Another Blog?! Another Project!

Hello to all of our family and friends that read this blog. I just wanted to let you know what I've been working on lately.  As you may know, I have also been posting to a craft/sewing blog that I call "While They Sleep".  It has been really fun to connect with women all over the world and to show off some of the stuff I have made. I have made some good friends via the internet (I know scandalous) that I hope to meet in real life someday.  But I have decided to stop posting to that blog and change my focus a bit.  For a few reasons.  One is that there are a gazillion other craft/sewing blogs out there that are doing a fine job of sharing what they know.  Also, lately, the girls haven't been sleeping as much and I'm finding it harder and harder to get everything for a sewing project out and getting enough done "while they sleep" to make it worth the mess.

The biggest reason though is that I have(for a while now) wanted to have a blog/forum that focuses primarily on the work and joy of raising girls specifically.  I want it to be a place that mom's and older daughters can go to feel uplifted and inspired and also a place to record my thoughts and things I find while I live and study this topic. I have also (and continue to) invited some of the mothers/daughters I admire to do some guest posts on the subject.  I have named the blog: "Lily&Thistle - Girlhood Illustrated".  Here's what the header looks like:

 

If you want to know what's behind the name, you can go HERE.

I also want it to be a place that I can post some of the artwork I've been doing lately.   Jeff has introduced me to the world of digital illustration by teaching me all about GIMP(a lot like Adobe Photoshop but free) and helping me find the most amazing tool to do my art with, the Intous pen and pad.  I love this creative tool because there is no mess to clean up and I have complete freedom to try and do new things.  When the girls wake up, all I have to do is close whatever it is I'm working on and then I can pick up where I left off when it's less crazy and everything is there waiting for me.

For the last four months, I have been working on a line of custom paper dolls.  They are completely customizable with eight different hairstyles, four skin tone choices, six hair color, and eye color choices.  I wanted to make a doll that was cute and sweet and had a vintage feel to it but also current.  I also wanted girls and mothers to have a toy option that is modest and celebrates the sweetness of being a little girl. I am finished with a Spring line of outfits and a Fairy Tale line.  I'm almost done with a "Girls in Literature" line and looking forward to many many others. My new Etsy shop is called:

You can download a free paper doll to print by clicking HERE.

Just wanted to let you know what's going on behind the scenes over here.  Hope you are all well.

Love,

Hannah