| THE EPISTOLARIAN |
Today I am releasing two new seals that sit in conversation with one another. At first glance, both images might be misunderstood. Some may see them as dark or even sinister, yet their true meaning is light-bringing, protective, and full of life.
The first is my reimagining of the Three Graces. In classical mythology, these sisters represent beauty, charm, and joy. They stand for generosity, gracefulness, and the kind of elegance that is not about appearances but about how we move through the world and treat one another. Their names in Greek are Aglaea (beauty), Euphrosyne (mirth), and Thalia (bloom). Over the years I have reimagined them in different ways. Once as a memento mori, and now as three witches. This playful transformation invites us to see them not as figures of foreboding but as creators, women stirring the cauldron of life and mixing the available ingredients of our days into something healing and whole.
| Witch Three Grace Seal |
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| Order Here |
The second seal is inspired by a daily visitor outside my window, a solitary crow my children named Clairy. Though her feathers are dark, her name means “bright” and “famous.”
She sits near me as I work, a living reminder of the unseen magic in the natural world. Crows have long been misunderstood as omens of death. I see them instead as guardians of transformation and intelligence, creatures who remember faces, solve problems, and act as stewards of the wild. Clairy perches on a yew tree, a symbol of endurance, rebirth, and immortality. Across cultures the yew is both funereal and eternal. Planted in churchyards, it marks the passage between life and death, yet its evergreen needles remind us of continuity and renewal. Together, crow and tree form a talisman of intelligent protection and transformation.
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| Clairy Seal |
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These seals also hold my week within them. After three vaccines left me sore and exhausted, I found myself leaning on the very lessons they embody... rest, ritual, and transformation. Instead of pushing through, I took a bubble bath, a nap, and some good water. Leisure is not a reward for being busy. It is a necessary part of life’s alchemy. These seals are my way of sharing that reminder with you. What may look dark can be a source of light. What seems heavy can become a source of transformation.
| Witch Three Grace Seal |
| Clairy Crow Seal |
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and now on to some poems I love with crows. Be sure to read outloud...
Dust of Snow By Robert Frost
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Poem from Emily Dickinson sent to Elizabeth Holland, #1514
An Antiquated Tree
Is cherished of the Crow
Because that Junior Foliage is disrespectful now
To venerable Birds
Whose Corporation Coat
Would decorate Oblivion's
Remotest Consulate.
We Listen and We Don’t Judge Guillotine Penny
These are still available in the shop for now, though I imagine they’ll sell out soon. A quick reminder that all pennies are completely limited edition. Once they’re gone, they’re never remade. This preserves the uniqueness of each release and adds lasting value to your collection, since you’ll own pieces that will never be available again.
On the first side, the inscription reads we listen and we don’t judge. This phrase, common in modern conversation, is often said when someone begins to tell a wild or deeply personal story, or by listeners when a story is told. It carries both sincerity and a humor, offering space for honesty while leaving room for playful interpretation. The seal can be taken at face value, or with imagined footnotes such as “unless they cross my friends” or “unless the judge needs to hear.” It is a reminder of how language flexes between truth, irony, and humor.
| Cauldron Witch Penny |
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Join Kathryn Hastings in Charleston next month!
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Discover, Create, and Celebrate
Step into a world of beauty and inspiration at next week’s Gracious Living Celebration in historic Charleston.
From elegant tea rituals to showstopping tablescapes, each session offers hands-on guidance from beloved experts and editors you know and love.
Featured Sessions
- Graceful Giving – Gift-wrapping artistry and hostess-gift ideas with Southern Lady contributing editor Lydia Menzies.
- Essentials of Tea – Afternoon-tea tips and traditions with Lorna Reeves and Melissa Lester.
- Splendid Tables – Table-setting magic with Paul Wojcik, Wendy Kvalheim, and Victoria Fanning.
- Watercolor Keepsakes – Create vibrant travel-inspired art with Amy Voloshin.
Spaces are limited and filling quickly.
Click here to view the full schedule and register to be part of this unforgettable celebration of creativity and gracious living.
| Reserve Your Spot Today |
Shipping this Week - Pre-Order Holiday Seals Gallery Showcase
The pre-ordered holiday seals should ship out to you this week. If you would like these early editions of the holiday seals, be sure to order this week.
With Love,