ALY ALLEN | THE BLOG

that's right, the shop is open and filled with brand new designs! lots of scripture, a few re-designs of some oldies-but-goodies, and just overall something for everyone. i hope you love all the new stuff and find something that's perfect for your home! i'd love love if you tell all your friends, too! yep, just enter in that code and you'll get 30% off your entire order! first come, first serve. when the first ten orders have come through, the code will be deactivated (and i will update this post). so act fast!  most of all, have fun, and no trampling each other ;)

some of my favorite things on zazzle.com right now [use code MAKEYOURYEAR for 50% off the price you see listed here]     found here             |           found here            |           found here            |           found here [first three are some of my new designs, the fourth one isn't mine but i loved it] found here              |            found here             |            found here             |            found here [none of my designs, just thought they were super cute] and then use the same MAKEYOURYEAR code for 30% off iPhone cases! here are my faves: ...

okay, so i'm know i'm not alone when i say that i love getting happy mail. whether it's a simple hand-written note, a little goodie, or even a christmas card, i LOVE opening anything that isn't bills. amen? so i put a bunch of notecards  in the zazzle store . they're really inexpensive [and on super sale today] so why don't you grab one of each! i love having them on hand for whenever i feel inspired to jot a little note and send it along to a friend [which really needs to happen a lot more often]. anyway, check them out: buy here: 1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8 buy here:   9  |  10  |  11  |  12  |  13  | 14 | 15 [click here for more notecards] all cards are 75% off today! that includes christmas cards that i showed you here oh, and iPhone cases are 40% off today , just thought i'd throw that out there :) these are t...

i've always wanted to be a "real" artist. you know, one that can actually draw the things onto paper that i see in my head? well, one day i just started doodling in my bible study journal, on my chalkboard, with any available piece of paper and free moment i could find. it got addicting.  and now i have six prints in my shop that i've drawn myself. it feels like birthing a new baby, yet somehow i feel really vulnerable. probably because i really want to be a real artist and i don't know if this counts. i know. i'm crazy but it's this strange feeling that i'm evolving and growing in an area i would have bet you money i'd never be good at. i still wouldn't call myself an artist, but i do really like these little prints i've made. it's a weird feeling. but i hope you like them as much a i do :)  i have at least 3 more coming soon, and a few more dreamed up in my head... monday only, take 25% off for labor day using ARTI...

how was your thanksgiving? ours was wonderfully relaxing... besides the fact that i'm pretty sure i broke my foot [or maybe my toe]. i dropped the casserole dish right on it while trying to get it out of the cupboard. that didn't feel good. it still doesn't feel good. well i don't know about you, but i'm one of those gals who decorates for christmas the next day after thanksgiving. i need to enjoy it as long as possible. while i'm in the christmas spirit i figured i might as well write out my christmas list. it's never too early, right? okay good... so, for those of you who aren't out braving the black friday crowds [i never do]  here's what i've had my eye on. mostly, this is a very detailed, photographic list, including direct links, for my hubby to reference. but we really don't do lots of gifts for each other , so maybe this will just be an opportunity for you to add some things to your list? enjoy! looooove this pitcher. SO much....

it's my birthday on saturday. the big 2-7! so, in case you missed it, i'm offering a HUGE, unheard of  27% discount on anything in the shop . use BDAY27 at checkout. applies to anything--- patterns, printables, and finished pieces! from now until saturday. july 9. my birthday :) here are some of the awesome things you'll find, plus lots more: click on this collage to go to the "printables" section of the shop click on this collage to go to the "patterns" section of the shop click on this collage to go to the "finished pieces" section of the shop at 27% off of absolutely EVERYTHING, those prices are unbelievable. ridiculously low! don't forget to enter code BDAY27 at checkout [i won't be refunding the difference if you forget, sorry!]

well, i finally decided on my  new business name ! thank you so much for all your votes and suggestions. i really liked all of the choices i threw at you, but here's what i went with: [click on the logo to go to the shop! there are some cute things already for sale there. even "ready to ship" finished pieces!] yay! i love it. a few days ago, when i decided to change the name, i was telling my husband how i really wanted something to do with fruit, but couldn't come up with anything i absolutely loved. i wanted something that would represent "bearing fruit" in some way. and i also really loved the word blossom (which was pretty obvious from my last post and all those choices that had "blossom" in it). but i just couldn't figure out how to incorporate the "blossom" and the "bearing of fruit" idea. of course, because she's amazing and beautiful, leslie came up with "blossom and vine"... without even knowing i...

hi friends. i wanted to let you know about [and remind you of] a few things that are going on right now: first, please take a minute to visit  my friend Kim's blog , where she has sixteen lovely giveaway items waiting for you! $2 gets you one entry to the item of your choice. $25 gets you 15 entries (up to ten entries per item). and every penny goes to this place in Ethiopia called "Restoration Orphanage" that is in dire need of funds right now. the children are not doing well and they need money, like yesterday. i know we can all give a few bucks! and if you do, you can enter to win a set of ALL NINE of my flower tutorials  [a $60 value], or a set of finished headbands. remember how cute they are? go back to this post to refresh :) they're just sitting in my "craft room" waiting to be claimed and shipped to a deserving home. it could be your home that i ship to, for just a couple dollars?! okay, and also, i had to let you know that Nicole over at Red ...