moxiemandie

Lovey Dovey

2012-02-14T11:02:00.003-07:00

Happy love day! I can't wait to get out of work & go on a fun date with my valentine!!! We're going to enjoy a not-so-fancy dinner this year & maybe see the new romantic Safehouse! ;) Or The Vow- we haven't decided yet!!

How do you celebrate love day?

Things are Changing

2012-02-13T09:07:00.002-07:00

Good morning friends! I hope your weekend was sweet!!

Gabe & I had a lovely weekend and I even managed to be kindof productive.

I want to announce something today that sounds strange even to myself. I've decided to close moxiemandie. It's something that I didn't expect to happen this soon, and yet when I think about it, it makes complete sense to do. I have really enjoyed learning all that I have & am so grateful for the confidence that running a shop has given me, but at this time in my life, there are other things that I want to persue and it's not at all practical for me to keep chasing after the dream of moxiemandie at the same time.

I'm excited to share that I'll be working on other creative projects. I'm hoping to increase my inventory at the local shops that I seel on consignment and I've already been planning a class that I'm hoping to begin teaching in the next month locally. (email me if you're local & interested- I'd love to have you join!) I'm also hoping to spend more time on creative projects for the blog and learning photography. I've learned through running a shop that you really can't do it all, no matter how hard you try.

I am so thankful for the support that I've gained for moxiemandie in the last year and a half. It's been incredibly empowering and humbling and I am just so grateful. Thanks for all of your encouragement! I'd love to offer a sale on the entire shop as I clear it out for the rest of the month- Use the code FAREWELL to save 30% off of everything, store-wide.

Currently: Can't Quit Knitting

2012-02-10T09:36:00.005-07:00

So, it's true. I'm beginning to really enjoy knitting & it's majorly taken the place of sewing this week. However, I have a lot of sewing to do over the weekend, so I think I'll give my needles a little break. I do want to share a few pretties from my newest pinterest board, yarn-ish things.

Source: weewonderfuls.typepad.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: purlbee.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: heyjenrenee.com via Mandie on Pinterest

What can't you get enough of lately?

A Finished Project

2012-02-09T15:33:00.001-07:00

Yes! It's true! I finished a knitting project & actually have a photo to share, albeit an instagram. I'm happy nonetheless & my ears were rather toasty this morning!

No, This is Not a Knitting Blog

2012-02-08T09:01:00.002-07:00

but it seems a little like that now, doesn't it? It's ok. The newness will wear off & I'll eventually quit taking photos of my chunky yarns. But for now, it's something I can do while sitting in bed or in the car, which is sortof better than when I have to sit at a machine to make something. My shop is suffering for new products due to this new hobby, but my neck is warmer & I got to hang with my new knitting circle buddies last night. :)

Happy Wednesday friends!

come back tomorrow for even more yarn-y things!

Monday

2012-02-06T10:08:00.002-07:00

It's Monday!

I hope your weekend was just great. Mine was! I finished my scarf(which I then turned into a cowl), played too many games on my phone while watching too many episodes of One Tree Hill, had lunch with Gabe's grandma, saw a few movies, grocery shopped, cleaned, sang happy bithday to my sister's voicemail, did laundry, & watched the Patriots lose the Superbowl. That was about the only part I watched, which means I shouldn't have watched at all. Maybe they would've won if I hadn't? I don't know. All I know is that I am now a knitter & that I didn't get enough sleep last night.

Have a good first day of the week.

Happy Friday!

2012-02-03T12:15:00.003-07:00

As you can see, my scarf has hit a growth spurt in the last few days. I think I finally found my stride. I'm hoping to finish this weekend, which also means I'm hoping to watch a lot of tv this weekend too. I just feel like having a cozy, soup-consuming, scarf/cowl-knitting, under-the-blankets-all-day weekend.

I hope you have a cozy weekend, too!

Happy Friday!

Currently: Crushing on Feathers

2012-02-02T09:10:00.003-07:00

So, I'm loving feathers a lot lately, too. Not all feathers. I'm a little bit picky, and to be honest, it seems from the photos I've gathered here today, that I'm more into the appearance of feathers rather than the actual thing itself. I'm not sure if this trend will work it's way into my decor or not(maybe that watercolor print?), but they sure are pretty to look at.

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: spoonflower.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: anthropologie.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: spoonflower.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

What about you? What are you crushing on this week?

My feathers board on pinterest.

The State of My Knitting

2012-02-01T04:41:00.000-07:00

is well, really sad. I sortof wanted to quit because I am all about things coming together quickly before they lose my attention span, and to be honest, knitting takes waaaay longer than sewing does. I even asked my friend Sharone if she'd like to swap knitting for sewing, I'd just send her my yarns & tell her what I'd like done with them, and I still might. But for this first project, I need to finish it myself. Plus, I've already paid for 2 more months of knitting circle- I really ought to at least go, right? I decided over the weekend that even though the scarf/cowl/whatever-it-is didn't get finished in January like I planned, I'm going to just work on it a little bit each day. So I have. My goal is to knit 5 rows every day until it's finished. I have no idea how long it'll take, but this was my view the other day & it wasn't half bad.

Listening

2012-01-31T09:43:00.003-07:00

Source: amazon.com via Mandie on Pinterest

I've been a bad reader for the last couple years, but a few months ago I started to really miss the feeling of being caught up in a great book. Well, I tried to read & even purchased a used kindle, but wasn't quite feeling it. Then Gabe told me about an iPhone app called audible that allows you to buy audibooks & listen using their app. He received a free credit for creating an account, & he used it to get the Steve Jobs biography. We listened to parts of that on our trip to Missouri at Thanksgiving time, and then we listened to Bossypants by Tina Fey, too. I'd never really listened to a book before, but I'm now a little hooked! We currently have a subscription to audible, but you don't have to purchase the membership in order to use the app. You do, however, get 1 credit per month for the $14.95 membership fee(most books can be purchased for 1 credit), and as long as you ARE a member, you get a discount on any additional books.

With all that said, I finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks last week, & was chomping at the bit to find a new book to listen to. So, I bought The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It's good. Really good. I'm so excited that there are two more books in the series, too!

Are you reading anything good right now? Share!!

New Things on a Monday

2012-01-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday friends! Hope your weekend was sunny!

Well, we have a winner from The No Brainer Wardrobe giveaway- it's #3, linda l! Linda, please email me at mandiesegura(at)gmail to claim your prize. If I don't hear from Linda by Thursday, I'll choose another winner.

Anyway, I was a busy chick over the weekend! I sewed, photographed, edited, listed, and then slept! Ok, I managed to get a date in with Gabe, too. :) So, below are just a few of the new products added to the shop. I am SO excited to share them with you!

Don't forget- you can save 10% at moxiemandie right now when you enter TENOFHEARTS in the discount box!

Happy shopping!

Striped Ticking Foldover Clutch

Blossoming Patchwork Pillow Cover

Pumpkin Velveteen Foldover Clutch

Here's to Hoping

2012-01-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

Hope you get a mean brunch this weekend!

Just for Fun Friday

2012-01-27T09:49:00.002-07:00

*This week has felt very long.

*This might be the last weekend in my life that I'm not an official, real auntie. (that could have been last weekend, too)

*I started sewing pieces together last night & for the first time in months it was because I felt like it.

*One of our cars quite working & decided to have a very expensive problem this week. (refer to first point on the list)

*I am so, so glad that it's Friday.

*I fell asleep around 6 pm last night, playing tetris on my phone. It's been a long week.

*I can't believe it's almost February. I turn 30 in July.

*I'm offering 10% off of everything at moxiemandie when you use the code TENOFHEARTS at discount.

Happy Friday!

Currently: Crushing on Deer/Moose Art

2012-01-26T09:13:00.002-07:00

It's now been almost 3 months since we moved, but we're definitely not finished with our wall decor. Gabe & I have been drawn lately to deer head art, if you can believe it! Well, you probably can since it seems we're not the only ones, & definitely not the first to jump on that wagon. He'd like for us to make our own piece for a wall in our dining room because truthfully, anything that comes as big as we'd like(we're really going for a BIG statement piece) is going to come in WAY out of our budget. He started sketching a few weeks ago, but of course, I created a pinterest board for added inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites...

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: pinterest.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

What are you crushing on this week?

