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
