Happy New Year!

The New Year is waiting in the wings. The holidays have come and gone and the promise of spring is in my heart and on my mind.

What do I need to do to end this year and begin the new one?

Nothing really it is just going to happen. That is the beauty of life. It just keeps moving forward.

The sand of time waits for no one.

Refection brings me to a new place. A magical place of evaluation. A place where I get the opportunity to release the unwanted and decide what I will keep as an active energy in my life now.

The most important thing that I have learned in 2008 is compassion. I have compassion for myself which allows me to be more compassionate with others.

I always thought of myself as a compassionate person but a deepening understanding has shown me ways that I may improve .

I choose to release the voice in my head that has harsh words for anyone or anything, including myself.

I stand arms spread wide. I welcome love. I forgive every error of the past and commit to happiness.

I release who I thought I was suppose to be and commit to authenticity. This will change the way I do everything. It will bring ease and grace.

Thank you all for your contributions to my life in 2008. I want to start listing but I don't want to leave one of you out. So I ask that you remember what we have shared in 2008 and know that my life has been better for having known you and shared a part of this earth time with you.

I am so grateful for the whimsy. I respect the knowledge shared. I am stronger for seeing your courage. I bless you all for the open sharing of your stories and your lives.

We are powerful beings. May your minds be clear and your hearts be full of perfect creative expression. Most of all I send you love. Let's all have a New Year filled with the best that life has to offer.

Cheers, Lilli

It's not the gift it's the wrap that counts.

In my family gift wrap is a big deal. My sweet Mother was the best at gift wrap. Always used real satin ribbon and no store bought bows. Her packages were so beautiful that when I was a little girl I never wanted to open them. She would laugh and say " For heaven's sake Debra just tear the paper." I would open them so careful so I could save the pretty paper.

My Aunt worked in the gift wrap department of a department store downtown Elgin, Illinois so she had all the fancy package decorations. I still have package decoration that came on packages from my Aunt. I use them on my tree.

My sister also worked in the gift wrap department of ZCMI in Utah. When she changed departments and became the toys buyer people came looking for her at Christmas because it just wasn't the same without her cheerful wrapping.

My sister is not decorating this year for Christmas. She lived with my Mother and since this is our first year with out my Mom she just can't face all the memories the ornaments hold. So I decided to do over the top packages and send them to my sister so she can place them around the house for decorations and after we open them on Christmas morning her house will be all undecorated for her again.
Now my Mom has a storage shed FULL of decorations. My Mom was Martha Stewart with a dash of real elegance. Everyone I know has a center piece or wreathe by my Mom.

In spring when the holiday has pasted my sister and I are going to open that shed. There are boxes in there that have not been opened in years! It will be fun but probably a little melancholy as well. Two sisters bonding over Christmas past. We are going to do it when the sun is shinning and the pool is open so we can go swimming after.

This year I didn't unpack my old decorations for the same reasons. Too many memories. Next year I'll take them out again.

Last Friday at Make Mine pink we shared decorating and gift wrap ideas. My Little Pink Boutique has a bunch of great ideas check it out http://www.makeminepink.com/boutiques/details/?store=210. It is our way to say Thank you for being wonderful customers all year long. This Friday at Make Mine Pink we will be sharing our holiday reciepes with you so please stop by and have a peek for some yummy ideas. Here are some pictures of my kitchen . I always change out all my pastel pottery for my Botonical Gardens pottery and snow men. Enjoy and have a wonderful season! Lilli

A winner to my first blog give away!

And the winner is................................ The Princess of Pink! Dutchy..............Merry Christmas your package is on the way. Thank you too all who entered.

Holiday catalog for shopping in your pajamas!

Tis the season to forget about traffic and stress. Shop with Make Mine Pink. Get your gifts wrapped and shipped with grace and ease by your very own personal assistant. The shop owners at Make Mine Pink will do the work for you. The selection is wonderful and the items come packaged with love.

A time to create memories for the future. You attend parties , get to decorating and let us ship wonderful gifts from our catalog and shops to your loved ones for you.

Just click the picture and have a cup of coffee, a wonderland of holiday fun awaits!

I am having my first give away! Marie of Savon Marie and Lilli Blue's Vintage Rescues want to invite you to look at the catalog and tell us the the item from the sites at Make Mine Pink you would ask Santa for if you were sitting on his lap right now. Be a kid for a moment. I had so much fun last night browsing the sites and being silly. I do love eye candy and the shops at Make Mine Pink are abundant with that! So come on have some fun. In the comments section write a letter to Santa.

Browse through the shops and post your secret wish, include your email for our mailing list and you will be entered to win this wonderful gift basket. Basket is a vintage replica of an old cosmetic label. A Bomb shell soap from Blond in the bathtub line.

Vanilla Sugar lotion and Milk Bath from Savon Marie.

Two beautiful cotton wash cloths.

All come tied in white tulle with a silver star and pink silk flowers to decorate it. Talk to Santa now and remember all holiday to leave stress out and keep your child like imagination alive. Blessings ,Lilli

The Power of The Vision Board

I have a vision board and as most of you know my first published interview was with Joyce Schwarz the author of The Vision Board/The Secret to an Extraordinary Life.