The No Brainer Wardrobe (a giveaway)

2012-01-24T03:48:00.001-07:00

My pal Hayley developed & wrote a very, very useful series on her blog last October. I told you a little bit about it a few months ago. Well, since then, her idea has blown up & she wrote an e-book from her continued thoughts/ideas on the topic of a building a wardrobe with less fuss. It is popular. You've probably heard of it- The No Brainer Wardrobe. I bought my copy a few weeks ago, when it first came out, but just got around to reading it last week. It was quick & easy to read, but definitely made a mark.

As I was putting away my laundry a few days ago, I was reminded of Hayley's advice to get rid of the things you don't wear- you'll have that much less to dig through each morning when you're choosing your outfit for the day. Over the weekend I did a little bit of shopping & tried to make informed decisions. I bought a new pair of jeans & definitely took a risk. I decided to go with a pair of skinny jeans, which was terrifying, but the thought of just buying another pair of frumpy jeans like the Mandie of 2011 would made me sad. (this is a whole other lifetime of stories though)

So, encouraged by this post by my lovely pal Melissa, I bought the skinnies knowing I could let them out a smidge if I thought I'd feel more comfortable that way. I also bought 2 more of a dress that I already owned that was on major sale on Target's website in different colors than what I already have. I purchased a sweater that I already own in a different color. (If nothing else in my life is consistent, my ability to own the same piece of clothing in every color imaginable is, in fact, consistent.)

I'm working on a new me. Not just the outside, though, to be honest, that's the part that I'm most anxious for. But I'm working on balance- not overworking myself to the point of never doing homey-things, etc. The No Brainer Wardrobe may be a book about creating a wardrobe with less fuss, but it's sort of kick-started a way of thinking for me too, that I hope will carry over to many areas of my life.

With all that said, I'd love to offer up a giveaway! Hayley has generously offered to give one copy of The No Brainer Wardrobe to one of my readers, & in addition, I'd love to offer a stylish clutch similar to the one I shared last week. For your chance to win, please leave a comment below stating the outfit or piece of clothing you feel most comfortable in, or as Hayley describes in the book, your go-to outfit. If you'd like additional entries, please offer a tweet or update your facebook status with this or something similar:

Enter to win a copy of The No Brainer Wardrobe from @thetinytwig & a stylish clutch from @moxiemandie at http://moxiemandie.com!

then please leave a comment for each entry. This giveaway will close on Friday, 01/27/12 & the winner will be notified by email and announced here on Monday.

I have not been compensated for this review & giveaway- I purchased my own copy and the copy being given away has been provided by Hayley Morgan, author of The No Brainer Wardrobe. All thoughts are my own.

Comments are now closed on this post.

Weekend Shopping in Santa Fe

2012-01-23T10:02:00.002-07:00

I took several pretty sky photos this weekend- some on our way to Santa Fe, some on our way back, and this one was taken on our way from one grocery store to the other yesterday. We had such a beautiful weekend- the kind that really makes you wish you were independently wealthy and could brunch and do whatever you wanted every day, and forget about things like a Monday-Friday job and cooking and chores & that type of thing. I know, though, that if I were independently wealthy, I might not appreciate when those weekends do come around. It's not like every single weekend is this good, you know? But, this one was, and I am so grateful for the time that Gabe & I were able to spend together.

We got a late start on Saturday, but hit the spots that we both wanted to be sure to make it to before closing time- Santa Fe Fabrics for me, High Desert Guitar for Gabe, and then we stopped by a favorite coffee shop for mochas. After our mochas, we drove around & found a very new to us shopping center with the cutest baby/children's shop, Play. We went into Play because I insisted, but I'm pretty sure that Gabe had just as much (or more!) fun as I did.

The reason I insisted is because I'm about to be an auntie! My sister is due next week, and I was on a major baby shopping spree. Well, not a spree, but I have purchased a few cute baby items recently & if the kiddo makes an appearance this week, I'm hoping to sew a few items next weekend for it. I say it because we still don't know if it's a boy or a girl! Regardless, I am so, so excited & can't wait to finally meet the bebe!

Weekend Anticipation

2012-01-20T09:39:00.003-07:00

our sky has been so magical lately

Gabe & I are taking a day trip tomorrow to Santa Fe and I couldn't be more excited about it. We've been meaning to go for a few weekends, and it hasn't worked out for one reason or another, but tomorrow it is. Fortunately, the famer's market is open year-round in Santa Fe, so we're planning on heading there as well as a fabric store that carries Liberty of London. I know. I am a lucky girl. Other than those two things, there are no plans other than to wander around the plaza & just be together. That last thing, the being together part- that's the one I'm most happy about. Oh, and carrying my new clutch around, too. ;)

I'm hoping to post a giveaway very soon. It could even be tomorrow. I'm waiting because I want to write about how good this item is & how proud I am of my friend that developed & created it. So yeah. I need a clear mind to do it a little bit of justice.

Anyway, that's what is going on around here. I hope that your weekend is spent just right- restful, with those you love & a little bit of adventure thrown in.

Currently: Crushing on Matryoshka

2012-01-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

I've always loved matryoshkas, but lately I am feeling obsessed again, so I made a pinboard to keep track of some cuties!

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: mycakies.blogspot.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: moxiemandie.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

What's something you're crushing on lately?

Currently: Reading

2012-01-18T07:37:00.003-07:00

Source: barnesandnoble.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: amazon.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: thenobrainerwardrobe.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: sewmamasew.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: amazon.com via Mandie on Pinterest

an update from this wish list

what are you reading right now?

p.s. watch for a giveaway with one of these FABULOUS books soon!

Back in the Shop!

2012-01-17T14:31:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to share with you that the ever popular grey & white chevron pillow cover is back in the shop!

Can be found here.

What's Inside My New Clutch

2012-01-16T18:01:00.004-07:00

This post is inspired by a couple different things I saw on the web last week. First of all, Elise posted on her blog this super cute clutch that she made & I was inspired to try my own, working with I already had on hand. I'd purchased brown vinyl on clearance at JoAnn's a few months ago and Elise's cute clutch was just the thing to inspire me.

A few things-

I wish I'd made mine a little taller. I should have read her post a little bit better before beginning. I do wish that there was a little more room, but it's ok. I still like it.

I broke a needle sewing over the metal zipper. Does anyone have any tips for this? A friend suggested that I use a walking foot instead of my regular sewing foot, but I do have to say that I'm intimidated by that thing. ;)

Next time (yes, I'll be making another) I'm not using brown. I like it enough, but would be happier with something a little less bank bag-ish. Also, next time I'll hopefully remember to sew my label into it. I've had a really bad habit of forgetting that lately. Ugh.

The other thing that prompted this post is instagram. There's a little photo challenge to take a different photo each day in January, and one of the challenges a few days ago was to take a photo of what's in your bag, so I thought I'd take that prompt & run with it.

So, what about you? What's in your bag?

Helpful Links

2012-01-16T09:14:00.004-07:00

homemade chocken noodle soup- a joint effort between Gabe & I and is now in our freezer! yippee! recipe found here- we substituted chicken for turkey.

Here are a few links to things that I want to share with you, my friends! I hope you're inspired!! Happy Monday & Martin Luther King Jr. day!

My friend Faith posted this tutorial for a super cute project with drift wood. (my mom is already sending me a piece from Michigan so I can do this!!)

My pal Jodi is hosting the first moxiemandie giveaway of the year on her blog. Enter to win your choice of zippy pouch (perfect for a cute Valentine's gift!)

The chocolate cake in the post by Marta looks amaaaazing!

I really want to make candles like this from Emily Henderson! So snazzy!

Better then the Photo Brownies from Scratch

2012-01-13T09:03:00.002-07:00

Happy Friday my friends!

I hope this has been a fun & productive week for you! To end the week on a sweet note, I thought I'd re-post a yummy recipe that I first posted exactly 2 years ago tomorrow! I wanted to have a treat waiting for Gabe when he came home from work last night & let's just be honest- I wanted one too. I didn't want to leave my home, though, so I was excited that I actually had all of the ingredients- a rare occasion. This is a recipe that my mom & I discovered over 10 years ago on the side of a cocoa can & it's been so trusty. Enjoy!

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/2 cup premium cocoa

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8x2-inch pan. In a medium saucepan melt butter or margarine. Remove melted butter or margarine from heat, add cocoa, and stir until well blended. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Stir in vanilla, flour, and salt. DO NOT OVERBEAT. Fold in nuts. Spread in prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Have a super sweet weekend friends!

Run for Their Lives

2012-01-10T08:54:00.002-07:00

My friend Sharone wrote a post yesterday about something that she's going to do for others. She, along with other friends, are running to help raise funds against, and awareness about, child sex slavery & exploitation. I want to be part of this- I believe absolutely in what they are doing, and will be donating 10% of all moxiemandie sales in January and February to Run for their Lives. I encourage you to read more about this and be a part.

