I love my June Taylor lap board! We had to get one for the applique class I'm taking and I was too lazy to try to make one. They are expensive but well worth it. I bought a large one, later on bought a smaller square one to take places in my sewing bag.
They are great. I like to sew in bed before I go to sleep and it's ideal. The applique background can be pinned to it so it stays flat without crimping. You can use the rotary cutting surface as a hard surface for tracing. You can stick your needle into the padded surface if you want to take a break. Best of all, you can clip a small ott-lite or LED clip on craft light to the edge.
One of the best notions I ever bought!