Under The Sea

                     

UNDER THE SEA

Since relocating our family to the coast my daughter has deepened her love for the ocean. To commemorate I thought a fun quilt was in order. I found some beautiful fabric at my local (insert expensive) fabric shop. Then I free hand cut see weed and kelp. Then the assembly began. I sewed on the green fabric to the bottom of the Blue and then added the "kelp".

Then I chose several different fabrics for the sea life. I used "WonderUnder on the back of the fabric. The Cricut company recommends using Heat N Bond. The next time I do a project like this I am going to try Heat N Bond to see if there was a difference. The fabric kept sliding on my Cricut mat so I just cut all the sea life out and then traced it onto my fabric and then cut it all out...one at a time. 

Then I began creating my under the sea scene. Using the WonderUnder was fantastic! I just followed the easy instructions that came with the product. Ironing on the letters and different items was super fast. It made cutting out each item worth it-Maybe.

 
My Favorite is the Crab Family. After everything was ironed on I selected my back fabric and purchased my "Warm and Natural" batting. I am new to this batting and I LOVE it! I have always used a high loft polyester batting. The Warm and Natural batting is great for machine quilting.  I thought a wavy machine quilting design would be fun for this project. What do you think?

I machine stitched around some of the bigger sea creatures and submarines. I used a few different stitches that my machine provides. It added a little more dimension and flare to some of the creatures. 

I made my own biased tape out of the green fabric and attached it. My friend Britt at www.diythirdtimesacharm.blogspot.com taught me a fantastic trick. I don't know why I have never done this before but it goes to show you that even after sewing for over 20 years you still have a lot to learn! Attach the biased tape to one side first. Then fold it over and attach it to the other side. I have always folded it over and tried to sew it all at once. This is easy enough on small projects but for large projects my new preferred method is Britts. I did this quilt as a "throw quilt" but I have already seen my daughter try to steal it for her room. Maybe it will end up on her bed as a decorative quilt.

Fun Fun Fun!!!

I love to create and love the look on people's faces when they receive what I have created for them...but let me tell you something funny about this!

While my husband was on a deployment I made a "quillow" for him (a quilt that folds up into an attached pocket to create a pillow). I used photo transfers and made it look like I scattered pictures all over the quilt. The photos were of family and friends and of course him and I. He was so excited to receive the quillow! He showed everyone and bragged about how lucky he was.

Recently I asked him if he didn't know me if he would still like the items that I made...his response took me by surprise. He told me that watching the process from start to finish has taken some of the "magic" out of it for him. He reminded me about his quillow I made him and then related it to seeing me make other items. He of course loves to see the items and what I've created but admitted that it was fun to see the end product and the surprise that comes without seeing the in-between. I laughed but could see where he was coming from.

It's like when you are a kid and have no idea how they make Twinkies. How that creme gets in there...how they make each one shaped like that. Then when you are old enough to turn over the Twinkie and see the little tell-tale holes the magic is gone and you know they squeeze the creme into the center after the cakes are made.

I must admit though that the magic for me comes from the creation. I love the process! Figuring out unique patterns and changes to a basic pattern.

By the way...if any of you out there in blog-land would like to make a quillow, let me know and I will email you a copy of the instructions. It's fun and easy...even putting pictures on it!!!

thelilypadshop@gmail.com

The Lily Pad Shop has Gone "International"

As many of you know, The Lily Pad Shop is on Etsy. Etsy is a fantastic site that allows you to reach across the world...literally. Last week we received our first international sale. Today we had another international sale.

This may seem silly to some, but knowing that my creations are reaching around the world is humbling and exciting. When we work with people from around the world, it makes it seem a little less overwhelming in size.

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to share this talent. Thank you for coming on the journey with me!

www.thelilypadshop.etsy.com

Mad Hatter Knits

Being a big BYU Cougar fan I have been waiting to find the perfect way to show our School spirit. I am here to tell you...I have finally found it!

Jody of Mad Hatter Knits has an incredible talent for creating fun, quality and adorable hats. She made this BYU Cougar for my little one.

She is now offering this hat along with many other styles in different sizes as well as colors. She makes headbands and knit hair clips as well. She also offers photo props for you to purchase.

Check out her incredible craft at:
www.madhatterknits.blogspot.com
www.madhatterknitsco.etsy.com or email her for a special order at madhatterknits@gmail.com.

You will not regret ordering from Mad Hatter Knits!

Things I have learned from my most recent project

I have learned quite a bit from this project. I loved doing it! Sometimes I had to put it away for a while because I was so frustrated with it. Looking at it you can see that it's not such a difficult pattern...and yet there were so many issues with it. So...I learned a lot.

#1 If the tension is off on your embroidery machine it affects everything!
#2 No matter how many times you try, if your tension is still off it's going to mess up the design.
#3 Fabric glue fixes A LOT more than you think. (I guess it's kind of like duct tape!)
#4 Making your own Biased tape is quite fun!
#5 Ironing quilts while making them does reduce time overall.
#6 You really DO need to stuff decorative pillows with more filling than you think.
#7 No matter how long it takes you to make something, when it is done you still feel pretty good!

