Simple and Elegant Fabric Designs

Winter is the time to look to velvet as a luxurious, beautiful fabric to use for all sewing and crafting projects.  From quilts to tree skirts to dresses, velvet can be used to make a simple design elegant.  Lisa Lemans, of Soothing Waters Spa loves to use fluid, plush fabrics to construct garments from special occasion dresses to simply chic designs.  Lisa Lemans resides in northern Michigan where the vibe is more relaxed so luxe pieces are usually more casual and paired with jeans or leggings. 

It is difficult to find velvet fabric in northern Michigan so Lisa Lemans searches for online sources and finds many different varieties; silk, cotton, poly, etc. all over the United States.  These sources usually offer several prints, burnout velvet, stripes and dots in many colors.  Samples are available for purchase and the shipping to Michigan is very reasonable.  If you are looking for a wider selection of velvet than what you would find in the northern Michigan area, it is recommended you do some searching online- you will be pleasantly surprised at what you will find!

Spring Blooms Start Now

Many people love the look of a cluster of tulips in the spring and Lisa Lemans, CEO of Soothing Waters Spa, loves to start the spring color as early as possible living in northern Michigan.  In her spare time, Lisa Lemans enjoys getting her hands dirty in the garden planting anything from herbs to flowers and finds it a great way to unwind from a hectic day. 

In order to get maximum color early on, Lisa Lemans plants tulip bulbs in the autumn before the ground freezes in Michigan. By planting varieties with different bloom times, you can have tulips blooming from early to late spring. Some types are good for forcing into bloom indoors and most are excellent for cut flowers, too.

Tulips bulbs can stay in the ground to grow as perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, where they are hardy.  Northern Michigan is in zone 5.  They multiply only when they are allowed to have a full leaf cycle and spend all year underground, so if you’re interested in spring blooms, plant early. 

Boating isn’t just a hobby, it’s a necessity!

Boating on the Great Lakes of Michigan.  For most people that can mean a casual day for fair weather boaters and for others, it can be the experience of feeling the wind and waves kick up when the prevailing northern Michigan winds start howling.  For Lisa Lemans, CEO of Soothing Waters Spa, being on the water is not just a hobby, it’s a necessity.  

Raised on power boats on the Clinton River in Michigan, Lisa Lemans learned early to respect the wind and the water by learning and watching her dad captain their various boats.  He taught her how to navigate the old-fashioned way, with a chart and compass, and used to make a game out of who could find buoys or landmarks first.  She learned to tie lines, make knots and read the wind, waves and sky.  By the time she was a young teenager, Lisa Lemans could captain boats around the river and Lake St. Clair.

It’s no surprise that in her early twenties, Lisa Lemans started her own pursuit of life on the water.  After several boats and many adventures, in her spare time, she is still boating and enjoying the pristine waters of northern Michigan.