Oh boy...two months?? Serious?

Wow. Two months since I last posted? Sorry!
Working for Alta Moda on top of my own custom brides has really take a lot of my blogging time! But I have to say I am LOVING working for Alta Moda. My brides have been so wonderful and I have been hearing about the most amazing wedding plans and meeting the most fantastic people. This is one of the reasons I love my job. I get to be involved with one of the most exciting times of a woman's life.

I can't wait to show you all the progress of this years custom work. I have gowns ranging from regal and romantic, to etherial and edwardian, to modern and minimal, to hipster and bohemian. Each one is so beautiful in its own way!

The alterations have been going great too! I have a few pictures to post soon of before and afters of modesty build ups. I haven't gotten much of chance to do a lot of build ups before working for Alta Moda. But I now know, I really like doing them. Not as much as a full custom, but it's just as close as doing one!

I know this is late news, and hopefully you follow my FB fan page and already knew about the feature done on fortheutahbride.com. I was really happy with it and here is the link. Enjoy!
http://www.fortheutahbride.com/2013/03/vendor-feature-lily-by-designs.html

Tis The Season!!!

Hello!


And....we are up for some air!
Just wanted to take a few minutes to update the blog! It has been one busy start to the bridal season.
There are a lot of exciting things happening over here....

 Let's start with Lily Bride is now sewing part time for Alta Moda Bridal. Utah's finest couture bridal  boutique! It has been a dream come true. I get to once again be constantly surrounded by beautiful high end gowns. Get to oooh and aaahhh over the stunning craftsmanship. Which more importantly, I get to SEE THE INSIDES. I know, totally sewing geek of me. People ask how I can stand doing alterations. Honestly I don't mind it one bit. Yeah some days it is hard, but I love a good challenge and each gown, company and alterations needed are different. So it is NEVER boring or routine. I am not a fan of the same thing over and over.

Two new custom creations are on their way! For my Bride Anna we are doing a lovely tiered silk 4-ply and chiffon retro-elegant number that will feature a tear-a-way skirt to revel a swinging high-low hemmed party gown. So excited for this one!
And Kaityln has choosen a beautiful, classical, elegant, fit and flare number with stunning floral beaded lace and on the skirt, soft romantic layers of english tulle and chiffon.

AND Finally......the best news
Lily Bride Designs was featured on Style Me Pretty's blog!! Yahooo!!!!!!
You can read all about it here: http://www.stylemepretty.com/destination-weddings/
I'm so excited about this one! This is great great news!!!! If you could see me, I'm doing a very big happy dance today. Because life, folks. Is so darn beautiful!

The super sample sale and learning to let go....

If you are not already a fan on my facebook page, please give it a like. As the latest pictures posted on it have a lot to do with this post I am sharing today.

HERE is the link to it. See? Look! I made it so easy for you to just almost find your self there and give it a like....

I've posted new photos in an Album called "Sample Sale". While it is not uncommon for designers and high end stores to offer samples sales. Where gowns used for fashion shows and floor samples are sold at a deeply discounted price. All to allow room for new beautiful things.

This is will be Lily Bride's first sample sale. Exciting!

To me. Not so much.....

Here is why. I love these gowns, almost like my children. Ok, that is a bit weird. But seriously, I've poured so much time and effort into creating these gowns. I've seen them grow from a simple fashion sketch, to selecting the perfect fabrics, carefully cut out each pattern piece with care, draped, sewed, pinned, beaded and pressed each creation into a beautiful piece of work. In a way it is like giving birth, just not with all the extreme pain. Yes, there is pain, sweat and tears in both processes. So maybe that is why I am so darn attached to each of these.

I love what they mean to me, to see my growth in each of these gowns. To know how far I've come from my first days of designing, to know what I learned from making it. I love hearing, seeing and watching people's responses to each of the gowns. And of course there is pride in knowing I created something people love, to know I made it, is a really, really addicting high.

But I've discovered the downer to this addicting drug. Clinging to these beautiful gowns for only sentimental reasons; I feel, is KILLING any new creativity wanting to escape. I've constantly surrounded my self with all I need to be inspired for a new collection and have had several ideas, directions I want to go. But there is a blockage: my past collections. While I know they are beautiful and have been well received. I have shown them almost everywhere fashion related here in SLC, it is time to move on and put them up for sale. Give them a new life and hopefully bring someone extreme happiness on a very special day.

One could say there is a tiny amount of fear in letting these gowns go. What if I can't create something as good as it? What if I get asked to show samples and could of used those gowns? What if a photographer, stylist, client wants to see or use the gowns? What if? What if???

Well, Miss Mary.... It is time to focus on the what if's that would happen if you DO sell the gowns.
What if you are able to make those new gowns that you sketched out, that were able to get through your designer's block?
What if you sold one of the past gowns to a client who continued to book custom work with you?
What if you were able to sell all the gowns and use it for a L.A. trip AND fabric?
What if letting go made you grow into that designer you know you are, the one you can feel deep down inside....What if it broke that designer's block?.....What if it unleashed a new collection that led to new and exciting things?

