BusyOctober

I love Chelsea, and her outfit was sewn well and walked well, so points for execution. I think Chelsea totally missed the mark on what this challenge was...that look was NOT "day to night". It could have won for another challenge (sporty, futuristic), but I blame the judges for (once again) being too mercurial with their judging. They give a specific assignment, but then seem to bend the rules when going through the check list of how the looks meet/did not meet the requirements. Hawwaa's dress was very well done, but it reminded me of something I've seen before. Maybe Betsy Johnson circa 1983? Not the "reveal" panel, but the little white collar, the black and bubble gum pink pattern... I know I've seen in the past. But, I think most fashion is derivative anyway, and not in a bad way necessarily. And what's with all these designers and their backstories for who their girl is? Both the adults and the juniors make up these crazy bios every week! I get that it's part of the fantasy of fashion, but come on! Everyone's girl is an early 20-something modern femme fatale super ninja spy travel photographer with a 6-figure income living in a faux bohemian loft with a 7-figure rent. Except for Rene; he said he was designing for the AARP set...but no 55+ woman who isn't part of a "Real Housewives" franchise would wear his bondage inspired looks.

I loved when the customer asked Cheyenne to "look in the back" for more discounted stuff. I figured she'd wander around the back for a few minutes, then come back without really looking. Surprise! She found a hidden cache instead. People used to do that to me all the time when I worked retail. 90% of the time, the real, honest to God answer is "sorry, there is nothing in the back". The other 10%...it's back there but the employees who went searching for it either wants it for themselves or didn't like your attitude when you asked.

Stephanie was my favorite, but I knew Amanda would win when she brought out her show stopper display. It looked clean and impeccable. Despite all the "perfect" praise Johnny and Mary put out there for Stephanie's macrons, they looked gray to me & unappealing. Too bad her pot de creme didn't set. Both ladies are definitely talented and either could have won. This season was a vast improvement over last year's in regard to the talent level. Last year's crew was full of novices compared to this cast. I hope this gets renewed, but can we please forget the pretense of it being a "holiday" show? Why can't they just bake an assortment of things and use different skills like the UK versions? If they want to make one of the week's themes "Holiday", that's fine. But I don't want to see people walking around with scarves & gathering around bonfires while the trees & flowers are all a-bloom in the background.

I can't stand Reagan. I've never participated in "fan-fic", but I'm starting to think of ways for her to die or be transferred to a pharma rep job in Siberia. I get that this is a quirky sitcom and virtually none of the scenarios would happen in 99% in the real world. I can suspend my disbelief for pretty much most of what happens on this show because I like most of the characters, including dopey Nick. However, I can't pretend that a (supposedly) hot, sexy, edgy girl like Reagan would be with Nick for anything longer than a quickie in a bar bathroom on a drunken night. Never mind that she'd relocate and move in with him...and his filled-to-the-brim Loft O' Roommates.

I am not a fashionista, and I do not shop in high end stores, so I am ignorant of what's "in" on the runways. So if anyone out there is, can you fill me in on a trend I'm seeing this season? What's with the huge neck coverings & chokers these ladies are sporting? Kyle has some odd faux Elizabethan ruff in in her TH's. LVP had her neck covered up and so did Kim Richards. Is this look really a thing or are they just attempting to hide "turkey necks" or recent cosmetic work? Cuz their attempts at camouflaging are not working. If anything, they are calling more attention to that area. A plunging neckline or bare shoulders can be a great look, but pairing it w/ weirdly crocheted gauze wound around your neck only makes me think something is going on under there. Eileen and Rinna need to have a girls movie night and put "Frozen" on a repeating loop. Maybe if they hear "Let it Go!" several hundred times, they will get the message. I officially hate Dorit, and her husband, Jabba the Hut PK, but this whole underwear "scandal" needs to die. It's Eileen & Rinna's fault for keeping this non-issue on life support. Eden is interesting so far and it's always good to see Camille. I don't need to see Kim Richards anymore. She wasn't interesting in her dazed and confused seasons, nor her "sobriety journey" seasons and certainly not now. Go be healthy and happy with your family...off screen.

