Moxie and Mel has finally moved to a great new home! Come on by and post a little!

http://www.moxieandmel.com

Oh wow!! How beautiful! It was definitely worth the wait! If it is even half as wonderful as the scarf you gave me for Christmas, I don’t know how you’ll part with it!

I wish I had some progress to report but I haven’t taken any time to craft lately. I made a bunch of those “bean bag” things that go in the microwave and then you lay them across your shoulders or around the back of your neck or whatever, but I gave them all away as holiday gifts. My sewing machine is collecting a layer of dust from the kitchen remodel. Well, frankly, everything is collecting a layer of dust. I’ll be so happy when the drywall is finished.

I think I’ll wait until I go to the lake this summer to start making more jewelry.  That is one of the crafts that I can transport easily.  It’s nice to sit on the deck and watch the water while I’m beading.

My dad will be moving into his new house this summer so it looks like the stained glass and equipment will be moving to my house about then too! That will be fun. I haven’t made anything out of stained glass in over a year and I really miss it! I guess now would be a good time to drag out the drafting paper and start drawing patterns.

Well that’s about all I know for now! I was really excited to see your new scarf. It is so beautiful!

Huggzz,

Mel

Dear Mel-

I’m proud to announce that I’m finally free of the overwhelming guilt I’ve been living with.

If you’re unsure as to which guilt I’m referring, it’s the guilt of leaving a perfectly lovely scarf sitting half done on a loom since Sept. 25th. Yep, this little one has been hanging over my head for over three months.

But at last,  it is complete! I give you “Tide Me Over” (formerly referred to as The Skinny Scarf, but I like this name better)!

I know that the pictures aren’t the best, but the sense of sheer excitement at having finished it and lifted it off the loom made it impossible to even wait just long enough for sunshine.

It’s extra long and oh-so-skinny, soft as can be and doubles as a whip for misbehaving children. Okay, I admit it. We came up with more possibilities (as it is rather ‘rope-like’), but this is a G-rated blog, so use your own imagination!

While I’m writing I also want to share my next project with you. This WIP is a wonderful wrap I’ve been meaning on making. It can be used either as a standard wrap (around the shoulders) or for the beach lovers as a cover up for their bikini bottoms.

So there’s *my* work in progress…where’s yours?

Hugs and such,
~moxie.

I know, I know. I have been super neglectful of this adorable little blog and all the fun products that go with it for Moxie & Mel. Truth is, I’ve been SWAMPED with things for Natural Magic Soaps and we’ve had a bit of familial drama. Such is life.

However, I haven’t abandoned hope just yet. I’ve been working on my products here and there and collecting more ‘inspiration’ of late. Which brings me to today’s topic.

Gay Gadgets.

Yes, you read that correctly. Gay Gadgets.

You might find yourself wondering exactly what Gay Gadgets are; those of you with less-than-clean imaginations might even be picturing an item or two. I can assure you your wildest dream wouldn’t come up with these babies:

Thats right folks. I give you: Shade pulls, lamp pulls and curtain pin backs, the Gay Gadgets included in the 1954 Coat’s & Clark “Kitchen Crochet”, Book No. 304 (originally 10 cents, in case you were wondering).

Here’s a look at the lovely items you too can make!

If you fancy yourself up to the task of whipping up a Gay Gadget or two, feel free to use the scanned in instructions. I’d love to see any finished products!

Gay Gadgets Instructions Page 1

Gay Gadgets Instructions Page 2

OMG!  I have totally missed you, but know that you have been very busy lately!  I can’t believe you have 2 spots in Saponifier this month!  That is FABULOUS!!!  I saw the newest edition of Indie Holidays.  It is just beautiful!  You have such a eye for that sort of thing and the designers this time around are incredible!  I can’t believe what you have done for the indie community through IDCA.

I am recovering pretty well.  Wow!  I had no idea how sick I really was when I went to the hospital.  I am feeling much better though.  Still a little sore and bruised, but that won’t last much longer.

I haven’t been crafting at all during my “down time”.  Not much I can do from a horizontal position on the sofa!  LOL

I’m so glad to hear from you and we’ll talk more soon!

Been missing you,

-mel

I’ve been so busy, and so totally neglectful! My apologies!

I’m working feverishly to prepare for the holidays now that my articles (yep! two!) for the next edition of The Saponifier are done. I also finished and launched the new IndieHolidays.com, which looks fab if I do say so myself!

I’ve also done a grand re-opening of Natural Magic Soaps, which I’m very excited about!

On the Moxie and Mel front, I’ll be adding all our new items to the Etsy Shop over the next week. I can’t wait to get them all listed, but I’ve been swamped!

How are things on your end? Recovered from your surgery yet?

It feels like FOREVER since we’ve had a chance to actually talk!

~Lots of love,

Moxie

The photos look absolutely fantabulous!  You are very very talented with a camera!

Speaking of talented, how is your article for Saponifier Magazine coming along?  I know you’ve been busting your tail feathers trying to get everything done!

I wanted to let you know that I have been sewing!  Yes.. mel is sewing!  LOL  Scary huh?  This whole sewing thing began a couple months ago when my daddy went to an auction and “accidentally” bid on an old cabinet Singer.  How does an accidental bid happen you ask?  Well, when you are outside and know that there is a piece of furniture that you wanted to bid on that happens to be sitting next to a sewing machine, and the auctioneer walks over that direction so you run in and place your bid quickly, accidents happen!  LOL  So he picked up this machine dirt cheap then called me and asked if I would use it if he brought it to my house.  I told him that I’d try!  Having never sewn a stich since that sewing class my mom enrolled me in when I was 10,  (I think your sister attended said class with me) I did what I do every time I look at something and say “duh”!  I picked up a copy of Sewing For Dummies!  It’s a good thing I did!  My dad has been having “a pain in the neck” from his work and so I grabbed some clearance fabric resembling corduroy for $1 a yard and some dried lentils.  I made him a thing that he can put in the microwave then wrap around the back of his neck!  Of course it’s nothing fancy, but it works great!  I was thinking.  I visited a bulk food store in Shipshewana.  I wonder if they would happen to have bulk buckwheat hulls.  Of course they don’t have a website being there in Amish country, so I guess I’ll just have to go back to see for myself!  Darn!  LOL

Well here’s wishing you good flow and great grammar with your article!

Huggz-

-mel

Here are the snapshots from our very first photo shoot.

All in all it was a rather successful day! We’re hard at work on the descriptions and pricing structure, but stay tuned and you’ll find these wonderful items in our Etsy shop soon!

Next photo shoot: Scarves and Hats at Round Island!

I LOVE that teaser pic!  You take such fabluous pictures!  So like…. I sent you some descriptions in your email.  I’m not very good at describing my own stuff though!  All I know is that I really enjoy creating this type of jewelry and would be delighted if someone else enjoyed wearing it half as much!  Unfortunately that doesn’t tell someone much about how it was made!  LOL  I’ll keep working on it!

Huggzz to ya!!

-mel

I have pictures. Here’s a teaser…

Want to see more? Get me those descriptions!

Love and such
~Moxie