Is it too last week to talk about New Year resolutions?

… Well. I’m doing it anyway. And I’ll be”Outrageously Joyful” doin’ it! That’s my mantra for 2016. “Outrageously Joyful”.

Last year I declared 2015 was my year to live fearlessly. And I have to say, I did more things that made me cringe, want to hide and hold my breath BUT I also had a year where I felt more alive. A year that felt I was headed in a direction that I intentionally wanted to go. I was driving the boat instead of going with the flow. It was AWESOME sauce!

So what’s this got to do with cleaning my toilet and being outrageously joyful? The two usually don’t go hand in hand (at least not in my world).

When my world opened up with being fearless, I learned SO freaking much! But you know what happens when you learn stuff, you realize how much more you NEED to know. Three quarters of the way of through 2015, I realized there’s a lot of back end stuff I need to set up to for myself to move forward. Some of these things are big, some are small. Some things that I can get done lickty split and some things will be a grind. I have a lot of ground to cover and as I’m doing it I want to be outrageously joyful doing them. Reminding myself this is what I want, this is what I’ve chosen…

Here it goes: Yay! Cleaning the toilet! I’m so glad I have a toilet and I don’t have to go outside in the cold and use an outhouse. I LOVE indoor plumbing!!!

2015’s recap, left from right:

1. December-I released my # sewinglikeamothertrucker Hard Core Cassette Tape Pattern
2. November-Finished Module 3 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design!
3. July-Released my free Match Needle Book with a kit for the Pacific Northwest meet up in Seattle (Circa 15 provided the fabric for the kits)
4. February-Working in Module 1 (The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design) I designed my first ever repeat. I broke into giggles when it worked! I used cut paper (because I was being way to precious with my drawing)  and have since framed the cut out. I proudly display it in my studio.
5. September-A show of my Fabric Stash Drawing Project at Dry Goods Designs in Seattle. A dream come true!
6. June-A design from Mod 1 (The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design) was featured on Print+Pattern (Brain completely exploded!!! Wildest dream came true!!)
7. January-My Fabric Stash Drawing Project was featured in Love Patchwork & Quilting. After being mentioned on Flossie Teacake’s blog, that happily fell into my lap.
8. Pretty much the same thing as #2.
9. July-This is the cassette tape book cover I swapped at the PNW meet up in Seattle. It was won by Jonna. Who’s Jonna? Jonna, tested the cassette tape pattern for me (and many versions of it!) We met in person for the first time at the there. She’s as lovely in person as she is online. She’s @bespokeoutlaw on Instagram. Definitely check her out, her feed is amaze-balls! Just like her!
10. 

Oh and not on the list but definitively a 2015 highlight, I was hugged by a Sea lion! It was an “Outrageously Joyful” hug!

Comment-er, number 16! Carole “Marie” Wylie!!!!! Yay congratulations! I will be sending it out your way today!

Thank you everyone for your lovely, touching comments. You made me *blush*.  I was so glad to have shared this whole magazine experience with you!

I got a call late Saturday night.

In a covert voice I heard, “Hey! It’s me Carol (Browne), I’m at Chapters downtown. They have two copies of Love Patchwork & Quilting. They have issue 17 but it’s covered in a plastic bag. So I’m not sure if this is the one you’re in? Do you want me to pick up a copy for you?”

I’ve been waiting… I check last week but no copies were in… I was worried I’d miss it. 17, it’s the issue I’m in. I can feel the excitement flood me… Somehow, since I’m on my cel phone, I’ve managed to press my face so I’ve hit some numbers making the buttons beep. Then somehow I inadvertently hit the mute button at the same time. Carol can’t hear me. All I can hear is Carol saying, “Hello? Hello? What is going on?” She giggles and I hear her say, “Hello?” one more time as I try to figure out how to un-mute my phone. Quickly I abort the call, I hang up and try to call Carol back.

“Hello?” Carol giggles “What happened?”

I now have the task of explaining my whole excitement face to phone, button mute thing.

Yeah, I’d like to be all nonchalant… Sigh, yup, no biggie, I’m just in a magazine (like it’s an everyday occurrence) but clearly, that’s not me! Carol graciously picked up the magazine for me then posted about her buddy (that’s me) who was in a UK magazine (Love Patchwork & Quilting) on Facebook. Loads of lovely comments and likes came in. My husband shared Carol’s post on his feed, again lovely comments and likes.

Since, we were in Vancouver yesterday for the Chinese New Year’s parade we thought (okay I insisted) we stop at the Chapters on Granville and Broadway, to see if they have any more copies. They DID!

