Wow! what a busy lady Karen is making all her gorgeous items!! Thank you for taking the time out to let us in on your world.
Tell us all about yourself and your craft?
I am a wife, homemaker, grandmother to five great grandkids, a "just moved to the country" girl, and I love to be creative. When we moved to the country from the city, we built our dream home and now I have my very own craft room where I can be crafty all day! My daughter, Allison and I started Lilybella two years ago, making cloth diaper bags and changing pads. One day, we came across this great fabric, oilcloth, and it inspired us to change our whole concept! I love working with it, and remain inspired everyday to come up with something new to do with it. Allison, who has three of my grandchildren, (picture on my "about me" page), had to go to work full time, so now it is just me, myself, and I running the business.
How long have you been creating your craft?
I make everything by hand, including the embroidery work. There are several oilcloth sites out there, but my little niche is adding the embroidery designs, and personalizing, as I think these two things just really bring out the cuteness. I am currently working on adding some new designs to my line of products.
What is one of the biggest lesson you have learnt about your craft & selling it?
My biggest lesson I have learned in my business is to never put anything before customer service. Your customer IS your business, and if you are making them happy they will come back again and again, and tell all their friends about you.
Which of your items did you have the most fun creating & why?
I don't know that I have a favorite item I make. My husband says I have too many products. It is hard carrying such a variety, but the great thing about that is, that you are always doing something different everyday, so you never get tired of one thing. I just love to do the monograms, because once I put their name on something, it just becomes so special, and all kids love having their names on things.
Is there a basic ‘household’ item you use when creating that seems to work just as good if not better than the actual ‘tool’?
The basic household item I use the most is "freezer tape". I use it instead of pins on the oilcloth, because the less holes you put in it the better. The tape really works well holding things together, and this particular tape comes off very easily. I also use glue sticks to lay the appliqué fabric onto the oilcloth, (instead of fabric spray). It works great and is not sticky.
What is your favourite candy bar & why?
My favorite candy bar?!!! Is this a trick question? Are you going to analyze me in some deep way! Ha! Ok. My favorite candy bar is Reeses Peanut butter cups because I loooove the peanut butter in the middle. I crave peanut butter every day! I have at least 3-4 peanut butter sandwiches a week! (I am plain and simple girl.) No jelly either! EEWWW! Just plain.
If money, responsibilities, and time were no issues where in the great wide world would you go & why?
If money, responsibilities, and time were no issue I would get into an RV and travel the country going on every back road there is, looking for any little antique shops and flea markets I could find. I love junk and antiques and never get tired of finding things to do with it. Also, I live in the greatest country in the world, and I have not even seen a lot of the famous site that people from other countries come here to see! That is just un-American. So I would be sure to do that as well.
Head over to Lillybella at www.lilybella.com today where I can guarantee you'll find some thing you like!! and with Christmas only months away what a great place to grab a unique gift for almost anyone on your gift list!
You can also follow what's new by Karen at her blog - lilybellaboutique.blogspot.com
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