Author: Allie Thelen

Lemon Rosemary Hand Scrub

Posted on by Allie Thelen

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Winter often leaves my hands in tatters! This easy DIY hand scrub has been my salvation during these winter months.  It also serves as a beautiful yet inexpensive gift during this holiday season.

LEMON ROSEMARY HAND SCRUB

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup avocado oil

3-4 cups epsom salt

20 drops lemon essential oil

2 Tbsp. lemon zest

10 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stripped

 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Add more oil or more salt, depending on consistency.  Spoon into mason jars and cover with material of your choice and ribbon or jute string.

Georgia On My Mind

Posted on by Allie Thelen

I remember thinking as a child how grateful I was to live in Georgia… and one of the reasons was because the “Georgia song” was just so awesome.  I mean, who doesn’t love some Ray Charles?! I finished a batch of wedding invitations, and was excited to start on some more creative projects.  This one has been in my head for a really long time, and I couldn’t wait to sit down and put it on paper.  A simple sketch of the state, some watercolor, and my Tombow Fudenosuke pen made for a quick little project, and I’m super happy with how it turned out =)

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Downtown Marietta Watercolor Print

Posted on by Allie Thelen

I have a fond admiration obsession for maps.  Especially vintage ones.  I also LOVE our quaint downtown with all of the amazing restaurants and green space.  I really wanted to capture all of that in an artistic way.  So I ventured the 2.1 miles to downtown and sat in the coffee shop and sketched out a map of “the square” and its restaurants.  I researched each restaurant’s logo and tried to capture the detail of each one.  A little watercolor and some outlines were added once it was all sketched out.  I must admit… I selfishly did this commission for myself, but after posting it on Facebook, I was flattered by how much people wanted it!  Keep your eye out, they’ll be coming to the market very soon!

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And just between you and me?

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If I had to pick one restaurant out of the bunch?

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I couldn’t.  Because they are ALL A-MAZING.  Just ask Alton Brown.

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Wedding Calligraphy

Posted on by Allie Thelen

I’m so glad you’ve come to Thistle & Palm for addressing your wedding invitations!  Your invitations will be your guests’ first glimpse into your special day.  So why not wow them with hand addressed envelopes?!  Addressing envelopes is one of my passions, and I promise to make every envelope a unique work of art.  There is a style for everyone.  And if you don’t see what you are looking for, please message me, and I will make sure you can have it!  All styles are customizable to fit YOUR needs.  Every wedding deserves the romantic, unique touch that hand addressed envelopes can give.

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Friday Favorites

Posted on by Allie Thelen
  1.  Turkish towels

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Big, plush, soft, and stylish.  My go to kitchen towels. I found mine at TJ Maxx, but Amazon also has some good options here.

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2.  Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens

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* name and address have been made up and changed to protect privacy*

When I first started doing brush lettering, my favorite pen was the Pentel Touch.  Soon after, I ordered these Tobows.  For a while, Pentel remained my favorite.  Until I started doing 100s of invitations…. I soon began to despise the Pentel and love the Tombows.  With the Pentel, it’s really hard to get a hairline upstroke.  The Tombows deliver on this every time.

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3.  Coral Carpet Sedum

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*Image found here*

As I was perusing our little downtown farmer’s market, this plant stopped me in my tracks.  It looks like a succulent, but it acts as ground cover.  I haven’t bought any yet, but I’m in love and totally digging it… now to find where I would put it…

4.  Ikea Ektorp couch

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Two days after I bought this couch, my 3 year old took a non-washable marker and doodled all over it.  I almost cried before I remembered that I could just take off the slipcover and wash it.  In less than 2 hours, it was back on the couch in mint condition.  Not joking.  I will forever sing this couch’s praises.  (It also took me less than an hour to put together- and that’s a huge plus in my book).

5.  Simple Matters by Erin Boyle

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Finally a simple book on simple living.  The perfect coffee table book.  Beautiful to look at, practical to flip through.

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6.  Tea cups and saucers

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I love rummaging thrift stores for these.  For mere cents, these become classics in my collection.

What are some of your favorite things?

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Simple Cleaner

Posted on by Allie Thelen

By nature, I’m not a cleaner.  A tidier and an organizer-yes.  But cleaning…. I have to be in the mood.  In order to simplify my cleaning routine, I’ve found that water and a little bit of soap goes quite a long way.  This simple cleaner has really changed the way I do cleaning.  Instead of grabbing 15 bottles of cleaner and pondering whether or not I want to have a headache for the rest of the day, this cleaner is my go to, cleaning all the surfaces of my home safely and gently.  DSC_0581

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I got these wonderful spray bottles at IKEA for 99 cents.  I loved the color and shape, and they spray very smoothly- it’s the little things.  My favorite dish soap is Palmolive’s Pure and Clear.  It has a pleasant mild scent, and still gets my dishes exceptionally clean.  So I knew it would do the same in the cleaner.  My two favorite essential oils are tea tree oil and lemon.  They both leave such a wonderful clean smell behind, and they both have amazing disinfectant properties!

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These cleaners have become the workhorses for cleaning my house.  And they couldn’t be simpler or easier to make.