I am a wife (to Chad) and mother (to Saige, Brynley, Maya, and Oliver), and I love to create.
There’s nothing quite like it. My husband can always tell when I’ve had some time to myself to create because I’m happier and calmer.
I love being able to say that I have made something, but I’m also thrilled when people think I’ve made something awesome that I actually bought. But the best part about creating and making things is that you are always improving and learning. I started Mabey She Made it in June 2013.
One of the greatest things I learned while growing up was to know what “home” felt like. Creating feels like home to me, and I’m at home when an idea translates into something beautiful or functional.
So why blog? I wanted to be clear about why I create (for myself) so the first post ever was titled Why I Create. I loved that I was able to write about creativity, so its now a permanent page and serves as a reminder to me that even when things get hard, I have sewing, crafting, and decorating to lean on.
Sewist
After my first baby was born, taught myself to sew through bloggers and lots of trial and error. It’s been fun to go from learning to thread the machine to designing things for the kids to wear. I’m learning so much along the way.
Sewing has been the focus for awhile now, and I have loved stretching myself to learn new techniques, face my fears, and keep going. I was a designer on Season 16 of Project Run & Play, and have enjoyed the sewing friendships and challenges I’ve experienced.
Surface Pattern Designer
In college, I was exposed to some design classes, but figured it was “too late” to pursue it seriously. Now many years later, I’ve realized its never too late. I’ve dug out my developing design skills and am diving into the world of surface pattern design (SPD). What is SPD? It’s designing anything that is printed on a surface: things like fabric, notebooks, wallpaper, phone cases, etc. Since I’m pretty passionate about sewing, I’m specifically working on designs for fabric.
Thus far, I’ve been part of a fabric design collaboration that produced two prints (that my kids are wearing in the photo above) and have a mini collection of fabric printed on knit at Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I am thrilled to be pursuing this dream again.
You’ll also find me watercoloring and creating lots of art as I work to define my style and niche.
Home Decor and DIY Crafts
You’ll also find home decor and crafts here. Recreating spaces is something I love to do as well. They aren’t the focus of this blog anymore, but there are plenty of fun things to make and renovation posts along the way. Chad and I are a great team–he does the work, I make the design choices. The results are always stunning (he’s a true craftsman) and I love sharing them with you along the way.
Now What?
The best ways to connect with me are through the comments on my blog posts; I do my best to respond to each and every one. You can reach me by email at lisa@mabeyshemadeit.com or follow along with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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