We are thrilled to announce the upcoming debut of Spruce & Gussy’s virtual shop. Please stay tuned.

It feels like summer is just about over, despite what the calendar claims. The exodus of August visitors leaves the streets of Bar Harbor feeling somewhat quiet, if not deserted. Here at Spruce & Gussy we are grateful to have two back-to-back events that happen after the exhale that is Labor Day weekend. Ever the party girls, we welcome the opportunity to celebrate the arts, fashion, and some of our favorite people with Fashion Night Out and the first Friday Art Walk of September. Read more »

Field of Flowers

Local artist Jennifer Judd McGee joins us for this Friday’s Art Walk, from 6 to 9 p.m. Jen is a multi-media artist of many talents.

The Boathouse

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Today’s blog post is brought to you via our brand new website!
With many thanks to Max Kelly and Jenny Nelson of Wylde Photography, we are so happy to welcome you to our new home on the web. We’d love to hear what you think, so be sure to let us know!

In other Spruce & Gussy news, the First Friday Art Walk for July is this Friday, the 5th. We are so happy to be featuring local jeweler Patience Blythe. Patience spent many summers on MDI, and decided last year to make it her year-round home. She is inspired by the natural beauty of the island, and many of her pieces reflect that. She works in mixed metals, often using natural materials such as lichen and flowers to produce imprinted earrings and pendants. She also layers metals, producing organic shapes in sculptural form. In addition to being a talented jeweler and teacher, she is an enthusiastic and friendly person, so be sure to stop by to chat with her. The Art Walk happens from 6 to 9 pm, Friday, July 5th, and we will have snacks and beverages along with a short vignette from A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by the Harborside Shakespeare Company at 7:30. There are events all over town, and the energy is exhilarating, so pick up a walking map and enjoy the arts in Bar Harbor!

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Despite the fact that it is winter, and very quiet here on Mount Desert Island, the past few weeks have been pretty full for us. The busiest and most eventful few days were spent in New York City. This was the third year that Michelle and I have attended the New York International Gift Fair in January.
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A very common question from folks visiting MDI in the summer ask is “What do you DO here in the winter?” The answer, of course, is different for everyone who chooses to make this island their year-round home. For Michelle and I, winter gives us a chance to pick up the pieces that get scattered over the summer and to prepare for the next. It also gives us a chance to rest and relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. We spend a lot of time knitting and soldering and sewing. We have a knitting group that meets once a week and a book club that meets once a month. We have small dinner parties and walks in Acadia. And we get to go on field trips!

We went on one of these field trips this past Monday. The two of us together with our friend Jen (who owns ImprovAcadia with her husband Larrance) drove down the coast a little over an hour to Belfast. We’ve made this trip at least once a winter for years now, in part because we love to visit Heavenly Socks, which is a lovely little yarn store right on Main Street. Read more »

Our final installment of our favorite things comes from Cali Sauer. Cali calls both Philly and Maine home, and loves anything that combines the cultures and styles of both. When she’s not serving coffee or yummy pastries at the Morning Glory, you can find her at home with her baby farm of 2 rabbits and 5 cats, occasionally fixing her old Dodge, or in the woods hunting deer. We love Cali’s independent and youthful style. Here are a few of her favorite things here at Spruce & Gussy.

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As promised, here is a special edition of our Favorite Things feature. Here you’ll find some of our favorite picks from the artists that you will find at the Bizarre Bazaar this weekend at Macey’s and Spruce & Gussy.
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Thanks to everyone who came out despite the nasty weather to enjoy a festive evening and great deals in Bar Harbor this past Friday. Now that we have recovered from Midnight Madness (mostly), it’s time to focus our attention on the Bizarre Bazaar and the rest of the holiday season.

Let’s start with a few more favorite things, this time those of Linda Rowell-Kelley, a local artist, mother of three and grandmother of 5. Linda paints a wide array of subjects, from flowers to scenes on Monhegan Island to funky people. You can find out more about her art here. Of Spruce & Gussy, she says “The thing I like most is that there’s always something new to look at. It’s fun to bring in a friend who hasn’t been before and get gift ideas. I find myself coming back to pick up that special something that will be just the right gift.” Read more »

We love those holiday gift guides that you find in the December issues of fun magazines. We love them so much that we decided it would be a great idea to ask a few of our customers to make their very own Spruce & Gussy gift guides that we could share with you.

Our first list was written by Kirsten Hardy. Kirsten has lived in Maine for the majority of her life, and on MDI for the past ten years. She got her BFA in ceramics but has since started a small sewing business, making clothing and accessories for babies, kids, adults and an eco-friendly home. She lives with her husband and two daughters in a house they built here in Bar Harbor. Here at Spruce & Gussy we carry a number of Kirsten’s products; her colorful and festive picnic napkins are one of our most popular items. Here are some of Kirsten’s favorite things: Read more »