Lily & Thistle: September 2012

Shiny Happy Laurel and A Winner

You be the Sun,

I'll be the Moon -

Just let your light

Come shining through

And when the night comes,

Just like the Moon,

I'll shine the light right back to you.

- Source

Thanks for lighting up my life over here with all of your fun comments. I think we could have been friends growing up! I loved all dolls and loved to color. Then there were my brothers (four of them) who kept my sister and I very active outside playing in the hot Arizona sun.

The Winner of the Paper Doll Coloring Book is:

Stray

she said: "I loved colouring in, I still do, if the kids leave the colouring books out I can't resist just doing one page."

I think you'll love the coloring book Stray! Please email Brittany at lilyandthistle2@gmail. com to claim your prize! :)

Come back next Tuesday for another fun giveaway!

Coloring Book Giveaway!

We here at Lily & Thistle Studio are very excited to be filling a TON of coloring book orders this week. (Oh, and did I mention both the Print it Yourself and standard Coloring Books are on SALE?)

When I was a little girl, coloring was one of my favorite activities. It was a process that began with staying in the lines and continued on with learning about the use different colors and shading techniques. In preparing the coloring books to be shipped off to you all, I can't help but think of all the fun that will be had by young and old alike who get their hands (and crayons) on them!

Because we love our coloring books so much, we want to give one of you a chance at our... you guessed it!

Coloring Book Giveaway!

If you want a shot at winning our FREE Print-it-yourself Coloring Book giveaway, leave a comment with one of your favorite childhood activities. Mine was coloring, how 'bout you?

Feel free to comment through midnight (MST) on Wednesday, for your chance to win. The winner will be announced by Hannah by this Thursday, so stay tuned to see if you are chosen! If you are chosen, please email lilyandthistle2@gmail.com to redeem your prize. (And don't worry, if you have a coloring book already, you can give it to a friend to share in your fun!)

Making a Mess and a Winner

Another Table Time favorite:

For practicing letters

Making some pictures

Or just making a mess!

Ingredients:

* Cheap shaving cream

*Table

And we have a winner!!!!

JAN MASON

Thanks for all of your comments...you confirmed my love for all things Fall!

P.S. Call for Doll Diary entries. If you send us a few pictures of your child's paper doll doing things around the house or around town, you will get a free doll package! Just email your entry to Brittany at lilyandthistle2@gmail.com.

Autumn Giveaway!

Source

Hi, it's Brittany ready to post today's autumn giveaway! The temperature has begun to fall right alongside the leaves on the trees here in the Utah Valley, which means one thing-fall is just around the corner.

Fall is probably my favorite season. It is a sign of good things coming, and I adore the smells, sights, and feelings of the season. One of my favorite things about fall is being able to bring out all of my fall sweaters, warm socks, and fuzzy boots. I especially love those wonderful days I get to spend with others sharing delicious treats and meals!

But enough about my favorite things about fall... I want to know what YOU like! Which brings me to today's...

AUTUMN GIVEAWAY!

To be entered into the competition for today's giveaway, all you need to do is tell us your favorite thing about fall.

The lucky winner will receive a FREE Outfit Line of their choice! (Fall, maybe?)

The giveaway is open through midnight (MST) on Wednesday, so comment away! Hannah will post the results by this Thursday, so stay tuned for the winner.

Doll Diaries: Elsa and Abby in Vegas!

Today's Doll Diaries features a day in the life of Elsa and Abby with their paper dolls in their hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada! Here is Britta (their mom) with Elsa, Abby and their paper dolls.

First, we went with our Mom and Dad to pick out new bar stools.

Our paper dolls were such big helpers.

They told us which ones were the most comfortable and which ones were not.

Oh yeah, and we tried out some of the other furniture as well.

We then went to Target and ate some lunch.

I think our dolls wanted some food, but they're just paper. Hehehe!

Then, we headed home. We didn't realize how tired we were because on the way we fell asleep.

Sounds like a tiresome day, Abby and Elsa! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!

Would you like to be featured with your doll in next week's Doll Diaries, and receive a new doll friend and outfits to go along for FREE?

Email lilyandthistle2@gmail.com with subject line: SPOTLIGHT with your doll’s name, photos of your doll (no more than 5 images, please), and a short description/narrative/explanation of you and your doll’s adventures. If your doll is spotlighted, you will get a free printable doll and outfit line to go on more fun adventures with your doll!

Puzzle Craft...

Since we have three that are preschool age, I decided to do my own Preschool at home this year. It has been so rewarding! Some days are harder then others, but I have tried not to over think it and it really has been nice to have a schedule and some planned time together.

