We Have A Winner :)

Thank you everyone for entering my give away. They are always alot of fun. I put all of the names in a bowl and, Lucy, my office manager made sure everyone was in there. The lucky winner is Shannon from http://www.shabbyshanscottage.com/ !!!(be sure to check out her adorable website!) Congratulations. I left a post on your blog with my email so that you can send me your address! I will have another give away before Christmas. Have a great weekend..(()) gail

Pumpkins and Spice

This weeks theme for Make Mine Pink Friday is Pumpkins and Spice. I love the fall. The colors, the smells, the weather, just everything. Be sure to visit all of the participating shops tomorrow at www.makeminepink.com/pink-friday to see what they have to offer for this one day only shopping event. There will be rich potpourri of cinnamon and spice. Holiday decorations for Halloween or Thanksgiving. Jewelry to wear to your favorite holiday events. Maybe even gorgeous vintage linens handed down through the generations for holiday traditions. I cant wait to see what everyone comes up with to help me celebrate my favorite time of the year.

(the photo is a beautiful velvet pumpkin designed and made by my friend Carol at http://www.espritdejoie.com/ )

Its time for a give-away contest!

I am on my way out the door to yet another fun birthday celebration! October is party month. Just about all of my friends and family are Libras celebrating the fall. (even the dog has a birthday this month) So with all of the birthdays going on I decided it was time for a give away and time to celebrate. Its easy too, just leave a comment on this post by this Friday, Oct 23 by midnight and I will draw a winner first thing Saturday morning! What better way to celebrate birthdays than with cupcakes. I am giving away one of my pink fairy cakes. This is a smaller version of my larger cupcakes pillows. Good Luck... and if you are an October baby, happy birthday to you!

Look what I got for my birthday :)

Well, I hit the big 51 on Oct 7th. I guess it doesnt matter too much, I feel the same. I wanted to share what my sister Stephanie painted for me. I love this painting, its my new happy place in my mind. lol Also for Christmas she did this colored pencil drawing of Lily. Stephanie took Lily for me when all of my other cats kept being so mean to her. I have no idea why they treated her so badly, but Steph came to the rescue and Lily could not be happier! If you notice in the right side bottom corner of the painting, you will see Lily peeking around the corner. Steph also crochets a mean blanket. I am trying to get her to open an Etsy shop too.

I have really been giving alot of thought to the different talent people have. I believe we all have talents and I hope you are finding time to learn about your own and develope it to its full potential. Whether you like to cook, write, draw, garden, dance, act, you get the idea.... go for it! I have started a new blog that is mostly a journal of sorts about living with limited mobility issues and finding inspiration for your own greatness. If you get a chance, check it out too. Because I do believe that my creativity is the icing on the cake of my life :) http://www.inspirationforgreatness.blogspot.com/

Girly Finds

Its almost friday, and you know what that means! Its time for the Make Mine Pink Friday weekly shopping event. This weeks theme is Girly Finds. This is perfect shopping for the all of the girly girls out there...you know who you are! Be sure to visit all of the participating shops. There will be purses, feminine pillows, jewelry. I am sure there will be alot of gorgeous vintage finds. Journals for keeping track of all of your hopes and dreams. There will be lots to find for your special little girls or your inner child. So please join us, tomorrow October 9th. You can find the participating shops herehttp://www.makeminepink.com/pink-friday

Lots of Fun Stuff

What a week I have had and coming up! Its that busy time of the year. I love it so much. I was in my first arts and craft show in many years this weekend. Its called the Briar Patch and its been a local favorite in the Phoenix area for over 25 years now. I met the sweet lady, Jeannie, who has run this show since the very beginning and she runs a great show and is a pleasure to work with. If you are in the Phoenix metro area there will be another Briar Patch show Oct 10th and 11th. It is at Sequoya Elementary School at 11808 N 64th St in Scottsdale. This is THE BIG ONE! Well over 100 vendors, I heard some say up to 200. People come from out of state to participate in this show. Great fudge and peanut brittle too! Here is their website for more info: www.briarpatchcrafts.com Maybe I will see ya there. Here is a couple photos of this weekends show. April helped me set it up and she decided on a snack. lol This is a lady I met and she makes the most adorable items and starts with vintage chenille bedspreads. She has a way of putting patterns and colors together. Just gorgeous. This is one side of my space. Next week I will have a more elaborate display to show. :) Last is a photo of one of my new pillows. Its wrapped like a pretty gift and you never have to open it. I thought the cute altered art tags would really be cute. I got these from Carrie at http://www.noellegarrettdesigns.com/.

