dig into it 002: slow holidays
When my husband and I moved in together 7 years ago and got our first Christmas tree, there was some tension surrounding the lights. I was a warm white gal, he wanted color, both of us clinging to whatever we grew up with. After a little back-and-forth, our compromise was to mix the warm white with large, vintage- style colored bulbs, because we’re both suckers for nostalgia and can get behind a vintage aesthetic.
I’ve always felt like I lived on the fringes of whatever is trendy or mainstream, in the sense I am not totally detached but definitely not all-the-way-in either. Mainly I can’t stand the idea of betraying myself to fit into a box. In my 20’s I don’t think I had a fully realized sense of style but I do feel like weirdly enough, colored lights were the thing I didn’t know I needed to break me out of whatever sad beige/millennial grey/make _______ your whole personality I felt bombarded by on HGTV and Pinterest. After all, individuality is what makes life interesting.
It’s all hilarious and ridiculous to reflect on because now I’m head-over-heels in love with our tree every year. What I hadn’t conceptualized at the time, is that the lights were a metaphor for starting to settle into what felt like me, my sense of self and style, and more importantly feeling confident in it. I bucked at it initially because I was uncomfortable with the change. Like acquiring a taste, I can remember the moment I finally relaxed into liking the tree and eventually loving the tree. We broke the molds of tradition and expectations on how we celebrate the holidays and ultimately freed ourselves in more ways than one.
The holidays can be joyous and they can also be tough as hell for a full gamut of reasons. I hope you find yourself filled with happiness and rest and celebrating what is most important, in whatever way feels the most true to you!
This week at garden party:
Come see me this Sunday inside the Brewery at Piedmont! I’ll have houseplants, succulent gardens, pottery, sun catchers and more! If you’re feeling crafty, grab a beverage from the bar and come bundle dye a cotton handkerchief, bandanna, or tea towel. These make perfect handmade gifts for you or a loved one! Afterwards pop over to East Solomon for the Mistletoe Market.
a creative practice:
A Creative Practice is my way of honoring that I am a multidimensional person who is ever-curious and the most fulfilled when I am intentional and making space for creating through various mediums. It’s a space to share my work outside of farming, what is inspiring me, processes, experiments, and the joy of learning new skills.
After finishing my piece for the Under Heaven, Over Hell show, I’ve shifted fully into Christmas Elf mode. Look, I love a craft. The resurgence of ribbon and paper chains, disco balls, and stars is really filling my need for nostalgia.
HIGHLIGHTS + headaches:
From the joys, the eye-rolls, the current vibes, what I’m loving, or totally over, this section is a playful snapshot of life’s ups, downs, and everything in between.
On My Mind:
I’ve been really mulling over this interview with Brené Brown that I had on Saturday morning while I drank my coffee and worked on my art piece. It’s really so good!Looking Forward To:
It’s that time of year again where I begin collecting magazines to construct my 2026 Vision Board. I really cherish the time I get to spend with myself, cutting out all of the images and words that inspire me and collaging them all on a poster board. This will be my third year doing this and I’ve found that it tends to come together in a very organic way and often truly reflects my core desires, fears, and more.
2025
2024
3. Grateful For:
Hot showers and my dual zone heated mattress pad because there is nothing better after working outside in the cold.
4. My Christmas List
I present to you, the most Enneagram 5 Christmas list as texted to my husband Ike, verbatim:
Stocking ideas: New kitchen knife, anything garden, pottery, art related. Anything that will reduce mental load, organize, or promote relaxation/inspire. Anything to help with garden party business wise. Course gift certs from floret, flower farming for profit, dogwood dyer or create academy. Tickets to museum, botanical garden, or show, gift cards to the Aviary, Holbrook Holistic, a pocket knife (and not a pink one). small business support preferred.
5. Current Vibe: Whimsy
The quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful; a fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation especially in writing or art.
6. Spotify Wrapped
As always, thank you for being apart of my journey!
xx,
Claire
