Black Friday Deals at Lily and Thistle

Some big promotions will be happening on some of the blogs I advertise with during the first few days of December but I wanted to give you the inside scoop before everyone else on the web learns about them and let you know they will be valid throughout the holiday season for you.

Here's the scoop: 
1. From now until December 22nd, I will be giving you an additional free custom doll with any paper doll package PLUS an additional free packet of Winter outfits.  I'll be doing this as "The Day of Giving" on other blogs, but for you my faithful readers, I am making it available for close to a month!  You just need to type "Lily" with your choices in "note to merchant" at checkout. 

ALL orders (including outfit lines) purchased from now until the 22nd will automatically be enrolled for one year in The Outfit of the Month Club free of charge (again put "Lily" in "notes to merchant" and make sure to provide the email address you want the outfits sent to every month.

Remember that all packages will be gift ready and beautiful under your tree!  Let me know if you have any questions and Happy Holidays!

Working on a Christmas Gift for you...

Before we left for Colorado (did I tell you we are in Colorado?  We're having a great time with Jeff's brother and family)...Jeff and I had been refreshing our Harry Potter memories with the help of Netflix almost nightly.  I have a hard time just sitting and watching without moving my hands.  This is what I sketched the other night.  I thought it would be a fun gift for you. I'm learning some new techniques on GIMP so I am hoping to have something for you to print out soon. :)

How are your holiday preparations going?  Those in the USA, are you having family/friends over for the Thanksgiving holiday?  Are you cooking?  I have been married for six years and haven't had to make a turkey yet...one day I'm sure.

"Tis the Season to be Wrapping...

First of all, how do you like the new blog look?  I am pretty happy about it.  There is still a bit of tweaking going on behind the scenes, but over all Lindsay did a great job!  If you are looking for a professional with an eye for simple beauty/style, she's your gal.

OK, let's get to the exciting stuff!

So Camille and I were having an impromptu meeting the other day, talking about what we could do to make the holidays even brighter for our Christmas customers.  We came up with a few things. I'll be revealing them to you, my faithful readers throughout the week (and give you a head's up to some great deals before anyone else on the web).  Today I thought I'd show you the pretty ribbon and dried box elder twig (with just a touch of soft silver glitter) we'll be using to wrap each and every paper doll package this holiday season.  I'm giddy about how beautiful these will look under the tree!

The Shipper and Handler...Meet Camille

She's so much more than a "shipper and handler" she's my sister (in law but mostly in love).  She married this lucky guy (look at that face, he knows he's lucky):

 I always say the best thing that happened to ALL of us in my family was when Micah married Camille.  She is gold in every way.  I am so lucky to live by her and now to "work" with her doing something as magical as paper dolls.  She has an eye for beauty and a natural talent for making everything around her bright. 

Would you like to see her in action?

  

 Looking for supplies in the awesome fabric boxes she made a few years ago.

To all of you who have purchased and received a paper doll package, I hope you can sense that each one  was printed, assembled and put together with love.  

 I always love to visit her studio.  The girls love playing with cousin Nigel.  We have "business meetings" where we discuss the vision for MiniMe/Lily&Thistle, potty training, dinner, and many other important topics.

 We always joke that this little business is being run by two crazy pregnant ladies.  Both of us will be bringing little boys to the earth in just a few short months.  

And now you've met Camille. My wish for you is to one day be lucky enough to know her in real life!

When Giving Blood Goes Wrong

My husband Jeff, left an hour and a half ago to give blood.  It usually takes him a 1/2 hour tops...he's a pro blood donor.  He finally walked in the door looking like this.  I promise I comforted him (while fighting off laughter) after I took this photo. He said "and they didn't even have chocolate!"  I really think that may be the only reason he is always so anxious to give away his blood.  I adore this man.

And while we're posting pictures of Jeff (and reason's why I love him) here's a gem from a few weeks ago:

He brings so much light into my life.

December Outfit of the Month - Early

We are heading to see family this weekend so I thought I'd get December's Outfit of the Month done before we left.  I was going for a vintage Christmas outfit...really fun.  And of course one of my favorite Christmas songs from Charlie Brown Christmas.  

I think from now on I'm going to pick a doll to model, this is Audrey one of the dolls I created today modeling our newest outfit.

What do you think?

