Shop At Moxie

Merry Mischief Maker

The other day I was out in my photography studio (in truth my front porch) doing some work.  Wherever I go diet coke cans are sure to be found.  I always mean to pick up after myself but sometimes I forget.  So I ran off to do some errands and when I came back and finally got around to cleaning up my debris,  I was quite shocked to find a little embellishment on my diet coke.  

There it was.  A tiny little head with a quizzical almost shocked look on its face.  I'm not 100% sure but I think it was saying to me, " You'll never change will you?  That's ok.  We (I'm still not sure who was in cahoots with the head) still like you."  I looked around the yard and back at the can for awhile.  I was sure someone was about to pop out of the bushes and take claim for my new little friend but no one did.  No one at my house is taking credit for it so either I have a really mischievous  ghost hanging around or someone who lives with me or visits often is not fessing up.  Either way, that little head really made my day.  Because I love tiny things and I love things with faces and I really love mischief.  Kudos mischief maker.  Score one for you. 

Holiday Events - Save The Dates

Hi there.  Just a quick reminder of the dates for our upcoming Holiday events.

10th Annual Holiday Open House

Saturday Nov 21st 10am to 5pm and Sunday Nov 22nd 10am to 4pm.

Me and my posse will be baking up a storm next week so make sure you stop in for some cookies, hot chocolate or cider and 10% off everything in both stores.  

Your search for the perfect gift ends here!!

Oh, and at Megan Morrison Home and Garden we will be sharing our joy at having made the ten year mark by giving out a festive gift to our first 50 customers who spend 20 dollars or more.  I'll talk more about that later!

Moonlight Shopping Party

Don't miss our most popular event of the year.  Friday December 4th, gather your favorite pals and come out for shopping, goodies, and wine.  On that day, the shop will close at 5pm and reopen from 6pm to 9pm.  The pesto, shrimp and chardonnay make this event too delicious to miss!!!

One For You and Two to Share

One day this summer as I was digging thru some random cedar trunk in some cute random house I stumbled upon some small pieces of the cutest fabric ever.  It had teeny tiny trees and happy little stars on it.  I was mesmerized by the sheer tiny cuteness of it all when I realized that I wasn't just holding fabric remnants in my hands but instead the fixins to make three aprons.  Uh huh!  You know I did that little squeal I do when I find something I really like.  My heart was happy and sad all at the same time.  Happy to find the parts to make three coordinating aprons and sad because the lady of the house cut it all up and kept it safe for 40 yrs but sadly never found the opportunity to put them all together.  

Well that is what vintage girls are good for.  We rescue the things people kept around for decades and pass them along to new homes before they get thrown out by future generations who don't appreciate old apron parts like some of us.  It is a job I was born to do.  I don't have to own it myself but I sure do like finding these things a happy new home.  

So I'm thinking.....the pieces to make 3 matching yet different aprons.  How cute for 3 sisters, or a mom and 2 daughters, or mom, grandma and grand daughter.  Well obviously you get the point.  3 aprons equals 3 times the apron fun.  Now all you have to do is sew them up.  They were a kit of some sort and will require only simple sewing knowledge.  Knowledge I myself do not possess.  I did my part, I found them and brought them into MMHG.  Now they await a new home.  Will it be you who gives them a chance to be the aprons they were always meant to be??  Let's wait and see.

 

 

 

Cashmere and Sparkles

As promised.  Here are some photos of the fancier sweaters I just brought in.  Lots of vintage cashmere, sequins and beads.  Perfect for a holiday soiree.

 

 

Find these wonderful sweaters at moxie.

Vintage Sweaters From Norway

I love a day when you can run around town with a sweater as your jacket.  Not too warm but not too cold either.  I've been gathering up a collection of vintage Nordic sweaters from estates this past summer and just had them delivered to Moxie today.  Any one of them would be perfect to run around town in.  Or maybe to sip hot chocolate in while you sit by a cozy fire.  Whatever you do you'll look great doing it in a gorgeous hand knit sweater from Norway.

