LizzyHouse

Quilt Con Supplies!!!

Quilt Con is upon us! 

I have gotten some emails concerning supplies. Particularly ink. You want oil based relief ink. Speed Ball produces an oil based ink that will work just fine. Or if you are looking to place an order, Daniel Smith is my recommendation! They have ink, they have palette knifes, they have miracle gel, and they have top notch customer service. 

You don't have to pre-wash your fabric, but you can! 

As far as blocks go, I recommend unmounted blocks, and I suggest that you get a few different types. There is a white type of block that is super easy to carve. Then there is a gray kind. You should be able to bend it. If you are really lucky you might chance upon a glossy gray block. It is soft, and structured... so it isn't painful to carve but you can get nice detail. The tan stuff is fine, it's just rough. 

Carving tool. Get the speed ball set that comes with multiple ends. DO NOT get the pulling/hooked kind. You will regret it. Those usually show up in my classes when you are using a vintage tool that someone found in an attic/basement. Get a new tool. The ends are sharp, it's not expensive, and it's what you need. 

These were the main concerns addressed in the emails! 

I'm excited to meet all of you. We are going to have a great time! 

Leave comments with any other questions! I'll respond to them here

hooray for Quilt Con. 

 

Lizzy House Mystery Box???

I'm about to start traveling again. 

For those of you who have been with me since the beginning, you know a couple of things. That I used to love cake, and that I have a need to travel. It's something inside of me. It's like I've got a timer that goes off and says get moving. I'm in search of some inspiration, and I think I might just find it riding a bike along the canal at Versailles. Maybe. 

I'm always cooking up new ideas, and as I announced to a few friends that I would be traveling to Paris at the end of the week, most said something to the effect of, "please. bring me back something. I don't care what it is. because if you pick it, it will be great."

That's flattering.

But it got me thinking. So my peeps can't come with me to France, or Belgium, or Spain, or wherever (not yet anyway)... so why not bring a little Paris to them, and that's where this idea blended with the gift idea, and took shape. 

I'm putting together some Mystery Boxes while I am in Paris. There are 3 levels of mystery boxes, and very few available, because this is a mystery to me too. There is the Trinket, the Curio, and the Crème de la crème. 10 Trinkets available, 8 Curios, and 4 Cremes. Each Mystery Box will include the treasures or collection of gems, or both (depending on your box level), a postcard from me with illustrations and thoughts from the day that I write, and a little treat (candy, and I think I know just the thing). 

 
And I'll go ahead and toot my own horn by saying that I give and put together some of the finest gifts. It's either a talent, or just a skill that I've really worked to develop, so this will be just as fun for me as it is for you. 

So if you've never been to Paris, miss it and are pining to return, dream of it nightly, or just want me to find you a treasure, step right up to a Mystery Box! 

***an update! These will only be on sale through Friday, September 7, so I know what I am getting! Thanks so much! I'm already so excited about this. 

Spring Seeds!

wowowowow! I just got back from a 10 day trip/workshop/vacation at Juniper Moon Farm! I am still decompressing, and I haven't quite been able to really sleep since I got back, so I'm a little wired, a little weary, and missing my peeps, and all my new friends (Jerry the Llama). 

So as I collect my thoughts for an epic post, start my seeds for my garden, finish up fabric, send off The Meadow to print, and all around pull myself together I wanted to have a little sale. Because we are starting fresh people. This is a big week for me. 

Until Sunday you can have 20% off any items in my pattern shop. Just use the discount code SEEDLINGS. That's just 4 days, but enough time to decide if there is something that you've had your eye on, and want to put in the queue for this spring/ summer. Or on your wall for that matter. 

A word about the quilt, The Meadow. Obsessed. 

No but really. This quilt has caused me a little heart ache, with it getting lost and what not, but when it got to the farm from Angela on Thursday, it's like all my dreams came true. So is the pattern late? Yes. Is it on its way? Yes. Does it use Hello Pilgrim and most of the back Pearl Bracelets and Jewel Prints? Yes. Is it a pain in the butt? Yes. But can't you see how worth it it all is? I hope so. The pattern will ship in 2 weeks. Shops, if you are selling Hello Pilgrim and want to carry the pattern, let me know, so your order will get turned around immediately. It will also be carried by Checker for sure, so you know. 

And another thing. If you want to read up on the week here are some great posts

From Virginia, Lisa, Amy, and Susan

I'm feeling joyful and hopeful. The feeling of Our House by Crosby Stills Nash and Young pretty much sums up my mood today. An all time favorite. 

I still love everything and everyone. It's amazing!

I'll duck back in soon. 

And one more thing... I still owe you an explanation about Hello Pilgrim, the actual pattern names, and the colorways that peeps are jumbling up. So that's a lot of posts I've promised for this week... 

yikers. 

