The Subject was Roses

This week Make Mine Pink is hosting a shop hop on Pink Friday that will bring out the best of the best. It is called Romantically Roses. I am so excited to see what is offered.

I am going to introduce a new item by my friend , James Richardson of Booby Trap. wait till you see his amazing work. It's fun and so pretty! But you have to wait till Friday! ( Joyce is rubbing off on me!)

This darling little ring box will also be added to my boutique.

Oh don't you just love roses!

Yellow roses always make me think of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. Barbara Streisand singing "Don't rain on my Parade" at the end of that tug boat.

I saw that movie 14 times and never got tired of that wonderful image of her holding all those yellow roses.

My favorite color rose is white. It is called the peace rose. May this week bring you peace. See you Friday for dozens of roses!

A Positively Pink Sister

I wonder sometimes if we really know each other through the channels of forums and on line networking. How much do we connect?

Well today I received a package that was so well thought out you would think it had come from someone who had known me my whole life.

At first I thought it was my Secret Sister package from the gift exchange we are doing at Make Mine Pink. It wasn't. It was a surprise gift of love from Carrie Noelle Garrett. We have become friends on the forums at Make Mine Pink. We encourage each other to stay the course and keep our visions clear.

This lovely journal arrived just when I needed it. A gift reminding me to keep my vision clear. It could not be more perfect for me.

I love 40's floral and the background is all my favorite colors. My name is printed on the front with the caption "Take the road less traveled"

A little high heel shoe medallion is above the name. I love high heel shoes even though I am six feet tall . I have a huge shoe fetish.

But what really got me was when I opened it up. It says on the inside cover..........

This is a quote from my article about my Mom.

It is something my Mom used to say to me when I would get discouraged. I have not really been able to cry since my Mom passed away. This made me cry. A good clean cry of release. A good cry of joy knowing that I will find new love in the world even though Mom is not with me any more she is sending angels like Carrie to keep the light on my path. I think we connect in amazing ways and know each other well. Heart to heart we create great friendships out here in cyber space.

Visit Noelle Garrett Designs at Make Mine Pink. These are one of a kind gifts that you won't find anywhere else. The details are priceless. Thank You my sweet Pink Sister I am not alone. I am on the road less traveled with you! Blessings, Lilli

With My Mothers Eyes

My mother gave me many of the pieces I am posting today. I had no idea how much she is a part of me. I always knew we were close. But I didn't realize I was an extension of her.

She did. She was a natural mystic. She never read books about it or studied like I have, it was just her nature. She had a fine tuned intuition that was so powerful and accurate that all she had to do was think something and you knew it. I remember her doing something she called "sending mental messages". She wanted my brother to call home and my mother ,my sister and I sat in the living room and concentrated (sent mental messages) to my brother to call home. In just a couple minutes he called. I grew up thinking everyone did that!

Joyce reminds me of the qualities of my Mom. Mom helped women to become more than they thought they could be. She was the manager of the gift shop in Ceasars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas.

She had three shifts of women who worked for her. They all loved and respected her. She was tough but kind.

One year at Christmas she was working with a group of women on inventory for the shop. She was so proud of them she told them she would bake each of them one of her famous rum cakes.(It was crazy good like Clutter Bug fudge) she told them to bring her the rum and she would buy everything else.

When she came in to work the next day she went in her office and found a case of rum. She thought it was a joke and laughed so hard the girls came running in to her office to see what was up. She told them "Very funny girls" they said "What?" she said "The rum, where did you get all that?" They all were silent and handed her the list. It had 18 names on it. She howled. "I can't make 18 rum cakes. I'll be baking every waking moment till Christmas!!! I will bake one for each of the three girls that did inventory and one for everyone else to share!"

Through out the day begging began. One girl even got down on her knees and begged in the shop.Mother who was very dignified got all flustered. " It's just cake! My goodness girls get over it!"

It wasn't just cake. It was the way my mother did everything. She had grace and elegance. Her florals and wreathes are famous amongst the people who knew her. Always the most tailored elegant look. Nothing fussy,clean beautiful lines and colors. Her cake was the same. Rich delicious pound cake with some special drizzle. We never figured out just what was in it. That was her secret and it died with her. I think it was different everytime.

She found mini loaf pans and made mini cakes. I believe it was 18 mini cakes. She complained that they would never be as good because it was all in the pan but no one else complained.

I wish I had a picture but I didn't know how to use a digital camera when my Mom was alive.

She would have loved what I am doing with Make Mine Pink. She would also tell me that " You can do anything if you put your mind to it!"

This has been a tough week. So many things seemed to just go wrong. It is the voice of my mother in my head and in my heart that keeps me going. It is the spirit of Make Mine Pink that makes me not give up. I don't know what my niche is and I don't know what to do next but I know that giving up is not an option .

I'm the daughter of a natural mystic. I will tune in to my intuition. What I offer for Pink Friday will come from that. For now I will just share with you the beautiful things from my collection that bring me pleasure and hold the memories of the greatest real lady I have ever known. Dolores Marie Swihart March 3 ,1929 to February 20, 2008. love , Lilli

An English Tea

It's tea time at Make Mine Pink. Just click on the packages to the right and they will take you to a wonderland filled with all things tea. Make a cup and sit down and enjoy the great things available at Make Mine Pink!

