Greetings Friends!
It's finally starting to feel a little more like fall here and I love it. I've just finished up a long freelance styling job. It was a little intense and physical, but I love that I get to meet and work with interesting and nice people, and it beats the cubicle any day (no offense to cubicles, it's just not the life for me). It's the non-structure that allows me to work on my own design efforts and I'm grateful for it. I'm a under the weather with a cold, so I thought I'd just share a few recent reflections of gratitude and inspiration.
The first day after wrapping that job, I was excited to jump back into ErinElsie Fall/Winter design projects, but unfortunately I woke up with a sore throat, runny nose, and achy body. I was forced into a day off of rest and recovery; probably a blessing in disguise as sometimes you really do just need to stop and rest. The best part of all, I have a man who can cook, and his homemade chicken soup certainly is helping! The warm and simple soup helped me physically, but the fact that he dropped what he was doing and made it for me fed my soul - a reminder to always be grateful for the little everyday gestures of love.
This past week, my Nan Jule passed away. She was my great aunt, my grandmother Elsie's sister, and such a perfect representation of the strong and loving ladies in my family. The kind of ladies that will ride a tractor, catch their own fish, cook the most amazing homemade food, and take care of virtually everyone around them. I have vivid memories of my grandmother and Nan Jule talking on the phone to each other loudly in French. When we would go over to Nan Jule's house, she would give us these little bags filled with candy and one dollar bills - what child wouldn't love that! It makes me smile to think of those days and I am grateful for the memories. The day after she passed, a little heart appeared in the foam of my homemade latte. Simple it may seem, but this little sign made me smile and gave me a sense of peace with it all.
And speaking of signs, this was on a building across from the one I was working in. I just happen to glance in a certain direction and saw my last name, Blank. In a place like Manhattan where there are buildings on top of buildings and new and old ones sandwiched together, it was a pretty neat coincidence. I never tire of checking out all the old buildings here and learning more of the history, and now I shall do a little research into this one.
And lastly, just a little bit of inspiration I came across on instagram from @ekoluv and @emilykatesymes. In building my business, it's more than just turning out clothes. I want to build an ethical business I can be proud of - one that is built on passion and not greed, and one that appreciates craftsmanship and artistry. In whatever you do, be the change you want to see in the world!
Ok, now back to my hot tea, rest, and recovery so I kick this cough/cold!
xo
-Erin
http://www.erinelsie.com
Follow along on Instagram: ErinBlank_Designer
