What's In Store with Maggie Moore

The weather is getting warmer here in Baltimore and when we think summer months, we think snowballs, that nostalgic treat you grew up with.  While I'm not from Baltimore, I would come from Massachusetts to visit my grandparents every summer and going out to get a snowball after dinner with G-Mom and G-Pop was a special treat I looked forward to because I couldn't get them at home.  I remember Gramom (our very own Maggie Moore) always got a chocolate snowball with marshmallow which  was of course pronounced marshmella.  Sam recalls Gramom always got Egg Custard which Sam thought was gross!  Whether it was Egg Custard or Chocolate, one thing we can agree on, her snowballs always had to have marshmella. Which reminds me Granpop would get up early to go to the bakery on the weekend and get marshmella buns! I kind of just like saying marshmella.

The snowball is a childhood rite of passage, and as a Baltimore native, Sam grew up on snowballs hon'!  Her favorite growing up was chocolate (hold the marshmella), which was basically just ice and Hershey's syrup dumped on top.  She would smush her snowball with her spoon, to properly mix in the chocolatey goodness, so it was nice and juicy.  When she got a little older and her palate became more refined she graduated from simple flavors to the memorable Little Mermaid which was different colorful flavors all mixed together and how cool was that?! And remember Skylite flavor?  What was that and is that still a thing?

The snowball dates back to the 1800s in Baltimore when ice trucks would roll through the city giving kids extra ice shavings.  They brought these home to their resourceful moms who added flavoring like egg custard for the  perfect summer treat.  During the Depression, this was an inexpensive way to make extra money serving up shaved ice with simple flavorings, and they were known as the "hard times sundaes" or "penny sundaes".  And the iconic snowball stands could pop up anywhere, always serving a cup mounded high with shaved ice, a few pumps of that sweet sweet flavoring and if they were doing it right Marshallow in the middle and on top.

Some of our favorite  places to get snowballs you ask? Some of our first Maggie Moore Studio business meetings were held over Quality Snowballs.  Quality Snowballs is on the Avenue in Hampden and their flavors have come along way from Egg Custard and Skylite, like Watermelon, Basil and Lime (a personal favorite) with chunks of watermelon on top, Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  Yes Please! Still  trying to make my way through all the flavors.

We also love a trip over to the Peggy. The Peggy  at The Margaret Cleveland is a full on experience boasting it is the oldest snowball stand in the country.  The Egg Custard originated right there on Walther Avenue, and they have delish organic marshmallow topping.  Not sure you can call that marshmella. While enjoying your snowball you can tour the beautiful grounds to pick up a  little something for your garden, wandering through their gorgeous greenhouses, browsing in the Farmhouse for a gift or to treat yourself. And if you plan  it right you can check our live music or a movie for a true Baltimore community experience. Check out the Peggy Insta to plan your trip.

And if you're Downy Oshun we recommend The Snowball Stand in Berlin.  They have wild flavor combinations topped with everything from traditional marshmallow to ice cream, popsicles, sprinkles, cotton candy and Moore.  They even serve flights if you just can't decide.  What a genius idea!

Our greetings are the perfect was to deliver a smile to someone, far from home, who is missing this signature Baltimore sweet treat. We would love to hear from you. Share a special childhood memory or your favorite stand below.

What happened to May? It is the official start to summer and we are ready for it! We started the month celebrating Mother's Day. Typically for us, for whatever reason, Mother's Day is not a big card selling holiday.  We always order too many cards, in anticipation of a flood of orders coming in, and get stuck with them until next year. This year we said we are not going to make that mistake again.  I kept resisting saying to myself, as much as you may want to, DO NOT order Moore cards because they're not going to sell.  There's alway this fear of not having enough. Well, it turns out people were really loving their Moms this year!  We had several requests from local retailers for last minute emergency deliveries because they were cleaned out.  We love and are always here for a good card emergency!  We sold out of many of our popular cards and our new cards for Baltimore's, Boston's and Philly's Best Moms were a hit!

And we got to spend a relaxing Mother's Day together with our favorite Baltimore Moms sipping on Aperol Spritzes.

