39 again

I wish that I could just have stayed put right at 39 years old but no, time does keep marching on.  Saturday I turned 46 but I can honestly say I don't feel a day over 45!  I like a pretty low key birthday.  I'm definitely not into birthday parties or fancy dinners so this year as always I went out for breakfast (my favorite meal to eat out) with my sweet mister and then headed off to some estate sales and vintage shops.  The vintage pickins were not too good but the breakfast was yummy and the company divine.

I must have been a somewhat good girl this year because I was lavished with gifts from my beloved friends and family in a manner fit for a queen.

I received:

• a homemade, totally from scratch white cake with white frosting that was so delicious it made my stomach and my heart sing
• a fresh fig candle that smells of a lovely greenhouse.  smelling it is making me dream even more of spring
• super cute storage containers to keep my vintage buttons in.  my sister called them button bins and then I promptly shortened that to butt bins.  she set me up for that one ... what can I say, I'm pretty immature.  
• a hand carved stamp from India that was purchased by a friend in India and came with the tales of seeing similar stamps in use to create fabric
• a batch of the world's most delicious homemade red sauce that is prized in our house and hoarded until we make a batch of lasagna or some other delicious dinner
• a gift certificate to Townhouse Books cafe ... this is a favorite lunch getaway spot for me and husband.
• a hysterical and operatic singing of happy birthday via a phone message from minnesota ... an award winning performance that will linger in my mind for months!
• the cutest tote bag featuring a fit and flare illustration reminiscent of a Dior couture dress
• a scrump-dilly-ishous cheese souffle and corn pudding straight from the oven of the world's sweetest and kindest woman
• the funniest stuffed animal ground hog and ground hog's day book.  I laughed so hard I almost cried when I unpacked the stuffed animal from the shipping box.  It was so unexpected yet so appropriate for a girl who get's to share a birthday with the ground hog.
• the new Willie Nelson cd .... so fabulous!
• handmade bookmarks, itunes cards, a butcher shop gift card 
• a hand delivered piece of the world's most delicious tiramisu from La Dolce Vita in Lemont.  

After this embarrassment of riches I could only think and feel one thing.  I'm NOT worthy.  It's hard to feel worthy of the love and affection I receive on a daily basis from my friends and family.  I only hope and I literally pray that I can be half as good to them as they are to me.  My family and friends are the truest gift in my life.  Not only did they make my birthday great, but they make every day great. Pin It

Lehan Drugs Cash Mobs Moxie in DeKalb, Illinois

This past Sunday we at Moxie were "Cash Mobbed" by team Lehan Drugs. I'd only heard of cash mobbing before but never dreamed that something so wonderful would happen right here in DeKalb.

 According to wikipedia a cash mob is ... "a group 

of people who assemble at a local business to make purchases. The purpose of these mobs is to support both the local businesses and the overall community." The Lehan group came in together and many had on cute t-shirts stating their mission of spending money locally 2 dollars at a time. And yes, they made their purchases with 2 dollar bills which really makes it easy to identify their purchases. We had a BIG stack of 2's when they were done. They weren't kidding, they really mobbed us .... but in the most social and well-behaved way!

The mission of supporting local businesses is something that I know is so important to Lehans and to us at Moxie as well. If we don't support all the great independently owned businesses we have here in our DeKalb / Sycamore area then what will we be left with if they can't make it. You know as well as I, we will be left with the exact same stores that you can find in almost any town. And that would be sad. Those shops serve purposes for sure but what gives our towns color, flavor, flair and uniqueness is the different talents, products and services offered by all the mom and pop / family owned businesses.

So thank you so very much Lehan Drugs for doing something so uplifting for our local community. I know we were not the only ones who benefitted from your generosity on Sunday. You've inspired me to be even more diligent in resourcing my needs locally.

This post is a copy of the post I did over on our Facebook page.  That post got such a positive response that I felt I should also share it here for any of our  readers who didn't see it over there. 

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Artist Friends

I've always been drawn to artists.  Some of my very best friends in the world are artists.  Kind souls who see the world differently.  Some are shy and a bit under-confident about their own awesomeness so I make it a point to try to let them know how uber cool and talented I think they are.  They never brag about themselves so I guess I'm gonna have to do it for them! 

The little Sprite above is painted by my friend Patty.  I've had the best of times working with her for the better part of 12 years.  She gets me.  She makes me laugh and most of all she's got a pure heart and is a patient and generous soul.  The two of us together at work are constantly getting a wee bit in trouble from my sister (she takes work seriously as I should) for our shenanigans.  Our love of make-believe, spontaneous improv skits as it relates to retail situations and products alike, along with breaking into jigs for no apparent reason makes us on the top of the naughty retail girls list.  But no matter how many times we get the old .... "what are you two doing over there" routine, Patty and I stay true to our inner merry- mischief- making selves and let the jigs fly when they must. 

I'm a huge fan of Patty's art.  She is a painter.  I've purchased many paintings and been ever-so-luckily gifted others over the years.  They hang all over my house.  She doesn't have an etsy although she might in the future.  Right now we have a beautiful angel painting of hers for sale in the shop.  This little sprite carrying a package was a tiny painting done on an old book cover.  It was part of a Christmas present she made for me last year.  I love displaying it with my vintage Christmas decor.  Thanks Patty .... I love it!

My friend Lisa is also an artist and a vintage seller too.  I've had the good fortune to work with her for the last 7 plus years.  Her love of junkin rivals my own and we like to go major road-trip junkin together at least once a year until we can't junk no more!!!! She also makes me laugh (I find that my best friends all have that in common).  She is so talented and imaginative.  She has no problem hopping right into the world of make-believe with me at a moments notice.  She is like me in that she loves many different types of things.  She loves wide when it comes to vintage and so do I.  We just have a hard time sticking to any one era or style.  She also likes pie and coined the phrase "I'm going to put on my pie eating pants" which has gone on to become one of my favorite things to say.  How can you not love a girl who gets into special comfy pants for pie indulgence. She is so sweet and agreeable ... I adore her!

Last year for Christmas Lisa made me and sweet husband this adorable terrarium / winter scene.   I keep it on my kitchen windowsill  all winter long.  We just got it back out this week and I love gazing upon it while I do the dishes.  It is enchanting ... this little world of deer and mushrooms covered in snow.  And, did you see the cute little banner she made .... Fabulous!!

Lisa sells on etsy ... mostly vintage clothing and some prints of her art.  She is also a painter and is currently making fantastic little animal portraits.  She has sales at her house in the country several times a year which feature both vintage and art.  Please visit her on her Willow Nook facebook page

I wish I could paint .... but alas no.  But it sure does make it easier to accept when you have great friends who can paint for you!  

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