Mermaids of the Lake Blog

Life is Inherently Risky

By Mermaid Shelley

"Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing." ~Denis Waitley

Wishing, thinking, dreaming - all are wonderful, I love living in this space. However, the most important and crutial step is to actually do that thing. Does the dream seem unrealistic? Do you tell yourself, "Oh! It's too scary!" or "People will think it's stupid."? Maybe, but how will you ever know if you don't jump. Don't get left behind the others who are making great and interesting things happen in their lives. Risk a little, reap great rewards!

For more great inspiriation this New Year, check out Mermaids of the Lake the magazine. 

As You Wish Design: A Story of Friendship and Sharing a Dream

Do you dream of sharing a business with your best friend? The Mermaids did and we made it happen. We love hearing of other women who are making a dream come true! Read this inspiring story of two best friends and stay-at-home moms who are on a rewarding journey together; working, creating, laughing and playing in their own business.

By Kendra and Kristin

"Friendship, laughter and grace"… are three words we use to best describe the partnership behind As You Wish Design. As two stay-at-home moms, we were passionate about our families, friendships, faith and our homes but our job descriptions were about to change as our youngest girls were headed off to first grade in the fall. Buying the myth that we would have lots of free time on our hands, we began a hypothetical conversation about what it would take to begin working outside of our domestic routine. We could not have imagined that within hours we would fall in love with hand-stamped, personalized jewelry. Or that within three weeks we would be the proud owners of two large Wal-Mart tackle boxes, beginning to fill with the tools and supplies needed to launch our cottage industry. A meaningful name, logo and business license soon followed and the Wish Mamas were born!

Beautiful, hand-stamped, and customized just for you!

The Greek philosopher, Epicurus, got it right a couple thousand years ago when he said "It is not so much our friend's help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they WILL help us." This knowledge has played a large role in the friendship behind our business. We often ask each other for help, an opinion, forgiveness, or a much-needed walk with the dogs. We work through misunderstandings, laugh at things other people do not find the least bit funny, struggle to stay at fighting weight, pray for each other, and celebrate our children's milestones (preferring report cards over driver's licenses)… together.

Every step along the path has meant learning something new. Blogs, Quicken, taxes, silver suppliers, chain styles and quality, advertising, social media, photography, font styles and websites. Oh my! Not to mention… How do we stamp a piece of silver and make it into something personal and meaningful? But armed with a good friend, learning can be so much fun! We now know the miracle that happens behind the birth of each new business. The stuck times, the laugh-till-you-cry times, the brainstorming and encouragement times that cause an idea to take flight into something that can be offered to others. Sometimes all it takes is a glass of wine on a back deck to see things more clearly. After two and a half years of business, we are so grateful for a partnership that gives us a place to fail, a place to dream, and a place to grow personally. We know we would have derailed this train long ago if we were driving it alone.

Unique, customized necklaces for the Mermaids, Debbie and Shelley

Our families have embraced what we do now with a mixture of pride and disbelief. We're sure our hubbies thought this was another hobby, complete with stacks of discarded tools collecting dust in our basement supply rooms. Our families take over at home when we have home-parties at night, support us when we are neglecting our homes as we devote our time to our next business step, and enthusiastically check out our newest creations (ha). We could not have a business without them.

We still LOVE what we do at As You Wish Design. As our alter-egos (Hammer Girl and Sister Sledge), we have celebrated wonderful milestones, marked difficult memorials, made more gifts for special people than we can count and truly can't wait to put our hammers to the next one. We love the stories behind the designs people choose. We love the people we've met in the process. We love that other people want the best for the people in their lives.

Taking risks and following dreams involves conquering fears and believing wholeheartedly that the path you embark on is worth traveling, even if you can't clearly see what the destination will look like. We celebrate all of the friendships behind each small business that comes to be!

Cheers to You!

We LOVE what we do and often find our cupboards bare because we would much rather be metal stamping than grocery shopping.

The founders of As You Wish Design, Kendra ("Hammer Girl") and Kristin ("Sister Sledge"), forged into the world of hand stamped, personalized jewelry in April 2009. Stay-at-home moms with three kids each, our youngest girls were heading off to first grade in the fall. We bought into the myth that we would have all this time on our hands, and one day began hypothetically talking about what it would take to leave our nests. Whatever "it" was, would need to be fun, meaningful, and flexible, allowing us to put our families first, and yet, start to have something just for us again. In our search, we happened upon hand stamped jewelry and immediately fell in love. Within three weeks, we had a silver supplier, business name and logo. Everything came together so effortlessly and we knew it was meant to be.