Then I got to experience my first Black Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico hon'! There I was making a card delivery in Timonium, when Sam's Mom and Dad called me and asked how quickly I could be ready because they unexpectedly had an extra ticket.  I said I'm not even home but I'll be home at 12:42.  They said we will pick you up at 1!  Well it pays to be low maintenance and when you don't have the time, you don't have to worry about stressing what to wear.  You just grab the first thing you see. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with a hat that quickly but it was a good time experiencing this Baltimore tradition, though I lost every bet, and I agree that place is badly in need of a little renovation. If there is day drinking involved, I'm here for it!

We need a pick me up this month. Last year was a huge year of growth for us at Maggie Moore (thank you to all of you!) and May of 2024 was our biggest sales month of the whole year.  Yes, we do keep track of these things. This month, due to the current disastrous state of our economy, not so much.  Which can sometimes really piss you off, because people actually  voted for this mess. So it helps when you get some good news!  Hope you're ready for Thanksgiving because our Alcohol Before Relatives Thanksgiving card is featured in Gift Shop Plus Magazine's Holiday issue!

Sam and I got the nicest text from our friend Sheila.  Sheila opened the sweetest gift shop, Chosen back in 2020, yes in the middle of a pandemic.  We had just started Maggie Moore in the fall.  We both had such great timing!  We didn't have much of a clue of what we were doing, learning as we went when Sheila asked us to sell our products in her store.  You never forget your first store!  Well five years later, Sheila texted us from her father's 85th Birthday dinner.  She said "Both my sister and I gave him Maggie Moore cards",  with the below photo. When your cards go out in the world you don't  always get to see the result, and this was a nice little reminder of why we do what we do. Is it cheesy to say it warmed our hearts?  Well it did.

The Abe Babes turned 6! Sam's Boys had a big birthday on the 30th!  We started this biz shortly after they were born and back then they were the perfect models for our Maggie Moore onesies. Now they're graduating from kindergarten, losing teeth and riding bikes!

What are we watching?  Did anyone see the Pee Wee Herman  documentary, Pee Wee as Himself?  Recommend, all the stars.  If you haven't seen it, run to your televisions now.  I remember Sam had a Chairy from Pee Wee's Playhouse when she was a kid and I loved his appearances on David Letterman.  And the Survivor finale was epic!  Of course we are excited about the announcement of the cast of Survivor 50.  How does Mike White have time for Survivor between White Lotus seasons?

What are we drinking?  My new summer cocktail on repeat is Trader Joe's Sparkling Watermelon Juice with vodka, mezcal, tequila or really any spirit on hand.  If you're looking to get any of this watermelon juice, sorry I think I bought it all and I'm hoarding it in my basement.

What are we looking forward to in June? Sam turns 40!  What?  How can that be? I remember the day she was born.  I was 12 and my mother was having her annual yard sale and I was yelling out our apartment window about the new baby. Get in on the big sale.  She only turns 40 once!

You can find us in a new store this month.  If you're in Boston check out Parkside Bookshop. We love a good independent bookstore!

What was your favorite greeting card of the  month?  Despite the fact that the Orioles are sitting in last place (while my Red Sox continue to slide in that direction) it's still your favorite.  The Happy Bird Day Orioles card!  We definitely need some Orioles Magic.

I had a recent phone conversation with my Dad who spends the winter in Florida and was getting ready to head back up north to make the long drive to Cape Cod.  He and my step mom were planning to try a different route through Lewes, Delaware and acoss the Ferry to Cape May.  And this would take them over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  But my Dad said he wasn't a fan of this idea because he hates bridges.  I said "I hate bridges too!"  How did I not know this about my Dad?  Probably because I am my father's daughter and we don't let anyone know if something is bothering us. And this got me thinking that our I Love You Over the Bay Bridge and Back greeting card is really perfect for people like us who hate crossing it!  Maybe it's one of our most popular love cards for a reason. 

