Over the next year, I want to dive much more deeply into my own letter-writing practice and share more inspiration to support yours. This week, with the holiday approaching, is a beautiful place to begin. So much of this season centers on Thanksgiving and gathering, which makes it the perfect time to set aside an hour for reflection, a letter or two, and if you're able, the quiet pleasure of a wax seal.
TheRosewood Wreath Sealwas the first holiday seal I ever launched, and I love how it can easily adapt to different times of year. This is a more sculptural iteration I made to celebrate Thanksgiving.
The Three Gracesis another motif I love adapting for different times of year. This was my first attempt at Chinoiserie version. I have six remaining of this seal.
Consider writing a letter of gratitude. You might reflect on what you’re thankful for this year, or write to someone who shaped, steadied, or delighted you. There are very good reasons to make space for it:
They lift your mood for weeks. Writing a gratitude letter can increase happiness and ease anxiety or depression for up to 12 weeks. Source: Wong et al., Journal of Positive Psychology (2018)
They rewire your brain for joy. Gratitude activates reward circuits in the brain and releases serotonin and dopamine, strengthening long-term emotional resilience. Source: Kini et al., NeuroImage (2016)
They land deeper than you think. Most of us underestimate the power of our thank-you notes. Recipients often feel deeply moved and treasure them far more than we imagine. Source: Kumar & Epley, Psychological Science (2018)
A simple ritual to try this week:
Choose someone you want to thank. Make a short list of moments, qualities, or gestures that you appreciate.
Write your letter. Be specific. Let your language carry warmth. You might even invite the person to share something they’re grateful for or looking forward to.
Seal it, if possible. Choose a wax seal that symbolizes something you feel grateful for. Let the final gesture be intentional, slow, and satisfying.
Even one letter can shift how you feel about the coming days. And more often than not, it becomes a gift that someone will never forget.
The Newest Penny - Champagne Dove
The first edition of Hastings Étui sold out yesterday, but we do still have the newest penny.
On the front, a champagne bottle bursts open, cork flying with that unmistakable pop. A declaration that you refuse to live a life that asks you to dim your own light or soften your joy. A life bottled up cannot be a life well lived. This side is a reminder to pour yourself freely, to rise, to shimmer, and to spill over in the ways that make your days feel alive.Ad vitas effusasmeans “toward poured out lives,” a call to take up space and to stop apologizing for wanting more beauty, more delight, more magic.
On the reverse, a peace dove arrives with its olive branch, softening the celebration with its own quiet truth. It offers calm, presence, and a steady return to yourself. The inscriptionJ’Apporte La Paixmeans “I bring peace.” The dove has carried this message across centuries. Light returns. Hope arrives. Peace is possible.
Inspired by the slow-paced, simple way of life in Tuscany, Terra Toscana represents travel, the culinary arts, and the appreciation of the natural world. Just as the people of Tuscany savor the simple pleasures of life, Terra Toscana Sealing Wax will add a touch of rustic elegance to your letters.
When I first launched the Three Graces, it arrived as a complete set that blended both of our gifts. I designed the seal, and my friend Maria of Clover and Lamb created the stationery to accompany it. Together, we brought the Graces into a world of paper and wax, a small collaboration rooted in beauty, friendship, and the joy of handmade things.
This week, the Three Graces return. The seals and the matching stationery are now fully restocked. You can welcome them as a complete set or choose each piece individually. However you bring them into your ritual, the Graces still carry their original blessing: beauty, mirth and abundance.
