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?  

  

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!

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!        

Oh.....HELLO.

I said before that there would be some big changes around here.  We said good-bye to Camille in the last post (sniff, sniff) and now we get to say "HELLO" to Brittany!  I'm so excited for you to get to know her a little better.

 

(I love this picture of her...she was "modeling" for my etsy shop years ago.)

Do you remember her?  Remember this post?

Let me tell you a bit more:

Fun Fact #1: 

Brittany is essentially the one who brought my husband Jeff and me together.  When she was thirteen, she had a friend she was bringing to church who is deaf and needed an interpreter.  As fate would have it, I had just moved back to Reno and had just finished a job working with deaf children. So, when I overheard her mom (my future mother-in-law) tell someone she was looking for an interpreter, I volunteered!  I still remember the first time I met Brittany, I was so impressed.  She is a natural leader in all things good and worthy.  She has a passion for life and loves her family dearly (lucky us!).  

Aunt Brittany with baby Laurel

Fun Fact #2:  

Coming from a family of "left-brainers" Brittany is the creative one of the bunch. She plays the piano and viola very well and sings beautifully. She is also a great artist.  She dreams of writing and illustrating a children's book series one day (maybe we can get her to share some of her work with us?).  

She also has plenty of the Stevenson "left brain" to stay organized and (clearing throat) graduate from college two years earlier than her class. Such a smarty pants!

Fun Fact #3:

Brittany was born eleven years after Jeff (the youngest before her, she stole his title)...the caboose of the family.  For our first six years of marriage we lived just 8 miles away so I got to enjoy knowing her through braces and high school proms then on to college graduation....

And then there's THIS guy.  Her new husband, Ethan (who by-the-way is ready and very willing to share some French pastry tips with us in the future)! I love to watch them interact with each other.  They are the sweetest couple!

And they know how to eat a cannoli...am I right?  (Man, what I wouldn't give for a cannoli right now!) :)

Funnest Fact of All: They are expecting a baby GIRL in January! I can't wait to meet this little baby and to see these two be parents!


Brittany + Lily&Thistle = A fresh and energetic vision and some great goals for Lily&Thistle.  She is getting me organized and giving me a little kick in the toosh to get going again.  Tune in Monday for a whole new schedule for the blog which will include weekly giveaways and some other really fun themes!

Until then, wanna welcome her?

Goodbye and Hello...Big Changes

Well the time has come for a few big changes behind the scenes over here at Lily&Thistle.  Change is mostly, always bittersweet.  The bitter part is saying good-bye to my right-hand, Camille.  Thankfully we're related  (thanks Micah) and I get to see her at family events but it will not be the same.  I have loved all of the extra excuses we've had to talk and see each other.  It has been such a fun little chapter.

 

I cannot believe we are going on almost three years running this little business!  Camille has been there from the beginning.  So excited, so full of great ideas and always so positive and willing to do whatever we thought it would take to be successful.   Patient with all of the bumps and bruises that come with learning as we go.  So many hours of printing, stuffing and shipping (mostly during holiday seasons).

She has seriously been amazing.  But this "good-bye" for us is a big "hello" for her.  She is moving on to make more time for her family and her own thriving business.  If you haven't heard of Singer's Company, you should check it out. Camille was made to work with these girls!  She brings out their confidence and spark.  She has the talent of making everyone she meets feel like they are the most important part of her day and she gives that gift to so many little girls through this group.

I could go on but I won't.  Mostly because I can feel Camille blushing as she reads this.  If you have  received a package or corresponded with Camille or just enjoyed the little bits I've shared, please leave a comment and let's all say good-bye. Love you Camille and THANK YOU.

*On Thursday, I will introduce you to our new  "Hello".

Assignment no.1

Do you want to know a secret?  From the time I started the paper doll business 2 1/2 years ago 'til now, I have been using a free program called GIMP and Microsoft Publisher to do all of my graphics.  Jeff knew these programs pretty well so taught me what I needed to know to do what was in my head but...

I learned very quickly when I started working with a professional printer on the Paper Doll Coloring Book that I would need to upgrade to Adobe products which are the industry standard.  I have been pretty intimidated by both Illustrator and Photoshop and frankly haven't had a lot of time to figure either out.  I am happy to report that I have found an AWESOME resource.  Have you heard of Nicole's Classes?  Wonderful classes taught by creative people with creative people in mind.  So basically taught in a language I understand (FINALLY).

Anyway, I thought I'd share with you some of my assignments as I go along.  I am starting with the Illustrator 101 class.  This week my teacher, Alma Loveland taught us about type, selection tools and color tools.  Our assignment was to create a 16x20 inch poster using text and color.  It isn't anything special really but I learned a lot making it...so that's good!  I have had this quote in my collection for a while and thought it was perfect for this.  It's shortened from the original. 

If you want to print this, let me know and I'll send you the file.  I'll have my tech savvy hubby make it so you can easily download it soon. Enjoy!