Good Bye Patty

 The pacifier--some mothers love them and to other's they are an equivalent to a dirty word. To me,  I didn't have a problem with it. and by golly it worked. Thinking back on the haze of the first few weeks of new baby bliss hell, the pacifier saved us. She was soothed, we gained sanity and by week four the fog began to lift and we all got into our groove.

Lilly loved her pacifier. She lovingly named it Patty.  After she turned one Patty became a nighttime treat. After she turned two....well I started to feel like maybe it was time for Patty to leave. I didn't want her to, but when Lilly asked for her pacifier using a complete. sentence.--I knew she was getting too old for it.

I really had NO plan on how to break Lilly of her friend, Patty.  I was scared.  I value sleep and knew what kind of nights were ahead without our dear friend, Patty. It's safe to say I broke out into a cold sweat at the thought of a night without Patty. My one memory of a night without Patty was  a year ago and I'll just say there were GNASHING OF TEETH that night.

Then baby Milo was born.

Milo is the newest addition to by best friend's family. My womb is craaavving another one of these squishy miracles!

Lilly loves babies--they can be plastic, they can be cloth, they can be human.  She has the mommy thing going right now. When we went to meet baby Milo she noticed his pacifier in the bassinet. 

"Ahhh....Mi-yo's patty?" 

"Yes, babies need patties, you're not a baby are you?"

"Ahhh no mommy, Imma beeeg gurl."

"Yes, Lilly you are." !!!!LIGHT BULB MOMENT!!!!!! "Do you want to give Milo your Patty?"

"Eye do dat"

and she gave up her pacifier. Just like that.

My mommy tears welled up in my eyes at the thought of her giving a new baby her most prized possession. He needed it.  She gave it.

Gosh, can't we ALL learn from that?

As we left the hospital that evening, my best tossed me the pacifier just in case....

Lilly and I both cried that night....but three days later  the tears are dry and Patty has a new happy  home.

custom, custom

Have I ever shared how much I love doing custom orders? Well, I do! I especially love the orders where I'm given a color scheme and purpose for the accessories and basically given free reign with the designs.  I LOVE IT. I love the challenge of creating something cohesive and pretty. I love the excitement in the customers response! I also love the trust that people have in me as a designer (albeit an accessories one--but still).

My most recent custom order was for a group of three accessories for some family pictures. The mother emailed me a color scheme and a vision of intricate, big, bold, beautiful, statement and then let me go crazy. The color scheme was very pretty and outside of what I normally do. I usually steer clear of blues, I don't know why? and after working with these materials I think I'll add more into future collections!

design seeds

Here is what I came up with!

 necklace for the momma, headband for the little, clip (combo brooch) for the little gal

all can be shared and i'm banking they will!

Thanks Kayla for letting me make these for you. I had so much fun!

little things {my thursday night}

 The weeks are FLYING by, aren't they?  My days are full of teaching and my evenings are jammed pack with lillypie, grading, cleaning, and small group.  Thursdays---they are  the do NOTHING nights.  They are family nights and I love them.  Thursday night is one of my favorite nights because TOMORROW is Friday--the last work day. Whoooeeeeee!!! I snapped some pictures with my phone this evening to document the little things that I love soooo much about my Thursday evenings with my family.

we play ponies.....a lot.

 

Baked some yummy pumpkin spice muffins for tomorrow morning.  My house smells delish.

 I had the most adorable little helper, too.

A little dose of Disney always makes for a good evening.

Relaxing and enjoying  my backed up DVR tonight.

Excited to find out what happened  with Chuck and Blair this week. ;)

Linking up with Lindsay!

new logo {reveal}

I'm committed to my husband.

I'm devoted to my daughter.

I'm trustworthy to my friends

I'm reliable to my family.

But I struggle with fidelity when it comes to my blog design. (sowrry.)

So I have this friend, Leonora, who happens to design amazing graphic prints--

Her shop, Yellow Heart Art is one of my favorites. I think I've hearted most of her designs. She prooobbably gets tired of seeing my face pop up in her etsy feed (sowwrrry).

I called upon Leonora to help me finally get a logo for lillypie. I sent her my sketch.

She sent me her design.

and voila! 

I hope you feel comfortable here and cozy up for a bit! There are lots of exciting things happening here.

High, Low,Woah {V.3}

Good Morning!  I'm starting this week off on a positive note. On my way in to work, I'm grabbing a gingerbread chai latte--so this monday HAS to be good! I hope that you have a great morning as well! I thought I'd share my high, low, woah from this weekend with you all in hopes that you'll share yours with me! I'm also sprinkling in some prints from a few  of a favorite shops.

