This holiday season, I have had the privilege of painting some amazing handcrafted gifts. From a favorite recipe on cutting boards to blessings and prayers, to gifts for the home…each one a gift tied with heartstrings.

I started painting the day after Thanksgiving and put the finishing touches on my last piece at 4 am the morning of Christmas Eve, painting 95 pieces total. There were some crazy long nights in there, I will admit. (Anyone who knows me, knows I’m no stranger to crazy long nights!) But I honestly loved working on each and every piece. They are all so different and knowing they mean so much to those giving and receiving them made it truly a joy to work on them. The collage above has a hint of quite a few of them.

I will be blogging about some of my favorite pieces and stories in the coming weeks. There are so many cool stories to tell. I’ve also got some really cool projects in the works using some incredible wood we reclaimed from a local 150 year old barn that was torn down. But this week, I will continue to be present with my family, count my many blessings and ring in 2018 with a humble heart. Thank you, dear readers, for your interest in my work, for the likes, shares and comments on my blog, facebook and instagram posts, and for your faith in me to create that special something for you and your loved ones. Happiest of holidays to you and yours and a healthy and happy new year!