September. It has contained both the best day of my life and the worst. It is a marker for celebration and survival.
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Owner + Designer, Design Kettle; Graphic Designer, Sysco Corporation
Fun Facts: I’ve lived in eight different cities in my lifetime. I’ll let you figure out which ones. 😉
Follow her on Twitter: @designkettle
Yes, I realize it is the tail-end of October/early November, but my tweet#blessed piece is all about
September. The month and the Earth, Wind & Fire song. “September” is the song that introduced my now-husband and me, and our wedding party, to our guests on September 1, 2013. The ninth month of the year is also around the time the regular baseball season wraps up and the post season begins (Go Cards! Well, maybe next year).
And September is the month in which my dad was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, one year ago. On the nights of September 18 and 19, 2014, my mom, my brother, and I waited and prayed anxiously while a ventilator sustained Dad in a Houston ICU.
Overnight, a small dose of chemotherapy was enough to help Dad’s body regain some strength. As an extra shot of encouragement, I played “September” from my iPhone, just loud enough for Dad to hear. As the song queued up, Dad lifted up his hands and forearms and started to move them left to right, to the beat—an abbreviated version of his typical dance move. I was ecstatic.
This past September marked one year since Dad’s diagnosis. His recovery has been truly miraculous. Although the future is not uncertain—and rarely is it certain—we all feel grateful for where he is today.
September. It has contained both the best day of my life and the worst. It is a marker for celebration and survival.
Process
I start with writing. If you look at my sketchbook, you’ll see just as many lines of handwriting as you’ll see drawings and doodles. Once I had a clear outline of my thoughts, I typed up an essay (see the full piece at designkettle.com) and researched the lyrics to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” The essay and the song inspired these 18 icons. As you can tell, I’m really into icons right now!
