I almost didn’t have the energy to write this! First, my daughter got sick, then me, then my husband. And it’s been rough. Most nights over the past week, we’ve been up comforting our girl, trying to lower dangerously high fevers two or three times–sometimes more. 

Between the tough stuff, however,  there have also been truly beautiful flashes of light and inspiration. I connected with a fabulous local florist and had my first houseware photoshoot. I also caught up with my business coaching group for a meaningful “State of the Union” with our cohort. Oh, and I finally finished a book I’ve had on my shelf for literal years!

t took me a long time to realize the impact physical movement could have on my creative work.

“Wait… what?” I can already hear you asking, “Didn’t you start out as an interior designer? How does physical movement fit into design?”

Well, let me tell you!

I love water, but it also seems to be a constant source of anxiety in my life.

Let me explain. It wasn’t always this way. Before my husband and I became homeowners, water was purely a source of inspiration. The soothing sound of rainfall, the rush of waves on the shore—those moments would leave me mesmerized and at peace.

Then we bought a house.

One of my best friends (hi Alex!) recently sent me an intriguing thread from Culture Critic (@Culture_Crit on Instagram or check out their longer articles here on Substack) about the decline of color in favor of more neutral tones. (By the way, have you noticed more grayscale cars on the road lately?)

I have to say, I’m not on the same page as Aristotle here. I’m not any more captivated by grayscale than I am by color; for me, it’s about the emotion art evokes—how it makes me feel—not necessarily what it looks like, per se.

This whole conversation brought to mind a funny incident from my undergraduate days in Rome.

I’ve always been passionate about creating beautiful things—pieces that capture the joy and exquisite light of life. But just as important to me is the belief that beauty and sustainability can go hand in hand. In fact, I’m a firm believer that they must.

To be honest, my approach to sustainability isn’t about pushing boundaries—it’s about keeping things simple. I stick to the basics: reduce, reuse, recycle. I aim to use what I have, avoid overconsumption, and breathe new life into materials wherever I can.

I might be feeling the winter doldrums, but there’s so much to look forward to in the coming months!

Here at Three Birch Hill, we’re thrilled to share some exciting news—we’ve been selected to showcase our work at two amazing juried markets in 2025: Spring Crafts at Lyndhurst and CraftWestport. Trust me, you’ll want to mark your calendars now because you won’t want to miss these!

I started a business development class this year, and I’m absolutely loving it. The insights they share are invaluable and applicable to both business and life.

One piece of advice from the coach really resonated with me recently. She said, “When you align your decisions with your values, you rarely have room for regret.”

I was planning the trip to check out The Invisible Collection’s exhibition featuring Damien Langlois-Meurinne. I’d had my eye on a few pieces for upcoming projects, but honestly, I wasn’t going there for anything time-sensitive. 

After a hectic start to the morning, however, I was running late, missed my train, and almost canceled my visit altogether. “There’s more urgent work,” I kept telling myself.

“Quiet, little voice!” I said. “I need this.” And I really did.

The new year is such a fun, refreshing time—a real opportunity for new beginnings. I always find myself inspired by design, but this time of year—those post-holiday winter doldrums—feels like the perfect moment to fill my cup with fresh ideas and new inspiration. One thing that consistently pops up around this time are trend reports for the upcoming year. If you’re not familiar, these are exactly what they sound like: groups of top designers share their predictions for “What’s Hot and What’s Not” in the world of design.

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with these lists.

Do You Have a New Year’s Ritual?

As the new year rolls in, do you have a ritual to mark the transition? A vision board, a family meeting, or maybe a list of resolutions?

I used to be all about the resolutions, but over time, I found the pressure to constantly "improve" exhausting. That’s when I discovered the Word of the Year—a single word to guide your intentions for the year, rather than a lengthy list of goals.

The holidays were…interesting. They kicked off with—surprise, surprise—yet another illness for my daughter and me. A common refrain for the past four months!

As so often happens with an illness, goals and best intentions went out the window and I was forced to embrace my inner couch potato.. Even after the fevers subsided, I still needed time to rest and reset—Netflix and chill, yes, but also Max and chill… and Apple and chill! Thanks to the support of my family, I was able to focus on nourishing my body with good food, diving into books, and letting myself only run the essential systems.