Knitting & Resolutions

2012-01-09T13:17:00.003-07:00

I haven't written about resolutions for the new year yet, and it's not because I haven't made any, but just haven't written. I wanted to make 12 minis- one for each month, but each time I sat down to think about it, 5 is as high as I could go, so I decided to stick with that. 5 things that I can better myself with this year are better than zero, right? One thing that I'd like to accomplish this year is to finish the scarf that I began knitting in July when I took one lesson on how to knit. I quit in July, too, thinking that I'd remember how to do when I felt like picking it back up, but I was mistaken. SO, I will be attending my first knitting circle tommorrow evening, & I'm rather excited. It's at a pretty bed & breakfast and meets once a month to give support to those that need a little (or a lot) of assistance. I'm sure I'll be sharing my other resolutions here when the time comes. :)

New in the Shop!

2012-01-08T22:27:00.001-07:00

Use JAN2012 for 10% off at moxiemandie!

New

2012-01-03T09:17:00.005-07:00

Happy new year friends! It appears that I took another unplanned break from posting here. I've just been soaking up this time off of work, off from moxiemandie, and enjoying Gabe being off of work, too! We've had such a relazing, cozy few weeks that opening up my laptop is basically the last thing on my list of things to do each day, but I know that real life is just about back, & with that comes the responsibility of being a shop owner. I have several emails that must be written, so perhaps tonight I'll do that while snuggled up on the sofa with my best guy. Anyway, we had a lovely long weekend that included a few nights of little sleep, followed by one very nice & looong night of sleep. Also included was a short but sweet visit from a far-off friend, 2 movies with friends, a new year's party, some thrifting, mall-walking, a movie date on the couch, and a coffee & reading date at Starbucks. I'm sure that I'm missing something, but you'll have to excuse my forgetfulness. :)

from our reading date

enjoying extra time together

Sharone spent more time driving here & home than she actually spent in Albuquerque!

I don't exactly love the winter, but I looove the winter night skies

Old Friends

2011-12-28T12:46:00.003-07:00

I added a few old best-sellers back in the shop today, but there are definitely a limited quantity available, so if either of these cute chevron-patterned pillow covers have caught your eye, I'd act fast! Also, I'll be closing my shop sometime Saturday evening for a few days in order to stock up with some new product, and when I re-open in January, the prices on pillow covers will likely be a fw dollars higher than what they currently are. I've reevaluated my investment of money & time into my products(including the time it takes to photograph, edit photos, list and package/ship), and I feel that it's time. I do hope to bring more designs that are unique and one of a kind in the coming months & I couldn't be more excited for what's to come! With that said, I'd love to thank each of you, whether you've been a loyal customer or a supportive fan (or both!), this year has rocked my socks off & has been so much more than I ever thought it could be. I am really, really excited for 2012- both professionally and personally, so bring it. :)

yellow chevron pillow can be found here

and black chevron pillow is right here & here

Use code FREEFORDECEMBER through Saturday for free shipping on every order!

Just Happy

2011-12-27T10:24:00.002-07:00

we took a few family photos on Christmas- it was cooolllld!

Hi there friends! I won't bore you with the details of our quiet & low-key Christmas, but it was nice & merry & good, as I hope yours was, too. I had yesterday off of work, and that guy up there surprised me by taking it off, too, and then taking me out to dinner- on a week night! (that rarely happens with us due to our extremely different work schedules) It was such a sweet thing to do, & it really made my weekend better than I imagined it even could be.

I hope your week is sweet & happy! I'm looking forward to another long weekend in just a few days!

The Merriest

2011-12-25T04:01:00.001-07:00

Wishing you the merriest of all days,

happy Christmas!

Snowmageddon

2011-12-22T16:04:00.003-07:00

Apparently, we're under a winter storm watch, but we were under one 3 days ago & got very little, ahem, winter weather, so I'm not particularly buying it this time. But, I do have plenty of merry-making left, so I'm going to bid you adieu for the week anyway. :)

Happy almost Friday friends!

Books To Buy List

2011-12-22T09:11:00.002-07:00

In the last 2 years, I've not read very much- not nearly as much as I used to. It's a combination of many things, biggest of all is the fact that I now run & operate a handmade shop in addition to working 40 hours a week at my full time job. However, I've felt a pull recently toward quiet nights spent reading (or at least a portion of the night), snuggled up under warm covers with a glass of cider or tea, and have been very much desiring several books to keep me company. I've even created a board on pinterest to keep track!

Source: shop.uppercasegallery.ca via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: amazon.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Source: barnesandnoble.com via Mandie on Pinterest

What's on your list? I'm hoping to order a few of these soon (if they're not under the Christmas tree, of course!)...

Messy + Festive = Mestive

2011-12-21T11:49:00.004-07:00

I invented that word last night, when I posted this photo to instagram (my favorite iPhone app!)

Basically, that word could sum up my life- both now, during the holidays, and always. I like to DO! THINGS! UP!, but I am a bad planner and an even worse executer of said plans. Our advent calendar is up(as of a week ago), but I put little planning into how to put it up & let me tell you, it looks cuh-razy(crazy-cute). But, the important thing is that it's up, right? So, that's just sortof how I do things. I plan(ok, maybe dream is the more accurate word here) for lots of flair, but I'm ususally just happy when things work out okay.

What about you? Are you a planner? Executer? Or a daydreamer like me?

Inter-friends & Luck

2011-12-20T12:41:00.002-07:00

I do not feel like writing today, but I do feel especially blessed (even though I'm also feeling the yucky discontentment -is that a word?) so I think I should at least share that. My friend Prudy sent me this beautiful matryoshka ornament (& yummy cookies that Gabe mostly enjoyed) & I received it on Saturday.

I cried when I saw it becuase oh! I've never even hugged this friend's neck, and yet she took the time to send me something pretty because it reminded her of me. I am so, so thankful for inter-friends (a new word I concocted just now). There are so many that I am so blessed to share life with, regardless of the fact that we've never met in real life.

Also, I must brag just a bit on Gabe. He's such a blessing to me, but lately he just keeps loving me so well. This morning, as I was walking out the door, I spilled an entire cup of coffee on our carpet. Instead of letting me clean it up, he assured me he'd get it for me & then made sure to clean it well.

I also received an email from Pinterest this morning notifying me that Gabriel Segura was now following. Um, the first thing I asked was if Hell had frozen over. I asked him about it & he replied that he'd attempted to join a little while back to get an idea for Christmas gifts for me, but he was just invited today. Seriously, so sweet. I am so lucky for so many of the people in my life. I realize this post is lacking any great writing, but I don't want to let the good things in my life be overshadowed by the frustrations. They deserve their time, so I'm writing them out & linking up with Heather & Just Write.

Listing

2011-12-18T23:55:00.004-07:00

this weekend, I:

-finished shopping for Gabe's Christmas gift
-finished our food shopping for the dishes we'll bring to Christmas dinner at Gabe's grandma's house
-wrapped gifts
-was pleasantly surprised & delighted* that the play we attended over the weekend was thoughtful & so well done
-finished & mailed the last of the pending orders in my shop

-received a sweet gift from a friend that I'll share more about soon
-listed a few new pillows in the shop
-continued to feel & experience the depth & significance of advent
-enjoyed a super sweet weekend with Gabe that exceeded my hopes & expectations

I hope you had a blessed weekend too my friends. I'm so thankful for you all.

*the play could have gone either way. I bought the tickets on living social a few weeks back without knowing anything about it, & was so impressed. A great reminder to support your local theater groups. :)

Remembering

2011-12-16T13:29:00.004-07:00

I wish you many of yummies like these this weekend, but not so many that your tummy hurts.

Gabe & I are going to a play tomorrow night, & I made sure to get all of our laundry washed yesterday & am going grocery shopping tonight, so I'm hoping that our weekend can be way more fun than work. I have happy hopes for this pre-Christmas weekend, but was reminded yesterday of my own year-old words, so am also trying really remember & take them to heart. I do hope that you have not only a happy weekend, but a joyful one as well.

