A CALL TO FELLOW BLOGGERS FOR HELP

Hello faithful bloggers! I am here today to ask for your help. As most of you know, I contracted the H1N1 virus in mid September of last year. For 3 months I battled unknowingly for my life, winning the struggle. I am still now. in the end of January, experiencing overwhelming fatigue and breathing difficulties. Two days ago the original symptoms of "The Pig" returned to my astonishment. They are in a much less intense form, fever very low, and sporadic, sore and swollen throat is already gone, cough persists.

My request begins here.... I have an appointment with a pulmonary specialist on Tuesday at noon. I would like to enter his office with knowledge and detail of this virus. Do any of you have experience with recurrence of this virus and/or continuance of the cough and breathing problems? Any friends or family with these problems? The Dr.s still don't have enough information about this virus to complete treatment, so I would like to be prepared to help!!! Thank you so much! I am more than happy to share whatever I learn.

Karen

Valentine Special

Valentine’s Day evokes thoughts of nostalgia and romance. Memories tied together with faded ribbons and trimmed with antique laces, telling of first romances long ago past, loving grandparents holding hands, and loves that have endured across long years and distances.Romantic memories stirred by your great-grandmother’s secret love letters, bound carefully by silk ribbons and bows, and tucked into a hat box stored in the back of a closet shelf. Stacks of vintage postcards, with words of love gracefully written across the back and faded images of another time.

They speak of long-ago romance and promises that would be kept for many years to come. A vintage handkerchief, hand-embroidered with tiny hearts and delicate flowers, tucked into the corner of a handbag or decorating the top of a night stand, adds a touch of romance to your everyday life. You were never sure where it come from, except that it belonged to someone who treasured this delicate souvenir of her love. Lifting the lid of an antique dresser box, a silver locket, still hanging from its antique chain, which once kept those loved dearest, close to heart. Faded photographs placed in vintage frames upon an antique bookshelf, that tell of romance and happy times. The stories of lives built together fill the pages of a vintage photo album, now gracing your coffee table. You pick it up and slowly flip through, remembering the faces you used to know, and imagining stories about the ones you don’t recognize. Beautiful vintage boxes for candy and romantic treasures, decorated with old-fashioned fabrics, handmade lace and satin ribbons, perfect for storing your favorite Valentine memories that your children and grandchildren will treasure for years to come.

Add a touch of romance to your home or gift giving this Valentines Day.

Joyce Lucas, FounderMake Mine Pink

CLOUDS

It was a beautiful day in Portland, Oregon today. We are reaping the benefits of an El Nino year, warmer temperatures and a lot less rain. Today was sunny and warm for January. Eileen and I were really looking forward to a huge production day. Wrong!!

You know those days... the phone rings non-stop, needles break in the sewing machine, husbands need errands run because you don't have a real job. The skies feel like they are darkening, black clouds roll in to the skies of your mind. The bit of sun is that you are with a friend and you can share the change of plans in a much anticipated day.

On the way home from the library where I had to drop our ballots off, I looked at the still blue skies and thought of the selfishness of my disappointment. We are so fortunate to be living in this country, as wild and confused as things may be. My home is intact, I have running water and electricity at my fingertips. I was able to spend some precious time with a precious friend and we did accomplish a few good things on our list. The choice is mine, the choice is yours.... do we accept and internalize the dark clouds or appreciate the blue sky and the fluffy white clouds?

New listings still to come!

Working With A Best Friend

Have you ever craved being with a friend? Doing things that you love together? Today was my day after months of waiting. Eileen and I were actually able to pull out projects that we had been planning and actually sit down together to work.... side by side. It was Heaven. We chatted, solved world problems and sewed. SEWED!! It was bliss. Tomorrow we will be able to finish a few to list and show you on our website.



This is one of my favorite photos taken years ago when we first started working together. My grandson was 2 then and so eager to try everything we were doing. He just loves Eye-eeen.


We all have special friends who become more than special to us. Eileen and Linda have become my sisters. I know that I can go to them with any problem, any need and they will help, in love. We 3 love to create together and work together. Gifts they are!

Then we are blessed with new friends and new opportunities. This wonderful woman has invited us into her dream, a vision that she has had most of her life, but didn't know how to create it. We're all trying together. A smile straight from Heaven!

Then we all have the wild and crazy friend, Sue is mine! We go on road trips together, road trips not for sissies! This photo was taken after a small run in with German border entry officials. The smile is all relief that we were not in jail. The big question.... would our husbands come to find us? Our road trip names are Thelma and Thelma because no one wanted to be Louise.

