We had the good fortune of connecting with Lily Murray and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Lily, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I think the biggest thing for me when I wanted to start my own business was flexibility and fun. I wanted to truly be able to enjoy something that I was creating and be proud to put my name on it. I have worked for some people who made me feel as though I was nothing the company would miss when I left and that was a big thing that pushed me. Pushed me to be better, stronger, more intelligent, creative and diverse. I started a photography business when I was 16 and since then I have started a woodworking business and now I have dove back into farming. I love being creative, it drives me and pushes me to be my best self. Without creativity there is a lack of excitement. When it came to the businesses I am working now Pallets and Pickets, my woodworking adventure I have not gone very official only commissioned goods and pre batched cutting boards but I look forward to expanding in the future. As of now the pandemic has pushed me back to what I know most. I am a farmer. I was born into an Organic farming family and it is what I have known since I could waddle down the rows of food. Everyone eats and food security is truly being able to grow your own food or supply food to your friends and family and it is the least I can do in such a changing time.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
So with Pallets and Pickets my line is “I got board” but it really started out with doing small wood signs for my parents 30th anniversary party.Then it began to bloom, I had friends commission signs and got to dive a little more in depth with creating some nice pieces. The signs were fun but there are people out there who are creating some that I like more than my own so I put that on the back burner and stepped into the land of presentation and cutting boards. I am a major foodie and so is everyone in my family. I found an incredible hardwood store one day when I was browsing my computer and got inspired to do something for us that we could really use. I started with a piece of cotton wood that was actually local and went from there. Now I am making some live edge pieces and some beautiful classic handled cutting boards. The growth from signs to boards was easy for me. The signs began to annoy me because they were not reaching the level of perfection I stride for, but with the cutting boards I can create such beauty easily. I LOVE the experience of having a blank slab of wood, drawing out the shape, cutting it, sanding it, and sealing it. The start to finish process is such a fun experience, but nothing is as amazing as having a client send a photo of a gorgeous charcuterie board displayed on something I created just for them. Of course there are challenges when woodworking but I try and take each one as a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. The biggest thing for me to share would be don’t doubt a girl. Don’t doubt me when I’m walking around the lumber department. You do not know me, you do not know what I make. The amounts of times I have had people tell me “well its surprising a pretty girl like you would like working in a dirty wood shop. Don’t doubt me, my favorite glitter in life is Sawdust !
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So my best friend was in town in November and I got to give her the perfect San Diego day. Started with coffee from Better Buzz in Point Loma, drove around the sights there then headed to Liberty Public Market for lunch. So many fun choices and so much to see there. After LPM we went and drove by seaport village then up through my favorite part of San Diego Balboa Park. Such a beautiful place with such beautiful architecture. After Balboa Park we headed over to Extraordinary Desserts to have a beautiful slice of something sweet and be amazed by the art they create in dessert form. By the time we headed back up to north county it was dinner time to we headed over to another food hall, The Windmill in Carlsbad and had the most delicious tacos and Thai food. Two food halls in a day is better than one! There is so much to see in San Diego but we were just surrounded by food for the day she wanted a full adventure with every possible food spot we could hit in the 48 hours she was in town for. Once we got back to vista our last stop was Re.Find off main in Vista to visit my favorite store in the area!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The only shoutout worthy in my opinion is going to be my parents. They are entrepreneurs extraordinaire. The two of them are the hardest working most dedicated human beings that I know and I am blessed enough to call them mom and dad.
Instagram: @lilymurray @palletsandpickets @edgeofurbanfarm
Facebook: Pallets and Pickets
Nominate someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
