LizzyHouse

some thoughts.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately; to the point of poor sleep, my mind is so restless. I keep on thinking about time, and our response to it, and people and how we effect each other. I know without fail that we are all here for a reason, and by means of a beautiful plan we are all intricately connected. I think about my part in that: what it means, what I am for, what I am supposed to do and contribute, who I will effect. I don't say that in a selfish way, but almost a scared way. We all have a purpose, and it is our job to accomplish it and so on. It can be overwhelming to always try and be in the right place at the right time, but I will say, I do try.

I was looking at a stack of magazines that I started buying last year, one read March 2007, and I remembered when I bought it, and I remember what was going on in my life on those days. I remember that about every three months I think my life is over, that I have come to the end as far as pain or anguish, happiness or discovery is concerned, whatever it may be, it will surely be the end. We feel so many things, but the point is, here I am. I thought I would be finished, an untimely demise would befall me due to emotion in March, then June, September, and of course December. I just think it's amazing that we reach points where we say, "this is the very best that it could be, the chances of another moment in my life surpassing this is very slim!" or diversely, "I feel as though I could never be so broken hearted again so long as I live; I am but the shards of the superstition contained in the remains of a shattered mirror". And here we are at the end of January in a brand new year, and here I am alive and well, freezing, but well, tired, but well.  I guess what I am saying, is that time passes and there are new failures and joys all the time, and what we think is surely our end, is only a beginning for something else.

Old door--new window, that old song and dance.

but maybe the new window holds something like a CONTRACT, for instance?

You just go ahead and make of that what you will....

just the beginning.

just so you all know... it has been like 20-30 below zero (depending on the wind chill) for the past few days. No joke. I've been here for four years now, but I just don't remember it being this cold. We are talking dangerously cold.

A friend introduced me to some work by a man named Andy Goldsworthy. He is considered an environmental sculptor, which means he uses natural things that he finds to create sculpture. Go figure. It involves a lot of stacking and what have you, but I have been particularly taken with his work in ice. Well everyday I look at icicles, and now I just can't see them the same. I almost feel bad that I wasn't using them sooner for sculpture. So, tonight I made my first attempt at a piece using icicles. It's almost like free art supplies. I just started taking icicles off the roof and I had a cup of water and I was realigning them pointing upward on the railing. It was crazy to listen to the water start to freeze. There is a very quiet crackle, the kind of sound you would associate with a frozen body of water being stepped on. The even crazier thing was how quickly this room temperature water had frozen veins down it. It literally took only seconds (it was also -18).

Tonight was just a practice though. I was just getting a feel for the timing of things. Not only that, I have a feeling that by noon tomorrow everyone of them will be gone and shattered. Whatever. Anyway I am making plans now for some more ice pieces. Some of them will be collaborations, and will involve some sneakiness.

I am so happy about the response to City Park. Because there has been so much hoorah, I have decided to make a pattern for the little City Park Bird. So feel free to use him on your quilt or a bag or an apron, and just know he came from the city

If you want to make him into a little stuffed bird, just double the body and leave room for a seam allowance. You could puts his wings and face on both sides (face down the seam so his eyes are on both sides) but I tend to leave them on one side. Make it as you wish. Let me know how it goes though. I would love to see this little bird all over.

 

color options

here are the color options for City Park. When we first started our business something that we felt really strongly about was, and still do is color. We are happy to provide ideas in the same quilt so you could see it anywhere in your life. Enjoy!

Kona Cotton Solids are available in all of these colors!

first color option: Hot
second color option: Coffee
third color option: Water

city park

To purchase, click here

paper dolls.

all my life, I have loved paper. All my life, I have loved paper dolls. I remember begging my mother for a new set... the tabs had ripped off of the old one... this ones dress was pinker... whatever, I couldn't have enough of them. I guess that they were never really cheap though, so I ended up making my own a lot, BUT, they were made from notebook paper, copy machine paper, not so great...