We feel so blessed every day to be able to make special treasures for you that reflect each of your unique stories. Our favorite part of our business is being able to hear the meaning behind the necklaces we make, whether it is to celebrate the joys in your lives, bring healing during difficult times or give a gift just because.

Please contact us to make a piece as unique as you are...

www.asyouwishdesignjewelry.com
asyouwishdesign@ymail.com

Kendra: 509-954-3814
Kristin: 509-499-2857

Lampshade Revamp

By Mermaid Shelley

What fun thing can you do with a boring lampshade, some Mod Podge, and a beat-up classic children's story book? Revamp the lampshade, of course!

 

One evening I was working at my computer. I looked over at my boring lamp and said to myself, "Self, you've gotta do something with that horrid lamp!" I thought for a few minutes and took inventory of my supplies. Hmmmmm. I have Modge Podge and I have tons of old books. Hmmmmm....

I looked through some of my books and saw that my poor, sweet copy of Bambi was falling apart. It had several pages missing, and the cover was warped and stained. I really did need to find a creative way to keep this loved book. 

I dove in. And, as much as it pained me, I tore out random pages from the book. I wasn't too careful and some pages ripped. That was ok. I knew it would make my project more interesting.

I started by slathering the Mod Podge on the backs of a few pages. I pasted them randomly on the shade. At first I wondered who they should be placed. But, just kept layering and rotating.

 

I didn't want my project to be too perfect. I wanted texture and interest. I created it by applying loads of Mod Podge with a large foam applicator.

 

Continuing with layers and snippets, and rotating the text and pictures, I completely covered the lampshade. Some things were sideways, others were upside down. It helped to put the shade back on the lamp to see what was needed at the end.

 

Sometime in the middle of a project you wonder if you'd screwed up. Not with this one. Every layer was fun and I knew it was going to be great. It turned out so cute! And, I love seeing the pictures and words. But, wait....

 

Turn on the light and see how the pages glow! The old paper is a lovely golden brown. Cracks and rips let slivers of light shine through. And, the layers add interest.

 

I'm so happy with my revamp project. This lampshade is all the more special because it so beautifully displays one of my favorite old books!

 

Now, on to the next Mod Podge project....

 

Here's another great project: Do you have an old lamp that needs rescuing? Check out Vintage Lamp Rescue. I will take you step-by-step through rewiring that darling old lamp of grandma's!

For lots of creative fun, check out the Mermaids of the Lake on-line magazine. There's so much there you're gonna love! 

Very Pink Vintage Kitchens for Pink Saturday!

Wow! Somehow it is hard for me to imagine the men in the 1950's living in a house with a pink kitchen! I am so intrigued by these images. They are so very cool and so very awful at the same time.

Happy Pink Saturday!

Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. She is our host for Pink Saturday. If you like the color pink, How Sweet the Sound is the place to be!

Thank you for visiting our blog. We are so pleased to welcome you here. Did you know that Mermaids of the Lake is an online women's magazine? Please visit our e-zine for loads of INSPIRATION!

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Snow!

By Mermaid Debbie

We love winter. However, sometimes right about this time of year, we find ourselves longing, just a bit for warm, sunny days. (Afterall, we are mermaids and we are missing our swims) That's okay. Summer will come! Wasting time complaining about the weather will not bring summer sooner. So, today we are looking at it like this.

This beautiful scene was taken in the woods behind my home. I wish it would stay this beautiful until Spring comes along, but with a couple of warmer days it is already melting. And, with that we will find another positive way to see it. No sense complaining about the weather. (Unless, of course we are talking, flooding, ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, ect...)

Please visit our online women's magazine! www.mermaidsofthelake.com
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Hearty and Healthy: Black Bean Burgers

By Mermaid Shelley

I admit it... I love hamburgers, especially home-grilled and loaded with cheese and all the toppings. I don't feel guilty having them every once in a while. But, that's the key: one in a while! Finding something you love that is good for you and that tastes just is good is the choice to make for keeping your resolution to eat better in this new year. If you love burgers like I do, but not the guilt of diving into a greasy double decker, try these black bean burgers as a hearty, healthy alternative to beef hamburgers. Seriously, they are awesome!

Black Bean Burgers

 3 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups uncooked regular oats
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
¾ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup flour
¼ cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Coarsely mash beans with a fork. Combine beans, oats, onion, peppers, cilantro, eggs and salt. Shape into 8 patties. Stir together flour and cornmeal and dredge patties in mixture. Cook patties in hot oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes on each side or until lightly brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve on hamburger buns with condiments of choice.