I felt so bad for Colin. He just looked so alienated on that couch. I don't think Joel ever spoke to or interacted w/ him while sitting right next to him. Sigh...poor kid. Once again, its more flashbacks via a stroll down Memory Lane. Haven't we seen these clips a kajillion times already? I will admit, I loved seeing little Aiden's "I don't get my cupcake?" because I love that kid. Here we go again w/ Kate and her ridiculous need to go over the top For. Every. Damn. Thing. Yet another trip to a party store to buy tchotchkes ( that she probably already has stored in her house somewhere from previously scripted "family fun days"). And why did she need to go buy King sized sheets and drapery for "set dressing"? She couldn't have opened her own linen closet and pulled out sheets or blankets or even sleeping bags she already owns? The game night idea was cute, but it could have been done with stuff they had on hand. It was pretty obvious Maddie (& maybe Cara) came up with the questions. Most of them were about the KIDS and THEIR activities vs. it being all about Kate per usual.

So no one is going to mention the tongue brush? I don't have cats and I'm not a big fan of them myself, so maybe I'm alone in thinking that was just beyond weird. If I hadn't seen the first few minutes of their intro about being cat toy makers, I would have thought those two were showing the Sharks some new accessory for another niche market....Plushies. I can see that brush being a big hit with fetish people who dress up in animal costumes. The dolls were very cute and looked well made. I like the message, and the idea of using more ethnically authentic features and hair. Just because Mattel can change the skin and hair colors on Barbie or the American Girl dolls does not make the doll "look like me". Re. the coffee guy...there's a new coffee shop in my city that is owned & run by 2 vets. They did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. They hire vets and military spouses/dependents, and a portion of their profits goes to local veterans groups. Their place is doing really well and has started hosting live music, open mics and art shows, again donating proceeds to local charities. People are flocking there vs. Starbucks down the street, even for orders to go. I think Cade from the show was right re. not underestimating the patriotism of the public. However I also think going into a huge and crowded market with a new coffee brand is a tough sell. I wasn't surprised he walked out of the tank without a deal. Underwear couple really screwed themselves before they even showed up at the studio. The equity they personally had rights/had available to offer was a total of 25%, so if they got a deal for 15-20%, they'd be left with virtually nothing. If the company took off as they hoped, I guess 5-10% of a multimillion corp is better than zero. But those two should have known the Sharks would never go into a deal with a minority owner.

I really did think Tieler & Molly's was the best; it was definitely high fashion, executed well, and I agree it was "art". However...the inverted cone sleeves reminded me of the tip of the Crayola Crayon costume I made for a college Halloween party. I even used industrial felt! And that was 15 years ago! Once I saw that crayon shape, I couldn't un-see it! Like a few others I think poor A'kai is out of his depth. Hawwaa was justified in her frustration. She wasn't comfortable with the challenge in the first place. She was partnered with a much less experienced sewer who was also confused about how to produce something that fit the challenge. I think either one of them could have been sent home based on what they sent down the runway. Hawwaa's top was very basic. The collar was unnecessary. The styling/unibrow makeup was distracting. Her only saving grace was the red arm lacing. I think A'kai was out because he only did one item and did it poorly. Is it me or does Chris have "Resting Bitch Face"? He perpetually looks like he's smelling bad cheese. The heart applique may have been Rene's idea, but Chris should have nixed the matching one on the back of his coat. I really like Chelsea and Izzy, personality-wise, the most so far in this competition.

Doesn't Kate have a 10k sq foot home? Why couldn't she just host the stupid party in her own house if the weather turned? Why lug all the food and supplies across town? Did her "friends" with the conveniently empty party room just need more free advertising? And why wouldn't you know at least a day or 2 in advance that an outdoor party was "iffy" at best? All you need to do is watch the first 10 minutes of the local news to catch the weather...or go to the internet "OK, Google what's the weather in my town today?" As for her meltdown, they are only so the cameras focus on 'poor poor overworked, under appreciated, stressed out single mom with NO HELP whatsoever' Kate. If she isn't shrieking/crying/harping/complaining then she has no story line. And of course her video tribute to the girls included Kate...voiceovers, in frame. Blurgh. I don't get the guest list. So that tells me this was totally a TLC-driven party. Wouldn't 16 yr old girls want kids from their class/school/teams in attendance? And Kate's faux friendly "why haven't we seen you in so long???" wasn't fooling me. You don't have friends or maintain any relationships unless they feed your wallet &/or ego. If she really wanted to include people from Ye Olde Memory Lane, how about the sweet old ladies who used to come to your pre-famewhore house to do laundry, hold & feed your brood? How about the BFF you rode across country in a Winnebago and berated on TV?