I also will be doing a show the beginning of November with The Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation. It will be with the popular First Fridays are walk in downtown Phoenix. And of course starting Monday, 10-5 is the shop hop at Make Mine Pink. Be sure to visit all of the participating shops to find the hidden shopping bags to be entered in drawings for great prizes. So many of the shops are running great specials and having special events and contributions for Breast Cancer Awareness. www.makeminepink.com/shop-hop . Its going to be an exciting week, be sure to get in on some of the fun... Until next time... gail

Make Mine Pink Friday~ its Pink and Chic

As many of you know every friday at Make Mine Pink we have a themed shopping day. This is my theme this week Oct 2nd. Its all about pink, everything pink. You can follow this link starting friday and visit all of the different shops to see what they will be offering. This is a favorite of ours so it will be awsome to see what everyone has for this one day event. www.makeminepink.com/pink-friday .

As You Wish

I hope everyone is enjoying the fall. I must live through you if I may. It was supposed to be 108 today. I am staying inside, so that means alot of creating is getting done :) Last week a very good friend of mine took me to a shop called As You Wish. Its a pottery painting place and soooo much fun. You pick out a piece of greenware and you choose all of your own glazes and fun stuff to create a masterpiece of your own. I used to do porcelin dolls many years ago, but have not done much with ceramics. It was quite fun and relaxing. They had so many Halloween items. Soooo cute! But I went with a plain scalloped edged plate to try my hand at painting a cupcake and doodles. I can see a zillion mistakes, but I love it all the same. It was a very special night,,,, thank you Kathy.

I am doing an art show next weekend called the Briar Patch. It is held at several locations this time of year until Christmas. I hope to be doing quite of few of these shows. I am really excited and have been working like crazy. I am happy with the amount of inventory I have so far, but I will be doing more this week. Because I also have the Shop Hop for Pink October for Make Mine Pink. That begins Oct. 5th, so be sure to get signed up for all of the fun at http://www.makeminepink.com/ . Also this friday the theme for Make Mine Pink Friday is Simply Pink. This is a match made in heaven for me. As you know alot of what I do is Pink :) So here is a photo of my cupcake plate and some jewelry I worked on this weekend. I listed 19 new things on my website last night. ( a little shameless self promotion here. ) And I created a design to send into a magazine for consideration for a submission. More on that later. So stay busy, enjoy a nice fall day for me~please :) Until next time...... gail

The Grand Canyon.....finally

I was born and raised in Arizona. In fact there are not alot of 50 year olds around who are natives. But I had NEVER been to the Grand Canyon. I dont even know why, but at last I finally went this last week for the day. I was suprised that it only took 3hours and 45 minutes to get there and that was with a couple little stops and going the speed limit! I went with my very good friend Johnsie, her sister Jennifer and her Dad and Aunt Toots. Aunt Toots was visiting from Philly. The weather was just beautiful, 75 degrees. They went hiking about 1/4 mile down the Bright Angel Trail. There was no way I would be able to do that with my hip, but I was content sitting in the gorgeous weather and clean air. While I was sitting there a tour of mules was coming back up from the bottom of the canyon. You can ride a mule down, I guess it takes about 5 to 6 hours. You camp overnight in cabins and have a great steak dinner then back up the next morning. I was talking with some of the folks arriving. They had the time of their life. They all seemed glad they did it, but probably wouldnt do it again. I guess its pretty intense. I also understand reservations have to be made very far in advance. None of my photos of the mules turned out. I found a squirrel (susan lol) but that photo didnt turn out either, darn. But here are a few. I was so happy they asked me along. :)

I also have had a really busy week creating for the upcoming fall season and an upcoming art show I will be doing locally called The Briar Patch. I will blog about that show when I do it. I think it will be a great experience. I met the woman who runs this show today. Her name is Jeanne and she is such a nice person and really works hard for her shows. So, its been a nice week. I made these 3 pin cushions from some baby shoes I got at an antique store. These boxes are what I am working on for the Make Mine Pink shop hop. Its part of my promotion. When a purchase is made from my "rose jewelry" catagory you will receive one of these pink gift boxes. And 20 percent of my sales will go to the Susan G Koman Foundation for breast cancer research. And last but not least I am working on some new pillows. These are presents you wont have to open! I here sooo many times the ladies here at MMP say when they received the package, "it was so pretty, I didnt want to open it" Everyone love a beautifully wrapped gift. This is just a sneak preview. I will be adding other colors and styles and they will be coming with a beautiful altered art tag that Carrie from Noelle Garrett Designs is making for me. Whew!!! This is a long one.... What have you been up to? Are you getting a head start on the holidays? Until next time...... gail

Show and Tell with Furry Friends Helping.

