ALY ALLEN | THE BLOG

goodness this blog has been neglected... i'm here because i wanted to tell you about the holiday/christmas cards that appeared in the shop today! there are 8 different designs to choose from and THIS WEEK ONLY they're on sale at 50% off , as sort of a grand-opening-early-bird special. the fun part is, even if you don't have your family photos done yet, you can still order a card today as sort of a pre-order, but wait until you have your photos ready to customize and finalize everything. if you order one card and decide after getting photos taken that a different card will look better, we can easily "exchange" designs! (i won't issue refunds, though, just a switch to another one of my designs). here's how it works: 1) go here and buy the one you like 2) send me an email or etsy convo with your photo and last name you want on the card (first names if applicable)... if you don't have your photo yet, no problem, just let me know! 3) i'll m...

mother's day is always tricky in our family. both my mom and mother-in-law's birthdays are within one day of each other, and always within a few days of mother's day (if not actually falling ON mother's day some years). that's a lot of gifting and sometimes it's hard to come up with new ideas each year, you know? we usually do photos of the kids, a photo book, or something else meaningful. my mom always told me growing up that she'd rather have a gift i made her (no matter how lame) than something i bought. so i'm going with that. i usually always tuck a little print into their gifts, too. because that's sort of like a gift that keeps on giving, i think. plus it falls into the category of something i made . so i thought a 25% off sale would be fun, because maybe you want to gift a lovely print for mother's day too? use MAMA25 at checkout  from now through May 1st to guarantee delivery before mother's day. click here to shop ...

this print is dear to my heart because it's the first verse my daughter ever memorized. she was two years old and i'm sure i was the only one who could understand her, but she really did memorize it perfectly. the first verse, anyway. here's the proof captured on video . i initially chose this verse for her to memorize because i wanted her to know from an early age that God is always with her, and that He can handle anything. as she has grown, it's become apparent that this was exactly the verse for her. even at 3 1/2 years old, she struggles with fear. she's scared of the dark, she's scared to be in her room at night alone, she's scared to walk upstairs by herself [even during the day]. each night i remind her Who is always with her, even when i'm not. i don't want to raise her to be dependent on me, because i will let her down, i will not be with her every second of her life, and i just can't fix everything. but God can be and do all those th...

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 ;)

well this is a fun announcement for me: i'll be closing the shop on saturday, in preparation for a huge re-launch in February. i cannot wait to share my new designs with you! we're talking fancy new paper, a fancy new printer, and lots of work on the new designs. you guys, i'm so excited to reveal it all! but in the meantime, i'll be selling all existing prints at a good discount, just in case you've had your eye on something. you'll want to snag it ASAP! everything the shop is on sale right now at 30% off using that little coupon code up there and it will be until friday night at midnight. then it's closing. of course i'll announce the grand re-opening, so stay tuned for that in a few weeks! thank you for all your support, friends! now head over and shop ...

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: ...

Christmas night is one of the most bittersweet three or four hours of the entire year, don't you think? you've just spent two or three solid days celebrating with family and friends, and it's about to end much too soon? it's just not fun. so i'm having withdrawals today. i figured i might as well offer you free shipping through the end of the year. ya know, to cope? maybe you got an etsy gift card for christmas [lucky you] and you need somewhere to spend it? i gotcha covered . free shipping and all. oh yeah, and you might notice the blog looks a little different. not a huge difference, but just a little more cohesive and organized. i'm not really sure why i thought Christmas eve eve was the perfect time to redesign? but oh well, there ya go.

can you believe christmas is only 12 days away? it always sneaks up on me. are you done with your shopping? i'm not either, but i thought i'd help you out a bit. tomorrow, december 14, is the very last day to order to ensure Christmas delivery.  every order that's placed by friday at midnight will be shipped out saturday morning and you'll have it in time to frame and wrap and give! as a little incentive, and a great way to cross off those last few people on your list, the shop is on sale. yep, i know. you're welcome.

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...

yep, it's like black friday all over again! just in case you missed it :) SHOP HERE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  and also? i designed my christmas cards today, and uploaded and ordered through zazzle.com wanna see? this is a total spoiler if you're getting one from me in the mail... sorry :) [can be purchased  here ] because they're doing A M A Z I N G cyber monday deals on zazzle [that started today] remember how i told you about iPhone and iPad cases?  use code:  60ZCYBERSALE  for $10 off all cases and 50% off your Christmas cards [and more deals, see here ] i have three cute little chalkboard designs for sale... mine [shown above] can be purchased here and these two: found here found here and guys- these are SEVENTY FIVE CENTS per piece, using that coupon code 60ZCYBERSALE um, that's ridiculously cheap if you ask me? so head over and get your christmas cards if y...

40% off everything. today only. shop here .

there's nothing quite like a rainy morning. we always open up the window and listen to the rain and lay in bed a little bit longer. the cool air and the smell. mmmmm the smell of rain. it just smells fresh and new and promising. plus it signals that fall is finally letting her guard down for us. i do love the rain, but sometimes it's a bummer when it rains on your pumpkin patch plans [say that ten times fast]. that's what happened yesterday. we'd planned for a few weeks to head up to the pumpkin patch with some friends, but the minute we woke up, it was rainy and the forecast said rain all day long. we'd been looking forward to it, but i was not excited about the prospects of wetness and muddiness with the kids, so we decided not to go. i was bummed, not because i needed to go to the pumpkin patch so badly, but because i crave quality family time. something other than sitting around the house, since that's what we do most of the week. i always feel ...

it's no secret that i love fall. it's hard to love the fact that it comes on september 22, though, when you live in southern california. it's still in the high 80s and 90s here so it definitely doesn't feel like fall. but, i'm still ordering my chai latte in the spirit of fall, to get myself ready for it ;)  some fall-ish things that make me happy: here here here here here here and since we can't let it go by without celebrating, how about a sale through the end of september? this is unprecedented, friends. that's 4 prints for less than $30. don't forget about the kingdom collection , too. those are all on sale! nothing is left out, everything's free game!  [if you buy more than 4 prints, use the "4prints" code for 40% off your entire purchase]

every week i put three select prints on sale for half off! how fun is that?  this weeks prints are on sale  from September 4 thru 9 : A Dream is a Wish: other colors available [see all listing photos  here ] Psalm 23: other colors available [see all listing photos  here ] Banner Over Me: other colors available [see all listing photos  here and here ]

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...

every week i put three select prints on sale for half off! how fun is that?  this weeks prints are on sale from August 27 thru September 2 : Fruit of the Spirit: other colors available [see all listing photos here ] Seek First: other colors available [see all listing photos here  and here ] Trust in the Lord : other colors available [see all listing photos here ]

i'll come right out with it since i know you're all dying to know which three of you won the $40 shop credit! just so you know i'm telling the truth, that's the screenshot from rafflecopter  right after it chose the three winners at random... lydia april jessica i have just emailed you. can't wait to hear back from you :) if you didn't win, i thought this little announcement might be a fun consolation prize. what do you think about my new idea: every week i want to put three prints on sale for half price . buy one, buy all three, whatever! they're only $6 each! after the week is over, they go back up to regular price, and three more get discounted.  i think that sounds fun :) this week's discounted prints are: fear no evil whatever is true i hope you dance so go shop! these three are $6 for this week only. yay! this applies to all color combinations, by the way. there are lots to choose fr...