My dad was my closest friend for many years until he left for Heaven. His knowledge and wisdom still rings in my heart and mind today, his hug and laugh are just a heartbeat away. I'm sure that many of my eccentric quirks are straight from my dad and probably drive Eileen nuts!!

Then we have the wonderful four legged friends, the friends who show us complete unconditional love without being taught. My out of control, 85 pound puppy brings me such joy.

Isn't life wonderful? Even if money may be in short supply, sickness abounds and people disappoint, we always have our gifts, our talents to use and our friends to bring laughter, love and comfort. Do what you love and then hug a friend, or both at the same time if you are truly blessed like me!

A Productive and Inspiring Week

We jumped into our new adventure this past week! A friend in need has asked us to decorate the large inside shop of her newly purchased nursery property. It is a wonderful spot in downtown Lake Oswego.

This is the room that we started with. The previous manager had displayed in a rather linear design style which appeared more like a warehouse than the warm and inviting space that the owner had seen in her dreams.

This is the other half of the large room. There is not much walk by traffic, but instead, lots of drive by lookers. Window displays had to be bold, colorful and rather large to be seen.

This is our cottage section, mostly white, cream and pastels. We love the quiet serenity of this area. Fresh potted flowers will be positioned to add a touch of nursery color.

We decided on a dramatic black and white vignette for the entry, at one side of the front door. Vintage pieces were mixed with garden and even some contemporary items to complete the Estate Garden look. It turned out nice don't you think?

Along with a vintage kitchen corner with vintage finds and linens, a Valentine's Day vignette and a more elegant glass and china center area, we designed a small garden spot using our trademark greenhouse and post digger garden table. This area blends in with the garden supply area.

We have decided that our talents together are God given and not anything that we have attained on our own. We also believe that people are brought to us so we can use those talents to help others. The woman who now owns this shop just found out that her husband has Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. He can no longer run their family business which is a large wholesale nursery. She has no experience in retail selling or merchandising. The anxiety was palpable. So while we were setting up the inside shop, other friends were working on her computer systems, organizing the landscaping plants outside and helping customers who were already starting to come in to shop. I don't know who was blessed more! Gradually the paralysis of extreme stress began to lift from our new friend, we actually saw a few smiles. Prayers will be needed for our friend Dani, that she will gain strength and confidence, that her dream of a little retail shop will not only come true, but thrive, and the fears about her future with her husband will be calmed.

On the Way Home

We're on our way back home today, hoping that our flight will be on time and that all will be well when we arrive. Our 10 days in the desert air went by much too quickly and the sun was wonderful. I am disappointed to feel no change to my poor tired lungs, but it was a good effort.

January is a big question mark down here as to weather. Storms and rain are to roll in all of this week. Everything seems to be very dry. The desert is not blooming yet and even the birds are missing.

I'm sure our next trip will be much more colorful and filled with bird songs. The old nesting spots are ready and waiting!

Introducing A Brand New Product Category!

We are so excited to introduce a brand new product category today! Karen is quite the photographer! She has an amazing ability to see even ordinary things with an artistic eye.

Many times we've been driving down the road and she'll pull over and jump out to take a picture! We share with you some of our favorite shots taken on many of our road trips and favorite memories. We hope you love them as much as we do! Karen has made them into beautiful card. You'll find them in our MMPink Friday Event category. You should also visit Make Mine Pink and see what else is new!

In With The New!

Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday January 15th 2010 as we present "In with the new"

The New Year comes in, bringing with it permission to try new things that you hadn’t considered before. Or perhaps this is the year for something you’ve always wanted to try but hadn’t quite dared. You can give your entire home a New Year makeover, make some changes in a favorite room, or just add new touches to a special corner.

Perhaps cottage chic is the look you wanted to try. You can combine floral patterns with checks and ticking, in colors ranging from bright hues to muted tones. Top comfortable overstuffed couches with beautifully handmade pillows and hang bright artwork on the walls. You can set an inviting table set with charming vintage plates, a vintage buffet in the corner to display your favorite collections.

Maybe you’ve been thinking about adding a rustic look of French Farmhouse to a large room or to a cozy nook. You can make this change by adding painted furniture. White or cream dressers and shelves, maybe a table top decoupaged with French-style wrapping paper would make the perfect accent piece. The key is to add small touches that make it unique. White pottery canisters, pitchers and urns are perfect for holding utensils and flowers on a counter or table top to complete the look.

