As some of you may know, April is Autism Awareness Month, a time to celebrate the unique abilities of individuals on the autism spectrum and raise awareness about the challenges they face in their daily lives. As a proud aunt of a wonderful 11-year-old niece who has autism, she has taught me so much about love, compassion, and the power of resilience.
Last month, I invited my niece, Natalie, to join me in selecting fabrics for my upcoming Spring Collection. It was a wonderful experience watching her explore different colors and patterns, and I was thrilled to see her creativity and sense of style shine through as she carefully examined each fabric, felt the texture, and studied the colors and patterns.
For me, this experience was a reminder of how important it is to support and encourage individuals with autism to pursue their passions and interests. We often focus on the challenges that people with autism face, but it is equally important to celebrate their strengths and abilities.
But Natalie is more than just a fashionista - she's got a whole range of interests and passions that make her who she is. She loves jamming out to music, collecting her favorite Squishmallows, and creating cartoons on her tablet and doing voice-overs. Her favorite snacks are apples, Cheez-Its, and chicken wings (who can blame her?)
Here are a few more things I've learned about Natalie during our time spent together:
- Her favorite Squishmallows are Natalie the Narwhal and Lola the Unicorn.
- She has a love for discovering new music, and during our shopping trip, she was quick to ask about the songs playing in the store. I would use Shazam to identify the song and artist, and she would repeat the information to remember it for later. Her passion for music is truly inspiring, and it's amazing to see her curiosity and eagerness to learn about new artists and songs.
- She always drinks water and prefers the sun and beach.
- Natalie loves playing arcade games and has an impressive memory of dates. While we were out shopping, I mentioned to Natalie that we were going to go play some arcade games. She immediately started asking to go to the specific arcade she went to on October 23, 2022. It took me a moment to realize she was referring to Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, where we had celebrated my sister's birthday and Natalie had discovered some new favorite games. It was impressive how she remembered the date and location so clearly.
- Yelling or screaming can make her sad or scared, but hearing other people laugh makes her laugh too.
- While pink is Natalie's favorite color, I noticed that during our fabric selection process, she was drawn to fabrics that were turquoise in color. It was interesting to see her explore different shades and hues of the color and it definitely added a unique touch to our Spring Collection.
Finally, it's important to note that Natalie can be initially reserved and may take some time to build trust with new people. However, once she feels comfortable around you, you'll get to see her incredible potential and all that she has to offer.
Through this experience with Natalie, I am reminded of the power of confidence and how it can be found in the small things, like a carefully chosen accessory or a favorite snack. As a brand, we are all about bringing confidence one accessory at a time, and I am thrilled to include Natalie's creative touch in our Spring Collection.
To honor Autism Awareness Month, a portion of sales from our online sales this month will go towards supporting Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to promoting solutions for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. By making a purchase from our store, you'll not only add a touch of confidence to your wardrobe, but you'll also be supporting a worthy cause. Join us in celebrating the unique abilities and talents of all individuals and let's create a more inclusive and compassionate world for everyone.
Natalie with her top 3 choices of fabric.
Natalie with her recent Squishmallows from her 11th birthday party.
Natalie's Collection of Squishmallows
Natalie was thrilled to see the end result of her scrunchie picks! When we were choosing names for them, she suggested Wolf and Lola, after her favorite Squishmallows and her own nickname, respectively. And of course we named one after her. When asked why she likes the name Wolf, she simply said it sounds cool. While she used to prefer being called Wolf instead of her birth name, now she's comfortable being called either Natalie or Wolf.
In conclusion, spending time with Natalie has been a joy and an inspiration. Her creativity, curiosity, and enthusiasm for life are infectious, and I feel grateful to have the opportunity to always getting to know her better. From picking out fabric for scrunchies to playing arcade games and discovering new music together, every moment spent with Natalie has been a reminder to appreciate the small things and to approach life with an open mind and heart. I hope this blog post has provided a glimpse into Natalie's world and reminded you of the beauty that can be found in the simple pleasures of life. Thank you for taking the time to read about our adventure, and I hope you feel as inspired by Natalie as I do.