We start out the day with "Calendar Time" (I still want to add a little scripture time and singing time to this part but haven't organized myself that far yet), then we move on to our "Table Time". Table Time usually consists of a fun craft and practicing reading and writing our alphabet. When all of the kids are busy, I take one of the girls out into the other room and we read about three or four books together. When that child is done, she tells one of the other sisters it's her turn. I've loved the time with each child individually on my lap. They have all for the most part been pretty respectful of one anothers' "special time with Mom". Ollie joins us occasionally but is usually napping during this time which helps.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a little craft we did the other day...so simple but really brought out their creativity and kept them busy for a while. We made puzzles!

Pretty easy, just note cards taped together on the back

I know you are shocked that Norah chose to draw kitties.

Laurel, Princesses and a Prince

Maisy asked me to start her off with a daisy...

Once they were done, it was time to put them back together...

Proud Maisy!

Remembering...

source

Makes me want to hug my loved ones a little tighter today and shake the hand of every service man and woman I can to thank them for preserving our freedoms. God Bless America.

I heard the news as I was preparing for my first week of work after graduating from College. What a day.

Where were you when you heard the news?

Favorites on Friday...

It's back! After about a year I have decided to start doing Favorites on Friday again. I just have so many great things to share and now have given myself a schedule to hopefully be able to do this each week. We'll see how it goes! :)

Let's start with one of my very favorites because it is helping me reach a dream/goal I've had for a very long time:

Have you heard of it? It's basically a video type game that teaches you how to read music, learn theory and ultimately play the piano! Click here to watch a video about it.

It is so fun and really addicting. Both Jeff and I have been doing it after the kidlets are in bed and we are amazed at our quick progress and that we can actually sit down and read music!

We are competitive with each other in a playful way so it is fun to see which of us can get past a level first and get 100% on a exercise.

My sister has been doing it with her kids and they LOVE it. You can see them in action here. Anyway, I just had to share because it really has been the perfect solution to me. It's cheaper than hiring a teacher and I can do it anytime of day or night so for my busy life it is just perfect!

My goal is to be able to play basic hymns so that when our family meets together for our Monday Family Home Evenings, I can play the songs we sing. I also dream of just sitting down at the piano and filling our home with beautiful music.

If you have any questions or you want to try a free trial, go HERE. Also, my sister is a distributor so if you are ready to do it, just type SINGER in the discount code section and you can get 20% off (that would make it $12 a month).

That's all I have time for today! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

XXOO,

Hannah

Doll Diaries... Brittany announces a Winner!

Brittany here again, ready and excited to announce two wonderful things. Not only will I be presenting the winner for Tuesday's giveaway, BUT, I will be doing so through a new weekly series called "Doll Diaries," starting with my MiniMe Paper Doll, Brittany! Hannah and I are excited to feature the adventures and activities of girls and their dolls from all around the world-and yes, that means each of you have a chance to be featured and win a new doll friend and outfits to go on your adventures! (See later for details!)

In any case, we shall begin our day with my doll, Brittany.

Some days, you just need to get things done. What's the best way to do that? With my lovely pink planner (I happened to purchase this the day before I found out I was having a girl... I think I was on to something!).

Looks like we need to prepare and send some packages, and pick a winner for the giveaway.

Off to work!

Overseeing printing here can sometimes get crazy!

Today, thankfully, everything goes just according to schedule. We're ready to begin packaging!

Packaging these dolls really is an art. Each doll has her own outfits ready to go, and it's time to wrap them up to be sent to friends around the world. These dolls we are packaging today are headed to a birthday party in North Carolina! I love imagining all of the fun they will have at their party! I wish I had a party like that when I was younger-but who says it is too late?!

Now that the orders are all taken care of, it is time to pick a WINNER for Tuesday's Giveaway Day... Backyard Edition!

When choosing winners, there's really only one thing you can do-grab a hat and draw a name!

The anticipation was almost too much to bear...

Drumroll, please!

Nicole B. will be receiving a FREE Print It Yourself doll and outfit line of her choice. Thanks to everyone who commented for the fun backyard activities! I know what I'll be doing this weekend!

Thank you all for joining us for Doll Diaries! I wonder who will be featured next!

Would you like to be featured with your doll in next week's Doll Diaries, and receive a new doll friend and outfits to go along for FREE?

Giveaway Day...Backyard Edition!

Oh.... Hello! It's Brittany here, ready to post today's giveaway! While I tell you about free stuff, Hannah and family are working like crazy on their backyard. Here are a few photos she shared with me:

In honor of Hannah and Jeff's hard work in their backyard, I thought it would be fun to think of all the backyard fun they'll be able to have once their work is done.

Which brings me to today's

Tuesday GIVEAWAY!

To be entered into the competition for today's giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment about one of your favorite backyard activities (we're talking foot races all the way down to making mud pies).

One lucky backyard-lover will receive a FREE (I just love that word) Print It Yourself Paper Doll and Outfit Line of their choice.

Who will it be? The results will be posted Thursday!