I loved doing this quilt and pillows. I think this quilt took longer than any quilt I have made! That includes the ones that I have hand stitched. I think it turned out great! I am excited to see the reaction it gets.

Happy New Years!

Happy 2011 Everyone!
We have a great year ahead of us and fantastic moments to celebrate! Cherish your family and friends. Give hugs and loves to all around you!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Showcase!

The Lily Pad Shop is in it's first showcase on Etsy! I am so excited! I am trying to sleep...but it's not working.

I am amazed at how "magical" it feels. Funny I know, but I've been dreaming about these moments for so long and here they are! Don't misunderstand, I had to pay to get in to the showcase and it's only for 24 hours, but trying to get a place is difficult.

I am just so excited more people are going to see my work. So yes I feel as though it's magic. Really it's blessings from above. I was blessed with this talent and I am so grateful for it. I don't know why I get to do this, but I do and I am so glad!

Here is the link to the showcase:
http://www.etsy.com/category/children?ref=fp_ln_children

Moments of Joy

I just finished my nieces Halloween Costume. To see how it would look, I put it on my daughter. Though my daughter is smaller than her niece I got the full affect. It almost brought tears to my eyes...as silly as this may seem to some I saw how grown up my daughter has become.

I am beginning to understand the significance of different dresses. Her blessing dress (or christening dress to some), her birthday dresses, her Christmas dress. I am starting to realize that these dresses mark special occasions and show her growing before my eyes.

Before I realize it she will be in her baptism dress, then her prom dresses and then her wedding gown. Dresses that mark our moments of joy. Dresses of significance.

Motivations and Philosophies...of Business

I met a man today who was selling jewelry. The man would purchase the jewelry at an obscenely low cost then resale it at a 500% mark up. He had some interesting ideas about business and the way it should be run. His goal was to get the customers to open their wallets.

I found myself comparing his products and mindset with my products and mind set. His philosophy was that you should spend more time selling and less time making. Never get attached to your product and above all, sell everything at a 300% mark up (at least). In his mind I was a failure.

I don't feel like one though. Allow me to share a few experiences I have had over the past few weeks...

THE APRON

I was in the fabric store a few weeks ago and this fabric jumped out at me. It wasn't my typical fabric choice. On the contrary, it was a fabric with fish all over it, "gone fishin' " and other sayings adorned it. It made me think of Uncle Bill and his love of fishing. I knew I should buy that fabric and make an apron...someone was looking for just that.

So I did.

I got home, cut out the apron and went to work. I embroidered it, added pockets, did all the things that I normally did. One side said "Catch of the Day" The other side said "Gone Fishin' ".

A week went by and no sale. I wasn't worried. I knew the owner of the apron would show himself. Yesterday I was at the Farmer's Market when a gentleman walks up right to the apron. He pulls it off the hook, puts it on, takes it back off, puts it back on. The moment he walked up, I knew it was his apron. He also happened to be retired military (I give a military discount). I knew the apron had found its rightful owner. His hobby of fishing is only one aspect of his life, but I was able to be a small part of it, because something I created spoke to him.

He came back today and talked more with me, for just a minute. He was grateful for the apron and I was grateful I could create joy for someone else.

FLOWERS IN HER HAIR

Today at the Harvest Festival a family came to my booth. The young daughter had a cute little pixie cut. Her eyes weren't the normal young eyes of a girl her age. She looked as though she had seen a lifetime. They didn't buy anything, nothing out of the ordinary. But I knew there was more to the story. They came back a little later and we talked some more. The young girl was a survivor of Leukemia. She had just finished her bone marrow transplant in May and her hair was growing back.

People may say that my business philosophy is off, but it's not. I am in business for the people. I am in business to celebrate the triumphs, the joys, the fun of life. Whether it's a young girl recovering from cancer, who wants to feel pretty with flowers in her hair, or a retired Lt. Colonel that enjoys life and his hobbies. I am in business for people.

My life forever changed

I remember where I was 9 years ago. I remember the whole day. But I also remember what happened after that day that changed the way we live. Because of that day I am a military wife. I am grateful for those that are willing to sacrifice so that we can enjoy freedom and protection. That day was not the only tragedy of our nation, but it is one that holds great significance to me...because it happened when I was old enough to understand and old enough to remember. To see a nation tied together in a necessary bond.

I am able to have my own business because of families that have sacrificed for our freedom. I am blessed and I thank you. All of you!

If you don't already know, I give a 10% discount on all orders from military, firemen, and police and their families. I always give this discount. (I only ask for proof).

The Farmer's Market

The Farmer's Market is going well. We are meeting many wonderful new people. It's going on every Friday from 3-7pm. We are at the Water Tower Plaza at Thanksgiving Point.

Hope to see you there!

Mention that you read this on my blog and receive a free crochet headband!!

A Little Fish Swimming in a Big Pond

Tomorrow is the Farmer's Market. I've committed The Lily Pad Shop to be there all 8 weeks. It's every Friday for Two months. The night before finds me trying to get everything done in time. What has surprised me the most isn't how much I wasn't able to get done or what I can yet do but rather what I am feeling. I feel like a little girl still playing dress up in her mom's closet but wanting to be grown up.

