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?