The Little Things No. 51

Dear friends,

I can hardly believe that this is the last Little Things post of 2022. When I started this little blog series at the beginning of 2020 it was a weekly blog series and eventually became once a month. It was a simple way to practice gratitude, share some of my less curated photographs and cell phone images as a behind the scenes, and to round up some of the fun things that have happened over the past week or month.

I am so thankful for the end of this year. It has not been as hectic as years passed, although I have been busy with two end of the year weddings, last minute photo shoots, and the holiday season. After floundering the past couple years I finally feel like I have some sense of direction again.

In November I hosted a cornucopia making class at the local Hope & Honey Boutique and I am helping coordinate with the web designer for the Art Council’s new website coming in 2023. I have baked and learned how to make gingerbread cookies and I hosted a lovely Christmas Eve. I hope that you too have had a creative, relaxing, and inspired end of the year and holiday season. I wish you the best of the new year.

A few of the little things:

I truly tapped into my creative side at the end of this year and I started making candles for fun. Matthew wants me to turn it into a little side business in the new year. We’ll see. I’m still working on getting my photography studio.

The cornucopia class:

More candle making. This time I started using molds to make various types of Christmas tree candles and they became so popular from my Instagram that I started selling them, including at the local Hope & Honey Boutique.

For a Christmas gift, we took my dad to a Giants game.

End of year hikes.

We saw the Christmas boat parade in Mystic for the first time.

The Bethlehem Christmas Tree lighting festival.

I received the sad news that after 200 years, my college would be closing its doors due to financial troubles. I always took for granted that it would be there. This is a photo of my college on my first day orientation and a couple photos form my senior exhibition.

Picking out our Christmas tree.

I made these ice skate holiday stockings.

This winter is looking its coziest. Lots of inspiration from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott this year.

A paid collaboration with the lovely Print Fresh pajama company.

Our holiday card behind the scenes.

This Christmas tree skirt turned into a cloak.

These Swedish candle chimes.

These thrifted vintage cookie cutters.

My inspiration behind my vintage gingerbread cookies and their cutters is form the local Ovens of France bakery.

Making gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve. We lost power and used flashlights and candles to finish the job. Thankfully the power came back on time for dinner.

Christmas morning. We had a lovely breakfast of French toast casserole, sausage, and pomegranate with tea and Arethusa eggnog.

My grandmother flew up to Connecticut from Florida and it was a lovely holiday party with my family and cousins at my cousin Karissa’s house. She is a fabulous hostess.

Morning winter walks. Betty the Beaver’s house is frozen in the ice. Everyone is hunkering down for a long chilly winter.