Studio Mela

HIGH
This weekend was a GREAT lillypie weekend. It was a weekend where the thoughts of "Mayyyybbeee full time???" started swimming in my head again. Last week I launched Adorable Winter and I'm so happy that it is doing well.  I love getting the notes attached to the orders telling me that they are  "sooo excited to be getting a creation from me all winter long." It makes me feel good, and Imma BLOW their socks off with the adorables headed their way come December. If you'd like to learn more, check this post out!

Also, I'm participating in a few gift guides and one of them launches today! I think gift guides are such a fun and easy way to learn about handmade shops. I am really looking forward to finding some new shops and picking up items for loved ones on my Christmas list. Oh--and the discount codes are awesome too. I love a deal. Kim, from Oh, Sweet Joy! is such a doll and I'm excited to work with her! Her HANDMADE HOLIDAYS is up now! :)

aaannnndd Leonora from Yellow Heart Art designed an AMAZING lillypie logo for me and we finalized it on Friday. I've been playing and tweaking all things lillypie and am looking forward to rolling out a brand new look SOON!

Julie Ann Art

LOW
While talking this weekend, Scott and I realized that we haven't been on a date in a month. Life is so busy and our obligation list gets longer and longer with each passing moment. I can tell when we haven't connected emotionally and this weekend it was felt.  I was snippy. He was standoffish. We both decided some time alone is needed--it's penciled in for next weekend. Hopefully a high for next week will be some much needed QT with my man! :)

piano bench designs

WOAH
On Saturday Lilly and I made our routine trip to craft stores, barnes and noble and Target. Target is our last stop and  ONLY. THE . ESSENTIALS. are bought.  SOMEHOW  on this trip we ended up in the shoe department trying on boots. ?!?! Does this happen to you? I was embarrassingly struggling to get the *perfect* taupe boots zipped when a woman passed by.  Then she passed by again. and on her third go around past she stopped and said:
"oh dear, as one mother to another I must tell you this. You have a sucker stick stuck to your back"
......................................................

I gave lilly a sucker at 10:00. It was now pushing 1:00.

WOAH.


What's your high, low, and woah for this weekend? Please share, you'll make my Monday even happier.

Adorable Winter {a pretty package program}

Raise your hand if you have ever felt the winter blahs.Ummm..yeah. I know. Midwest winters can really dragggg onnnnnnnn and I just find myself longing for COLOR! and WARM Weather! and anything that will boost my post holiday bummers that begin oozing out of me come February. Well, if your hand is still raised--put it down and read on. Because I think I have something that will help banish those blahs this winter. eeee!! right!?

This winter I'm rolling out a little club so-to-speak. A beat-winter-get-pretty-packages-with-fun-accessories club that I'm callling Adorable Winter for short!

Who doesn't love receiving pretty packages in the mail? How fun would it be to look forward to an adorable surprise FOR YOU each month of the long winter ?

Adorable Winter is for you (however you know me and everything  is meant to be shared with your little one).  You deserve a treat. You work hard and are busy buying for others. Adorable Winter is for you. Around the 15th of each month (December through March) a pretty little accessory from Lillypie Accessories will be handmade, packaged and sent to you. It will be something different each month. An adorable surprise!

My inspiration journal is packed full of sketches of fun winter inspired accessories. The items in the Adorable Winter collection are NEW designs with NEW fabrics.  They are inspired by winter neutral colors as to match your existing wardrobe.  Think cream, ivory, mocha, champagne sparkle, mint, mustard, deep teal.  I know, I'm excited too. :)  The items will be different each month.  A SURPRISE--it's what makes it fun! You can expect all my specialties-- necklaces, brooches, and headbands.The items in the adorable winter collection will be available to YOU first. They will not be listed in my shop until YOU have received yours. You're lillypie VIP in my eyes.

Yes! Now is a great time to buy for someone else. Purchase an Adorable Winter package for the lovely friend of yours who enjoys wearing stylish and pretty accessories. She will LOVE the surprise she receives every month. Purchase an Adorable Winter for you and a friend and receive a discount reimbursed to you after checkout! Or you could do what I do with my friends on occasion--okay this is kinda embarrassing to admit. You buy your friend one, she buys yours---gift to each other. MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)

Visit my shop and click the Adorable Winter section on the left sidebar. Purchase any of the available Adorable.Winter packages. In the notes to seller please verify the name and address for the person receiving the packages.  This will be the address I send the pretty things to--not the address on paypal. I want to make sure it's going the RIGHT place. Verify and pay and you're all set! I'll contact you after payment and tell you how excited and happy I am for you! I can only imagine how fun it will be to get something pretty in the mail each month!

