LizzyHouse

Downton Abbey.

Is anyone else totally obsessed with Downton Abbey?

While I still have tv/internet in my life I thought I would get my obsession out in the open. Downton Abbey. I'm obsessed with it. I think everyone is perfect. AND they are working on a second series, and of course a Christmas Special.

I love everyone in the show except for Edith, Thomas and O'Brien. DUH. But I especially love the Robert Crawley, Mr. Bates, Mr. Carson, Mary, Cora, and obviously Maggie Smith, who has been one of my very favorite actresses since I was a small child. NO ONE does a better job at playing things so one sided and then showing hints of heart. I also really love how they seamlessly move from the staff to the family. It really is masterfully done. The only character to me that feels a little underdeveloped is the youngest sister. Sybil? She leaves me underwhelmed. She is sympathetic and political, but not nearly as developed as the rest of the family. In my opinion.

I started the show last week at 10:00 PM Saturday night, and finished it at 6:00 AM. Shame on me, but I couldn't help myself.

So, tonight I am starting it over with Asher in the Rye, and hand sewing the binding onto my Nature Walk quilt. We'll take it a couple of episodes at a time, and I will get to revisit my peeps at Downton, and deepen my obsession.

What say you? Who is your favorite? What pulled at your heart strings? And what would you do to be in the UK while the new series is shown this coming fall? Humor me, and discuss.

Help a sister out!

Ok, so I think posting about KickStarter is going to be a regular thing of mine. Not only do I think it's awesome, but I think it's an incredible opportunity to support our artist community fulfill their dreams, grow their businesses, and hopefully stay out of debt, simply by investing some dollars for a guaranteed return. I'm OK with that.

We helped P-Town get funded, now let's help Jen get funded!

Sophie and Lilli is run by the Awesome Jen Vallez! I met Jen through twitter, and we have been able to support, help and comfort each other through lots of things over the past 2 years. It's amazing that we haven't met in person!

She makes these incredibly sweet dolls, and she has been MAKING EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM BY HAND, but the incredible thing is that her sweet peeps have garnered some attention, and they've got to grow up a little so that they can be carried in department stores all over the country. With this opportunity, you have the chance to

A. Support Jen's independent business growth efforts

B. Support the Vallez family over all!

C. Support manufacturing in the USA!!!!!!!

D. Make some little girl really happy when you give them the doll you receive for being a backer.

E. You get to be awesome.

I meant what I said about this being a regular thing. I promise to post about projects I believe in and invest, not because I am Rich Lizzy Pennybags (not even close), but because I need support too, and I feel like I receive it from my friends, family, and you my sweet readers on a such a regular basis.

This way we can lift each other where we stand (stole that from Dreamy Elder Uchtdorf).

So let's go get em!

The perils of toothpaste...

You know me... I like to do health research.

I am always on a quest to better myself, and the more specific quest in this case is to be a smarter, healthier, better, wiser consumer. And if something in my life isn't working, I want to replace it.

I've felt for a while now that my teeth weren't getting as clean as they needed to. This makes me uncomfortable. Not just uncomfortable, it grosses me out. For a while I've been using Trader Joe's All Natural-No Fluoride Antiplaque Toothpaste (with Fennel, Propolis & Myrrh). I love it. But I don't think that I love it because it cleans my teeth so great. I think I've loved it because it's licorice flavored toothpaste... A couple years back (holy cow) when I was in Portland, I stocked up on it when my TJ's said they wouldn't be carrying it anymore. It was a mistake, they weren't going to carry to Peppermint anymore... any way.... I ended up with about 6 boxes of it, so I've been using that.

Last time I was at the dentist, he perscribed a perscription strength fluoride toothpaste. I didn't feel good about filling this, so I didn't. I'm an avid flosser so I thought this would suffice.

Well, months later, and my teeth are feeling not clean enough, sensitive, and weak. What to do?

I had decided to just walk across the street to Walgreen's and buy a tube of regular toothpaste, but then I decided I'd better just read about it first.

Current research shows fluoride, aside from being a neurotoxin, isn't nearly as "helpful" as we've all been lead to believe... but among other things, most tooth paste contains glycerin, which actually prevents your teeth from healing themselves, silica, which is SAND... a number of toothpastes actually contain artificial sweetners, carcinigenic sulfates, and the list goes on and on... I was actually horrified when I read the label of a brand name tube of toothpaste.

I would never eat the things that were in this toothpaste, so why I would I ever stick it in my mouth? ESPECIALLY when you have an ENTRY POINT to your blood stream under your tongue...

Thus began my quest for a solution!

I found out that teeth, like everything else in our bodies, want to fix themselves. I think that is not only a miracle, but it's awesome, and when we use something like glycerin, which is just a filler, and is even in my TJ All Natural Tootpaste, you would have to wash your teeth something like 20 times to get the glycerin off to let them do their thing. This seems a little counterproductive wouldn't you say?