I mean the Bay Bridge does have a reputation for being America's scariest bridge and some people pay someone their hard earned money to drive them across it. Check out the Kent Island Express. And once you've watched the Key Bridge collapse on repeat like a child's toy in a matter of seconds, well the Bay Bridge can seem even freakier.  When my husband and I go to the Eastern Shore we often go up to Delaware and come back down, not to avoid the bridge but just because it makes more sense for us traffic wise.   So even though I had been to the Eastern Shore many times, I hadn't actually gone over the Bay Bridge in years, until I had a meeting on Kent Island a few years ago.  Going over the bridge just made sense. I wasn't worried. It had been so long, I didn't even remember how much I hated it. Once through Annapolis, I could see that big body of water on my GPS indicating that I was getting closer.  But as I turned a corner and saw that bridge, I about lost my mind.  There's something about seeing the Bay Bridge on your approach and how it turns to the left so you can see how long the span is and how high (186 feet at it's peak) and you say to yourself, "I'm going over that?"  I gripped the steering wheel, rode in the middle lane and stared straight ahead while envisioning cars crashing into me and sending me spiraling over the edge or a low flying and hopelessly lost 747 taking the whole thing down.  I mean my mom did give me one of those window punch tools in case I find myself in my car floating in the Chesapeake Bay, but if you go over the Bay Bridge, I'm pretty sure you're a goner. Once I could feel my car on the downward slope I knew I was halfway over and just maybe I was going to make it. I took some deep breaths, and I lived to tell the tale.

My dad and I spoke again a few weeks ago once they arrived back home in Massachusetts.  My step mom convinced my Dad that despite his fear of bridges, they were going over it.  Basically, he needed to suck it up. And you know what he said?  The Bay Bridge was fine. No problem!  Maybe if you make it out to be the worst thing in the world in your head, well then it's just no big deal. Do you hate going over the Bay Bridge?  Let us know in the comments below. And check out our Bay Bridge greeting card, the  perfect way to show your love anytime.

What happened to April? It seems like it flew by but we are loving that Spring has Sprung! It was a bit of a quiet month for Maggie Moore but not for Sam who has been traveling in Italy!  I desperately wanted to stow away in her suitcase but she will be back to the grind this week so I'm looking forward to hearing all about her trip in Rome and Tuscany.  What better place to enjoy an Aperol Spritz! Hoping she has brought back some new greeting card inspo.

We are super busy creating new designs for a big drop this summer.  Including a new Type Mashup of the Outer Banks. I've never even been so let me know what should be included!   But until then, we dropped new stickers in April for Red Sox fans like me.  If you're not a Sox fan, we see you with some sweary stickers too. And you can find Maggie Moore in a new store this month.  Check us out in our Nation's Capital at Diament in DC.  If you know another local shop that should carry  Maggie Moore, shout it out in the comments.  We're always looking for new brick and mortar retailers to carry our cards, stickers and prints to Share Moore Love.  And remember to support your local shops and support small business.  They need you now Moore than ever.

Survivor is getting good you guys! And Sam has me full on obsessed with the Traitors.  I finished Season 3 with Boston Rob and now to continue getting my fix I'm onto Traitors UK!  My husband is slightly concerned with my new addiction. 

So much is happening in May!  Besides the day of all days to celebrate Mom (We hope you have a card!), Baltimore is looking forward to Flower Mart!  Mom and I are going to attend and will definitely be partaking in a Lemon Stick. And don't forget Black Eyed Susan Day and Preakness at Pimlico Race Track.  On a side note, did anyone watch Race For the Crown on Netflix?  I'm not really into horse racing but I can get into any sports documentary (even about horses). It was kind of interesting and you got to see behind the scenes of Preakness 2024. Oh and how can we forget? Sam's boys will turn 6 at the end of the month!  How did that happen?

You guys can't get enough of our Happy Bird Day Baltimore Orioles card. Now we just need some Moore Orioles wins!

If you're looking for a sign of spring, this week is Flower Mart, one of our favorite Baltimore events!  Flower Mart takes place each May in Mount Vernon.  Flower Mart is the oldest free public festival in the city and it's been around since 1911! It's a great spot to find plant and flower vendors to beautify your gardens, support local artists and enjoy Baltimore music and food.  And speaking of Baltimore food, Flower Mart is where you can try a Lemon Stick!