So do you think Jerk & Odd's plans to de-Amyfy the big house include making her help (i.e. pay for the) re-design the kitchen for their height before making her roll up her sleeping bag to live the rest of her years "glamping" in the covered bridge? WTF was all of that conversation about Jerk & Odd and their future insufferable baby having to live in the house with Amy? "What if we're upstairs, and your mom keeps partying? We are going to have to establish boundaries!" Guess what, hipster doofuses? There are boundaries already in place; they are called "property lines"...not your property, not your problem. Get your own effing house! Matt's all ready to build a freakin' compound a la the Kennedy's in Hyannisport. He has plans to build those two a FREE house, but they turn their noses up at that idea? Brand new free house vs. kicking your mother out of a home she raised you fools in, and has been customized to suit her physical needs and her aesthetic...hmmm??? What to do, what to do??? Choices are so hard! Almost as tough as loving your mom enough to ask the hard questions...while you plot how to kick her out of her own home. And did I see correctly that Jerk gave Odd a branding iron as a wedding gift? Nothing says "chattel" like searing your trademark on your possessions loved ones! She's getting a leather 3 ring binder every anniversary for the next quarter century? I foresee a book shelf stacked with dusty leather binders/albums in what was once Amy's living room. They will reflect Jerk & Odd's relationship...empty and devoid of poignancy. As for Matt rocking in a chair, weaving tales of enchantment to the next generation...bullshit. The second one of the grand-kids interrupts, shows disinterest or changes topic from the Great and Powerful Roloff "Book of Glorious Deeds Done Despite All the Odds Against ME", Matt will get pissed and stomp off to go sit with his true loves...the pumpkins.

Re. Matt's super awesome, must have auction finds...what a bunch of junk. None of that looked like real antiques, just a lot of reproductions. The so called "throne" was never from some medieval castle in Merry Old England. Ye Olde Spinning Wheel was probably made in 1975 for a bicentennial celebration. And why for the love of god do they need stacks and stacks and stacks of mismatched chairs? There had to be dozens of different style (modern) stackable chairs in Matt's hoarder lair barn. I thought the wedding biz wasn't a real operation? And if it is a real business, wouldn't most couples want matching chairs for their guests? I can see the 'Shabby Chic' of mix n match chairs and wooden tables, but usually the items for that look come from the same decade.

Once again Kate blames the event coordinator/guide/coach for her &a her kids' inability to do a new task...kayaking, Segway-ing. Rather than screeching at the professional employees, a normal person would approach the person in charge and say, "Look, none of us have ever done X before, and since we are a large group, could we get a little extra time to review how to do X so I, as the adult feel confident my kids get it?" Since none of these trips come out of Kate's wallet, you would think she would be over-appreciative for the time and effort these tour guides spend on her. I sure hope TLC writes big checks to these folks for putting up with Kate's BS. I am also tired of hearing/seeing Kate avow she 'will not' be doing a particular activity only then to spend 15 minutes of screen time crying hysterically and sniping at the staff to do said activity. I wish the producers would just tell her, "Take a seat, Kate. This activity is strictly about the kids and their reactions. You will not be ffaux coerced into 'winkwink' participating" And for someone who swears she should live by the water, Kate is forever caterwauling when she has to get in or on a body of water.

I am just going to assume that the producers of this show no longer scout for dancers who have above excellent ability and technique. Instead it seems they seek out the moms with the most outrageous sense of "style", combined with an unjustifiable superiority complex. What in the ever lovin' holy fuck was up with that new mom's hair??? What made her wake up one day and go to a salon with instructions to give her the Kate Gosselin Weed Whacker in the back with a touch of old school Rose Marie in the front? Not to mention asking the stylist to fry every strand of hair by over processing it. And maybe it was just the studio lighting or my TV, but that woman's complexion went from 'You're Turning Violet, Violet!' to 'Trump Tangerine'. She looked positively purple in some scenes and tanning bed rawhide in others. Yeesh! My DVR cut off the last few minutes...did the cross eyed mom really pull her "-Anna" from the team? That group 'dance' looked so bad. The only girls who got close to pulling off legitimate moves were Camryn(sp?) and Brynn. The so-called Hip-Hop specialist was horrible. Kendall did her usual off-beat background clomping. The minis were just distractions. So so very bad.

I know tastes differ, but I do not get Great British Bakeoff or Great American Baking Show's love (obsession) with meringues or creme brûlée. Neither one of them makes my mouth water. Do they keep making these items because of the degree of difficulty to get them right? They are both so bland IMO.

