| THE EPISTOLARIAN |

Currently, my family and I are enjoying the holidays in New Mexico with lots of quiet time for board games and reading. I've penned a couple letters, but am taking a week to pause, especially since I know 2025 will be full of activity and expansion for us all.

In the next Epistolarian, I'll highlight some of my favorite moments of 2024, but I wanted to share some of the feelings I've been having about this unique, quiet moment in letters and wax seals. This year has brought blessings. After five years of working publicly as an artist, the foundation of my life’s work has begun to reveal itself—not as a finished masterpiece, but as tender saplings that might one day grow into historic sycamores someday. The Master Class: The Art of Wax Seals, the first of many retreats, and the Kathryn Hastings Étui are all small shoots breaking through the soil in 2024, tangible evidence of the deeper magic I hope to share with the world.

That magic is this: our creativity is a profound and powerful force, meant to be shared, not hidden. Seals and letters, as small and unassuming as they may seem, are transformative tools. They slow us down and turn us inward, asking us to interact with timeless practices that connect us to our heart’s center. As Lord Byron’s biographer once said, they strike the perfect balance between solitude and companionship.

We are born, we grow, we pass on. Yet, through all of this, letter writing remain. These tools endure, bridging the gaps between people and generations, helping us not only to connect with others but also to listen to the quiet murmur of our own creativity. As an antique collector, I’ve often marveled at the lives behind the objects I hold—the countless hands that pressed wax with these seals, each letter a thread in human history. The Kathryn Hastings Étui is crafted with the same spirit, designed to spark this creative joy not just for today but for centuries to come.

The Étui connects us across time. Letters are bridges—written in one moment, sent to another, received in another. The Étui extends this idea. It is not merely a tool but a companion for those who will carry it, centuries apart yet connected through the shared act of letter writing. Holding an antique seal is like holding a fragment of another life. The Étui, though new, carries this same energy. It begins with us, but its journey will extend far beyond.

In some ways, I am grateful that the Étui, in its infancy, finds itself received like a newborn. It has not been handled by countless strangers in a shop weighing its value, but instead is sent directly to its first stewards—those who are called to it. It begins its life with care and intention, destined to travel the world in quiet, meaningful ways.

The Étui is the most comforting object I’ve held. Its weight is grounding, a small but steadfast presence in the palm of your hand. I carried each prototype with me for months, making sure it felt right—perfect, even. Then came the long process of selecting the first disk designs, narrowing them down with the same care as one chooses words for a letter.

And now, the Étui is here. Sharing it with the world feels momentous, but I am also aware of how precious this moment is. In these early days, the Étui is ours, held within a small community of people who love this practice and see its magic. It feels like a fragile yet vibrant flame, something to nurture and protect.

For those who feel called to add one to their collection, I offer a small gift: a discount through the end of December with the code KathrynLovesMe. You can order here. This is a moment to begin—not only for the Étui but for all of us who choose to write, create, and connect.

With love,

Currently, my family and I are enjoying the holidays in New Mexico with lots of quiet time for board games and reading. I've penned a couple letters, but am taking a week to pause, especially since I know 2025 will be full of activity and expansion for us all.

In the next Epistolarian, I'll highlight some of my favorite moments of 2024, but I wanted to share some of the feelings I've been having about this unique, quiet moment in letters and wax seals. This year has brought blessings. After five years of working publicly as an artist, the foundation of my life’s work has begun to reveal itself—not as a finished masterpiece, but as tender saplings that might one day grow into historic sycamores someday. The Master Class: The Art of Wax Seals, the first of many retreats, and the Kathryn Hastings Étui are all small shoots breaking through the soil in 2024, tangible evidence of the deeper magic I hope to share with the world.

That magic is this: our creativity is a profound and powerful force, meant to be shared, not hidden. Seals and letters, as small and unassuming as they may seem, are transformative tools. They slow us down and turn us inward, asking us to interact with timeless practices that connect us to our heart’s center. As Lord Byron’s biographer once said, they strike the perfect balavnce between solitude and companionship.

We are born, we grow, we pass on. Yet, through all of this, letter writing remain. These tools endure, bridging the gaps between people and generations, helping us not only to connect with others but also to listen to the quiet murmur of our own creativity. As an antique collector, I’ve often marveled at the lives behind the objects I hold—the countless hands that pressed wax with these seals, each letter a thread in human history. The Kathryn Hastings Étui is crafted with the same spirit, designed to spark this creative joy not just for today but for centuries to come.

The Étui connects us across time. Letters are bridges—written in one moment, sent to another, received in another. The Étui extends this idea. It is not merely a tool but a companion for those who will carry it, centuries apart yet connected through the shared act of letter writing. Holding an antique seal is like holding a fragment of another life. The Étui, though new, carries this same energy. It begins with us, but its journey will extend far beyond.

In some ways, I am grateful that the Étui, in its infancy, finds itself received like a newborn. It has not been handled by countless strangers in a shop weighing its value, but instead is sent directly to its first stewards—those who are called to it. It begins its life with care and intention, destined to travel the world in quiet, meaningful ways.

The Étui is the most comforting object I’ve held. Its weight is grounding, a small but steadfast presence in the palm of your hand. I carried each prototype with me for months, making sure it felt right—perfect, even. Then came the long process of selecting the first disk designs, narrowing them down with the same care as one chooses words for a letter.

And now, the Étui is here. Sharing it with the world feels momentous, but I am also aware of how precious this moment is. In these early days, the Étui is ours, held within a small community of people who love this practice and see its magic. It feels like a fragile yet vibrant flame, something to nurture and protect.

For those who feel called to add one to their collection, I offer a small gift: a discount through the end of December with the code KathrynLovesMe. You can order here. This is a moment to begin—not only for the Étui but for all of us who choose to write, create, and connect.

With love,

Kathryn