 

 

 

If you've ever been in the market for an authentic Nordic sweater before then you already know that they cost upwards of two hundred dollars new.  At moxie we offer them in the range of 16 to 29 dollars each.  Now that is a fun price range if we do say so ourselves!

Tune in next time to see some sweater offerings in the glitzy / glam category.

Pat the Window Dresser

Well November is here and that means we've been busy little elves at MMHG and Moxie.  The team and I have spent the last two weeks decking out the shops with Holiday spirit.  Part of that decking out includes dressing the windows.  Kind of a big job.  Each window takes about a day to do.  

The windows at Megan Morrison are quite challenging because they are like tiny rooms.  You have to start at the front of them and gradually work your way out.  It gets tight and very hot inside of those windows.  Not the best feeling for a girl (me) with claustrophobia.  Thank goodness I had my talented right hand woman Pat to partner up with.  

She is limber and spritely.  She does not seem to get overwhelmed with the close quarters inside of the windows.  She will willingly crawl under a table or reach over precariously perched objects in order to achieve window perfection.  No task too big or too small for Pat.  She spent about a half an hour underneath a table in the East window while we created a little village of happy holiday figures on the floor.  She crouched under the table (not easy to do for an extended period) while I got to point and direct from the outside of the window.  I'm sure I looked a bit weirder than I normally do as I stood outside my shop waving my arms, pointing and shouting "to the left, no the other left, no now go back, too far, come forward, stop, stop....perfect!"  Then pat would hit her head on the table and we would both start laughing.  It probably looked like I was all alone and having quite a party with myself.  But it was a party for two.  I am so grateful to have so many fun, talented people on my team.

Here is Pat in action.  I didn't get a shot of her under the front table....darn it!

 

 

Here is the other window we did at MMHG

 

The shop from the out looking in.  I love how all shops look at night with the interior lights beckoning you in.  Something romantic about it to me.  If it was softly snowing it would make me even more intrigued.

 

A big thanks to Pat and to Maureen who helped me do the moxie windows.  I couldn't have done it without them.  Well maybe I could have but it wouldn't have been as good or nearly as fun. 

Not A Big Call For These

Vintage clip on Bow Ties.  

Probably not going to fly out the door, but they just spoke to me with their tiny bow-tie-eee cuteness. I just had to scoop them up at an estate sale.  I think some clever Sally could make a darned cute hair accessory out of these.  Just a thought.

Find them at moxie 

Chicken Trophy

A recent estate sale find.  Available at moxie.  You just never know what's going to catch my eye at these sales.  

Smock Sisters Sale Sneak Peek Photos

  The Smock Sisters are hosting their first ever antiques and art sale in Sycamore this weekend.  Here are some sneak peek photos as promised.

 

 

 

 

The sale is being held this coming Saturday and Sunday in rural Sycamore at the Smock Sisters cool pad out in the country. Oct 24th and 25th from 9 to 5 both days.   It is an indoor sale so plan on stopping by rain or shine.  The address is 16038 Quigley Rd Sycamore, Il 60178.  

At Rt 64 and Airport Rd in Sycamore go South for one mile to Quigley (look for the Chapel In The Pines sign) then go one mile east on Quigley to the sale.  Look for the white house with the green shutters.  Please park on the street along the fence.

I know I speak for all of the Smock Sisters when I say.......we sure hope you'll stop by and please feel free to bring friends!!

Save The Date

Happy Tuesday everyone.  Just wanted to quickly let you know about a really fun event I'm participating in.  It is the first annual Smock Sisters Sale.  It is being held in rural Sycamore in a lovely country setting.  The Smock Sisters are a small group of women who are united in their love of vintage, art, sewing, painting, crafts, jewelry making etc. 

The sale is being held on Saturday October 24th and Sunday October 25th.  Both days from 9 to 5.  The sale will be indoors so no need to worry about weather ruining the event.  

I will post more details and photos next week.  Hope you'll plan on dropping by the sale and please tell your friends about it too!

16038 Quigley Rd Sycamore, Illinois 60178.  Just one mile east of the 

Chapel In The Pines.