A gift for the kitchen is always welcome. Perhaps a delicately embroidered kitchen towel to hang on the over door, a toaster oven cover in the prettiest fabric and lace, white farmhouse canisters for holding utensils or a floral bouquet, or a cupcake clock to add whimsy to her kitchen wall.For a new mother, or a mother-to-be, a baby blanket in soft white fleece or a cuddly bedtime friend for a little one to love. Gifts for the nursery might be a cute cupcake coin bank or a decorative wreath of childhood toys and treasures to display.
Do you have a crafter or stitcher on your list? She would be delighted to find a new project under her tree this year. Beautiful quilting fabrics and patterns or a scrapbooking kit for her most precious memories. For the book lover, a vintage basket to hold her favorite books, or a carefully chosen book to give her new inspiration.To add romance and beauty to her home, there are pillows dressed in ruffles and roses, vintage vases and dishes for her shelf, silk flowers in colors that fit with any décor, a Victorian vanity tray to grace the dresser in her boudoir.
Does she spend hours in her garden? Think hand painted birdhouses, cup and saucer birdfeeders for feathered friends. An outdoor fairy house to inspire her creativity. Or if she prefers to spend her time entertaining indoors, perhaps a pretty handcrafted apron, a pair of elegant candlesticks, a broken china teapot to bring out whenever friends come to tea.
Your lifelong best friend deserves a gift as beautiful and unique as she is – a one-of-a-kind sterling bracelet, a vintage needlepoint transformed into a boudoir cushion, an antique pendant hanging on a ribbon chain. Cinderella shoes that make her dreams come true with heirloom laces, jewels and vintage brooches.A last minute Christmas gift can hold all the love and friendship you feel at this season and always.
Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink
Make Mine Pink
Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday December 11, 2009 as we present "Last Minute Gifts"
Photo Contribution 1: Angel Heart Designs | Photo Contribution 2: Sew Graceful | Photo Contribution 3: The Polka Dot Rose
Christmas is all about family, friends, church and community. Seeing loved ones who live far away and reconnecting with those who are nearby, but we don’t see as often as we wish we could. It’s about caring for those who are alone at this time of year and inviting them to be part of our families too. Working with our communities to bring Christmas cheer to those in need, is such a special part of our Christmas tradition.
Under the sparkling lights of the Christmas tree shines gift wrap that’s almost as pretty as the gifts inside. Some gifts are wrapped in vintage linens and held closed by a vintage rhinestone brooch. Others are tied with velvet ribbons and big bows. Each gift bears a handmade gift tag, twinkling with glitter and the name of someone you love. The sense of anticipation we feel looking at those Christmas treasures is almost as exciting as watching the gifts being opened.
Every Christmas, everyone from great-grandparents to the newest addition to the family, gather around the Christmas tree. We’re filled with anticipation of the upcoming celebration and gratitude for loved ones to share it with. The boxes of favorite ornaments are brought out from their safe storage and passed around, inspiring memories of many a Christmas. Some of the ornaments have been handed down from mother to daughter for generations, we reminisce about the memories they hold. Others are new, bringing a new excitement about the memories we’ll make this year. Soon the tree is shining with glitter, beads, ribbons, lace and memories.
As we set up our Christmas villages with the old-fashioned houses and bottle brush trees, the children peer closely at the scene and imagine what is happening behind those tiny closed doors. The sprinkle of glittering snow on the village rooftops and pathways reminds us of the snow we hope to have for this Christmas.
A quick look around and you’ll see Christmas wreaths and garlands of greenery, gracing our doorways and doors. Each welcoming family and friends inside with holiday ornaments and twinkling lights Stockings are hung from the mantle, seemingly empty but overflowing with hopes and wishes for Christmas morning. As we sit by the crackling fire, sipping tea and hot cocoa from vintage holiday mugs, a feeling of nostalgia fills us with contentment.
We fondly remember unwrapping treasures from our childhood. A precious doll with curling hair and eyes that closed when you tucked her into a bed made just for her. A charm bracelet that made you feel all grown up whenever you wore it. A hand knit sweater that felt like a hug from your mother when you put it on. These treasures are etched in our memories.
MMP Shop Hops are a type of contest where you try to find as many “You Found It” images (as shown here) as you can. Each of our participating boutiques has hidden an image on its website that says, “You Found It!” on the tag. Click that image to return to Make Mine Pink and get credit for finding it. The more images you find, the better your chances of winning great prizes. See the prize list below to see what you can win!