That for me was a dream come true. I have been writing for a very short time. It was a big deal to me to get and do an interview with someone so successful. Someone who is published and a book that is at the core of my belief system.

I am a believer in the power of our minds as tools to attract to our experience the things we most desire. I went to classes for 5 years and am a licenced Spiritual Mind Practitioner.

The Centers for Spiritual Living teach that God is with in and our belief is creative. They teach that we live in a cause and effect world. The cause is our belief or thought and the effect is our life.

Practitioners work with people to help them clear up the things they believe. They do a form of prayer called " affirmative prayer" . I don't ask from an outside God , I reveal things from an inside God. I claim the good that I desire. People say " Seeing is believing" I say " Believing is seeing".

I support your spiritual journey what ever you believe. There is one God and many paths to understanding. Not one right way , but many ways to realize the power of God.

I have just started using a vision board. I don't believe the images on my board have power but that what those images bring to my mind does.

I posted a picture of a woman dressed in vintage clothing on my board because I am working to change my business from a mish mash of all kinds of things to a store of beautiful, affordable clothing. Vintage styles and accessories with a touch of home decor.

At the time I put the picture on my board I didn't notice the mantle so much. But everyday I was looking at the picture and believing this or better would be mine.

I have a friend who is an artist and an interior decorator. He did a home that was shabby chic. It was becoming a modern home.The lady wanted him to just get the things she didn't want out of the house.

I was the lucky one to receive a new white rug with pink and blue flowers and a wonderful plaster mantle. I had a rug that was an old black and red Persian rug. It was a good rug but did not reflect my taste. I am a cross between shabby chic and ultra modern.

I live in an upstairs apartment and must cover my floors 80%. When I ripped out the carpet to reveal the hardwood I had to put a rug down and the black one is what appeared.

I fine tuned my desire and began talking about and visioning a light lovely rug. I started clearing and cleaning and decorating as though the rug were light. I finally picked up the black rug and put down an $14 rag rug in beige just to have the feel I wanted. I was not in a position to buy a new rug of any value.

Then the items came. I also received the left over paint and it is a wonderful Tiffany blue. I started to look at the picture on my vision board and realized she was leaning on a mantle in a Tiffany blue room. I never dreamed of a beautiful white mantle but the image went into my subconscious mind so clearly that it appeared, at a price I could afford, FREE. That picture embodied a feeling I wanted about my life and work.

I am a red head, she is a red head. I started looking at the picture and realized I could create that look with the things I already had. Another one of my clients had some old art work they wanted out of the garage so they could park in it. I received a wonderful 50's painting of Paris. I have a picture of Paris on my vision board.

OK here is my point, it is easy for me to believe in my ability to attract things. I have a nack for it. I just have to get the nack for attracting the qualities of life I desire. No matter how much I have studied building the consciousness of success is still a daily job. If i can attract things I can attract success.

That is where you all come in. My girls at Make Mine Pink keep me on track. You help me believe I can be a success even when I don't believe it. We all want sales, but the measure of success for me can't be on sales alone. I am fine tuning my consciousness of success and you better believe that customers who want what I have is going on my vision board right after I push print on this post!!! LOL

Blessings dear ones, Lilli

Shop Hop Day One

This is for the purest. Yes we love pink and in my case blue but some people just love traditional holiday decorations . I created this for them. I know it isn't my usual look but I wanted to provide something that could be sent as a gift to someone who loves the red and green. It has roses....LOL

OK here is my pink....ahhh I had fun making this one. Sparkles all over the place.

This shop is near my house. You can not believe my delight when I saw the pink couch. I love the reflection in the window. for some real eye candy check out this link http://www.mycozicouch.com/

hope you are all enjoying great success at The Shop Hop at Make Mine Pink. Everyday I am adding new items. Special thanks to Pei Li I won her blog give away! Whoo hoo!

Make Mine Pink goes to Hollywood.

See you at the http://www.makeminepink.com/ shop hop! Prizes and holiday fun start November 2. It's more than a color it's the color of success! Make Mine Pink the premiere shopping network.
You will find great gifts and you can shop from home while sipping coffee in your bathrobe. That is what I call a stress free holiday!

In Southern California people are obsessed with beige. Homes are all creme color and muted shades of beige with black accents. Shabby Chic has almost disappeared.
Once you get out of Beverly Hills you start to see color again. I always say I live so close to Beverly Hills you can smell the botox! LOL

The book signing would be my first chance to infuse a beige world with the color of success, PINK.

Digital Hollywood is a big event. It is filled with deal makers and Hollywood new comers looking to meet the deal makers. You have the pros and the "fringe" ( people looking to get in the loop) It's a sea of "Let's do lunch" Personally I don't "do" lunch, I eat lunch.LOL No one has an empty hand, they are filled with business cards , the ones you are giving out and the ones you are receiving from everyone. Horns are tooting loud and fast all over the place. It is a good buzz of energy.
The event was by the pool at the Loew's Hotel in Santa Monica. I had to park down the block at a different hotel, they had no parking left at Loew's and I got there an hour early. I was the first to arrive at the event and the hotel had not gotten the tables set up. a couple of the other ladies and I rallied the waiters and got the show on the road. We set up tables with white cloths and I staked out my spot and set up. You could feel the nervous energy of everyone wanting to do a great auction.