Christmasing

2011-12-15T11:44:00.005-07:00

lovely decal found here from stuff kara made

I have not had the most wonderful week as you may have guessed by my last post. But I am determined to enjoy & be joyful during this advent season. I do not want to let anything or anyone steal my joy. In that manner, I decided when I arrived home from work yesterday to do some Christmasing to our home. We hadn't done much other than bring home & decorate our tree. I set my phone it's dock & turned on the Indie Christmas station on Pandora, & for a good 2, 2.5 hours, I (very scrappily) hung lights in our bedroom, I finally hung our advent calendar, and boy, did I do a crazy job, but it's up & we can see it & be reminded of the truth of this season, the reason why we should live christmas every day, and not just for 25 days at the end of each year. I also spent some time organizing my own baubles, my pretty jewlery & accessories that have just been dumped on a tray half-hazardly for far too long. I sorted a pile of things to give away, & hammered nails in the wall to hang necklaces on. I haven't made that time to do something like this in far too long, and it felt so good that I slept like a rock last night & didn't despise having to wake up to my alarm this morning. I think I'm on my way to that peace I was looking for.

Piles

2011-12-13T16:05:00.004-07:00

I feel like my life is full of piles right now, and sadly, that one above is the prettiest, and I don't even have it anymore. I should have known better than to say that I'd commit to writing about one topic more than once. It probably won't happen, FYI. I'm happy that my orders are almost finished because there are piles of fabric all over what feels like every square inch of our home, & some days I want to just light a match to it all & start over fresh, with intention. But, I won't because I paid for most of it, and I don't want to be a waster, either. sidenote: is waster a word even? Anyway, there are plenty of piles of papers at work that demand my attention, as they should. And there are piles of mail & bills at home that still need one thing or another attended to from our most recent move. Oh, and phones calls, too. I ranted a bit on twitter last night that I was a hot, crying mess. I still am. I've just tones it down for while I was at work, but I cried a little there, too. After this move, I've already made a resolution- I'm done taking $$ from my savings to cover my checking. Guys, moving doesn't cost you only upfront. I'm still getting bills for deposits from gas/electric/cable companies. Ugh. Another resolution is to live in one place for more than a year. We lived in our last apartment for less than 10 months. Strangely, this is the 3rd place I've lived in since last Christmas, and even stranger? We chose to move each time. Not because we enjoy it, I assure you. Just because it seemed like a grand idea (& would hopefully be better for us financially, too). Anyway, I needed to just get it out there so I quit carrying these 20 some odd layers of chips on my shoulders. Or whatever. You get the picture, right? Tonight, I'm wishing & praying for peace. Because I know it's there & I need some.

I hope your evening is peaceful too.

Oh, & I'm linking up with my friend Heather & her Just Write exercise.

tidbits

2011-12-11T10:39:00.004-07:00

I forgot to tell you that after today, the inventory in my shop will be much smaller than it is today. After today, my shop will be redy to ship items only, which means that there will be very few pillow covers available after today. The upside for you? Use HAPPYCHRISTMAS at checkout to receive 30% off. This coupon expires this evening.

This morning, I felt like a real apartment dweller for possibly the first time. I needed to get a new roll of paper towels from our closet. In our bedroom. Our stash of toilet paper and kleenex also abide there. On a similar note, I also retrieved hand cream from our pantry this morning. :)

I sewed for almost seven hours straight on Friday to attempt to get caught up on orders. I'm thisclose to being done. I am SO excited to take a bit of a break from orders & to enjoy creating new products. I also have a project that I need to get started on for my new little niece/neph (this is what I call the kiddo that my sis is carrying around since they're waiting to find out baby's gender, FYI). I'm sewing curtain panels for the nursery & am excited to get started!

What's new with you? Anything exciting? Are you enjoying the advent season?

Intentional Giving

2011-12-07T10:37:00.004-07:00

As we're now a week into December, I've been asked a few times what I'd like for Christmas this year. My answer? A cleaning service to come once a month- not even kidding. As someone that has moved 5 times in as many years, I know I have enough stuff. Actually, I have more than enough, too much. And you know what it does, mostly? Stresses me out. With that said, I am trying to think of ways to give intentionally this year, so as not to stress others with sometimes meaningless things that carry an obligation to keep around for the acctable amount of time. Now, I'm not saying that everything I've ever been given is junk- it's not. Honestly, most of said junk stress was self-induced. BUT, I don't want to be the one that puts that on others, either. So over the next few weeks, I'm going to share a few ideas & suggestions with you on intentional & thoughtful giving. If you're interested in contributing to this, please let me know! This is a topic that I just don't think will be (or even can be) completely covered in a handful of posts!

Buy One Get One Half Off

2011-12-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

all hand-dyed onesies are buy one get one half off in the shop this week (expires 12/10/11)! Go ahead & purchase 2, & I'll refund half ($5) via paypal within 24 hours!

Bits & Pieces

2011-12-06T10:38:00.004-07:00

trimmed our tree last night while watching Elf

Did Zooey really have to kiss Will Ferrel? ugh.

that's right. our advent calendar still isn't up and yes, it's the 6th of December. BUT, it's going up tonight. I just didn't think it was appropriate to hammer nails into the wall at midnight last night while I put this together.

a few of our little ornaments

it is actually freezing here. this is some strange weather, if you ask me.

Real

2011-12-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

We bought our first *real* tree yesterday! It's so pretty & our living room smells wonderful! We purchased an artificial tree the first Christmas we were married, many years ago, but decided to take the leap to a real, live tree this year & I'm so glad we did! It was such a fun + cold experience (we had a SUPER cold weekend), but a memory that I'm sure will not be soon forgotten. What about you? Do you buy a live tree each year or does your family enjoy the same artificial tree year after year?

Creating Cheer

2011-11-30T10:13:00.002-07:00

We're not entirely finished with our unpacking, but I wasn't willing to wait any longer to put up something, anything, Christmas-y at our new home, so last night I decided to hang a garland I finger knitted with yarn while on the road last week, and added a cute little $1 wreath from hobby lobby that I'd wrapped trim around a few years ago. It's not much, but it's a happy start.

Have you begun decorating yet?

iPhone Photos and Many Hours in the Car

2011-11-29T10:19:00.003-07:00

Oklahoma scene

more Oklahoma

a bit more....

that's my little niece or nephew in there!

new fabric I purchased to make my own curtains

roadside antique/junk shop

Gabe trying on a pair of glasses at Red Velvet

windmills

Cyber Monday Steals & Deals

2011-11-28T10:41:00.003-07:00

There are four different pillow cover bundles in my shop that only last through today! You can find them here.

Sale items such as a few different clutches, pillow covers, AND cute hand dyed onesies are all ready to made & can be found here.

Dining & kitchen items, such as mug rugs & holiday-inpired hot pads are also ready to ship & can be purchased here.

Tomorrow is the last day to purchase a pillow cover or limited edition clutch (only 2 of each color) to have it constructed & delivered by Christmas.

Use SMALLBIZ20 at checkout to save 20% off of your entire order- code valid until 10 pm tonight.

Happy shopping!

Handmade Specials Around the Web!

2011-11-25T03:06:00.002-07:00

You can click on any picture to visit the shop.
Please be sure to read ALL of the sale information below each ad before making a purchase.
Happy shopping!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY25 for 25% off.
EXPIRES: 12/3
Plus, get a free gift with purchase for orders over $30.
SHOP Along for the Ride NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY20 for 20% off.
EXPIRES: 11/27
SHOP Apearantly Sew NOW!

Use code HOLIDAY for free shipping and a free gift (yoyo pin) with purchase.
EXPIRES: 12/17
SHOP Folding Chair Designs NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY for 30% off.
EXPIRES: 11/30
SHOP Han Made Things NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY for 25% off.
EXPIRES: 11/27
SHOP Kristin's Kreations NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY15 for 15% off.
Or get 30% off a purchase of $70 or more! (additional discount refunded via paypal after purchase)
EXPIRES: 11/28
SHOP Mandipidy NOW!

Use code HOLIDAYWISHES for 20% off Moonbeam Wishes (stationary shop)
Use code SEASONSGREETINGS for free shipping at Dear Moonbeams (embroidery shop)
EXPIRES: 12/3
SHOP Moonbeam Wishes NOW!
SHOP Dear Moonbeams NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY for free shipping.
EXPIRES: 11/29
SHOP Moxie Mandie NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY for 20% off.
EXPIRES: 11/27
SHOP Petunia Blooms NOW!

Use code HOLIDAY40 for 40% off.
EXPIRES: 11/28
SHOP Pink Lemonade NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY for 20% off.
SHOP Pretties By Meg NOW!

