and unpacked. Since I can't invite any of you fine LJ people over (meaning, any of my friends) I thought I'd make a post and show everybody that way. I'll type this while Jason's people are playing Wii and trying on armor and such...so it's like you guys are at the party with us. :)

My HOUSE! How to reconcile Jason's goth Cthulhu packrat clutter with my minimilist neutral nerd tones? A story in pictures! It didn't really work, but I like our house anyway. xD


I wish the whole house looked like this...my favorite corner. A Slytherin common room if I ever saw one! But alas Jason has too much junk he loves for us to decorate well. ♥

( More pictures! )

I should get some pictures of the backyard....big backyard with a couple of ancient trees in it ♥ And a shed and a garage. If only we could pay for everything without starving! ;D

I wish we could paint and change the wallpaper, but with renting all we can do it hang things. I hope someday we buy it...I always thought I'd want a bigger house than this, but I really like it. :)

Yay!

Public to honor Robert Jordan.



I just discovered today that Robert Jordan, the author of the The Wheel of Time series, has died. Apparently he died on Sunday, September 16. I can't believe I didn't hear it in the news or anything. http://www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/

I began reading Wheel of Time in junior high when my friend Camellia recommended them to me. I had not enjoyed any fantasy books other than Lord of the Rings because I found them mostly predictable and uninteresting. This series was different. I was immediately hooked.

Wheel of Time is SPRAWLING. To date, there are eleven 1000+ page books written, plus a prequel. That's a lot to discuss! Camellia and talked theories all the time, much like everyone did/does with Harry Potter. Is Rand really the Dragon Reborn? What is Moiraine hiding? Why does Perrin love Faile when she's so annoying? This wonderful series was also one of the things that led me to my first boyfriend - he read the books too and we spent many a lunch at the picnic tables by the C building talking about Robert Jordan's rich world. Recently, I introduced my brother to the books. He's only made it to book six so far. They take years to read.

I don't know what will happen to the series now that he is gone. His family says he has told them the major plot points and they will attempt to finish it for him, but I can't imagine it will be the same. I feel bad for all of the times I criticized him for taking so long with Book Twelve. I didn't realize he was having such serious health problems. I feel even worse that I didn't go to his panel at Comic-Con 2006. It was an inconvenient day for me and I just figured I would catch him another year. I'm deeply saddened by this great loss - for myself, for his family and friends, and for the literary world.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and go.
What was, what will be, and what is,
may yet fall under the Shadow.
Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.