(What a privilege. I’m acutely aware that not everyone has the luxury to take a step back and rest like that.)

I can't believe that next week will already be Hanukkah and Christmas!

Even though Hanukkah feels extremely late this year, I still don't feel prepared—and no, I'm not talking about holiday shopping! As usual, the end-of-year work crunch has felt, well, pretty crushing. And I’ll be honest: I just haven't been able to make the time to truly savor the season so far.

If you’ve been following Three Birch Hill on Instagram, you know we had an incredibly special week—we had our photo shoot for the Holiday 2024 collection of scarves and bandanas! Despite the frigid temperatures, nothing could dull the smiles of our stunning models (and even the photographer!). But honestly, I think no one had a bigger smile than me. There’s something truly magical about seeing an idea you’ve envisioned come to life, and being able to watch others enjoy it. That feeling will never get old, I promise.

For this shoot, I asked each of our models to bring their own personality to the styling—and they definitely delivered! Each one put their own unique spin on how to wear a silk scarf or bandana, and the results were amazing. The best part? There are so many more ways to wear them than we could possibly capture in a single shoot!

Here are a few of my favorite ways to wear:

First, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who braved the snow and bitter cold to attend the Bethel Woods Holiday Market. Your kind feedback about my work truly warmed my heart (if not my hands)!

I often talk about intersectionality in my work—the blending of town and country, urbane and rustic, art and design. After all, that’s at the core of why I started Three Birch Hill in the first place.

Today, though, I want to talk about something a bit different: the intersection of disciplines.

In our blended home, we embrace the magic of all the winter holidays, and this time of year, there's a certain warmth that fills our hearts as we prepare for the festivities. But as much as we love the season, there’s always one thing that gets under my skin: the lack of unique and stylish Hanukkah pieces available. (Don’t even get me started on the scant handful of Hanukkah songs you’ll hear).

Every store seems to stock the same old silver menorah, and that's about it. Sound familiar?

That’s why, this year, I decided to take matters into my own hands and create something special for my fellow collectors—a Hanukkah-inspired design that’s chic, unique, and truly festive. And so, Bright Nights was born!

This holiday season, we're thrilled to announce that Three Birch Hill has been selected to participate in the Bethel Woods Holiday Market at the historic Bethel Woods Center for the Arts! If you're looking for a unique and festive shopping experience—one that supports local artisans and small businesses—this is the place to be!

I always knew Three Birch Hill would be a creative laboratory; it was never meant to be one static thing, but ever-evolving. That doesn’t stop me from feeling all the feelings when I try something new. Apprehension, anxiety, excitement. Hope. Just recently, I started working with a new textile printer. At first, it felt like a huge risk—like I was stepping back into uncharted territory. But with each misstep, each small victory, I am learning. It’s the same way I feel about life. It’s messy, but there’s no growth without it.

There’s a lot of energy today spent on focusing on one thing: re-creation, staying in the past. But I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in progress—personally, creatively, and politically. Progress requires courage, risk, growth, and sometimes failure. Progress requires a tremendous amount of both hope and creativity.

I have a confession to make: I almost didn’t write a journal entry this week. Between the seemingly never-ending cycle of sickness in my house—sick child, sick husband, sick me—and the usual daily stressors, all I really wanted was to kick back on the couch with some wonton soup and watch something familiar on TV.

But what was I really seeking? (Hint: it wasn’t actually Chinese food). It was comfort. I craved something familiar to bring structure to my chaotic days—a sense of routine. That’s where my journal comes in.

After an inspiring day at the Hudson Valley Farm & Flea on October 12th, I felt a surge of motivation and creativity. The vibrant atmosphere, the stunning crafts, and the sense of community fueled my excitement for the upcoming holiday season and some new creative pursuits. However, life had other plans.

I had such an amazing time at last weekend’s Hudson Valley Farm & Flea! Thank you to Laurie and the whole team for putting on such an amazing event. It was an unforgettable experience getting to connect with friends and collectors, as well as other local artists and artisans.

As the day wound down, a few of us lingered, packing up while sharing a cider and reflecting on the day—what sold, what didn’t—and a thought emerged: Would Three Birch Hill ever consider an open edition line? It’s a significant question for any creative to ponder, and while I know to never say never, my answer has to be no. Let me explain.