Pre-teaching season!

I'm about to start flying. March is booked, part of April, most of May... June is my birthday month (I think that is pretty self explanatory at this point)... July or September I'll start up again head up to Canada then maybe my peeps in Cambridge??? It's a busy year and it has just started.

I'm going to be meeting a lot of new peeps, talking a lot about fabric design, and printmaking... probably crying

But there are a couple of things that I have started to do as a bit of a preparatory ritual before my life is not in one place for a good while.

Sleeping. I try to take it easy before I put it into hyperdrive for weeks on end. It's like pre-teaching season hibernation. I haven't been doing a champion job of this, this year, just because it seems that every year that I have my business it continues to grow and grow and there is more and more to do. Which is a good thing, obviously. But resting. Totally crucial.

Hair. I know why you hire me... and it's not for my skills. It's my striking good looks. So I have to keep up appearances. You all know that my hair has gotten wildly long. I've started to embarrass myself. I'll be having a conversation with someone, and I'm playing with/ braiding/ pulling/ messing with my hair. I'm one of those girls. It's an odd thing to find yourself with. But I'll just get an overall hair tune up, nothing drastic. But important to the ritual of preparation.

Clothes. I've been really good about not buying so many clothes. I've come leaps and bounds in the separation of need-want-must have. I did realize, however, in this that I am wearing essentially the same thing everyday. And I don't know if this years uniform is as stand up as years past. I have also noticed that by having less clothing, I am wearing out my clothes really fast. This all seems like really basic stuff, but I guess as I buy/make more classic clothing that isn't going in and out of style that I am ruining it by constant use. So it has been decided that the majority of my shopping happens in the pre-season push. I make most of my years purchases between now and Middle March.

I've made two successful purchases thus far. The first of which was a surprising black dress from the Gap and the second an Olive and Orange dress I have had my eye on since last year. There is a fantastic boutique here in town called the Children's Hour. When they got the dress in, I literally could never have afforded it. But with a series of mark downs, a series of shed lbs, and only one dress left in my size, it was just meant to be.

The rest of my purchases will be a combo of JCrew and Madewell. I have found that my JCrew clothes last longer than any other. Plus they are always classic enough to keep wearing them, no matter what. I'm all about it.

so these are just a few of the things I do to get ready to see you/ be with you this year. They might seem superficial, but lets not kid around about how a new dress and sweet hair style can make you feel like you own the entire world.

here I am as seen this past week teaching a beginning sewing class, in my workroom uniform.

I'd say this girl doesn't own the entire world. Just a very small provence in an unpopular country in the EU. Next week. World domination.

maybe this year I will try to look less like a 15 year old.

We shall see...

10 Reasons why PNCA is the bomb dot com.

Just about a week after I get back from Juniper Moon Farm for our little fiber farm retreat, I will hop my little self onto another plane and head for Portland, to do a textile design/ printmaking workshop at PNCA. Like I said in my previous post, I have been very choosy about where I am going and what I am doing this year, and since you know that now, you also know that I feel strongly about where I am going.

So I thought I would give you 10 reasons why PNCA Continuing ED is the bomb dot com, and why I think you will think so too. So much so that you will want to join me from March 30- April 1.

10. Location. It's PORTLAND, OREGON, PEOPLE. I know that it's a really cool town, and everyone there is supposed to be really cool... but there are reasons that it's so cool. The reason that I wanted to move there in the first place was that it was just so beautiful. You are in the woods essentially while you are still in the city. And you always have water around you. Whether it be the weather or the river. Everything is green and beautiful, and I was just drawn to it.

9. Beyond just the beauty of the location, they have Powell's city of books, and literally some of the best food I've ever had in my entire life. And it's everywhere. Every thing is good. And there isn't any sales tax, which is great for visiting!

8. The Facilities at PNCA are the bomb dot com. They literally have everything that you could possibly need to produce professional, quality work.

Their exposure table for screen printing seriously blew my mind.

7. The atmosphere at PNCA is one of learning and exploring. The space seems to give you permission to think bigger. Which I am into...

6. That same atmosphere lends itself well to a nice sense of community. Even though the workshop only last for a few days, it does feel like you are a part of something, which I know that we are all constantly searching for.

5. They take really good care of me, so I can take really good care of you. WHICH IS HUGE!

4. PNCA is giving you a little time outside of your everyday life to learn new skills, or grow an idea

3. They know, love, and cultivate art.

2. It has been my experience in Portland that people are really nice. Just genuinely down to earth nice, and the peeps at PNCA are no exception. They work hard to make sure that your experience is a positive one.

1. PNCA is a dream come true. They have a whole team of fantastic people working to create a brilliant continuing education program that stands leaps and bounds above most if any art programs in the country. They are about your success, and I am about your success, and that is why I love PNCA.

