Embracing Winter in the New Year
Happy 2025 friends~
I find that I am beginning this year differently than I oftentimes do. Maybe it’s being settled in our new home, surrounded by nature and the sea, a quiet place that feels peaceful. Part of my mind is filled with ideas of how I want this year to look for my pottery business. But the other part sees the value in feeling THIS season, acknowledging the short dark days, the cooler temperatures, the need for candles and warm sweaters. I’m attempting to embrace both of those parts and trying to find a way to let them work together.
One way to do that is working on a project at the house that involves hand building one of a kind pieces. I love being able to work at home, still creating but spending more time in our beautiful space and being able to simply glance up to watch the storms roll in or the ferry go by. I’ve got something that I’m so excited to share with you for this new year- more about that below.
I also find that I’m getting back to one of my great loves, cooking. I’ve started to pull out cookbooks, experimenting with things that I used to do regularly like making homemade pasta. I’ve baked more recently that I have in the past few years. Our simple kitchen inspires me, jars filling the shelves that I simply pull down when I need whatever’s in them. Everything’s within arms reach and we’ve lots of workspace when you take into account our long dining table which runs the length of the kitchen. I’ve missed the smell of something baking in the oven or noodles drying over a long dowel hung below the kitchen shelves.
In an attempt to read more this year I’m staring early and listening to the book Wintering by Katherine May. Have you read it? Sometimes I prefer the audiobook when the narrator’s voice inspires me almost as much as the words themselves. {am I the only one who talks to themself in a British accent after listening to the sound of it for an extended period of time?} I’m loving this book as it’s helping me see how I can embrace this season and see the beauty in the darkness. I’m learning about wintering around the world and seeing how different cultures navigate the short, dark, often cold days.
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Now, for one of the things I’m most excited about as I look towards the coming year~
Over the last few months I’ve been considering how to better connect with my community that supports my pottery shop. The sales get crazy and while I love packaging up all of your parcels, I always find myself wishing I could take more time and make each one feel more like a gift from me to you. I think that gifting is one of my love languages and the idea of creating a special parcel for someone brings me so much joy. Along those lines, a friend had suggested offering a pottery subscription and I’ve been considering what that would look like. The more I think about it, the more excited I get. So, I’ve decided to give it a go. {one thing I’ve committed to this year is doing more of what makes me happy}
The Pottery Subscription
I’ve decided to offer a limited number of subscriptions this first year in hopes of being able to create an experience for each recipient that is exactly what I envision. I will be sending out a parcel THREE times over the year, filled with my favourite things that I’ve made. Some will be unique, some will be things that we use daily and can’t live without. While I can’t share exactly what will be in each season’s box, I can tell you that I will treat each box as if I’m sending a gift to someone I love. It could be a set of bowls to use daily, or a platter and small bowls for entertaining. It might be something whimsical or something useful. My hope is that when you open the box, you will feel spoiled and loved.
The cost of the subscription will include shipping so this offer is limited to most of Canada and the 48 contiguous states. If you are in Alaska, Hawaii, or Newfoundland please reach out if you are interested as I’m happy to include you but will need to charge extra for postage.
I will be offering only TWELVE subscriptions this first year. If it all goes as well, those twelve subscribers will have first dibs on next years Parcel Subscription. Subscribers will also get early access to all online sales in 2025.
The cost of the subscription will be $500 and will be available in the shop Tuesday January 14th at 9 am PST. Please feel free to email me at kim@kimtaylor.co with any questions. I’d love to be able to send you some truly special boxes this year~