Its been a busy week and I am happy that I have gotten lots done. Thats always a good thing around this time of year. Its been a week now since I have been unemployed and I think I am better each day. At least I am moving on the the next phase, anger! lol Now I am just mad, not so much sad. But thats OK too, I am using that energy in a positive way. I have alot of projects in various stages and I will post them when they are finished, but I have a couple pillows to post today. The gold colored plaid is a vintage piece of fabric I picked up at a yard sale in Providence RI in June. I love the retro colors. The fabric is in excellent condition. The heart was just something new to try. And this is Googars. He is my main helper. He sticks to me like glue. Its funny because when I lived in my townhouse before he insisted on being a mostly outdoor cat. He was the neighborhood bully too. I would here cat fights and I always new it was him. There was flat roofs on the buildings and he was always running across everyones roof making noise. It was quite embarassing at times, so when I moved I would not let him out and I dont know if he is happy about it or if he figures if he annoys me enough I will throw him outside. I hope everyone is enjoying the fall. Not quite here yet, but I am anticipating its arrival! Have a happy, healthy and creative day... Until next time...... gail

What I know for sure.

Happy Labor Day. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend, blessed with beautiful weather and lots of good food at cook outs! I have never thought too much about Labor Day before until this year. I have worked since I was 15 years old and until now I have never lost a job. If I left, it was on my own terms. My job had been up in the air and back and forth for months so I really not shocked I got laid off, but what I am upset about is the CEO of the company that will be taking over came out to Phoenix a week ago and said there would not be any changes. There is only three people in our small business. I was feeling so much better, however my gut telling me "I dont know about this." So this is the first thing I know for sure, always listen to your gut instinct! Thursday the new owners called and said they arent keeping me. They hope its just temporary and they can bring me back soon. Guess what my gut tells me about that. LOL I wont be holding my breath. Its been a really tough and emotional weekend. I am trying to be a big girl about this, but I honestly just feel like being sad, mad and feel sorry for myself. Especially since I was screwed (can I say that word?) out of my vacation pay they owe me. I left with two days pay! But I am feeling a little better now. I live alone, but my family is freaking out about what is Mom going to do now. I am going to be working on my businesses Gail Friend Designs and Gails Furry Friends. I have to make it work. I dont want anyone else having control over my future every again. Soooo to my family, dont worry, I have no intention on moving in with you! lol AND this is what else I know for sure... I am too damn old to keep start over again! So this is the last time I will. I have been working to get to this place my whole life, its my time and I will succeed.

In the middle of my pity party I did make this bracelet and earrings today. :) Have a great week. Be thankful for your jobs as you celebrate Labor Day this year.

National Sewing Month :)

September is National Sewing Month. I have really been excited to see how much sewing has gained in popularity. Quilting just gets bigger and bigger. Its becoming such a major art form with so many techniques and styles. Shows like Project Runway has alot of young adults and teens very interested in sewing and design. I love the new website created by Joyce Lucas, http://www.quiltandstitchmarketplace.com/ . This site has the most adorable quilt shops, fabric shop and work from fiber artist.

Grab a cup of tea and have a look and be inspired by these textile artist and merchants. Until next time... gail

Show and Tell Monday

Well, its Sunday night again! Its been a nice and quiet weekend, so I was able to get quite abit done. Thats always a good thing. Why is it when you think you are just about caught up, you can see the end, then all of a sudden your at the back of the line again. LOL I guess that OK too. I guess if you actually do get to the end, it just may actually be "the end" and I certainly dont want that. :) But it does feel great to be productive and get things accomplished.