Winter Blahs?? See ya later!!! :)

Buying the accessories individually from my shop would cost you $85 with shipping each time. The Adorable Winter package is priced at $49.99 with a ONE TIME shipping fee of $10 with your subscription for US orders. International orders, please contact me first before shipping so I can calculate your shipping rate.

If you are money savvy or have an accountant as a husband like me,  being a part of  Adorable Winter is $15 a month. You deserve it! What are you waiting for?

The first 5 that purchase, will receive FREE SHIPPING! {to be refunded via paypal after purchase}

Purchase 2 { remember, one for you--one for friend}  and you'll receive FREE SHIPPING on one of your subscriptions.

Purchase 3 {one for you, one for friend, one for another friend} and you'll recieve an *extra* surprise each month for a total of  eight adorable creations instead of four!!

Purchase 4 {You're now upgraded to a best friend of mine whom I will cherish forever and send brithday and christmas gifts each year!!!} No, kidding aside.... Purchase four subscriptions and you'll get extra surprises, and free shipping for ALL FOUR memberships.

Purchase 5 {and I faint.............}


{no coupon codes or discounts valid on this program}


Deadline to sign up is Wednesday November 30th!


I'm just so excited. excited. excited!

Something Special is Coming!

I have a really fun lillypie announcement to make. REALLY FUN. I'm waiting until Monday to launch the idea but.... because I just want to tell you now,  I'll give you some hints!

it involves new designs.

new colors.

new fabrics.

lots of cozy.

lots of sparkle.

and lots of pretty packages.

Intrigued? Come back Monday to find out more!

You DON'T want to miss this!

( there *might* be a giveaway  as well) and by *might* I mean definitely.  :)

Letting my Laura light {shine}

We  run the world.  Girls.

Sit and think about that. Beyonce is a smart cookie and she's right, we do. :)

It's very hard being a working mother. The scheduling is difficult, but the worst part is the guilt. We mom's love us a heap of mommy guilt don't we?  I struggle with the guilt of leaving lilly every day.  I also find that when I'm thinking about her I feel guilty about not being focused at work. Am I doing everything that I can? Am I doing enough? Sadness. Woe is me. Buck up Laura, millions do it.   Round and round I go. I know I'm not alone. 

I think it's very important that as a mother we do something for ourselves. It's easy to give give give and become burnt out and in a state of numbness. 

How do you find something to do for yourself when we are constantly running our worlds?  Cooking. Cleaning. Ministering. Being a friend. A good wife. A CLEAN and KEPT human being? 

Lillypie is what I do for me. Lillypie is an outlet. Lillypie is a dream. Lillypie is an accomplished goal. When my daughter is tucked in for the evening my *laura* light really begins to shine.

The laundry pile gets too big. The meals don't get planned in advance. My husband picks up the evening lilly tornado of toys and that's okay. I'm busy being me. I'm busy learning about myself.  The happiness I experience makes me a better mother. A better wife. A better teacher because I'm happy being me.

What do you do for you? Please share!


Great prints, right?
Stephanie Ryan Art
Wheatfield by Katie Daisy
Yellow Heart Art by Leonora Jennifer

high.low.{woah} V.2

 Sitting down this morning I felt like writing another high.low.woah post.  I enjoyed writing the last one because it reminded me of my days of camp. Who knows?  Perhaps it will become more  frequent.  I'd love for it to be a way that we can connect to each other. It's always fun to share the good,  bad and the holy craps! with each other! 

HIGH

Yesterday was the perfect fall day. It was one of those days that you just crave as a mother. Family time. Memories. Traditions.  Ahhh...just love. We spent the morning picking, carving {for the first time}, scooping, designing, and taking the obligatory jack-o-lantern pictures. It was such a fun morning!

LOW

Perfect fall day=perfect fall videos of daughter covered in pumpkin. RIGHT? Nope. No batteries for the camera. Mommy fail. Camera was working so not a total loss. :)

WOAH

I thought I was a dead woman. While carving my jack-o-lanterns happy grin I sliced my finger. It ended up being **NOTHING** and I don't know if it was the light headedness or the sight of blood but I immediately started thinking about how I could get to the hospital. No sooner had the blade touched my hand and I was thinking " Grab the diaper bag. I bet my neighbor could watch lilly. Call my parents. Call an ambulance. Grab a BRUSH! I'm a mess! I should've taken a shower!" Silly, Laura. The wound didn't even require a bandaid.

Oy.