For more seriously scrumptious and heart-healthy ideas,
check out our Recipe Directory

Fight for Your Dreams

By Mermaid Shelley
 

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential,
and fight for your dreams." ~Ashley Smith

Where do you find inspiration? Each of us has a special purpose. The world resonates uniquely to the individual to ignite dreams and jumpstart ideas, pushing us to that adventure. The challenge to you is to notice what your specific catalyists are. Take note. Once you have those triggers figured out, seek them constantly! These are your very own dream-makers. They are worth fighting for! 

For more great inspiriation this New Year, check out Mermaids of the Lake the magazine. 

Live With Intention: Wise Words to Live By

Happy Pink Saturday!!!

Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for hundreds of posts all featuring the color pink!

Visit our Mermaids of the Lake online women's magazine! Sign up for our free E-newsletter.

Our mission is to INSPIRE!

Hearty and Healthy: Cheesy Tilapia Bake

By Mermaid Shelley

My friend, Scott Rogers, sent us this delicious, heart-healthy recipe that is quick and easy. He said, "You can substitute the tilapia with scallops, shrimp or chicken (the cooking time with chicken is increased by about 20 minutes). Provolone cheese is the best, but other cheeses can be substituted, as well as adding fresh vegetables such as asparagus or broccoli." Oh! Nummy!

In this issue of Mermaids of the Lake, we have a line-up of several hearty and healthy recipes that are tasty and never boring! Each will help you with the resolution you made to eat better this year. Gotta love that!

Cheesy Tilapia Bake

4 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh or minced garlic
½ of a medium sized onion, sliced
1 Tbsp fresh or dried oregano
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small can sliced black olives or 8 chopped kalamata olives
4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
6 tilapia filets
Fresh flat leaf parsely, coarsely chopped

Sauté minced garlic, onion and oregano in olive oil, butter and lemon juice over medium heat until onions are tender. Add tilapia and cook until both sides are just brown. Remove the fish and place in a casserole dish. Add mushrooms, tomatoes and olives to the pan for about 5 minutes.

Pour the sauté mixture over the tilapia fillets. Cover casserole and place in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and place sliced cheese over the contents. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees until cheese is golden brown. Serve and garnish with chopped parsely.

For more creative and delicious recipes, visit our Recipe Directory. 

Baked Kale Chips

By Mermaid Debbie

Have you heard about these yet? I first heard about Baked Kale Chips on Facebook! A friend was talking about how good they were. I immediately followed her link to the recipe and saved it. That was about 7 months ago. I meant to try them sooner, but kept forgetting! I have nothing against kale, really, but it is not on my regular shopping list. It should be!!!

Kale is a power-packed food, rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and more!!! It is really good for you!

So, funny thing... the day I choose to finally try making kale chips is a football day! I didn't plan it that way. Who would? There is no way I would think that my husband, dad, brother-in-law, and next door neighbor, Leonard would appreciate me setting out a big bowl of kale for their mindless munching! It just happened that I saw that kale in my crisper drawer and thought, "It's now or never. That kale will sit there all week and get yellow and slimy if you don't do it now!"

My husband strolled into the kitchen and I saw a look of slight horror, disgust, and maybe even a bit of a "defensive" stance.... Don't make me eat that. When I said I was making kale chips? The look in his eyes, even his body language, became more intense. He went straight to the pantry and grabbed a bag of potato chips!

I love to cook and my guys like my cooking. As our guests started arriving, one-by-one, they wandered into the kitchen and found me with my oven mits on. Oh, I know they were anticipating something amazing. The baking kale smelled slightly toasty like pumpkin seeds roasting... So funny to see them try to hide their disappointment. I felt like an imposter. They thought I was making artichoke dip or some other rich and decadent snack that would be followed by a bottle of Tums!

My dad, however is adventurous and he was the first to give it a try. (really, I was just making them for my mom and me. I had chips and dip and pizza for the guys!) Dad, crunched into the strange looking chip and said, "Yum, this is delicious! Wow. What is this? I love it! Can I have more please?" (all in one run-on sentence!)

So, dad took the first batch into the living room and set it on the coffee table. I heard him telling the others they needed to try these. I also heard my brother-in-law say, "Heck no!" (that's not the exact translation) I snuck in and took a peak a few minutes later. Ha! Each of the guys was mindlessly munching on kale chips, watching the pre-game commentary and passing the bowl of funny-looking, crisp, green leaves around like it was a bowl of Cheetos! Love it!!! I went through 2 huge bunches of kale that day!

Here's the recipe!!! Give it a try. See what you think? I'm still surprised at their reaction.

 

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt or sea salt

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. (I used a silpat sheet) 

With your fingers, a knife, or kitchen shears, carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.

Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.