As fans of the legendary Baltimore sweet treat, Sam and I have designed several greeting cards that feature the iconic Lemon Stick. When we do local markets and pop ups, people pick them up and someone will always ask us "What is with the Lemons with the Peppermint sticks?" or "Is the Lemon Stick a Baltimore thing?" Yes hon', it is!

The history of the delicious Lemon Stick is a bit of a mystery. Some say they were first introduced in 20th century France or England. Another theory is that someone first tried the Lemon Stick on a visit to New Orleans.  So basically we don't know where the heck it came from or who thought this would be a great idea. I mean why would you even think to stick a peppermint stick in a lemon?  But somehow this sweet and sour treat made it's way to Baltimore, and it appeared in a child's essay written in 1911, the first year of the Flower Mart.  The Lemon Stick has been a tradition ever since and the Flower Mart wouldn't be the same without them.  But if you've never had one, what the heck is a Lemon Stick?

So if you're a Lemon Stick first timer, we definitely recommend you try them at Baltimore's Flower Mart for the ideal experience.  But you can also make your own at home.  And this is one of the simplest recipes you'll ever make.  First you need Lemons. I don't think we need to tell you where to find those. And second you need Soft Peppermint Sticks.  The typical candy cane you get at holiday time won't do.  It needs to be soft and porous to let the lemon juice seep through.  We like King Leo Peppermint Sticks which you can find here. So now you have your two ingredients and the rest couldn't be easier.  You're going to give your lemons a little roll on the countertop to ensure maximum juiciness and then cut the lemons in half. You can cut a small x in the center of the lemon to make it easier to insert your peppermint stick.  Then push your peppermint stick into the center of the lemon.  That's it!  Now you have the perfect sweet and sour treat!

Now use that peppermint stick as a straw.  The lemon juice will come up through your minty straw as the peppermint stick starts to dissolve and you will have the most delicious combination of lemony goodness and sweet peppermint.  Sound like a weird combination?  Just give it a try!  It wouldn't be spring in Baltimore without the Lemon Stick! If you're a newbie, let us know what you think in the comments below. Or share your favorite memory of this uniquely Baltimore treat.

As card people, we're always trying to think of the next idea for a card.  And when we get an idea we have to write it in a notebook or the notes app on our phone because if we don't, with our crazy brains it's usually gone. So the idea for a Birthday Bingo card was one that had been written in my notebook for a while but  it never quite happened and other card ideas made it to the top of the pile. 

Until one day I brought the idea up to Sam again as we were tossing around ideas. Bingo seemed to be trending.  And Bingo is in our blood.  Our Great Grandmother had a heart attack at the local Bingo hall! I mean, she died doing what she loved. So the timing was right and with this legendary piece of family lore, how could we not do it? I started to draw and now we had Bingo on the brain. As with all good ideas, and as a Baltimore small biz that celebrates our city, we're always trying to find a local spin.  We thought, Why not Baltimore Bingo?

We started to think of experiences that are uniquely Baltimore to create the perfect Baltimore Bingo card, like serving Jury Duty.  I moved from the county to the city about two years ago and they finally found me in December. I had my first Baltimore City Jury Duty experience!  There are easy ones like Drank an Orange Crush or Wear Purple on Fridays.  Who hasn't done those? But have you Worn a Beehive at Honfest? (Someone needs to bring that back) Or have you Climbed the Patterson Park Pagoda? Can't say I have.  There's a spot for the foodies that Sprinkle Old Bay on Everything or have Eaten a Lemon Stick at Flower Mart.  

For our sports fans, there are Bingo squares for the Orioles fans, if you have you shouted O during the Star Spangled Banner of Drank Bohs at the Yard. And mark a box if you've Partied at a Baltimore Ravens Tailgate. Or maybe you've experienced the Infield at Preakness.  If the Art Scene is more your thing then you must have sweated it out at Artscape. Why is it always so hot?! Or seen a John Waters movie. Pecker anyone?

This card is the perfect anytime card for the True Baltimorean to see if they can get a Bingo.  Can you get Moore than one?  Let us know in the comments below.

