Runway Africa Featuring Korto Momolu

Tonight is the premiere of Project Runway Season 8! I thought it only fitting to post these pictures of these fashions designed by Project Runway's Korto Momolu.

I attended Runway Africa not too long ago at Epic Event Center in Minneapolis. This fashion show featured fashions by Korto Momolu, a finalist on Season 5 of Project Runway. I was a guest of Christopher Straub at this event. I met Korto before the show which was awesome. Many of the garments she created had a very bohemian-chic vibe, while others were just straight-up classy.

Korto Momolu and Christopher Straub

I am an amateur photographer, and I'm still learning about photography in low-light, fast-paced settings like fashion shows or concerts. For these pictures I manually adjusted the ISO (film speed) to the highest setting, which was 3200 on my camera. This makes the photos grainier, but allows you to use a shutter speed that is adequate for a moving object, such as a model.

And remember...

Mirror Mask for Sale on Etsy!

I recently made this mask that was inspired by the mirror mask in Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' music video. For more about the mask you can check out the Etsy listing here.

These masks take a lot of time and require painstaking detail to make, but I love the way they reflect the light.

There will be more Lady Gaga-inspired posts over the next few weeks so stay tuned!

DIY Leather Planner

The Dilemma: I need a datebook/ planner/ calendar, whatever you choose to call it. My summer is filling up faster than I can believe, and there are no store-bought planners that start in June. I’ve checked office supply stores and bookstores with no luck.

The Solution: If you can’t find it, make it. All you need is:

-a small binder (one that fits half pages not full pages)
-leather
-scrapbook screws
-cardstock
-sewing machine (with leather needles or use an industrial leather sewing machine)
-a closure

First I cut the rivets that bound the 3-ring binder to the cover. They are tough to dig out, but as long as the 3-ring binder stays intact, that’s all you need.




Next I used the cover of the binder as the template for the leather cover. I got the leather at a fantastic surplus store, Ax-Man, in St. Paul. I decided to make the rough side of the leather the outside of the planner. I liked the rugged look of it, and it will show wear less.


I then cut two holes in the binding of the leather cover for the screws. You can pick up scrapbook screws at Michael’s or a scrapbooking specialty store. They are the right size and easy to apply.


Using the smooth side of the leather for contrast I attached a triangular piece for the flap to keep the planner closed. The closures I used are tough to find. I think they are called “sabertooth” closures.




I also added a pocket in the back to keep all my little notes somewhat organized.

Now to the contents. I made a one-page calendar for each month and made a table for each individual week. I used cardstock for these pages. I think it holds up a lot better than printer paper (but I applied hole reinforcements anyway). The pages are easy to pop into the 3-ring binder.

For some reason the ink printed red on the brown cardstock instead of black like I had on the computer. Sometimes malfunctions add interest :)


I also added a notes section at the back, which has already come in handy for spur-of-the-moment to-do lists and the like. Those seem to pop up quite often!


I used a pyrography tool to burn my initials into the inside cover of the planner.

And there you have it—a rugged yet functional planner.

And remember…