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.

If you’ve been following our journey here in the journal or on Instagram, you’ve likely noticed my recent textile explorations, particularly ice-dyeing with natural dye stuffs. This creative exploration has been inspired by the ephemeral beauty—and bounty—of the autumn season.

I want to take a snapshot of this moment, immortalize it, and carry it with me as we move deeper into fall. I want to see it on my walls, breath it into my body, feel it against my skin.

That’s why I’m thrilled to introduce my new capsule collection, “Wild Harvest Reverie.”

L’shana tovah, my friends! As I’m writing this week’s journal entry it is erev Rosh Hashanah–the first night we celebrate the new year of the Jewish calendar and the beginning of the Days of Awe. It’s a time of celebration, but also a time of deep reflection.

This week has been a tough one. Alongside a challenging sleep regression, our family has officially joined the ranks of parents with sick little ones now that school is back in session. Welcome to autumn! While we curled up with our little girl in our favorite cozy spots, I found myself reflecting on where I feel most comfortable in my home.

Do you have a go-to spot? A place where the people are fantastic, the food and drinks are delightful, and the ambiance sparkles? ✨

I can’t pinpoint exactly when my husband and I began frequenting The Kitchen Table in Pound Ridge, but it quickly became our favorite weekend spot. It was the site of our daughter’s first restaurant experience at just six weeks old, and we celebrated my mom’s 70th birthday with a cozy brunch there. (And not for nothing, they still greet us warmly by name every time we come in—despite our daughter’s “scream at everyone you see” phase!)

After my first year as an architecture student, I found myself scrolling through Craigslist (does anyone still use Craigslist for job searches anymore?) looking for summer internships. It came down to two options: interning at a Manhattan hospitality architecture firm or a textile designer’s studio in Brooklyn. As a student of architecture, I felt an unspoken pressure to choose the architecture firm—after all, that’s what you’re “supposed” to do, right? So, I took the position, spending the summer immersed in vinyl baseboards and designing floor plank layouts for hotel ballrooms.

Can I tell you a secret? When I decided to dive back into painting after a long break (we’re talking years since I’d last squeezed out a tube of paint), I found myself paralyzed at the thought of using a canvas. I had this small stack of canvas boards stashed away, but I just couldn’t bring myself to use them. I was overwhelmed with anxiety about my skills (or lack thereof) and terrified of “wasting” good materials on what might turn out to be less-than-perfect experiments. But the itch to create became too strong to ignore.

This week was a tough one for me. I’ve been working really hard— and loving it! —on some new creative projects. Maybe it was too many late nights or not enough attention to my emotional well-being. On Thursday, I got a bit of a wake-up call. At first, I thought the bright spot in the corner of my vision was from staring at my computer screen too long. But after I took a computer break and the bright spot just kept growing, I knew this was something else. Why hello, migraine with an aura! 👋