Maybe it's that I am not looking, but you don't really see paper dolls around so much anymore. Needless to say, I have made a paper doll of myself. For some years now my sisters, for some reason, shout things at me like, "Lizzy is made out of paper". This has never made very much sense to me, but I decided to use it. Lizzy IS made of paper.

In light of not taking myself too seriously I have illustrated a good portion of my wardrobe complete with interchangeable bows, and printmaking tools. Plus, I have vowed to never be without my passport, so it too is included. Most of these clothes, can be found at the Gap, and American Apparel. Literally. Also note the classic paper doll underwear.

real intent

slight modification to the ardor birds

ardor birds

you should have seen the snow today! It was like a splenda commercial, so sparkly. The snowflakes were so large that they were just in stacks all over Rexburg.

These were love birds, but then I got to thinking about The Birds, and decided that I wanted nothing to do with them. So, these are ardor birds. Goodnight

i still am having a hard time with the fact that it is 2008, AND January is almost over. How?

funny

much more

thanks for all your comments and emails in reference to my blueness. I am doing a lot better, I just take it upon myself to work harder than anyone requires of me, and there is nothing to be done about the weather but look forward to the spring.

I had a great weekend! It's nice when things just seem to go so right. It makes you wonder what you were down about to start with.

I have been meaning to post about some of the gifts that I got this Christmas from some of my blogging friends! So here they are....

First, just a couple of days after I got home to Texas we got a UPS delivery from our dear friends at Freda's Hive. They are always doing great stuff! Nanette, sent us one of her incredible one of a kind quilted purses , a little zipper bag, and an oven mitt to which the likes I have never seen. It was the most beautiful oven mitt... I was so impressed with the craftsmanship of everything. MY MOM, kept the purse, and the beautiful oven mitt, but I got the little zipper bag. It's my favorite. I keep my thread, needles, and binding in it. It's just the right size!

 

When I got back to Idaho there was a package waiting for me, as I mentioned before. One of my favorite people, Joan, sent me the best apron I have ever seen. She knows that I love birds, stripes, and baking! What a great combination. Again, I was so impressed with her craftsmanship, and I pretty much wear it all the time. As soon as I get home; I wear it. I actually really need an apron for printmaking, but I love this one too much to allow it to get inky. This one is strictly a cooking/baking apron.

thanks for the beautiful gifts! FUNNY I just realized something!!!! Look here! I just realized that these two were the ones that won my birthday contest in June!!! How cool is that?! How great?!

thank you thank you thank you!

Wednesday night for Art Night at the Jimison's, I am finishing a quilt I forgot to mention. I will bring it up, however, when it is complete. Until then, have a great week, and then when you know about it (the quilt), you could quite possibly have an even greater week.

here's hoping.

blue.

school started yesterday, and it feels like its been going for weeks. I don't know why, but I am so stressed out! I can't seem to shake it. I've been pretty uptight, and easily rattled, and that's not so normal. I always care, but I am generally a bit easier going. I can't seem to figure out what my problem is? I felt sheepish today. But I did notice that the way that I walk when I am outside is so tense, hunched over with my shoulders raised. I think it is a natural response to the cold, but I think that some how that stance is informing my whole self that I am tense and or stressed. Beyond that, I do feel a little overwhelmed right now. I need some blue sky.

but some how, by some miracle of miracles on days like this my dear friend Mindy's letters arrive. It is always so uplifting to hear from her, as she is: 1. One of my dearest friends, 2. One of the most loving, positive, humble people I have ever known. It is so nice, because it's on a night like this that I would want to talk to her more than anything, and I have the closest possible thing, a letter from her. She also sent me a beautiful notebook! It is actually by an artist out of Korea named Youk, Sim Won. Her work is so beautiful, and the website is fairly navigatable seeing as how most of it is in Korean. Still the images are wonderful. I would love to get one of her passport covers.

I devised a plan for writing, I thought it would help me to be more constant, and it has, actually. I made a book that we send back and forth. I write then she writes, and it moves from Idaho to Korea on about a bi-monthly basis. It's fun to see it again and to have her in it.

   

better days to be had i am sure.