Use code HOLIDAY15 for 15% off.
Every purchase $45 and over gets a free 5x7 print of choice! (a $14 value! please see rules and regulations below to see if you qualify)
EXPIRES: 11/28
RULES and REGULATIONS: To qualify for free 5x7 print of choice the items in your cart must total $45 before shipping fees. If you apply your 15% off coupon code to your purchase then your order must total $45 before shipping fees AND after you apply the 15% off. If purchase is less than $45 after you apply your 15% off then you are not eligible for 5x7 print. Please leave a note in the "notes to the seller" box at check out letting me know which print you would like made into a 5x7. Offer excludes all customizable work (including blog design, logo design and customizable prints)
SHOP Yellow Heart Art NOW!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY30 for 30% off.
EXPIRES: 11/26
SHOP Yes Teacher NOW!

Reading On The Road

2011-11-22T11:28:00.002-07:00

Source: search.barnesandnoble.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Gabe & I are heading out on the road tomorrow to meet up with my family for Thanksgiving, and we have A LOT of hours of driving/riding ahead of us. We've known about this trip for months & we've been saving something for it- Bossypants. We've both wanted to read Tina Fey's book since it came out, but decided to save it for our trip. So we have that. But, that's only going to last us about 5.5 hours. We'll be in the car for cloase to 30 hours between Wednesday & Sunday. See where I'm going with this? Are there any books you've read/listened to recently that we should try, too? Here are a few I've heard are {really} good , but if you have anything to add to the list, please leave a comment (or even let me know if you've read anything on the list & what you've thought about it).

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series

The Hunger Games trilogy

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

I appreciate any & all suggestions!

Ready (and a discount!)

2011-11-20T23:44:00.003-07:00

Happy Monday friends! Boy- it was a crazy weekend for me. Hope yours was less, um shall I say intense, than mine? I have been working hard to not only finish up orders to ship before Wednesday, when we leave for a little road trip, but also stock the shop with several ready to ship options, too. Well, I had to buy a new sewing machine over the weekend because the one I bought a few months ago just wouldn't stay in working condition, no matter how many times it was serviced. So, that was unexpected. And very expensive. BUT- I'm almost there.

I'm ready for the loooong weekend. Are you?

p.s. If you're READY too, & want to do a little pre-holiday shopping, use READY for free shipping at moxiemandie!

On Home, by Emily

2011-11-16T08:59:00.003-07:00

Well hello there friends & happy Wednesday! I have one last guest post from a friend to share while I continue working my way through boxes of stuff, filling shop orders, and well, yes- recover from a lovely sinus infection.

***************

A Peek... ...into my life right now.this is my kitchen sink area.full of crafts made by my littles...dirty dishes...medicine droppers...random bible verses taped to my window...leftover party decor hanging above the sink...flowers that i picked up at the store...

at first sight, one might think this area is way cluttered.actually, on a normal day, i might think this area is way cluttered.but for whatever reason, i looked at my sink and everything surrounding it, and i got an overwhelming sense of happy.
i'm thankful to have little people to make me fun crafts to adorn my kitchen sink.i'm thankful to have a sink to clean my dirty dishes in.i'm thankful to have medicine to give my sick children.i'm thankful to be able to memorize scripture, and worship God, freely.i'm thankful for a full house...that i'm sure will never be clean, but that's okay. this, to me, is what makes my home, a home.

*********************

Emily is a hip, cute, & crafty momma to almost 6 cute kiddos and she often writes funny stories about their family here.

Two Ladies

2011-11-15T07:55:00.002-07:00

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

That lovely bag up there- you know, the one I've been drooling over for months? Well, my sweet friend Ellen not only sewed it, but dyed & reverse dyed it, too! She reopened her lovely etsy shop today with several new designs- you should check them out!

Source: etsy.com via Mandie on Pinterest

Next up is my friend Jessi. She designs some sweet prints/posters(Christmas cards, too!) and now she just released this beautiful advent calendar! You can either purchase it already professionally printed & have it shipped to you, or do what I did & purchase the digital files so you can print it out yourself!

These two ladies have been so encouraging & supportive of me & my shop- I do hope that you'll go have a little look-see & be blessed.

Sale at moxiemandie // 25%-30% off

2011-11-12T14:39:00.004-07:00

25% - 30% off select items at moxiemandie. Use ELEVEN11 for an additional 11% off the entire shop through 11/13/11 only!

Saturday Morning Glimpses

2011-11-12T11:58:00.002-07:00

Welp, my sinus issues are better, but I think I may have a cold, so I've just been snuggled up in bed editing photos & finally listing new items! I got my mitts on some of the delicious Heather Ross Far Far Away 3 collection last night & just couldn't help myself- I had to do something about it. So- if you need a cute little mug rug/coaster for your desk, or a few stocking stuffers, check them out here.

It's Friday!

2011-11-11T10:05:00.002-07:00

This is my side of our bed/bedroom. Pretty, right? Well, that's where I spent just about all of my afternoon.evening yesterday, thanks to a bad sinus headache. I'm feeling much better now, thanks to a winning combination of benadryl, ibuprofen, & a hot shower.

It's Friday, and for that I am SO thrilled. I'm hoping to spend a lot of time tonight/tomorrow morning right there in that spot on the bed just relaxing, and then after that I'm hoping to enjoy the sunny weekend with my guy!

Hoping your weekend is just the right mix of sunny with a crispness in the air!

Same Tree

2011-11-09T10:54:00.001-07:00

8:30 am

4:30 pm

Snippets From The Weekend

2011-11-08T04:45:00.000-07:00

manicure choices (I chose the bronze & am happy I did)

we are learning the ways of laundromat-style living. no more washer/dryer for us

freed up a ton of drawer space over the weekend by hanging this pretty hook up & placing my scarves on it. looks pretty, too, right?

On Home, by Gigi

2011-11-07T04:09:00.000-07:00

We're finishing up unpacking around here, so my pal Gigi is posting here, sharing a recipe that just says home to her.

*******

Nutty Sweet Potato Soup

(recipe by Ellie Krieger)

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded & diced (about 1 cup)

2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon peeled & grated fresh ginger

1 large sweet potato, peeled & cubed (2 cups)

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with their juices

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup chopped scallion greens (about 3 scallions)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper and carrots and cook, stirring until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cayenne, black pepper, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the sweet potato, broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

*Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in a regular blender in 2 batches and return the soup to the pot. Add the peanut butter and honey and stir, over low heat, until the peanut butter melts. Serve warm, garnished with the scallions.

(*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.)

******

by Gigi, a fun online friend that I finally got to meet over the summer!

Christmas Style

2011-11-04T04:42:00.000-06:00

Source: home-designing.com via Mandie on Pinterest

I've never been one to decorate much for the holidays. It's probably because since I've married and had my own home(s), we've either *just* finished moving, are getting ready to move, are traveling to Michigan, or a combination of the above all around the holidays, which really doesn't lend much extra energy to the entire decorating thing. However, I'm a little excited to put a few touches here & there in our new home which, incidentally, is not much more unpacked than it was on Saturday when we moved in. Oh well. It'll get there. Anyway, I saw this photo (from an advertisement, of course) and really sort of love it. There's little I can do to my current home to make it look anything like this, but a girl can dream, right? Anyway, I created a christmastime pinterest board, in case you're interested in following.

What's your Christmas style?

p.s. I started listening to Christmas music on pandora yesterday...

Shop Talk

2011-11-03T11:13:00.004-06:00

In an attempt to stay sane and well, make sure I can deliver everything on time, I set a deadline for Christmas orders. Already. Can you believe it? It's the third of November already! Anyway, yes- the deadline is set for November 29th. This ensures that I'll have weeks afterward to finish orders up & still send out by December 13th, and after that? Oh nothing- just hoping to take a break for a few weeks, that's all. :) If you've been dreaming pretty things up in your head as far as a custom order, I have to say that I'm already getting pretty busy and will most likely only be taking those on for about another week, so contact me with your requests & soon. You can email me at moxiemandie AT gmail DOT com or send me a convo on etsy. My screen name is moxiemandie.

I think that's about it for now- we're moved in but nowhere near unpacked & I'm starting to get stressed about living in a box-full apartment. Hopefully we'll make some prgoress over the weekend!

Happy Thursday!

On Home, by Sharone

2011-11-03T03:57:00.001-06:00

I've been wandering far these past few weeks, across oceans and many borders and through seemingly endless security checks. I won't be in my own bed for another week, and I've been looking around with my eyes wide open, trying to fit the unfamiliar into my heart and grasping for something familiar to hold on to at the same time.

Home? Right now it's a half-turned tree outside the window, a string of silver beads on my wrist, a door shut against the cold.

