Moxiedoll

Hand Embroidery Hoop - The Green Gang
"MOXIEDOLL - An attractive woman with aggressive energy, spirit and know-how.
A little background...
I was born and raised in the small, rural town of Salem, OH. Growing up I spent my days fashioning Barbie dolls and choreographing dance routines with my neighborhood friends in the backyard. A bibliophile from inception, I was also notorious for carrying books everywhere I went and even co-authored an illustrated chapter book with my best friend in the sixth grade. In high school I developed a passion for taking pictures and eventually merged my love of writing and photography by working on the school newspaper and yearbook. I left for college with lofty dreams of one day becoming a photojournalist for National Geographic, but ended up graduating with a B.A. in English and aspirations of librarianship.
After pursuing my MLIS at Kent State, I landed my first professional position as Fiction and Audiovisual Librarian in the artsy community of Oak Park, IL. A move to the city to get paid to talk about books and movies with people? It seemed like a dream come true for this country mouse! Shortly after my move in 2002, I discovered the emerging DIY scene in Chicago and decided I wanted to become a part of it. So I ordered some Sublime Stitching patterns, taught myself how to embroider and quickly began selling my creations at craft fairs.
My love of variety and desire to try new things led me to explore many crafts over the next several years - everything from screenprinting to jewelry making. And I simultaneously began to work my way up at the library, taking on more advanced job titles. Ultimately though I returned to the craft I know and love best - hand embroidery. In 2009 I began stitching primarily retro inspired designs using vintage materials and almost immediately began receiving continuous positive feedback from customers and the crafting community.
After finding the library ladder climbing to be more tiring and less rewarding than I had hoped, I decided to leave library land in July 2010 in order to pursue my crafting business and find my next professional path. I am still searching and settling into my new working life, but I am much happier and looking forward to what the future will bring!"
bio written by Mandy via the etsy profile