Shabby chic celebrates the simple life and the comforts of home. Pastel greens, pale pinks, sky blues, muted grays, mixed together with all shades of white. Previously owned and well-loved items that have been handed down through generations are abound. Vintage wicker baskets, wrought iron candle holders, interesting lamps, they all combine to create a feeling of home and the comfort of time.

Give yourself permission to try something different, and celebrate the new year with a new décor. You’ll find everything that you need at Forget Me Not Dreams and the Boutiques of Make Mine Pink.

Written by: Joyce Lucas,

FounderMake Mine Pink

A NOTE FOR CAROLEE

These photos are for Carolee who is freezing and deep in snow in England!

I drove up to our Multnomah Falls in the Columbia Gorge because things were obviously cold. The waterfall had frozen nearly completely, but the highway was clear and the next storm hadn't arrived yet.

The ice formations were breath taking, as were the cold temperatures. I believe that this was the beginning of the storms that began to cross the nation, dumping ice and snow, closing highways, leaving damage in their paths.

The next day the highway was closed with cars and trucks piling up at the entrance to the Gorge, waiting for the storm to pass and the plows to clear the road. Carolee and all of you hurt by the storms of this winter, know that our hearts are with you, praying for warmer temperatures without flooding.

Monday in Tucson

I am feeling guilty sitting here in the sun and 70 degree temperatures while the rest of the nation is freezing and iced in. This is part of my 2 month recuperation per doctor's orders, "lay in the sun for more Vitamin D and get to a dry place to heal your lungs". I'm here! I don't have to look too far back to remember coming here, protesting hugely against the forlorn landscape, void of the tall green trees that I love. Now it is a necessity to escape the damp and mold. Am I ashamed? ...Yes!

So, between napping half the day, I have been stitching and hope to work on my photos to list more on Etsy and our website. Eileen & I are having too many new ideas to put onto one site! We're trying though. A new adventure has also presented itself. We are working with a new nursery business in downtown Lake Oswego, building their indoor space into a little shop that we hope the neighborhood will enjoy. The owner has never done retail merchandising, just beautiful plants and flowers, so we are really excited about mixing the two and learning from each other. We'll keep you posted on how that progresses.

Our 50% off sale was a huge success, so we hope to do another soon! Thank you for your support and encouragement in so many ways! On to 2010!!

Making Way For The New

We're so happy to be back to business as usual in this wonderful new year. I love feeling that all things are possible. We’re so happy to let you know that our exciting PINK FRIDAY events will continue for yet another year! 2010 promises to be full of fun and exciting themes for your shopping pleasure. Won't you join us Forget Me Not Dreams each Friday as Make Mine Pink presents "Shopping with a Twist?"

With the new year, we make resolutions, determined for a fresh new start. We clear out the old plans and start working on new...making way for all of the wonder a new year can bring. We are experiencing the same thing with our business. We love our planned events, and our merchandise is gorgeous - but it is time for us to straighten up the shelves a bit, look at everything with new eyes, and a fresh outlook. So this week, we are celebrating this PINK Friday with a special “Making Way for the New” shopping event. Don’t be fooled by our fabulous sales and low prices. It’s still our usual beautiful and unique merchandise! We just need it to go to a new home so that we can stock our shelves with new and even more exciting merchandise for the new year. Don’t miss this once a year Sales event! Friday, January 8th at Forget Me Not Dreams and Make Mine Pink!

Written by:

Joyce Lucas,

FounderMake Mine Pink

Back To The Real World !!

We're back! The Holidays were wonderful, time spent with family, building memories. Eileen was able to babysit her new grandson traveling from Atlanta, a most precious gift. I actually had my first full day up in three months on Christmas Eve, feeling like a real person again. Life has taken on a new meaning and a new value. Each day is precious, each minute with my 3 in the growing Grothe crew is a blessing beyond description. Gift giving takes on a whole new perspective with a 2 and 5 year old participating! Lots of screaming and laughing. And my little 2 year old wanted to read the Christmas story from Luke all by herself.... after her daddy of course.

Today we started back to work, talking over our dreams for 2010, new projects, Farm Chicks, "Where are we going to put all this stuff?" and just enjoying each other's company after a long separation. No more of the Pig visiting this year, hopefully less weight and lots of new projects to share with you on our website.

I will be off to Tucson soon to "rest" my weary lungs for a bit and set up my crafting stations. All fun to be had!

Later!