It's a hot shower and a woolly scarf and the scent of a fresh cup of tea.

It's a kiss sent with a postcard covered in colored, unfamiliar stamps. The hum of the laptop and the plunking of fingers on keys as I talk to friends around the world. The pages of a well-loved book.

It's the countless small things to mark. These things make home, one that I can carry with me, no matter how far I roam.

By Sharone, customer turned loving friend.

On Home, by April

2011-11-01T05:46:00.000-06:00

Hi there- we're still busy unpacking boxes & I'm trying to catch up on shop orders, so I have a few more friends filling in for me here, talking about what home means to them!

*********

when my dear friend mandie asked me to share a guest post on what makes a home to me, i immediately thought of how often we move & how every new adventure offers us the chance to make a home out of what we are given.

my husband is in the marine corps, therefore we move.... alot. we currently live in san diego {♥} where we've lived for the last seven months. we are moving to okinawa, japan in may of 2012 and we couldn't be more excited!! moving about so often means that we don't have the opportunity to call any physical place our home. home is what we make of it, being together between deployments and cherishing the time we get to spend collectively with our wild child toddler, amelia.

{print & wood slat sign}

it's tough to leave behind our family & friends, favorite restaurants and places of comfort {good-bye target, i will miss you so!}, but as long as i have my dashing husband and darling daughter, i know that God will provide everything else we need to turn any place into a home.

by April, a heart-friend and cute shop owner

On Home, by Susan

2011-10-31T04:34:00.000-06:00

My house is a home when my family is around me.
When we are doing things together, from watching movies to riding bikes.
They make my house a home, their presence creates it.

By Susan, very encouraging friend & super awesome shop owner

It's Fall-ing...

2011-10-28T03:31:00.000-06:00

...and we're moving today & tomorrow.

Have a happy weekend!

On Home, by Kayla Aimee

2011-10-27T04:31:00.000-06:00

I know that there is a simple, heartwarming answer to what make a home. The people you love. Happiness. You know, sweet stuff like that.Yeah, not for me. I mean, I enjoy all that. But when we moved into our first home, the place was trashed. Oscar the Grouch wouldn't have even wanted to live in our house. And so the house? It kind of...smelled. Okay, it totally reeked. So I promptly went out and bought my two trusty go-to scented candles. Apple Spice and Vanilla. I'm pretty sure I bought out the store. Because scent is the strongest tie to memory or something about something like that. And we started ripping up floors and painting walls and patching holes and painting walls and fixing cabinets and OH MY GOSH WILL WE EVER BE DONE PAINTING THESE WALLS?! When the walls were painted and we looked around at our empty house, I lit a candle and called it home. And then that candle fell over because I had balanced it precariously on a cardboard box and my husband called it a "fire hazard" and so no candles until we had real furniture and preferably not even then. But for a minute, it was a really poignant moment.

By Kayla Aimee, blog designer extraordinaire and sweet, sweet friend of mine

Thoughts on Moving

2011-10-26T11:18:00.003-06:00

I have 3 more nights to take a bath in my HUGE bath tub, so I'm going to take 3 more. I might even take one Saturday morning, just because I can.

I went to the new apartment after work yesterday to unpack some of what Gabe brought over earlier. I'll be honest- it's much smaller than what we're used to, or for that matter, smaller than all but 1 of our former homes. So, there's that.

Also, it's on the first floor. We've been on the 3rd floor since January, and therefore don't really see anyone. While I was unpacking yesterday, I saw a lot of people. About 2 feet away from my front door. I was quite startled, to say the least. This might take a bit to get used to.

image found here

On Home, by Faith

2011-10-26T05:00:00.001-06:00

As you may have heard, we're moving again this week, so I'm a bit short on time. I've asked a few of my lovely friends to fill in for me, so over the next few weeks, you'll get to hear a bit from them & their thoughts on what home means to them.

***************

Home is a place where there is patience, kindness, encouragement, self-sacrifice, forgiveness, trust, and hope. True love is something that we want to permeate our home and the lives of our children. Lord knows we need help to accomplish those things! But those are the attributes that truly make a home, and a haven.

By Faith, a fellow etsy shop owner & sweet, helpful friend.

On Home, by Prudy

2011-10-25T11:31:00.004-06:00

As I've mentioned recently, Gabe & I are moving (again), and between packing, unpacking, & keeping up with shop orders, I won't have much time to be around here over the next few weeks, so I asked a few of my wonderful friends to write a few sentences (or more!) on what comes to mind when they think of home.

********

I know you've been there. That moment when what was, is no longer and what is, is something entirely new and familiar all at the same time.
Home.
You realize that this simple four letter word, that I believe in its very wordy essence is an essence of sweet comfort, has little to do with four walls & a gabled roof or the knicks & knacks that fill shelves and walls.
No. Home is who makes it up, not what.
Several years ago, after a family meal (I think Thanksgiving) my husband and I [due to some jealous discontentment] decided to outfit our home. We had some money and decided we wanted some nice/pretty things.
We spent a Saturday visiting little boutique home shops. Picking out pieces that would complement our warm red walls. Pieces we love. We printed out and framed prints from our favorite artist and hung them in our living room. They're eclectic and fit our personality.
In brief our house is full of warm, inviting, cozy tones and artwork.
But these things just make our house look pretty and provide more surfaces for me to dust.
A few months ago we had a chance to visit friends. We hadn't met in person, but within mere minutes of meeting we felt at home. A place where we could be ourselves. Complete with bedhead and morning breath.
The only possessions that decorated this new to life friendship, was kindred hearts.
In spite of the fact that our physical home was 1200+ miles away, we found home there. In a place we'd never been and with people we'd just met.

********

by Prudy, a super encouraging & loving friend of mine

Preach It

2011-10-22T02:28:00.000-06:00

Source: None via Mandie on Pinterest

Busy Weekends

2011-10-21T10:16:00.002-06:00

It's Friday! While that would usually make me happy that it's just about the weekend, this morning I realized that I have a lot of SO FULL weekends coming up & I don't know when my next chance to just rest will be! We move next weekend, so tomorrow Saturday will be spent, I'm sure, packing & cleaning. Oh, and I'm sure we'll sneak away to go the grower's market to say our good-byes for the year....

Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?

home is where the art is

2011-10-19T09:41:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite bloggers, marta from marta writes, is doing a cute series on her blog while she & her adorable family movie into their first house. It's called home is where the art is, and features different handmade artists whose wares will be spread (cutely, I'm sure!)around her home. Today is my lucky day because she's featuring moxiemandie, and your lucky day because there's a discount code, too!

Our Fifth Home

2011-10-18T10:45:00.004-06:00

We're moving next week, to our fifth home as a married couple in just as many years.

I'm tired of the moving. My body is ready to settle, as is my heart, & God knows, my mind could use a break from learning new paths in homes: bedroom-bathroom, bathroom-bedroom, bedroom-kitchen, kitchen-sofa, sofa-bed. And oh yeah, sewing table to everywhere.

Our new place will be just that- ours, soon, and we'll learn from it, just like the others, what we 'want one day, when we get a house' and also the things that we can't imagine why anyone would design something so inconvenient. We've come across a lot of those, too. But nevertheless, we learn & take with us.

This fifth home, God willing, will get us through the challenge of one income while Gabe pursuits his first nursing degree.

This fifth home will hopefully be the place that we stay at for more than a year.

This fifth home will hopefully be the last place that we live at as a couple, and will be left as a small, but growing family.

I'm not looking forward to the packing & unpacking, again, but I'm looking forward to who we'll become as we live in & learn from our fifth home.

*inspired by my friend Ellen & her writings on joy

Katie Jo

2011-10-17T07:35:00.003-06:00

Gabe did a little photo shoot with my friend Elizabeth's daughter, Katie Jo, over the weekend, and I played with the instagram app on my phone.

I hope you had a fun weekend! Ours was balanced just right between working hard & playing hard, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I would most definitely not mind an extra day to catch up on rest & laundry. :)

I'll be back in a bit to announce the winner of the fabric stash!

Happy Monday!

Celebrate!

2011-10-14T10:24:00.004-06:00

My baby, moxiemandie, began 1 year ago today with a craft show debut. I can't believe it's been one whole year, but it has! To celebrate, there are a few special things going on today & tomorrow:

*Use the coupon code 1YEAR to save 20% off of your entire purchase

*All clutches ship for free today & tomorrow

*Prizes will be awarded on twitter for games

*Enter on this post to win a bundle of 5 vintage/thrifted fabrics from my stash!

