Praised be to the gods of fashion and addictive reality television ... season three of Project Runway is here.

First challenge: create a look using only materials found in the designers' apartments (think IKEA ... lots of IKEA). Alas, San Francisco's own Stacy Estrella was OUT. Blame her creation, an ill-fitting shower-curtain gown, or blame her personality, which didn't seem quite hysterical enough to generate train-wreck television (for that, turn to C.C. DeVille-voiced Vincent Libretti, whose high-drama potential explains why he's still on the show after making a hat out of a fruit basket).

The early favorite, design-wise, is Barbie doll dress diva Robert Best -- but so much of this show is about the characters, not the occasionally alarming garments they turn out. Can't wait to see who'll be the Santino of Season 3 -- my money's on snooty Malan Breton. I'm also fond of Kayne Gallaspie, he of the Mommie Dearest -quoting, who makes pageant gowns for Midwestern beauty queens, and Jewel-esque Alison Kelly, the show's token hipster.

Needless to say, next Wednesday can't come soon enough. Now, where the hell is my chiffon?