Merry Christmas to All...

click HERE to download

or if you'd rather have a black and white version:

click HERE to download

I meant to get these on sooner...you may have to use them for decoration next year. :)  Anyway, here they are and I hope you will enjoy them.



We are here in Reno visiting my family and having a wonderful time!  Camille is here too and we are both happy to say that the last orders of the season shipped out today! :)  Now it's time to just enjoy the richness and joy of being together as family.  Yesterday was so wonderful at church.  My parents' congregation had the young primary children sing "Silent Night" and then the women/mothers sang "Mary's Lullaby".  In the womans Sunday School class/organization (called Relief Society) we had a great lesson on keeping the Sabbath Day holy and then spent the rest of the time singing Christmas carols.  I had my 93 year old grandma Dahl on one side and Camille and my mom on the other.  Tears flowed as I realized how blessed my life is because of those women and even more because of the birth and life of the Savior of this world, Jesus Christ.  I am so thankful for the knowledge I have of Him and what He has done for me.  I love Him and I will forever praise His name.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week and soaking in the wonder of this season and that your Christmas day is Merry and Bright.  May you feel the love of the Savior in your heart as well.

Thanks for making this year a great one for me.  Thanks for your support and kindness in your comments and orders and emails.

I wish we could all sit down and get to know each other in real life, maybe some day.  Until then have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

XXOO Hannah

And a special treat from Micah (my magical, musical brother) and Camille for you too:

photo credit to Aileen Riley

Favorites on Friday...Tis the Season to be Busy!

My favorite moment in time this week.  I was just taking the Christmas wreath out of the car when I snapped this.

Ladies, it has been a BUSY week in the "studio"!  I am swimming in orders thanks to the Day of Giving promotions that happened this week here, here, here, here, here and here.  Thank you if you were one of the many that ordered this week!

Camille is busy too, printing and getting everything wrapped with ribbon and shipped in time for Christmas.  I worked for literally 15 hours on Wednesday and didn't even make a dent in the orders and then today (Thursday when I'm actually writing this post) for about seven (I was in charge of our little communal preschool this morning so that of course took preference).  The girls have been hanging at Camille's house with Cousin Nigel and then with some friends down the street this afternoon.  Tomorrow Camille's wonderful sister, Christine volunteered to take the girls and let them play with her kiddos.  So many wonderful people helping out to make this season at Lily and Thistle a success!  I must say that as happy as I am with all of the success, I'm glad it's not always this crazy.  I love creating paper dolls but I like being a Mom to my girls a lot more! :)

For those of you still thinking of ordering for Christmas, the cut off shipping date for the US is the 15th so make sure you get your orders in before then!  (International people, sorry I can't guarantee arrival in time. Of course the print it yourself packs can be emailed to you as late as the 22nd of December).

Hope you are all having a wonderful day full of Christmas cheer!  

XXOO Hannah

Favorites On Friday the Christmas Music Addition

First of all, I wanted to let you know about a giveaway that is happening today over at Sarah Jane Studios.  You could win a free Ultimate Package as well as some other goodies.  So don't miss out!

Okay, next up, Christmas Music!  Every year for the past 12 years one of my dearest friends Johanna and I do a Christmas album exchange.  We basically tell each other what we want and buy the albums of choice for one another...it's such a fun tradition and now that she is in Connecticut and I'm on the other side of the country here in Utah, it means even more.

So I thought I'd share some of all time favorite albums with you and hope that you will share some of yours with me!
1. Carpenters - A Christmas Collection. (I grew up listening to this one but have to say that it is by far one of the best albums out there.  So tastefully and beautifully done...LOVE IT)
2. John Denver - Rocky Mountain Christmas.  I grew up with John too...I love Johnny and this album doesn't disappoint.  Such a classic. (I once got into a concert of his for free...the last concert in Reno before he passed away...it was an amazing night).
3. Sarah McLaughlin - Wintersong.  I picked this one last year and LOVE it.  So beautiful.
4. Celine Dion - These Are the Special Times.  Rich music...so good. I love Celine, my brothers hate Celine so I guess you either love her or hate her...I can't imagine how you could not love her and I'm thankful my Jeff feels the same.
5. Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Ring Christmas Bells with Brian Stokes Mitchell.  I grew up with the Choir and Jeff and I actually were in the audience for this one with Brian Stokes Mitchell.  It was breathtaking...literally.  It couldn't be Christmas without this one.
6. Jewel - Joy, A Holiday Collection.  The song I dedicated to Jeff ("Face of Love" - my brother Micah and Camille sang this) on our wedding night is in the collection.  On a few of the songs Jewel's mom sings along.  Seriously such a gem.
7. James Taylor - At Christmas.  I just love James Taylor so of course James Taylor singing Christmas songs works for me.  It's a good one.
8. Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas.  This is one I never thought I love but I lived with a roommate who loved it and it seriously grew on me.  Now I adore it.  I haven't heard her newest Christmas album have you? What did you think?
9. Johnny Mathis - Christmas with Johnny.  I grew up with this one too.  I just love his voice and style.  Another one I couldn't live without during the holidays.
10. Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song.  Jeff and I had the chance to hear Natalie with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir last year.  She spent a lot of time talking about her dad and the songs he sang and what it meant to him and their family. Pretty cool.  Of course the album is a classic and so great.

This year Johanna chose Glee's Christmas (never seen the show but she said the music is great) and I picked David Archuleta's Christmas album (so many have said it's really good...I think I'll like it).

OK, now it's your turn! Please, tell me at least one of the albums you can't live with out during the holiday season.  

A Random Thought...Good Reminder for Me

image source

"Advice is like snow - the softer it falls,

the longer it dwells upon,

and the deeper it sinks into the mind."

Samuel Taylor Coleridge