We kicked off March with our first market of the season with the ladies of Stronger Together Collaborative at Heavy Seas Brewery. Sam and I are sometimes (really most of the time) really awful at taking photos so there isn't really photographic evidence that we were there! But the market was made up of badass women owned businesses to celebrate International Woman's Day. Woot! Markets are always a lot of work but It was great to see people in real life again.  And we got to meet Amy from Sprinx and Pink who is a Maggie Moore fan and now we are a fan of her. Check out her incredible cookies. They are so fun! I was planning on grabbing lunch and next thing I knew I was making a meal of one of her Giant Mint Oreo cookies!  And the Lucky Charms Rice Krispie treat hit the spot when I got home.  Sam bought her boys paint your own cookies for St. Patrick's Day which they loved. Combining art and cookies, genius!

Then I got a chance to escape and headed to Florida to see my Dad and to celebrate his  77th Birthday!  Besides basking in the sun by the pool, birthday celebrations, and enjoying daily happy hours, we got to see the George Harrison exhibit at Selby Gardens in Sarasota. Who knew besides being a Beatle he was an amazing Gardener?  The exhibit was inspired by his own gardens at Friar Park in England. Sometimes you need a little inspiration and to realize you suck at gardening.  How cool is that leaf that looks like it has been rendered with little pencil lines? I might be a little obsessed with it.

We are now using a local printer for our greeting cards, right here in Maryland, Indigo Ink and we picked up our first order from them this month.  We're excited to be working with and supporting another Maryland small biz and keeping things local.

We had several new drops this months including Mother's and Father's Day cards, for Moms and Dads from Baltimore, Philly and Boston, a new Eagles Type Mashup print and Card and a new Bird has joined the Flock.  Check out our new Nationals Bird Day Card.

What are we watching? Well White Lotus of course because who isn't? There's got to be a card in there somewhere. I love you more than Lorazepam? Parker Posey is fabulous and I'll watch anything with Walton Goggins.  Oh and speaking of Walton, there's a new (and last) season of The Righteous Gemstones!  I just love saying Baby Billy's Bible Bonkers. And as Survivor fans, Sam has got me into Traitors! Like Survivor (without the Survival aspect) in a Scottish castle with murders and banishment and Alan Cumming! I'm way behind on Season 1. Oh and Yeah, Survivor.

What are we excited about for April? Well for one warmer weather!  And spring means Baseball.  The O's are already off to a great start.  April 25th is Indie Bookstore Day and we have lots of great ones here in Baltimore,  Greedy Reads, The Ivy Bookstore, and Snug Books to name a few.  And don't miss the Tulips at Sherwood Gardens. A Baltimore treasure!

What was your favorite greeting card of the month? Opening Day means our Happy Bird Day Orioles card.  Let's go O's!

Let's face it. 2025 has been a tough year so far and we could all use a little encouragement. That's where our They Made Baltimore Harbor Swimmable card comes in!  Whenever people pick this card up at a local market or a pop up, it always gets a laugh so you have the Maggie Moore guarantee it is proven to be the perfect pick me up.

Sam and I created this card last year following the announcement that Baltimore Harbor was swimmable. Yes, that Baltimore Harbor! That dirty harbor you wouldn't even dare to dip a toe in. In June of 2024 they held a Harbor Splash event for swimmers to jump in the harbor and it seems everyone was buzzing about it.  To celebrate this epic event, Katie Pumphrey local artist and open water marathon swimmer, completed the Bay to Baltimore swim, finishing where else, but in Baltimore Harbor. That's 24 miles! So of course as a Baltimore small biz celebrating everything we love about our city, there had to be a card for that!  And an iconic flamingo floatie seemed just right.

Check out the Waterfront Partnership website here to learn more about the work of many organizations that went into cleaning the harbor.  Our beloved Mr. Trash Wheel is just the beginning! If you missed out on the fun last year, you can even join in Harbor Splash 2025. And you can watch a short documentary about this extraordinary effort here.  Did you know they now grow over 300,000 oysters in Baltimore Harbor each year?! Shucks, we had no idea! 

So if you need a card to put a smile on someone's face or to give them the little push they need, we have a card for that.  And be sure to cheer on Katie Pumphrey on her next swim as she takes on the English Channel in July!