This weekend I finally got to work on some pincushions. I know so many people are doing them now, and why not? Sewing has grown in popularity and they are just so darn cute. These are my interpretations. I am experimenting with fimo clay to make little pins to go with them. I made these cupcakes and roses, but they are a little rough, but not bad for the first effort. I will make more this week. The cupcake bottom and the child size teapost was made by my friend Cindy at Angel Heart Designs. I always like working with her! I also got one more pillow finished. Its a cake and black and white. And last, this is my first attempt at making slippers for the Pink Slipper Project. (see post below for details) So, all in all it was a good weekend. This week I will be working on some new and different pillows and some jewelry. I see in all of the fashion magazines that this fall the deep rich jewel tones are so popular, especially the plum colors. Look for new jewelry to wear for fall. Have a great week,,, until next time.. gail

Pink Slipper Project

Each year, hundreds of thousands of women and children are forced to leave their homes and seek safety and healing in shelters across the country. This year, you can make a difference in the lives of a few of those women and children and remind them that their sisters are thinking of them. They are not alone.Make Mine Pink and Quilt 'n' Stitch Marketplace are joining together to launch our much-anticipated Pink Slipper Project, and we hope you will join us.

The Pink Slipper Project is a project started by Joyce Lucas of Make Mine Pink. She was inspired by Terry Grahl of Enchanted Makeovers and all of the wonderful work she does to make the lives of Women and Children a little better living in shelters. We are going to provide hand crafted slippers to as many Women and Children as we can this winter. There are so many ways to help with this project. You can make slippers, donate materials and supplies or even money to cover shipping. Everyones contribution is important. Working together we can make a difference. Our first group of slippers will be going October 1st and we will be donating 80 pairs for women and 40 for children.

Above is a photo of a pattern you can download at http://www.pinkslipperproject.org/. Or feel free to use your own pattern. If you crochet or knit that would be wonderful also. The pattern here is a very simple awesome pattern Joyce created that is ONE seam. Yes, one seam and super easy! :) And as cute as can be. If you would like to help ..... please email Joyce at info@thepinkslipperproject.org

Show and Tell Monday

Wow, another week has gone by. I hate to wish time to go by faster than it already does. Its important to try and live in the moment. Remember yesterday fondly and with gratitude and look forward to tomorrow with hope, but being in the moment today is truly what life is about! Now with that being said....when the hell is this summer going to be over! It happens every year here in Arizona. By the end of August folks are just sick and tired of the heat and are crabby. I love the fall, its like a breath of fresh air to us here in the desert. I imagine much like spring is to people stranded in the snow for months. I try to remember how much I hate the cold and this is why I put up with this blazing heat for a few weeks. Once we get over this hurdle its just beautiful and gorgeous for the next 8 months, so I will patiently (as I possible can) wait for October :)

I had alot of time to sew this weekend. I got alot done and this is a new color combination for a new cupcake pillow. I am still on the fence with my job. We dont know hour by hour if we are going out of business or being "taken over". If we are taken over I will more than likely keep my job, so I am really hoping for that outcome. One thing is for sure, this week is it. There is enough money for one more payroll. I hope everyone can get their ducks in a row by friday. But all of this uncertainty has given my the opportunity for more "calender doodle art." LOL Can you tell how bored I am? I hope everyone has a pretty week, is cool and enjoying the end of summer. Until next time....

Make Mine Pink Friday ~ Secrets of Mothers Jewelry Box

I love this fridays theme. As a child I loved going through my Mothers and Grandmothers jewelry boxes. It was back in the 60's and my Mom had alot of the enamal flower pins and bright colored bangles. I was a girly girl and I could play there for hours! My Grandmother had this wooden box she used for jewelry. I think it originaly had stationery in it. It had a little lock and key and I thought that was the most awesome thing ever. On one of my visits there she gave it to me. Of course the first thing I did was lock it and loose the key! My Grandpa had to cut the lock off and I was sad, but I still loved this box and I still have it to this day. I am not sure what it is that I love about this box, but my Grandmother owning it and giving it to me was everything to me. She was one of my absolute favorite people in my life.

Join all of us at Make Mine Pink for a one day shopping event that will bring back memories of your Mothers jewelry boxes too! www.makeminepink.com/pink-friday.

Show and Tell Monday

I am both happy and suprised I have so much to share this week. I finished a couple new pillows for my website and I had the pleasure of spending the day with my niece-ish and my grandson on Wednesday. I am struggling with finding any time to spend on my business. Dividing my time between my job, my pet sitting business and creating for my website made for a very full calendar. Now my family needs me. My daughter April still isnt supposed to be driving until she is seizure free for 3 months. She lives with her Dad and we are trying to work it out between us. They live very far from me and on my days its 3 to 4 hours of an exhausting long two round trips a day in rush hour traffic. I have to fill my gas tank up every other day if that tells you how much I really am driving. I have an economy car! Its just the way it is for now. I will get through this and adjust, but its been an extremely hard three weeks.So,,, on to the good things of the week....

