LizzyHouse

On being UNSTOPPABLE.

This is for anyone who needs a pep talk today.

What is it that cats have in them that allows them to always land on their feet? I know there is a specific word for what they have in them, but I forget what it's called. But it is commonly referred to as a "righting reflex". It's the ability to correct or make right so they fall to safety.

Now we don't have their proverbial 9 lives, but I feel like we have that same righting reflex, if not in a physical way, a mental way. We have the ability to turn ourselves around before we ever hit the bottom.

I feel strongly that this is what allows us to keep going. To push through the hard times, to pull all nighters, to be able to sleep even when you know that you will only have 2 weeks to make 5-6 quilts before market when you've invested everything on a booth with nothing in it yet. It's our righting reflex (or hope) that keeps us on our feet through the darker days.

Also, I believe with all my little soul that everything has a way of working itself out, so if we give our hearts over to being good and trying to make a difference, again, no matter what, that righting reflex is going to help you safely land.

And it's with this knowledge that I am unstoppable. And all of this is not to say that I don't get discouraged, because I get low, you know I do, but I have been blessed with a drive that won't quit. Very little slows me down for long, and there isn't a thing in this world that is impossible. So take this with you today, and freak out if you need to, then drink a gallon of water and get on with your life. Give your energy to the things you can change and release the rest.

Bottom line, the only thing keeping you from being unstoppable is you. Get out of your way!

....or just listen to S Club 7's Change the World.

kidding?

Portland was perfect. I heart PNCA and Patty Mills. More on that tomorrow.

Pinecone is severely underrepresented on this blog.

Portland I love thee.

I get off the plane and remember how men find me attractive here. That's a good start.

I checked into my hotel and was thrilled by the details.

I went on a quick walk to Powell's and found my Mom's book. My Mom's book is in my second favorite bookstore in the entire world.

I was gratified I went in the wrong direction on my first walk to PNCA because I got to spend longer in the rain.

I love PNCA and what they are doing

I adore Jon and Pad-See-Ew.

I love meeting new people and teaching them something I am so passionate about.

I love getting to see my twitter/market friends in real life.

I am so impressed with the ladies of Bolt and Modern Domestic.

Lots of us feel the same about a lot of things. Which means we can make/ demand change.

The later I stay up the harder it is to sleep...

Printmaking makes my little heart soar.

Japanese books make my little heart soar.

Patty Mills makes my little heart hang glide. (new boyfriend)

I miss New Seasons and I love chatting with Sarah

Excited to print with my peeps today, and sad that it's the last day. 

I feel energized and ready to make some serious changes in my life, so I can help others make changes in theirs. This was the proverbial kick in the pants I needed.

photo from PNCA flickr group

May you all get a good kick in the pants.

Modern Domestic PDX

Come to Modern Domestic and make these with me. OR ELSE!

Keep Portland slightly less weird than Austin, TX.

This weekend I will be in Portland Oregon teaching at PNCA. This my friends is a testament of how time is truly just flying past us, as it is already the end of March. It's also a weird baby homecoming of sorts.

I can't even say how excited I am for the opportunity to teach pattern design and printing in such an intensive way! It's going to be a fantastic 3 days, and all the peeps in my class are going to have changed lives, because printmaking will do that to you.

So if you're in the class, I am really excited to meet you, and work with you this weekend.

Also, even if you aren't taking the class, we are having a little event at Modern Domestic on Friday night, where I will demo a "zap embroidery", which just means, really fast... We'll be doing Jinnee lamps, because as you all well know, I am getting pumped for 1001 Peeps... and so will you after you zap some lamps. 

Speaking of 1001 Peeps... I'm getting restless. How about you?

Also, in reference to my last post about trying to figure out a name. It's been figured, and my new stuff will begin to show up in the next weeks... cryptic!

Will the class be a success?

Will I see any Sweet Hot Yams?

Will it rain?

stay tuned...

one more thing. With this post, I officially declare Workshop Season, Open.

 

what's in a name...

So I have been working, none stop at a new project, an "imprint of my brand" if you will... and for some reason I have been having THE HARDEST TIME. To the point that it has me at a standoff with myself. 

I have a few notebooks that I keep full of names of fake bands, new businesses, future lines of fabric, imaginary children, proposed prints, unwritten books, Cats to be, and many things to come. Often times keeping these lists allows me to plug in these great names when it fits, BUT NOTHING IS FITTING.

I was going to fall to a name that a friend and me came up with in 2008. But the name is refusing to cooperate, EVEN though I have the right to use it, and I have a logo designed and everything... it will not stick.

When it comes to actually naming things I'm good at Cats, Fabric and Prints... everything else is fading. So I just want you all to know that I am stuck right now, and standing at a precipice of something bigger than any name i've come up with yet...

I sure lucked out with Lizzy House.

oh, and I'll have a booth at Market. More on that later. Obviously.

Now look at my sweet nephew (that I get to see next week!) standing next to a giant fiberglass shark.

Hold the Phone.

I have already had to be online for good lengths of time, just because of work stuff, these past two days... In fact I have so many things, events, and people to meet up with and talk to in March that it doesn't make sense to dissapear just yet. I am not going back on my cutting off technology, I am just realizing that I am not in the same place that I was last year. My career has grown and changed in a way that I did not fully realize until I started cutting my computer ties.YESTERDAY

Unfortunately, banning myself from the computer is not an option right now. With a fabric line coming out, new fabric getting worked on, new patterns, arrangements & promotions for events and market... plus I want to win this, obviously, March just will not do. Maybe I'll be able to cut myself off in July? or August? or in small spaces of time.

I don't see this as defeat, I see this as being realistic about my life right now. So don't think less of me, please. I just have too much work to get done to tip toe around here!

 

Arboretum

I'm excited to release a new quilt pattern using Cloud9's delightful Price sensetive Organic Nature Walk!

It's a simple sweet pattern with a few surprises! It does a good job at letting the fabric tell a story, and speak for itself! Which is important when you are investing in fabric of such a high quality.

The pattern itself is printed on recycled paper, and includes all things a pattern for a quilt should, along with batting recommendations, quilting ideas, and as an added bonus a pattern for the vines featured in the picture.

So, take a Nature Walk around your Arboretum anytime you like! Lucky for you, you won't even have to wait until it warms up outside!

As with all Cloud9 fabric, it is so great to use. The fabric has a quality a really nice quality to it that makes it almost like a batik to work with. It's an organic dream come true. The pattern is available for pre-sale in my shop, and wholesale through me. It's expected in on the 10th.