LizzyHouse

Run Away! Run Away!

I'm off for the week to visit Mallori...

 
I'll be back in February! To Florida I go!

I can't believe the month is nearly over! Holy 2009!

Look!

Look what I got!!! I got all three color ways on rolls... this might not be that interesting to other designers who have received fabric this way before, but I was beside myself! Don't they look neat?! If you find Lizzy Dish at your local store, or a new place online be sure to leave a comment here, or just shoot me an email!

Also, check out this interview I did over at TrueUp. I think everyone in the industry as well as the fabric loving world owes a debt of gratitude to Kim Kight. She really does such a great job at keeping everyone informed all the time. From Tweets to International sales, she really covers the gambit. Hooray for Kim!

Half birthday hilarity.

Another cake post...

Last night was Izzy's, of the JimJam family fame, half birthday. I guess at her school if the kids birthday's are in the summer, they celebrate their half birthday. So Carla, decided to make a cake for her! We were going to make it orange something, but then Izzy got involved and it turned into chocolate filling and vanilla frosting... It was my brilliant idea to make it a "Half" cake, and so two 8in. cake rounds turned into eight half rounds... It got really high... it was swaying. We would have to tip it forward to level it out so it wouldn't swing back so fast. We just laughed and laughed. The best part was singing "A very happy un-birthday" from Alice in Wonderland, and of course trying to slice the cake...

There's always money in the banana stand.

One of my favorite friends had a birthday this week. Nick Bontorno is a dream of a printmaker, a really nice poet and the kind of person that you are just grateful to know. How was I not supposed to make him the very best cake that I could? To be eaten at one of my parties with cake and art auction... So I asked him what kind of cake he would want, and I just got this list from him...

I like chocolate
but I also like chocolate chips
but then again I like zucchini
or banana
I don't know, chocolate is good...
chocolate with chocolate chips?

Every cake I make, I make with objectives. With the intention of always being a better baker. I want to always be progressing in whatever it is I am doing. So I went through some recipes, and played with some ideas, but ultimately came up with what I refer to as, "There is always money in the Banana Stand-Chocolate Cake". Here is what of it consists of: 3 layers of chocolate-chocolate chip cake, with a banana cream filling, chocolate butter cream, and a whipped ganache frosting. The results were pleasently surprising. Even peeps who weren't banana fans were digging this cake.

I made the whole thing up so I will have to formulate the recipe and share it, but it was the perfect combination of banana and chocolate; it kind of cut through the sweet, and the census was that the chocolate chips in the cake really added something. Maybe a contrast of texture? I'm still on the fence about the chips.

We had the cake, and played the game over at our friends the Jimison's and ended up staying till nearly three in the morning discussing anything and everything. I'm so grateful for like minds. Isn't it an amazing thing to have friends who you can really express yourself with, and know you are safe? It's so important that we find these people in our lives. When we do, we really have the opportunity to strengthen each other.

hooray for tonight. I just love a good party

Squam Art Workshops!

Have you heard of Squam Art Workshops? I'm really so excited about it, and one of the reasons is... I'm teaching some classes there! How cool is that? There are two sessions this year, and I am teaching at the Spring Workshop which takes place from June 3-7, 2009.

When I was contacted about teaching, I didn't even know what Squam was and or where it was. But I checked out the website, and spoke with our fearless director Elizabeth MacCrellish, as well as reading through some of the reviews... I think the most frequently used word, or at least the word that I kept seeing in the raves was "magical". I immediatly said YES. I want to always be apart of magic when I can. I feel like with the location, and all of the dedication to these workshops, the incredible roster of teachers, and the beautiful peeps who come to be uplifted and create in such an amazing environment could only experience magic.

How cool is that?

If you are interested you can look into registration here!

Also, the Spring workshops are focused around textiles, and here are the classes that I am teaching!

Block Printing Fabric
Lizzy House

Have you always wanted to create your own prints on fabric but weren't entirely sure where to start? Then this class is for you.