We picked up two copies. The one from Carol, I’ve decided I’d give to my Mom. Another copy I’d thought would be fun to giveaway on my blog! And one I’d keep. So here I am with it in my hand, unopened. You think I’d want to tear into. That’s how I assumed I’d feel. For some reason, I feel reluctant to open it. I’m not sure why? I am slightly nervous about seeing myself and my work… My son even brought it to me this morning as I was making lunches and said “Here’s you magazine!” I said, thanks, can you put it over there so we don’t get anything on it.

This is my year of living fearlessly, right? Okay, it’s you and me together, here I go…

I’m looking at it. It’s so beautiful. Is that why I’m so weirded out? I mean I’ve always dreamed of being in a magazine but this surpassed my wishlist! Big breath… savouring.

The plastic is off.

Ooo, the Sew your own sewing set book and diamond paper pieces, very cute. I should learn to English paper piece with this kit! … Putting aside.

Looking at the front cover. God it’s so pretty! … Ooh, spool bunting (hello Darlene Barns!)

Opening.

Three pages in… feeling shaky…

BAM! My face! Ack! giggle!

WHAT! Get out I’m under the same section LOVELIFE, that Lisa Congdon is in! Get OUT! I love her! … Oh man I gotta check out Mabel & Bird and Peony & Thistle… oh look at the cute little crabs, I want one….

OMG, I’m sitting beside Lee Heinrich patterns from Freshly Pieced!

Ooo, Skinny La Minx? What’s that? (just googled it! It’s awesome!)

Okay, the coast is clear, I can check out the rest of the magazine now. Flip, flip, flip…

Wow, thanks so much for sharing this BIG moment with me. A big thanks to Florence from Flossie Teacakes for the blog post that lead to all of this. And of course BIG, BIG thanks to Love Patchwork & Quilting for this opportunity!

I wish I could give EVERYONE a copy. Sadly I only have one to give and the only way to decide who gets it is by a random draw. Which will require you to leave a comment. I know it seems like a trick doesn’t it? Sorry about that, it’s the only way I know how to contact you and to get your address to send it to you. No big burning question to answer, but that is fun… hmm, how about this, I love middle names, I’m always so curious about people’s middle names. Feel free to leave a comment saying what your middle name is… or if it’s horrendous and that’s a comment deal breaker, feel free to just say hi and maybe where you’re from. How’s that? Thanks so much for popping by!

P.S. And as an added bonus I sold two packs of cards from my Etsy shop! (Note to self, relist) How nice is that? Lisa Congdon is right “Today is going to be awesome!”

So this happened! Florence from Flossie Teacakes sent me a picture via Twitter a few days ago!

@lysaflower It’s you! @LoveQuiltingMag, Issue 17 pic.twitter.com/AQl8S3ttYq

— Flossie Teacakes (@FlossieTeacake1) December 22, 2014

Ta-Da! I am in Issue 17 of Love Patchwork & Quilting!!! Happy dance, happy dance!!! I owe Florence a huge round of thanks. Here’s how it all went down… Back in May Florence she sent me this Tweet:

@lysaflower Wow! Your work is incredible. So beautiful & esp. on the wood. Would you mind if I share some of your stash drawings on my blog? — Flossie Teacakes (@FlossieTeacake1) May 28, 2014

Followed by her blog post (which is a lovely must read I might add!)…

…THEN Love Patchwork & Quilting sent an email saying this:

Hi Lysa,

I’m so delighted to have found you via Flossie Teacakes! We would absolutely love to do a little write up about you and your gorgeous rendering s of fabric stashes in the news pages of Love Patchwork & Quilting. Do you think you could provide some pics for us to use on page and perhaps 100 words about yourself?

Huge thanks and if you have any question please do get in touch!

Alice (Deputy Editor, Love Patchwork & Quilting)

<insert Happy dance!!! AGAIN> I know a lot of happy dancing!

Have you seen the magazine?! It’s so beautiful! It’s a UK mag AND we can get it at Chapters/Indigo here in Canada! I just bought issue 14 before Christmas. It’s completely drool worthy! I’m not sure when issue 17 will make it to Canada but I will keep you posted!

Well not a bad way to end 2014! Thanks again to Florence and Alice! As well, thanks to my family and friends for their encouragement (especially my husband Chris!). And of course to you guys, thanks for reading (and yes I do a happy dance every time you comment!). Have a very happy, safe and cozy New Year! See you in 2015!

PS. I almost forgot to mention Florence, has accepted my invitation to join my “Stash Drawing Project!” Yay! … yup! Happy dance!