Erin won. SURPRISE! said no one... At the beginning of this season (Ep 1-3), I kinda liked her and her stuff. But the constant repeat of the cocoon shapes and bedazzling got on my nerves. Her attitude of superiority grew and irked as well. Her final collection was a joke, but I guess I think of fashion in more conservative, functional terms. I mean clothing that looks pretty/cool/chic, fits well, flatters the wearer and is appropriate for the occasion. Not crap that looks like a squad of Girl Scouts spent the night in AC Moore earning their "sewing" badge. And Erin's FW runway intro was pathetic...there are squads of Girls Scouts who can speak more eloquently. "Um, like, hiiii! I'm Erin....like, I hope you like, like, my stuff!" The vocal fry and the Valley speak were as juvenile as her shitty collection. I was pretty underwhelmed by most of the designers' pieces. Still don't get the love for Laurence's brocade jacket. I think she showed some amazing stuff but that jacket was reminiscent of the 90's. As in, the couch material from my grandma's living room no one could it in was repurposed by Blossom into a "cool" quirky outfit for the school dance. For some reason I watched this live vs. DVR. I will never make that mistake again. A two hour show with 40min of actual content?!? WTF? It made me think the ratings for all of these PR shows and spin offs must be in the toilet if Lifetime has to run so many ads. I think the Fashion Startup show tanked. I have enjoyed PR Junior in the past, but after last night's "sneak peek", I feel nothing but contempt and dislike for those kids. Good job, Lifetime. You made me hate a bunch of children I don't even know.

Wow. Just when I thought I have heard the stupidest stuff come out of Matt's mouth..."we'll all conjugate here"???? "Prepperness "???? What the Hell? I hope Tori has complete control over the "edumacation" of the next generation of Rolloffs. I will say I agree that everyone should have a plan in case of emergency. If anyone told me a cataclysmic event was imminent, and my only choice for survival would be hunkering down in a frickin Box O' Rolloffs, my plans would include (in no particular order); finding a rabid mama bear and poking her til she mauls me to ribbons, deeply inhaling the nuclear fallout plume, or surrendering to the hostile invading army/anal probing aliens/flesh eating zombies. Any of those scenarios feels like it would be a kinder, gentler death over spending a nanosecond with Jerk, Odd, Matt and Amy's canned cuisine. If Jerk and Matt were serious about prepping (I know...scripted tv show), wouldn't they rig up a ventilation system? How do they expect several humans and pets to breathe oxygen and not suffocate in that metal container? Not to mention, they are burning candles for light, which also require oxygen to burn. Idiots.

Thought the winning house looked like a Christmas episode of "Hoarders". Waaaay too much crap thrown all over the place. And I can appreciate the beautiful & intricate fruit carving, but I don't see "Christmas" in big carved dahlias and hibiscus flowers. Yes, I know tropical Christmas decor exists and it is pretty. I just don't think watermelons and pineapples stacked next to snowmen or reindeer in sweaters makes thematic sense. Go Tropical or Seaside (or anything non-red/green Santa in a red fur suit "Traditional"), but I just don't like them jumbled together. I am glad I won't have to hear the contestants' forced and fake "acting" when they read their lines in the TH's. Or the blond lady judge telling everyone she thinks their tasting items are "too sweet". Um, blond lady...it's effing cake, candy, fruit. Everything they have for ingredients is comprised of sugar; sucrose, glucose, lactose and fructose. Go judge a a show about tofu if "sweet" offends your delicate taste buds.

I am not a Grinch and I do really love Christmas and a few Christmas ads make me cry/laugh in a good way. However I would gladly convert to a non-Christian belief if it meant I never ever ever had to hear that God-awful rendition of some woman whisper-croaking "Silver & Gold". It sounds like Yoko Ono doing a Macy Gray impersonation. Don't even know what she's selling because my brain malfunctions every time I hear it. I just hope that one doesn't becomes a "classic" and returns to my TV every Nov/Dec. I already have to steel myself against seasonal repeat offenders like Levian trying to convince me that dirty, commercial grade, brown stones are (winkwink) "Chocolate" (winkwink) "Diamonds", and Jane Seymour's "collection" of butt shaped necklaces, and Dead Liz Taylor hawking perfume no one has worn since the 80's.

Question for those of you with a copy of her cookbook...Does Amy include the nutritional value of the cat hair, or include suggested substitutions for the trace amounts of kitty litter that land in any of her delectables made on her feline patrolled counters?

