| THE EPISTOLARIAN |

One summer afternoon when I was about six, a squirrel found its way into our tiny A-frame house, turning the living room into a battleground of intentions. My sister and I watched from the couch as the squirrel launched itself around the room, leaping over the coffee table and scaling the curtains, chaotic and far too panicked to be reasoned with, even if squirrels could respond to diplomacy.

My mom, ever the grounded outdoorswoman, opened all the windows and doors—an invitation, or perhaps an out-vitation, to leave. She took up a broom, not to swat but to gently steer. My dad, meanwhile, had other ideas. As a boy, he had tamed a string of squirrels—Bushy Tail 1, 2, and 3—and a raccoon named Miss Coon. For him, wildlife was less something to be managed and more something to befriend, ideally with a towel. He crept around the sofa, towel in hand, eagerly anticipating the squirrel’s next move, which, even by squirrel standards, was entirely unpredictable.

Several minutes passed before they realized they were working at cross-purposes: my mom trying to usher the squirrel out, my dad trying to catch him. The moment of recognition was cinematic. My mom, exasperated, shouted “Mike!” and the squirrel, unimpressed with either plan, took one last triumphant lap around the rafters before zipping through the sliding glass door on to the porch and into the trees.

No one was hurt, except the squirrel and the curtain. In its frenzied escape, it snagged a nail and left behind the faintest trace of blood. The mark was small but lingered high on the cream-colored drapes, a quiet reminder of that wild afternoon until the day we moved.

My parents’ intentions had been at odds, but each extended their own form of sciurine friendship: one with open doors, the other with open arms. And in that fleeting moment of interspecies mayhem, the squirrel instilled a bit of itself in our family: playfulness, chaos, and unlikely resourcefulness.

Seal of the Week: the Squirrel 

Just launched and ready for early fall, the Squirrel Seal captures is all about playfulness and resourcefulness. This seal shows the squirrel in a quiet forest holding an acorn. His little fingers around the acorn is one of my favorite parts.

I have 11 available for the collector's register. I am not sure if I will make more or not at this point, but I love it for autumn.

Wax Seal Guild

Over the past year, LaRetta Madsen of Strictly Lyrita, Betsy Goodman of B Good Lettering, and I have dreamed of building a stronger sense of community across the world of wax seals. Whether you’re a hobbyist, an artist, a collector, or somewhere in between, we believe there’s something powerful in coming together around this shared love for the seal.

To help make that happen, we’ve launched the informal "Wax Seal Guild" with two simple but meaningful initiatives:

1. Sealing Sundays: Every Sunday, we invite you to take time for sealing, whether that’s making seals as an art practice, using them in your correspondence, or simply setting aside space to connect with beauty and intention. When you share your work, include the hashtag #SealingSundays so others can find and celebrate your creations.
2. Monthly Themes: One Seal, One Word Each month, we’ll announce a new theme and encourage everyone to make just one seal inspired by it. The idea is to create space for reflection, joy, and creativity, all while keeping things simple and accessible.

The theme for August is enJOY. What brings you joy? How do you find it? What does it mean to live a life in joy? Choose any seal that captures your take on this word and share it using the hashtags #WaxSealGuild and #enJOYaugust.

This is a completely free, informal, and open community. You’re welcome to share on any social media platform with those hashtags, or if you prefer, you can send your creation directly to me and I’d be happy to repost it in my stories.

We hope this becomes a beautiful way to connect, grow, and celebrate one another’s work. Whether you’re melting wax for the first time or crafting intricate talismans, there’s room for you here.

Two Originals Now in the Gallery

Two new framed wax seal works are now available in the gallery. Each one is an original, created by hand in the studio and sealed with intention. These pieces are meant to be lived with. They are quiet, singular, and made to bring a sense of beauty into the spaces we hold dear.

The Three Graces
This piece features the Three Graces—Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thalia—figures long associated with joy, generosity, and the beauty of shared life. The seal is pressed into a deep, river-stone wax and framed in a hand-modeled basket weave. The basket, one of the oldest symbols of hospitality, holds the moment with softness.

Forget Me Not
A delicate tangle of forget-me-not blooms, pressed into pale blue wax and painted by hand. This piece is framed in white and carries the feeling of something cherished. It is for memory, for tenderness, for keeping something close even as time moves forward.

Both are signed, framed, and ready to be placed wherever stillness and beauty are welcome.

Almost Gone: Agitée Mais Constante / Al Último Penny

Just 8 remain. Let it be your reminder that you are never truly adrift.

This special penny features a compass with the words Agitée Mais Constante (“Wavering but constant”) and an anchor with Al Último (“Hope dies last”). It speaks to inner truth, steady hope, and the quiet strength that guides us through uncertain waters.

Color of the Week: Dürer

This rich bronze wax is named for the artist Albrecht Dürer, whose meticulous engravings, luminous watercolors, and detailed woodcuts shaped the course of Renaissance art. The color is deep, earthy, warm, and mildly reflective, like aged metal.

I chose the name Dürer not just for his artistic legacy, but because his letters were my first point of entry into the world of historical correspondence. I studied his work closely for my senior thesis, reading through his original letters, which are the earliest known surviving letters by a working artist. They reveal a man who cared deeply about his craft, his materials, and his reputation. They also show us something rare: an artist writing, not just being written about.

If you’d like to hear more about Dürer’s letters and what they reveal, I recorded a podcast episode you can listen to here.

Now Available for Preorder: The Chinoiserie Seal

The Chinoiserie Seal sold out quickly and is now available again for preorder.

This piece will ship within about four weeks of ordering.

I’ve wanted to design a chinoiserie seal for a long time. It was inspired by one of my favorite places in the world, the dining room in my aunt and uncle’s home in Montecito. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful family meals there, and this design carries the charm and beauty of those memories.

If you missed it the first time, now is your chance.

- Kathryn