This series is down to its final three contenders: Rich, Nina and Brian. For their challenges, the contenders have had to accessorize plain body suits as well as designer ball gowns. They've had many themes for their accessories, including this most recent challenge to make a fashion accessory set to adorn an evening gown based on....BUGS!
As soon as the host declared the weekly challenge on 12/17/11 I lost a bit of interest. I mean, come on, jewelry made from bugs?
It would turn out, to my surprise, that some bug jewelry can be very pretty. Others, not so much.
The finale for Project Acessory will be on 12/22/11 , Lifetime at 10 pm.
Out of the three finalists I would have chosen Brian before the insect challenge. Because Brian, for whatever godawful reason, chosen a Goliath Beetle for his bug. Which might not have been so bad as Rich too chose a beetle and Rich won the challenge. But Brian encased his beetle in some kind of sculpture thing that resembled the stone I sunk my granddaughter's hands in to perserve their mark for the future.
And indeed that is why Brian showcased his big beetle in the same sort of cement setting but it looked horrific hanging on that poor girl's neck.
I think Nina had the prettiest items for the insect challenge. Her insect was a spider, which she alleged to have a great fear of. Nina designed a necklace made to look like a spider web and it did drape magnificently over the model's neck. Nina's cuff bracelet was also fetching, with "legs" designed to resemble the many of a spider.Rich took a Hercules beetle and effectively made a brooch out of it. Diego had butterflies for his insect and it would seem so many things could be effectively made with a butterfly motif. Diego did a good job with his cuff bracelet but he made some sort of headpiece for his model that had her looking like she was attending a British wedding.
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I'd like to see Nina win this thing for her beautiful spider necklace. But it could be Rich as I'm not sure if the judges were impressed by the spider jewelry as I was.
The Scent of Winter
Guest post by Michelle
The Desk Drawer writer's exercise list
It's a Monday.
Normally my Mondays aren't too bad.
Yeah, I moan and groan like veryone else about "coming back to work," and "the weekends aren't long enough," but since my team change in July, I've actually begun liking work again. I find coming in - even early - no problem at all, nd Mondays aren't any different.
Today, though, today was different.
I was up before 4am, since I needed to be in my team's office today. t's an hour's drive and I like to be in the office (either one) early. To be in the other site early, I need to leave the house early.
I was ready to go at 4:15.
One last trip out for the dogs, and then I was going to be outta there.
Except Hunter decided to chase something in the backyard first. He's been doing that a lot lately. He sees something out by the old aviary and has to go chase it. Sometimes he comes right back, sometimes we have to wait for what seems like forever. He always comes back happy and excited. If he could talk, I might hear something like, "Didja see me, Mom? Didja? I showed that old cat who's boss!"
I don't like it when he chases things I can't see.
Today was one of those quick times. He ran out there and came right back.
Spitting. Gagging. Dripping saliva everywhere. Guess what? The skunk at alaHouse is back.
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| The dog stinks and he's got something nasty in his mouth. |
The dog stinks and he's got something nasty in his mouth. They're both indoor dogs. I can't leave them in the backyard. (Why? Because there's an angry skunk back there!) I can't leave them in the garage. It's not
dog-proof and they're not used to it. Leave them in the house? Ewwww.
After a brief desperate time of thinking furiously (which, surprisingly, I can do at 4am), I let the dogs back in the house. I escorted them to the computer room, which is where they hang out allday anyway. I opened a V8 for Hunter to drink, figuring it must be better for him than skunk spray and maybe it would help.
Knowing the house would reek when I got home, I left for work.
After ten stinky minutes on the road (somehow I got some of that stuff on my hands), I realized I didn't have much gas in the car. I had intended to go out on Saturday and do some errands, including filling the gas tank. Oops. Monday morning dilemma number two.
The place I usually get gas is remote and normally deserted. Probably it wouldn't be wise stopping there at 4:30 in the morning. The next five off ramps didn't have a station. The sixth said it did, but I didn't see one from the freeway. No way was I hunting for one in the dark.
The eighth off ramp is my turn.
The ninth off ramp had a station, was well-lit, and several people were there getting gas, too. It felt safe.
I pulled in and examined the pump. (I don't get gas very often andthis one didn't look like my usual place.) I tried to use my credit card. Couldn't do that, as it wanted a PIN number and I don't have one of those for my credit cards. Way too high a fee for that service. Okay, then, I tried to use my ATM card. Oh, wait, the PIN on that doesn't work because my stupid bank sent us new cards with different PINs and I haven't been to the bank to change it back yet.
So I locked my car and went in the little shop attached to the station. The guy working there told me they don't take credit cards, so I tried the ATM again, to see if I might remember the new PIN. Nope.
Reluctantly, I handed him the twenty dollar bill that was going toward a gift at the team lunch today. I'd figure out how to replace it later.
With the car gassed, I was on my way, but this exit was past my usual turn, so I had to feel my way to work. It wasn't too far to the place this road meets the one I usually take, but . . .
Have I ever told you I don't react well to adrenaline?
The day at work went well. I was able to scrounge up another $20 from various mad money hidey holes, the party was fun, and I was able to come home early to deal with the dog. My boss gave me a tip about some de-skunking stuff at Petsmart, so I swung by the pet store on the way home.
Once here, I could smell skunk immediately upon opening the front door. I opened most of the windows until the inside temperature dropped to 58 degrees, but the house smelled better.
Hunter didn't like being wet down with the cleaner stuff, but it does seem to work. It's made by Nature's Miracle and I think it beats tomato juice. I spent a long time in the bathroom with him, wetting im down, letting it sit, then pulling him close and sniffing various furry dog parts. Yum, wet dog and citrus. Oops, wet dog, citrus and skunk. Need a bit more here.
He didn't like that much, either. A bit of a blow dry, and repeat. I think the skunk caught him a glancing blow, as there wasn't much dog involved. Seemed to be mostly the left side of his face, below his ear, and part of his ruff. None on the feet or side. None on the right at all. Maybe he ducked at the last moment.
I checked out the backyard and couldn't smell any skunk at all. Anywhere. I also can't tell where the culprit might be hiding, but I think I can tell where it must have gotten in. Harry and I will have to figure out how to plug that spot.
alaHouse still smells. The windows are closed again and I can tell there's a bit of skunk in the air. Some PartyLite candles are working hard to assist, but it's a losing battle. Tomorrow I probably get to do it all over again.
Hopefully, the smell will clear before next year's Bash.
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