Or how about the silica (sand), that is literally chipping away at your teeth, and depleting your gums? Say What? Counterproductive. Also in my natural toothpaste. Also in your natural toothpaste.

So my research lead me to something called Tooth Soap, or Tooth Chips.

Most of them are made from saponified olive oil & coconut oil (both known their cleaning, healing and antibacterial properties), and if I understand saponification, it is the process of turning oil into soap. It has two byproducts, soap and glycerin, but in this case, the oil is still present so it doesn't behave like your generic pesky glycerin. It also contains Xylitol which literally starves bacteria....

So the idea that I can clean and strengthen my teeth, moisturize my gums, and starve all the bacteria in my mouth without putting any harmful substances into my body sounds like what I was hoping my tooth paste was doing all along. Not a chance. So I started looking into tooth soap, I asked around on twitter, and did a little more research and a few people recommended Rose of Sharon Acres.  

My first tin of tooth soap with Xylitol came today. And can I just say, I loved opening the package it came in, not that is was a particularly special package, but it had a really strong smell of handmade soap. It made me want to order a lot more than tooth soap... The flavor I got is the Orange/Cinnamon since she was out of Citrus flavor. I immediately cleaned my teeth with a little tooth chip, and that was at about 1 today, it is 6:00 now, I've had something to eat, and drink, and somehow my teeth still feel really clean. Which to me is impressive since that is something that I am so sensitive to. So, needless to say, I will be interested to continue using it, and see how my teeth manage.

 

So, long story short: you might want to throw out your toothpaste. It's not doing you, your teeth, or your body good. So try out a tin of tooth soap. It's obviously a little different from what we are all used to, but I say if there is a chance that it will improve your dental hygiene, you get to support a family business, and big pharm isn't getting more of your dollars, I'm all in.

You can find Rose of Sharon Acres soaps here and here on Etsy!

The Boat I am in.

green pearl bracelet (basra blue 1001 Peeps)

You know when you want something, and are expecting it to happen... like say getting your haircut?

and then it doesn't happen and the weight of your hair just bothers you? So you cut off your bangs right before you go to church and the outcome is questionable?

Yesterday I decided, while I was sitting at church with questionable bangs, that I was going to use this coming March for the same exact thing I used it last year. March is my technology detox month. It is the month that I turn off all the noise. All the tweets. All the movies. All the shows. To focus.

When I began last year, it was to embrace the fact that I could be an Olympic Lizzy, without competing in the Olympics, and somehow without Apolo Anton Ohno.

The beauty of this now, is that I have done it before. I know what my pitfalls are.

I know that in the first week I had serious serious media withdrawal. It might sound a little ridiculous, but we are dealing with serious habit forming stuff. I know that if I keep a very specific list, that I can stay on track and focused enough to not get too distracted by the fact that I haven't checked my email 25 times in the past 25 minutes.

I will not fall victim to youtube or vimeo or hulu

I will have to make a greater effort to have a bit of a social life. I work almost 15 hours a day, and while I was at home last year, I had a herd of pets to hang out with, and my Mom when she would get home from work. This time around... I live by myself, and I don't have really have many friends beside my sister... Last year even when I did have the support system of my pets and mom at my house, I found that the majority of my social activity was through twitter. Sad? Maybe. But I already have plans to improve this. Which I will report back on.

Now I still have a lot of work to do, and I am still Textile Design Coaching through March, so I will be around, but I'll be pretty quiet. My Etsy shop closes March 1st, but the pattern store is still up and kicking. You can continue to place orders. Also, I will be releasing a very sweet pattern using Cloud9's Nature Walk. So I will pop in to let you know when that arrives.

So long story short, I'll be around if you need me. I'll be ultra quiet though. I'm working harder than ever before, if that is possible. Also, I'm not gone yet, I have until the end of February, but I wanted to let you know in advance so maybe you could consider detoxing as well...

Do you need a media/technology detox? What kind of projects/ work/ progress would you be able to get done if were not preoccupied with facebook, twitter, netflix, flickr, and the like?

love to all my peeps

Lizzy

i need a haircut.

taking a breather in Texas.

There are lots of new projects in the works, and the looming of 1001 Peeps being released soon has me excited all the time.

this hair is getting the axe on Wednesday. As much as I love the idea of french braiding my hair around my head for the summer, I need new, which means old. All the way back to my short hair roots of 2007. Plus, I'm starting Bikram yoga, and it's just going to make my life easier. Or maybe I'll get something really edgy/ fierce with extreme bangs.

Also, it seems that I can't find a hairstyle that makes me look like an adult. I always seem to be pushing 13.

It's good to spend time with my Mom. It's good to be warm, and it's good to see my sweet pets. I'll report back with my hair decisions.

ps. I actually look like one of my Castle/1001 Peeps.

close up shop!