To be entered to win, link to this post on twitter or facebook & then leave a comment saying where you linked to! You may enter once for each place you link from, and once a day for today & tomorrow(your comment here is your entry).

Thanks to all of my friends who have been so supportive. I wouldn't have made it a month without you! :)

photo credit

*****Update- The winner is #3, Kristin!

Kristin, please send me an email at mandieseguraATgmailDOTcom so we can get some goodies sent your way!*****

Spotlight

2011-10-12T10:31:00.001-06:00

My friend Tara posted a little interview with me on her blog today! There's even a little discount code if you read to the end!

Happy Wednesday!

Pumpkining

2011-10-11T07:43:00.003-06:00

We had so much fun over the weekend on a little day trip to a cool pumpkin patch/corn maze. I'd never gone through a maze before & it was SO (muddy!)cool!

Tons of great photo ops!

It was SO sunny. Just a gorgeous day!

Have you ever walked through a corn maze? It was so tall!

Gabe with our little pumpkin!

More Wall Art Inspiration

2011-10-10T01:45:00.000-06:00

While browsing through etsy, looking for more pretties, I stumbled across this beautiful calendar from pamlostracco. Isn't the concept so smart?

Miss Emma + a Giveaway!

2011-10-05T07:30:00.006-06:00

Hi friends! We get a special treat today- a guest post from Emma, and if you read all the way through, a giveaway! I'm so happy to share my new friend with you & her interesting story!

*****************************************************************

Hi! This is my first time "guest blogging" so bear with me! I honestly didn't even know where to start. So how about I start at the beginning...

My name is Emma. I was born in El Salvador and was smuggled into the United States with a few other kids when I was 4 years old. I flew here on an airplane, I'm talking this was a PRO job people! {you can read a little more about that here} I lived in Southern California with my mom until I was 14. My brother was born when I was 6. It feels like such a big age difference, but we're cool. It was just him, mom, & me most of the time. In California I was a complete valley girl.

THEN! my mother did something crazy, something out of the blue, something I resented her for for a few years... she moved us to Northwest Arkansas. Arkansas. ARKANSAS!! hillbillies, inbreeding... that whole thing. {none of that stuff they say about Arkansas is true btw. At least i don't think it is. well except for the hillbilly part}. I settled in, everyone at school was white... it was WAY different! We drove by cow herds every day. I couldn't figure out what those big round things were in all the fields. My husband now bales hay for part of our income so there's some out in my front yard. Cows too. His parents just retired from raising turkeys. This girl. The valley girl is now living on a farm in Southwest Missouri.

Looking back, it was good for us. I'm so happy where I'm at. Before I got married I went to a small church with lots of elderly people. In my spare time I would go visit a couple of them. Mrs. Margaret taught me how to cook, Mrs. Betty Taught me how to sew & crochet. I miss them.

I have 2 kids now, a 4 year old boy & an 18 month old girl. Sewing has come in SO handy! I've made a couple dresses for Isabella, her favorite little rag doll, diaper covers, a hooded cape. This summer I even made her a bonnet.

I love that it covers her ears on windy days & shields her eyes from the sun. {only 3 more of these available in my shop!}

But what about boys? My son wants to be a superhero. He's still debating between Spider-man & Batman, but he lives in his 3 superhero capes.

{here}

What about practical things? I'm all about one piece outfits. I love girly, but don't like all the fussing with dressing them. Enter "Princess Pants", my son named them. they're leggings with tulle sewn on so that it looks like a tutu. Stick it over a onesie or just a t shirt for a fun, girly look!

I started my shop wanting to focus on fun things. easy for mom things. For example the capes are velcro instead of tie so that you're not hearing "mommy, mommy put it on" 5 mins later "mommy, mommy take it off!" then 5 mins later "mommy, mommy, put it on!" and so on. this way they can do it themselves! :)

I have a fabric food set in the works because you know what?! that plastic stuff just aggravates me. germs. gross. melting in dishwasher. ugh. fabric can just be tossed in the washer with the kid's clothes when you wash it! easy peasy!!

Right now though I'm spending a lot of my time crocheting. These little suckers are a fan favorite!

we love them around here!

So I'm happy to be here. Happy that I got smuggled in. I'm legal now just in case you were wondering. Happy that I took the time to learn from my elders. Happy to be able to share with you. Thanks Mandie for being awesome. For letting me rant on & on, thank YOU for bearing with me!

- Emma

*************************************************************

Thanks so much Emma! Now Emma wants to bless one of you with $40 shop credit AND free shipping to the 1 lucky winner! To be entered to win, leave a comment here with your favorite item from her shop. For an additional entry, either tweet or update your facebook status with a link back to this post, and then leave another comment letting us know that you did!

Use the discount code MOXIEMANDIE for 20% of your purchases, too!

Giveaway will close on Sunday, October 9 and winner will be announced Monday the 10th!
Find miss Emma on her blog, at her shop, and even on facebook!

*****Updated to announce that Emily is the winner!!*****

Popping Up

2011-10-04T12:55:00.001-06:00

Hi friends-

literally just popping in here- I've been SO busy with my day job & moxiemandie- definitely looking forward to a slower pace. Hope your Tuesday is sweet!

Balloons!

2011-10-03T04:14:00.000-06:00

taken at the balloon fiesta with my iPhone & processed with the hipstamatic, instagram, and tiny planet apps

We had a wonderful time at the balloon fiesta over the weekend, despite the extreme lack of sleep. We took hundreds of photos & I'll be sharing many, many more over the course of the week....

Don't forget- use the discount code BALLOONS15 for 15% off at moxiemandie now through 10/09 to celebrate the 40th Balloon Fiesta!!

Happy Monday!

The Tiny Twig

2011-10-01T01:14:00.000-06:00

This is my friend Hayley.

She is sweet.

She is genuine.

She is passionate.

She starts projects with a! lot! of! enthusiasm! and says that she doesn't usually finish them. (I would know nothing about this type of characteristic. ;))

She is really cute (as you can see) and has great taste in clothing. (I may have the same exact top as she has on in this photo, so I have authority on such things, ahem.)

She is also the writer behind the blog that mirrors her heart, a place that I've been so fortunate to find here on these world wide webs and have been blessed to get to know her the last year & a half or so. Her new site, The Tiny Twig Goes Out on a Limb goes live today, & she's kicking it off with a series that I am so excited about: 31 Days to a No Brainer Wardrobe. Awesome, right?

So I hope that you'll go check her out. You won't regret it!

40th International Balloon Fiesta

2011-09-30T12:33:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow begins the 40th International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta starts here in Albuquerque, and to celebrate, I'm offering 15% off of your entire purchase at moxiemandie for the entire duration of the fiesta (through 10/09). Just enter BALLOONS15 at checkout for the discount!

We've already purchased our park & ride tickets for tomorrow morning's mass ascension & I need to remember to charge the battery for the camera tonight! This is definitely my favorite thing about living in Albuquerque.

Hope you have a fun-filled weekend, and be sure to come back next week, as there will be PLENTY of balloon photos around these parts! :)

Inspiration in Action

2011-09-30T10:13:00.001-06:00

You may now call me "Quilter"

Quilt Inspiration

2011-09-28T04:12:00.001-06:00

photo credit

photo credit

photo credit

photo credit

photo credit

I love each of these quilts! I began cutting pieces out for my first quilt a few months ago, but of course, I quit. I've been designing a very small one in my head for the last week or so that I'm hoping to turn into a wall hanging. Have you ever quilted? I'd love to see photos!!

Chevron & Untruths

2011-09-27T09:46:00.002-06:00

So I may have told an untruth yesterday when I spoke of the more 'put together' version of myself- the truth is, that version of me doesn't actually exist. I'm totally that girl that is running around like her head is cut off. I'm not the super organized, very thoughtful person that I wish I were. So, now that we've got that out of the way, I wanted to just share a fwe new pillow designs that are listed in the shop.

Forgive the photo, please- it was night time in my poorly lit living room, but it's the only shot I have of these cuties together. In case you're interested in any or all of the above, they can be found here:

Yellow, Grey, & Charcoal

Also, if you feel you *must* have one of these cuties, I'm offering 10% off with the discount code CHEVRON today & tomorrow only!

Happy Tuesday!

Layers

2011-09-26T08:01:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday friends! I hope your weekend was sweet.