I actually made two pillows today. And ice cream cone pillow, I would say pistachio, and a black and white cupcake. I was thinking that this cupcake would be such a cute ring bearer pillow for a black and white wedding. Especially if the were serving cupcakes instead of the traditional wedding cake. Next is a bracelet I made as a bracelet I made for Bobbies Mother as a gift and the fairy necklace I made for Bobbie. She flew in on Wednesday from Hawaii after visiting her father for several weeks. I got to pick her up from the airport and spend the day with her. My Grandson Mikey adores her and he went with us for the day. We went to the trainpark, Mikeys very favorite place. She returns to England on Tuesday.

Bobbie is 16 and just finished high school. The education system is different in England. She will now start a 5 year college course to become a mid wife. I learned something new from her. In England when you become pregnant you see a mid wife throughout your prenancy and then she would be the one to deliver the baby as well. This is just an observation, not a judgement,but I wonder how many 16 year olds here would be up for that kind of a job so young. She is such an awesome young women. I cant wait to see her again!

Cupcakes and Cute Stuff :)

It feels like forever since I have had anything to post. You know the saying Life is what happens while you are making plans. :) I finally got alot accomplished this weekend toward stocking my website. This first cupcake is my all time favorite. I am still trying to decide if I will list this one. I dont have anymore of this white fabric and its not being made anymore. I also got finished on of the smaller versions that I call a fairy cake. This necklace is lavender and purple glass with swarovski crystals and the pendant is a vintage cut glass crystal heart I have been holding on to for the right project. I have about 10 more in various stages of being done and colors and fabric design. I was at a favorite remnant store and came accross some awesome new fabric.

As an update on my daughter April,,, she is doing well right now. With seizures you never know, so its just day to day. She is back at work. She is not able to drive at all, so her father and I are doing are best to share what I like calling April Duty! lol Its a large adjustment on my time, but one I have to make. But I am getting into a routine and I am creating once again. Life is good. I also want to thank all of my very special friends for all of the support you have been to me over the last couple weeks. I am a very lucky person to have such incredible friends, thank you from the bottom of my heart... (((()))) gail

Pretty Pillow and Purses for Pink Friday

Pretty Pillows and Pursesat Make Mine Pink - Pink Friday.


Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday July 31, 2009 as we present "Pretty Pillows and Purses"If there's anything a girl can't have enough of it's pretty purses by day and pillows at night.A woman's purse can reveal a lot about her personality. If you're fun and flirty, you might carry a giraffe handbag or a pearl patent purse with pink polka dots. For the more reserved - a collector of all things pretty and vintage - perhaps a romantic summertime bag with roses and bachelor buttons. You can even show your "green" side with a straw handbag decorated with rescued jewelry, belts, buckles and various embellishments.You can celebrate the many sides of your "purse"-onality with a purse that allows you to change covers and quickly as you change your mood. Or announce your uniqueness with a one of a kind "little black bag" - a vintage beaded black handbag.Pillows can change their personalities too, as easily as changing a pillowcase. For sweet dreams, there are sweet heart hand-embroidered pillowcases. Feel nostalgic with vintage cutwork pillowcases. Or create a fun look by layering a bed with lots of pillows covered in different Southern Bell pillowcases.Pillows make a statement all their own. Rescued vintage needle point pillows grace the finest parlors and boudoir chairs. They can be reminiscent of a special event or a special someone, like a floral monogram pillow with the initial of someone you love. A wedding keepsake pillow made with an antique style certificate or your favorite wedding photograph. Beautiful pillows made from antique doilies and vintage dresser scarves.Some pillows are fun and used to make a space colorful and whimsical,like a chocolate dipped strawberry pillow, a blue cupcakes pillow, or a handmade slice of cake pillow with satin pink roses and pink lace trim. A whimsical teapot pillow with Battenburg lace to set on the guest bed or porch swing. You can even grow a garden of pillows with mauve ribbon flower hearts, heart pillows with roses and pink ribbed chenille, and a pink roses throw pillow.No matter what your style or what mood you're in, you can surround yourself with pretty purses and pillows designed to express exactly what you're feeling.

So please join us tomorrow for this fun event. www.makeminepink.com/pink-friday .