Together we will explore the basic ways to carve a block that can be used for printing fabric. In addition, we will experiment with a variety of techniques to create beautiful home textile prints.

All levels are welcome.

Material List:   open list

Ink (oil based relief ink)
brayer
linoleum
carving tools
glass for rolling out ink
barren
fabric for printing
hair dryer to heat set fabric

Kit Fee: $0

The Color Class
Lizzy House

A crash course in color theory!

From basic theory and exploring the endless combinations that can be extracted from the color wheel, to how color makes you feel-- this course will work to help anyone from a color novice to a color master expand their understanding and use of color.

This will have a direct impact on the way color figures into the composition of your artwork as well as the use of color in your home and life.

Material List:   open list

Journal

Kit Fee: $0

Creating Patterns
Lizzy House

Ever wonder how to tile a pattern? Thinking about submitting to Spoonflower or a manufacturer? Perhaps you just want to learn the basics on how to create some fun patterns? Then this is your class.

In this surface design class we will learn how to create patterns that can be used for textiles as well as other surfaces.

Material List:   open list

paper, pencils, scissors, things for coloring (pencils, water color, etc)

Kit Fee: $0

Also, check out the Squam blog for some really exciting news

I hope you are all having a great weekend!

Travel Journal!

I always have about 12 little notebooks with me wherever I go. Sketch books, idea books, ledgers, blank books in case the others fill up. I always have a book with me that I say isn't a sketch book, but I think everything ultimately becomes full of little drawings, and then since I can't stay organized or use any discretion on what or where I draw I end up having to carry all of them all the time.

Well, I have been trying to travel lighter. I hate carrying things around. So I have taken to keeping only two blank books with me when I travel. One for references, locations, websites, and lists. The other is my travel journal!

I remember conversations and instances better if I am either drawing during them, or thinking about them whilst I draw them afterwards. Somehow the emotion or feelings of the whole thing gets trapped in the drawing. So I draw and write as I go, all in one book

That's why I draw in church!

Wink!

I started doing this travel journal thing when I went to San Fransisco in the fall. I was amazed when I went through it the other day how my feelings for and during the trip just came flooding back to me. It was a really neat experience, so I feel like it's a good habit to uphold. And look! I found another artist doing the same thing. Gemma Correll does such a beautiful job. I think it's really neat how two people can do such similar things independent of each other. She sells hers in a zine form in her etsy shop.

So here are a few pages from my little Christmas Trip journal. I hope you enjoy it, and maybe you can keep one too on your next trip. You can check out the whole thing here!

 

So what is it that you do to remember moments? I have a friend that always brings food with him to remember times so he is using all his senses. I think that's a neat way. What do you do to remember? Because as we all know, memory is a fleeting thing.

I hope you are having a happy new year!

Free Housewares pattern is now available!

Hooray! Now you can download the free HouseWares quilt pattern! And make a quilt using LizzyDish, of course... Enjoy!

Download HOUSE WARES QUILT PATTERN

a list.

Today I really needed lists. I got a little overwhelmed, and one of the best things for me to do to calm myself down is start making lists. Here is one of my lists that you might find useful

Where to Locate Lizzy Dish, online:
Bee Square Fabrics who is also doing a give-away here.

Fabric Worm

Over the Rainbow

Sew Mama Sew

Fabric Supplies

Pink Chalk Studio

Do four items make a list? We'll keep working on it. Fabric Peeps. Let me know when you get Lizzy Dish and I will add you to the list. Also, if any of you peeps see Lizzy Dish in your local shops let me know, and we'll tack them on.

Remember to add your selfs to the Lizzy Dish group on Flickr.

I got an email today that informed me that dreamer Julie/ Valentine Westphal had already made something using Lizzy Dish. That really made my day. I guess I didn't know how I would feel when someone did, if anyone ever would, and they did, and it's great!

isn't it beautiful? and in all three color ways!

I also want to say that I have a surprise for everyone this week. I can't believe how good I have been about this. But I will say that I have hinted about it since last spring market... I'm so excited.

what a happy new year?!