Featuring Blossom & Vine {& a giveaway!}

Well hello there, top of the page friends. 

My name is Aly and I'm a fellow dedicated reader who just can't get enough of Leslie and her wisdom and her writing. I'm sure you feel the same way, since your'e here. I'm so glad to be here today to tell you about myself and my shop and give a little prize to one lucky winner!

Like I mentioned, my name is Aly and I'm a mama to two beautiful little girls. They are three years old and five months old, and they keep me busy!

Since I can remember, I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and I really do feel like this is exactly where I'm called to be in this season of my life. But that doesn't keep me from pursuing things I'm passionate about. In fact, I think it allows me to pursue them. It's something I don't dare take for granted!

In the last four years I've begun to realize how much I crave a creative outlet just to stay sane. It's something I believe God has placed in me, and I shouldn't apologize for enjoying or for needing it.

Lately my husband has been realizing this as well, and has started to gift me with creative time. Doesn't really matter what I'm doing, I just need to be making, hanging, rearranging, or creating something.

I've been extra blessed in that many of my creative endeavors have turned into pretty things that other people want in their homes, too! I started out making headbands for babies, then transitioned to d-i-y patterns, and then prints, and then hoop art. Like I said, it varies.

Right now in my shop, Blossom & Vine, you'll find lots of prints and a few hoops. I'm especially fond of the prints because I am desperate for God's Truth to reign in my life, and I also like to put pretty things on my walls- best of both worlds!

In the last two years I've learned a lot about myself. A lot of good things and a lot of ugly things. I have a tendency to believe whatever voice rings loudest in my head, whether it's telling me the Truth or not. I think I usually believe lies because that seems to be the voice I feed throughout the day, with my sinful nature combined with the things I listen to or read or watch on TV. Lies are everywhere, and they're sneaky! If I don't consciously battle against them, by filling my mind with Truth, I can barely survive my day! 

That's why the prints are so important and dear to me, because they are beautiful to look at, but also serve such a vitally important purpose in my life. I need Truth to wash over me, get into the deepest parts of my heart and mind, really sink down and take root. My life depends on it. Being able to plaster scripture all over my house, that I created with my hands (okay, a keyboard and mouse) fulfills two great needs in my life, and I'm so glad to share that with all of you! 

Today I'm giving away a set of any two prints from my shop so that your home can be covered in Truth, too. OR if you're so inclined, you could choose a hoop instead. Either one, it's up to you!

{To enter Aly's giveaway, just leave a comment below. You will get an extra entry for being a follower of my blog, and for following Aly's blog, the mommie diaries, as well. That gives you a chance to enter three times total. Please leave a seperate comment for each entry!}

One more fun thing, and then I'm done. I recently opened a store on Zazzle.com, where you can buy my designs on iPhone cases, iPad cases, stickers, poster-size enlargements, postcards... (basically anything). Check it out here! 


Thanks for having me Leslie! Oh, and you guys can use "topofthepage" for 10% off in the shop at any time!