This is an interview going on with Dr. Susan Block. I really hit it off with her. She is a real character. A vision in purple! The boots were a dark purple patten leather and her jacket was a lovely cut velvet. She is a hat lady and so am I. Her dress has a beautiful broach at the breast, I told her to check out Make Mine Pink for great vintage hats and broaches. I ,of course, gave her a card.

The hostess of the event was caught in traffic , no one knew what to do and where to set things up. But life is what happens while you are making other plans and I remained calm and made friends. I had to move my display several times. Every obstacle became an opportunity to talk about the product and Make Mine Pink. Ladies I am so proud of all of you and what we do, it was easy and my pitch got better with every set up. Opportunity disguised as chaos.

These darling ladies are from the World Trust. Tess Cacciatore is the founder and Executive director (Tess is the blond in the middle.) The World Trust sponsors programs for the empowerment of youth. Check them out at http://www.worldtrust.org/ . They were also part of the auction and Tess has a vision board that is featured in the book.
















These are a couple of shots of things they had to auction. (not the cute guy, the scooter LOL) and a wonderful bracelet, ( that picture was for you Gail) along with cruises and video games and many lovely things.

The author Joyce Schwarz arrived , God bless her, she must have been beside herself having to park down the block and walk to the hotel after being stuck in traffic and rush in late. This is Joyce signing books. She signed mine,"To Lilli, Who shares the vision ? Lilli and Joyce do!"

I got a chance to meet so many people and hear who they were and talk about Make Mine Pink. The next gal was a doll. She had used a vision board to loose 100 pounds. She carried a photo of her former self in her purse and showed me the "before" shot. What a bright light this gal has, her name is Donna Kosik, her story is on page 154 of the book. I fell in love with her. Her energy was so happy!

I got to meet the founder of My Inspiration Lounge. I had seen her on a blog and there she was in person. I am sorry to say that the picture of her just didn't turn out but here's the link if you would like to check her out http://www.myinspirationlounge.com/. it's an information site and full of inspiration.

I loved the sea gull. He knew who he was, one proud bird. ( I took this one for you Inka)That was me girls, one proud bird.

I am so proud of what we do at Make Mine Pink and the way we do it. I can recommend any one of you with confidence that excellence will be their experience. Beautiful products and amazing presentation.

This is Rene'e Piane , she has a company called Rapid Dating. She fell in love with the Bobby Trap so we took a picture of her with the basket and set the intention that she would win it! I can't wait to hear if she got it. I promised her if she didn't win it I knew where she could get more! LOL She met her husband using her own techniques. He was such a doll and sooo handsome. You could tell they were really in love.

I could go on and on . I know this is a long post but I wanted to share my exciting day with you. I have found new ways to promote myself and Make Mine Pink. From the top down you are a delight to me and everyone I share your sites with is in for a treat.

We are going to ROCK this shop hop! Thanks for being a part of my joy. Blessings, Lilli

Read my interview with Joyce Schwarz in the "Women Who Inspire" column for November. The Vision Board/The Secret to an Extraordinary Life ,is a page turner. It's the Clutter Bug Fudge of books! LOL It's so good you can eat it with a spoon.

A special Thank You to Joyce Schwarz for a great interview and a wonderful opportunity to grow and learn. Success is the out come of everything if you look with a clear vision. I see your book building new extraordinary futures. blessings, Lilli

It's in the basket/ Happy pillows.

Just a quick post with a bunch of pictures this week. I am doing a big event tomorrow and promoting shopping at MMP. Funny how I was asked to create a couple gift baskets for the event and this Pink Friday is called In the Basket! LOL

Joyce Schwarz wrote a book on vision boards. It's called The Vision Board /The Secret to an Extrordinary Life.

The first is a basket with a copy of her book in it and a bunch of goodies representing MMP on my vision board. The money goes to cancer victims and I wanted to pass my vision on to someone who needs a new out look. I love my board but I felt it had a higher purpose.

Second is a Booby Trap with a evening bag from Barney's of New York and a crystal heart trinket box with Pat's pot pourri spread in the bottom.( lesson for those doing photos.... don't photograph basket with the cellophane on them. Big shine issue. Do photos before cello. Learn from my mistakes . LOL)

And last are photos of what I call Happy Pillows. They are big, fluffy and soft. I have used documentary prints of vintage fabric in rich linens. I love them ,they make me happy. I love to give them to people when they need a lift.

I have a question. I have more of each of these fabric. I was thinking of making slip covers for my site out of the fabrics. Easy to ship. Great way to repurpose and old bed pillow.

Here is my question, is it too unsatisfying to buy a pillow with no stuffing? Would I be better off filling them? I know I get a real charge out of stuffing them but slip covers are much more practical to ship. What do you think?

Have a great week. Hope to see you all at the shop hop....hopping and shopping! November 2 through 13 at http://www.makeminepink.com/ blessings, Lilli