So won't you join me? We'll learn how to design patterns, I'll talk to you about the ins and outs of the textile industry until I can't speak anymore (like literally lose my voice), I'll give you some insight about color, and I will cry my eyes out when I express to you have much printing means to me, and what it can do in your life. Then I will clean myself up and teach you to print.

if only I were kidding. No but seriously. There will be voo-doo doughnuts, and me.

you can register here!

The Creative Connection, ya'll.

So I think on Wednesday I'll get on a plane, and then I'll fly to Texas, maybe stay at my Mom's house, pet Finn, tell some funny jokes with Melysses, and then I will get on another plane and fly to Minneapolis/ St. Paul for the Creative Connection.

You never really know what you are getting yourself into with events that you've never been to or taught at before, and I am really excited to teach illustrated travel journals. I'm also excited to gleen what I can just from the weekend in general. I think I am most excited to get to spend some time with some of my favorite twitter-verse/ market peeps. But more excited than most excited about, I am SUPER over the top excited to room with Jana of Izzy and Ivy fame. That lady is the bomb dot com.

So, I won't have a table at the Market, but I think there is a designer booth that I might park a few things in, otherwise I'll just be wearing a trench coat (over my clothes) that will open when you say the password, and lining the sides will be Outfoxed fat quarter sets and 1001 Peeps books. Or I'll have stuff in my classes.

I don't own a trench coat, people.

see you this weekend? I think this is my last teaching gig this year, which is exciting to me. To be done-ish.

ALSO! I was up Quilt Creek, and Joanna of @bustylarue, or Designs by Laura Jo has saved my vegetarian bacon, and my new quilts got to her today and hopefully they will be waiting for me when I get back from Minnesota! Woo!

I need a trip to Disney World, or France, or maybe just a haircut.

Are you reading the state I am in???

 

 

Canada feelings.

First I want to start by saying that I, no surprise, did not bring a camera with me. I knew that I would be with Karyn who is a brilliant photographer, and that our time would be well documented. And I wanted to focus on teaching. So I did. And she did take beautiful pictures. 

So my posts will probably be backwards chronologically speaking, because I'm taking them from her flickr stream as she posts them.

So this first post isn't about any of the classes, it's just about my feelings.

I loved Toronto. I loved everyone I met. I loved the food that we ate. I loved having pie for breakfast. I loved my Mini Quilt class peeps. I loved my block printing peeps. I loved my Champion Ribbon peeps.

I love the workroom. I love the workroom girls. I love Nani Iro. I love Fresh. I love Mokuba (sigh). I love Katherine. I love Karyn. I love Maisy.

I loved everything about last week.

I found that I really love sewing things for myself! I'm always making quilts and things for patterns, so they always feel like samples even when I keep them... but this past week I sewed two Enchanted Bow skirts, a 241 Noodlehead bag, and a dress from Stylish Dress book. We were a regular factory. One of my favorite things to be. All this says to me is that a. I need a better sewing machine (duh), and b. I need to make more time and things for myself. 

It feels like a dream now. I was on such a tired/ loving/ pie/ high all week. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the kindness and love that was shown to me, and I really feel like one of the luckiest peeps in the world.

Toronto was just what I needed. So much so, I know I'm gonna need it next year...

We're having a great time!!!

I'm still alive in Canada with a whole slew of new bff's. Champion Ribbons were awesome today, and Andrea of Liligo Designs made me a fantastic cake with these sweet flags on it. More pictures to follow, to be sure.

sweet picture of Karyn and me from my new friend, Jacqueline.

Workshops at Juniper Moon Farms

I swear. I'm starting a Squam family tree.

It was Saturday night in the back end of the Deep Haven Dining Room during the Art Fair at the close of the very first Fiber based Squam Art Workshops. I was overwhelmed. I think we all were. I think for a lot of us this was the first time that we had ever connected to so many people with whom we knew we belonged.

I was selling my art work. And CRYING. All night long. It was out of control. I was a mess. Someone would come up to my table, someone who had either taken a class from me, or said something generous, or I had just felt a connection to and then they would ask about one of my works, and then I would start explaining it, and then I would start weeping trying to get through the explanation, and then they would start weeping. It's a good thing I wrap up all of my prints in cellophane... I just think that emotions were running really high, and I felt/ feel very deeply about that body of work. I was deeply dehydrated by the end of the whole thing.

Susan and Erin were running the Juniper Moon Farm table kitty-corner to me (we essentially shared the entrance to the bathroom), and they could not have been sweeter. I think at one point they had teared up too. It was catching. I loved them. I was loving everyone, but I really loved them. Susan is just one of those people that you want on your team. You know that she is good, and her integrity fills the space around her. Plus she is from Texas, and I think we have magnets in us that pull us together. I also really loved Erin. She to me seemed like one of those people who a person like me really needs in their life. I could be off base, but I think she has that God given stage manager gene. She gets things done. She also purchased two favorite pieces of mine.

