Friday, November 14, 2014

It's Fall Ya'll! Some of my favorite new pieces fresh from the workshop...


It's Fall Ya'll!

Whether your part of the world is cold, or just a little bit cool, fall is such a fun time to layer accordingly. I'm excited about some of my new pieces because they lend perfectly to that idea. 

Versatile Paisley Shirt Dress and Kimono


A perfect, timeless paisley print. From the moment I found this fabric, I fell in love with the rich, universally flattering color scheme. This fabric is a lightweight wool, made in France, I reclaimed from a vintage garment with a very dated and unflattering shape (I found the original piece on a recent vintage treasure hunt with my mom in Louisiana, you can read more about that on my last post here.) It was a joy to repurpose this fabric into this beautiful dress and kimono. I also love the idea of taking this piece into summer as a rich swimsuit cover-up. The exaggerated sleeves are super comfy and flattering, adding a fun shape that's not overly dramatic. As the days get colder, just layer it up with tights and/or a long sleeved shirt underneath.






Leopard Print Boxy Blouse 

 Leopard print has now established itself as a versatile and neutral print in fashion these days. I love the idea of interpreting it into chic pieces that you can incorporate into your wardrobe. This leopard blouse is such an easy and season-less one, but lends itself to fall beautifully. It's made from a piece of reclaimed vintage fabric. There are little black buttons down he back, and you can even flip it around to change up the look.


Quilted Leopard Print Fabric Fold-over Clutch


I never let good fabric go to waste. I had just enough fabric leftover from making the above blouse, that I was able to create this chic little clutch. I quilted the fabric with cotton batting and lined it in a cute plaid print. It would add a perfect pop to both dressy and casual looks all year around, but looks beautiful with all the fabrics and textures of fall. It would also be a great little bag to just drop in your larger carryall as a wallet or makeup pouch.  





Alright, back to the workshop for me- more new fall pieces coming soon. Thanks for following along friends, and have a lovely weekend.

All the best,
-Erin
Follow my ever day along on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer

Friday, November 7, 2014

A few good things from my October

Happy November!

 I hope everyone is having a good fall. I'm grateful to be back to working in my home studio this week. Here are a few other good things from my October:

 Going home...I went home to Louisiana for a family wedding and it was a good time per usual. The sugar cane behind my parents house was high, all the food was amazing, and the weather was beautiful.

My mom's crab stew...I could go on and on with the laundry list of awesome home cooked food I ate when I was home, but next to my dad's fried fish, my mom's crab stew was my favorite. She waited until I was home to cook this for me, and it did not disappoint - I ate it for three days. Yum! 

Treasure hunting... I love good shopping one on one time with my mom. This trip, I found a few thrift store treasures, some vintage inspiration, and some unique handmade items. 

Fall Festival at the Laurel Valley Village in Thibodaux   
Great vintage inspiration... Check out this awesome vintage Mardi Gras Tableau dress and headpiece at the Laural Valley store and museum. So much detail, and I love he bold color combinations- that's what festival wear is all about. 

 Discovering local emerging artists in Louisiana... At the festival, I also came across a gal, Lauren Rebert, making these most unique bags. As a maker, I love to see others doing interesting and innovative work. Lauren's accessories are called Fiber Chic and she makes them by tediously machine stitching together rope - quite impressive. She doesn't yet have a website, but I will surely keep you posted. My mom got me this one, and I can't wait to sport it. It's the perfect little, lightweight cross-body bag for cruising around New York in the Spring and Summer.  


 Great thrifting fabric finds... One was a very large and dated 2 piece leopard outfit- which for me means lots of yards of the perfect scaled leopard print cotton fabric. I've been wanting some leopard fabric to incorporate into a few upcoming fall floral looks so the timing was great. The second find was this dress with a Gerard Darel Paris label- pretty neat for a thrift store find. The shape was large and pretty matronly, but the fabric is great. It's a super lightweight wool, woven into this most vivid paisley print. I'm already working on transforming these, so stay tuned!

Getting out of town...This past weekend my guy and I escaped to the Catskills for a little nature and one on one time. It was the perfect combination of taking in the sights and enjoying doing absolutely nothing! The leaves were literally falling while we were there, and I'm grateful we got to catch this most beautiful fall time. 

Fireplaces...We stayed in a little cabin and the weather was perfect for enjoying the fireplace with a good glass of wine. I could have stayed so much longer!

Campfires...We enjoyed one night outside cooking our dinner over a campfire. 

Antiquing in upstate NY...I picked up this cute jar of vintage buttons to replenish my stash. I love vintage buttons and almost always use them in my work. 

Alright, back to work for me! Hope all is well and thanks for following along friends! 

All the best,
-Erin
Follow my ever day along on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer