Get to Know Sam! One Half of Maggie Moore Studio

Sam is one half of the designing cousin duo that is Maggie Moore Studio, but you might not get to see or hear from her as often.  She's a busy working Mom to twin boys, and as if that weren't enough, she's also lead singer in a band with her Dad!  Shout out to Middletown Sound.  We thought it might be fun to have a little chat with Sam so you can get to know her a little bit better.

Origin Story: How did you end up as co-founder of Maggie Moore?

I recall going to our annual Labor Day family beach getaway with two 3-month-olds and thinking, " I gotta do something more creative in my life". This "normal" job just isn't cutting it. Both Becky and I were painting and lettering, so it made sense to combine our efforts. We would take walks around our neighborhood, coming up with ideas for how to start this business until it literally whacked us (well, Becky) on the head.

What are your three favorite items in the Maggie Moore shop right now?

1. "Sorry life is such a shitastrophe lately" is the motto of my life and lots of others around me right now, and any sweary card with pretty type will get me every time. 

2. I love me a good notepad. I just think the blue crabs with fries in their claws are adorable, and I love the play on words with "Fryorities". 

3. Our new Charm City Lemon Stick-er is up there. It's an ode to Baltimore, and it captures the spirit of an iconic city food I love.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve designed?

Probably the "I love you a Bushel and a Pinch" card. I spent a lot of time perfecting the type, and I love anything with a play on words. Swapping out "peck" for "pinch" made my heart happy and made designing the card exciting and meaningful, knowing it made so much sense locally.

What’s an underrated card or sticker you think people should notice?

I love the "stay crabby" sticker. Another ode to the Marylander, but it doesn't get as much love as other things.

What’s your go-to gift that always works at Maggie Moore?

Art prints make great gifts. You buy a simple frame, pop it in, and grab a matching card. Easy and thoughtful every time!

Favorite Holiday season for cards?

Any season I can think of ideas and produce them, haha.

What’s your current obsession (books, TV, Podcasts, Music, Food?)

I am obsessed with food- specifically thinking about what to cook, bake, and create. I definitely want to be a chef in my next life. :)

Most of my kitchen skills I've learned from watching Food Network shows over the years, plus 95% of the time, the only book I ever want to read is a cookbook. I am currently binging early seasons of Top Chef,but I just finished watching a Korean cooking show that has amplified my desire to eat Korean food.

Other things: I started listening to Amy Pohler's "Good Hang" podcast (guest, Kate McKinnon is my spirit animal) and the Typology Podcast about your Enneagram Type (I'm a 9). I'm fascinated by people and their personality types. And I always have 89.7 WTMD on in the car when I'm driving.

Coffee/Tea order?

Tea: Earl Grey or London Fog (Best is from Corner Pantry) 

Coffee: Lancaster County Coffee is my fav local brand. Any hot or iced coffee with cinnamon flavor is my fav.

Our family loves cake! What’s your favorite kind of cake?

I love Lemon! My mom always made me a lemon cake with lemon buttercream frosting every year for my birthday. It's still my faovrite and I even made her make it as my wedding cake!

What keeps you busy when you’re not being a boss lady?

Haha, my kids. mic drop.

You’re a busy Mom. What do you do to unwind when you have the time?

Time for me? What's that?! IF I have time for myself, I love to be outside with the sun on my face. Last year, I built a 4'x4' above-ground container garden all by myself, and grew all the herbs and some veggies. The best 10 minutes of the day were simply pruning herbs and picking ripe veggies while listening to birds chirp. It's the little things, people.

What’s something our customers don’t realize about running Maggie Moore?

Inspiration is sporadic. We set deadlines for ourselves to come up with new ideas, and it can be hard to think of good ones. Sometimes the best ideas come out of nowhere, all at once, when we're not even trying, and sometimes it's hard to think of anything!

What’s your favorite thing about Maggie Moore?

I think just the overall accomplishment of Becky and me in starting this little business. We grew something from nothing, and nurtured it, and it grew bigger than our hopes and dreams by taking tiny steps in the direction we wanted to go. Setting goals really works!

What’s your best customer interaction story?

Two general customer interactions make me smile. 1. When people read our cards at markets, laugh, and point to show others. 2. When you see the same people repeatedly buying our products. It's just affirming that we are doing something we love that resonates with others, and sharing it is priceless.

What question do you get asked most at a local market?

"Do you design these?" YES. All of our designs have been drawn on paper with pencil, painted in watercolor, or created digitally with an Apple Pencil.

What are your dream products you would like to design if you had Moore time?

Oh man, tough question. I love my kiddos, and they make me realize how important it is to get kids involved in art and creativity early on in life. I'd love to design coloring books and kid stationery... and it could be a reality in the future if I had a little Moore time! 

Favorite Memory of our G-Mom, Maggie Moore

There are so many- she was a wonderful lady who had so much spunk and sweetness in such a tiny package. When I was young, I spent a lot of time with her, and we'd watch a lot of TV while eating snacks and doing art, haha. Watching Julia Child and Bob Ross on PBS was daily, while CBS Sunday morning was a weekend ritual (we'd often draw or paint suns while watching), and of course, we stayed up late to watch David Letterman. Later in her life, I loved seeing her rock on at my brother's concerts and party as hard as the rest of us at any function. She knew how to have fun, enjoy a beer and sweets, and loved art. I am getting teary-eyed just thinking about her!