This week I am including a gift with each purchase. Just click on an item and see the surprise gift!

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens.

It's Show and Tell Monday!

These are a few of my favorite things! Like Pink Fridays at Make Mine Pink!Visit us this friday for all things related to tea parties!

Well I stopped at a yard sale today. I spent $19.00 and I bought several things. A David Dart suit for my girlfriend Rebecca and another little suit in a purple gause. It will be great for the summer..also for Rebecca. I got a bust of a Flamico dancer. (She needs a little work on her forhead.)A really beautiful silver cigar band ring and my favorite of the whole sale a box of old buttons.

I just can't resist that old jar or cookie tin filled with old buttons.I feel like a child .Sitting on the bed sorting and looking at them.

The colors and shapes. are soothing and pleasant to me, I know you know what I'm talking about.

When life gets tough and the endless complaining about the economy gets to me I am grateful that a $2 box of buttons can bring me so much pleasure.

This is a rare photo. Her name is Lulah. Every time I point the camera at her she runs and hides so I never get shots of her.

Jewels on the other hand poses for pictures.He is the orange and white kitty in the slide show.

I live in L.A.in an apartment (the building is pink.Can you believe I just realized that!ha ha ha Oh Inka!) It isn't really busy on my street but it is

city.

Jewels is big on hunting, actually gathering he always brings his catch up alive. I have gotten very good at catching mice and the like and putting them out on the balcony to save them from cat games.

One night last year my cat Jewels and I heard this meowing. Little tiny "meeeuuus." But when ever I ran down the stairs to try and see where it was coming from. It stopped.

I finally gave up trying to find it and went to bed. Then at about 3 a.m. I heard some very loud screaming kitty sounds.I ran down stairs in my night gown to see what on earth was going on and there was Jewels with something in his mouth.

The little creature was kicking him in the head but he wouldn't let go of the catch. I shouted at him to put it down and there she was as tiny as a mouse. She was in full on Halloween cat mode. Every little hair on her tiny body standing on end all the way to the tip of her tail.She bolted.

Jewels stayed down stairs all night.he is such a loving creature.But when it was time for breakfast he gave up and came upstairs. Don't think that cat will ever miss a meal.

I heard the meowing and went down stairs one more time. This time she was so hungry and tired she let me pick her up.She was no bigger than the palm of my hand and skinny. I think she was about 5 weeks old.I brought her upstairs and gave her watered down cat food. She had little tiny teeth so she could eat. I thought I would find her a home.

Well you know how this story ends. I named her Tallulah after Tallulah Bankhead because she was so dramatic.Her name got shortened to Lulah.

That was just too much name for such a tiny little girl.

She got that round kitty look in a couple days and was healthy. She still won't let me touch her. But lately she has been coming into my bed at about 3am to get some cuddles. Once in a great while I get to pet her. She loves Jewels and comes when he calls her. Sometimes I have to tell him to leave her alone. He cleans her so much she will get soaking wet from licking.( I could hardly type that it was making me laugh so hard) So sweet.I'm patient and giving her all the time she needs.

This is a great lesson for me in business.Be patient and my business will warm up as well. Give it all the time it needs. But most of all don't get so crazy trying to make it happen that I lose sight of the joy in a $2 box of old buttons.

See you for tea on Friday!

In the Kitchen! Look what's cookin'

We are always cookin' up somethin' at Make Mine Pink, This Friday we will feature items for the kitchen. Now we are in my territory!(you too huh Georgia) I am single and live alone. I have five sets of dishes. Love them , use them all, want more.

I use cloth napkins at every meal.(OK OK if I had kids I wouldn't .....just sayin') I love linens.

I guess I love a lot of things. I just get so much pleasure out of looking at certain things. Sometimes I go to the shops at Make Mine Pink and ooooo and ahhhhhh.(I still have dreams about a certain pink vase....hummmm) So... my pictures this week are my kitchen . Happy show and tell Monday. PS the slide show is the inside of my cabinets!

Pink Friday or Who's Your Daddy?

It is Pink Friday tomorrow and the Father's Day Shopping will begin.I have several items that will be packed and ready to ship on Saturday USPS priority mail (if you purchase them tomorrow on Pink Friday.)

Grab a cup of coffee and get something for yourself too! Don't be late, you know my heart belongs to daddy though I think you are perfectly swell!LOL Visit all the shops at make Mine Pink, it's shopping with good friends.

Hard Candy! Show and Tell

These days my candy jar is filled with hard bracelets or bangle bracelets. I love them.

Yesterday I received a gift of some new ones.They are so delicious. I want to eat them. I thought I'd share some pictures with you.

I still wear hard bracelets. I was so glad when I heard they were coming back into fashion.

I saw a new musical yesterday afternoon called "Love, Janis" It is a musical about Janis Joplin.All of the dialogue came from letters Janis wrote to her family while she was on the road.

These bracelets reminded me of the ones I wore back in the day. My good friend James brought them to me as a gift for the concert. Well I don't drink Southern Comfort out of a bottle anymore LOL but I do still love the music. These bracelets "got a little piece of my heart,baby" Happy Monday!