I just made a decision

I'm closing my etsy store. It has been a great support to me, financially, and in the community. It's just not my cup of tea. Etsy is an amazing platform. They have done incredible things, and I am forever grateful for the work they have done to promote a handmade lifestyle, buying handmade, and raising the profile of The Artist. All amazing things.

I like that phrase. My cup of tea. But what it comes down to is I'm working on housing all my goods in the same place, and moving on in some ways.

So everything must go. $10 for all the small prints.

9 Feather Brained left

8 All Hand on Deck left

23 Embedded left

and 24 As You Wish, which you future fans of 1001 Peeps will be really dissappointed you let it slip away.

As for the larger prints. $50.

2 Cathedral Prints left

4 Shakespeare Prints left

and I found 3 Ardor Bird prints. Perfect for Valentines... on Monday? they are $18 each.

So if you ever loved me, or just liked my work a little bit you will help me liquidate this stuff so I can keep moving forward, like in Meet the Robinson's.

Ok? Shop closes on March 1st.

more 1001 Peeps

Royal City in Jinnee Orange

I've been working on a video project with my little sister to better explain 1001 Peeps to everyone, so you know what it's all about, and my meaning behind everything. It has always been that part of my process is about telling a story, and 1001 Peeps, is probably the most vivid in that way, as it is based on stories and character that I have a great amount of love for... I could go on and on, because it means so much to me...probably get emotional.

blah blah blah... you get what I mean.

So, as some of you super sleuths may have deduced, the images for 1001 Peeps are already up on Andover's site. And if you are a shop who is getting ready with your coming atractions, then you will want to know the name of everything, won't you?

The names of the colorways are: Persian Purple, Basra Blue, and Jinnee Orange.

here are the names of the patterns:

1001 Peeps Royal City
1001 Peeps Towers
1001 Peeps Illusion (the optic pattern)
1001 Peeps Illuminate (the candles)
1001 Peeps [peeps]
1001 Peeps Pearl Bracelet (same as Red Letter Day)
1001 Peeps Jewels (near solid)
1001 Peeps Scheherazade (flower print)

Don't worry I will explain everything.

this photo has all 18 pieces. the bundle for sale is sans the Cardinal Red Castle Town

Also, just in case you had been eyeing it. I have one Castle Peeps Fat Quarter set, and I would like to ship it away from me, today. So go for it! Who ever buys it, I will throw in a Sovereign Picnic pattern. I need my space! Sold!

I'm going home tomorrow. To get a haircut.

 

Sneak Peep

This is all you'll get out of me! Not another peep until the fabric gets released! (or I get my sample yardage...)

There are 24 piececs in 3 different color ways, and I am so incredibly proud of this line. I think that more than ever there is something here for everyone, and I think you will all be very pleased. And as always, Andover has done such an incredible job at producing the highest quality conventional cotton on the market. It is so soft, and SOO shiny.

If you are a shop, and haven't already, contact your Andover Sales Rep to place your order! There are lots more suprises/adventures in store with 1001 Peeps.

My Brother.

I'm so excited that my brother, Luke, is coming home in a couple of days! He's been in Iraq for the past year serving in the military. Our relationship has been strained for the past couple of years, with the distance, and the differences in our lives, but we're both going to make a greater effort to be better siblings and friends. Next to our parents, and grandparents, I've know Luke longer than anybody in the world, and I think that's pretty cool.

He means the world to me, and I'm so grateful that he's safe, and that we'll get to hang out soon.

Here's a picture of all the House kids and our Grandma at my BFA show November 2008.

Don't you think I should cut my hair like that again?

Some Good News.

I SWEAR!

so I wanted to share some really great news with everyone!

The Makerie, the workshop that I am teaching at in Boulder, Colorado, in April is giving away a spot for one lucky person. Here is the information, from Ali, the Makerie founder!

"We are elated to announce the very first ever Makerie Scholarship! Old Glory Antiques and Common Threads are generously teaming up to offer one full Makerie package (excluding any travel costs) for the 2011 event. For the next two weeks, we are inviting nominations for a very special someone who would embrace the spirit of the Makerie! Do you know someone who is deserving of a creative weekend away, but maybe is unable to make the financial commitment at this time? The eligibility requirements to enter are simple (read none!), as we will work off the honor system here! All we ask is that you write us a letter via email detailing why this person would be a beautiful fit for the scholarship and what attending the Makerie would mean to them. (And YES, feel free to nominate yourself!) Please know that all entries will be kept confidential, and be sure to include your contact information."

Scholarship Application Process:

Thurs, Jan 27   Email all nominations to ali@themakerie.com

Thurs, Feb 10   LAST DAY for nominations!

Mon, Feb 14     Scholarship winner notified! Yippee!!

Also, if there are any companies out there who would want to sponsor or contribute to another spot to a deserving peep, please contact me, or you can contact Ali directly. 

Who of my peeps will I see in Boulder in just 2 short months?

Also, who will I see in Portland?

And who will I see at Squam?

strike offs tomorrow, because UPS hates my life.