It’s the day after the second elimination and I am waking up feeling much more secure than I did last time. Being team leader was something that I thought I could take on. However, with all the strong personalities in this competition I knew it could be a challenge to rein everyone in and do a strong collection especially when I am uncertain about everyone’s skill and taste level. In the end, we pulled it together. I was extremely happy with how my piece turned out and although I didn’t win the competition to please Tinsley, I got the majority of the audience vote and seemed to really impress the judges. It was a huge relief because the idea of being on television and potentially humiliating myself is very very real.

I am very nervous for the upcoming challenges but feel more positive about what I might be able to accomplish here. I am so very interested in any feedback from Fern and Isaac especially, and so far their positivity has more than made up for the rejection I have experienced in the past. At this point I feel like I have a real shot at this.

As of now I feel like my biggest competition is Daniella. She is young and enthusiastic and fresh out of college with a sense that she can do everything. Her design sense seems solid and she doesn’t have the history of failed attempts that I do, giving her a confidence that I might be lacking. On the other hand, I have designed clothes for a lot longer than she has, worked for and with a lot more people and my broader perspective could be an advantage.

Overall, I am just trying to stay out of the drama, on everyone’s good side, and design clothes that I would love to wear. If I do that, regardless of the challenge, I don’t think I can do wrong, or at least, I won’t go home yet!

P.S. I LOVE Fern. She is so cool and sophisticated. You can tell she has a wealth of knowledge to offer without having to be an over the top diva. I am going to pay very close attention to everything she says.