This week in my haven felt especially wintry! Not only did we have our first measurable snowfall of the season, but I also had multiple Christmas designs in the works. I am so excited to share them with you because I started designing them several weeks ago, so getting them out of my head and into fabric feels really good. I have to admit that I suffered from quite a bit of indecision about these three new appliqués this week though. You see, I started drawing up Christmas and winter appliqué ideas in early October, and I had over a dozen options. Narrowing it down to a reasonable number of favorites wasn't easy! I hope you like the ones I chose as much as I do.

This week in my haven went by in a blur of fabric and thread. I really can't believe it’s already Friday! I sewed 72 French cross appliqués for a very special custom order this week that I'm sharing more about in this week’s journal. I also really wanted to get started on my winter and Christmas offerings this week (more about that below). The busiest time of year for makers and creative business owners is definitely already here and your support is so greatly appreciated. I hope you enjoy the behind-the-scenes stories of what I'm working on!

This week in my haven had me sewing during every spare moment! It seems like the holiday rush is starting extra early this year even though I haven't even posted any of my new winter or Christmas designs yet. It's been very exciting and fun to receive some special order requests to work on though. Maybe you saw the custom ordered placemats I posted on Instagram this week or the French crosses I was cutting for another special project? I also completed a set of items for Sacred Art, a Chicago shop that is opening a second location in Geneva, Illinois that will be called Midwest Nice. I had been planning to start introducing my Christmas season designs this week, but I got so caught up in sewing these orders that it'll have to wait one more week. Have you started shopping for the holidays yet or are you waiting a few more weeks?

This week in my haven got off to a bumpy start on Monday, but has smoothed out as the days have passed. I felt like I was juggling too many different balls and I wasn't sure how I was going to get everything accomplished. Can anyone relate? Thankfully, I'm in a better spot with everything now, and I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend and fun Halloween festivities on Monday.

This week in my haven I'm feeling caught in between the seasons. I want to have my winter designs ready by the first week of November, so I've been testing some of those. The beginning of the week also started out with some very wintry weather, which put me even more in a winter state of mind. However, the weather has been more mild and fall-like the past couple days, not to mention how all the trees seem to be showing off their best autumn foliage. Even though there’s a strong pull to start getting ready for the busyness of the winter holiday season, I am trying to slow down and appreciate the season we are actually in for the next couple weeks. How about you? Are you already feeling the need to start planning for Christmas or does that still seem far off for you?

This week in my haven I've got three things on my mind simultaneously. One: find new/better ways to connect with people who are interested in what I make. Two: prep for my final farmers market of the season. Three: gear up for the holiday season. Read on to find out a bit more about each of these things and learn what else is happening in my haven.

This October in my haven I'm thinking about sharing. How we share our time, talents, abundance, and even our burdens with others can make a profound difference. In this month's journal I'm reflecting on how sharing is at the heart of Haven Handmade. I also have some ideas for crafts, recipes and stories that are great for sharing with others.

This September in my haven I'm thinking about time—how quickly time seems to pass when we're busy, making time for everything on our schedules, and finding time for fun and creativity too. In this month's journal I'll share my thoughts about the importance of making time for creativity and a new Haven Handmade product I'm working on that makes a great creative outlet. I also have some links to handmade gifts to make when you are short on time, time-saving recipes, and books about time. Let me know in the comments if you find something you like here!

This August in my haven I'm thinking about being present in the moment. With school starting back up later this month, I started to feel my thoughts turning to "back to school”. While there is always a measure of excitement associated with the start of a new school year, I was starting to stress out about things that are happening two or three or four weeks from now and I realized it was taking away my enjoyment from the last few weeks of summer break. So instead, I am trying to take each final day of summer break one at a time and allowing myself to enjoy our less structured summer schedule without worrying about the school year yet. (Easier said than done, for me). In this spirit, I am keeping this journal very brief and only suggesting that you take some time this month to do something that brings you relaxation and enjoyment before summer starts winding down. That's certainly what I am hoping to do!

This July in my haven I'm thinking about traveling. We just hit the road for a short family vacation, but my family also has plans to visit family this summer and be tourists in our own city. In this month's journal I'll share my favorite and least favorite aspects of traveling. Also, I have some items from the Haven Handmade shop that can be great to have when traveling. Finally, I'll share links to some travel-related DIYs, recipes, and book recommendations. I hope you find something useful or inspiring here!

This June in my haven I'm thinking about being ready—ready for summer, ready for markets, ready for more family time, ready for whatever comes my way. Sometimes this means thinking and planning ahead and other times this means letting go of control. In this month's journal I’m sharing news about how Haven Handmade is getting ready for the summer market season and some items that will get you prepared for spending quality time with your family and friends. I've also got some DIY ideas and recipes that will make it easy to entertain outdoors, as well as some reading selections for when you're just ready to relax. I hope you find something here that makes you feel ready for the month ahead!

This week in my haven we are on Christmas break and we were 100% ready to slow down! Our schedule includes staying in our pajamas as late as we'd like, baking cookies, and spending time with family. Taking things slow after a few busy months is exactly what my household needs. It's a nice way to end 2021 and get ready for 2022. I hope you are taking time to slow down and enjoy the holidays too.