In the kitchen with ErinElsie

Today, I am finally getting back to my work on ErinElsie.  I was on a brief hiatus due to a freelance job, intertwined with an awesome and impromptu visit from my mom. I started the morning off with one of my favorite things- a coffee moment at my sunny kitchen window and buttery, toasted bread topped with a fried egg! I definitely have a passion for food, and since I don't have any newness yet to share about ErinElsie, I thought I'd just share a little recent food and cooking inspiration

 My simply yummy breakfast: buttery, toasted bread topped with a fried egg and lots of pepper. (especially good if it's a farm fresh egg!)

While my mom was here, we had no set schedule or agenda, and that's one of the best ways to enjoy New York- strolling around a great neighborhood, checking out the many beautiful old buildings and discovering great little cafes. We both love to eat and that is no doubt a family trait.

 Mom and I found some of the best hot chocolate spots in my neighborhood. This will help me get through the long and chilly winter!

I love to cook as much as I love to eat. Although there are so so many great restaurants in New York, sometimes it's also just as nice to stay in - especially in the winter. Last night, I cooked dinner for one of my favorite vegetarians. I find myself drawn to foods that are just as lovely in color as in taste. Inspiration can come from anywhere, and for me cooking is a creative therapy when I'm stumped on a project or just need to take a break.

Check out some of my colorful menu from last night:

 

Pantone Color Institute's Color of the Year 2013 is Emerald green. This is definitely the most vibrant, colorful dip I've ever made- green pea hummus.  

 Not your average salad: asparagus, cucumbers, and purple cabbage tossed in a light and spicy dressing.

Bow tie pasta, in a light sauce made with white wine, butter, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Everything is better with butter and wine ;)

Okay, so sometimes I pick out certain wines just because of their creative labels...

Alright, back to work for me. Hope you are having a lovely weekend with good food and company. I think I'm getting hungry again...

Cheers!
 -Erin
www.erinelsie.com

Hawaii on my mind and in my workspace...

Hello!

As I continue to work on my little spring/summer collection, I have begun to dive into all of the wonderful materials I collected during my August Hawaiian excursion. With this beautiful fabric strewn all over my apartment, I felt a little overloaded with ideas and unsure where to start. I spent some time reminiscing through photos from our trip and it helped me to re-focus my creativity. Hawaii has such a diverse landscape - so much more than just the initial tropical "beachiness" it gets stereotyped with. There are dark lava deserts, green ranch pastures, hidden waterfalls, and crazy big canyons. This discovery left a lasting impact on me and made the collection of these materials along the way all that more special to me. They are special and one of a kind, and the clothing and accessories I create with them will be equally as special.

***the current dress in progress***

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 Some of my Hawaiian inspiration photos and fabrics:

Love the soft aqua color of the warm, amazingly clear water- good times!

Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, Oahu.

 Material: Vintage Hawaiian shirt with soft, yet vibrant color

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 Dreamy green pastures and soft clouds in the mountains on the Big Island, so wonderfully unexpected...

 

 Waimea Canyon in Kauai

 Soft floral, a departure from the usual super bright Hawaiian florals.

 

A lava crater from the Big Island. 

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Amazing color and such a diverse landscape, not a bad view to wake up to!

Beautiful vintage print, combining color much in the same way.

 

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Striking blue skies!

Vintage fabric that I did not acquire on my trip, but was gifted to me by a cousin who bought it in Hawaii int he 70s. 

 

 One of the bungalows we stayed in. We woke up to our own little rainforest.

Hawaiian shirt, these flowers were everywhere :)

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Back roads of old Historic Hanapepe Town, Kauai

 

Huge Bamboo, from one of the best hikes I've ever been on in Kauai. 

Lovely, leafy green print. 

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In closing, I leave you with a photo from my favorite beach thus far- Secret Beach, Kauai.  

If you are new to my blog, check out some of my August posts from this trip, where I go into more detail on my hunt for materials. Below is the link to the first entry and there are many that follow!

http://erinelsie.blogspot.com/2012/08/aloha.html

Back to work for me and happy weekend to you!

 -Erin