Gorgeous Holiday Pillow 
Bethany Lowe Christmas Putz Houses
Hydrangea Rose Garland 
"Angel on Wing" Musical Waterball 
Christmas Tree Stitchery
Pink Christmas Tree 
Set of "Girly" Ornaments 
Santa's Helper Holiday Tussie Mussie
Pink Candy Cane Ornaments 
Christmas Bake Shop Box 
When our family gathers for the holidays, Grandma’s dishes always come out of the china cabinet. From favorite serving dishes that held many a turkey, to silverware passed down through generations. Crisp, starched tablecloths, reminiscent of many holidays past, grace the family dining table. These simple pieces are as much a part of the annual celebration as is the family gathered around the table. Each of us thankful for those memories and for each other.
They try on Grandma’s cameo necklace and the hand crocheted shawl she keeps on her boudoir chair. They and imagine they are elegant ladies, from 
what they imagine to be Grandma’s past. It’s always such fun to explore the treasures and keepsakes, looking for something new since their last adventure.
Talk turns to plans for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Always hoping for a handmade Christmas, they share their favorite sewing and decorating plans. A holiday-themed quilt that must be finished in time, a Christmas stocking for a baby’s first Christmas and maybe even a stylish sweater knit from a teenager’s favorite colors. They reminisce over past holiday traditions and plan which new ones to start this year, jotting down suggestions and writing lists of memory-making ideas for the family this year. They may even draw names for gift giving.
When I think of the comforts of home, I picture a favorite sweater, soft and worn with time. Sitting by the fire, wrapped in a quilt that my mother made so many years ago bring back so many memories of home. Looking around, there are framed photographs on the wall, some of people I see every day, and others of friends of loved ones that once touched my life , yet are no longer with us. The memories woven remain alive and woven into our lives. The antique clock that my great-grandmother cherished, chimes the hour in the next room, and the crackling of the fire seems in tune, counting the minutes.
The comforts of home reach out from the past and wind their way into those of the present. Our homes, stamped with our own distinct style, with just a touch of nostalgia mixed in. Grandmother’s teacup, now finely glazed with age, sitting on the shelf alongside a favorite new set of coffee mugs. A vintage lamp standing tall, surrounded by candlelight. Among the faded family photographs hangs a framed print that makes you smile just because. A treasured worn sweater lies in a dresser drawer beside a brand new knit cardigan. On the sofa beside me, the colors of a new quilting project are bright compared to the quilt my mother made.
Remember the simple delights of childhood? How a cupcake could make you giggle and a fairy story would stir your dreams? The smallest things, done just right, could bring out the biggest smiles of all.
It’s the simple things like cupcakes that bring us so much pleasure. They’re a scrumptious reminder of the delight we feel when we take time to enjoy the simple things in life. The sweetness of stealing a moment just for you, to soak in a hot luxurious bath or sip your favorite tea from a cherished vintage cup.. The delight of a sharing a special moment with your favorite daughter, granddaughter or child. Tiny pleasures, yet supremely satisfying.
We only need to find a happy magical moment – think back to a special day or ahead to the possibilities of tomorrow – and dare to dream of the things that delight and refresh our senses. The first snowflake that tickles your nose, the aroma of grandma’s holiday baking, the bubbling laughter of good friends. An impish collection gives us an excuse to make believe, to remember, to dream, and to recharge.
Autumn bursts into a seasonal symphony of color. With swirling leaves of crimson, amber, and gold against a background of crisp blue sky, it excites our senses and invites us to grab hold… before it slips away.
Nature’s display mingles with the scent of fall. Pies made with fresh apples baking in the oven, cinnamon and spiced tea steeping in a vintage teapot on the counter and marshmallows toasting over a crackling fire. The crisp cool air that rushes in when you open the front door refreshes and excites the senses.
wreath hanging in the entranceway, a needlepoint cushion stitched with rustic fall colors, a pumpkin spiced candle, or a pretty fall bouquet displayed on a side table.
With the return of autumn come the familiar feelings of comfort, happy childhood memories and hope for what the future will bring. Comfortable fires and cozy kitchens surrounded by the warmth of family and friends. Crunching leaves and laughing voices. A brisk walk in the cool air. With crackling leaves under foot, the sights and smells mingle and wrap you in memory like a warm blanket on a chilly evening. The smell of a fire burning in a neighbor's fireplace as you take your evening stroll, reminiscent of outdoor bonfires and marshmallow roasts, or a cool night warming by the fire with someone you love. Vibrant carved pumpkins or hand crafted velvet pumpkins, both have their place. Some gracing the front steps, others atop a dining room table or sideboard. Reminders of nights spent trick-or-treating, carving friendly pumpkin faces and toasting pumpkin seeds. All reminiscent of autumns gone by.
Cinnamon and clove potpourri simmering on the stove top or in a kettle on the wood burning stove fill your home with the delicious scent of fall. Friends stop by for spiced cider and fresh pumpkin bread - right out of the oven. Laughter and conversation over a table set with a whimsical pumpkin fairy or an elegant pumpkin centerpiece, fills the the room.
The aroma of baked apples and gingerbread spiced candles in vintage teacups and containers fill the room.