This is funny to me! Just a few days ago I watched my little girl playing in my clothes all day, yet here I am feeling small. Nervous and scared I'm jumping in with both feet.

To be truthful I am excited as well. I have never counted my sewing and creativity a talent. I have always assumed everyone else can do it too. Perhaps that's why I feel so small today. Even so, I look forward to tomorrow!

Follow your Dreams

I first had the idea for The Lily Pad Shop in college. I was attending BYU at the time and had little money for gifts for the weddings of my friends. I began making my own cards and gifts to help reduce the expense.

Several years later I was married with a small one at home and struggling to find a creative outlet. My husband wanted to buy me a sewing machine. It had been a while since I sewed. My "Lily Pad Shop" was brought back to life. I began making gifts again. I felt the joy again that comes from creating.

This new adventure of business ownership is exciting and sometimes exhausting. But following your dreams often is. Never give up on those dreams that you hold dear. It may take some time before you see them come to fruition, but if it is worth it to you, it is worth it keep pursuing it.

My Sewing Machine

I have been sewing since I was eight. My first project was a quilt. My mom helped me pencil in the design and I sat on the living room floor and hand stitched an umbrella with rain drops on a small pink quilt. I was so excited to finish that quilt. Then we moved onto machine sewing. Within a year I was making "Barbie" clothes along with the finger pillows and finger bags I mentioned in a previous post. When I went away to college I wanted a sewing machine. It was difficult to find just the right clothes and making them seemed like the way to go.

I worked extra hours during the summer, saved and bought my sewing machine. It was a cheap sewing machine but for the most part it did what I asked of it...for about a year. I am a firm believer in the philosophy "You get what you pay for". Now I use my sewing machine A LOT! After all I have a business now that revolves around sewing. I was nervous about purchasing the machine I currently have. I have never spent that much money on such an item. After thinking about it for an entire year, I bought it.

I have not regretted it since. I don't have the headaches with this machine that I did with all the other sewing machines that I had in the past. I am here to tell you that whatever you purchase, go for the "good stuff". You are using your hard earned money, purchase things that are going to last. It's better to spend a bit more (if you have it of course) and buy something that is going to give you years of use than something that is only going to last a year or less.

Thinking of other things besides sewing machines? For the first 4 years of our marriage, my husband and I bought a new vacuum almost every year because ours broke down. They were all broken down so much that the repairs would cost more than a new vacuum. We finally got a high end vacuum that many of our friends and family had recommended. We love it! It's been two years and it performs like the day we bought it!

Just my opinion of course!

A Child's World

In a child's world you can take Legos and make anything. Every piece will fit and every piece makes the end product even better.

As I've gotten older I find that if I don't have all the right "Lego pieces" I want to give up and wait till I have all the pieces I want. Part of being creative is taking something normal and turning it into something different, better, or just more useful.

When I was first married and had little money, used dryer sheets worked as the perfect dusters. They would attract the dust just fine and didn't leave the lint that regular cloths did. Now I have one of those store bought dusting gadgets. So was it my lack of money that made me more creative or my need?

In a child's world it's neither. Couch cushions are forts waiting to happen, bed sheets are sails of a vast ship, and Legos are the beginning of a new adventure.

So as you're hurrying along in an overworked muddle, try looking at things as a child would. Maybe your daily tasks will be a little less "normal".

The weather.

I love winter! It's my favorite time of the year. Seeing the evening sky get a slight purple hue and the magical snow fall slowly to cover the earth with a soft blanket changes everything in my world. There is a quiet yet exciting element that comes with the change of snow. Here it is almost May and we had snow fall around my home. It didn't stay, but it was beautiful.

You never know what the weather is going to be here. It's like life. You can plan every day for something that's coming, but life will change right in front of your eyes. So you change the way you view things, change the way you react. Plan no matter what and always know that it's going to change.

Life, like the weather changes on its own. It adds variety and excitement. So enjoy it a little more.

Slippers

Did you know that walking around barefoot can still make your carpet dirty? The oils from your skin attract dirt and then it rubs off into the carpet. By wearing socks or slippers it helps to keep your floors cleaner. So if you have a "no shoes allowed" rule, provide socks or slippers for your guests that are barefoot. Cozy socks in a basket by the door can make it more inviting.

Here is a picture of children's slippers that I am going to be selling.

Whether your green or not...

Did you know that used dryer sheets make great dusting rags? (the static properties help the dust cling to the dryer sheet). Just another great way to recycle!

Recycling and conserving energy can be easy and cost effective. It's not about making a big "scene" when doing your part, it's more about making a difference. Small things such as using reusable shopping bags and carpooling can be simple, even if carpooling is done just one day out of the week.

Another great way to recycle is to use old jars and containers to make musical instruments for the children in your life. Simply adding beads or beans and some glue can make an afternoon of fun and excitement.

The Quilt -A Legacy of Memories

Here is the Quilt that I made for a couple who have been married for 40 years. I loved doing it. Full of memories and love! Each block has a story! They told me each block is like living the stories and memories each time. This is such a great way to share your memories with your family and friends!