We had a good time despite me getting the flu shot & then feeling near the cusp of sick almost the entire weekend. It never fully arrived, but I did get a nice long nap out of it. :)

I did some sewing yesterday to get caught up on giveaway prizes, so if I owe you something, chances are it's either been sent already or will go out in the next day or so. I had to break things up a little, though, by making something entirely new- the lacey layers mug rug. I've been wanting to try something like this for a little while, and all the pieces were just sitting out, begging me to put them together last night, so I obliged.

I'm hoping to be back tomorrow, the more put-together version of myself, that is. :)

Have a fun Monday!

Friday

2011-09-23T09:11:00.002-06:00

Happy weekending to YOU!

*I'm guest posting today over at Mama Loves Papa.

* My friend Ellen also shared a bit about my shop on her blog earlier this week.

September Fox

2011-09-22T06:16:00.003-06:00

I stumbled upon this pretty print from the shop amber alexander

on etsy, and I am smitten. I'm not even a pink-y kind of a girl, or an animal chick, really, but I just love it.

Do you have any favorite wall art right now?

*I made a new pinterest board the other day, just for wall art because it seemed to be taking over my entire New Home Inspiration board. And really, why not? ;)

Favorite Things: Candle

2011-09-21T05:48:00.000-06:00

We purchased a few candles from Bath & Body Works over the weekend and I just had to light one last night. I am smitten. This thing smells just amazing, and I don't even know how to describe the scent, so I'll borrow the blurb from their site:

Autumnal notes of golden nectar, juicy mandarin and red delicious apple are paired with toasted cinnamon stick, mulled cider spices and freshly harvested red berries.

What's your favorite candle scent? I'm also a fan of the volcano candle from anthropologie. Yumm!

Now Available

2011-09-19T23:05:00.002-06:00

Now available in the shop- more to come this week!

Our New Addition(s)

2011-09-19T08:56:00.003-06:00

Did I fool you with the title? Did you think we were having babies? We're not (yet).

I was talking about our three cute new air plants that I bought from the lovely shop toHOLD on etsy. I've been eyeing Kara's shop since April when it was featured on Heartsy, and I finally gave in. The logic I used in justifying this purchase is that #1- air plants are supposed to be just about impossible to kill, which really works to my advantage since I killed 2 basil plants within a month this spring, and #2- Gabe didn't like the idea of me buying any more mini latte bowls at anthropologie because they were just stacked up (cutely, I might add) on our buffet.

This little guy didn't fit in the mini latte bowls, though, so I used an older Pampered Chef piece that I got a few years ago. I kindof like the unmatchiness of it. Isn't he cute? I tried to get Gabe to help me think of names for them, but he not only refused, he told me that I was not going to become one of those people that talk baby-talk to their dogs, let alone plants.

Boo. What a party pooper, huh?

Follow along with my preparations for our new home on my New Home Inspiration board on Pinterest...

*you can find the listing for these three air plants here from Kara's shop

Funsies...

2011-09-16T01:22:00.001-06:00

...will be making their appearance in the shop early next week, in new gift sets with baby burpies(and a few other colors, too!), perfectly suited for a baby shower or welcome home gift.

SO, that means that all baby burpies are on clearance this weekend- buy 3 for $5 each & get 1 free. Just add in notes to seller which pattern you'd like for free & I'll ship it with the rest of the order, no coupon code necessary.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!!

*the name funsies was totally inspired by my girl Kara-Kae.
She's pretty much awesome. :)

Show Off Your Moxie

2011-09-14T12:06:00.004-06:00

photo taken by my friend Jen, of her moxiemandie clutch!

Hi there friends. I want to ask you a favor today, but I'll return it, promise. Here's the deal- I'd love to show off photos of YOU & YOUR moxiemandie products here on the blog & also on twitter & facebook, but I need your help- actually, I need your photos.

If you have purchased something from my shop [or even directly from me], and you have a photo to share of your moxiemandie product, please send it to me via email at moxiemandie (at) gmail (dot) com, and I will send you a discount code for 15% at moxiemandie through the rest of the year! This could be a very nice thing to have around around Christmas time, right? ;) The best part is that you may use it as many times as you'd like, through 2011. So, the sooner you get it, the more you can save, right? ;)

Autumnal Pillows In The Shop

2011-09-14T09:49:00.001-06:00

rounded chain grid in corn // 16 inch pillow cover

the tweed suit // 18 inch pillow cover

It's The Season

2011-09-13T10:04:00.002-06:00

It's just about that time of the year again around these parts!

Weekend Snapshots

2011-09-12T04:01:00.001-06:00

A super cute band called Holy Water & Whiskey played at We Art The People in downtown Albuquerque on Sunday.

A super score at a garage sale- only $1!

More embroidery practice.

I picked up a few new colors at one of our JoAnn's locations.

The winner from Friday's giveaway is #21- my friend Ali!

I hope you had a sweet weekend. Gabe took his placement test for the program he wants to get into early next year and passed with flying colors, I hung out with his grandma Francis & we went to his cousin's baby shower(more on that tomorrow), and on Sunday, Gabe & I spent many hours watching 9/11 footage and remembering those who's lives were tragically taken. It was bittersweet.

A Cute Project (and Giveaway!)

2011-09-09T00:53:00.005-06:00

Earlier this week I saw an idea on Design*Sponge for making cute little cloth cocktail napkins out of vintage sheets. Now, as you may know, I have a couple of those laying around. ;)

It sounded like a fun, quick, & easy project that might just get me back into the swing of sewing- I've not really felt like being creative this week, so I haven't! However, that all changed last night when I took the plunge and made a couple sets.

I cut a strip of this sweet polka-dotted grey fabric(not a vintage sheet, but just one of my current faves, as evidenced by my recent The Dotted Grey collection in my shop), but the width only allowed 3 napkins instead of 4, so I looked for a floral print in my stash that would go nicely and came across this gorgeous yellow, and cut 3 out of that, for a total of 6 cute napkins.

I followed the tutorial, and I'd say within 45 minutes, I had a sweet little set of cocktail napkins! Cute, quick, AND gratifying to finish a project! In fact, it was so much fun that I wanted to quick make another set to give away to one of YOU, and of course, I thought that a pretty, pale blue and cream chevron stripe would fit the bill. SO, if you would love to have your very own set of 4 cloth cocktail napkins with my favorite design on them, leave a comment with either your favorite design, or just your plans for the weekend. I'll announce the winner on Monday.

If you'd like an additional chance to win, link back to this giveaway either on twitter or facebook & leave another comment letting me know which route you took. :)

Happy weekend friends!

Something New

2011-09-08T01:41:00.000-06:00

I decided to try my hand at embroidery over the long weekend. It wasn't until I actually got everything ready & together that I realized I'd never really embroidered anything. The only thing that I had ever used embroidery floss for was to make friendship bracelets about 15 years ago.

I was at Hipstitch & thought I'd take a gander. I chose the Vintage Lamps pattern by Sublime Stitching. I think that I'm going to do a few more of these cute retro lamps & then work them into a patchwork piece to possibly make a pillow from. I'm not entirely decided, but I think that would be the best outcome. :)

Do you embroider? Please share a link with us to your favorite pieces!!

Berries, Bread, & Instagram

2011-09-07T03:30:00.000-06:00

I posted this photo on instagram last night & had a few requests for the recipe. Well, here goes:

1 box of Krusteaz Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix
3 eggs
1/3 c water
1/3 c vegetable oil
about 3/4 c additional blueberries
about 1/2 c frozen raspberries

Follow the box instructions, then add in the additional berries & stir in well. Use the directions for the bread version- preheat oven to 350*, grease pan with oil, pour batter into loaf pan, and bake for 44-50 minutes.

Enjoy! I know I did!

And if you're on instagram, find me! My screen name is moxiemandie, of course.

Are You On Pinterest?

2011-09-06T22:06:00.003-06:00

I should begin this post by saying that it is not a sponsored post. Pinterest does not realize I exist, but unfortunately for my time & concentration, I am quite aware that it does exist. Pinterest is a site that allows you to bookmark items from all over the internet onto different boards- I have boards for recipes, fabric/craft ideas, things I find on etsy that I love, and etc.

I created a board a few days ago to help inspire and motivate me as we prepare to move into yet another apartment, and I'd love some help with ideas. If you click on the link above, you'll see the items that are inspiring me, and maybe get an idea of my preferences. I'd love for you to share links to your favorite home decor items in the comments, and find me on pinterest so I can follow you, too!

September

2011-09-06T09:02:00.002-06:00

I bought my first roasted green chiles at a roadside stand yesterday- not for the season, but ever. I think fall is on it's way!

Do you have any favorite chile recipes? What about fall recipes? Share! We all love a new recipe!