So many positives What if's that bring me to the realization and thought it is time...it is time to let go and bring in the new. So if you know anyone in the market, please share the facebook link. Let's see where this takes Lily Bride Designs! I'm ready!

I had to write to let this out, and while you may have gotten more than you had bargained for in reading this post. I needed to know if by chance you fellow designer, artist, writer, sculptor and fellow creators of any sort. How you learn to let go of your creation "babies" to allow the wonderful new creativeness to flow in. What are your processes to let go?

I know this is a journey I will take many times as a designer, that I need to learn some of it on my own and how to calm my self down as I have mini panic attacks posting my gowns to KSL and FB for such screaming deals.

It is time to let go, to bring in the new....

Cindy's Montana Wedding.

Cindy came across my booth the last time I did Fashion Stroll and asked me to make her gown for her  July Montana based wedding. I was so excited! She wanted color and something different. My cup of tea for a wedding gown. This was one of my favorite projects. But, I say that about each of my gowns. I love love love my job! 

 We started with a silk 4-ply and chiffon slip. It was very ballet-like. Fluid and romantic, it had a gathered empire waist line and softly fell into a small train.

 Over the slip dress, she had a kimono sleeved lace over-lay. With a asymmetrical skirt and waterfall ruffle. The lace was my favorite part of the gown. For her colors she had picked a beautiful sky blue and grass green. Cindy wanted to incorporate these colors into her gown, so we searched and searched for a lace online that was to these specifications. No luck! Cindy even braved the L.A. fabric district to find it her self. Still nothing....I was also able to make trip down there for other clients and after 3 hours of searching each and every store, I found it at the very last store!! It was beautiful. White mesh with big sky blue embroidered leaves, cluster flowers made with ribbons and pearl seed beads. With a delicate scalloped hem. It was so pretty! And best of all she loved it too!

I love this picture. She looks so pretty! I also love his green converse...Congrats Cindy! You were one beautiful bride and best wishes in your new life!

Kassie's Groom-als (or how ever that's spelled!)

I'm so excited to finally get these stunning images from my August bride, Kassie.

 Kassie wanted something different and a pop of color, she fell in love with the beaded & pearled maroon lace at Tissu Fine Fabrics. It was perfect she said, it will match my (stunning!) pearl engagement ring!!

 I suggested we soften the darkness of the maroon lace, by backing it with a candlelight white bridal satin. It created a perfect soft pink effect. 

Down the back of the gown I sewed on 75 tiny pink satin colored buttons on to the lace. It took forever, but I had some serious catching up to do on Masterpiece Theatre at the time, so it wasn't so bad ;)

 The gorgeous couple! I love his suit, 3 piece suits are serious man candy. My hubby pulled his out for the winter season and it's true what they say. A fine fitted suit is to woman, what lingerie is to a man....

The fun fascinator we made for her hair. I made a flower to match the dusty pink accents on her gown, added some of the lace cut out from her scraps and attached it to a piece of russian veiling and comb. I love this fun trend instead of the traditional veils!

Congrats Kassie! and I hope you are loving married life! You made a beautiful bride.

Just a wee bit obsessed.

How many of you readers are Downton Abby fans??

I'm hooked and have been since season one first aired. I have LOVED Masterpiece theatre since I was in high school. Although it's hard for me to watch the shows when they air on Sundays, as we visit family and besides our reception sucks at our house, so I have to wait for it to come online to see them.

Anyways, thanks to Facebook's sidebar advertising. I came across this lovely little link for....

A DOWNTON THEMED FUNDRAISER DINNER, PERIOD COSTUME INVITED!!

I'm just ever so slightly wanting to jam out that said proposed period gown a whole year ahead of schedule. Just to go to this. Now to find an extra $150, that's not tied up in current production of my 2013 collection.

Yup, that's right. A new collection is in the works!!!

Nineteen-teens

So, I promised to share my exciting new project!
Some of it is still under-wraps, but I can at least share what I will be working on for the next year for my self. And it's going to take me a year to make it, as I have a lot of research and practicing to do!

There is a establishment here in Utah, that will be celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2014 with a 1914 themed COSTUME BALL!!!! I'm so excited. I've delved deep into the re-runs of Downton Abby for inspiration (also in prep for season 3 in January!!) There are a lot Lady Mary's gowns I'm liking, as well as Lady Edith's.

I've always wanted to make a historically accurate gown. And where this event is going to be held and the crowd attending will be the perfect excuse to make one. The gown I will be documenting will be for me, I will also be making others for people attending the event.

Here is the goal and what I plan to document:
*Research 1914 construction and embellishment techniques.
*Make correct historical undergarments
*Use above researched constructions and embellishment to construct the whole thing. Being as true to period as possible. Meaning if it was done by hand, I'm doing it by hand.
*Get my shoe-making sister to make my boots, period of course.
* Lose that last bit of baby boy weight left overs from delivery in June. If I putting all this work into making it, I want to make sure I look great in the gown!

Anyways looking forward to the whole process and what I will be learning!