OK...we all know none of the Roloffs are exactly Rhodes Scholars, and their vocabulary is...shall we say, "Limited"? "Provincial"? "Elementary"? So, they need to look up definitions of words if they want to use them and be taken seriously. There is big difference between 'glamping', a B&B, and a campsite. What Amy and her kids set up looked nice and sweet, but more like a dude ranch or rustic resort experience vs. a B&B. And while I have never been glamping, I have seen examples of it in magazines and on TV. THIS is glamping! Hell, I'd even get into a tent if it looked like that!

I started watching, heard the first few lines of Elf lady's pitch...meh. I got up to go clean up the kitchen no a few minutes later I hear high pitched caterwaulering, and my dog joined in the howling. My husband yelled from upstairs "What the hell is that?" Me (from the kitchen): " Just swinging for the fences here, but I'm guessing it's another 'single mom- terpreneur' boo-hooing how her kids will starve if the Sharks don't give her money." Another stupid useless waste of money...I'm over 50 and I used to get personalized letters from Santa as a kid. My inlaws did one for my daughter for years, and I know they didn't spend a lot of money to do it. I used PNP free Santa videos for several years for my nephews. In other words lady, your "business" is not new nor unique. The plastic ice was cool and I've seen similar products at some indoor events. The guy seemed very nice and his version may be superior, but like the Sharks I don't see a retail/home owner application going very far...$4000 for a typical indoor garage space seems like a butt load of cash to lay out for a kid to practice her spins or slap shots. The gloves...another meh. Lori and Robert were right...it is a crowded space. The printed bags were too gimmicky IMO. I guess I can see them doing well in the Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Bridal shower market. Lord knows there are enough Special Snowflake parents who think every guest wants to take home a gift bag with their little darling's mug plastered on it. But I agree with Barbara...it's something that most people will toss in the recycle bin when they get home. Unlike a standard plain gift bag, I wouldn't be able to re-use one of these "personalized" bags for giving a gift to someone else. And I have actually "personalized" plain gift bags myself...markers, glitter, stickers. It isn't exactly rocket surgery!

I started watching, heard the first few lines of Elf lady's pitch...meh. I got up to go clean up the kitchen. A few minutes later, I hear high pitched caterwaulering, and my dog joined in the howling. My husband yelled from upstairs "What the hell is that?" Me (from the kitchen): " Just swinging for the fences here, but I'm guessing it's another 'single mom- terpreneur' boo-hooing how her kids will starve if the Sharks don't give her money." Another stupid useless waste of money...I'm over 50 and I used to get personalized letters from Santa as a kid. My inlaws did one for my daughter for years, and I know they didn't spend a lot of money to do it. I used PNP free Santa videos for several years for my nephews. In other words lady, your "business" is not new nor unique. The plastic ice was cool and I've seen similar products at some indoor events. The guy seemed very nice and his version may be superior, but like the Sharks I don't see a retail/home owner application going very far...$4000 for a typical indoor garage space seems like a butt load of cash to lay out for a kid to practice her spins or slap shots. The gloves...another meh. Lori and Robert were right...it is a crowded space. The printed bags were too gimmicky IMO. I guess I can see them doing well in the Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Bridal shower market. Lord knows there are enough Special Snowflake parents who think every guest wants to take home a gift bag with their little darling's mug plastered on it. But I agree with Barbara...it's something that most people will toss in the recycle bin when they get home. Unlike a standard plain gift bag, I wouldn't be able to re-use one of these "personalized" bags for giving a gift to someone else. And I have actually "personalized" plain gift bags myself...markers, glitter, stickers. It isn't exactly rocket surgery!

Those kids could make individual fortunes on their own without TLC's Kate's money. A couple of "Mommie Dearest" books and interviews, and the guidance of a saavy publicist can set them up for a while. As long as they don't have their father's money sense, that is. Besides, I would hope that each of the 8 kids has a trust fund or bank account for all their years of exploitation.

I kept thinking Ashlyn was wearing one of those Amish caps because of her fancy headband. With her hair pulled back like that, and the way the headband <<just>> peaked out on top of her hair when they had a close up of her, and the long shots of her with the apron, Ashlyn looked like she decided to spend her Rumspringa baking in England. I too am tired of them all tying whatever they do to their ethnicity. If you are explaining an unknown regional spice or special item, OK. But not necessary in every explanation. "Well, in my culture, we boil the water first, then add the dry pasta. That's the way my Nonna taught me when I spent my toddler years in her Hoboken kitchen."

Plaintiff in dog case looked like a freakin' jacked up jack o lantern with those meth riddle 'teef'. Yikes. I'm gonna have nightmares thinking about that gaping maw. Not sure if it's just my local station, but those damn singing dental ads that run constantly during JJ need to get her in a chair stat.