Favorites on Friday

Sorry ladies, I'm a bit late today getting this out.  We've been busy at the library, park, napping, waiting for Realtors, etc.

But I have a GREAT list for you today (at least I think so).  So let's get started shall we?

Let's start with this awesome tutorial for a drawstring cardigan.  I don't have time to make it so will one of you please?  It's just so cool and so versatile.

I'm excited to use these free "I'm Thankful For" printables from Vale Design at the table this year or next for our Thanksgiving celebrations (it may be next since we're not hosting this year...but maybe)

I am in love with this idea.  Sentimental Subway art.  Totally doing this in our next place.

And how beautiful and simple is this wreath made from coffee filters?

I've been wanting to do this for years.  I'm glad Ashley for Under the Sycamore tried ans took great pictures of the process.

I can think of so many possibilities for these easy flowers from Katy at No Big Dill.

And I want every single thing in this shop.  Seriously so thoughtful, creative and beautiful.

These dishtowels would make me so happy even while doing dishes (and that's saying something).

Great list from the Happiness Project.  I think we all know these but I know I break some of these rules.

A beautiful giveaway over at Simple as That.

And last but not least, loved this Fairy Tale Wand from Chris over and PickUp Some Creativity

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! XXOO

A Little Peek into my Studio

As I mentioned before, we are in the midst of trying to sell our home (baby #4 is going to make things a little tight around here).  We had some pictures taken for the listing and so I thought I'd share some of them with you to give you a glimpse of where I work and where we live our everyday.

Sorry the first photo is a little blurry, the ones they sent weren't very large...hopefully you still get the idea.

Here's the "Studio" (this is where dolls are made, outfits created, meals are eaten, where babies draw and play, where the floor needs to be swept about three times a day and get's swept about once)

 ....and  this is as clean as it will EVER be! :)

My favorite room in the house...so much went into this room as we prepared for our little miracles.  If we don't sell the house before the baby is born, we'll move Norah in here with the twins...it will be a PARTY for sure!

After these silhouettes sat for almost six months, I finally hung them about a year ago.  You can see the tutorial HERE.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this little peek into our lives over here...at least for now.  Wanna buy a house? ;)

Favorites on Friday and The Winter 2010 Line!!!

Let's start with my new favorite outfit line:

This one was so fun to create!  I just loved imagining all of the cozy clothing and creating the party dresses.  Your MiniMe should be set with a party dress for Christmas and the New Year, a nightgown and cookies for Santa and some warm clothes for playing in the snow!

DEAL JUST FOR MY READERS:  I've recently realized that I have never done a giveaway or given you, my faithful readers a deal.  So today I'm offering a free Fall and Winter outfit line with any paper doll package order.  Just write "Lily" in notes to merchant when checking out. 

OK, now on to my other favorites for the week:

Thanksgiving time is so fun. I loved both this (from Skip to my Lou),  this (from Chocolate on My Cranium) and this (from The Idea Room) for ideas on having and showing gratitude.

It is crocheter's heaven over at Luvinthemommyhood!  I am seriously drooling! Oh and that isn't enough,  there's this round up too!  If only there were 48 hours in a day.

I think I need to make one of these...looks so easy and fabulous.

And I'm officially in love with the simple beauty that is available at Paloma's Nest.  They are having a giveaway HERE.  

And this made me think...what about you?

And let's end with a favorite picture from this week:

Our three darling china dolls ready for a night of Halloween fun (can't you tell?)

We Just Had an Ultrasound and.....

We are having a baby:

BOY!!!!!

We are excited and scared to death all at the same time....mostly excited (and scared to death).  He's healthy and measuring about a week smaller than the due date so they moved it back to the end of March.  

We felt so much overwhelming love for him and I still can't get over how blessed we are to be able to have these amazing little miracles in our lives...such an amazing gift from our loving Father in Heaven. 

We can't wait to meet him!  Now to decide on names and find some blue!

November Outfit of the Month

This is what all of the members of the Outfit of the Month are getting in their in boxes today.  I loved the poem by Joanna Fuchs...I'm so happy it's November!   

Oh yeah, and I also wanted to let you know that ALL of the traditions from my old Tradition Tuesday posts on my old blog are updated and done for the whole year.  Are you looking for some fun new tradition ideas?  You can check them all out here.