I'm glad to know that they loved me too!

So much so, that Susan came and took a class from me the following year! At the beginning of each of my classes I ask, your name, where you are from, and why did you sign up for my class? And Susan said her name, where she was from, and her answer to why she signed for my class was pretty much something along the lines of, "I had the table across from you last year, and everyone you spoke to started crying, so I knew I wanted to take a class from you".

oh great! I was probably blushing. Blush and crying. Two of my best things.

Since then, my love has only grown for Susan, and for her wonderful Fiber Farm, and the good things that I instinctively knew about her, have all been confirmed. There probably aren't too many days that pass before I tell a new person about her farm, and what she is doing. Or pull up the blog to show said person pictures of the lambs or the new dairy goats. I even keep a picture on my desktop. I'm in love with this place, and a serious advocate for it, and yet I have never been.

Until now!

Next year in March for almost 2 weeks you can find me at Juniper Moon Farm, where I will be teaching a whole range of classes.

March 3rd and 4th (Saturday and Sunday) I will be teaching a Quilt Class. I can't show you the quilt just yet, but you will love it, and more than likely be able to finish your top while you are with me!

March 10th I'll be teaching block printing on fabric this is by far my most popular class. Why not come take it with little lambs all around us?!

March 11th I'll be doing a session of Mini Quilts. this is a favorite class of mine. The results are like presents to me, even though I don't keep them.

Lunch will be provided along with snacks! And if you are coming from out of town, I know that for an additional $50 you can stay at the farm, or there is a Best Western near by. Also, there are only 12 spots in each class. They will go quickly, so let it be you (ewe, ha), and come spend a couple of days in March with me on the best Fiber Farm in the world.

Make March magical!

all the pictures come from the JMF blog. Check it out!

wonderful town.

This past week, I found myself working in New York.

From all accounts, the weather had been pretty extreme, but as warm as it was when I was there, it actually just rained a lot. I was interested in the fact that it didn't seem to cool things off, just amplify the mugginess. But being from the gulf coast, taking on more humidity is just a challenge. Not a threat.

I was in New York to finish new work for next year. It's a real relief to have it done in one swoop, and I'm really proud of this next line that's coming out in the spring, and just delightfully excited about the spooky little Halloween line that came together before I went. We got it all knocked out so they can go out for engraving and get to fabric asap. Shops, ask your Reps to see Hello Pilgrim and Guising.

For you. All for you.

A few things to look forward to:

More Pearl Bracelets.

New Red Letter Day stripes.

Berries and butterflies.

jack-o-lanterns and ghosts. (yes, ghosts, Amanda)

It was great to see my Andover peeps. Just like teaching or speaking, it's nice to be scooped up and taken care of for a few days. And for that I am grateful.

Aside from work, I had dinner with friends, went to a poetry reading, made plans for a video game that I still can't understand why it doesn't already exist, saw Oliver Platt on the street, saw Charlie Cox of Stardust and Downtown Abbey talking to him. Charlie Cox has a very round haircut right now. Went to a fancy dinner in Bryant park, got some really great advice and made some new plans, went to my first baseball game, went to Coney Island for the first time, made new friends, and so on. I was literally happier in this past week than I feel I have been in a while.

I was continually amazed by the subway. Not that it is particularly amazing, and not that standing on some of those platforms was like unto standing in the 6th circle of Hell near the Phlegethon river, but I've always had someone else navigating. This time I was alone so google maps would tell me where to get on, how many minutes, how many stops, where to switch, the number of minutes it would take me to walk to the next platform, and then I would be where I was going. Just like it said. It amused and amazed.

I made the very most of my time, and it was the very best trip to New York I've ever had. The dust of living there has been stirred once more. And it's at the top of my list as I start to apply for grad school.

That was of course until I had to pay FIVE DOLLARS for a kombucha.

I would like to note once again that I did not bring a camera with me. World's worst butterfly.

And in closing, I am saddened to report, that my best most traveled and beloved shoes bit the dust near 11:00 PM Eastern Standard time, on the beach of Coney Island. I wanted to get my feet wet, and stand in the Atlantic, and that's all well and good. But there were no towels, there were no arrangements. So I thought that I would trick the sand off of my feet, because there is almost nothing that bugs me more than wet sandy feet in shoes, and placed my shoes where the tide had not gone, but where the sand was wet enough that I would not pick up new sand. I set down my shoes, got my feet in the water, hopped back to the shoes, and in that moment the water had risen and come in over my ankles.

you can not trick sand.

These shoes had seen action before, but not to these depths. I got back to my hotel and they kind of disintegrated off my feet.

It's time to hunt for a new pair of red shoes, and figure out a way to move my bike to New York without riding it there.